Kazakhstan Business Opportunities

GOALS

Our partner in Kazakhstan is able to provide high added-value services to Italian businesses which aim to be represented as “MADE IN ITALY” , in Kazakhstan territory and in other countries which have business relations with Kazakhstan. EXPO2017: after the reading of this article, it will be manifest that the Kazakhstan project is characterized by high development potentials. The territory of Kazakhstan presents a further attractiveness thanks to EXPO2017 which will be held in Astana, as it will be possible to settle before or after the world’s fair and to exploit at most the opportunities offered by Kazakhstan to the Italian businesses interested in participating in the project.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH THE INSTITUTIONS OF KAZAKHSTAN

The organization, undergoing steady development through our partner in Kazakhstan, allows to trust important collaborators and partnerships, among which the highest representatives of the institutions of the country, through reliable relations which have been developed and strengthen, and this allows to pursue the aims of a long-term, articulate and complex project which aspires to significant goals and achievements, through an offer of exclusive opportunities.

TARGET OF BUSINESSES WITH WHICH WE WOULD COME INTO CONTACT

Italian businesses with registered office and know-how and expertise which refer to Italian style.

WHY CHOOSE KAZAKHSTAN AS TERRITORY TO DEVELOP A FOREIGN BUSINESS ?

- First of all for the considerable natural resources
- For the favorable position and for the Eurasian Union with Bielorussia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia
- For the presence of strong technology innovation and industrial development programs on the country
- For the considerable research and draw of foreign investments and international investors protection
- For the numerous development opportunities for high added value Italian products

WHERE TO INVEST IN KAZAKHSTAN

- Energy sector, coke and all the products resulting from oil refining
- Products and derivatives of metallurgy
- Agricultural and agricultural and food products, fishing and silviculture
- Building, constructions and real estate
- Electrical energy, gas, steam and conditioned air
- Renewable sources

WHAT TO SELL / MERCHANDISE IN KAZAKHSTAN

- Agricultural and food products
- Furniture, interior design and decorations
- Manufacturing industries products
- Items of clothing and fashion ( including articles of clothing in leather and fur coat)
- Tourism and flow of tourists

HOW OUR PARTNER IN KAZAKHSTAN CAN AID THE ITALIAN BUSINESSES INTERESTED TO THE TERRITORY ?

Our partner in Kazakhstan will represent for all practical purposes the businesses that wish to join a project which will give them great visibility , the businesses which wish to transfer successively part of their production to an expanding and constantly growing country, as Kazakhstan, and also the businesses which consider commercial and strategic partnerships.
Thanks to the special relationship with the authorities of the country, our partner in Kazakhstan is able to take advantage of spaces for commercial use , 200 square meters, inside a historic building in the center of Astana, just beside the ministry.

THE BUSINESSES WHICH ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING TO THE PROJECT :

- Will be updated about the initiatives and the development of all the opportunities which occur in Kazakhstan and in the competent foreign markets.
- Will have the possibility to exhibit their products or services in an exhibition area addressed to them, that is an exhibition area in a show-room with a minimum of 30 square meters, having the possibility to count on a steady support from the staff and the local organization, which intend to coordinate every single sector thanks to skilled staff.
- Will have the possibility to hire for commercial purposes or to settle at extremely favorable costs a representative office or a representative domicile with visibility for the business itself, providing a secretary service, interpreter and a manager of foreign communications.
- Because of the direct relationship between our partner and the institutions the registration in C.I.C.K. ( KAZAKHSTAN INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ).

LIST OF THE SERVICES OFFERED IN THE KAZAKHSTAN TERRITORY

- Analytic presentation of information concerning the economic development and the promotion of entrepreneurship in the region of Kazakhstan.
- Meetings with different departments and main local institutions concerning entrepreneurial projects of different kinds.
- Supply of informative and detailed material about product sectors in which the client is interested.
- Placement and information about new businesses settled in the territory to favor business and cross business activities.
- Information about events, exhibitions and fairs tied to the field of activity of the customer businesses.
- Information about cooperation proposals and updating in which the client is interested.
- organisation of entrepreneurial missions, business meetings and negotiations with representatives of Kazakh and foreign companies interested in establishing profitable contacts and business relations with Italian businesses
- Participation to workshop organized in Astana by our local partner about different business issues.
- Invitation to the customers to participate on conferences, business meetings, reunions of sector committee and others important events organized by our Partner and by the Institutions put in charge of the Kazakh and Russian Foreign Trade
- Invitation to participate in sector fairs, innovative projects, investment projects, which benefit in the participation of important enterprises and national and international research organizations.
- Support and improvement of commercial proposals considering the profile of the customer enterprise.
- The positioning of a banner of the customer enterprise on institutional websites related to Foreign Trade .
- Participation to thematic events at the Institutions related to Foreign Trade in which high representatives of legislative and executive power can be present.
- Provide institutionally and business contacts according to the Foreign direct Investment project of the customer enterprise.
- Provide a personal manager or an executive or a local operative staff according to the requirements of the customer enterprise.
- Organization of business meetings and one to one conferences with Kazakh entrepreneurs.
- Support and comprehensive aid in entrepreneurial and development projects, including administrative support and meetings concerning legal issues.
- Interpreting serviced during the visit in Kazakhstan and in the business meetings that the customer enterprise intends to organize.

Mauritania: opportunities for fishery sector and fishing

This article aims to underline an important opportunity in Mauritania for fishing and fishery products processing.

THIS ARTICLE IS ADDRESSED TO:

Companies working in fishing sector and fishery products processing.

INTRODCTION: WHY IS MAUTITANIA STRATEGIC FOR FISHING AND FISHERY SECTOR ?

Thanks to its position, Mauritania offers huge opportunities in fishery sector, such as processing and conservation of fish products, algae farming, seafood and fish farming. There are many different species in Mauritania sea: OCTOPUS, QUILL, SQUID, SOLE, JOHN DORY, CATFISH, CONGER, SCORPIONFISH, FLOUNDER, GOATFISH, MEAGRE.

More than half of Mauritania picked fish, arrives fresh or frozen to consumers, only 10% is canned, and the remaining fish is wasted because there are no processing machines and there are few cold storages. By establishing a small production line it will be possible to have a main role in the market, seizing a development opportunity, and successively exporting to African markets with a low excise duty (5%) and to North American market which hasn’t any excise duty, therefore the only cost will be freight costs, compared to Europe which has high excise duties.

IBS will make agreements with big, medium and small fishermen in order to provide different quantities of fish, according to business projects. There are unlimited quantities of frozen fish, therefore it is important to undersign a contract for the transformation Business Plan.

EXAMPLES

A clarifying example is the production of Bottarga, it is mainly handcrafted by a women cooperative who work only this expensive product completely ignoring and wasting mullets. Instead, fish could be filleted in order to produce fishmeal and fish oil with head and bones. It is possible to process any kind of fish in order to produce high-quality products. It is better to process octopus and squid because of their quality and quantity.

COSTS

Currently, establishing a new society in Mauritania costs around 2000 euro, 500 euro a month for an office and 500 euro for miscellaneous expenditures.

The manpower cost is 150 euro a month for a general workman and 250 euro a month for a specialized workman.

THE IBS ADDED VALUE FOR YOUR BUSINESS IN MAUTITANIA

Thanks to partnerships with key people working in local institutions, commercial field and Italian people with references who live in Mauritania, our company can support you establishing a production unit in Mauritania for transformation and processing of fishery products. In order to find a potential business for your company.

Our services :

Support to establish a production unit, expenditure forecast for society establishment, offices, annual administrative costs;

Find a suitable location for plant and productive activity;

Scouting of local tax benefits and financial advantages;

Ongoing support and potential financing application through the African Development Bank, EIB or ECB.

In order to create a new production unit is important to organise a mission. Moreover we will carry out a feasibility study.

HIGHER ADVANTAGES THANKS TO FREE TRADE ZONE

The following overview explains potentialities and presents the NOUADHIBOU free trade zone in Mauritania. This zone offers many opportunities to business men interested in establishing a new company, such as:

- Low investments costs due to government subsidies;

- Goods on sale are not charged with VAT, excise taxes or other taxes;

- Business profits are untaxed for the first 7 years, from the eight to the fifteenth is 7% and then 25%;

- Total exemption from the payment of custom duties;

- Higher investments in the country by private investors and international donors;

- General development of the country economy will benefit single businesses;

- Centralisation of administrative services, speed up the bureaucracy thanks to one-stop-shop for foreign investors.

LINK
Mauritania Country Profile

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Write an e-mail to the contact below specifying your request and we will provide you further details.

VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLES FOR A SOLAR PARK

GOAL

We are looking for NATIONAL or INTERNATIONAL investors for A VENTURE CAPITAL PROJECT with the aim of building a SOLAR PARK or more SOLAR PARKS with a power rating between 3 and 5 MW each one, via photovoltaic modules using solar energy and photovoltaic effect for electricity generation. Government bodies will buy it by providing renewable and insurance cover for country risk and other risks for 20 years.

DETAILS OF VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLES FOR A SOLAR PARK

SOLAR PARK: it is made of photovoltaic modules, connecting solar cables, control panel, inverter, protection and control panel. The plant type will be grid connected, that is networked through a distribution power grid managed by government bodies. It may include automatic sun-tracker plant.

PLANT RATED POWER: 3 –5 MW and more plants of this rated power could be created in different areas in the foreign country.

GENERATED ENERGY MANAGER: the electricity generated from the photovoltaic plant will be bought by government bodies responsible for the management of the power grid, and this supply will be regulated by a government/state granting.

GRANTING DURATION: 20 years renewed.

INSURANCE: the insurance policy provided by supranational and intergovernmental bodies, as well as by the state government where the plant will be built, will aim to preserve the plant owner, financial partners / investors against risks related to the activity. They shall include specifically the country risk, the economic and operational risks providing a complete coverage for the risks related to the project, in order to guarantee the return on invested capital and profits accruing from the selling of the generated energy in case of different problems.

AMORTISATION: the plant amortisation is estimated to 4-5 years depending on the electricity production (related to the photovoltaic panels performance) and to the import of KWh which will be negotiated with the authorities and government bodies depending on the place where the plant or the plants will be built. Moreover, if the efficiency plant targets will be achieved, there could be an even shorter period of amortisation, by maximizing the investment profitability.

INVESTMENT PROTIFABILITY (VENTURE CAPITAL): given the fact that the recovery period of the invested capital is very short, the remaining years in which the granting will be active will provide a high profit and it will be the same in the next period following the renewal of the granting after the deadline.

PLANT MANUFACTURER: numerous photovoltaic modules / panels manufacturers from Italy and abroad are currently under assessment. The plant manufacturer will be chosen by evaluating its capacity to ensure that the quality level and the technologic innovation of the panels and of the plant will be able to guarantee:

 High quality and types of panels used in the plant complying with the territory features where the photovoltaic park will be built. Being high-intensity solar radiation areas, they will be treated as HTR (high temperature resistant) technologies.
 Regardless of the production place of the panels above mentioned (Italian or foreign production) they shall be certified considering the efficiency level and duration of the single panel in the expected weather conditions. Moreover, they should have an adequate yield for panel and square meter taking into consideration an average solar radiation equal to around 5,0 KWh/m2 / day on level ground.
 The type of panel will be mono or polycrystalline depending on the presence or the absence of the solar tracker which increases the electricity production and the whole yield plant.
 Durability of the single panel.
 Number of production lines to achieve the desired outcome, with a coherent number of inverters.
 Production of a high number of KWh in ideal conditions in one year, in accordance with the plant features.
 Space to be considered additional in order to built roads for vehicles using for maintenance.
 Low-cost maintenance program, capable of maintaining the plant efficiency at best over time.
 Maintenance program and needed equipment.
 Production departments separated in order to provide to the single maintenance without stopping the overflows of the remaining departments in the network.
 Control system of the real production of the single department and monitoring of possible manufacturing failure or anomalies system, a production monitoring system. A possible smart grid for continuity shall be required by institutions or for some plant located in some specific areas.
 Turnkey plant provided at a competitive price.
 We shall guarantee an adequate territorial extension in order to guarantee the needed space to built the photovoltaic park.

ANOTHER PROJECT (RENEWABLE ENERGY)

In the framework of a completely independent project we are also interested to private investors for stand-alone power plant through plants not connected to the distribution network, which shall exploit the energy produced and stored though power accumulator (power cell). The plant will consist of a photovoltaic station, accumulator, switching governor, inverter.

CONTACT US

Anyone interested in applying for partner/investor/financer in the framework of the VENTURE CAPITAL projects above mentioned, is asked to contact us by filling in the form of CONTACT by highlighting “PHOTOVOLTAIC PARK” in the application SUBJECT and by specifying the own references to be called back.

Thank you for the attention
IBS Secretary

LINK

- Wikipedia: photovoltaic system
- Wikipedia: solar energy
- Wikipedia: solar power by country
- Wikipedia: photovoltaic power station
- Wikipedia: grid-connection
- Wikipedia: solar inverter
- Wikipedia: power inverter
- Wikipedia: power optimizer

IVORIAN UNREFINED CACAO SEEDS TO POWDER

WE AFFORD IVORIAN UNREFINED CACAO SEEDS TO POWDER

WE ARE LOOKING FOR BUYERS, DEALERS, WHOLESALERS, CONFECTIONARY FIRMS WHO REFINE OR SELL CACAO

DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST: thanks to our presence in Côte d’Ivoire through our Italian partners, locally resident in Côte d’Ivoire, and exporters engaged on a professional basis in the export and marketing of cacao, we are able to PROVIDE IVORIAN CACAO renowned for its excellent product and organoleptic properties. Given that Côte d’Ivoire is the main worldwide cacao producer, we can provide cacao in large amounts and regular production and supplying.

CONTACT US

Anyone who is interested in having more informtions about IVORIAN CACAO is invited to send us a request through the form CONTACT highlighting on the OBJECT of the request “IVORIAN CACAO” and specyfing its own references in order to be contacted.

FURTHER INFORMATIONS ABOUT CACAO

ORIGIN, CLASSIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF CACAO: the species popularly known as cacao is technically expressed with binomial nomenclature Theobroma Cacao L.1753. It is obtained by a tree belonging to the Sterculiaceae gender Theobroma family, originating in South America (assigned to the Malvaceae according to the APG system). In nature it appears as a 5 – 10 metres high evergreen tree, with shiny oval leaves at the top; however not all the species of cacao have green leaves. On the trunk sprout white, green or rosy bunches of flowers and which then turn into cacao flowers or bolls / fruits.
From the ovary of the flower the yellow-green long cedar shaped fruit will grow, taking a reddish brown colour after the maturation. The skin has longitudinal scores and inside the fruit you can find from 25 to 40 purple-brown oval flat almond-shaped seeds.

The seeds are immersed in a sugary jelly-like substance which contains also fats, albuminoids, alkaloids and colourings. Among the alkaloids we can mention the caffeine ( in small amounts) that is a stimulant and the theobromine that has euphoriant power and diuretic properties, thanks to which it was used in the past before the coming of more effective drugs to stimulate the diuresis in the case of cardiac decompensation. Eating chocolate in large amounts can lead to a psychological addiction due to the presence of these substances. The weight of the boll / fruit, which can be from 10 to 15 cm high, goes from 300 up to 500 gr. However the fruit can weigh up to 1 kg.

TYPES OF CACAO:
- Criollo Cacao : also known as Theobroma Cacao Cacao, of great value, rich in flavourings and fragrances, widespread in Central America and South America (Ecuador, Venezuela). The seeds are white, scented and a little bit bitter. It requires many attentions and it has a scarce yield. It represent 10% of the cacao on the market and it has an high cost, so it is suitable for very high value and cost chocolate.

- Forastero Cacao : also called Theobroma Cacao Sphaerocarpum, or consumption cacao, that is the most popular product on the market. It comes from violet seeds having a strong and bitter flavour .This cacao provides 80% of the production of the chocolate on the market. It is grown mainly in West Africa, Brazil and South-East Asia.

- Trinitario Cacao : it is an admixture of the previous two kind of cacao, an hybrid grown in Amazon, Trinidad, Mexico, Caribbean, Columbia, South-East Asia and it represents only 10% of the worldwide production.

GROWING CACAO: even if the fructification lasts for more than 30 years, the cacao-tree requires quite significant upfront costs for formation expenses and it starts to produce cocoa from the fifth year. Given that the tree cannot be left in direct sunlight, it is often grown in the shade of palm and banana trees which can be distinguished by their greater height. 90% of the production comes from small African farmers, from small farms between 2 and 5 hectares, while only 5% comes from big growers with holdings of at least 40 hectares. Although fructification is continuous during the year, there are two periods of maximum harvest and each tree produce normally 1 or 2 kg of seeds.

MAIN CACAO PRODUCER COUNTRIES: Côte d’Ivoire is the main worldwide producer of cacao with a production of about 1 million and 330 thousand metric tonnes for year, followed by Ghana, with 739 thousand metric tonnes, Indonesia, Nigeria, Brazil, Cameroon, Ecuador, Columbia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Dominican Republic, Peru, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, Togo, Argentina, Philippines, Republic of the Congo, Salomon Islands with a production of 5000 metric tonnes per year. The worldwide chocolate production is having a drop of 5%. Consumers eat less chocolate but of higher quality and cost.

CURIOSITIES ABOUT CACAO:

- It has a very high antioxidant power, that is index 80933 which is 19 times higher than an apple’s oxidant power.

- It is an excellent energizer and stimulant. It seems to have also anti-depressing properties;

- The first growers and users of cacao in the history seem to have been the Maya. Europeans discovered cocoa after the discovery of America by Cristoforo Colombo who received as a gift cacao in Guanaja Island during its fourth journey. In 1606 there are documents which demonstrate the production of chocolate in Venice and Florence. In 1879 in Berna, Mr. Lindt Rodolphe starts the production of dark chocolate.

PROCESSING COCOA BEANS:

Each tree can provide about 1-2 kg of dry beans. The cacao first harvested is fermented, dried and then ground to obtain dry beans, with 50% of yield compared to the cacao first harvested. The stages of the processing of cacao are the following:

- HARVEST : the fruit is harvested, pressed and let rest for about 7 days, then the pulp and the beans contained in it are extracted. A medium-sized tree produce approximately from 20 to 50 mature fruits in a year.

- FERMENTATION : the pulp and the beans are subjected to fermentation for about 6 days in big wooden cases, at 45-50 celsius degrees. The pulp liquefy and it is later removed. The fermentation is a very important process and its correct execution avoid a too bitter taste ( insufficient fermentation) or a flavourless seed (excessive fermentation) because at this stage the oxidation of the polyphenol contained takes place, from which derives the flavour that the chocolate will be able to emanate.

- DRYING : It starts to stop the fermentation, to reduce the % of dump present and to stop the production of mould which would damage the product; however the parts of product damaged are processed to obtain cocoa butter, a by-product used in the cosmetics industry. The drying makes the beans breakable so that they can be open by pressure and ready for the following process. The beans are ready to be packed and send to the collection centres. The drying, as the previous stage of fermentation requires skill and knowledge of of the chemical processes below, because an improper drying especially if hurried or forced through artificial procedures makes a low-quality cocoa, suitable only for low-quality productions.

- ROASTING (or commonly and wrongly called torrefaction): the process lasts between just over an hour and 2 hours, it is made at different temperatures depending on the request for chocolate production ( 98-104 celsius degrees) or cocoa powder (116-121 celsius degrees). In case of dark chocolate production the temperature must be slightly increased. The roasting process is made in particular dryers where the seeds are assailed by a flow of warm air with adequate residual damp or through fluidised bed technology of progression. This means the sweetening and decortication of cocoa. The flavour that the chocolate will have after the processing on the confectionary industry is given by the Maillard and oxidation reactions of the phenolic compounds contained in it and also the evaporation of the acetic acid and the volatile esters. That’s why this stage is very delicate too. Eventually it is useful to highlight the very important sanitary function of the roasting, given that it allows the removal of microorganisms, pests and grubs who could be survived at previous heat treatments.

- DECORTICATION and DEGERMINATION: after this processes the seed-leaves can be sold as they are or be grounded.

- CRUSHING: the seed-leaves are crushed through hot cylinders, the fat is melted to obtain a viscous fluid mass called “liquor or cocoa mass”.The potassium carbonate K2CO3, is added only in industrial production to neutralise the tannins and to blend the fats contained. The cocoa mass can be at this stage used for chocolate production or can be subjected to the following process to separate the fats.

- SEPARATION OF THE FATS: consist in the separation of the cocoa butter still present not separated through mechanic pressure processes during the milling.

- GRINDING: Cocoa powder is produced using the sheets obtained by the previous processing. The powder obtained is called “soluble cocoa” . However, this is an improper name, given that thanks to its physicochemical properties cocoa remain in suspension in aqueous solution.

- SOLUBILIZATION: The remaining fats are removed through water vapour, sodium carbonate Na2CO3 and potassium carbonate K2CO3. The starch turns into dextrin (dutch method).

CÔTE D’IVOIRE AND COCOA GROWING, CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION, WORLDWIDE PRODUCERS, WORLD CONSUMPTION

COCOA BEANS PRODUCTION: 45% of cocoa beans worldwide production is related to Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria.

WHO PROCESS RAW CACAO: there are few large industrial groups who process cacao coming from the South intended for the North. Among these we can mention: Cargill and Archer Daniels Midlands (USA), Nestlé and Barry Callebaut (Switzerland), who process 85% of worldwide cocoa beans.

CHOCOLATE MARKET: a market for 100 billion of $, 10 businesses who splits 43% of worldwide chocolate production. Among these Lindt is specialized vertically in chocolate production, while other businesses as Nestlé, Mars, Hershey, Cadbury are specialised in the production of different kinds of cocoa products.

CLIMATE RISK AND CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION: According to the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change over the last 40 years a decrease of lands suitable for cocoa growing. Because of the global warming which implicated an increase in temperatures and will lead to an increase of 2 degrees centigrade in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in the coming years, there is a risk of an extremely hot and dry climate which could block the growing of cacao, raw material for the chocolate production and the main means of sustenance of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana economies.

SOCIAL INVOLVEMENTS: Given that growing cocoa is the more profitable business of the country, there are questionable consequences from the social point of view, about the employment of child labour force. However, the most profit-making multinational are apparently engaged in decreasing the employment of Childs in the growing and processing of cocoa, the raw material. In Côte d’Ivoire the kids engaged in the harvest had an increase of 51% in 2013-2014 compared to 2008-2009 data. Instead,according to ONU, in Ghana child labour had a decrease of 7% with 960 thousand fewer units compared to the jobs. The biggest international players signed an agreement for the decrease of 70% within 2020 of the minors engaged in cocoa harvest.

CHOCOLATE CONSUMPTION: Europe chocolate consumption per year is about 1 million 800 thousand tonnes, while it is about 1 million 300 thousands tonnes in North America and in the South, 130 thousand tonnes in Africa, and about 600 thousands tonnes in Asia and Oceania. The main worldwide chocolate consumers are swiss, Irish and British persons in that order.

DATA ABOUT CÔTE D’IVOIRE:

Extended name: Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, official name “République de Côte d’Ivoire”.

Data about State organization : Semi-presidential republic, indipendent from France since 1960, member state of UN SINCE 1960. Territorial organization: 14 districts, 31 regions, 105 departments, 510 sub-prefectures, over 1000 commons and 8000 villages.

Language: official language French and Yamoussoukro.

Geographic and population data : sub-Saharan African country.

Surface: 322 460 km2, population about 20 million people, population density 61 people for square meter. Name of the inhabitants “Ivorians”. It borders with Liberia, Mali, Guinea, Ghana, Burkina Faso.

Climate: hot and humid in the south, tropical in the central area, dry in the north.

Economic data: nominal GDP about 31 billions of $, nominal GDP per person about 1550 $.

Environmental resources and Economy: Côte d’Ivoire is one of the richest country in raw materials of Africa.

Many economic resources comes from agriculture and cocoa, coffee, palm oil, sugar cane, walnut, banana, ananas, cotton, rubber, potato, millet, cassava, rice, corn farmings;

Many economic activities come from metals and minerals such as manganese, diamonds, bauxite, nickel, gold.

Other activites are based on the employment of oilfields.

LINKS:

- wikipedia: Cocoa
- wikipedia: Ivory Coast
- wikipedia: Chocolate

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN UGANDA AND COUNTRY PROFILE

SERVICES PROVIDED BY IBS IN UGANDA

IMPORT – EXPORT
- Import and Export of goods between Italy and Uganda;
- Export of goods from Uganda to countries with free movement of goods agreements with Uganda and in the macro area in which Uganda strategically is.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
- Export and Foreign direct investment feasibility studies;
- Customers, suppliers and partners research for direct foreign investments;
- Management of relationships with local and governmental authorities in order to carry on projects to establish ventures or territorial development projects that may employ local people;
- Creation of representation offices and show-rooms to promote the selling of goods or services in Uganda.

ASSISTANCE AND SPECIALIZED CONSULTANCY
- Legal, customs, fiscal and accountability assistance;
- Administrative and bureaucratic procedures for creating in Uganda some ventures, representation offices or operative offices, in order to carry on a foreign direct investment;
- Business planning and business modelling;
- Assistance in obtaining tax breaks, incentives, investment funds for investors interested in an entrepreneurial project in Uganda;
- Assistance and consultancy in banking and financial operations;

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT UGANDA

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Uganda
AREA : 241.551 Km²;
POPULATION: : 37.58 million people (2013) World Bank;
POPULATION DENSITY : 146/Km²;
CAPITAL : Kampala (1.660.000 residents) Other cities: Kira 300.000 residents, Gulu 154.000 residents, Lira 109.000 residents;
GDP (PPP) : $54,37 billion
GDP GROWTH EXPECTED (2015): + 6,9 %
GDP PER CAPITA (PPP) : $1477
GDP BREAKDOWN : 32,4% Agriculture, 21,2% Manufacturing, 46,4% Tertiary
MAIN ECONOMIC RESOURCES : tourism and products such as coffee, corn, tea;
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES : English, Swahili
ETHNIC GROUPS : 30% Baganda, 10%, Basoga, 9% Banyankore, 7% Kiga, Other tribes (Bantu, Nilotic, Sudanic) 44%;
RELIGION : Catholic 35%, Anglican 25%, Muslim 6%;
CURRENCY : Ugandan shilling
GOVERNMENT : Presidential Republic
CLIMATE : Equatorial – Tropical
MAIN MOUNTAINS: Ruwenzori 5.110 m
MAIN RIVERS : Nile (770 Km in Uganda on a grand total of 6671 Km)
MAIN LAKES : Lake Victoria 30.000 Km² in Uganda, Lake Albert 5400 Km², Lake Edward 2200 Km², Lake Kyoga 1300 Km²;
MAIN ISLANDS: Buvuma Island and Ssese Islands (Bugala, Bukasa, Koome);
CALLING CODE : +256

AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES

There are good growth forecasts in the following sectors:

- construction industry, also thanks to the conspicuous private contributions and to international donors;
- oil industry and exploration; the start of oil production is expected for 2016;
- mining and extractive industries, where there is good potential, still unexplored;
- renewable energy sector, in particular photovoltaic and hydroelectric energy;
- agro-processing industry, production and export towards foreign countries, within regional and international agreements about cooperation;
- services, in particular telecommunication and transports.

UGANDA, WHY CHOOSING IT FOR FOREIGN BUSINESS

STABLE ECONOMY : Uganda launched a programme of economic reforms in the ‘80s. It has a relevant macroeconomic stability, making it the perfect place to invest foreign value, thanks to the many liberalized economic activities and to reforms in agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, energy and tourism.

STATE SUBSIDIES AND TAX BREAKS FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS : Uganda has joined MIGA “Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency” and “International Centre for Resettlement of Investment Disputes”. They provide international arbitration about controversies on foreign direct investments. Moreover, the government constantly develops economical, infrastructural and social policies debating with individuals. This ensures both foreign and Ugandan investors to receive guarantees and facilitations as regards foreign direct investments and exports to Uganda.

STRATEGIC POSITION AND ACCESS TO REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS : Uganda enjoys a strategic geographic position, which allows easy access both to the internal market and to various regional markets, the “East African Community”: this one comprehends around 140 million consumers, the ideal connection to 26 countries.

UGANDA’S GEOGRAPHIC POSITION: Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, and its capital is Kampala. It is bordered to the north by South Sudan, to the east by Kenya, to the south by Rwanda and Tanzania and to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its climate is influenced by its large lake basins, namely Lake Victoria and Lake Albert, which are linked by the Nile river. Its abundance in water makes Uganda one of the most fertile countries in Africa, and it assures a constant production and surplus of foodstuff. The country is mainly flat; however, the average elevation is about 1.000 meters, with a few mountains located on the border with Rwanda. Elevation mitigates the tropical climate, therefore temperatures from December to January may reach 29 degrees at most. The rainy season, from April to October, can continue until November in the south of the country.

MINERAL RESOURCES AND MINING ACTIVITIES : Uganda has vast ore deposits and natural resources. Only 40% of the total oil resources has been explored until now; nonetheless, there are 3,5 billion barrels of oil only in the Lake Albert basin. Moreover, there are fertile agricultural activities thanks to favourable climatic conditions: in Uganda there is fertile soil, lakes, rivers and it rains often enough.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ITALY AND UGANDA AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT : Relaunching of bipartisan relationships between Italy and Uganda, following mutual visits of the delegations of the respective Ministers in charge. Nowadays Uganda has interesting opportunities for expansion for Italian firms interested in investing in Uganda thanks to its increasing regional role.

POLITICAL CONTEXT

Last general elections in Uganda have strengthen the President’s role and its party, National Resistance Movement. The opposition keeps on being fragmented, so it is very unlikely that there will be a change shortly. There still are some tensions in Buganda, an internal region with a large degree of autonomy, which has a constitutional monarchy and a local parliament of its own, and in the kingdom of Bunyoro, where there are huge oil resources.

ECONOMICAL CONTEXT

Although the country had rather inadequate energy infrastructures and road connections, it has managed to maintain a good growth index in real economy, even in the last years of general crisis. The National Development Plan 2010 – 2015 aimed mainly to the development of infrastructures. Although the inflationary pressure is decreasing, it may vary, and that may have consequences on the prices of foodstuff and crude oil, as well as on the stability of the exchange rate. A potential resource for the development of Uganda in the mid-long term is the probable discovery of further oilfields near Lake Albert.

FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT

There are 25 commercial banks and several micro-finance institutions operating under Bank of Uganda’s supervision. The banking sector is expanding and bank assets represents 29% if the GDP. There are 16 foreign credit institutions and the credit access, both formal and informal, is still low (38%).

OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

The operating context may suffer from some critical situations, especially in bureaucracy and in judicial context; nonetheless, the government takes its responsibility towards foreign investors. It offers substantial tax incentives, thus avoiding controls or restrictions linked to payment transactions or transfers of foreign capitals. There still is a risk of terroristic attacks, linked to some instability in the country, which makes the national security relatively vulnerable.

HAZARD RATIO, BUSINESS CLIMATE RATING, KEY FIGURES

Hazard Ratio OCSE : 6
Doing Business 2014 (Business Climate) : 132 of 189
Index of Economic Freedom 2014 (Business Climate) : 91 of 178
Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 (Business Climate) : 140 of 177

CONDITIONS OF INSURABILITY SACE

- SOVEREIGN CREDIT RISK : with conditions
- CORPORATE CREDIT RISK : without conditions
- BANK CREDIT RISK : without conditions

LINK

Embassy of Italy in Kampala
Government of Uganda

SOURCES

- SACE (wide range of insurance and financial products: export credit, investment protection, financial guarantees, surety bonds and factoring)
- IMF (International Monetary Fund)

Innovative dropshipping start-up

YOUDROOP , THE DROPSHIPPING MARKETPLACE B2B, innovative start-up whose business idea is based on DROPSHIPPING

IBS , which operates at international level in the framework of internationalization, with the aim of facilitating the Enterprises in their processes of extension abroad, has decided to promote YOUDROOP. It is an innovative start-up which has been funded in Turin in 2014 and its own business way is based on dropshipping, a sale pattern which allows to increase exponentially the volumes and to distinguish the product portfolio, managing meanwhile the logistics also placed abroad.

IBS GOAL:

Seeking INVESTORS , (small investors and/or big players) who have interest in taking part of this business project, which has high rooms for growth and success. IL SOLE 24 ORE, SIAMO SOCI, MILLIONARIE, HOEPLI, IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA, LA STAMPA, PMI.IT and SMAU have spoken in a positive way, approving the project.

BUSINESS PATTERN :

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS DROPSHIPPING ?

Dropshipping, sometimes known as “drop ship”, is a products sale or more generally a goods sale. Its special feature is that the seller makes the sale of a good which cannot be found in his warehouse, but in the supplier’s (retailer, manufacturer, warehouse, distributor) who upon instruction from the seller, will send the goods to the customer, as soon as the payment is completed.

DROPSHIPPING ADVANTAGES ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL SALE :

Therefore, the seller can focus on the activity sale by maximizing the business performance, by promoting a wide range of products to his potential customers, while the supplier doesn’t have to worry about finding new buyers and he will only focus on the delivery process and on the logistics, in order to make sure that the product arrives to the final customer within the scheduled time and in the expected quality.

The whole process shall be controlled by dropshipping platform, starting with the order placement on the E-commerce website, until the receipt and the final client’s satisfaction is confirmed.

Another important advantage is that more people can buy or resale goods, given the fact they can start up business without large investments in fixed assets and costs, while for the suppliers it will lead to a significative increase in sale.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE YOUDROOP ? WHICH TECHNOLOGIES INTRODUCES ?

Youdroop has the goal of achieving the Enterprises which currently use dropshipping and a large of new clients who have not known the dropshipping potential yet, aiming at choosing it as management way of logistics and business processes.

Youdroop implemented or it will implement a lot of functionalities which are not currently available on the online platforms. Therefore, it will be a competitive advantage and an innovation in the business pattern of dropshipping.

This is what Youdroop allows in addition to the classical functionalities of dropshipping:

 Bringing together the re-sellers;

 Improving logistics;

 Creating E-commerce;

 ERP management (Enterprise Resource Planning);

 Database goods management;

 Shaping Business processes.

Youdroop platform will be developed and its software will be upgraded, as well as there will be processes improvements and tests on a generous sample of Enterprises which have been recorded on the website.

WHO CAN USE YOUDROOP ?

SUPPLIERS:

- Craftsmen;
- Wholesalers;
- Distributors;
- Manufacturers;
- Discount Store;
- Cash and Carry.

RETAILERS:

- Shopkeepers;
- Digital entrepreneurs;
- Freelance;
- E-commerce manager.

WHICH IS THE LOGISTICS PROCESS OF DROPSHIPPING IN YOUDROOP ?

The business pattern on which YouDroop is based is very simple:

- The supplier has the task of placing his products in the devoted section of the website. The lists will be updated and the retailers will be prepared for all updates related to the products in real time.

- The retailer chooses the products of personal interest to export them on the online markets which he considers more attractive through an E-commerce or Web Shop.

- The package shipping will be made only after receiving the proof that the payment has been made.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE HOW IT WORKS

FAQ

CLICK HERE

LINK :

- Wikipedia : dropshipping
- Wikipedia : supplier
- Wikipedia: retailer or distributors

CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION