The Dakar office of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in collaboration with the Dakar Chamber of Commerce (CCIAD), hosted a presentation day for the CIBUS TEC trade fair on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Scheduled for Parma this coming October, this global event is positioned as a future lever for the industrial transformation of Senegal's agri-food sector.

For a morning, Dakar became the crossroads of technological innovation between Italy and Senegal. The Dakar Chamber of Commerce hosted a strategic meeting to present Cibus Tec 2026, one of the world's most prestigious trade fairs dedicated to equipment and solutions for the food industry.

The opening of the day was marked by an address from the Italian Ambassador to Senegal, H.E. Catherine Bertolini. She highlighted the exceptional quality of bilateral relations, driven by a vision of sustainable development.

"Our partnership is based on constant dialogue and continuously growing economic cooperation," she stated, noting that Senegal is now a priority at the heart of Italy's plans for Africa. According to the diplomat, the new national "Senegal 2050" strategy offers fertile ground for Italian expertise: "The agri-food sectors represent one of the areas offering the best investment collaboration opportunities for Italian companies in Senegal."

Cibus Tec: A Transformation Platform for Local Businesses

For Mbaye Chimère Ndiaye, Secretary General of the CCIAD, this event goes beyond the simple framework of a trade fair. It represents a technological opportunity for the upgrading of Senegalese companies.

"I consider Cibus Tec not only as a technological showcase but also as a genuine transformation platform," affirmed Mr. Ndiaye. He invited business leaders to seize this "springboard" to "access the cutting-edge equipment necessary to add value to our local products" and build lasting commercial alliances.

The technical and scientific aspect was presented by Dr. Fallou Sarr, representing the Food Technology Institute (ITA). Emphasizing the necessary transition from research to business, he recalled that the ITA has supported Senegal in its industrial development since 1963.

"Our challenge is indeed to provide technologies, but technologies specific to agri-food processing across all of Senegal's production sectors," explained Dr. Sarr. He also praised the partnership with the Italian Trade Agency, which helps bridge local gaps, particularly in packaging and specialized equipment.

Dr. Sarr concluded his remarks by announcing a future innovation-focused trade fair to promote the "territorialization of industrialization," encouraging beneficiaries to seize the Italian opportunity to overcome their technical constraints.

The day continued with B2B exchanges, allowing Senegalese economic operators to project their ambitions toward the event date of October 27-30, 2026, in Parma. In a world where food security has become a sovereignty issue, the bridge built between Italian know-how and Senegalese resources appears stronger than ever.