ASIA-AFRICA TRADE CONVENTION

 

In an effort to help curb the negative effects of the covid 19 and its impact on the African economy, Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry has come up with a list of events that will change how African countries do business.

Unveiling plans for Asia-Africa Trade Convention 2021, billed for Shanghai China, the President of the company, Hon. Nwabueze Buchi George, said there are more events lined up for 2021 and even beyond.

“This is big because we are working with African Union AU and the Asian government, knowing how much they contribute to global trade these days. If we can make things easier and more accessible on both ends, it will be very easy for both finished goods and raw materials to go either ways with little or no stress this year and beyond”

“Asia and Africa are more of the emerging worlds today and we need to take advantage of the massive hunger for trade and infrastructural development across these continents. Several African countries are involved, including Nigeria, because we have come to understand that events like this create the needed platforms, not only between nations, but between organizations who need them, so they can directly plan and implement their trade and investment strategies” he said.

The event is powered by Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other government agencies. Asia-Africa Trade Convention 2021 has been scheduled to hold in Shanghai, China sometime next year. As soon as preparations are completed, the actual date for the event will be made public.

AUSTRALIA AFRICA ECONOMIC FORUM

Africa has been described to be the frontier of the global economy and Australia’s business and investment interests in Africa are worth over tens of billions of dollars. Its not just about the resources sector either-Australian involvement in African economies in increasingly reaching into other areas including education, health and the arts

Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be organizing the Australia-Africa Economic Forum. It will be done in partnership with Austrade, DFAT and state governments of Australia to identify and promote business opportunities and also advocate for a predictable market-oriented operating environment. 

It will be a public private Joint partnership for the purpose of business growth and development between countries in both continents with emphasis on Foreign Direct Investment, project development, Trade, Investment that will bring about an increase in the African Economy.

Participants and Businesses that get involved will have the opportunity to raise their business profiles, they will also be exposed to knowledge sharing between both continents and meet with potential international business partners

For both Governments, the Economic Forum has the following advantages

Strengthening government-to-government engagement

Expanding economic diplomacy 

Fostering stronger private sector linkages 

Addressing business risk factors in Africa and Australia

The event will be held in Sydney, Australia and will be a 6 days event from the 26^th to the 30^th of May 2021.

CommonWealth Fashion Week and Awards: Fresh Breath For African Fashion, Textile and Leather Industries

Putting the entertainment flair that normally goes with fashion events aside, Hon. Nwabueze Buchi George has revealed that the major aim of the CommonWealth Fashion Week and Awards is to give fresh breath to African fashion, textile and leather industries.

CommonWealth Fashion Week and Awards scheduled for June 2021, by Globe Chambers of Commerce and Industries will be a confluence of Africa’s fashion related industries.

“We want to use the event to promote made in Africa fashion products. Cosmetics inclusive, fashion has become everything we do and it is one important industry that grows individuals and economies of nations” Buchi George said

Billed for Kigali, Rwanda, CommonWealth Fashion Week and Awards will witness Africa Garments, Leather Industries and Textile Expo at the same period Common Wealth Head Of Government Meeting CHOGM  will be taking place in Rwanda 

“We have done a couple of fashion events around the world in the past and this one is really exciting for us”

“Covid-19 pandemic saw CHOGM postponed to 2021 and we want to also take that advantage to spice things up with another event that will attract people from around the world”

“African fabrics for instance should be household items around the continent, but so bad that some of them have hardly left the shores of the owners’ countries. We want to share their heritage and we want to see people wearing them with pride around the world because in Africa, one thing we care so much about is our heritage which is what our fashion industries connote”, he said.

Beyond having lots of participants, Hon. Nwabueze Buchi George is looking forward to making the event a fashion fair that will feature many countries of the continent and he believes that the economical impact will be very massive.

Nigeria at 60 "Nigeria truly can be the giant of Africa"

President of Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hon. Nwabueze Buchi George has said that only when there is a set ‘Nigerian Dream’ can Nigeria truly be the giant of Africa.

Hon. Buchi George who spoke on the occasion of the 60th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria, said the nation has every bone of greatness in it, but bad policies and poor implementation has seen Nigeria lag where it is supposed to lead.

He said that quoting Nigeria’s abundant mineral resources has already been overstated and what is most important is what the country can achieve with these things.

“Nigeria is a great nation; you can imagine being tagged a giant of Africa the way we are today and what will happen when things become the way they are meant to be. We can be one of the giants of the world because our global records in investments, human capital development and manpower has not been matched by any other nation”

“Nigeria is one Africa nation with very successful individuals around the world and that simply means that with a good environment, Nigerians can do great things. This means that one thing we should be aiming at in a Nigerian dream that will create this enabling environment that will encourage our people to thrive”

Hon. Nwabueze Buchi George said that the ‘Nigerian Dream’ should be aimed at building a nation where politicians will no longer campaign with roads and electricity, a nation where neglect of  rule of law, ethnicity and religious intolerance will be a thing of the past.

“If we set that standard, what it means is that our leaders irrespective of their political backgrounds will chase this dream of greatness on our behalf. As a trade and investment expert, I’ve come to see that with a little scale up on the usual interstate conventional trade in Nigeria, things will change, but there are issues holding us back”

“Only the liberals can experience liberation and if we keep harping on ethnicity, religion and unhealthy politics, Nigeria will remain where it is”, he said.

Through the Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the United Nations Ambassador has put up both local and international trade and investment fora, one of the ways he believes his quota is being contributed.

“Nigeria will be great when we all understand that everyone will not be a Dangote or the president. When we understand the importance of the drivers, roadside mechanics, traders, newspaper vendors and everyone working hard to survive genuinely, we’ll be on that path”

“So far, we have done a lot in the past, but because of the new normal, we are shifting focus to 2021 with some great programs that will give both Nigeria and the entire Africa a good face in world trade and investment circle”

He listed Australia Africa Economic Forum; Japan Africa Economic Forum; Africa Economic and Investment Forum, Berlin Germany;  Czech Africa Economic and Investment Forum and Asia Africa Economic Forum, as some of the events in line to ease the recovery process of Nigeria and Africa from the covid-19 pandemic.

Middle East-Africa Economic and Investment Forum

Based on projections from the United Nations, Africa's population is expected to double by the year 2050. Currently, Africa's population is about 1.2 billion and is set to hit 2.4 billion in the next 30 years. At around the year 2100, it is expected to hit about 4.3 billion. What this implies is that by that time, about 33 percent of the world will be residing in Africa. This indicates clearly that Africa is on a pace to catch up with Asia by the end of the century.

One of the biggest challenges Africa is facing today is lack of jobs. By the time Africa hits 2.4 billion around year 2050, Africa will need about 800 million jobs to sustain its youthful population because according to the African Development Bank, over one-third of Africa's population will be youths.

Africa needs a private-sector led growth to drive economic transformations. We should not wait for the West to give us aids or for them to invest, instead Africa should engage with other emerging markets like the Middle East. 

Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be organizing Middle East-Africa Economic and Investment Forum. This forum will be a catalyst for a cross boarder trade and Investment flow linking the Middle east with Africa and this can enrich both sides. 

Middle East-Africa Economic and Investment Forum will be a networking point for the Middle Eastern and African Investors as Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry is proposing that the best way to reposition Africa for the future is by engaging with emerging markets.

Speaking to news men over the weekend, The President of Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hon. Buchi George, said strategic partnership with the Middle East is one of the keys to global development at the moment.

Asia-Africa Economic and Investment Forum, Tokyo, Japan

 

Covid-19 has strained Africa’s health systems, education, aviation, culture, trade, and general livelihoods as well as the continent’s public and private sectors amid lockdowns, stifling sources of income.

IMF has revised its GDP growth forecast for the continent from 5.1 before the pandemic to -1.6%. Similarly, the World Bank made a similar forecast that indicates a decline from 2.4% in 2019 to between -2.1 and -5.1% in 2020. The economic impact has been enormous and continues to bite even further.

In a move to reposition Africa’s economy in this Covid-19 pandemic era as well as the post-Covid-19 era, Globe Chambers of Commerce and Industry is putting up the Asia – Africa Economic and Investment Forum 2021.

Asia-Africa Economic and Investment Forum will be a networking point for Asian and African investors as Globe Chambers of Commerce and Industry is proposing that the best way out of the global economic crisis is multiple and strategic collaborations.

Hon. Nwabueze Buchi George, the president of Globe Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in an announcement about the event, said strategic partnership is key to global development at the moment.

Hon. Buchi George said that Globe Chambers of Commerce and Industry has strategically looked into what Africa and Asia can mutually offer each other and there is a whole lot in various sectors.

“Economically, Africa needs to be great again and while the Covid-19 pandemic is still on, we need to put down viable recovery plans that can be kicking off any time. 2021 is a good time for us and we believe by then, everywhere will open up for us and other organizations working hard to make the world a better place” Hon. Nwabueze Buchi George said.

It will be held in Tokyo, Japan in the year 2021.

Euro Africa Economic and Investment Forum 2021

Euro -Africa Economic Forum is a yearly business and economic event designated to bring business individuals, Trade leaders, stakeholders of both Europe and African extraction together to partner and explore trade and investment opportunities.

The objective of this Economic Forum is to promote and strengthen collaboration and existing opportunities in Africa and Europe, and make available a platform for government representatives, investors, private sector representatives, and financial institutions from Europe and Africa to explore investment and business opportunities in both sides as well as mitigate the challenges of COVID-19 which undermines economic prospects.

This Economic Forum is one of the most concrete and important steps of the value Europe attaches to African countries and its efforts to develop and deepen the relations with the African Continent. 

The Euro – Africa Economic Forum will help to boost Africa’s economy:

• create innovative and compelling modern businesses;
•  increase the capacity for these businesses to compete regionally and globally;
•  attract both domestic and foreign investment and diversify investor profile;
• Contribute significantly to job creation and economic growth.
• Enabling and enhancing entrepreneurship and innovation across Africa.

The Euro- Africa Economic Forum is powered by Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry.