A total of 6,377 new companies joined the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), in the first four months of 2019, taking the membership growth to 20 per cent, as compared to the 5,316 members accounted for during the same period last year.

The number of renewed memberships reached 39,338 between January and April 2019, marking a year-on-year, y-o-y, increase of 3.3 per cent. Over the same period, the number of ATA Carnets issued and received grew 15.3 per cent to reach 2,439, while the value of goods for issued and received ATA Carnets rose 64.9 per cent y-o-y to Dhs1.83 billion.

A total of 78 ATA carnets were issued by the chamber in the first four months of 2019, accounting for a 32.2 per cent growth rate compared to the same period in 2018, while the value of goods covered by these documents surged 107.1 per cent to Dhs53.5 million over the same period.

Commenting on the latest performance figures, Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described the membership growth as an indicator of the growing confidence among Dubai’s business community, as well as the value-added services, which the Dubai chamber members are benefitting from.

Buamim noted that the rise in membership demonstrated the positive impact of the various stimulus measures that were introduced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, over the last year, which have drastically improved the ease of doing business in the emirate, adding that the recently unveiled golden card system would complement such efforts and expand the competitive advantages offered by Dubai.

WAM