The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed that Emirates Airline will participate in the Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo (AFTCREE), scheduled for November 24–25 in Abuja.
The confirmation, conveyed in a letter to Afrocultour Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Chuks Akamadu, by the UAE Embassy in Abuja on Tuesday, signals the country’s commitment to deepening ties with Nigeria and Africa in tourism, trade, and the creative sector.
Organised by Afrocultour in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, the expo has also received endorsement from the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Emirates Airline, one of the world’s leading carriers, said its participation reflects its dedication to enhancing connectivity, innovation, and economic growth. The embassy expressed hope that the event would further strengthen UAE’s partnership with Nigeria and the African continent in advancing sustainable development and shared prosperity.
AFTCREE will also serve as a platform to launch “Agenda 2030,” an initiative aimed at boosting Africa’s share of global trade from less than three per cent to at least 10 per cent, and raising the continent’s current five per cent share of the $11 trillion global tourism market to 20 per cent by 2030.
The organisers said this would be pursued by mainstreaming tourism, culture, and entertainment into the services sector while establishing a peer review mechanism for African countries to share strategies and monitor progress in the creative and tourism industries.
