Dubai: Members of Dubai SME, the agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED) mandated to develop the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, won contracts worth Dh17 million during the first half of 2016 under a partnership between the agency and Dubai Holding, a global investment holding company. This partnership aims to support competitive entrepreneurs in the emirate, and across the UAE.

The beneficiaries include 46 Emirati enterprises that are also covered by the Government Procurement Programme (GPP). Service providers accounted for 48.7 per cent of the beneficiaries and won contracts worth Dh8.5 million while contracts worth over one million dirhams were won by foods sector companies that had a 6.4 per cent strength of the total.

Companies from diverse sectors such as public services, advertising, interior design, stationery, logistics, consultancy and training accounted for 44.9 per cent of the beneficiaries, which together won contracts worth Dh7.8 million.

Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME, said: “We are proud of our partnership with Dubai Holding, and the outstanding results achieved during the first half of this year itself proves our shared commitment to supporting SMEs in Dubai and enabling them to be productive and sustainable. Initiatives in Dubai has recently opened up vast opportunities for national entrepreneurs to demonstrate their competencies in the local market as well as globally.”