UAE-Canada business ties explored

This was disclosed during her meeting Wednesday with the Canadian businesswomen trade mission delegation to the Middle East, organized by Women Engaging in Bridge Building (WEBB), under the patronage of the Honorable Harinder Takhar, Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship for the province of Ontario, from the McGuinty Government, Ontario, Canada. The delegation is visiting Dubai to explore ways of cooperation with businesswomen in the region.

Mrs. Raja Easa Al Gurg welcomed the visiting ministers and delegation, and emphasized the significance of such meetings in bringing closer together different views on business and in exploring the nature and reality of investment environments in both countries. In addition, the meeting aimed at strengthening the already existing cooperation channels between the UAE and Canada. The meet also discussed ways to enhance the growing commercial exchanges between the two countries.

Mrs. Raja Easa Al Gurg spoke on the main goals and activities of the DBWC and its efforts in raising the profile of businesswomen both internationally and in the Emirati society, which has developed markedly in the last few years. She also touched on the accomplishments of the Emirati woman in the political, economic, and social realms.

Mrs. Al Gurg also explained that the UAE generally, and Dubai especially, harbors enormous investment opportunities due to rapidly growing economic development, which enables Canadian investors to create bridges of cooperation with local investors to venture into joint projects in the oil, gas and environment industries. She also invited Canadian companies to concentrate their efforts in strengthening their work to fortify their relations with UAE national institutions to benefit from the various investment opportunities in the country.

Mrs. Nazreen Ali, WEBB president, commended the comprehensive progress the UAE is witnessing and the role of the Emirati businesswomen in pushing the wheel of economic development forward. She emphasized that the titanic projects executed in the country attracts the attention of international investors, such as Canadian businesswomen, who have great interest in participating in the rapid development of the nation.

She also underlined the significance for both countries to exchange visits to explore investment opportunities available in both places. She also touched on the importance of learning about each others' cultures and customs through the organization of cultural events.

More than 12,000 Canadians are working in the UAE and more than 30 companies work in the foundation and construction industries.

Also, around 2,000 Emirati students pursue their education in Canadian universities; this number has risen by ten fold in the past 10 years.

The sectors which are attractive to Canadian investors and exporters include oil and gas, construction, and engineering services. It is estimated that Canadian investments in the construction and infrastructure industries reach about 1.5 trillion Canadian dollars, and more than 70 Canadian companies work in the oil industry.