Mr. Ateeq Juma Naseeb, Director of Commercial Services Department at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), yesterday received a delegate from the Athens Chamber of Small-Medium Sized Industries in Greece, who discussed the role and services which the DCCI provides to the local business community and investors and the facilities available for investment in Dubai.
The meeting was attended by Salahudeen Al Ameen, Acting Director of Business Policy and Legal Services Department in the DCCI, Dr. Hussam S. Al-Talhuni, Director of Dubai International Arbitration Centre, Mr. Dimitrios Charissis, President of Athens Chamber of Small-Medium Sized Industries, Athanassios Pavlou, General Secretary of Athens Chamber, Spyros Liontos, First Secretary of Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Embassy of Greece in the UAE, and other members of the Athens Chamber.
Mr. Naseeb welcomed the Greek commercial delegation and highlighted the remarkable growth of commercial relations between the UAE and Greece. He briefed the Greek delegate about the outstanding economic position of Dubai and the key role played by the DCCI in supporting the business community in Dubai and providing it with the best commercial services to help businessmen develop their work and enhance the investment environment of the emirate.
"We worked hard on developing our trade in the past few years through depending on new sorts of incomes rather than oil, so we started developing the Jebel Ali Free Zone and the seaport and set up new holding companies, developing the airport, tourism, transportation and other logistics services to create a suitable investment environment that helps support the emirate's economy," said Naseeb.
The Director of DCCI's Commercial Services Department pointed highlighted the significant role of the DCCI and its attribution to Dubai's economy, as the Dubai Chamber has adopted a new and effective economic strategy three years ago to cope with the overall development. The Chamber has then set up new departments and started providing outstanding services to the business community in Dubai.
Mr. Naseeb talked about the vision and objectives of the Dubai Chamber, its members whose number surged to 73,800, 1,900 of which work in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. He also briefed the visiting Greek delegate about the trade licenses which the Chamber issues, registration and membership fees, documentation procedures and the DCCI's conference halls and the training courses and programs which the Chamber organizes for its members and employees aiming to improve their work performance.
Dr. Al Tahuni, Director of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre, also explained the remarkable services provided by the centre to the businessmen relying on certain firm plans and strategies which help solve all disputes and troubles that could occur between the commercial parties. He also stressed the role of the centre in providing investors with accurate information to enable them set up their projects in Dubai safely, in addition to the international commercial laws which coordinate the commercial relations between the countries.
Mr. Al Ameen, Director of the Business Policy and Legal Services Department in the DCCI, talked about the role of the department in supporting the Dubai Chamber's activities through providing legal advices concerning the commercial agreements which the Chamber signs with other parties, in addition to the mediation service, as the department succeeded in solving the disputes of 40 to 50 per cent of a total of 400 dispute cases which they receive every year.
Mr. Charissis, President of the Athens Chamber, expressed his admiration with the development in Dubai and stressed the great interest of the Athens Chamber and the Greek businessmen to get more information about Dubai where they plan to set up some projects. He said that the Athens Chamber is the biggest among 69 chambers in Greece as it has more than 50,000 members.
"We admire the remarkable economic development which Dubai is witnessing, and our visit to the DCCI aims at getting to know more about the nature of work at the Chamber and its services offered to the members and businessmen and the incentives and other aspects given to investors, especially those who plan to set up businesses in the free zones," said Charissis.
The value of Dubai's imports from Greece reached to Dhs 108.7 million (US Dollar 29.6 million) in 2003, where Dubai's exports to Greece reached to Dhs 6.5 million (US Dollar 1.8 million) during the same year.
Dubai's total re-exports to Greece during 2003 surged to Dhs 37.7 million (US Dollar 10.2 million), whereas the total non-oil trade value of Dubai with Greece during the same year reached to Dhs153.1 million (US Dollar 41.6 million).
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© Press Release 2005
