UAE Delegation Targets Southern African Markets for Exports at Africa's Big Seven 2011 Expo
Aiming toprovide practical on the ground knowledge on export opportunities in SouthernAfrica, Dubai Exports, an agency of the Department of Economic Development(DED) - Government of Dubai, hosted an information and networking sessions forUAE companies from the food & beverage and packaging industries that willparticipate in Africa's Big Seven 2011 Exhibition, taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from July 17th to 19th. The event was also attended by othercompanies eager to enter the market and capitalise on opportunities that existin these markets.
Inpartnership with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade and Dubai Exports, a 12-organisationtrade delegation will exhibit at the event. Dubai Exports offers support to the exhibitors by equipping them withvaluable input to ensure their success in forming new trade partnerships. The informationprovided showed exporters about the viability of South Africa as a gateway tothe Southern African markets for the future and growth of local UAE products.
"TheAfrica's Big Seven Expo offers numerous opportunities for UAE exporters tonetwork and establish ties with the food manufacturing and distributionindustries. With the help of our support services, including financial supportthrough our Export Assistance Program, these ties can be strengthened to ensuremutual gain of manufacturers and local exporters," said Engineer Saed Al Awadi,Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Exports.
"SouthAfrica, with its enormous potential, is a target export market for the UAE. After our successful participation at thisexhibition last year, this year we came back with our biggest delegation yet.Through this exhibition, we hope to encourage more companies to consider SouthAfrica as a suitable market for our local products," he added.
Attendedby delegates from the UAE Ministry of ForeignTrade and Dubai Exports' members, the informative session tookthe exhibitors on a journey from understanding the trade activities betweenmembers of the South African Development Community and the UAE tosector-specific export opportunities in the food & beverage and packagingsectors and finally the overall business culture of that region.
Dr Ashraf Mahate, Head of Export Market Intelligence at Dubai Exports, talkedabout 'Trade between the UAE and Southern Africa, while Abdelwahid Afennas, theSenior Regional Consultant at Euromonitor International (MENA & Turkey), discussedexport opportunities in various sectors. Attendees also received a packagecontaining information on regulations and certifications on importing intoSouth Africa.
Exports from the UAE to Southern Africa doubled from US$483 million in 2009 to US$986 million in 2010. Itis predicted that with an annual increase of 200 million new consumers eachyear the African continent offers UAE-based firms considerable opportunities.
"Almost all Africancountries have experienced a positive growth in their economy over the last fewyears. With strong commodity prices and relative stability in the region it isexpected that the continent will continue on this upward trajectory. Witheconomic growth predicted at an average 3.5% per year over the next five yearsit is expected to translate into an annual increase in consumer spending of35%," Mahate said.
A short presentation bySchuyler D'Souza, Chief Commercial Officer of the Export Credit InsuranceCompany of the Emirates, detailed a special offer on export credit insurance toall exhibitors. Finally, Richard Harris, a locally-based South African businessmanand Business Desk Manager of the South African BusinessCouncil in the UAE, gave exporters pointers on the business culture of SouthAfrica.
Dubai Exportsis hosting its largest delegation to date to exhibit at Africa's Big SevenExhibition. Exhibiting companies under the UAE Pavilion include the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, Dubai Exports, Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority(JAFZA), RAK Free Trade Zone Authority, Pure Ice Creams, Diamond MeatProcessing, Falcon Pack, Dubai Refreshments, Dofreeze, Palletco LLC, IntegratedPlastic Packaging, General Holding Corporation and National Food Products Company.
Africa's Big Seven Expo isan annual event that combines the seven steps involved in food production,occurring at various stages and requiring specific technologies - transportingproduce out of the field and towards stages of processing,packaging and marketing, and ultimately retail sales.
This article was originally posted on Southern Africa Business Communities
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