Dubai’s non-oil trade with Africa will exceed AED 1 trillion (US$272,264,400,000.0) for the period between 2011 and end of 2019, according to Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber. He said that it had already reached AED926 billion in the 2011-2018 period.
Al Ghurair made the announcement in his opening speech at the fifth edition of the Global Business Forum Africa (GBF Africa) in Dubai as the two-day forum kicked off recently. He said that the African continent is a key partner in Dubai’s plans to diversify its economy. The event was organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Majid Saif Al Ghurair highlighted Dubai’s status as Africa’s gateway to new markets and pointed out how GBF Africa has become a leading platform for expanding UAE-Africa economic cooperation and forging partnerships across different markets. The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) earlier this year, he said, would be a game-changer and would bring the two regions closer than ever before. Held under the theme ‘Scale Up Africa’, GBF Africa 2019 is focusing on Africa’s economic potential, highlighting business and investment potential and opportunities on the continent.
