Jafza advantages to be highlighted at Dubai Hamburg Business Forum 2008

Jafza will take part in the high-profile Forum discussions covering various areas of bilateral trade between Dubai and Germany, underlining the free zone's role in serving as the most potent operational base for German investors to reach out to the Gulf markets.

Ibrahim Al Janahi, Jafza's Senior Vice President, Sales, who is representing the free zone at the Forum, said the conference will be an ideal occasion to present Jafza's increasing role in Dubai's and the UAE's economic growth .

"Jafza's focus on planned development that is complimentary to the changes in the trading sector has contributed positively to Dubai's economic vision, particularly in terms of supporting its foreign trade. German companies have strong presence in the free zone. Our customer-centric services and the geographical advantage for investors to cover the ever vibrant Gulf and North African markets provide additional incentives for more German firms to join the free zone community,"

said Janahi, one of the speakers at the conference.

"The Dubai Hamburg Business Forum is the symbol of the ever strengthening economic co-operation between the two sides. Hamburg has a lot to share with Dubai, both being booming port cities and economic hubs. This special relationship makes Jafza all the more pleased to share the platform with other business leaders," he added

This is the second year of the Dubai Hamburg Business Forum, a joint venture between Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. The first gathering was held in Dubai in October 2007. The ambitious initiative was launched to review and understand the thriving business culture and the endless opportunities of expansion between the UAE and Germany, particularly between Dubai and Hamburg.

Key decision makers and industry experts from eminent organisations from Dubai, the UAE, GCC and Hamburg are taking part in the two-day Forum, which will discuss topics covering areas such as logistics & foreign trade, banking & finance, energy (solar energy), health care and media & IT.

Jafza, with 190 German companies operating from the free zone, is a leading player in the growing economic ties between Dubai and Germany. There has been consistent rise in bilateral trade between the two countries.

Total external trade between Dubai and Germany, which includes direct, free zone and customs warehouse trade, showed an increase by 24.55% during the nine months of 2008 - January to September - at a value of Dhs25.786bn, according to Dubai World's Statistics Department. It was Dhs20.703bn during the corresponding period in 2007.