Area’s for Strategic Cooperation with Africa:
Late last year MIGA, a World Bank Agency had under partnership with Swiss govt. (MSP) had prepared a report on potential sector’s of cooperation with Africa. Based on the report IDEA has short listed few sectors for targeting countries in Africa including East Africa & Sub Saharan. Since Gujarat based companies are being targeted the suggestions are summarized in the form of a newsletter of leads. The large expatriate Gujarati population in some of these countries, especially East Africa could be a strong symbolic link for networking. IDEA has established links with IPA’s and key investment resources in Africa many of whom are also FDI Xchange partners, an initiative of MIGA a world bank agency. Recently a high level delegation from Botswana Export & Investment Development Authority, BEDIA had visited Gujarat & ambassadors to India of East African Companies are expected in future. The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) has hosted these delegations & IDEA has worked closely with GCCI towards profiling investment opportunties in Africa. The area’s of interest for co.’s in Gujarat could include:
1. Food & Agro:
• Uganda: Within the East African Community countries in Uganda there are good investment prospects for products that are and those that are not being exported. These range from peas, sugar, soya bean oil.
• For the EU market many of Uganda’s exports can benefit from duty free access to the EU after signing of the Everything but arms treaty. The treaty has opened up opportunities for enhancing the traditional exports such as tobacco, maize and sugar.
• Under the AGOA treaty coffee and tea have been exempted for duty to the united states for last two years.
• Tanzania has been for processed dairy products such as sweetened condensed milk, milk powder, infant milk, butter, margarine, ice cream yogurt & cheese.
• Ghana is also a supply base for processed fish with a leading company which is a leading supplier to Heinz present there.
• In Mozambique fishing is the largest industry and accounts for 25% of the merchant exports.
2. Healthcare.
• Some multinationals had invested in West Africa to benefit form the ECOWAS. Likewise Pharma companies can invest in Ghana in order to gain duty free access to UEMOA. Medicine can enter UEMOA duty free from Ghana, which represents a sizeable market. Likewise Pharma companies can invest in Ghana in order to gain duty free access to UEMOA.
• Gujarat hospitals can also offer a patient tourism destination to EAC.
3. Chemicals & Plastics. Uganda there are good investment prospects for products that are and those that are not being exported. These range from doors and window frames, plastic boxes & cases. It also includes polymers.
4. Ecotourism & Biodiversity. African countries such as Kenya are leaders in tourism and can tie up with Gujarat based tourism operators.
5. Textile & Apparels.
• Under the AGO treaty footwear exports from Uganda can be benefited.
• Ghana also represent an interesting opportunity for Afro centric clothing.
• Senegal is identified for garments and footwear under AGOA.
6. Financial Investors.
Mauritius is a well known tax haven with many funds operating from there.
7. Energy: Opportunities exiting in Kenya Uganda pipeline,
Hydropower station in Mozambique.
8. Infrastructure: Angola is trying to invite investment in a private port.
9. Building Materials: Uganda for ceramics.
10. Botswana: Recently a high level delegation from the Botswana Export & Investment Development Authority, BEDIA had visited Gujarat. Area's such as Technology, ICT, Healthcare, Manufacturing & Infrastructure were cited as interesting area's for India. For Gujarat the interest was cited as Pharma & Engineering. 6400 products are given benifits under AGOA including Textiles & Leather. Further Botswana is a very large producer of diamonds that are a major contributor to its economny.
Any inquiry for Africa maybe forwarded to the key resources persons or investment promotion agencies under a suitable mandate. Sincerly,
