The rising trade between Dubai and Africa has prompted the Dubai Chamber of Commerce to announce the opening of two new offices in Africa in 2016. The two offices will be in Nairobi (Kenya) and Maputo (Mozambique) and should be fully operational in the first quarter of 2016.
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce already has representative offices in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Accra (Ghana). The new offices in Nairobi and Maputo will be the third and fourth offices of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce – a clear reflection of the importance of the African markets for Dubai’s export and re-export trade.
Trade between Kenya and Dubai has been increasing with each passing year. Kenya is the fifth largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa and a major destination of Dubai’s exports and re-exports. Many companies in Dubai have opened offices in Nairobi or have appointed agents and distributors in Kenya to promote their products and services in the East African nation which is also known as a business and logistics hub of the East African region.
The booming tourism industry of Kenya has attracted investors from Dubai. Notable among these are Emaar Properties and the prestigious Jumeirah Group – world renowned developers based in Dubai that have already invested in Kenya’s lucrative hotel sector.
“We are looking forward to opening our new office in Africa, in Kenya,” said a spokesperson from Dubai Chamber of Commerce. “Kenya is an important trade and investment partner for us as it is strategically located and a member of the East Africa Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern & Southern Africa (COMESA). We believe there are a lot of synergies between Kenya and Dubai in various sectors, such as tourism, ICT, and logistics, and this office will help us strengthen our footprint in the country and the wider region.
Mozambique, on the other hand is one of the fastest growing markets in the East African coast. Dubai’s trade with Mozambique has registered an astounding 500 per cent growth in the last decade.
“Our decision to open an office in Mozambique is reflective of our aim to increase our footprint in the country and to give the businesses the chance to capitalize on the 250 million strong consumer base as Mozambique will open doors to the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC), for us,” the spokesperson of the Dubai Chamber said.
In the reverse direction, Africa’s exports to the UAE have also grown by 11 per cent over the last five years and the UAE has emerged as Africa’s 19th major export destination accounting for 1.1 per cent of Africa’s total exports.
