Chemical weapons law to be amended

The ministerial legislative committee has approved a number of amendments to Law No. 40 (2006) regarding ban on developing, manufacturing, stockpiling or using chemical weapons.

At a meeting presided over by HE Minister of Justice Jouan bin Hadif al Dhahiri, the committee also approved amendments to the federal draft law No.13 (2007) regarding commodities regulated by export-import control.

The committee also approved amendments to Federal Law regarding people with special needs and replaced the term 'people of special needs' with the phrase 'Disabled'. The amended law is to be called Law on the Rights of persons with disabilities.

The committee has submitted the decisions to the cabinet for discussion and final approval.

HE minister of social affairs Maryam Mohammed Khalfan al Roumi, HE minister of health Humaid Mohammed Al Qattami, HE minister of state for foreign affairs Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, HE minister of environment and water Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahd, HE minister of state for financial affairs Obeid Humaid al Tayer and Acting Undersecretary of ministry of justice Dr. Ali al Housni attended the meeting.
/WAM/

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Dubai Chamber launches 18th issue of The Industrial Directory

The 18th issue of the Dubai Industrial Directory 2007-2008 is out. Launched by Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the bilingual directory in Arabic and English contains a listing of over 2,150 companies with 1,950 from the industrial sector and 200 from the services sector.

Dubai’s increasing dependence on non-oil sector and the emirate’s unprecedented economic growth make the industrial sector a driving force and the directory is seen as a strong trading tool for all businesses and consumers.

Said HE Eng Hamad Bumaim, Director General, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, “The Dubai Industrial Directory is a trustful reference and a gateway to services, products and companies in Dubai therefore Dubai Chamber has worked very hard to present this directory as part of one of its value-added services to its members. As the new edition includes an up-to-date information of Dubai industrial sector I would urge the local business community to take advantage of the information and statistics published in the directory.”

Added Buamim, “Under our new strategy of serving the members better, Dubai Chamber is doing its best in coping with the latest economic changes and is working non-stop to provide and upgrade its services for its ever increasing list of members. Besides the listing of manufacturers, contractors, suppliers and companies in Dubai, the new directory also provides useful information about the infrastructure and related government bodies as well as names of companies operating and maintaining manufacturing plants and other factories.”

Buamim praised the efforts of the Express Print (Publishers) LLC for supervising the publication of the Dubai Industrial Directory 2007-2008, and the company’s keen interest in presenting the new directory with high quality printing features and spelling accuracy of the names and addresses of companies and its related information according to alphabetical order.

Rakesh Puri, Chief Executive of Express Print (Publishers) LLC, compliers of the directory informed that the Dubai Industrial Directory 2007-2008 is an indispensable guide for those who are having business activities in Dubai as the directory gives detailed information about industrial firms operating in the emirate and is a handy reference book.

The new directory contains five sections including General Information in industrial sector; Alphabetical Listing – Manufactures; Classified Section – Products; Alphabetical Listing – Industrial Services and Classified Section – Industrial Services. The first section contains structural features as well as valuable information on the potentialities and areas of industrial investment as well as incentives available. It also deals with the procedures involved in setting up a new unit besides detailing the main advantages of operating in free zones.

The second section that contains an alphabetical index of names of industrial firms gives details of the 1,950 industrial companies registered with Dubai Chamber along with their location, range of products and vital information about the manufacturing units while the Classifieds Section – Products in section three categorizes more than 430 marketable and exportable products that are numerically grouped under 24 main categories. Here too, the alphabetical index is a big help in searching for relevant information about the industrial activity.

Section four deals with the industrial services enlisting the names of 200 companies providing essential services or practicing activities closely related
to the industrial sector as section five has the classified listing of firms providing vital services to the industrial sector under different business categories.

Initially, Dubai Chamber has published 8,000 hardcopies of the Dubai.
Industrial Directory 2007-2008 in Arabic and English, in addition to 4,000 related CDs in English and 1,000 CDs in Arabic. The Chamber will also distribute free copies of the directory to embassies, consulates and trade centers, in addition to business councils in Dubai, local and federal government establishments, universities, welfare and social associations, cultural and sports clubs, commercial missions and delegations and 5-4 and 3-star hotels.

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Printing industry reaches Dh19.5b

A regional event organiser is taking advantage of the Middle East's growing printing industry, which reached Dh19.5 billion ($5.3 billion) in 2007, by putting up two exhibitions in Dubai next year dedicated to the packaging and printing industries.

The region's package printing sector accounted for 41.8 per cent of the whole industry, followed by the print advertising, commercial printing and newspapers sectors with a combined share of 33 per cent.

Officials of Fairs and Exhibitions (F&E) yesterday quoted IMES, a Dubai-based management consultancy group, as saying that the UAE alone expects a 15-20-per cent growth in various packaging categories, such as dairy and soft drinks.

"Every country in the world has seen growth in its printing business," said Roger Pellow, managing director of Labelexpo, a series of conferences held worldwide in conjunction with various exhibitions. "I have no doubt it will grow here."

Sue Rothwell, group event director of F&E, yesterday said the Gulf Print and the Gulf Pack trade shows on 6-9 April 2009 would address the challenges on the growth in advertising, publishing and consumer spending across the Middle East.

Quoting data from Pira International, a regional information provider, Rothwell said the region's printing industry would grow 7.7 per cent per year until 2012, with market value of Dh28 billion ($7.6 billion). She said that some 400 exhibitors and 12,000 visitors from at least 60 countries are expected to take part in the biennial exhibitions, which last year concluded with Dh551 million ($150 million) worth of business.

Rothwell stressed that the Middle East is an emerging market bridging the East and the West. "These events provide a highly cost-effective and dynamic sales and marketing platform to promote the latest industry trends in the region," she said in a prepared statement.
She noted that regional economic prosperity, strong foreign investment inflows and changing lifestyles, including the rise in literacy rate, have spurred industry growth and the increasing number of publications in the Middle East. Pellow said that Labelexpo and F&E have developed a one-day conference dedicated to the labels market, which has an annual growth of 6-7 per cent worldwide. The conference will gather experts to discuss the impact that new technologies may have in the regional printing industry. He said there are tremendous opportunities for suppliers of traditional label production in the region because of the growing markets in retail, pharmaceutical, fast-moving consumer goods, airline cargo and travel. Source

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Dubai Industrial City achieves great growth in 2007

Dubai Industrial City, the leading industrial destination in Dubai has successfully managed to maximize the use of all its lands in 2007 while achieving a robust growth during the year as it increased its client base to more than 430 industrial investors.

Rashed Al Ansari, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Industrial City, a member of Tatweer, explained that the third largest non-real estate based project in Dubai has succeeded in leasing increasing amounts of industrial lands to meet the growing market demand.

"2007 was surely a successful year especially that we managed to lease more than 200 million square feet of land till date. We met the increasing demand for industrial land in the emirate by maximizing the use of our land and ensuring high level of efficiency at all times from master planning to actual hand over of industrial plots to clients." He further pointed out that DI attracted international companies and brands that are planning to set up base in Dubai Industrial City to offer unique and innovative facilities that would leverage the city as a leader and hub for the industrial sector across the country.

"We have attracted international clients such as Siemens and DHL, and major brands like Porsche, Aston Martin, Infinity, Audi, and Volkswagen in our automotive zone. These clients will set up innovative facilities and services including specially-designed test tracks for a wide range of vehicles ranging from four wheel drives to high performance vehicles, in addition to modern service centers that will further enhance the level of service and quality offered." He also stressed that Dubai Industrial City "achieved more than AED 1.5 billion in commercial plot sales of lands till date for use as schools, shopping centers, hospitals, residential areas, and recreation and entertainment facilities".

He pointed out that the great demand from investors was a testament on the growth of the industrial activity in Dubai and the unique offerings from Dubai Industrial City.

"We are the first industrial destination that is strategically located and that offers a comprehensive range of commercial and industrial services and facilities. We are close to major highways, in close proximity to Jebel Ali Port and adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport. This mixture is proving to be very attractive to industrial investors across the region," Al Ansari said.

He noted that during the past 12 months the city launched four office buildings, as well as 1.5 million square feet of warehouses in addition to the Dubai Industrial Academy (DIA), the first vocational industrial training academy of its kind in the UAE.

"We have so far leased three out of the four buildings we launched in June 2007 and have already started leasing warehouses, as of last month to meet the needs of our clients as well as companies across the UAE," He explained adding that transPARK, the logistics provider that DI set up in partnership with Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN), the world leader in contract logistics and the parent company of DHL, Danzas and Exel, was managing all logistic services and operations for the warehouses in DI.

Rashed further noted that DIA was launched in November 2007 and is the first facility of its kind in the UAE that is offering theoretical alongisde practical hands-on training in eight different industrial sectors, serving the entire GCC region.

He said that during 2007, Dubai Industrial City also launched a dedicated permits department in Maqayees, the Dubai centre for industrial standards that is responsible for monitoring and controlling all investor related quality, health, safety and environment (QHSE) issues across the industrial hub.

"The department was set up to facilitate the work of investors as Maqayees is in charge of enforcing the Dubai Quality Mark (DQM) which stipulates defined QHSE systems across the city. Maqayees will be the first point of contact with our clients to help them built and operate their facilities in accordance with DQM and our operational and QHSE guidelines," he explained.

"We have a goal of developing and nurturing a strong and growing industrial base in Dubai and we are right on our target. The launch of our various projects was met with great success and we see demand spurring our growth for the future," Al Ansari highlighted.

Spread over 560 million square feet, the dedicated destination which is designed according to a viable live, work and play concept features six industrial clusters for food and beverage, base metal, mineral products, chemicals, transport equipment and parts, and machinery and mechanical equipment.

Complementary facilities for logistics, warehousing, labour accommodation, industrial training in addition to commercial, residential and entertainment zones position Dubai Industrial City as a comprehensive one stop-shop destination, providing tenants with a critical competitive advantage in the areas of human resources, logistics and business operations. (WAM)

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Dubai to host Euro-Arab Cities Forum

The city of Dubai will host the third Euro-Arab Cities Forum at Madinat Jumeirah during 10-11 February 2008. The forum, held under the patronage of the Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry and Chairman of Dubai Municipality Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will be attended by 120 Mayors from European and Arab cities.

Announcing the activities of the forum at a press conference on Tuesday, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality said the event will be held under the theme 'New Dialogue for Development.' Highlighting the significance of dialogue, he said, it is a major factor in the peaceful and amicable resolution of differences and problems, adding that dialogue breaks down any ideological barrier, build bridges and narrows differences in ideas and creates conducive atmosphere.

Lootah said: 'It is in view of these facts that we decided to organise the forum, which we hope will lead to providing solutions to these problems creating a climate of love and harmony among all the participants and helping all to achieve more progress and development in their respective areas.' He added: 'By holding this forum, we aim to establish regional partnerships and co-operation among cities, regions and local administrations whose culture, resources and interest compliment each other's. We also aim to face challenges in order to build a bright future at the level of model cities which we all agreed to call 'nurseries of development', to build a real partnership through new dialogue that will reflect positively on the cities, regions and local administrations of all partners involved and to highlight and benefit from the best practices in a way that will suit both the Arab and European sides.' Lootah pointed out that the forum will discuss a number of important issues of interest to all cities of the world, including the issue of good local governance. He said discussions would focus on ways and means of improving performance and good execution of works by adopting effective policies like decentralisation, judicious investment of resources and funds for development projects, proper handling of the issue of migration from rural to urban areas, the best administration method for new communities, development of property ownership legislations and systems and the developing of slums.

The forum will also discuss public transport and town planning, environmental and water issues, as well as financial tools for funding of joint ventures of cultural and heritage projects.

A large number of prominent Arab and European personalities, including mayors of cities, heads of municipalities and local councils, are taking part in the forum. Invitations are sent to sixty European mayors and sixty Arab mayors, in addition to a number of distinguished guests from international organisations and institutions, including Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Amr Mousa, the Secretary General of the Arab League, AbdulRahman Al Atiyya, the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council and other distinguished personalities.

The forum is being organised, on the Arab side, by the Arab Towns Organisation (ATO), the Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) and Dubai Municipality and, on the European side, by the Standing Committee for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership of Local Authorities and Regions (COPPEM), Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities at the Council of Europe (CLARE). Etisalat is the official sponsor of the event.

Dubai Municipality has completed all the preparations to hold the forum in coordination with other concerned bodies in Dubai. Six committees had been set up to supervise the activities of the forum including a public relations committee, media committee, scientific committee, secretarial and services committee, opening ceremony committee and accommodation committee.(WAM)

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UAE's industrial sector makes huge strides

The Emirates' industrial sector has made huge strides over the past four years and is now the country's third largest economic producer, according to Dr. Mohammed Khalfan Bin Kharbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance & Industry.

Addressing the Dubai Industrial Investment and Partnership Forum (DIIPF), which runs at the Dubai World Trade Centre until February 6, the Minister said the industrial sector contributed nearly 20% to the country's GDP last year.

He told delegates that the sector was worth some AED73 billion (US $ 19.9 billion) by the end of last year - a 66.4% increase on its AED44 (US $ 12 billion) value in 2003 when the Government began prioritizing industry in its long-term economic diversification plans. The number of manufacturing units in the country stood at 3,852 at the end of last year - a 37.8% increase on the 2003 total of 2,795.

Dr. Kharbash said the industrial sector was now a key performer in the UAE Government's strategy of delivering a balanced economy with no single sector dominating the landscape.

"We will continue to foster progress in the industrial sector for the long term benefit not only of the economy, but also for sociological reasons as this sector can deliver fresh job and career opportunities for nationals," said the Minister. "The Government is now working to ensure global best practices are prevalent throughout the industrial and financial sectors."

The DIIPF has been organized by the Dubai Export Development Corporation (DEDC) in conjunction with the Department of Economic DevelopmentDepartment of Economic Development and the Gulf Organisation For Industrial ConsultingGulf Organisation For Industrial Consulting. The Forum, which has an exhibition running alongside it, is aimed at promoting industrial investment, subcontracting and partnership with special focus on the small-to-medium sector.

The Forum, which is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister for Finance & Industry, is an initiative of DEDC and is part of its campaign to reduce import dependence and promote self-sufficiency.

Addressing the Forum, DEDC's Chief Executive, Engineer Sa'ed Al Awadi said the Dubai Government recognized the challenges of global competition and was moving quickly to address them.

"Hence, the rapid launch of new initiatives and the creation of laws to ease the process of upgrading the quality of goods produced in Dubai as well as the development of systems to stimulate their export," said Al Awadi

"There is no doubt that the whole community will benefit from these efforts as they will provide more jobs for future generations, increase local output and achieve high economic growth rates."

About Dubai Export Development Corporation:
Established in 2006, the Dubai Export Development Corporation (DEDC) is an autonomous organisation under the directive of the Government of Dubai. Its vision is to be a world-class model in assisting and facilitating exporters, by creating an enabling environment for exports, with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of Dubai as a preferred trading partner.

The DEDC has moulded its mission to identify and effectively deliver value-added trade support services to Dubai export enterprises for accelerated and profitable expansion of their business in foreign markets.(PR)

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Dubai Industrial Investment and Partnership Forum

The Dubai Industrial Investment and Partnership Forum (DIIPF), which will be held from February 4-6 at The Dubai World Trade Centre convenes local and regional industry experts and distinguished speakers for a three-day forum under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry.

Organised by the Dubai Export Development Corporation (DEDC), Dubai Economic Department and the Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting, the three-day forum brings together a distinguished line-up of keynote speakers, informative panel discussions and workshops, as well as two days of pre-arranged matchmaking sessions between buyers and suppliers.

'By means of this forum, we aim to promote industrial subcontracting and partnership between local, regional and international industrial companies. This event will also assist Small and Medium Enterprises to discuss new businesses with major companies enabling them to expand their markets,' explained Khalid Al Kassim, Deputy Director General of Planning and Development, Department of Economic Development and Chairman of DEDC.

'SMEs role has been crucial not only for the Dubai economy but across the world and their contribution averages about 70-80% of the GDP. The current diversification strategy focuses on SMEs as they offer greater return on investment and have proven to be the buffers in times of economic slowdowns due to their faster recovery,' added Khalid.

The UAE Government has constantly provided programmes to increase the SMEs shares in the growing economy of the country.

Eng. Saed Al Awadi, Chief Executive Officer, DEDC said, 'With over 150 industry specialists, a large exhibition, outstanding workshops and match making opportunities, DIIPF is designed to maximise all potential business activities while learning the latest trends in the industry.

'The patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan emphasises the support of Dubai Government for all the indicatives that aims to encourage the manufacturing and export sectors of the country', he furthered.

During the first day of the forum, attendees will benefit from the keynote speech of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Prof. Nicolas Negroponte followed by two informative workshops featuring distinguished speakers and panellists on 'Subcontracting and Partner Exchange' and 'Manufacturing Investment Opportunities'.

'This is an essential event and a must for anyone involved in securing foreign investments for industrial projects as key stakeholders and decision makers are gathered here,' Al Awadi said. 'DIIPF presents a fantastic opportunity to support in developing the country's manufacturing sector, which will gradually decrease its dependence on foreign imports towards a more self-sustaining economy.'

Days two and three are designed to congregate delegates through a series of pre-arranged Business to Business meetings between buyers and suppliers giving everyone the opportunity to conduct important discussions.

Additionally, beside the forum, an exhibition will be held comprising of leading UAE companies from the manufacturing, oil and gas and banking sectors including DUBAL, GASCO, RAS GAS and the event's golden sponsor, Emirates International Bank.

Various companies from around the region including Qatar Fuel Additives Company and Egypt's HEDO Group will also be exhibiting.

DEDC has been launched a year ago with a main objective of facilitating export procedures, encourage investors to establish their export business and explore new markets in the UAE.

'We are confident that DIIPF will help plug up on the best business opportunities in the exporter and manufacturer sectors in UAE,' Al Awadi concluded. (AMEInfo)

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UAE pumps Dh29bn into manufacturing

The UAE has pumped nearly AED 29 billion into manufacturing projects over the past four years and most of the investments have been made by Abu Dhabi.

Food, beverages and tobacco had the lion?s share of the investments, while chemicals, metals and minerals remained a key target of the country?s drive to expand its industrial base and lessen reliance on volatile oil sales.

Official figures showed the new investments covered more than 1,000 projects and national investors controlled nearly 85 per cent of the cumulative industrial capital of around AED 72bn at the end of 2007.

From nearly AED43.6bn at the end of 2003, total investments in the UAE?s non-oil industrial sector surged to AED72.6bn at the end of 2007, an increase of AED29bn, Emirates Business reported, citing figures published in the Ministry of Finance and Industry?s 2008 Statistical Industrial Book.

Abu Dhabi accounted for the bulk of the investments, pumping a total of AED 38.9bn by the end of 2007. Investments in its industrial sector stood at around AED15.6bn in 2003, an increase of AED23.3bn in four years.

Most of the increase in Abu Dhabi?s industrial capital was in 2004, when it leaped to AED34.3bn from AED15.62bn the previous year. Manufacturing investments in Dubai grew from AED14.3bn to AED17.1bn, while those in Sharjah rose from AED3.5bn to AED4.03bn.

Industrial capital increased from AED995 million to AED1.49bn in Ajman, from AED3.05bn to AED4.2bn in Ras Al Khaimah, from AED402m to AED483m in Umm Al Quwain, and from AED5.7bn to AED6.4bn in Fujairah.

Industrial projects in the UAE also surged from 2,795 to 3,852 during the same period, according to the figures. Although Abu Dhabi was the largest industrial investor, it had a low number of projects, which totalled 334 at the end of 2007.

Experts explained that a large number of projects in Abu Dhabi have a high capital. The figures showed food, beverages and tobacco received around AED32.1bn, accounting for nearly 44 per cent of the total manufacturing capital.

Chemicals came second in terms of investments, which stood at AED15.4bn. Investments stood at AED8.8bn in mineral products, AED7.2bn in metal products, AED5.1bn in equipment, AED1.8bn in paper products, AED960m in textile and garments and AED822m in wood products.

A breakdown showed nationals controlled the bulk of the industrial investment, with a share of AED61.9bn, more than 85 per cent of the total. Around AED8.1bn is controlled by foreigners and the rest by other GCC investors.

Besides contributing to economic diversification programmes, industrial projects created a large number of jobs, standing at 288,180 at the end of 2007. Mineral products emerged as the largest job provider, employing nearly 54,000 people. It was followed by chemical projects, which employed nearly 36,800 people, textile and garments, with 31,700 and food and beverage with 29,130.

The report gave no figures on industrial exports but the UAE has recorded a sharp rise in such exports over the past 15 years. Their value was projected to exceed AED15bn last year compared to AED6bn in 1995.

The heavy investments have also largely boosted the industrial sector?s contribution to the country?s gross domestic product to become the second largest component after oil and gas.

From AED42.2bn in 2003, the industrial sector?s value in the GDP jumped to AED73.4bn in 2006, accounting for nearly 12 per cent of the total GDP, second only to the oil sector, according to the Central Bank, which gave no 2007 figures. WAM

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UAE Federal Industrial Agency

The Ministry of Finance and Industry has finalised a blueprint to set up a federal body for regulating and developing the industrial sector,Dr Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash,Minister of State for Financial and Industrial Affairs, unveiled on Monday.
''The logic for creating such a federal authority springs out from the need of a higher body enjoying all powers required to revamp and develop the industrial sector and create a fertile investment ground at bar with international best practices, the minister said during a meeting with the industrial community led by Dhafer Al Ahbabi, Chairman of UAE Industrialists' Association.
The minister briefed the industrialists about the ministry's vision for modernising the industrial sector.
In the coming period, he added, the ministry would put in place policies and regulations for the industrial sector and coordinate with the all competent authorities in that respect.
Salaha Al Shamsi, Chairman of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, called for formulating mechanism for promoting and developing national exports. Source

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Industry at risk from inflation

Inflation is one of the biggest risks the construction sector faces, according to Emaar's director of construction, Hussam Assaf.
He said that rates were at a 15-year high, while inflation has caused land prices to balloon from US $410 (AED 1,056) per m2 to $1,112.7 per m2 in just five years.
Assaf added that volatile steel prices were also a big risk for the industry. Steel had tripled in price from $228.8 per tonne in 2002 to the current $653.6.
Speakers at the Project Risk Management conference organised by MEED also warned governments in the region to take a ‘leadership' role when it comes to their country's development.
According to Dominic McPolin, executive coordinator, Ministry of Works and Housing in Bahrain, Bahrain's government recently drew up a masterplan to make sure the country avoided the ‘ad-hoc' development which has taken place in Dubai.
He said that governments in the Middle East need to follow this example.
"Governments need to move from regulators to a leadership role," he said.
Another risk facing the industry are the difficulties in overcoming traditions during the negotiation process, according to Peter Walder, commercial director of recruitment and consultancy firm, Profile Group.
"You need to be aware of how contract negotiations are handled in other parts of the world rather than just following the model of the Anglo-Saxon world," said Walder.
"What we are seeing now is a lot of lawyers and consultants coming to Dubai. I'm not saying they are ambulance-chasing as such, but they are coming into a situation which they see as ripe."

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