Expert-Roundtable
FinTech: A Chance for German-African Trade Partnerships?
The event will bring together leading experts from policy, business, and technology, exploring how advances in FinTech — especially mobile payment systems and cross-border payment technologies — can strengthen trade and investment ties between Africa and Germany/Europe.
This is a timely conversation: intra-African trade is accelerating, supported by regional blocs such as the East African Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). FinTech partnerships have the potential to underpin this momentum by enabling faster, more secure, and inclusive cross-border transactions.
The workshop will focus on how digital financial innovations — such as mobile money, interoperable platforms, and secure digital identities — can support robust German-African trade partnerships.
Workshop Schedule
10:00 – 10:10 | Welcome & Introduction
Prof. Aoife Hanley (Kiel Institute) and Dr. Olaf Deutschbein (UNIDO Berlin)
10:10 – 10:40 | Short Presentations (Each speaker: 10 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A)
- “More FinTech Providers Boost Value-for-Money and Payments: Here’s How”
Prof. Francis Annan, University of California, Berkeley - “Can FinTech Bring Africa Closer to Germany?”
Dr. Roman Hartinger, Senior Business Analyst – Central Bank Digital Currency, D+G
10:40 – 12:10 | Expert Roundtable Discussion: The Future of Payments and Trade
An interactive session with contributions from invited guests.
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