Dubai is fast becoming an attractive destination for African agribusiness companies that are leveraging the emirate as a strategic hub to boost their exports and global reach.
Following a recent webinar organised by Dubai Chamber’s representative offices in Africa, titled The Future of African Agribusiness in Dubai, 94 percent of participants said they were confident in Dubai as an export hub.
The virtual event, organised in cooperation with the National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL), was attended by 280 participants from the UAE, Africa, and other surrounding markets, representing businesses operating in agriculture and trading sectors.
Sessions covered existing requirements, customs and logistics processes for importing food products into the UAE. Participants had the opportunity to pose their questions to industry experts and learn about Dubai’s business environment and competitive advantages, as well as the value-added services and support that Dubai Chamber’s representative offices offer African companies and investors.
Addressing participants, Omar Khan, Director of International Offices at Dubai Chamber, noted that the Chamber organised the webinar in response to a high volume of inquiries received by its Africa offices related to exporting food products to the UAE.
Dubai’s ongoing efforts to enhance its position as a gateway to African markets has led to an increase in food trade between the two sides in recent years, Khan said.
The Chamber is playing an active role in identifying bilateral business opportunities and helping African exporters expand their reach, he explained, adding that Dubai’s non-oil trade with Africa has surged by nearly 42% over the 2014-2019 period.
Shankar Subramoniam, Executive Director at National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL) highlighted the rules, requirements, and regulations for importing agriculture products into UAE.
He noted that Covid-19 has underlined the importance of ensuring steady supply of agricultural products and highlighted new plans put in place by the UAE to enhance food security.
“Dubai’s strong e-commerce sector gives exporters the opportunity to engage online companies out of Dubai in promoting their products and services. Also, the UAE’s efficiency in logistics offers a competitive advantage for exporters to access GCC and global markets,” said Subramoniam.
