Sharjah Chamber’s 16th periodic meeting in progress with Abdullah Sultan Al Owais in the chair.

The Board of Directors of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) commended the launch of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology Operation 300bn (Project 300 billion) as a paradigm shift in the UAE’s ongoing efforts to diversify the national economic structure by enhancing the contribution of the industrial sector to the state’s sustainable economic development.

This came during the 16th periodic meeting of the Chamber which was held at its headquarters under the chairmanship of Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman, SCCI.

Present at the meeting were Sheikh Majid Faisal Khalid Al Qasemi, SCCI First Vice Chairman, Waleed Abdul Rahman Bu Khatir, SCCI Second Vice Chairman, Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al-Awadi, SCCI Director-General, board members, Abdul Aziz Shattaf, SCCI Assistant General Director, Members Services Sector and Director of Sharjah Exports Development Center (SEDC), and Maryam Saif Al Shamsi, Assistant General Director, Support Sector of the SCCI.

The meeting discussed the project of upgrading the Chamber’s contact centre, which includes a massive database on the Chamber’s business. The project aims to enhance networking with the members via digital technologies to improve the services provided and help the concerned parties in the chamber develop future economic feasibility studies and projects.

The meeting also touched on the progress of work at the project of the 10th industrial zone infrastructure reconstruction, which is being carried out in cooperation with the relevant government authorities. About 80 per cent of work has been completed so far on the project.

Abdullah Sultan Al Owais underscored that the unlimited support of the wise leadership of the Emirate of Sharjah over the past fifty years has greatly helped the chamber perform its mission in optimally serving the business community, stressing that the SCCI will do whatever it takes to upgrade its services and initiatives and enhance the contribution of the industry sector to the economic growth of Sharjah and the UAE.

Al Owais pointed out that the Chamber is keen to develop specific plans for enhancing the competitiveness of the industrial sector in a bid to support the objectives of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology Operation 300bn (Project 300 billion), affirming the Chamber’s commitment to backing the economic development seen by Sharjah by fostering the efforts being made by the Chamber in different economic sectors and launching quality and innovative initiatives support the growth of the private sector.

Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al-Awadi shed light on the most important achievements of the SCCI during the first quarter of 2021, where the total number of the new and renewed memberships reached 6,230, with a growth rate of 42 per cent compared to the past year, while the total number of certificates of origin issued in Q1 2021 stood at 6,706.

 Al-Awadi affirmed that the Chamber is moving steadily toward the implementation of its forward-looking strategy to better serve its members and boost the emirate’s business environment to entice more foreign investments.

Earlier, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) received a delegation from the Sharjah Consultative Council (SCC), headed by Ali Mehd Al Suwaidi, Chairman of SCC.

The SCC visit aims to learn about the chamber’s constructive contributions made to supporting the sustainable economic development in the Emirate of Sharjah through the ideal utilisation of technical and human resources and the provision of all services and facilities to investors.

The SCC delegation included Hanan Rashid Al Jarwan, Vice Chairman of SCC, Obaid Mohammad Al Qabid Al Tunaiji, Rapporteur of the Public Utilities Committee in the Council.

The delegation at first toured the SCCI facilities and was briefed on the most important services provided including attestations, issuance of certificates of origin, electronic legal services, in addition to the most important publications of the Chamber’s library. The delegates also toured the permanent exhibition of local industrial products.

Both sides also held a meeting in the presence of Abdul Aziz Shattaf, SCCI Assistant Director General, Members Services Sector and Director of Sharjah Exports Development Center, Ibrahim Rashid Al Jarwan, Director of Economic Relations and Marketing at the Chamber and Jamal Bouzengal, Director of the Media Department in the Chamber.

The meeting touched on the chamber’s role in creating a supportive and attractive environment to investors and the future plans for encouraging entrepreneurship in Sharjah by launching a set of programmes and initiatives aimed at building the professional capacities and creative skills of youth citizens. Ali Mehd Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Sharjah Consultative Council sreaffirmed that the SCC pays utmost attention to supporting the economic sector during its sessions and through its committees, plans and programmes being executed.