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Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
The United Arab Emirates is keen to partner with Zimbabwe to explore and strengthen agri-business opportunities to boost the economies of the two countries.

The UAE has an advantage of being a global trade and transit centre for a variety of goods destined for the Middle East while Zimbabwe has vast tracts of land, water bodies and skilled manpower.

Dubai imports most of the agricultural produce and is one of the major buyers of Zimbabwean tobacco.

This came out this morning during the UAE Zimbabwe Food and agribusiness virtual forum which was organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry through the international office in Mozambique in partnership with DEAT Capital, DP Word and Dubai Exports.

This forum meant to provide a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration between the two business communities was in response to the growing interests in Zimbabwe’s  public and private stakeholders keen to do business with the UAE counterparts.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chairman Mr Majid Saif Al Ghurair said trade between the UAE and Africa had been increasing from year to year from US$490 million in 2011 to US$993million in 2019.

“There are plenty of opportunities for Zimbabwe and Dubai to grow this.  Covid has brought a lot of challenges but Dubai looks at the other side of challenges and see opportunities.

“Our relations with Africa, especially Mozambique has opened our eyes to growing business relations especially on food security,” he said.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said the virtual forum Government’s objective to diversify and grow exports.

“Now that Zimbabwe and the UAE have established full diplomatic relations, we look forward to the expansion of our trade relations.

“Our President, His Excellency Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, led a high powered delegation to the Global Business Forum Africa 2019 organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai,” he said.

He said the delayed Dubai 2020 Expo would also ensure much needed additional support for the food and agribusiness cluster.