Reach out to businesses: Mohammed

DUBAI — Dubai is initiating more measures to ensure swifter and prompt services to businesses as part of an ongoing drive to enhance its attraction as a sought-after global investor haven.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday urged the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DDED) to reach out to the clientele and save the time of the business establishments by offering them services in their own places.

Shaikh Mohammed, who inaugurated the new headquarters of the DDED on Monday, asked officials to initiate new mechanism to deliver various services to corporate clients at their premises instead of requiring them to travel to the offices of the department to avail of such services.

Investors and businessmen on Monday welcomed the new initiative of delivering “services at the doorsteps” as a further testimony to Dubai’s commitment to foster a business-friendly environment. The new initiative underscores Dubai’s unrivalled track record for innovation and reforms to reinforce its status as a global business hub, they said.

Over the past few weeks, Dubai has launched a series of measures to improve its business environment. These include a new legislation enacted last week to regulate economic activities in order to ensure a more conducive environment for doing business and attracting investments.

The law seeks to create a single-window system to ensure smoother and faster licensing procedures as well as increased coordination among various competent authorities and the provision of accurate and transparent information through the latest technologies.

Shaikh Mohammed had also urged the Dubai Chamber of Commerce officials to come up with constructive ideas and initiatives, including more attractive incentives and facilities to draw greater number of international companies to Dubai.

During a visit to the Dubai Lands Department, Shaikh Mohammed had asked officials to come up with creative and feasible initiatives to boost the national economy.

On Monday, after inaugurating the new DDED headquarters, Shaikh Mohammed toured its various sections accompanied by Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and the Group; Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of the Ruler’s Court; Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality and other senior officials.

He listened to a presentation given by the Director-General of the Department Samy Dhaen Al Qamzi on the new procedures being introduced to ease up various transactions through the customer centres in different locations.

Later, the department’s officials also briefed Shaikh Mohammed on the new facilities and technologies being introduced to speed up services to the clients.

issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE