Hosts highest number of meetings with visiting delegations in the history of the Chamber
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry coordinated a record 285 bilateral meetings in its history between EU business leaders and decision-makers from six European countries and their Dubai counterparts on the sidelines of a delegation visit to the emirate on Tuesday, August, 6 at the Chamber premises.
Headed by Peter Bishop, Deputy Chief of London Chamber, the 80-member strong European delegation came from six European countries including UK, Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Italy, and Lithuania. The delegates, representing 51 companies from more than 10 economic sectors, discussed two-way investment opportunities in business services and consultancy, construction, education, fashion and design, food and beverages, healthcare, IT and ICT, renewable energy, oil and gas, tourism, travel and leisure transport with their UAE counterparts.
Atiq Juma Nasib, Senior Vice-President, Commercial Services Sector, Dubai Chamber, said: “Today, our business matching meetings, which have outnumbered our expectations by reaching 285, has made a record in the Chamber’s history. Also, the presence of 2,257 companies from the six EU countries registered with the Chamber speaks volumes of our bilateral relationship as we hope to see these numbers rise in the coming months due to the emirate’s increasing attractiveness to foreign investors.”
Nasib added, “On its part, Dubai Chamber has been endeavouring to promote the competitiveness of Dubai businesses in the overseas business arena, and these business matching meetings will definitely open doors of cooperation between Dubai and the European markets while laying the foundation of a strong and long-term bilateral relationship.
He further stressed that Dubai traders have shown great maturity in discovering new markets by diversifying their export and re-export activities to 208 destinations worldwide during the first half of this year compared to 199 destinations during the same period last year, showing a growth of 6%.
The Senior Vice-President of Dubai Chamber Commercial Services Sector, highlighted Dubai’s non-oil trade with the six of the visiting European countries in Q1 this year which he said was AED 20.8 billion and reflects on the strong trading ties between the two sides as well as their common desire to develop these ties further by taking them to a higher level.
On his part, Peter Bishop, Deputy Chief Executive, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “In a sense, Dubai and this EAGLE mission and event were made for each other. Dubai is centre for trade where people from around the globe gather to do business. EAGLE brings together business support organisations and their members to achieve the same objective. I know from experience how effective the Dubai Chamber is helping facilitate and promote trade and have had the privilege of sitting alongside Hamad Buamim, the Chamber’s President and CEO, on the ICC World Chamber Federation’s executive committee of which he is Vice-Chair, and know what an inspirational leader he is.”
Jean Bernard, Head of Political, Press and Information Section EU Delegation to the UAE, said: “The UAE is one of the most important trade partners of the European Union worldwide as well as the most important trade partner in the MENA region. We welcome therefore the initiative of London and Dubai chambers by organising and hosting the first Business Delegation from 6 EU countries to visit the UAE.”
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