On 20 and 21 October 2026, Thiam & Associés took part, as an Official Partner, in the fifth edition of the UK-Francophone West & Central Africa Trade & Investment Forum (WCAF V), organised in Conakry by DMA Invest.
The Forum brought together businesses, investors and key stakeholders to explore trade and investment opportunities, and contributed to building bridges between Europe and West and Central Africa. Over two days, discussions focused on investment prospects, the financing of transformational projects and avenues for cooperation between the United Kingdom and Francophone West and Central Africa, at a time when Guinea and the region hold major ambitions in infrastructure, energy and economic development.
The firm was represented by Moussa Keita, Alpha Haidara, Ismaël Traoré, Saran Kaba, Oumou Djiba Conde, Abdourahamane Kadiatou Camara, Zahra Diallo, Martin Bissy Leno and Nasrine Akrah.
Saran Kaba, an associate at the firm, also spoke as a panellist in the session “Deal Room Clinic: From Preparation to Bankability”, which focused on what makes a project attractive to investors and capable of securing financing: sound governance and compliance, a clear contractual framework, an appropriate allocation of risks and a credible commercial structure. The discussion highlighted the importance of addressing these requirements from the earliest stages of a project’s development, well before seeking financing.
As the Simandou Project and the Simandou 2040 Programme accelerate the transformation of Guinea’s investment landscape, exchanges of this kind matter more than ever: entrepreneurs, particularly young people, need access to the practical knowledge and tools that will allow them to recognise emerging opportunities, develop their ideas and build businesses capable of attracting investment.
Through its participation in these discussions, Thiam & Associés illustrates its commitment to contributing to the thinking that shapes the financing and development of investment in Africa.
