DUBAI: Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of DP World and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), and Ahmed Mahboob, Director of Dubai Customs, received the recently-appointed French Consul General in Dubai Majdi Abed, at DC main office.
Bin Sulayem praised the solid relations linking the United Arab Emirates and the French State and people. He said, “We enjoy exceptional economic and cultural ties with France, as it is one of Dubai’s leading trading partners in Europe. Dubai-France bilateral trade amounted to AED 10.6 billion in the first half of 2014, marking a 15% growth compared to the first half of 2013. In the recent few years, Dubai-France bilateral trade remarkably surged. It went up from AED 16.3 billion in 2011 to AED 18 billion in 2012, then to AED 19 billion in 2013.”
Dubai is home to many French businesses and investments. In this regard, Bin Sulayem stressed that PCFC is committed to providing an environment conducive to international investments.
Musabih emphasised Dubai Customs’ strive to boost the bilateral trade with France by delivering exceptional services that best respond to the expectations of French traders and investors as well as local and international companies. He encouraged French companies to come forward and voice any concerns they may have regarding customs processes, through Irtibaat; an initiative launched by DC to meet regularly and communicate with businesses of the same mother country in the presence and participation of diplomatic and consular missions. Through Irtibaat, DC aims to keep abreast of all future action plans and enterprises and to allow the business community to present suggestions for developing customs processes and eliminating business barriers, for the ultimate goal of making Dubai the leading destination for business and finance globally.
Musabih called for further cooperation between Dubai and France, including experiences’ exchange and joint training of customs staff.
Bin Sulayem and Mahboob wished the French Consul General in Dubai a pleasant stay in the UAE and the best of luck in his newly-assigned duties. They expressed their trust that his long expertise in diplomatic and consular work will certainly reflect on developing aspects of economic and commercial cooperation between Dubai and France.
