The most effective ways of enhancing business between Sharjah and Portugal were high on the agenda at a key meeting organised by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in collaboration with AICEP Portugal Global Trade and Investment Agency.

More than 50 business stakeholders attended the premium roundtable event, which was held at Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and which brought together senior dignitaries from Sharjah’s business community and representatives from successful Portuguese companies based in the UAE.

Welcome addresses from the hosts were given by Khalid bin Butti Al Hajri, Director General, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Marwan Al Sarkal, CEO, Shurooq. The event was also attended by Dr. Jose Andrade de Lemos, Ambassador of Angola in the UAE. UAE-based representative for the visiting delegation, Eng. Manuel Couto Miranda, Trade Commissioner, Portuguese Embassy in Abu Dhabi, spoke of the mutually rewarding relationship that his European country and the UAE emirate enjoys.

Eng. Manuel Couto Miranda expressed his view on the strategic value behind the relationship between Portugal and the UAE, and said, "Two years ago, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) signed an agreement with Aicep Portugal for scaling up avenues of joint cooperation in industrial and technological sectors. This prominently increased their bilateral trade and resulted with one of the most successful and diverse Portuguese companies in the UAE. We are proud to announce that 575 UAE-based Portuguese companies are successfully conducting businesses and investments in multiple sectors such as technology, trade, manufacturing, garments and health. We are here today to build on this monumental success hoping to expand our businesses across all emirates."

"As the most diversified economy in the UAE, Sharjah occupies a unique position within the country. Its many attractions and its economic and tourism investment opportunities are enhanced by sophisticated infrastructure and advanced communications networks that allow for easy access to local and international markets. Sharjah’s diversified economy now includes multiple tourism projects which have attracted millions of dollars’ worth of investments. These projects have allowed investors to be pioneers with their products and services and to grow their profitability in niche markets," said Marwan Al Sarkal, CEO, Shurooq.

Following a short film presentation about Sharjah’s success stories, which profiled the most prominent investment sectors for the Portuguese business community, including arts, heritage, industry, trade, environment, tourism, hospitality, leisure, family entertainment and education, a panel discussion was held. Fielding the questions at the forum were Mohamed Al Musharrkh, Deputy Director of Sharjah FDI; Mohamed Almahmoud, Commercial Director, Sharjah Airport International Free Zone; Fahad Shehail, Chief Development Officer, Bee’ah; Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Muhairi, Director, Sharjah Health Authority; Ahmed Al-Suwaidi, Head of Commercial Investment Section, Sharjah Economic Development Department and Lurdes Eusebio, Managing Director of the successful UAE-based Portuguese business, the First International Business.

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