Alassane Sakho, CEO of Kalimo Group, has officially inaugurated the Afric Links Forum, a premier pan-African summit designed to transition the continent’s vast economic potential into concrete industrial action.
Held in the strategic hub of Casablanca, the forum gathered high-level diplomats, corporate leaders, and institutional partners from across Africa to forge a new path for intra-continental cooperation.
From vision to tangible action
In his opening keynote, Sakho emphasized that Afric Links is far more than a platform for theoretical debate.
“We are here to act together—to transform the immense potential of our continent into tangible economic realities,” Sakho declared.
He drew a powerful parallel between the forum’s mission and the unity witnessed during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, suggesting that the same spirit of solidarity must now drive the continent’s balance sheets and industrial output.
Aligning national ambition with continental goals
A central theme of the forum was the synergy between national strategies and collective African progress. Sakho highlighted how the “Senegal 2050” vision—championed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko—aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
“No national vision can be truly sustainable without an economically integrated Africa,” Sakho noted, positioning Kalimo Group as an integrated platform dedicated to uniting African institutions, territories, and talents to generate shared value.
Capitalizing on the ACFTA
The forum’s objectives are deeply rooted in the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) framework. With the potential to boost regional income by $450 billion by 2035, the AfCFTA represents a historic opportunity.
Current State: Intra-African trade currently accounts for only 14–16% of the continent’s total trade.
The Trend: In 2024, internal trade reached $208 billion, signaling a rising capacity for Africa to build its own internal value chains.
Afric Links aims to complement state-led initiatives by facilitating private-sector industrial partnerships and ensuring rigorous follow-up on financial commitments made during the summit.
A bridge between nations: Morocco and Senegal
Sakho praised Casablanca’s role as a vital gateway between Africa and the global market. To further honor the deep-rooted ties between Morocco and Senegal, he announced a new 52-minute documentary chronicling the historic friendship between President Léopold Sédar Senghor and the late King Hassan II. This cultural diplomacy project aims to preserve a legacy of mutual respect and shared pan-African ambition for future generations.
Looking ahead: Dakar 2026
As the forum concluded, Sakho reaffirmed that the journey has just begun. He officially announced that the 2026 edition of the Afric Links Forum will be hosted in Dakar, further cementing the link between Senegal’s long-term development goals and the broader pan-African movement.
In his closing remarks, the CEO of Kalimo Group returned to a core principle of sovereignty: “Africa must work for Africa. Africa is built by Africans.” He called for a future defined by collective action, prosperity, and the same spirit of “fair play” that defines African excellence in sports.
