(Washington, D.C.) — The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted Hussain Al Mahmoudi, the Director General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI), for a luncheon and roundtable discussion on Tuesday, June 7th in Washington, D.C.  The event was attended by representatives from the private and public sectors with interests in business development in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.).

Following introductory remarks from U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright, Mr. Al Mahmoudi gave a keynote presentation which provided a comprehensive overview of the emirate of Sharjah.  Mr. Al Mahmoudi underscored the value proposition of doing business in and conducting business from Sharjah, citing its affordable office space and central geographic location as two key advantages.

In his presentation, Mr. Al Mahmoudi noted that the intellectual and cultural atmosphere in Sharjah provided foreign companies with an open, dynamic environment in which to conduct business. He stressed SCCI’s interest in developing local entrepreneurs, human capital, and commercial best practices.

Furthermore, Mr. Al Mahmoudi emphasized that Sharjah’s reputation as a tourism and cultural hub and the Emirate’s dedication to sustainable development supports the cultivation of successful regional business and human capital development, especially for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

According to Mr. Al Mahmoudi, Sharjah currently hosts 35% of the U.A.E.’s industry and boasts 18% of the national population.  Additionally, the Emirate is home to two ports, nineteen industrial zones, and the largest American university in the region.

Mr. Hussain Al Mahmoudi, Director General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Left), stands with Danny Sebright, U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President

Following Mr. Al Mahmoudi’s presentation, guests engaged in an exchange about the business climate in Sharjah and the potential for further coordination among the seven emirates at the federal level with regard to infrastructure development.

Mr. Al Mahmoudi also introduced an SCCI initiative that would entail opening an American national trade center in Sharjah. This center would host SMEs from the United States and provide them with a hub for conducting business in the U.A.E., the broader Middle East, and the Eastern hemisphere. He asked for feedback regarding the value proposition of the initiative and said that he had shared the idea with the U.S. Commerce Department, private companies, and non-profits that he had met with during the first two days of his visit to the U.S., and had received positive encouragement about the value of such an initiative.

The luncheon provided guests with exposure to one of Sharjah’s senior business leaders and insight into the sustainable development initiatives of the Emirate.

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For mor information about the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, please visit:http://www.sharjah.gov.ae/EN/Pages/default.aspx