ALGIERS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The 12th African Investment and Trade Forum opened in Algiers on Saturday, focusing on fostering partnerships to accelerate the continent's economic integration.

In a statement, the Arab-African Investment and Development Centre (CAAID) said the forum will serve as a strategic platform to strengthen economic and developmental integration across the African continent, in alignment with the sustainable development goals outlined in Africa's Agenda 2063.

Under the theme "Together, We Open Markets," the two-day forum gathers over 2,000 participants from 43 African, Middle Eastern, and European nations, including officials, investors, and financiers. Some 300 business-to-business meetings are planned to establish economic partnerships.

The forum is organized by CAAID in partnership with the African Union, the African Export-Import Bank, and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area. ■