Vision 2030 Fund Unveils Groundbreaking Coalition for Value Chain Transformation at AfDB

Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire — 29 May 2025

During the 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Marc Watum, Chairman of the Vision 2030 Fund and Investment Advisor to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Industry and SMEs, delivered a landmark address to announce the launch of a continent-wide initiative: The Coalition for Value Chain Transformation.

This initiative, unveiled in a widely attended side event hosted by the Vision 2030 Fund, is designed to unlock African-led innovation, remove structural financing bottlenecks for startups and SMEs, and empower value-added industrialisation through coordinated, multi-sectoral collaboration.

“Africa doesn’t lack vision. It lacks feasibility tools, structured funding channels, and market integration,” stated Mr. Watum. “Our Coalition brings governments, institutions, and corporates together to ratify bankable projects and integrate them into regional and global value chains.”

Transforming Value Chains, Empowering Nations

The Coalition will work through five sector-agnostic committees anchored by state-appointed ambassadors in:

• Higher Education & Research

• Industry & SMEs

• Trade & Commerce

• Guarantee Funds

• Pension, Sovereign Wealth, and Diaspora Remittance Funds

These ambassadors, supported by institutions like the African Development Bank, Brookings Institution, IFAD, and the African Union, will oversee feasibility studies, certification, licensing, and investment validation. The initiative also includes provisions for seed capital guarantees, market access negotiations, and investor matchmaking.

Aligning with the AfCFTA and Presidential Agendas

The Coalition is aligned with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and national industrial strategies such as the DRC’s Presidential Vision for value-added production, SME formalisation, and cross-border trade.

Participating member states will benefit from:

• Actionable research-backed advisory

• Recommendations for structural reforms

• Capacity-building roadmaps and policy benchmarking

• Regional value chain integration

About Vision 2030 Fund

The Vision 2030 Fund is a pan-African investment and development platform committed to catalysing African-led transformation across innovation, industry, and entrepreneurship. As an official advisory to the Ministry of Industry and SMEs (DRC), it builds partnerships across public and private sectors to unlock capital, scale ventures, and implement regional development priorities.

Press Contact: Vision 2030 Fund info@vision-2030.org