His Majesty King Albert II of Belgium awards DMCC CEO honorary knighthood

The UAE-Belgian trade has grown considerably over the last six years and much of this is due to the commitment and proactive attitude of persons like Tawfique Abdullah. Commenting on the occasion Marc Van den Reeck, the Belgian Ambassador to the UAE said, "We are delighted to honour Tawfique Abdullah Knight in the Order of the Crown from HM King Albert II for his close ties with the Belgium."

Tawfique Abdullah has been very supportive of Belgium's efforts to boost trade with Dubai in particular, and it is fantastic to witness the emirate's growth as a leading commercial light for the region.

"I am honoured to accept this the accolade bestowed upon me by His Royal Highness Prince Philippe on behalf of His Majesty King Albert II. Dubai's reputation as a new hub for trade and manufacture of gold, diamonds, precious metals and coloured stones is widely known, and DMCC's role will be to offer a strategic base from which our partners can expand their operations. We have already welcomed a number of Belgian diamond companies to DMCC to our customized facility." said Abdullah.

Abdullah's key role in the implementation of the Kimberley Process in the UAE, the first country in the Arab world to adopt this globally recognised certification process, was also cited as a major factor in the Belgian royalties decision to honour him. The process, a global certification scheme for rough diamonds, aims to stem the flow of rough diamonds from rebel-held conflict areas, and was devised to address humanitarian concerns surrounding the trade in these goods. With the UAE actively endorsing this process, the interests of major diamond industry participants such as Belgium are now safeguarded, a huge bonus for any diamond-trading nation.

DMCC, in its role as innovator and regulator in serving the global diamond sector, will host the third Annual Meetings of the World Diamond Council in Dubai on March 30 and 31, 2004.

The Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC) was created in 2002 as part of a strategic goal by the Dubai Government to establish a commodity market. It provides the market infrastructure that brings together a wide range of commodities activities, and is committed to serving the needs of participants in the gold, diamonds and commodities markets. Resident companies of DMCC are offered highly attractive benefits under a free zone status, including a 50-year guaranteed tax holiday, 100 per cent business ownership, full ownership of business premises, and a secure regulated environment.