World Economic Forum For Asia-Africa (WEFAA)

What World Economic Forum For Asia-Africa (WEFAA) does

World Economic Forum For Asia-Africa (WEFAA) is a non-profit international chamber of commerce registered under the Indian Trusts Act 1882, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Lucknow, India, with an Africa office in Sandton, South Africa. It operates as the trade and investment facilitation organ of the International Non-Olympic Committee (INOC) and claims institutional reach across 48 Asian and 54 African countries, serving 550+ active members that span individuals, corporations, and partner chambers. Its functional purpose is to broker bilateral trade, investment, and tourism linkages between Asian and African counterparties, primarily via events, government MoUs, and a digital trade platform.

WEFAA's core offerings include tiered membership subscriptions (USD 150 to USD 18,500+), event organization (such as the SMART Partnership Conference in Harare), trade facilitation services, and the IICCI/ISE Global Trade Platform co-launched with ISE Cards India Limited. Revenue is generated through recurring membership fees, event sponsorship and stall fees, and bespoke government trade and investment facilitation engagements. Operational capacity is small at 13 employees, supporting a lean, partnership-driven service model rather than a high-touch consulting or software-led one.

The business model emphasizes bilateral government partnerships (notably a USD 10 billion investment MoU with the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency in January 2023) and a broad alliance network that includes IICCI (Indo-OIC Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, ExpoNet Exhibition Bangladesh, Al-Qalb Global Halal Certification, and PrimeX Logistics. Pricing tiers span individual, SME, corporate, and life-member segments, while high-value revenue is concentrated in marquee events and large government-aligned investment packages. The model is essentially a relationship-driven intermediation business, monetized through subscriptions, events, and facilitation commissions rather than software licensing.

Name

World Economic Forum For Asia-Africa (WEFAA)

Legal name

World Economic Forum For Asia-Africa (WeFaa)

Website

https://asiaafrica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WEFAA is a non-profit international chamber of commerce facilitating Asia-Africa trade and investment. Headquartered in Lucknow with a Sandton office, it serves 550+ members across 102 countries via tiered subscriptions, conferences, government MoUs, and the ISE Global Trade Platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Trade Facilitation Services

NAICS

Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (4251), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADANAG

Trade Facilitation, Customs & Border Regulatory Cooperation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

SECONDARYBPAMAGAI

Cross-Border & International Commerce Platforms

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/E-commerce Marketplaces & Shopping Platforms

Keywords

• International chamber of commerce
• Trade facilitation services
• Investment promotion
• Bilateral trade networking
• Global trade platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Lucknow

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: WeFaa generates revenue through tiered membership fees including National Bodies (Association), Life Members, Patron/Adviser, Corporate, Individual/Professional, and Observer categories. Fees range from $150 to $18,500+ USD per year depending on membership tier and duration. The organization has over 550 active members.
2. Event Organization: WeFaa organizes and hosts international investment conferences and trade events including the WeFaa SMART Partnership and Investment Conference (Harare, Zimbabwe 2023) and the 5th International Marinetech Bangladesh Expo & Dialogue 2023, generating revenue through event participation fees, sponsorships, and stall bookings.
3. Trade Facilitation Services: WeFaa facilitates trade between Asia and Africa through its Global Trade Platform, buyer-seller matching, investment promotion, and bilateral trade facilitation, serving as a coordinating body between companies and governments for economic development initiatives.
4. Investment Conference & Delegation Services: WeFaa mobilizes investment packages for member countries (e.g., $10 billion for Zimbabwe over 5 years) through its global investor network, organizing delegations, MoU signings, and investment roundtables that generate deal facilitation fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WeFaa is an International Chamber of Commerce that facilitates trade, investment, and economic cooperation between Asia, Africa, and 195+ countries. It sells tiered membership programs, hosts international investment conferences and trade events, and operates the IICCI & ISE Global Trade Platform for buyer-seller matchmaking across member countries. Additional offerings include Economic Prosperity Infrastructure Developments (EPIDs), proposed Business Class and Cargo flight services between continents, and a National Branches network spanning all Asian and African nations.

Product overview

The World Economic Forum For Asia-Africa (WeFaa) is an International Chamber of Commerce organization that operates as a platform connecting Asian and African nations for global business and trade. The core offering consists of the IICCI & ISE's Global Trade Platform for bilateral buyer-seller networking, combined with membership programs offering various tiers (National Bodies, Life Members, Corporate, Individual). Additional services include Economic Prosperity Infrastructure Developments (EPIDs) creating Global Economic Zones and Energy hubs, Asia-Africa flight services for business and cargo, a National Branches network across Asian and African countries, and organized events/conferences for investment and partnership opportunities. WeFaa operates as an organ of the International Non-Olympic Committee (INOC), registered under Indian law.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WeFaa Membership Programs
• IICCI & ISE Global Trade Platform
• WeFaa Events & Conferences
• Asia-Africa Flight Services

Quantifiable outcome

• $10 billion investment mobilized for Zimbabwe over 5 years through WeFaa's global investor network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, core, exclusive and minor.

• ExpoNet Exhibition (Pvt.) Ltd.majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2023ExpoNet Bangladesh signed MoU with IICCI and WeFaa on March 1, 2023 for cross-border business relationships. WeFaa's Global President was invited as Guest of Honour for the opening ceremony of the 5th International Marinetech Bangladesh Expo & Dialogue-2023.
• Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 January 2023ZTA partnered with WeFaa as organizational, technical, and marketing partner for the WeFaa SMART Partnership and Investment Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe (June 25-30, 2023), expected to welcome 5,000 delegates. ZTA will provide planning and coordination support.
• Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2023WeFaa and ZIDA signed an MoU on January 26, 2023 for mobilizing $10 billion investment over 5 years for Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 and AU Agenda 2063. ZIDA serves as the lead government agent for the WeFaa SMART Partnership and Investment Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe.
• International Non-Olympic Committee (INOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2022WeFaa is an organ of INOC, registered under The Indian Trusts Act of 1882, Government of India, and managed by INOC. INOC granted WeFaa Permanent Affiliation on May 26, 2022, making it one of the 13 organs of INOC. INOC is the world's second largest sports governing body after the Olympics.
• Indo-OIC Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IICCI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2022IICCI granted WeFaa Global Partnership for development of trades and industries in Asia and Africa. IICCI represents 57 member countries and 5 observer countries with over 250 nations of relationship. WeFaa's Global President Dr. Mohammad Seraj Ansari also serves as IICCI President.
• Al-Qalb Global Halal Certification Pvt LtdexclusiveStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2022Al-Qalb Global Halal Certification is granted a global exclusive partnership as the Halal Certification Branch of WeFaa. It ensures strict compliance with Islamic Sharia principles and provides Halal certification worldwide.
• International Non-Olympic University (INOU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINOU is an organ of INOC and represents the world's first Mega University concept with a goal of establishing a university in every country of the world under the motto 'One World, One Education.' Collaborates with WeFaa on joint initiatives.
• World Council for Regular and Distance Education (WCRDE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCRDE is a non-profit international membership organization for the regular, open, and distance education community. WCRDE has partner status with ISE Cards India Limited and collaborates with WeFaa on education-related initiatives.
• ISE Cards India LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISE Cards India Limited serves as the Exclusive Global Commercial Partner (EGCP) of IICCI and co-develops the IICCI & ISE Global Trade Platform with WeFaa. ISE provides technology infrastructure, due diligence processes, and the buyer-seller networking platform.
• African Union / African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeFaa aims to partner with the AFCFTA, the world's largest free trade area connecting 1.3 billion people across 54 African countries with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. The AFCFTA agreement was signed by 44 of 55 AU member states in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018.
• African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerADDI, led by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Arikana Chihombori, participated in the ZIDA-WeFaa MoU signing and serves as a strategic partner for diaspora investment into Africa through WeFaa's initiatives.
• Primex Logistics Pvt LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimeX Logistics provides Air Freight, Ocean Freight, and Logistics services, offering bespoke globally connected end-to-end supply chain solutions. Operates as part of the ISE Cards India Limited Group ecosystem that also includes WeFaa.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII): Indian industry chamber with active international partnerships and trade facilitation programs. Comparable to WeFaa as an Indian-headquartered chamber driving cross-border business linkages, though narrower in Asia-Africa focus.
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI): India's largest and oldest chamber with direct government linkages and a robust international trade-promotion arm. Comparable as a membership-driven chamber facilitating bilateral trade and investment from India outward.

Broad incumbents

• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): The world's largest business organization representing over 45 million companies across 170+ countries. It is comparable as an international chamber-of-commerce body promoting cross-border trade, though it operates at a far larger institutional scale than WeFaa.
• World Economic Forum (WEF): The flagship annual Davos forum operates multi-stakeholder platforms for global business-government cooperation. It is comparable as a high-profile international economic cooperation body, though WEF's scope is global rather than Asia-Africa specific.

Direct peers

• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat: The AfCFTA Secretariat administers the world's largest free trade area across 54 African countries and is a stated WeFaa partnership target. It is directly comparable as a cross-border African trade-facilitation platform, though it is an inter-governmental body rather than a private chamber.
• COMESA Business Council: Business council of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, promoting regional integration and intra-Africa trade. Comparable as an Africa-focused trade promotion platform serving chambers and corporates.
• BRICS Business Council: Official business forum for the BRICS bloc convening business councils from member states. Comparable as a multilateral business-government forum facilitating cross-continental investment and trade deals.
• Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI): Regional chamber body promoting trade and investment across the Asia-Pacific. Directly comparable as a multi-country chamber-of-commerce body facilitating cross-border B2B linkages, though without WeFaa's Africa nexus.
• Indo-OIC Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IICCI): WeFaa's affiliated partner organization representing 57 OIC member countries for trade and industry development. Closest direct peer given shared leadership, overlapping membership, and co-developed Global Trade Platform.

Others

• African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank): Pan-African multilateral trade finance institution facilitating intra-African and Africa-global trade. Comparable as an enabler of Asia-Africa investment flows and African trade infrastructure, though Afreximbank is finance-led rather than a membership chamber.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ProfSerajANSARI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/nonolympictimes
• Facebookfacebook.com/mseransi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/worldeconomicforumwefaa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about World Economic Forum For Asia-Africa (WEFAA)