Support network to encourage local companies’ expansion in foreign markets
Dubai Exports, an agency of the Department of Economic Development – Government of Dubai, hosted the first of a series of meetings of the Exporters Support Network (SANAD), to discuss ways to reduce the obstacles and challenges being faced by local companies when exporting to foreign markets as well as find solutions to support and develop the exporting sector in the UAE.
Members of SANAD included representatives from the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Federal Customs Authority, Dubai Customs, Dubai Trade, and Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology, in addition to Dubai Exports.
Engineer Saed Al Awadi, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Exports, delivered the welcoming speech followed a presentation by Dubai Exports on its latest services to assist and facilitate exports.
The meeting discussed a number of issues faced by companies operating in various industrial sectors such as identification documents required of the existing industries in the country at border points for an exemption from customs duties. Other requirements were also discussed including obtaining certificates of origin for manufactured goods in the UAE, as well as the impact of having bilateral trade agreements with the Arab market, which is one of the main target markets for Dubai exports.
“The purpose of these meetings is to enhance cooperation and coordination between institutions and government agencies to maintain excellence and continue to lead, through the establishment of a committee that will bridge between the government entities and companies from industrial sectors. In addition, we will also identify the needs and follow their suggestions and opinions and then submit them to the concerned authorities to develop mechanisms to facilitate and contribute to the removal of these constraints both regionally and globally,” said Engineer Al Awadi.
Among the topics focused during the meeting were the types of export support services, which include the enactment of policies and government intervention in other countries to develop trade; and strengthening trade cooperation with the other countries through signing trade MoUs to promote intra-regional trade. Furthermore, the meeting also highlighted the need for the commercial attaché’s support to give exporters legitimate rights in the context of free competition during bidding opportunities in the country of exports.
“SANAD will work to enhance the exporters’ confidence in the government’s role of supporting them in export activities by working closely with specialised agencies in responding to any enquiry or proposal that would enhance the growth of local businesses, and eventually increase the volume of exports from the UAE,” Al Awadi added.
He also highlighted that the strategies of the network will support exporters in entering international markets. Through SANAD, the UAE will be able to increase trade opportunities for local exporters and manufacturers.
The participants also suggested several steps to take further such as strengthening the role of trade attaché and coordination with the country’s embassies abroad, as well as prepare a report highlighting the priorities for target markets according to the economic situation and the impact on national income. They also highlighted the facilitation of technical obstacles of exports through encouraging bilateral agreements with different countries in order to create identical standards in export products, as well as raise awareness to local exporters on the recent technical market policies and provide technical guidance to understand the market requirements to increase the volume of trades.
Dubai Exports will prepare papers on the issues which had been received and discussed and to direct them to the concerned authorities and specialised agencies with the aim of finding solutions that will provide support for exporters and increased the size and quality of the country’s exports in the coming years.
