DCCI receives new Czech Ambassador to the UAE

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Sultan Majid Lootah, Acting Director of the Business Promotion Department in the DCCI.

The meeting discussed the ways of activating economic and trade cooperation between the UAE, Dubai in particular, with the Czech Republic, in addition to ways of enhancing bilateral trade exchange and supporting the business communities in both countries through organizing economic seminars that underline the investment opportunities available.

Al Mutaiwee welcomed the new Czech Ambassador to the UAE highlighting the strong diplomatic and commercial relations between the UAE and the Czech Republic which have contributed to the UAE ranking the second largest trade partner to Czech Republic. He also highlighted the DCCI's interest in supporting the bilateral trade relations between both countries through ensuring constant communication between the business community and businessmen in Dubai with their counterparts and investors abroad through the help of consulates and other representative trading offices.

"We look forward to enjoy an increasing bilateral trade cooperation between Dubai and the Czech Republic through arranging more mutual visits of trade delegations and organizing or participating in various world trade exhibitions in Dubai under the umbrella of the DCCI due to its importance in promoting the investment and business opportunities in the countries," said Al Mutaiwee.

Her Excellency Vera Jerabkova, Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to the UAE, stressed her government's interest to enhance the bilateral trade relations between Dubai and the Czech Republic, pointing out the rapidly-spreading good reputation of the UAE, Dubai in particular, in the Czech Republic and other Eastern Europe countries, not only as a tourist destination but also as an active regional and world business hub.

"The Czech Government, as well as other major Czech trading companies, is much interested in establishing new businesses in Dubai, in addition to the Czech Government's plan to promote business and investment opportunities in the Czech Republic with the help of our embassy in the UAE through arranging economic seminars and participating in international trade exhibitions in Dubai," said The Czech Ambassador.

She pointed out that the Czech Government is planning to hold a comprehensive seminar in Dubai to introduce the business community and investors in Dubai to the available investment opportunities in the Czech Republic and the facilities and incentives which the Czech Government offers to investors.

Her Excellency Vera Jerabkova discussed with the DCCI's director general the possibility of the Dubai Chamber to receive a high-ranking official and trade delegation from the Czech Republic who is going to attend the economic seminar which the Czech Embassy in the UAE is planning to hold to underline the investment opportunities in the Czech Republic. She said that such a seminar is quite important for attracting businessmen and investors from the UAE to set up investment projects in the Czech Republic in the fields of real estate, tourism and spa industry.

Mr. Al Mutaiwee noted that the DCCI is ready to host this seminar due to its importance in supporting the activities of the businessmen in Dubai and to support the trade exchange between Dubai and the Czech Republic.

"We'll invite the members of the Dubai Chamber, as well as top businessmen to attend the seminar and be introduced to the investment opportunities available in the Czech Republic and to benefit from the information which would be illustrated in the seminar about the Czech Republic through brochures, CDs and other promotional audio-visual aids," Al Mutaiwee added.

According to the database available at the Czech Embassy in the UAE, the trade exchange between the UAE and the Czech Republic reached US Dollar 492 million in 2005, as Czech's exports to the UAE included crystal glass, jewelry, automatic data process machines and vehicles, whereas Aluminium represents the major share of the UAE's exports to the Czech Republic.

Dubai's total foreign non-oil trade with the Czech Republic reached in 2004 AED 344.5 million, whereas Dubai's imports from the Czech Republic in the same year reached AED 333.6 million. Dubai's total exports to the Czech Republic in 2004 reached AED 132,000, while Dubai's re-exports to the Czech Republic in the same year reached AED 10.7 million.