DCCI recieves two high profile delegations from Australia

The first delegation visited DCCI on Wednesday from Western Australia headed by H.E the honorable Clive Brown, the Minister of State Development for the government of Western Australia, and included other government officials and representatives from the private sector. The second delegation visited the Dubai Chamber earlier today from New South Wales, Australia. It was headed by H.E Lofius Harris, the Director General of the Department of State and regional development, New South Wales, and included representatives from 26 companies from New South Wales.

The non-oil trade between Dubai and Australia reached around 2.1 billion AED in 2002, around $569 million. It is unclear exactly how many Australian companies are operating in Dubai, although according to the Dubai Chamber's record, there are 115 Australian companies registered as members of the Chamber, 10 of which are 100% ownership, and 105 partnership companies. Yet Chamber officials emphasized that this number does not include those registered under the Free Zone Authority.

H.E Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, the President of DCCI, expressed his hopes to develop the investment and commercial cooperation between Dubai and Australia, calling on businessmen on both sides to take full advantage of this opportunity to strengthen existing business relations between both sides, as well as establish new ones. This came in his welcoming speech upon receiving the delegation from New South Wales earlier today.

Mr. Al Tayer explained that "50 years ago, Dubai was the main port of the Gulf, as it received boats and large ships coming from countries all around the world. And today, it plays an effective role in the trade activities of the region", affirming that the government of Dubai, and the private sector cooperate fully in the role Dubai occupies within the GCC and relations with the European union, as well as the current dialogue around the issues discussed in the "Doha Rounds" of the WTO meetings.

H.E Lofius Harris, praised the "remarkable" development which have taken place in Dubai over the past few years, assuring that the business community in New South Wales is aware of the vast opportunities available in Dubai. "Six years ago, the first delegation from New South Wales consisted of six companies, seven visits later, today and our delegation constitutes of 26 companies" commented Mr. Harris. He added that some of those companies already have business links with Dubai, and others are visiting for the first time in the hope to penetrate Dubai's market, which would also open the gate for them to the region as a whole.

Mr. Harris attributed a lot of this development between the two countries on the daily flights from Dubai to Sydney operated by Emirates Airlines. He added that Emirates Airlines stated that the number of flights to Sydney will double in the near future, which Mr. Harris said would further enhance relations between the two countries on all levels and sectors, especially tourism and education as well as business.

H.E Peter Linford, the Australian Consul General & Senior Trade Commissioner in the UAE emphasized that relations between Dubai and Australia have improved greatly over the past two years. He pointed out that motor vehicles are Australia's biggest exports to the region as a whole, but to Dubai in particular Mr. Linford mentioned that 90% of Aluminum to DUBAL comes is supplied by Australia.

"It is important that we continuously explore new fields of cooperation between our two countries, as although we have enjoyed strong relations for several years now, there are still various avenues which we have not yet touched on" commented Mr. Abdul Rahman Ghanim Al Mutaiwee, the Director General of the DCCI upon receiving the Australian delegation from Western Australia.

Mr. Al Mutaiwee highlighted that the region of Western Australia has a lot to offer Dubai, from security, great hospitality, knowledge and experience in the technical fields and health services which the Director General particularly called onto the Australian guests to explore, pointing Dubai's needs in the health sector. Mr. Al Mutaiwee also praised the multi-cultural atmosphere in Western Australia, which mirrors that in Dubai. On that, Hon Clive Brown said that they view this as strength, highlighting that there are 170 different nationalities in the region, and that 50% of the population of Perth were born overseas, or are the sons and daughters of people born outside Australia.