The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced that five African presidents, three prime ministers and more than seven ministers have confirmed their presence at the Africa Global Business Forum 2014.

Organised by Dubai Chamber under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the forum will be held at Atlantis, The Palm on 1 and 2 October. It will also be attended by a large number of business leaders and key decision-makers from Africa and the region.

Dubai Chamber has also announced the official partners and sponsors of the Africa Global Business Forum, which will be the region’s premier event on investing in the African continent.

The list includes the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) as a title partner, DP World as a platinum sponsor, Dubai Islamic Bank and Nakheel as gold sponsors, Dubai Investments and Eagle Hills as silver sponsors, while Standard Bank and ECOWAS are official partners.

To be held under the theme ‘New Realities – New Connections’, this year’s forum is by invitation only and will bring together an exclusive audience of 500 top government ministers, officials and corporate decision-makers, heads of multinational companies, directors of private banks, wealth management companies and sovereign funds, Emirati and global business leaders and leading officials of investment promotion agencies in Africa.

Local presence at the Africa Global Business Forum 2014 includes HE Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State and Managing Director of Dubai Expo 2020, HE Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, HE Mohammed I. Al Shaibani, Executive Director and CEO of the Investment Corporation of Dubai and HE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman, DP World.

Confirmed speakers and delegates include HE Dr Mulatu Teshome, President of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, HE John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, HE Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, HE Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and HE Armando Guebuza, President of Mozambique. HE Luc Adolphe Tiao, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, HE Amama Mbabazi, Prime Minister of Uganda and HE Moussa Mara, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mali, are among other participants.

Africa’s delegation to the forum will also include Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Energy and Finance from the Republic of Mozambique, Ministers of Commerce and Industry & Investment Promotion from the Republic of Mali, in addition to HE Cheick Mobido Diarra, Transitional Prime Minister of Mali, Amb. Amina Mohammed, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Republic of Kenya, H.E. Bernarda Goncalves henriques da Silva Martins, Minister of Industry, Republic of Angola, HE Festus Mogae, the Former President of the Republic of Botswana, HE Admiral Mohab Mohammad Hussein Mameesh, Chairman of Egypt’s General Authority for Economic Zone, North-West Gulf of Suez, Hon. Dr Richard Sezibera, Secretary General, East African Community (EAC), HE Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS), and Mr. Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group and Africa’s richest man.

HE Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber, said the presence of prominent business leaders and decision-makers from Africa and Dubai will enrich the forum and make it an ideal platform to show African companies how to utilise the emirate’s experience in stimulating economic renaissance while enhancing the competitiveness of Dubai as a gateway to investing in Africa.

HE Buamim pointed out that under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai has become the main venue for UAE companies seeking to expand in promising African markets, stressing that Dubai Chamber’s plan to open more representative offices throughout Africa is a true reflection of its commitment to raise the competitiveness of the business community in Dubai.

Dubai Chamber’s President and CEO also highlighted the calibre and diversity of the Africa Global Business Forum’s official partners and sponsors, saying that the active participation of these leading UAE companies mirrors their intention to explore further investment opportunities in Africa.

“Dubai holds in high value its relationships with the nations of Africa, and we at ICD look forward to hosting our esteemed guests at this year’s Global Business Forum,” commented HE Mohammed I. Al Shaibani, Director General of HH The Ruler’s Court, Government of Dubai, and CEO and Executive Director, Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). “This gathering of heads of states, ministers, decision makers, and businessmen from Africa and the rest of the world is a unique opportunity to showcase the strong potential that the African continent holds for investors and investees alike. Our geographical proximity and cultural affinity position us well to bring this great opportunity to the world and to bring the world to Africa,” he added.

HE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman, DP World, said: “Africa has great potential for growth and efficient infrastructure is key in stimulating that with ports acting as the gateway to world trade. Each country has its own unique set of circumstances and connecting with the hinterland as well as neighbouring countries inland is an important ingredient in future development. Dubai and the UAE will continue to serve as a hub connecting the continent, especially East Africa, to Asia and beyond.”

Ali Rashid Lootah, Chairman,Nakheel, added: “We are honoured to be a gold sponsor of the Africa Global Business Forum 2014. This prestigious event is the perfect platform from which to explore opportunities for investment and collaboration between the UAE and Africa.”

Dr. Adnan Chilwan, CEO, Dubai Islamic Bank, said: “DIB has already established successful franchises across key markets in Asia and the Middle East and it is widely seen as a torchbearer in the globalisation of Islamic finance. Since International expansion has always been a core component of the bank’s growth agenda, we have plotted our targets on the map in Asia and East Africa which clearly represent immense opportunities for growth, with the increasing urbanised population and rapidly improving infrastructure. With this in mind, DIB will pursue these opportunities and look forward to participating in the AGBF, which presents the ideal platform for investors to connect and engage stakeholders from the region and will further entrench Dubai’s position as an investment gateway into Africa.”

Khalid bin Kalban, Managing Director and CEO, Dubai Investments PJSC, said: “Africa is an important emerging market and we would like to tap into investments opportunities on offer for bilateral trade. At Dubai Investments, our strategy is focused on expanding our global footprint and Africa is a strategic market in our growth plans. Our association with the Africa Global Business Forum will help us understand, network and discuss prospective joint cooperation across various business domains.”

Dr Rassem N. Zok, CEO of Standard Bank Middle East and North Africa, said: “We are honoured to be partnering with Dubai Chamber for this flagship event as it fully captures the mandate of Standard Bank’s Dubai hub; ie to link Gulf based investors and corporates to the exciting flow of investment opportunities we are seeing across our 19 presence countries on the continent, in a range of sectors including mining, oil and gas, power and infrastructure and FMCG.

As Africa’s largest bank by earning and total assets, the Standard Bank Group highly appreciates and supports the great work that the Chamber has been undertaking to highlight the African growth stories; we wish the event every success,” he said.

A recent study by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), has highlighted economic and investment opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa and its potential to become the world’s fastest growing region. Increase in economic reforms, rising fiscal spending and ties with fast growing economies in Asia have been identified as the main factors supporting the economy in Sub-Saharan Africa.