- Polish-African relations are helping with trade and investments on two continents
- The Polish Ministry of development is launching a new trade and investment agency
- AIM will be held under the main theme of Investments in Sustainable Innovation for a Thriving Future, at the Dubai Exhibition Center, EXPO 2020 Dubai
Polish-African relations are helping with trade and investments connecting two continents that have had an interesting mix of realtionship.
With Africa being a raw materials producer for the world for centuries, the relationship is now shifting where the continent is attracting suitors not only for the raw materials but also for technology transfer. This is taking shape as many countries outside of Africa jostle for a space on the table.
While it is still a long journey before Africa is treated as a continent and not a country, there are rays of hope as hitherto deeply rooted colonial puppets are edged out by younger leaders with no links to the colonisers. This aside, Africa and Poland are working towards a mutual relationship where the European nation and the continent benefit from each other. This relationship is being market on many fronts.
There are many ways of marketing a product, a tool or a service but nothing speaks as boldly when it comes to marketing countries from first-hand experience.
One person has captured this so well that he has assimilated himself into the stories he tells of the countries he has, or is, visiting.
In Nairobi, it is hard to tell Slawek Muturi apart from any other backpacker. He rarely sleeps in big hotels but prefers to stay in modest lodgings where he can easily mingle with the local population.
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Nairobi is his second home and despite the fact that five-star hotels are in plenty, he opts to stay in low budget outfits while on a tour. This way, he has managed to get the best the world has to offer.
Muturi is Polish and his story goes way back. The seasoned entrepreneur in Poland has gone above and beyond to ensure he breaks records that no one else has ever achieved. He has twice visited all 193 of the countries recognized by the United Nations.
His story is just a peek into how Polish-African relations are helping with trade and investments on two continents.
Muturi is the founder of Mzuri, a real estate and investment organization that manages more than 6,000 properties in Poland, whereas its nearest competitor manages just 200 of the same kind.
With this kind of business acumen, Muturi shows what Africa and Poland are moving towards with the successful implementation of trade agreements for the opportunities available.
The Polish Ministry of development is launching a new trade and investment agency aimed at supporting Polish businesses to expand abroad, with a focus on African and Asian markets.
In 2017, the Polish Agency for Investment and Trade (PAIH) started operating within the Polish Development Fund (Group PFR) to develop Polish businesses. Group PFR implements financial instruments for trade purposes.
The launch was due to the fact that the Polish government was focusing on several sectors including information communications technology (ICT), pharmacy to cosmetics, biotechnology, fashion and food.
Poland has been seeking to advance foreign direct investment (FDI) in sectors including the automotive, aerospace industry, medical devices and the business services sector.
PAIH has set its sights on Africa and Asia.
The Polish Investment and Trade Agency will be hosting the Polish-African Economic Forum on March 28, 2022, just a day before the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM).
AIM will be held under the main theme of Investments in Sustainable Innovation for a Thriving Future, at the Dubai Exhibition Center, EXPO 2020 Dubai under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The African-Polish meeting will serve as a platform to strengthen ties between Africa and Poland in order to build a friendly business environment and deepen understanding between the two partners.
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The main goals of the Forum are to present Polish experiences and the potential export of Polish products and services, as well as to ensure the possibility of establishing cooperation with economic partners from the African countries.
Moreover, representatives of many ministries and personalities from the world of business and politics are expected to take part in the event.
Poland has more than 2,600 companies operating in the food processing sector. Cumulatively, these companies produce goods valued at over US$64 billion as of August 2018. This value has been increasing which makes the sector one of the largest agricultural and processed foods industries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Also, the industry was the 7th largest in the European Union at the time (2018). The agro-food industries combined is responsible for 7 per cent of Poland’s US$475 billion GDP.
This growth and maturity of the Polish food sector has enabled its expansion to other regions beyond Europe. The Polish food industry has been keen on the unexplored market in Africa with an expansion scheme already taking place in East Africa with Kenya being the entry point.
To top the sector Poland has undergone a period of reforming its food industry through level investment in high industrialization and quality standards. This has been to especially enable the agro-industry meet stringent quality requirements by the European market.
With this approach, the efforts have continuously improved in making Poland one of the world’s best countries in food processing.
The Polish-African Economic Forum is one of the most important events of the Polish economic programme accompanying the Expo 2020 Dubai.
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