The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), represented by the Sharjah Export Development Center (SEDC), completed a business mission to Uganda and Kenya, leading a delegation of private sector representatives and prominent Sharjah and UAE manufacturers.
The six-day mission was a success for the SCCI because it assisted in the exploration of new areas of commercial and industrial cooperation with Kenya and Uganda in many vital domains such as energy solutions, technology, food security, iron and steel, and agriculture.
The trade mission also explored new opportunities for available investments, in addition to introducing Sharjah's abundant economic benefits, promoting the emirate's facilities granted to foreign investors, promoting the 'Made in UAE' tag, and providing the SCCI's associates with the opportunity to discover new and promising markets, as well as promoting the emirate's exports.
The first leg of the trade tour, which took place in Nairobi, Kenya, saw a Sharjah-Kenya business meeting, during which Abdallah Sultan Al Owais emphasised that the SCCI's business tour is in line with the UAE's strategy to reach out to more and more international trade partners, and to open up more to all friendly countries around the world in order to facilitate trade.
He also stated that the Republic of Kenya is the UAE's sixth trading partner in non-Arab Africa, and that the volume of non-oil trade in 2021 is expected to be $2.2 billion (Dh8.2 billion), a 20% increase over 2020.
Al Owais emphasised bilateral agreements as well as the upcoming comprehensive economic partnership agreement, the first of its kind between a GCC country and an African country.
Richard Ngatia, President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), urged Kenyan businessmen and investors to strengthen ties with the Emirati business community and benefit from the efforts of official authorities in Kenya and the UAE to broaden bilateral relations.
The second stop of the trade tour was in Kampala, Uganda, where a business meeting between Sharjah and Uganda was held, highlighting investment opportunities on both sides and introducing the exceptional advantages that the Emirate of Sharjah possesses in terms of economy, tourism, and infrastructure in terms of free zones, airports, advanced and qualified logistics, and strategic location, not to mention the emirate's investment-stimulating policies.
During the meeting, Al Owais stated that the UAE is a major trading partner for Uganda, acting as a link between the African country and the Middle East, as well as an important hub for Ugandan exports to the Americas, Europe, Asia, China, and Japan. He also emphasised Uganda's role as a major gateway for UAE exports to Africa's Great Lakes region, noting that trade between the two countries increased from $1.8 billion to $3.8 billion in 2021.
The mission, according to Ugandan Vice-President Jessica Alupo, is a key station for (UAE) businessmen in various economic sectors to learn more about investment opportunities in Uganda and establish fruitful investment partnerships with their Ugandan counterparts, noting that her government is eager to facilitate investments for Emirati investors and overcome all the challenges they face.