Browsing: Africa-UAE trade

While ties with Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania are growing with the recent signing of agreements to end double taxation, among other deals, authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently announced a Dubai visa ban on 20 African countries.

They include Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Liberia, Burundi, Republic of Guinea, Gambia, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Congo, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Comoros and the Dominican Republic.

“Any applications from the above-mentioned countries will be sent back or cancelled,” the UAE authorities warned trade partner authorities along with travel agents, urging them to reject all related applications.

The reason given for the ban is increased visa term violations by persons from the said countries. The UAE authorities explained that persons from these countries are using 30-day visas to Dubai to stay and work in the country illegally.…

By agreeing to remove double taxation the countries also agree to remove barriers to bilateral investment and trade between one other. It is just as well because trade and investment between the two are growing.

Only recently the UAE renewable energy firm Masdar went into a deal with Tanzania to conduct several solar and wind power projects in the country.  Similarly, the Emirates also signed several trade financing agreements with a few countries in West Africa as the UAE makes its mark in global economic growth.

Qatar is only the latest of the United Arab Emirates that Tanzania is making trade and investment deals with. In February this year, Tanzania participated at the World Expo Dubai 2020 to promote its products and opportunities.…

Bilateral relations between the two countries improved after the UAE showed its benevolence. This was by sending aid in response to the Cyclone Idai storm in March 2019. Planeloads of humanitarian assistance were sent to Zimbabwe, which went a long way in helping victims and mitigating the impact of the cyclone. UAE also assisted the Southern African country’s fight against Covid-19 with a consignment of required medical drugs.

Early March, the new dispensation approved the establishment of a commercial consulate in the commercial hub of Dubai. Economic and trade attachés will operate in the consulate. This is an effort to complement investment promotion being done by Zimbabwe’s embassy in the UAE.

In a cabinet briefing published by The Herald on March 17, 2022, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Frederick Shava said the development created an environment conducive to doing business.…

Africa is also moving to mechanize agriculture offering another avenue for heavy investment for technology-rich UAE. Investing in mechanizing Africa’s farms also goes to investing in the world’s food security and alleviating poverty, all of which are priority UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Then you have the energy and mineral sectors; Africa, and in particular East Africa, has been the site for the world’s most recent offshore oil and gas discoveries. The potential is immense; however, here we must point out the equally lucrative and much more sustainable opportunity to invest in renewable energy. Africa offers vast expanses of huge wind and solar potential that can be harnessed to power the continent and beyond. …