Department of Municipal Affairs receives high level delegation from Birmingham

Also greeting the Councillor was Dr. Abdullah Ghareeb, Executive Director of Property Management Sector, Hamad Al Sheryani, Executive Director of Municipal Support Services and Denis Burke, Advisor to the Undersecretary.

The delegation highlighted their interest in mutual cooperation between Birmingham City Council and DMA, along with the possible collaboration in various future economic projects. These include opportunities for enhancing knowledge, the exchange of best practices experiences, and a range of other standard improving initiatives.

At the conclusion of the meeting, H.E Ahmed Shareef presented the leader of Birmingham City with a crystal trophy and exchanged city plans.

Birmingham is UK's largest manufacturing and engineering center, contributing billions to the national economy every year. The motor and transport industries have always played a significant role in the economy. Besides possessing two of the largest car plants in Britain namely, MG Rover and Jaguar, Birmingham also accounts for a large part of UK's exports.

Nevertheless, Birmingham's economy recently has sharply diversified itself to service sector, retailing and tourism. These sectors today are the main employers in the city. Besides this, the city has also developed into one of the most important scientific (specially the nano technology) and medical (presently cancer research) research center. Birmingham, the Europe's finest event city, attracts over 42% of the UK's total conference trade.

The city further boasts of its over 500 law firms, Europe's second largest insurance market, the oldest independent mint (facility which manufactures coins for currency) in the world, Cadburys chocolate brand and two of Britain's "big four" banks.