Dubai, UAE – Dubai Chambers has successfully participated in the recently concluded Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, which attracted more than 2,500 attendees including African presidents, government officials, and CEOs of major international and African companies.
The delegation was led by His Excellency Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, who took part in an interactive panel discussion. Dubai Chambers also organised an event on the sidelines of the forum to showcase the emirate’s competitive advantages. The session highlighted the services available to African companies seeking to expand into global markets through Dubai, as well as the support provided to African businesses to help strengthen their trade and investment ties with companies in Dubai.
The Dubai Chambers delegation held a number of bilateral meetings with African government delegations, multinational companies, and major African and international institutions, which explored strategies to enhance bilateral cooperation and achieve mutual goals.
During the panel discussion, which was titled ‘Decisive Decade for Intra-African Trade: Can the AfCFTA Deliver?’ the President and CEO of Dubai Chambers emphasised the important role Dubai plays in strengthening trade ties between Africa and the world. His Excellency highlighted the contribution of the representative offices operated by Dubai International Chamber, one of the three chambers under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, in consolidating partnerships between the private sector in Dubai and the African business community.
Dubai International Chamber currently operates seven representative offices across Africa, which is the chamber’s highest number of international offices in any region globally. This reflects growing interest in African markets and the continent’s position as a vital strategic trade and investment partner for Dubai’s private sector.
African markets accounted for 13.3% of Dubai’s total non-oil trade with the world in 2023, up from 8.9% in 2014. Dubai’s non-oil trade with Africa is expected to grow further in the coming years driven by several key factors, most notably the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, opened the 11th edition of the forum, which was organised by Jeune Afrique Media Group in collaboration with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC). Recognised as one of the largest business forums dedicated to Africa, the event addressed a range of topics including investment, climate, information technology, economic integration, infrastructure, trade, and artificial intelligence.
About Dubai Chambers:
Dubai Chambers is a non-profit public entity that supports Dubai’s vision as a global player by empowering businesses, providing innovative value-added services and access to influential networks. In March 2021, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the restructuring of Dubai Chambers and the formation of three chambers for the emirate, namely, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Dubai International Chamber, and Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, which now operate under Dubai Chambers.