DED Abu Dhabi and ADBWC sign cooperation agreement

ECONOMY UAE

ABU DHABI, 18th June, 2017 (WAM) -- The Department of Economic Development, DED, in Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council, ADBWC, signed a cooperation agreement for enhancing and activating cooperation between the two sides and exchange expertise and knowledge.

The agreement aims to support women's role and their participation in the development of Abu Dhabi's society and enable them to carry out various economic activities in the Emirate.

Khalifa Bin Salem Al Mansouri, Acting Under-Secretary of the DED Abu Dhabi, and Mariam Mohamed Al Rumaithi, Executive Board Chairperson of ADBWC signed the agreement. A number of officials representing both sides also attended the signing.

Al Mansouri emphasised that the agreement will help reinforce the coordination of mutual efforts between the Department and the Council regarding the participation in the programmes, initiatives and activities that support the fields in which the businesswomen work. It will also open up more economic fields and enhance opportunities and potentials which would help activate the role of businesswomen.

He said that the agreement comes as part of the services that the Department provides to Abu Dhabi's community, especially those that focus on women empowerment in the various fields of the economic sector. The goal is to achieve sustainable economic development in the Emirate, most importantly the regulation of the business and commercial affairs sector, the improvement of the investment atmosphere, the development of commercial activities, and the preparation of gross studies of economic and social variables and analysis of the same through statistics, research and indicators for all major strategic sectors identified by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.

Al Rumaithi stated that businesswomen council, established in 2001 through the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry's support, aims to activate the role of businesswomen and female pioneers and innovators in the private sector, as well as maintain the sustainability and continuity of their businesses. It also seeks to support the role of Emirati women and ensure their effective participation in the various aspects of the economic development process.

She pointed out that the agreement will help support the mutual efforts of both sides with respect to the adoption of a five-year strategic plan to ensure a unique participation of women in entrepreneurship that would guarantee a consistent and increased presence of women in this field. Another aim is to achieve optimal investment of national women's potentials in various fields so as to ensure their integration in the local economy of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and reinforce their contribution.

According to the agreement, the two parties agreed on cooperating and coordinating with respect to participation, as well as the design and organisation of various programmes, initiatives and events that are focused on achieving sustainable development of women on the local and international levels. They also agreed on cooperating in the conduct of studies, research and work papers that are related to women's activities, and analyzing the economic phenomena, problems and challenges that women face in Abu Dhabi.

In order to carry out this agreement, the Department and the Council established a joint work team that will conduct follow-up on the mechanism and procedures.