Dubai To Organise Africa Global Business Forum 2013 Next May
Under the patronage of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the COMESA Regional Investment Agency (RIA) is organising the Africa Global Business Forum 2013 - Dubai-COMESA: Bridging the Continent to the World - on May 1-2 in Dubai.
The Forum will explore investment opportunities in Africa while highlighting the strategic role of Dubai as a world-class hub for connecting to Africa. It will provide a better understanding of the investment opportunities and advantages associated with doing business in the African Continent. Additionally, the participants will be able to identify the frameworks which drive growth and contribute to a favourable business environment, whilst networking with key industry peers.
The Forum will host African decision makers and local speakers prominent among them being Sultan Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, Reem Al Hashemi, Minister of State, UAE Minister of State and Managing Director of Expo 2020 Dubai, Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary General COMESA, Zambia, as well as top Dubai and global company officials.
Hamad Buamim, Director General, Dubai Chamber, said that the Forum will attract global business leaders with current and potential investments in Africa while highlighting the role of Dubai as an international hub for business in and out of COMESA and Africa.
It also aims to identify the appropriate frameworks which lead to mutually beneficial and fruitful business relations with the African Continent and economic growth while enlightening the private sector on the major positive changes which have taken place in COMESA member states and African countries in terms of business and investment climate and the reforms which have made them possible, he said.
Buamim further stressed that Dubai recognises Africa as an important emerging market and would like to capitalise on the opportunities presented for bilateral investment and trade. The promising markets of Africa are our priority and Dubai Chamber’s focus on the African Continent will support the competitiveness of Dubai’s business community in the overseas markets, he said.
Buamim called upon Dubai businesses to benefit from Africa’s large economic community that offers an immense scope for bilateral trade making it a lucrative and important business destination.
The Forum will offer a platform to over 2,000 policy-makers and global business leaders from Africa, the GCC, Asia and Europe and beyond to discuss current challenges and business opportunities in finance, agribusiness, logistics, and trade across the economic blocs of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), the South African Development Community (SADC), the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD).
The presence of Supreme Committee for Expo 2020 as a strategic partner adds to the value of the Forum as this will help promote Dubai’s bid for the Expo 2020 amongst the top African officials and ministers as well as the participants who will come face to face with the capability of Dubai to successfully host the global event on its shores.
The African Global Business Forum 2013 also offers a unique opportunity to participate in interactive discussion sessions with eminent speakers while allowing participants to meet leading business leaders from Dubai and the African continent to discuss joint cooperation in the areas of trade and financial services, logistics, tourism and marketing of agricultural products.
The Forum will highlight the growing profile of the Continent as an attractive destination for investment and its diversifying economies which offer an immense scope for bilateral investment and trade making it a lucrative and important business destination. Home to seven of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world and with a population of over 1 billion people, a combined GDP of close to US$2trillion, Africa’s economic growth in recent years has made it a region of international focus.
Emirates airline, which is the official carrier for the delegates, will help promote the reputation of the emirate as a centre of trade and finance while enhancing the importance of the forum as an ideal platform for joint cooperation between Dubai and the African Continent.
The Forum follows the success of the 4th COMESA Investment Forum in Dubai from March 23 to 24, 2011 which was attended and held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. More than 1,500 participants from over 80 different countries visited the conference as well as 14 senior ministers and leading personalities representing some of the largest businesses in Africa and the world.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Mar 20, 2013
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