Building Africa's ExportsThrough Quality
The continent's premier trade convening, where governments, industry and institutions turn quality and standards into stronger African exports.
For African exporters, the cost of meeting standards now exceeds the tariffs they replaced.
Standards have become the currency of trust in trade. They determine access, value and credibility. ATDF 2026 is where the continent decides the terms on which African trade will be judged for the decade ahead.
of world imports are now covered by trade restrictions, up from 10% a year earlier.Source: WTO Annual Report, 2025
EU food-safety rejections of African exports between 2008 and 2013, costing exporters millions.Source: European Journal of Development Research, 2015
of African enterprises are SMEs, yet under 20% take part directly in export markets.Source: ITC SME Competitiveness Outlook, 2022
TradeMark Africa standards and SPS projects delivered across 14 countries, from labs to certification.Source: TradeMark Africa
The voices shaping the conversation.
David Beer
H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn
H.E. Wamkele Mene
Strive Masiyiwa
Dr Segnet Kelemu
Amb. Erastus Mwencha
Vimal Shah
Five conversations. One market. Many rulebooks.
Trade at Risk and Market Admissibility
Why weak standards cost Africa, and what admissibility really demands.
Standards, SPS and Pathways to Market Access
SPS systems, technical regulations and the road to premium markets.
Private Sector, SMEs and Competitive Value Chains
Who decides what Africa sells, and how businesses compete and win.
Building Trust through Quality Infrastructure and AfCFTA Convergence
Harmonisation, mutual recognition and Africa's quality infrastructure as strategic assets.
Transformation, Digitalisation and the 2026–2030 Roadmap
Digital conformity, e-Phytos and the continental priorities to 2030.
What the forum will deliver.
Continental Declaration on Standards and Trade Transformation
Africa Standards and SPS Scorecard, launched
Africa Quality Finance Platform for MSME certification
Partners
Two days that set the terms of African trade.
Two days. One continent. The standards that shape a decade of African trade.
In their words.
From runway to roundtable.
Travel, stay and tours for Addis Ababa, with preferential delegate rates from our official partners.
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News & Resources
Trust is Trade
Standards as Africa's Strategic Infrastructure. The reform agenda to 2030, developed with UNIDO as editorial partner and launching live at ATDF 2026.
Trust is Trade
Standards as Africa's Strategic Infrastructure
Join Africa's most influential trade conversation
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