(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The UAE's 46th National Day is a special occasion for Dubai Chamber as we pay homage to the efforts of our wise leaders and celebrate our nation's spirit of unity. It is truly awe-inspiring to see so many nationalities from all segments of UAE society come together and express their love and gratitude to this great country.
Dubai Chamber is proud to have been part of the UAE's transformation over the last five decades, and we continue to play an active role in supporting the development of the business community and contributing to our country's economic progress.
Every year, we organise and host a special ceremony at our head office to celebrate National Day, which is attended by Dubai Chamber staff and customers, as well as the general public. A lot of time and effort is put into these events, which are designed to showcase the UAE's culture and traditions and instill a sense of pride within the business community.
Supporting UAE Vision 2021
Dubai Chamber is supporting the UAE Vision 2021 by aligning our own strategy to support the key initiatives outlined by this ambitious national plan. We communicate the objectives of this vision to the business community, and play an active role in facilitating strategic partnerships between the country's public and private sectors. This cooperation is crucial to achieving the goals outlined by UAE Vision 2021, while it also enhances the competitiveness of the UAE's economy and business community.
Through our events, programmes, initiatives, and activities, the Chamber aims to foster an innovative and entrepreneurial culture with the local business community and support the UAE's transition to a knowledge-based economy. We engage with our members and businesses in Dubai to get their feedback and recommendations for improving regulation, with the aim of enhancing ease of doing business in the emirate.
In line with UAE's sustainable development agenda, Dubai Chamber is playing a pivotal role in raising awareness about important sustainability issues and promoting responsible practices within the local business community. The Chamber and private sector are working in tandem to make Dubai one of the most sustainable cities in the world. We encourage companies to create sustainable change by realigning their business models to drive organisational innovation.
Progress over the years
The last five decades have been a period of extraordinary achievements for both Dubai and Dubai Chamber. Starting with just 450 members in 1965, the Chamber has seen its membership grow exponentially over the decades to exceed 210,000 today.
From the very beginning, the Chamber's mission has been centred on supporting and protecting the interests of businesses in Dubai and we continue to introduce new initiatives to keep pace with the changing needs of the emirate's fast-growing business community.
The role of Dubai Chamber has expanded over the years in line with Dubai's economy and business community. We have adjusted our strategy to enhance our role as an enabler of business growth in Dubai, by expanding our efforts in the areas of policy advocacy, SME and startup support, smart services, innovation and entrepreneurship.
We have also broadened the scope of value-added services that we provide to businesses with the aim of improving ease of doing business and supporting the development of business in the emirate. Through our workshops, programmes, initiatives, and seminars, we aim to provide companies with the knowledge, tools and best practices they need to succeed and grow.
As a main engine of trade growth in Dubai, the Chamber works to promote the emirate as an attractive trade and investment hub by organising and attending international conferences and exhibitions. We have scaled up our efforts in this area in recent years by opening eight international representative offices across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Dubai Chamber is supporting the UAE's innovation strategy through various initiatives, most notably the Dubai Innovation Index, which we launched in an effort to measure and stimulate innovation output within the emirate's private sector. The Chamber will continue to play an active role in fostering a culture of innovation within the local business community and facilitating public-private sector collaboration in an effort to support the UAE's vision and strategic plans.
Achievements in 2017
So far, 2017 has been a very busy and productive year for Dubai Chamber that saw many achievements. Among these accomplishments was the opening of a new representative office in Brazil during our first trade mission to Latin America. We also organised trade missions and delegation visits to India, Uzbekistan, Malta, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama, and hosted several heads of state, including the presidents of France, Colombia, Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda and Uganda.
Dubai Chamber was proud and honoured to have won the Best Unconventional Project Award at the 10th World Chambers Congress in Sydney. The prestigious award, part of the World Chambers Competition 2017, recognised the Dubai Innovation Index as an exceptional and innovative project in an activity not typically associated with a chamber of commerce's mission and objectives.
The human factor
It has never been more important for organisations to think outside the box and harness the human factor to remain resilient and competitive. In today's rapidly changing business world, companies face several challenges such as continuous disruption, increasing work pressures, changing customer requirements, and fierce competition on the rise. In response to such obstacles, organisations are increasingly rethinking their approach and working toward building cultures that embrace change and utilise the strengths of their most important assets - their people.
Nurturing an agile and resilient workforce that is equipped to adapt to unprecedented changes and fluctuating demands is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge. However, business leaders must be fully committed to these core values and instill them across their organisations.
Expansion plans
In line with our 2017-2021 strategy, Dubai Chamber has identified a number of priority markets where it will aim to strengthen relations and boost bilateral trade. These markets include China, Southeast Asia, India, Africa, Latin America and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). We will work to identify businesses opportunities in these regions that suit our members, while we will also assist and guide companies in Dubai that want to expand their international footprint.
In 2018, we plan to open two new representative offices in Argentina and India, while we are also exploring business opportunities in Central and West Africa. We will organise and host the 2nd Global Business Forum on Latin America in the early part of next year, which will identify the future drivers of Latin American growth, and focus on the joint opportunities for businesses in Dubai and the Middle East as Latin America redefines its role in the global economy.
The high-level forum, set to be held in Dubai, will be attended by key decision makers, including former heads of state, dignitaries, ministers, government officials and business leaders from the UAE and Latin America. The event is a continuation of Dubai Chamber's efforts to enhance economic cooperation with public and private sector stakeholders in Latin America, and increase Dubai's trade and investment with promising markets in the region.
STATISTICS:
Dubai Chamber added 9,000 members within the first six months of 2017
New membership increased by 10.9% year on year to reach over 210,000
Chamber members' exports and re-exports grew by 6.1 per cent during the first half of 2017 to Dh146.7 billion, compared to Dh138.3 billion in the same period of last year.
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