One of APNET’s aims is to play a catalytic role in fostering trade among member countries and within Africa. Since inception in 1992, APNET has pursued this goal by facilitating the participation of African publishers at international book fairs in and out of Africa and raising the trade potential of African publishers through the development of appropriate and attractive promotional materials.

Publishers appreciate the face-to-face contact afforded by APNET activities notably book fair and training activities create numerous trade opportunities. An important activity that translates these opportunities into transactions has been the buyers/sellers meetings organized jointly with the International Trade Centre, Pan-African Booksellers Association (PABA), and ZIBF (Harare: 1998; 1999; 2000-2004); NIBF (Abuja and Lagos: 2002-2004; 2005 & 2007); (Senegal: 2003); (Abidjan: 2004); (Brazzaville: 2004); KPA (Nairobi: 2004 & 2007); (Ghana: 2006).

During these meetings, potential trading partners have formally come together to initiate business negotiations. One of the many results of these meetings is the New Africa Stories project which started at ZIBF in 2000 and has printed over 240 000 copies.

Regardless of the many challenges it is facing, APNET has achieved a lot in its trade promotion activities. Since 1999, 14 seminars were done at book fairs, 70 collective exhibits were done in different international book fairs, 2 Rights, a children’s, an African literature catalogues were produced. Three trade directories were done and a trade calendar has been produced annually since then. More buyers/sellers meetings were done than originally planned, 3 books in prints were done from Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Book fair reports continue to circulate to members while business opportunities arising from the different book fairs are circulated.

In the 2005-7 year alone 1315 books were exhibited at 10 book fairs that APNET attended. A total of 314 publishers were represented. 17048 business opportunities arose from these meetings with the majority coming from the Frankfurt Book Fair. APNET owes its participation at Frankfurt to the organizers who have supported it since 1997.

2008 APNET TRADE CALENDAR/CALENDRIER DES FOIRES
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