Ajman DED achieves significant growth in H1 2021

The Department of Economic Development in Ajman (Ajman DED) has revealed the operational performance results for the first half of 2021, compared to the same period last year.

The results showed a significant increase in the number of new licences, with 2,271 new licences issued, a 117 per cent increase over the first half of 2020, where 1,047 new licences were issued, said an Ajman DED press release issued on Sunday.

The index of issuing commercial permits also increased by 29 per cent, with 24,612 commercial permits issued during the first half of 2021, compared to 19,116 permits issued during the first half of 2020.

Abdullah Ahmed Al Hamrani, director general of the Ajman DED, commented that the department, thanks to the leadership and its support for the economic sector through many economic incentives, was able to overcome the negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was apparent in the results.

"Consequently, Ajman became an emirate enjoying competitive capabilities, making it an ideal economic destination for the business and investment community," he said.

Al Hamrani added that it is expected to witness an increase in the volume of investments in the coming period due to recent amendments to the Companies Act, which allows foreign investors 100 per cent ownership in nearly 1,000 activities.

For his part, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Nuaimi, director of Business Development Division at Ajman DED, said the department is very keen to provide a favourable and motivating climate and a supporting investment environment for large, medium, and small entrepreneurs.

"Moreover, the department supports exporters and provides an enabling environment for exporting companies to grow their businesses and market their products locally and internationally. This was evident in the ability of Ajman DED to achieve a marked growth in the volume of exports of the emirate from around Dh782.7 million during the first half of 2020, to Dh1.022 billion as total export volumes during the first half of 2021, with an increase of 30 per cent," he added.

Regarding Ajman DED's efforts to support national human resources and citizen entrepreneurs, Al Nuaimi said that the department is doing its best to encourage and motivate citizens to engage in entrepreneurship. In 2020, the department launched the SME Development Programme, which attracted 1,322 members with an increase of 21 per cent during the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.

The Ajman DED also launched the Reyada Programme for home licences in early 2021, as the programme issued 114 licences for home entrepreneurship during the first half of this year, he noted.

Al Nuaimi added that the following activities have accounted for the largest share of the new licences: building maintenance activities, restaurants and snack sales (cafeteria), import and export, tailoring and making of women's clothing, retail of canned and preserved foodstuffs, hairdressing and shaving for men, interior design and decoration, and retail of ready-made women's clothing.

As for the Ajman DED support to entrepreneurs, especially SMEs, Al Nuaimi said that the value of fee exemptions provided by the department to members of both the SME Development Programme and the Reyada Programme during the first half of 2021 amounted to Dh1.03 million in addition to the indirect support by reducing the financial burden represented in preparing feasibility studies at the value of Dh234,000, the advisory support worth of Dh55,000, the marketing support of Dh23,500, as well as training courses and programmes where 18 training courses were held to enhance their skills.

Wam