Dubai 2021: Exposing Africa-UAE’s Trade Potential

Final preparations for The Foreign Investment Network (FIN) Africa-UAE Trade and Investment Forum are well underway, and Nigeria, as well as other nations, can benefit from this impressive networking platform which brings country leaders and business leaders together to enhance their cross-border trading and investment relations. Key expected participants include: President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa; President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania; President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe; President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – also Chairperson of the African Union; Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman Dubai Chamber of Commerce; Zulfiquar Ghadiyali, Executive Director, Directions Investment Holding Company; Rev. Mother Esther Ajayi; H E Mrs Hadiza El-Rufai; Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nigeria; Dr Nike Akande, Nigerian Economist & Accountant; Marianna Bulbuc, Managing Partner at Bizzmosis Group; Stella Ibiene Obinwa, Director Africa International Operations, Dubai Tourism; Madelein Mkunu, Founder & President, Leading Women of Africa; Anita Kouassigan, Founder, Investing In Women; Beata Habyarimana, Minister of Trade and Industry, Rwanda; Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Trade and Industry, South Africa; and The First Ladies of Kwara and Kebbi State – amongst others.

The 3-day event is being held between 21-23 November, 2021 at the luxury Burj Al  Arab Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates with the theme: “The road to a prosperous Africa”. Under the patronage of Sheikh Tahnoon Al Nahyan, with the support of the Dubai government, the forum is aimed at stimulating wider inclusiveness between countries to accelerate and promote a more prosperous Africa. Moreover, the forum is expected to deliver future job creation opportunities for African youths at grassroot levels, following the inevitability of newly forged networks, and the strengthening of existing networks between Africa and the UAE, the spotlight regions of the agenda.

Over the past couple of years, the gap of international business networking and trade relations has widened and as Chief Executive of FIN, Olayinka Fayomi points out, “it is estimated that the impact of COVID-19 would drag African economies into a fall of about 1.4% in GDP, with smaller economies facing a contraction of up to 7.8%”. The purpose of this crucial forum is to therefore re-bridge this gap. Indeed, the time is right, once again to “to turn to trade and investments to help build better bilateral trade and investment platforms and boost the economy as well as increase productivity and export capacity.”

Individual delegates, corporate participants, trade strategists, country leaders and philanthropists will come together for strategic knowledge-sharing about ways to improve and capitalise on the existing knowhow available on opportunities for trade, investment and tourism. This year, alongside the regular forum, an inaugural women’s event FIN WOMEN AFRICA-UAE will be taking place at the Shangrila Hotel Dubai, between 22-24 November, 2021. Deserving female and male institutions will be decorated with awards and certificates of honour at the awards segment of the forum to mark the special occasion.