Asia, Africa and Middle East CommitteeIncoming Visitors

It was a pleasure to welcome Orumbayeva Asel, Advisor to the Group’s President, Fincraft Group Ltd, along with her colleagues, to the Chamber on March 24. They were greeted by HKGCC CEO Patrick Yeung, Belt and Road Convenor Edmond Yue, Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam, and Vice Chairman Zaman Minhas Qamar, who exchange views on the business landscape in Kazakhstan, and investment opportunities in Hong Kong.

As one of the largest mining and metallurgy firms in Kazakhstan, Fincraft Group is diversifying its business beyond oil and gas production, with exports mainly to China. The group is shifting towards more sustainable practices, including the development of a full-cycle facility for gas processing, depositing of rare earth materials for electric vehicles and renewable energy, as well as providing venture opportunities for foreign investors.

Kanatuly Azamat, Head of the Investment Office, Fincraft Group Ltd, highlighted that as a full member of the Eurasian Economic Union, Kazakhstan is currently experiencing accelerated economic growth, with access to Western Europe and Asia under the Belt and Road Initiative. Patrick Yeung agreed on the potential of businesses in Kazakhstan and encouraged Fincraft Group to leverage the recently agreed trilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), and Hong Kong to expand its business into ASEAN through Hong Kong.

It was an education to speak with Donald P Kaberuka, Chairman and Managing Partner of SouthBridge, a Pan-African financial advisory during his visit to the Chamber on 10 March. He was the 7th President of the African Development Bank Group and is credited for expanding the reach and impact of AfDB, Africa’s Premier financial institution.

Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung and members welcomed Donald, who was accompanied by Rose Kay, COO, Standard Chartered Bank. He was eager to hear members’ experiences about doing business and investing in Africa and where they could improve. He also explained that demand for financial, digital, and professional business services is highly dynamic on the continent, driven by a young population moving to urban areas. This population is very tech-savvy and has been leapfrogging in their use of mobile digital services in both daily life and business. The Mainland has been assisting in upgrading Africa’s infrastructure, including railways and ports, to support economic development. As direct flights between Hong Kong and African countries are limited, Donald hopes that more airlines will begin offering direct flights

It was a pleasure to welcome New Zealand Consul General Peter Lund and Deputy Consul General Jocelyn Ng to the Chamber this morning for an exchange of information and views on a wide range of topics. Consul General Lund explained that Hong Kong ranks as New Zealand’s 10th largest export market, with agriculture underpinning the economy. He also highlighted that tourism and the services sector are important pillars of the economy, noting that Hong Kong is among the top five investors in New Zealand.

Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung, along with Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam and Vice Chairman Zaman Minhas Qamar, welcomed the guests and updated them on the Chamber's activities. Yeung also mentioned that the Chamber will soon launch the Asia International Index, which will enable Hong Kong to benchmark itself against other Asian cities and see where it excels as well as where we can improve.