Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 22, 2020:   The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry succeeded in activating its role as the representative of the business community in the midst of current global challenges by strengthening its partnerships with its partners including the Ministry of Economy and other relevant government authorities.

 

The most recent of these efforts being the meeting between its members, who are major fruit and vegetable traders with the Ministry of Economy to address important issues related to food security, the continued flow of commodities, and to maintain the strategic stockpile of basic food items for more than six months.

The Chamber is committed to strengthening the partnership of public and private sectors to face global challenges and enhance the competitiveness of the business environment in the emirate. It has met with the business groups and councils to reassure them that the priority of the Chamber during the current period is to ensure uninterrupted business operations and to try to mitigate any negative impact on the business sector through open dialogue with, both, the public and private sectors.

 

The Chamber also coordinated a meeting with its members in the fruit and vegetable trade working group with the Ministry of Economy, to address important issues related to food security, continued flow of goods and commodities, and to maintain the strategic stockpile of basic foodstuffs.

 

The attendees discussed the formation of an emergency committee that includes representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Dubai Chamber and stakeholders from the entire supply chain. Their task will be to monitor developments and address issues immediately and urgently. This will have positive repercussions on the smooth flow of cross-border commercial traffic.

 

His Excellency Hamad Buamim, President & CEO, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointed out that the role of the Chamber, as the voice of the business community, is very vital in the current period.  He highlighted that the Chamber has taken this role very seriously by communicating the concerns of the private sector to the relevant government institutions, and creating a productive interactive discussion, encouraging public-private partnerships to deal with the repercussions of Covid-19.

 

Buamim stressed that the Chamber is leveraging its partnerships to serve the business sector. He also pointed out that cooperation with the Ministry is an essential part of the efforts made by the Chamber to maintain business continuity and competitiveness despite tremendous challenges.

 

The impact of this recent development can only be mitigated through a clear and transparent dialogue between the private and public sectors. He stressed on the Chamber’s commitment to fully play its part, and praised the cooperation shown by government agencies to maintain business continuity and support the private sector.

 

On the other hand, the Chamber recently held a number of discussions with various government departments regarding the challenges experienced by the private sector due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, and the efforts to implement a number of incentives to ensure business continuity and sustainability.

The Chamber discussed topics such as, reducing the cost of doing business, reviewing some legislations to facilitate business, in addition to enhancing consumption.

 

The Chamber indicated that the relevant government agencies were open to supporting the private sector with incentive and packages to mitigate its current challenges.

 

Dubai Chamber plays a key role in representing, supporting and protecting the interests of the business community in the emirate through its strong partnership with the various government agencies. The Chamber coordinates periodically with its partners in the Ministry of Economy and other relevant government agencies, to find solutions to the challenges faced by the business community by activating the partnership between public and private sectors.