“The implementation of a slew of measures and initiatives at both federal and local levels is further enhancing the openness of the UAE economy, presenting a golden opportunity for the Israeli business community to take advantage of the numerous economic prospects that are being currently generated,” said H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. The Minister made these opening remarks during his participation in the ‘Sharing innovation – A UAE-Israel’ startup ecosystem event, which was organized by Google. With an aim to create an exclusive inner circle of experts to collectively build an ongoing dialogue and collaboration between the UAE and Israeli tech ecosystems, the event brought together policy makers and technology leaders from both the UAE and Israel, in addition to featuring the participation of Google executives. H.E. Dr. Al Falasi further reviewed the UAE’s success in establishing a robust SME sector in line with the highest standards stands out at both regional and international levels. He noted that the sector contributed 53 per cent to the UAE’s GDP in 2019, up from about 49 per cent in 2018. Through the efforts we have currently undertaken, we strive to increase SME sector’s contribution to 60 per cent by 2021, also underscoring its importance in the country’s economic diversification, H.E. explained. The event witnessed the participation of H.E Faisal Al Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, in the roundtable discussion, where he discussed how the UAE’s economic strategy aligns with the appendix of the Abraham Accords. He added that the UAE’s main focus areas include the retention of high-quality human capital, advancement of key industries enabled by technology such as healthcare, cyber …
Read More »UAE affirms its support to encourage tourism
UAE affirmed its commitment to support international efforts to encourage and facilitate the recovery of the tourism sector and enhance the safety of travel experiences while adhering to global recommendations on the COVID-19 response, during its participation in a virtual G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting. The meeting took place under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, representing the UAE. During the meeting, the G20 ministers discuss ways to capitalise on growth opportunities in the post pandemic phase and increase the sector’s contribution to comprehensive and sustainable development. In addition, it reviewed the progress made by the Tourism Group during KSA’s G20 Presidency, including the commitments made in response to COVID-19. These include enhanced focus on the role of tourism in driving comprehensive community development and efforts to enhance safety and convenience in order to improve the travellers’ experiences. H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi said that in light of the unprecedented circumstances that the world is currently navigating, there are many transformations and changes that have occurred not only within the tourism sector, but across various aspects of daily lives and behaviours of billions of people around the world. H.E. added, “We, in the UAE, believe that there is an opportunity generated along with every challenge, and that the exposure to shocks makes us stronger and resilient in the face of future crises. Therefore, we are confident that the tourism sector, although it is the most affected by the pandemic, will emerge stronger, faster and more resilient.”
Read More »