Dubai to host global conference of trade promotion groups

Dubai will bring together the best minds leading trade and economic development strategies worldwide at the 10th Trade Promotion Organisations, or TPO, Network World Conference and Awards, held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

The conference and the awards ceremony, organised by Dubai Exports, the export promotion agency of the Department of Economic Development, in partnership with the International Trade Centre, or ITC, will be held from November 3 to 5 in Dubai.

The first of its kind to be held in the Middle East, the three-day event will host more than 200 experts from TPOs, trade support institutions and academia, and will focus on innovative solutions that support small and medium enterprises in increasing their export competitiveness.

A particular emphasis of the event will be on the economic empowerment of women and export promotion.

Shaikh Hamdan said the event will be a major milestone along the UAE’s journey towards a successful World Expo 2020. “A unique feature of the UAE is its ability to connect people and their ideas as is evident in our location, infrastructure, policies and development strategies. As a result the nation has remained a major destination for meetings and events, a fact that has been reaffirmed by the international community when Dubai was chosen to host Expo 2020,” said Shaikh Hamdan.

“Dubai has also continued to energise trade along its history. Its focus on promoting business and economic diversification has seen the emirate’s non-oil trade crossing Dh1 trillion in the first nine months of 2013 alone as against Dh918 billion for the same period in 2012.”

The 2014 TPO Network Awards will be announced at a gala dinner on the first night of the conference. The call for applications for the awards will be announced during the first quarter of 2014 and the details will be posted on the website TPOnetwork.net

The ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations.

It assists SMEs in developing and transition economies in becoming more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the Millennium Development goals.

— business@khaleejtimes.com