DP World chief calls for cross-sector partnerships

Dubai - International transport routes need to support seamless trade movement, says Sultan Ahmed bin Suayem

There is need for better international cross-sector connectivity in order to realise trade potential, said Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO, at China's Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong.

Speaking at a panel titled 'Enhancing cross-sector connectivity along the Belt and Road', he stressed the impact of economic cooperation on global trade, with more than 60 countries involved in the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.

Bin Sulayem said: "With a project of this magnitude, it is essential that we remove complexities from the supply chain to realise the potential benefits of such a global initiative. International transport routes need to support seamless trade movement more than ever - this means simplifying customs requirements and standardising logistics, addressing different rail gauges and ICT issues so that goods can move smoothly from point A to B without interruption and unnecessary bottlenecks. This requires cross-sector and cross-border partnerships.

"Dubai and the UAE are exporting this knowledge and expertise across the world. We've pioneered multimodal transport and logistics connectivity with smart technology at our flagship Jebel Ali Port and Jebel Ali Free Zone [Jafza], home to 7,300 companies. It has tremendous capability to process and deliver cargo with remarkable efficiency and is an outstanding example of how important soft and hard infrastructure are to the socio-economic success of any nation. That experience is being applied to our other operations across the world."

On the sidelines of the summit, bin Sulayem met Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, and Carrie Lam, chief secretary for administration of the Hong Kong Government. He also visited Shenzhen and Qingdao as part of a Jafza roadshow to meet key customers and stakeholders.

During the Jafza roadshow seminars, bin Sulayem said: "In the modern world, there is a demand for faster, safer and more cost-effective transport of goods across the supply chain. Free zones need to plug into integrated logistics and coordinate with the supply chain community to ensure hinterland access which can be a major inhibitor of economic growth, especially in developing markets. Jafza is the largest free zone in the Middle East and North Africa and its success is based on its continuing ability to attract companies, encouraging them to grow by providing a supportive corporate governance, customs, legal and operational environment."

Bilateral trade between the UAE and China has more than doubled in the last five years, standing at almost $55 billion today. The UAE is also the largest Middle East market for Chinese goods, home to some 4,200 Chinese companies.

- business@khaleejtimes.com