Dubai Chamber discusses bilateral cooperation with Sapporo Chamber of Commerce & Industry

The meeting was attended by Nizar Sardast, General Advisor of Dubai Chamber, and Atiq Juma Nasib, Director of Trade and Business Development Department at Dubai Chamber.

Buamim welcomed the Japanese delegation stressing the growing economic bilateral relations between Dubai and Japan thanks to the effective commercial collaboration between Dubai business community, represented by Dubai Chamber, and the Japanese External Trade Organization (Jetro) and its active regional office in Dubai, established in 1981. This cooperation, he said, has helped in attracting more Japanese companies to the region.

He added that there are more than 200 Japanese companies working in Dubai in trade, manufacturing, services and construction. Dubai's non-oil trade with Japan surged to more than AED 15 billion in 2006, excluding the value of Dubai free zones' trade.

'Dubai Chamber is quite interested in expanding bases of trade cooperation with Japan to enhance the bilateral trade operations between the two countries, as well as giving a chance for the private sector to play a bigger role in supporting the mutual economic cooperation, benefiting from the appropriate business environments in Japan and Dubai,' said Buamim.

The director general of Dubai Chamber also talked about the aspects of Dubai attractive business environment which attracted many industrial and commercial companies to its free zones. He stressed Dubai's intention to enhance cooperation with the Japanese business community in the fields of trade, industry, tourism and construction.

He pointed out that Dubai Government is continually supporting Dubai Chamber to attract foreign investments and their own bases at the emirate's 17 free zones where companies enjoy a free trade system and benefit from the improved infrastructure under a free economy and open market policy. Dubai is still interested in setting up joint ventures with top Japanese companies in Dubai.

H.E. Seiroku Takizawa, Chairman of Sapporo Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Sapporo Trade Association in Japan, hailed the economic development that Dubai is witnessing, and his interest in activating the foreign trade of Japan with the rest of the world, as well as creating new markets for its products and attracting foreign investments to the Japanese markets.

'The Sapporo Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Sapporo Trade Association are both keen to enhance cooperation with Dubai business community. Exchanging visits between businessmen from both countries and the participation in international business exhibitions, including the UAE-Japan Business Forum being currently held in Tokyo, would largely contribute to the development of commercial collaboration between Dubai and Japan,' said Takizawa.

He briefed Dubai Chamber about the Sapporo Chamber of Commerce & Industry, its activities, members and services offered to the Japanese business community, stating his intention to enhance bilateral ties through exchanging visits and holding networking meetings.

Dubai Chamber conducted a presentation on Dubai's mega projects such as Burj Dubai, Dubai Metro, The Palms, Dubai Waterfront, Dubai Business Bay and other projects which are still under construction.