DUBAI: Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry saw its network of members grow by 9 per cent, or 16,800 companies, in 2016 bringing the organisation’s total membership to 201,000, according to a statement released on Monday. The total value of members’ exports and re-exports amounted to Dh273 billion last year with exports and re-exports to Saudi Arabia, valued at Dh87.8billion, ranked as the top trade destination for members.
The statement also declared that 923,056 Certificates of Origin were issued and 5,550 ATA Carnets, valued at Dh3.1billion, issued and received in the UAE. “2016 was an important year for Dubai as a number of new strategies were launched to facilitate the emirate’s transition to a post-oil economy and a global hub for knowledge and innovation. These major initiatives will increase foreign investors’ interest and help boost the emirate’s profile globally,” said Hamad Bu Amim, president and CEO, Dubai Chamber. He added that chamber would soon launch its new strategy aligned with the Dubai Plan 2021, which would place a stronger emphasis on growing its global network, boosting public-private sector collaboration, developing the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, and fostering a culture of innovation in various sectors of the economy. Overall, Dubai Chamber participated in 78 events across 50 cities and hosted 681 delegations from 81 countries. More than 1,500 meetings were held by the Chamber with 1,525 delegates, while its International Offices conducted a total of 484 meetings in 2016.
