Angola trade delegation talks cooperation with Dubai Chamber of Commerce

More than 30 delegates from Angolan businesses were in Dubai recently as part of high-profile trade talks meant to strengthen ties with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Republic of Angola’s delegation was led by representatives from AAPCIL, the Association of Agro Livestock Commercial and Industrial of Huila, and was received by Atiq Juma Nasib, senior vice-president of the chamber’s commercial services sector.

Also on hand was José Andrade de Lemos, the Angolan ambassador to the UAE, and Paulo Gaspar, president of the Angolan Association for Commercial Businesses.

In his welcome address, Nasib highlighted the opportunities the meeting presents for strengthening bilateral investment relations between UAE and Angolan companies. He said it was time to explore new areas of joint cooperation between the two countries.

"Trade is an important area of opportunity for Dubai and Angola which is a major commodities exporter and has potential to significantly expand its agricultural output through Dubai which offers the finest transport and logistics, infrastructure and a healthy business climate for trade and investment flows between Africa and the rest of the world," Nasib said. "In the first half of 2015, our members' exports and re-exports to Angola valued AED 153 million while there are 21 Angolan companies operating in Dubai, there is need to increase their numbers to enhance business ties between Dubai and Angola, and across Africa in general."

De Lemos in turn invited UAE businesses to invest in Angola and to look out for new areas of mutual investments. He invited UAE businesses to attend the first Invest Huila forum, to be hosted in the Angolan province of Huila on Oct. 16-17.