High-ranking officials to reach for G.B.F. Africa 2021 in Dubai

The sixth edition of the Global Business Forum (G.B.F.) Africa 2021 begins in Dubai, with heads of state, more than 45 ministers, high-ranking government officials, and notable, influential business executives from Africa and the U.A.E. attending.

The high-level event is being hosted under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai, with the subject “Transformation Through Trade.” The forum, which is being held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre and is being organised by Dubai Chamber in collaboration with Expo 2020 Dubai, aims to strengthen ties between the U.A.E. and African business groups as well as discover unexplored trade and investment opportunities.

A number of heads of state and government officials are taking part in the forum, including H.E. Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, U.A.E. Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, H.E. Dr C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, Vice President of Zimbabwe, while the Chief Minister of Jersey and ministers from Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Liberia, along with ministers from Kenya, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Congo, Mauritania, Sudan and the Kingdom of Lesotho will also join the event.

On day one, H.E. Felix Tshisekedi, President of Congo, joins H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, U.A.E. Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, in a session that looks at how Emirati businesses can help Congo – one of Africa’s largest and most populous countries – drive sustainable growth and catalyse regional integration through infrastructure, investment, and trade.

H.E. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of D.P. World, will lead a discussion on the two countries’ partnerships as well as the larger implications for African trade, integration, and entrepreneurship.

His Excellency Hamad Buamim, President and C.E.O. of Dubai Chamber, will give the opening address, emphasising the importance of cross-border cooperation in exploring new business prospects in Africa, which is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

H.E. Buamim emphasised Dubai Chamber’s commitment to forging strategic alliances with important participants in the African business ecosystem, as well as promoting and supporting local and national businesses to invest in the continent.

The first day of the forum will focus on key trends and issues that are currently reshaping African economies, such as the role of regional and international partnerships, such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), in reshaping trade and investment landscapes and driving sustainable growth, capital as a driver of innovation, and prospects for expanding UAE-Africa economic cooperation.

The focus of the discussion on the second day of the forum will shift to Dubai as a model for logistics, infrastructure development, and smart city solutions that can be replicated in African markets, as well as the growing momentum behind African entrepreneurs, smart agriculture, and digital economy initiatives.

G.B.F. Africa will provide useful insights and up-to-date information on a variety of interesting investment prospects to businesspeople and investors. The forum’s goal is to foster collaboration between African and U.A.E. business groups and to enable African companies to benefit from Dubai’s experience in developing a digital economy based on cutting-edge technologies.