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?’ H.E. Lootah emphasised the important role Dubai plays in strengthening trade ties between Africa and the world, highlighting the contribution of Dubai International Chamber’s seven representative offices in Africa to consolidating partnerships between the private sector in Dubai and the African business community.

The chamber operates more international offices in Africa than any other region globally, reflecting 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. This is expected to grow further in the coming years driven by several key factors, including the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, opened the 11^th edition of the forum, which was organised by Jeune Afrique Media Group in collaboration with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and is recognised as one of the largest business forums dedicated to Africa.

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 unlocking access to influential networks.