
<p><em>Presidents of Mozambique and Congo, Vice President of Zimbabwe and more than 30 African ministers and other influential leaders among confirmed attendees for the sixth edition of GBF Africa.</em></p>



<p>Dubai, UAE – Heads of state, plus more than 30 ministers, high-ranking government officials and prominent influential business leaders from Africa have confirmed their participation for the sixth edition of the Global Business Forum Africa (GBF Africa), which takes place on October 13-14, 2021, at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020 Dubai.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1-691x800.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-412084" width="385" height="446" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1-691x800.jpg 691w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1-259x300.jpg 259w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1-78x90.jpg 78w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1-768x890.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1-1326x1536.jpg 1326w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1-scaled.jpg 1768w" sizes="(max-width: 385px) 100vw, 385px" /></figure></div>



<p>Dubai Chamber is organising GBF Africa 2021 in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai under the theme “Transformation Through Trade”. The high-level event is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime </p>



<p>Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The forum aims to build bridges between UAE and African business communities and explore untapped trade and investment potential.</p>



<p>Taking part in the discussions will be heads of state and government officials, including H.E. Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique, H.E. Felix Tshisekedi, President of Congo, and H.E. Dr C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, Vice President of Zimbabwe.</p>



<p>They will be joined by the Chief Minister of Jersey and more than 30 ministers and high-ranking African officials, including five ministers from Ghana, four from Angola, six from Ethiopia, two from Uganda Zimbabwe and Liberia respectively, along with ministers from Kenya, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Congo and the Kingdom of Lesotho, as well as government officials from Rwanda and Kenya and COMESA Secretary General.</p>



<p>Commenting on the upcoming forum, Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Countries from across the world that are participating in Expo 2020 are eager to widen and deepen their ties with Africa, and GBF Africa will be a crucial forum where the continent can share its plans and achievements, seek investments and solutions to its challenges and forge new relationships across the globe.</p>



<p>“Expo 2020 will bring together 191 nations plus millions of visitors, leveraging the convening power of World Expos and the UAE’s unique position as a global centre for trade to drive international collaboration and boost access to high-growth markets such as Africa.”</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/HE-Hamad-Buamim-676x800.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-412083" width="385" height="456" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/HE-Hamad-Buamim-676x800.jpg 676w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/HE-Hamad-Buamim-253x300.jpg 253w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/HE-Hamad-Buamim-76x90.jpg 76w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/HE-Hamad-Buamim-768x909.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/HE-Hamad-Buamim.jpg 836w" sizes="(max-width: 385px) 100vw, 385px" /></figure></div>



<p>This six-month experience – one of the first of this size and scale to take place since the start of the pandemic and the first to ever be held in the MEASA region – will be a beacon of hope for the global business community. It represents an unprecedented opportunity for businesses of all sizes, international organisations and government entities from across the world, to come together to foster a more diversified and resilient global economy, inspire a vibrant business environment and drive sustainable growth.</p>



<p>For his part, His Excellency Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “The success that GBF Africa has had in attracting African presidents, ministers and influential leaders to join its high-level talks reflects the forum’s position as a leading global platform for exploring investment opportunities in the African continent. It reinforces the crucial role played by Dubai’s wise leadership in expanding the emirate’s trade links with emerging markets around the world.”</p>



<p>“The sixth edition of the forum will underline the crucial role of cross-border cooperation to discover new business opportunities in Africa, the home of one of the most important emerging markets in the world. Dubai Chamber is keen to continue its efforts to promote building strategic partnerships with the key players in the African business ecosystem. The Chamber is also committed to encouraging and supporting local and national companies to invest in African markets and enhance sustainable economic growth and development,” H.E. Buamim added.</p>



<p>GBF Africa will offer businessmen and investors valuable insights and up-to-date information on a plethora of promising investment opportunities. The forum will help facilitate cooperation between business communities in Africa and the UAE to help African companies benefit from Dubai’s experience in building an integrated digital economy rooted in cutting-edge technologies.</p>


H.E.-Reem-Al-Hashimy-1

High-Profile African Delegations to Visit Dubai for Global Business Forum Africa 2021

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<p>The Managing Director of Ideas91, Rohit Dev says Dubai has given businesses a great opportunity to expand and the success of his company hinges on the global connectivity Dubai provides. He also notes that Dubai gives companies all the tools to become successful. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Chris Bishop caught up with him to discuss this and more&#8230;.</p>


EXPO 2020: Dubai as an opportunity for business expansion

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<p>With less than a year to the Dubai Expo 2020, CNBC’s Dan Murphy brings us up to speed on the progress as Dubai is turning a desert into a mini city.</p>


How Dubai is turning the desert into a mini city for EXPO 2020

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<p>The United Arab Emirate’s Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of the Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy says Dubai is ready to work with the world and Africa will be fully represented in a strong way. She also notes that Dubai will be using the expo as a platform to launch the decade of action for the Sustainable Development Goals. CNBC Africa’s Chris Bishop caught up with her in Dubai to get more insight on plans for the expo&#8230;.</p>


EXPO 2020: How ready is Dubai to host the world?

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<p>For African companies looking to do business in Dubai, ahead of the EXPO 2020, the Director for International Offices at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Omar Khan says the chamber is the official business integration partner for the expo 2020 and has seen an average of $42 billion worth of trade between Africa and Dubai in the past 4 years. CNBC Africa’s Chris Bishop caught up with him in Dubai to discuss this and more&#8230;.</p>


DUBAI EXPO 2020: DCCI’s Omar Khan on integrating businesses

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<p>The CEO of Dubai-based company Amanat says medical tourism is one of the key objectives of the government of Dubai, as they are working to reduce the spend on foreign medical treatment which only a couple of years ago was about 12 billion dollars. CNBC Africa’s Chris Bishop discussed this and more with Tristan De Boysson, CEO of Amanat&#8230;.</p>


EXPO 2020: Dubai working to attract medical tourists

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<p>The Managing Director of Network International, Andrew Key says the evolution of the payments market in Africa will happen differently. He also notes that Dubai is a real driver of innovation not only in the payments space. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Chris Bishop caught up with him to discuss the evolution of the payments spaced more&#8230;.</p>


EXPO 2020: Driving innovation in the payments space

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<p>Dubai based Phanes Group is an end-to-end solar power provider operating across Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. CEO Martin Haupts says the Phanes Group is a truly Dubai home-grown company. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Chris Bishop caught up with him in Dubai and asked how Dubai is serving as a springboard for the company and their work in Africa.</p>


Expo 2020: Dubai as a springboard for doing business in Africa

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<p>Renaissance Capital has revised its growth forecast for Sub-Saharan Africa to 1.3 per cent from its previous estimates of 3.5 per cent. Rencap also notes that oil exporters in Sub-Sharan Africa will be hit hard by the drop in oil prices and they expect Nigeria to fall back into a recession this year. Yvonne Mhango, Sub-Saharan African Economist at Renaissance Capital joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Renaissance Capital revises SSA growth forecast for 2020 to 1.3%

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CNBC Africa spoke to KZN MEC for Economic Development, Nomusa Dube-Ncube at the Forbes Africa Woman Leading Women Summit about how successful women need more platforms of exposure and opportunities to engage with aspiring women so they can learn from them.</p>


#LWS2020KZN: Nomusa Dube-Ncube: The future is feminine

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<p>Ahead of the Expo in Dubai later this year, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) selected Nigeria&#8217;s Farmcrowdy among ten start-ups for business partnership. The chamber says start-ups are an important step in establishing bridges of communication and cross-border co-operation. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Kenneth Igbomor caught up with Kenneth Obiajulu, Managing Director of Farmcrowdy Nigeria to get more insight on this partnership&#8230;.</p>


Expo 2020: DDCI

Expo 2020: DDCI, Farmcrowdy partner to tap start-ups for solutions

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On the side lines of Meetings Africa 2020, CNBC Africa’s Chris Bishop caught up with Tosin Lanipekun, Executive Director of Advertising Week Africa on the importance of the expo industry on the continent.</p>


#MeetingsAfrica2020: How to improve Africa’s expo industry

#Budget2020: SA’s Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s full speech

<p></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1110" height="740" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-1110x740.jpg" alt="Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE’s Minister for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau" class="wp-image-360733" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-696x464.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-630x420.jpg 630w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Reem-Al-Hashimy.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /><figcaption>Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE’s Minister for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau</figcaption></figure>



<p>For the first time in the near 170-year history of World Expos, all countries in Africa will participate at Expo 202o Dubai, set to unfold as the planet’s biggest show, for six months from October 20 this year.</p>


		
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<p>For the first time, the African Union (AU) will also host a pavilion at the expo, to increase the decibel on the continent’s policies for potential and progress to millions of visitors expected to descend from around the world to the glistening city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>To strengthen the almost 50-year partnership with Africa, recently, a UAE Consortium for Africa was launched, with the UAE committing to invest $500 million– in a consolidation of government and private resources– into the continent. A primary focus of the consortium will be digitization and developing the youth on the continent.</p>



<p>Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, the&nbsp;UAE’s Minister for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau,&nbsp;elaborates on taking the Africa partnership to the next level.</p>



<p>&nbsp;“The expo will further catalyze the relationship with Africa developed over the last few decades. Last year, we had 24 heads of government from the African continent in the UAE. The continent sees us as a partner,” she says in an interview with FORBES AFRICA.</p>



<p>Minister Al Hashimy, who has also been a regular attendee at the AU summit in Ethiopia for several years now, says the UAE&nbsp;recognizes that the real value lies in the long-term building of human capital, which is&nbsp;plans to deepen trade ties with South Africa and the rest of the continent.</p>



<p>“Now – at the start of the third decade of the millennium – we need to step it up and help underpin Africa’s potential<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/2020/02/16/powering-africas-bright-future-how-digitising-a-continents-youth-will-drive-global-progress/"> through its people</a>, because how Africa develops, how it ensures its stability, builds on its successes and overcomes its challenges, will have enormous implications, not just for the continent itself, but for every country on the planet.”</p>



<p>Expo 2020, themed ‘Connecting Minds, Creating The Future’, is expected to bring together 192 participating nations to Dubai.</p>



<p>The AU will&nbsp;focus its participation on the expo’s sub-theme, ‘Opportunity’, aiming&nbsp;to utilize the platform to tell the African story and position the continent for hosting a World Expo in the future.</p>



<p></p>

Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE’s Minister for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau

Reem Al Hashimy

A $500 million consortium and global stage for Africa at Expo 2020 Dubai

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In an exclusive interview with CNBC Africa, Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE’s Minister for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau spoke to Chris Bishop about the road to Expo 2020 Dubai, digital healthcare delivery, a US $500 million fund launched to help African Entrepreneurs and the U.A.E.’s long-standing relationship with the continent of Africa.</p>


What Expo 2020 Dubai means for Africa

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<p>Dubai-based President for SAP South Europe in the Middle East and Africa, Steve Tzikakis says Dubai is a hub and countries in Africa can benefit from the proximity with this hub as the links between Africa and Dubai can only be beneficial for companies and countries. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Chris Bishop caught up with him to discuss how the Expo 2020 can act as a catalyst to build links between Africa and Dubai&#8230;.</p>


Dubai Expo 2020: How Africa can benefit from its close ties with Dubai

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As the Global Off-Grid Solar Forum &#038; Expo 2020 kicks off today in Nairobi, Kenya – CNBC Africa spoke to the VP of Access to Energy at Schneider Electric, Olivier Jacquet on how East Africa can sustainably boost access to energy for all.</p>


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A $500 million consortium and global stage for Africa at Expo 2020 Dubai

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Expo 2020

High-Profile African Delegations to Visit Dubai for Global Business Forum Africa 2021

EXPO 2020: Dubai as an opportunity for business expansion

How Dubai is turning the desert into a mini city for EXPO 2020

EXPO 2020: How ready is Dubai to host the world?

DUBAI EXPO 2020: DCCI’s Omar Khan on integrating businesses

EXPO 2020: Dubai working to attract medical tourists

EXPO 2020: Driving innovation in the payments space

Expo 2020: Dubai as a springboard for doing business in Africa

Renaissance Capital revises SSA growth forecast for 2020 to 1.3%

#LWS2020KZN: Nomusa Dube-Ncube: The future is feminine

Expo 2020: DDCI, Farmcrowdy partner to tap start-ups for solutions

#MeetingsAfrica2020: How to improve Africa’s expo industry

#Budget2020: SA’s Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s full speech

A $500 million consortium and global stage for Africa at Expo 2020 Dubai

What Expo 2020 Dubai means for Africa

Dubai Expo 2020: How Africa can benefit from its close ties with Dubai

Schneider Electric’s Olivier Jacquet on how to improve access to power in East Africa

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