Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee
Forging Business Ties with New Zealand
New Zealand Consul General Peter Lund and Deputy Consul General Jocelyn Ng called on the Chamber on 3 March to exchange information and views on various topics.
Consul General Lund explained that Hong Kong is New Zealand’s 10th largest export market, with agriculture underpinning the economy. He said tourism and the services sector are essential 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, updated the guests on the Chamber’s activities.
Yeung said 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.
Exploring Opportunities in Africa
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. The seventh president of the African Development Bank Group, he is credited with expanding the reach and impact of AfDB, Africa’s Premier financial institution.
Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung and members welcomed Kaberuka, who was accompanied by Rose Kay, COO of Standard Chartered Bank. Kaberuka 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.
The 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, Kaberuka hopes that more airlines will begin offering direct flights.