The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has reaffirmed that since its inception, it has been developing a strategy to provide support and assistance programs that help boost and advance the emirate’s industrial sector. This has always been in line with the chamber’s fundamental role of upgrading and promoting the economic sector in general and the industrial one in particular. It is thereby doing its best to launch leading initiatives and projects, based on a clear action plan that gives utmost attention to the industrial sector.

The permanent exhibition of local manufactured products located at the SCCI’s headquarters, for example, is one of SCCI’s leading initiative, which features an elite group of industrial companies operating in the Emirate of Sharjah. The exhibition showcases the products of these companies and factories, with the aim of promoting them by giving all the chamber’s visiting delegations to the chance to get a closer look at the exhibition stands and products.

Promoting trade exchange between Sharjah and the world

H.E. Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, SCCI’s Director-General, said: “The permanent exhibition of local manufactured products is one of the most significant initiatives by the SCCI’s Sharjah Exports Development Center (SEDC), and is the largest permanent industrial exhibition in the Middle East. It features 191 stands covering 30 areas in the industrial sectors such as foodstuff, electrical, chemicals, construction materials, sanitary ware, plastic products, pharmaceuticals, and oil and gas equipment among others. Additionally, it has to be made clear that the exhibition is the result of cooperation with Sharjah factories, which further promotes trade exchange between the Emirate of Sharjah and the rest of world”.

Al Awadi stressed that the chamber does all it can to support the participating factories. It makes it possible for them to participate in many local and overseas exhibitions, and in foreign trade missions organized by the SEDC annually. Interestingly, the exhibition is open to universities, academic institutions, and all those interested in the commercial and industrial sector. This is all to create an ideal environment stimulating for entrepreneurs.

Sound vision

He further said: “Over the course of the past decades, Sharjah’s industrial sector has gotten a special attention thanks to the wise vision of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. This is in part because of the importance of this sector and its positive contributions to the emirate’s overall output and its economic and social effect on the entire society.

Sharjah was and is still offering specialized industrial cities for various industrial economic sectors, especially small and medium, in addition to its geographical location and proximity to vital ports and airports, which made it a distinct industrial environment that attracted major international companies and helped advance the industrial development”, Al Awadi added.

Providing ideal environment

Abdulaziz Shattaf, Assistant Director-General for Members Services at the SCCI and Director of SEDC, stressed that the Sharjah Exports Development Center and since its establishment, played a key role in providing an ideal supportive and stimulating environment for the local exports of more than 2000 industrial facilities affiliated to the center.

It also delivers diverse range of services to encourage industrial and exporting enterprises to enhance their competitiveness in foreign markets and take advantage of regional and international marketing opportunities, through many motivating initiatives and events. The permanent exhibition of local manufactured products comes as one of SEDC’s most important initiatives, which aims to market products of factories in the local and foreign markets. Moreover, the center introduces excellent solutions and means of export and makes it possible for participating bodies to benefit from integrated databases so as to raise their export knowledge and present credit guarantees and technical support for exports.

“The center, under the direct supervision of the SCCI, does always strive to promote and market exports of high quality and added value. It also provides technical means and mechanisms to support and stimulate the private sector to ensure a fruitful cooperation with partners, members and competent authorities internally and externally. There is no doubt we are doing our best to develop the industrial sector in the Emirate and create all appropriate ways to enhance the export sector, diversify sources income in Sharjah and invest in its natural resources to achieve the sustainable development goals”, Shattaf concluded.