The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI)reiterated its commitment to enhancing cooperation and partnerships with global companies, investors, and business leaders.

It affirmed its goal to bolster economic relations between Sharjah’s business community and their global counterparts, supporting its expansion into regional and international markets, with the aim to facilitate trade exchanges and reinforce the emirate’s status as a premier global business destination.

The SCCI made this announcement at its ninth regular board meeting, where participants reviewed the Chamber’s key initiatives and achievements in the first half of 2024.

These achievements reaffirm SCCI’s commitment to fostering economic development within Sharjah, enhancing the private sector’s sustainable performance, and elevating the emirate’s status in the global business community.

Held at the Chamber’s headquarters, the meeting was headed by HE Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the SCCI, and attended by HE Waleed AbdelRahman BuKhatir, Second Vice Chairman of the SCCIBoard of Directors and board members, and HE Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of the SCCI.

Also present were Maryam Saif Al Shamsi, the Assistant Director-General for the Support Services Sector at SCCI, and Abdulaziz Mohammed Shattaf, the Assistant Director-General of the Communication and Business Sector at SCCI, along with several officials from the Sharjah Chamber’s affiliated entities.

During the meeting, the board showcased the SCCI’s key initiatives and achievements during the first half of 2024. They also discussed various agenda items, with a particular focus on updates to ongoing projects, including the infrastructure development project the Al Nahda (formerly known as Industrial Area 1) and the Industrial Areas 6 and 7.

The board also reviewed the outcomes of the Chamber’s international engagements and its successes in establishing cross-border economic partnerships, developing a foreign trade exchange system, and attracting investment.

The meeting also addressed some suggestions and proposals aimed at strengthening the exhibition sector’s role in propelling Sharjah’s economic development, expanding growth opportunities for various industries, and meeting the business community’s needs by providing platforms for showcasing products in line with global best practices.

HE Abdallah Sultan Al Owais said the Chamber has successfully achieved most of its strategic goals outlined in its 2022-2024 strategy.These goals include supporting the business sector, promoting positive practices leading to a sustainable economy, developing and diversifying Sharjah exports. Concurrently, the Chamber has also played a significant role in advancing infrastructure projects and diversifying investment opportunities.

He underscored the Chamber’s commitment to boosting the progress of sustainable economic development in Sharjah and creating an encouraging and stimulating investment environment for the business community. SCCI has provided outstanding services to the business sector and innovated several strategies to draw more investors to the emirate.

“As the emirate of Sharjah continues to bolster its economic relations globally, SCCI remains committed to supporting this direction. During the first half of this year, the Chamber signed eight agreements and memorandums of cooperation with local and international economic organisations. It also organised a trade mission to India and numerous business forums to explore investment opportunities and foster business partnerships between Sharjah’s private sector and global markets”, Al Owais added.

For his part, HE Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi emphasised that enhancing Sharjah’s status as a premier regional investment destination is a cornerstone of the SCCI’s 2024 strategy. The Chamber has focused on fostering cooperation with specialised entities, diplomatic missions, and official delegations.

During the first half of 2024, the Chamber held several meetings with more than 35 official, diplomatic, and trade delegations, organised more than 10 meetings with sectoral working groups and business leaders to explore future growth opportunities, and proposed strategies to strengthen the export system.

Additionally, it sought to bolster its presence at international economic and trade exhibitions and events, as it participated in 12 local conferences and forums.

The board meeting reviewed the Chamber’s key initiatives and achievements in enhancing institutional excellence and elevating the quality of services offered to its members. The Chamber earned four international certifications in quality management systems, business continuity, occupational health and safety, and environment.

The Sharjah Excellence Award saw substantial growth, with extensive participation of local and Gulf-based businesses and enterprises.

Furthermore, the Sharjah Training and Development Centre (STDC), affiliated with the Sharjah Chamber, achieved notable success with its Strategic Business Leadership programme, which yielded positive outcomes as it concluded its official visit to Spain as part of the programme. STDC trained over 175 individuals from both the public and private sectors, along with more than 65 employees from the Chamber.

As part of its initiatives to provide a nurturing environment that supports entrepreneurial ambitions and ventures of Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), the Sharjah Chamber opened a new branch for the Small and Medium Enterprises Centre “Tijarah 101” in Khorfakkan city. The new center, which includes nine commercial offices, has already registered five new members since its inauguration at the end of April. These entrants are entrepreneurs and SME owners engaged in various economic sectors.

The Chamber has also prioritized supporting and facilitating the participation of Emirati entrepreneurs in international events and exhibitions.A notable example is the participation of the “Emirati Goldsmiths” Platform at the International Handicrafts Trade Fair (MIDA) held in Florence, Italy.

The Sharjah Chamber has made significant contributions in the field of social responsibility as part of its strategy to support the business sector while promoting positive practices that fuel a sustainable economy. These efforts have culminated in the Chamber receiving the Federal Community Impact Medal “Silver Category”. Notably, the Chamber sponsored over 16 economic, cultural, and commercial events during the first half of 2024.

During the meeting, the board was briefed on the performance of SSCI branches in the Eastern and Central Regions of Sharjah, as well as the ongoing preparations for the Al Dhaid Date Festival and the positive impacts of the Mango Festival. The board also reviewed the workflow of the Sharjah Summer Promotions 2024 festival, which is organised by SCCI in collaboration with the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA).