5 Insights from Swiss-African Business Day 2025
Drawing from a rich programme including six sector-specific breakout sessions, two keynote sessions, a panel discussion, and a headline conversation with Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah and WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, here are five key takeaways from the event:
1. National Business Bodies Drive Trade Outcomes
National private sector organisations (NPSOs) serve as key connectors between the business and government sectors. They help influence policies on taxation, trade, and infrastructure, while also encouraging the adoption of tools like the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to ease cross-border trade. Organisations such as Chambers of commerce and industry associations are vital in helping SMEs understand and take advantage of opportunities available under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
2. Embed Swiss Value Chains in African Markets
Swiss companies have the opportunity to localise more of their operations in Africa, building infrastructure, creating jobs, and deepening supply chains. Importantly, this strategy is not framed as aid, but as a wise business investment: investing in long-term partnerships that deliver both commercial and social returns.
3. Infrastructure Needs Smart, Sustainable Funding
According to a recent study by the Africa-Europe Foundation and the African Union Development Agency, in partnership with the African Climate Foundation (ACF), Africa requires $170 billion annually in infrastructure investment. NPSOs can turn this figure into action by working with members to identify and deliver bankable projects. Innovative financing solutions will be crucial in addressing the continent's vast infrastructure needs. Despite the current geopolitical shifts, ESG metrics will remain central to assessing the impact of infrastructure projects, which are long-term efforts that extend beyond political cycles.
4. Vocational Training is a Business Investment
Across key African markets, numerous companies and organisations are running and tailoring Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) programs, inspired by the Swiss dual education model with its strong private sector involvement, to address the skills gap in their local contexts. From hospitality training to engineering scholarships, companies are aligning education with market needs. TVET programs supported by Swiss public-private partnerships are preparing a generation of job-ready talent.
5. Health Partnerships Must Go Beyond Aid
In the face of the current unprecedented transformation of the global healthcare landscape, speakers agreed that, despite the challenges of uncertainty surrounding these shifts, new opportunities are emerging for collaboration between the African continent and Switzerland. Speakers reiterated that this moment calls for agile coalitions and a business-driven approach to healthcare funding in Africa through a new model—rooted in sustainable investment and built on partnership rather than aid.
Speakers also highlighted the potential for stronger cooperation between Swiss and African partners in research, diagnostics, and health systems development with examples such as the African Centre for Medical Excellence in Nigeria illustrating the scale of ambition.
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