Dubai DED marks 25 years of promoting diversification and supporting sustainable growth

Saturday 18 March 2017

Dubai – MENA Herald : The Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai along with its agencies – Dubai SME, Dubai Exports, and Dubai Investment Development Agency (Dubai FDI) – launched its Silver Jubilee celebrations after completing 25 years in regulating economic activity and supporting economic diversification and sustainable development in the emirate through enhancing ease of business, ensuring commercial compliance and consumer rights protection, supporting entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), promoting foreign trade and exports and attracting capital into knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven initiatives.

H. E. Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, said: “The economic boom in the UAE, and particularly in Dubai, embodies the leadership and directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the remarkable vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The future-oriented and proactive approach of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his readiness to explore opportunities overcome challenges and provide the necessary tools to achieve progress have been critical in positioning Dubai in the forefront as a city and a global economic hub”.

"The directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his unique leadership and teamwork have created an integrated and innovative system in Dubai where everyone works together to consolidate the emirate’s reputation as a globally preferred destination for investment.  It will lead to a prosperous and sustainable future in Dubai and make the emirate a premier hub for diverse economic activities and world-class services.”

Al Gergawi added: “I have seen the excellence march in the UAE progressing through rapid economic development over the past few decades. It was the product of a remarkable vision and great team efforts and the Department of Economic Development has played a unique role in this phase, reinforcing Dubai’s image as an investment destination, business hub and a global shopping capital.”

Al Gergawi also said he has had the privilege of working with the young founding team of DED. “I have also worked on a number of landmark initiatives and it has provided me with diverse experiences. I wish the Department of Economic Development further progress and prosperity as well as success in contributing towards a brighter future for Dubai."

H.E. Essa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre and Chairman of the Dubai Financial Market, said: "I am proud of the achievements of the DED over the past 25 years, especially in achieving the aspirations of the Government of Dubai to support quality and excellence as well as the application of best practices across all sectors in the UAE, being one of the team members who worked on the initiative”.

“The Business Excellence Awards of the Department of Economic Development serve as a performance metric of companies in Dubai and as a catalyst in the race for excellence. It also motivates others to adopt globally accepted quality standards and also promotes sustainable development principles in the business sector”, added Kazim.

H.E. Mohammed Ali Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties, said: "I congratulate the Department of Economic Development on celebrating its 25th anniversary and I am proud to be one of its founders along with a limited number of hard-working and committed individuals who adhered to the wise directives and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum."

Alabbar added: "The Department of Economic Development was the first government portal to offer services to businesses in diverse sectors. In 2015, DED was named the best government entity for showing the right path to sustainable development. Till date, DED has continued to serve the business community including investors, entrepreneurs and local manufacturers, through a series of value-added services as well as by promoting constructive public-private partnerships.”

H.E. Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of DED, commented: “Today we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of our mission to support economic diversification and enhance competitiveness across all levels in Dubai. We have made significant gains in this mission and launched varied initiatives that have enabled sustainable economic development built on a broad base of high-value-added economic activities.”

Al Qamzi said DED focuses on continuously developing the business environment to remain competitive in line with the world-class infrastructure in the emirate. “We are guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for Dubai to be the preferred place to live, work and visit as well as a smart and sustainable city and a pivotal hub of the global economy by 2021.”

Reiterating the need for co-ordination between all federal and local government entities to achieve the vision of the leadership, Al Qamzi said each entity has a role in improving competitiveness in the economic, social and environmental realms as well as in healthcare and education, which is critical to enhancing overall government efficiency and customer happiness.

“Over the past 25 years, DED has succeeded in developing a general framework for competitiveness. As a result, Dubai has continuously scored high across global competitiveness indicators and rankings. DED aspires to take comprehensive and sustainable development in Dubai to new stages of growth and prosperity based on innovation and high productivity, of both capital and labour, in an environment best suited for doing business,” stated Al Qamzi.

DED was named the best among medium entities in the Dubai Government Excellence Awards 2012.  In 2017, DED became an EFQM Recognised for Excellence (R4E) certified organisation. DED has also won the following certifications: ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), ISO 18001 (Health & Safety Management), ISO 10001 (Customer Service Charter), ISO 10002 (Customer Complaints Management), ISO 10004 (Customer Satisfaction Assessment), ISO 27001 (Information Security), CEN TS 16555 (Innovation Management Standards).

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