DUBAI, 20th April, 2026 (WAM) — DMCC has announced its intention to launch a Cacao Centre, a new trade platform designed to establish an integrated cacao trading, processing and innovation ecosystem that will further position Dubai as a global hub for agri-commodities trade.
The launch forms part of DMCC’s broader expansion of its agri-food commodities offering, leveraging its proven cluster model that has already reshaped global trade flows in coffee and tea. DMCC currently hosts 88 companies active across cocoa trading, chocolate manufacturing, and confectionery.
The new Cacao Centre will bring this activity together within a more structured platform spanning the full value chain – from sourcing and processing through to branding, distribution, and access to finance.
The Centre will be launched in partnership with Kumbi Cocoa, which is focused on building direct, equitable relationships with farming cooperatives, and Ribezzi Group, a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Dubai, which will lead development and execution.
Together, the parties will evaluate the feasibility of establishing an integrated infrastructure in Dubai capable of storing, trading, and processing cacao beans into semi-finished products such as cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder. This will ultimately serve global markets while enhancing efficiency, transparency and value creation across the cocoa supply chain.
The Cacao Centre will offer state-of-the-art infrastructure and services, including grading, storage, blending, branding, and packaging. These capabilities will be directly linked to trade finance solutions for cocoa boards, cooperatives and farmers through DMCC’s FinX platform, providing critical tools in a market defined by price volatility and liquidity constraints.
“Cocoa today is not only about production but also about how value is structured, financed, and distributed across the supply chain,” said Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC.
He added, “With the DMCC Cacao Centre, we are building a platform around that reality. By bringing together producers, traders, manufacturers, and capital within a single platform, we are creating the conditions for more value to be captured closer to origin while strengthening Dubai’s role as a global hub for agri-commodities trade. This is a natural extension of our cluster model, and the next step in positioning Dubai at the centre of global food and commodities flows.”
Kwadwo Boachie-Adjei, Founder and CEO of Kumbi Cocoa, said, “Kumbi Cocoa’s mission has always been to build transparent and equitable supply chains that directly connect farmers with global markets. As a strategic partner to DMCC, we are proud to support the development of infrastructure that benefits growers while delivering high-quality, traceable cocoa to international markets.”
Mauro Ribezzi, Founder, Ribezzi Group, said, “The global cocoa market is evolving rapidly, and this initiative reflects a forward-looking approach to commodity infrastructure. By integrating sourcing, logistics, trading and processing across continents, the Cacao Centre has the potential to become a new benchmark and a catalyst for the industry.”
Globally, the cocoa market was valued at approximately US$16.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$26.2 billion by 2035. At the same time, the premium chocolate segment – driven by single-origin products, artisanal offerings and health-conscious formats – is expected to grow from $31.9 billion in 2024 to $40.6 billion by 2030.
In 2023, the UAE imported $17.3 million in raw cocoa beans and $65.3 million in finished chocolate and cocoa products. Exports of raw beans reached $16.4 million, positioning the UAE as the 28th-largest exporter globally. While still nascent, these figures reflect accelerating trade flows across both upstream raw materials and downstream finished goods through Dubai.
The DMCC Cacao Centre is designed to bridge the structural imbalances gap by directly connecting producers with global buyers, capital and value-added services, supported by Dubai’s strength in warehousing, blending and structured trade finance, enabling a more resilient, transparent, and inclusive global cocoa trade.
UAE FNC participates in IPU Peace and Security Committee Meeting in Istanbul
ISTANBUL, 20th April, 2026 (WAM) — The Federal National Council (FNC) took part in a meeting of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul.
FNC members Marwan Obaid Al Muhairi and Ahmed Mir Hashim Khoory, representing the UAE Parliamentary Division at the IPU, participated in the meeting held as part of the 152nd Assembly of the IPU and the 217th session of the Governing Council, hosted by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye in Istanbul.
During the meeting, the committee approved amendments submitted by the UAE parliamentary delegation to the draft resolution titled “The role of parliaments in building strong mechanisms for managing post-conflict phases and restoring a just and lasting peace.”
The UAE delegation warned of the serious humanitarian, social and economic consequences of conflicts where peace agreements are not implemented or adequately monitored, stressing that rebuilding public trust requires tangible improvements in service delivery and institutional performance.
The delegation also underscored the importance of strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and regional cooperation to exchange best practices, support mediation efforts, build institutional governance capacity in post-conflict settings, and enhance resilience.
Source: Emirates News Agency