Over 27,800 new member companies joined the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in 2021, a 66.8 percent increase compared to 2020, which brings the organization’s total membership to over 287,000.
In 2021, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce saw the return on investment of its digital transformation over the years. The Chamber processed more than 704,400 e-transactions during the year. It also succeeded in fully digitizing its core services by 100 percent, which enabled it to serve its members and customers remotely and efficiently.
The Chamber said it also achieved its goal of becoming 100 percent paperless by the end of 2021, representing an important milestone in its digital transformation mission.
The value of exports and re-exports of Dubai Chamber of Commerce members amounted to AED227 billion, and a total of 669,922 certificates of origin were issued by the organization last year.
Meanwhile, 4,495 ATA Carnets worth AED4.5 billion were issued and received by the Chamber. The ATA Carnet system is managed by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with Dubai Customs, facilitating the temporary entry of imports to Dubai.
Dubai Chamber reviewed 52 draft local and federal laws and ministerial decisions during 2021 to ensure a favorable business environment. The organization’s Legal Services department received 200 mediation cases, of which 175 were virtual mediation cases, while 66 cases were settled amicably.
Dubai Chamber said it continued exploring business opportunities in promising markets worldwide as it received 2,983 visiting delegations and met with over 6,800 delegates from 73 countries in 2021. A total of 85 business networking events were organized, attended by 15,000 businesspeople.
The Chamber’s 11 representative offices in Africa, Eurasia and Latin America held 2,398 virtual meetings with more than 4,052 investors interested in expanding its business network and activities to Dubai.
The Chamber’s external offices organized 39 virtual events, attended by 4,280 participants from around the world, and participated in 347 other events to promote Dubai as a global business hub, identify business opportunities, and build relationships with key stakeholders in promising markets.
Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, described 2021 as “an exceptional year for the business community in Dubai”.
He noted that the government’s effective measures and proactive policies put the emirate on a steady path of economic growth, with the biggest uptick in business activity felt within the tourism, hospitality, trade and retail sectors.
Al Ghurair added that the announcement of legislative reforms and measures to support the business sector will continue to boost Dubai’s value proposition among foreign investors and companies and enhance the emirate’s economic competitiveness in the global arena.