Dubai received an invitation to participate in the Commercial African-Arab Exhibition

The Tanzanian Director General informed D.C.C.I.'s Director General about the arrangements being made to set up the Commercial African-Arab Exhibition. Its 6th session which is organized by the Foreign Trade Council in Tanzania, will take place in the Exhibition Area of Dar Es Salaam, the Tanzanian Capital from the 4th to the 14th of December 2003. The meeting was also attended by Fahad Al Gergawi, the Director of Trade and Business Development of D.C.C.I.

Buliki invited Al Mutaiwee to attend the exhibition, and extended the invitation through the Director General of DCCI to the leading economic and commercial figures in Dubai. Participation in this sizable exhibition can accommodate participants from public sectors in addition to corporations and private sector companies.

The Commercial African-Arab Exhibition is held every two years and is attended by regional Arab and African organizations, headed by African Union Organization, and League of Arab States. The new session will be under the title "Free Trade - Participants in Development".

Buliki clarified during the meeting that an investment gathering for the participants will exist alongside the exhibition, in addition to cultural and local tourism programs to welcome guests and make them aware of the national Tanzanian character. Buliki also stated that invitations had been sent to Ministers of Commerce in the concerned countries and that they had received a good positive response.

Buliki said that a few days ago they laid the final touches to the exhibitions area where the exhibition is being held. The total area is 160,000 m2, 30,000 m2 of which will be occupied by the Tanzanian exhibition. He added that the participation by government sectors will be located in the core of exhibition, while other areas will be allocated for private sector participants. On the other hand, he assured the possibility of accommodating the participant selections in a way to facilitate gathering the attendance of public and private sectors of each country together. At the same time, he clarified that the customs and duty sector will offer special facilities on goods and commodities on offer at the exhibition, and arrangements will be done for loading those goods from exit points of participating countries two weeks prior to starting the exhibition activities.

From his side, Al Mutaiwee welcomed his guests and said "We will be happy to participate in the exhibition, as we consider it to be an important opportunity for Arab and African businessmen to meet in a common social activity under one roof". He added "Tanzania and African markets are valuable to our markets". It is worth mentioning that bilateral trade between Tanzania and the U.A.E. showed an accelerated augmentation over the past few years, and the economic liberation policies applied by the Tanzanian government along with geographical distinction for both the U.A.E. and Tanzania, all led to consolidating the direct trade between businessmen in both countries. During 2000 the size of U.A.E. exports to Tanzania was U.S. $ 650, while during 2001 Dubai's imports from Tanzania reached U.S. $ 11 of the exports reached U.S. $ 7.