The Arab Trade & Export Finance Conference is organized by Arab Union for Industrial Exports Development (AUIED) and Al Majd International Company of Libya in Cooperation with Dubai Exports, Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Export Development Authority (EDA), at Holiday Inn – Dubai Festival City on 23rd & 24th October 2019.
The conference is organized under the patronage of the League of Arab States, with public supporters From International Trade Center (ITC), UNION OF ARAB CHAMBERS (UAC), Libya export Promotion Center, the Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (ETHRAA), Tunisia Export – CEPEX, Moroccan Agency for Investment & Export Development (AMDIE) and The Algerian Fairs and Exportation Company (SAFEX. The conference also is supported by regional Financial institutions Arab Bank for Development in Africa (BADIEA) , Arab Trade Finance Programme (ATFP), The Arab Investment & Export Credit Corporation, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investments and Export Credit (ICIEC) and AFREXIM Bank .
This two-day conference will attract over 300 business leaders and provide extensive networking opportunities for domestic and international financial institutions; local SME and global corporates; lawyers; policy makers, and specialist trade finance risk analysts. The conference also attracts many local and international delegates from the banking and financial services sectors to discuss liquidity challenges, corporate demand for capital, the impact of changing global trade flows and specific industry case studies.
Corporates are looking at their own supply chains in new ways. Supply chain finance (SCF) is an umbrella term covering a suite of tools ranging from financing suppliers through trade and receivables finance and discounts to buyer funding Treasury is uniquely placed to understand the range of financing programmes that are available and what is needed to finance your company, your customer or your supplier efficiently. Where in the chain needs finance and what needs working capital and where are the risks and opportunities? What technologies and tools can be used to make the best of visibility, reconciliation, reporting and liquidity management? But treasury doesn’t work alone. Procurement is a critical partner in the success of any supply chain finance agenda. While often driven by cost reduction metrics, SCF must be looked at as an array of tools to ensure integrity of suppliers which can also embrace good corporate citizenship within the context of achieving optimum working capital and funding along the whole chain. This agenda examines how best to make SCF work, what the pitfalls and challenges are, and how regulations and technology will affect the future.
Dubai’s economic growth will accelerate in 2019 and 2020, with tourism, logistics, transport, wholesale and retail sectors replacing the real estate as main growth driver next year.
Data released by Dubai Economy showed that Dubai’s GDP grew 1.94 per cent last year but it will pick up to 2.1 per cent this year and 3.8 per cent next year before easing to 2.8 per cent in 2021.
The emirate’s economy will continue to rely on real estate as its main growth driver at 3.65 per cent for 2019 followed by 3.1 per cent for logistics and transport; 2.8 per cent growth in tourism; 2.4 per cent in financial services and 1.9 per cent in wholesale and retail trade.
But as tourists will flock into the emirate next year for Expo 2020, tourism sector will overtake real estate to become a top growth driver of the economy followed by logistics and transport; wholesale and retail; real estate; financial services; industrial and construction industries.
Dubai Economy said government-led policy initiatives and investments, improved growth prospects in trading partners, and preparation to host Expo 2020 are providing the bedrock for increased private sector credit and investment in Dubai.
Supply chain finance optimizes cash flow by allowing Arab businesses to lengthen their payment terms to their suppliers while providing the option for their large and SME suppliers to get paid early. This results in a win-win situation for the buyer and supplier. The Arab buyer optimizes working capital, and the supplier generates additional operating cash flow, thus minimizing risk across the supply chain.
With so many high-level delegates in attendance, networking and B2B meetings are key features throughout the two days. With specific networking lunches, and numerous breaks, there will be ample opportunity for anyone serious about doing business in Arab countries to create new business contacts and build relationships with the market’s main players.