DCCI concludes 2006 with distinguished attributions to support business community

Throughout 2006, the DCCI continued its support to Dubai business community through organizing and sponsoring a number of overseas trade exhibitions and economic forums, several local and international seminars and conferences, receiving presidents, ministers and high-ranking trade missions from allover the world. With 2006 reaching its end, the number of DCCI's members increased by 10.5% and reached 87829 members, compared to 79470 in 2005.

The DCCI was keen that each of its departments carried out its scheduled work plan towards the major goal of offering its members with the best quality services and facilitating the implementation of all their transactions online to save the clients' time and effort. Providing services online by the DCCI was largely involved with issuing the certificates of origin which increased by 14.3% in 2006, compared to 2005, as well as a 25.6% rise in the total value of these certificates.

In the line of the DCCI's vision and role in supporting businessmen and investors in Dubai, and for ensuring the legality of commodities exported and re-exported by Dubai traders, Engineer Hamad Buamim, DCCI Director General, said that the commercial services department has issued 477763 Certificates of Origin in 2006, compared to 417844 in 2005, recording an increase of 14.3%, whereas the total value of the commodities exported and re-exported by Dubai according to the Certificates of Origin issued in 2006 reached AED 121.5 billion, compared to AED 96.7 billion in 2005, recording a rise of 25.6%.

"The increase in the number of value of the Certificates of Origin issued by the DCCI in 2006 reflects the growth of Dubai economy and the efforts paid by the DCCI in coping with this development through its continued support and services to the local business community," said Buamim.

'Fulfilling its general annual plan for 2006, the DCCI completed in last October the first stages of installing its new electronic service system which enables members, businessmen and exporters to issue their Certificates or Origin, register at the Chamber or renew their memberships online,' he added.

Buamim pointed out that the DCCI has also supported the establishment of the new Spanish Business Council bringing the total number of business councils that operate under the umbrella of the DCCI to 34 representing the interests of foreign businessmen of various nationalities operating in Dubai.

The DCCI also set up the Advocates and Legal Consultants Business Group bringing the total number of the DCCI's business groups to 19 through which the Chamber increases its members working in different economic sectors, as well as establishing new links between these groups and the authorities concerned to help overcome obstacles that hinder the development of their businesses.

The establishment of the Advocates and Legal Consultants Business Group was needed to develop advocacy profession in the UAE and enhance effective communication and exchanging views between the representatives of all legal professions and the courts and other government departments in accordance with the DCCI's strategic vision and policy.

On the other hand, the DCCI organized and participated in 5 major overseas trade exhibitions and economic forums in Ghana, Senegal, Germany, Romania, Turkey and the UK. The Dubai Chamber also took part in 5 annual economic exhibitions held in Dubai: Arab Health Exhibition, Arabian Travel Market, the Big 5, Gitex and Index Exhibition. Participating in all these events, the DCCI succeeded in introducing the business community in Dubai to the investment opportunities available in several countries allover the world, where businessmen signed major business deals of multi-billion dirhams with big foreign companies and investors.

"Organizing overseas trade fairs and forums and the opportunity given to the Dubai business community to contact with its foreign counterparts is one of the major objectives of the DCCI that go in line with its general plan for 2006, stressing its role in supporting businessmen and helping them improve their commercial activities," said Buamim.

During 2006, the DCCI signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and cooperation agreements with different local and foreign authorities. Dubai Chamber signed a MoU with a trade delegation from Wales, UK, through which the products of both countries could be promoted and the flow of direct investments and small and medium projects development could be encouraged. Another MoU was also signed by the DCCi and Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance (Hawkamah) aiming to gather efforts to develop and advocate a sound corporate governance framework across the UAE, Middle East and North Africa.

Last November, the DCCI signed a MoU with the Industry Federation of Santa Katarina state in Brazil to enhance bilateral economic cooperation and trade exchange volumes, attracting investors and opening new markets in both countries. In the same month and during the reception of the Greek President, the DCCI signed a fourth MoU with Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry aiming to activate the economic and commercial relations between the two chambers, strengthen bilateral trade ties between Greece and Dubai, explore business opportunities available in both cities, exchange necessary information, introduce the laws that regulate economic activities and exchange of trade delegations' visits from both sides.

The last MoU this year was signed between the DCCI and Dubai Land Department aiming to enhance mutual cooperation and working on improving their services and procedures. In 2006, the DCCI received 183 trade delegations and missions from different parts of the world, compared to 169 delegates in 2005, in addition to receiving presidents, ministers, ambassadors, consuls and chairmen of chambers of commerce. The DCCI also organized and took part in 12 economic seminars, conferences and workshops inside and outside the Chamber with an objective to introduce its members and the local business community to the latest economic issues.

The DCCI has also launched Dubai Trade Point (DTP) this year to help all economic activities and trade enterprises in Dubai promote and market their products and services locally and globally through e-commerce online. The Chamber supervised the establishment of a new commercial representative office of Rwanda in Dubai, hosted the meeting of the International Business Law Consortium, participated in the 2nd International Credit & Risk Management Conference in the Middle East and took part in an economic conference in the Czech Republic.

The DCCI also issued the Dubai Commercial Directory 2006-2007, the Dubai Industrial Directory 2006-2007 and the "1000 Numbers & Reasons Why Dubai" book which gained a huge response by all economic activities in Dubai due to its contents of valuable information that are useful for businessmen and investors as well.

Furthermore, the DCCI launched in last October a retail TV commercial campaign to promote Dubai and highlight the aspects of growth experienced by the retail sector. The campaign comes in the line of the DCCI's strategy in supporting the retail business community in Dubai and highlight Dubai's position as a retail hub, a shoppers' paradise and an unforgettable shopping experience

The DCCI also arranged a number of networking meetings targeting its business groups, and it was keen to participate in the 'Dubai the City that Cares' campaign. The DCCI has recently received 4 valuable awards which Dubai Emirate has won in the "Middle East Cities of the Future Awards" contest launched by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine (fDi) which is published by the Financial Times Business. The four awards include the Best Economic Potential Award, Best Quality of Life for Expatriates Award, Best Telecommunications & Transport Award, and Most Business Friendly Award.