The UAE is growing in popularity as a base for multinational companies serving the African market.
Strong transport and logistics services combined with its geographic position between the East and West have enhanced the country’s status as a springboard to the continent.
“The UAE has served as a central logistics hub through which to support more and more of our customers across the African continent,” said Peng Xiongji, the UAE general manager of Huawei, the Chinese telecoms infrastructure development company. It opened a logistics facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone last year from which it can quickly ship smartphones and other technology to the GCC and Pakistan, but also to African nations including Kenya and Tanzania.
Huawei hopes the facility will allow it to target greater spending on information communications technology by African governments.
“We can certainly support those projects from the UAE, but to address our customer needs most effectively, we feel there also needs to be investments made in local people and local facilities,” said Mr Xiongji.
The UAE’s links with Africa have swelled in recent years amid rising trade and investments. Trade between Dubai and Africa rose 27 per cent to US$30 billion in 2012 compared with the year before. The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been active in encouraging companies in Dubai to boost exports to a continent with a market of more than 1 billion people. It opened a trade office in Ethiopia in 2012 and plans to open others.
As the UAE has built a reputation as a business-friendly destination, some multinationals are even considering relocating their African headquarters to the emirate. While pockets of Africa are still beset with political unrest and terrorism, the UAE has remained a haven of stability.
CBRE, the property consultancy, has experienced a 30 per cent rise in inquiries from businesses considering moving offices from Africa to Dubai.
“The airlines and the pool of talent here are the two critical issues that make people come here,” said Nicholas Maclean, CBRE’s managing director in the Middle East.
“We are seeing a significant increase in companies currently based in Africa which have two difficulties – one is travelling around the continent of Africa and two is staff. Expanding their business to match the growth in GDP is critically difficult and therefore the assumption is that there’s an easier of way of doing that by relocating their business within Dubai.”
Emirates Airline has strengthened its services to Africa in recent years, bringing its total passenger destinations to 26 across the continent. It also serves 15 destinations through its freighter service, SkyCargo. This week the carrier announced the launch from August 1 of a daily linked service between Dubai and the Nigerian cities of Abuja and Kano.
“The country is strategic to Emirates’ global expansion, as is Africa,” said Thierry Antinori, Emirates Airline’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer.
Etihad Airways flies to seven destinations on the continent, as well as to the Seychelles. On Wednesday, the Abu Dhabi-based airline said it was opening a sales office in Johannesburg to serve its newly created Africa sub-Sahara and Indian Ocean region.
In a news release, Peter Baumgartner, Etihad’s chief commercial officer, said: “Africa is quickly developing into the next big investment destination, with business growth on the rise and African economies amongst the fastest growing in the world. We are experiencing strong passenger loads right across the continent.”
tarnold@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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FIXTURES
New Zealand v France, second Test
Saturday, 12.35pm (UAE)
Auckland, New Zealand
South Africa v Wales
Sunday, 12.40am (UAE), San Juan, Argentina
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Bangladesh tour of Pakistan
January 24 – First T20, Lahore
January 25 – Second T20, Lahore
January 27 – Third T20, Lahore
February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi
April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi
April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
SCHEDULE FOR SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - from 4pm (UAE time)
Angelique Kerber (1) v Irina Falconi
Martin Klizan v Novak Djokovic (2)
Alexandr Dolgopolov v Roger Federer (3)
Court One - from 4pm
Milos Raonic (6) v Jan-Lennard Struff
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Evgeniya Rodina
Dominic Thiem (8) v Vasek Pospisil
Court Two - from 2.30pm
Juan Martin Del Potro (29) v Thanasi Kokkinakis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Jelena Jankovic
Jeremy Chardy v Tomas Berdych (11)
Ons Jabeur v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Company%20Profile
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6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
