• Agreement allows healthcare organisations registered within the DHCA to operate inside the DIFC

  • Partnership is in line with government’s wellbeing initiatives to broaden healthcare provision and access across the Emirate

  • Move will continue to increase the international attractiveness and competitiveness of the DIFC community

Dubai-UAE: 27 January 2017 

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Authority, the entity overseeing the largest financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region has today signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA). Signed by Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority and Dr Ramadan AlBlooshi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory, the partnership agreement establishes a framework allowing healthcare organisations registered within Dubai Healthcare City to operate inside the financial centre.

Commenting on the agreement, Arif Amiri said: “The 21,000 people who live and work in the DIFC need convenient access to high quality health care. We can provide this more easily by working closely with the Dubai Healthcare City Authority. Today’s agreement demonstrates how the DIFC is committed to providing a full range of world-class amenities, which will reinforce our position as one of the most prestigious business and lifestyle destinations in the region.”

The agreement specifies that the DHCR will be responsible for licensing   hospitals, clinics and medical centres in line with its high quality standards. As per the agreement, DHCR will also play a supervisory role in regulating the healthcare services to ensure best practice and that they are compliant with rules and regulations as well as deal with complaints against the medical establishments. DIFC will continue to issue trade licenses and other free zone business operating business requirements as for all other businesses.

Emphasising the importance of the partnership, Dr AlBlooshi said, “Through this partnership we are able to extend our renowned healthcare standard to DIFC, enabling yet another community within the emirate of Dubai, to provide world class healthcare and wellness services on par with those provided in DHCC.”

“We will continue to seek such partnerships which play an important role in developing the health sector across Dubai to help achieve the Dubai Plan 2021 objective of creating a ‘City of Happy, Creative and Empowered people’, whose residents are educated, cultured and healthy,” he added.

-Ends-

About Dubai International Financial Centre
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is the financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, providing a world-class platform connecting the region’s markets with the economies of Europe, Asia and the Americas. It also facilitates the growth in South-South trade and investment. An onshore, international financial centre, DIFC provides a stable, mature and secure base for financial institutions to develop their wholesale businesses.

The Centre offers all the elements found in the world’s most successful financial industry ecosystems, including an independent regulator, an independent judicial system with a common-law framework, a global financial exchange, inspiring architecture, powerful, enabling support services and a vibrant business community. The infrastructure within the district features ultra-modern office space, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants, art galleries, residential apartments, public green areas and hotels.

Located midway between the global financial centres of New York, London in the West and Singapore, Hong Kong in the East, DIFC (GMT +4) fills a vital time-zone gap with a workday that bridges the market and business hours of financial centres in both Asia and North America.

In 2015, DIFC launched its 2024 growth strategy, a blueprint for the next decade of growth of the financial hub. This strategy aims to stimulate trade and investment flows along the South-South economic corridor encompassing Africa, Southern Asia and Latin America.

Currently, 1,539 active registered companies operate from the Centre, with a combined workforce of 21,076 professionals.

DIFC continues to pursue expansion into new services and sectors within the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, an area comprising over 72 countries with an approximate population of 3 billion and nominal GDP of US$7.4 trillion.

For further information, please visit our website: www.difc.ae , or follow us on Twitter @DIFC.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Hajar Al Ketbi
Dubai International Financial Centre Authority
Vice President - Corporate Communications & Public Relations
Tel: +971 4 362 2440
Email: Hajar.AlKetbi@difc.ae  

Magdalena Stepien
APCO Worldwide
Senior Account Director
Tel: +971 56 1142948
Email: mstepien@apcoworldwide.com

© Press Release 2017