Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED) conducted a workshop for leading companies and factories of the Western Region at the Madinat Zayed-based Western Region Development Council (WRDC).
During the workshop which aimed to define Abu Dhabi's priorities and objectives embodied in Economic Vision 2030 that call for developing this region by supporting industrial and business activities, participants raised hindrances and difficulties that prevent them from expanding services, especially in exports and new market entry, given that these companies are classified as leading companies with the ability, experience and technical expertise to compete with international peers in overseas markets.
Boost growth
Dr Adeeb Al Afifi, Director of Foreign Trade and Exports Directorate at DED, said the workshop reflects the DED's commitment to defining the Economic Vision 2030 and the role exporters can orchestrate to boost economic growth in this vital part of Abu Dhabi, as well as highlighting export services the DED can provide to local exporters.
"Embarking on a strategy to expand Abu Dhabi's exports, DED is in need of initiating communications channels with factories and industrial companies to get a thorough understanding of required services and to come up with an integrated and comprehensive strategy that can help better serve all export industries around the emirate," he said.
"By adopting such [an] approach, we help expedite the implementing of this strategy while facilitating the role of DED in supporting this vital and economic-diversifying sector.
Speaking to owners of companies and factories, Al Afifi stressed that DED's initiatives, especially field visits by the Foreign Trade and Exports Support Directorate to Abu Dhabi's regions, aim to achieve the objectives of Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 such as economic diversification, gradual movement from oil dependence as a source of economy, developing infrastructure, thriving social and human capital resources, in addition to achieving a sustainable and balanced economic growth emirate-wide.
‘Huge attention'
"This workshop comes in light of many visits paid by the DED to Abu Dhabi regions, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Western Region, which the Department initiated this year with the Western Region. We at the DED attribute huge attention to the development of the Western Region as it occupies 80 per cent of the total land area of the emirate and accounts for 40 per cent of GDP, mainly through oil and gas industries there," he said.
