IMEX-Madrid 2022 showcases the conditions for business development in Africa
"IMEX-Madrid. Internationalisation Week 2022" closed its doors after 5 days of intense activity. The international business and investment fair was held this year in a mixed format, although the face-to-face format was recovered, especially in the two days where the 20th edition of IMEX-Madrid 2022 was held at the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid.
"Internationalisation Week" ran from 18 to 22 April and was held in the same four venues as the previous year: the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism; Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid; CEOE and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, which brought together all the main agents in the foreign sector that promote and encourage the internationalisation of SMEs.
Moneda Única, a magazine specialising in international business, organised by IMEX, has had the support of the main Spanish administrations and organisations such as the Secretary of State for Trade, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation; ICEX; CEOE; ICO; Community of Madrid; Madrid City Council; Spanish Chamber of Commerce; Madrid Chamber of Commerce; Cesce; Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM) and CaixaBank, DHL; and the collaboration of the rest of the actors that ensure the competitiveness of companies in the development of their international business and the main supporters in the implementation of our IMPULSO AFRICA action: Casa África, Inafrica Strategy and the Governments of Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia.
During these five days of the week, 5,663 professionals attended in person and virtually, of which 2,210 were in person and 1,850 were those who visited the Fair in person on 19 and 20 April in the Crystal Gallery of the Palacio de Cibeles where the 'one to one' meetings were also held with representatives from 51 countries who held a total of 2,130 meetings.
The 'Internationalisation Week' kicked off with an official opening attended by the Secretary of State for Trade, Xiana Méndez; the President of IMEX, Jaime Ussía and the President of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, Ángel Asensio.
The Ministry's assembly hall hosted the inauguration of the 'Internationalisation Week'. Due to capacity restrictions, two other rooms were set up in the Ministry itself to accommodate the numerous delegations from African countries, including Angola, Gambia, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique.
The programme of contents of the 'Internationalisation Week 2022' was broadcast live; 40 hours of programme with 70 round tables and conferences in which 134 speakers participated throughout the week.
On 19 and 20 April, the 20th edition of IMEX-Madrid was held at the Palacio de Cibeles, where both visitors and exhibitors themselves expressed their satisfaction at being able to return to the on-site format of the Fair. These two days and the IMEX-Madrid 2022 Fair were inaugurated by Jaime Ussía Muñoz-Seca, President of IMEX-Impulso Exterior; José Luis Martínez-Almeida Navasqüés, Mayor of Madrid; Javier Fernández-Lasquetty y Blanc, Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment of the Community of Madrid; Begoña Villacís Sánchez, Deputy Mayoress of Madrid and Ángel Asensio Laguna, President of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce.
The last two conferences were held at the headquarters of CEOE (21 April) and at the Auditorium of the Chamber of Commerce of Spain (22 April). The CEOE conference was inaugurated by its president, Antonio Garamendi, who thanked IMEX for once again hosting the event. At the conference held at the headquarters of the employers' association, 4 interesting round tables were held, in which all the keys that a company needs to know in order to adapt to the demands of sustainability, the vision of Ibero-America and talent management were reviewed.
The last day was held at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. It was opened by José Luis Bonet, President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, who opened the programme for the last day, which dealt with topics of great interest to businessmen, such as European funds and the new reality of international logistics. The last of the speeches was given by Eduardo Serra, former Minister of Defence, who gave an interesting lecture on the new world scenario.
Before the end of the event, José Terreros, director of IMEX, expressed his satisfaction with the results obtained and announced that once again this year the fair has become a true platform for international business.
The fair counted with the collaboration of many companies and institutions including AJE Madrid; Albania (Trade Office in Spain); Germany (German Chamber of Commerce for Spain); Alyso Consulting Senegal; AMENET (Africa, Mediterranean and Europe Regional Integration); Angola (Investment and Export Promotion Agency); Angola Government of Angola; Association of Galician Businessmen in Madrid (AEGAMA); Atalayar; Australia Spain Business Association (ASBA); Madrid City Council; BAADJA & GALGAU; BANGE; BECCA; Belgium (Belgium and Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce); Brazil (Brazil-Spain Chamber of Commerce); CaixaBank; Spanish Chamber of Commerce; Madrid Chamber of Commerce; Tarragona Chamber of Commerce; Casa África; Casa Árabe; CBLingua, Sworn Translators; ChemSpain; Chile (Wolf & Pablo); COFIDES; Comunidad de Madrid; Ivory Coast (Centro Promoción e Inversones -CEPICI-); Cuba (Embassy in Spain); DHL Express; Egypt (Embassy in Spain); FEIQUE; Feliu N&I; Fidupatner; France (French Chamber of Commerce); Gabon (Embassy in Spain); Gambia (Ministry of Tourism); Gambia. Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA); Ghana (Embassy in Spain); Equatorial Guinea (Government and Embassy in Spain); Haiti (Spanish-Haitian Chamber of Commerce); Hong Kong (Quabbala Abogados y Economistas); How2Go; ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones; ieTeam; Inafrica Strategy; Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO); Instituto Halal; Invest in Hong Kong; Italy (Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Spain); Japan (Japan External Trade Organisation); Kompass; Luxembourg (Belgium and Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce); Madrid Foro Empresarial; Mozambique (Embassy in Spain); Nantai Trade Consulting; Naxan Export; Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM); Peru (Peru Trade Office); Portugal (Spanish-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce); United Kingdom (Quabbala Abogados y Economistas); Czech Republic (Spanish-Czech Chamber of Commerce); South African Republic (Embassy in Spain); Romania (Embassy in Spain); Sudan; Sweden (Swedish Chamber of Commerce); Thailand (Office of Commercial Affairs in Spain); Tunisia (Fipa Tunisia-Tunisian Embassy); Turkey (Commercial Office in Spain); Uganda (Consulate in Barcelona) and Vietnam (Vietnamese Embassy).