DHDA Workshop

Dubai, 27 July, 2010: The Business Excellence Centre at the Department of Economic Development (DED) organised a 2-day workshop on the Dubai Human Development Award (DHDA), for potential applicants this year. The workshop was intended to facilitate the application process by helping companies in conducting a self assessment and then preparing their submission content.

The initiative is part of promoting the cause of national human resources development and ensuring that nationals are provided with an adequate environment for growth and development within organisations.

Mr Alaa Garad, CEO, International Performance Excellence Company, who led the workshop, presented an overview of the criteria for evaluation developed by the advisory body, the application process and other aspects pertaining to the award. More than 18 representatives from major private sector companies participated in the workshop, which was followed by a debate where all questions relating to the award were discussed.

“The Dubai Human Development Award assumes great significance in view of the growing number of young UAE nationals joining the workforce and the increasing challenges to Emiratisation,” said Mohammed Bushanain, Executive Director of the Business Excellence Centre. “The award promotes close co-operation between the government and private sector and encourages companies and establishments operating in Dubai to evaluate and reiterate their commitment to national human resources development.”

The DHDA is open to all UAE-based establishments in the private and government sectors that invest in national human resources and facilitate their growth and development within their organisation. The last date for receiving submission documents for the award is 31 October, 2010.

DHDA is given in three categories – The Dubai Human Development Appreciation Programme (DHDAP), The Dubai Human Development Award and the Gold Category. The award covers a range of economic sectors including trade, manufacturing, construction, professional, services, tourism, healthcare, higher education, financial services and government.

Applications will be evaluated by a team of experts, who will conduct site visits and prepare detailed assessment reports highlighting the existing best practices and the areas for improvement in each company. The examiners evaluate applications on the basis of four criteria - commitment (20 per cent), process (45 per cent), results (29 per cent) and contribution to society (six per cent).

Business Dashboard

Dubai, 20 July, 2010: The Department of Economic Development (DED), today, introduced a new ‘Business Dashboard’ on its website, www.dubaided.gov.ae. The initiative is part of DED’s efforts to help businesses and investors save time and effort by completing the business registration process swiftly and at their convenience on-line.

In addition to a new segment, ‘Business Pulse’, which gives an overview of the current economic and business trends, ‘Business Dashboard’ serves as a one-stop facility for a range of business services. These include reserving the trade name, renewal of trade name reservation, updating the trade license data, free re-printing of the trade license, renewal of licenses, enquiries about the status of the transaction, and electronic payment. The most recent service added is electronic initial approval of licenses permits for most activities.

The site also provides a “Step by step” service, electronic newsletters and “Rasaeli”, which allows investors to contact DED staff through an account on the website. Investors can also inquire about the commercial activities, the number of licenses issued as per activity, the addresses of companies, and the estimated fees for the issuance of a license or its renewal.

Mohammed Shael, CEO, Business Registration and Licensing Division, DED, said: “The new ‘Business Dashboard’ will simplify several licensing procedures and further ease the process of setting up businesses with the minimum of procedures and paperwork. It is in line with our strategic objective of creating an investor-friendly environment and encouraging investors to regard Dubai as their investment destination of choice.”

In line with DED’s objective to make doing business easier, the website will soon introduce other interactive and innovative sections such as the ‘eGuide’ with explanatory video clips of high-sound quality to assist customers in identifying the nature of the service, as well as illustrations that outline the various steps. The ‘eGuide’ service will be available later this year – to complement DED’s move to its new premises in Business Village.

DED’s business registration system is expected to be linked with other government departments and some private companies such as banks, insurance companies and real estate companies to assist investors in obtaining information on all key aspects of the economy from a single source.

Mr Omar Bushahab, CEO, Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division

Dubai, July 14, 2010: The Department of Economic Development (DED) has urged all outlets in the Emirate to display the contact details that will enable customers to promptly report concerns about consumer rights.

All outlets, including shops and restaurants, must display these details in a prominent position from July 18, 2010, Sunday. They will have a three-month period to implement the new policy, and outlets that fail to adhere to it will be fined from October 18, 2010.

This initiative is aimed at strengthening communication with consumers and retailers, and underscores DED’s continuous efforts to strengthen awareness on consumer rights among the public.

“The owners of the outlets can print the data related to consumer rights by visiting the website www.consumerrights.ae, and downloading the document under the heading, ‘Campaign slogan’. The document must be placed in a clear visible area behind the cash counters in both Arabic and English. They also can re-print the data as posters or billboards, provided that the size should at least be A4, and the font size used not less than that of the original document,” said Omar Bushahab, CEO, Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division, DED.

“The objective of this regulation is to strengthen our communication with consumers and retailers regarding the framework of laws about consumer rights. The Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection Division strives to ensure high levels of consumer satisfaction by protecting their interests in every possible way,” added Bushahab.

The website provides specific instructions for consumers, including general information specifying the areas where DED or any other concerned government departments can help consumers. It also presents extracts regarding the UAE’s directives on Consumer Law No. (24) 2006, the responsibilities of consumers, shopping advice, and point to consider before making complaints on purchases. The site includes steps to help resolve the problems of consumers with retailers.

The Department of Economic Development has also adopted a new mechanism to connect with consumers and ensure their requirements and complaints are addressed adequately. Consumers can register a complaint at DED by sending an email to consumerrights@dubaided.gov.ae, or by calling Ahlan Dubai on +971 600 545555.

Dubai, 22 June, 2010: The Dubai Department of Economic Department (DED) will undertake regular business surveys to track the level of economic activity in the previous and oncoming quarters of the year.

The survey will cover the manufacturing, service, and retail sectors including all micro, small and medium sized enterprises which constitute about 98.5% of the firms in the economy of Dubai. Six types of surveys are planned including: Exporter Confidence Survey; SME Sentiment Survey; Retail Trends Survey; Construction and Real Estate Confidence Survey; Industrial Production Survey and the Survey of Purchasing and Supply Chain Managers.

The surveys will complement the existing data collected by various governmental bodies along with outlooks by companies, and help decision makers to develop strategies and policies including near term economic forecasts for their research, business or investment purposes. The surveys also seek to create a platform to understand and analyze the changes that have taken place or are due to happen in the business sector.

Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director General for Economic Sector Development at DED, said: “These surveys will provide DED and its agencies with a clearer and stronger understanding of the key economic sectors along with early warning indications of future business trends. The surveys will thus facilitate the incorporation of real-time business expectations into the economic forecasting models of Dubai”.

“This fits in with our overall objective of designing more effective investment and business policies, promotion strategies and services that respond to the everyday needs of the business community, as well as to formulate a viable business strategy for the emirate,” added Mr Ali.

The survey questionnaires will be sent to senior managers and owners of enterprises using the corporate register of the Dubai Department of Economic Development and Free Zones. DED has urged all firms to actively participate in the survey and thus benefit from the results.

The survey methodology has been developed using established benchmarks that facilitate a drilling down of data to individual component parts. For instance, the business activity is classified based on the International Standard Industry Classification (ISIC) implying that decision makers can obtain the data relating to individual activity and thus allowing for cross sector comparisons.

Dr Ashraf Mahate, who designed the surveys and is heading the project, said: “Once we have conducted the surveys a couple of times, we will have sufficient data to develop an index for each category. This index will allow decision makers to gauge the on–the- ground activity on a regular

• www.dubaided.gov.ae adjudged best among 27 websites of government entities

Dubai, 8 May, 2010: The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) website (www.dubaided.gov.ae) has been adjudged as the ‘Best Government Website’ by Dubai E-Government.

The DED website was selected for its ease of navigation, customer-friendly initiatives and regularly updated information from 27 websites of government entities in Dubai.

In the Dubai Government Websites 4th Annual Evaluation and Status Report 2009, the DED website showed a marked increase in scores with overall impression scoring 96 per cent last year compared to 69 per cent in 2008. The look and feel of the website scored 98 per cent compared to 70 per cent in 2008; content won 96 per cent marks (70 per cent in 2008) and website design scored 94 per cent, compared to 66 per cent earlier.

Among the key evaluation parameters were applying department page header & footer standards; and the availability of bilingual website link; link to a homepage; link to Dubai.ae at a consistent location in the page header; Contact Us information and feedback form; search tool; copyright information; page last modified information; site map; security and privacy policies and terms & conditions and disclaimer.

Information on physical location of the office, the choice of the domain name; ease of accessing information; availability of vision, mission & objectives; quality of language; use of metadata; links to synergetic services; online website survey; ease of navigation; size of home page; color schemes; standards of font size; availability of navigation bar throughout the website; and compatibility with other browsers, among other parameters.

His Excellency Mr Sami Al Qamzi, Director General, DED, honored the staff members of the Information Technology Department for their contribution in upgrading and maintaining the website.

“The honor from Dubai E-Government for the DED website is a testament to the best practices followed by our IT department and our commitment to offer swift and tech-savvy solutions for our customers. Hosting a vibrant website is extremely crucial for DED, as we work towards strengthening the economic growth of Dubai. The website is the first point of entry for potential investors from around the world as well as a convenient way for domestic customers to access all their services,” said Mr Al Qamzi.

The website, upgraded regularly, is based on a customized content management system that allows all departments of DED to publish up-to-date information swiftly and efficiently.

Mr Abdulla Hassan, DED’s IT Executive Director, added: “The website is the online identity of DED, and it is important that we uphold the same level of efficiency that characterizes the department’s operations. It offers visitors a user-friendly interface that promotes ease of navigation and strong interactivity, whereby customer queries are addressed promptly.”

The website offers information about DED’s various services including eServices, and also links to its core agencies – the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment, the Dubai Export Development Corporation, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development, and Foreign Investment Office. There are feedback forms also for visitors to express their views.

Delegation comprises chief executives of trade and investment promotion agencies and business leaders from Dubai

Dubai, 2 May, 2010: The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) is leading a high-level Trade Mission under the leadership of His Excellency Mr Sami Dhaen Al Qamzi, Director-General of DED, to South America to strengthen bilateral trade and highlight the investment opportunities in Dubai.

The week-long campaign, being promoted as ‘Dubai – An Economic Hub and your Gateway to MENASA’, will cover Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, three of the fastest-expanding economies in South America that have steadily enhanced their trade relations with the United Arab Emirates in recent years.

Launching the Trade Mission in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Al Qamzi said the initiative will enable entrepreneurs and investors from the fast-growing markets in South America and the UAE to network and explore opportunities for partnerships and business expansion.

“Today, South America has some of the fast-emerging economies in the world, and has a wealth of natural resources, high levels of literacy and a booming middle class. Businesses in these economies are exploring opportunities to grow further and expand into new markets,” Al Qamzi said.

”Dubai offers a strategic gateway for South American businesses to reach out to the wider markets in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, as well as the easiest transit route to Europe. Dubai historically has provided an ideal growth platform for entrepreneurs from all over the world,” he added.

Chief executive officers of the Dubai Export Development Corporation and the Foreign Investment Office, both agencies of the DED, are part of the Trade Mission to facilitate networking and provide South American investors with an overview of the investment climate and trade provisions in Dubai.
 
“The Government of Dubai has embarked on a series of initiatives in the business, investment and regulatory spheres to reinforce the city’s reputation as a financial and trading hub. Our objective is to ensure sustainable economic development in Dubai and the UAE by developing economic policy and regulations, identifying strategic growth sectors and providing efficient services to local and international investors,” Al Qamzi said.

The Trade Mission also comprises senior officials from Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai World Central, Economic Zones World, Jebel Ali Freezone Authority, Emirates Airline and Emirates NBD, to facilitate networking and provide South American investors with an overview of the business environment and opportunities here in Dubai.

The mission will spend two days each in Brazil, Argentina and Chile starting from May 3rd to May 11th. The first day’s programme includes presentations by the delegates from Dubai and their counterparts in the host country, followed by site tours on the second day.

Dubai, 1 May, 2010: The Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-operate in the inception of public joint stock companies, and simplify, facilitate and develop the necessary procedures for the licensing of securities companies in Dubai.

The MoU also includes co-ordination in the fields of training and exchange of expertise. The initiative is part of efforts to serve the national economy and enhance the UAE’s investment environment by bringing in greater transparency and promoting stronger corporate governance standards.

His Excellency Mr Abdullah Salim Al-Turifi, Chief Executive of SCA and His Excellency Mr Sami Al Qamzi, Director General, DED, signed the agreement. Officials from SCA and DED attended the signing ceremony held recently at the DED headquarters in Deira.

As per the agreement, the two parties will be linked electronically to issue and renew trade licenses for public joint stock companies and securities companies, to exchange information and data related to Dubai’s Annual General Meetings, and to provide data related to the procedures of issuing shares, debt bonds and Islamic Sukuk whether at inception or at later stages.

DED will obtain SCA’s final approval before issuing licences to joint stock companies and companies operating in the field of securities. DED will also take all necessary measures to stop the commercial activity of these companies within the law, at the request of SCA.

His Excellency Mr Al-Turifi said the MoU falls under SCA’s regulatory and operational duties. He said: “The agreement with DED is a model of partnership between federal and local bodies that aim at strengthening government services in the UAE and Dubai, to cope with the global changes. It will contribute to enhancing cooperation between SCA and DED in facilitating and developing the necessary procedures to grant licences swiftly and efficiently, taking into account all legal, regulatory and technical aspects of issuing the licences”.

He said that the agreement will reflect positively on licence issuance for companies operating in securities and boost the UAE’s investment environment.

His Excellency Mr Sami Al Qamzi said: “The Department of Economic Development is responsible for planning and enhancing the overall economic performance of the emirate, in line with the objectives of Dubai Strategic Plan. SCA plays a key role in the establishment and licensing of public shareholding companies and those operating in the field of securities. The MoU will help to bring in more transparency, implementation of stronger corporate governance standards and operational efficiencies, and thus benefit the overall economy.”

The joint agreement also includes organizing the records of public joint stock companies to ensure accuracy of data. DED will contribute to the inspections of companies at per SCA’s request, exchange experiences, studies and reports and in training the staff.

Dubai, April 28, 2010: The Business Excellence Centre at the Department of Economic Development (DED) conducted two self-assessment workshops for companies that are potential participants in the 2010 cycle of the Dubai Quality Award (DQA). The workshops focused on conducting self-assessment of companies and the logistics involved in preparing a well-organized award submission document, based on the current European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) 2010 Excellence Model.

“Companies interested in applying for the Dubai Quality Award should take full advantage of the workshops that DED offers. These will help them to restructure their approach to the award and the submission document. Through the workshops, participants will be able to institute quality and excellence principles within their companies by assessing and enhancing their own strengths,” said Mr Mohammed Bushanain, Executive Director, Business Excellence Centre, DED.

“We recommend Self-Assessment as the first step to participate in the Dubai Quality Award because it enables companies to examine their existing strategies and working practices against the DQA criteria. This will help them to identify their strengths and areas for improvement,” added Mr Bushanain.

The DQA workshop was conducted by Mr Norman Hughes, Manager of Footloose Enterprises Ltd, UK, who focused on the use of the latest EFQM 2010 Excellence model, which helps organisations to improve their overall performance. “Dubai Quality Award model is considered by many as the quality roadmap for all organizations operating in the Emirate. This model motivates companies to measure, analyze, learn and improve their performances in all levels,” said Hughes.

“It is remarkable that DED has been able to develop the DQA model to integrate modern influences from across the world, thus enabling it to be on par with accepted international quality awards. The workshop was a significant step forward and proved to be an exciting and interactive event,” added Hughes.

Mr Bushanain called upon companies wishing to participate in the DQA to begin the process early and to focus on the journey to enhance their quality standards. “We would like to stress the importance of allowing sufficient ‘quality’ time for the preparation process. This would enable companies to establish skills that are vital in preparing a successful submission document,” he added.

More than 50 senior managers and executives representing different sectors of Dubai-based organizations including manufacturing, construction, finance, trading, higher education, healthcare, tourism and services, attended the workshops.

Dubai, April 27, 2010: The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) and Noor Islamic Bank (NIB) have signed a co-operation agreement to facilitate electronic payment of trade license fees through the bank’s multiple accredited channels across the Emirate.

This initiative is part of the efforts to enhance productivity, ensure added-value service to clients and attract more investors to do businesses in Dubai.

Mr Khalid Al Kassim, Deputy Director General for Services and Operations, DED; and Dr Ahmed Al Janahi, Deputy Group CEO at Noor Islamic Bank, signed the agreement. Officials from DED and NIB attended the signing ceremony held, recently, at DED headquarters in Deira.

As per the agreement, Noor Islamic Bank will provide DED with electronic systems services to facilitate the review of banking transactions and also present a weekly detailed report covering all details and procedures that took place during the preceding week.

“The agreement with Noor Islamic Bank, which has vast experience and expertise in supporting business growth initiatives, aims at enhancing Dubai’s economic growth by providing eServices that will strengthen the use of non-paper procedures and give customers the option of paying fees through NIB’s multiple accredited channels,” said Mr Al Kassim.

“The co-operation agreement with DED will contribute to enhancing the level of services provided to customers in line with the evolution of technology and to keep pace with Dubai’s fast economic development. Noor Islamic Bank is committed to enhance online payment services to strengthen trade licensing procedures in Dubai. The agreement will facilitate the faster and easier payment of trade license fees,” said Dr Al Janahi.

• FreightGate-5 serves as a template for carbon footprint reduction that could save Dubai 1.9 million tonnes of CO2 a year by 2020
• Energy efficient lighting leads the way in bringing energy efficiency to Dubai’s logistics sector

Dubai, April 20, 2010: The Department of Economic Development (DED) has led the initiative to transform a critical Dnata Cargo site - the FreightGate-5 airport cargo terminal - to develop the first carbon neutral warehouse in the Middle East. This will serve as a template for green warehousing across Dubai that, according to the estimates made during the study, can save 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually by 2020, equivalent to the current annual carbon footprint of some 60,000 UAE residents.

The path-breaking initiative is part of the agreement signed between DED and DHL earlier last year to develop logistics innovation initiatives that drive efficiencies within the logistics sector through better policy management. The carbon reduction initiative is one of the key work streams that is part of the longer City Logistics agreement inked by the two organisations.

One of the key stages in the carbon reduction plan was to convert a government owned and operated warehouse in Dubai to carbon neutral status and follow it up with research and development of blueprints for reducing carbon in warehousing and vehicles in the logistics sector. Over and above that, an initiative was also launched to conduct a carbon footprint assessment of the Emirate’s logistics sector and drive general awareness amongst businesses in the Emirate.

Built by Dnata Cargo, a premier air cargo handler in the region, less than three years ago, FreightGate-5 has a prominent and important role in the transit of freight and is easily accessible from the centre of the city. The ease of access was a prime consideration in choosing the site, which is about 13,000 sq m in area. Following the highest standards of resource-use efficiency, the upgrading will now lead to significant energy savings, with the investment of just under AED600, 000 to be paid back in two to four years. Each of the specific energy saving measures proposed for the warehouse was costed and then subjected to a standard business case approval process, in order to measure their financial viability in the UAE.

The upgrade implementation effort led by DHL Energy Performance & Management has resulted in savings in electricity used in the warehouse of between 36 and 40%, depending upon the implementation of ongoing energy reduction initiatives by the warehouse staff and the level of operational activity in the coming year.  This amounts to some 450 mega-watt hours a year, equivalent to 167 tonnes of carbon dioxide – that is 835 tonnes over the five year timeframe that the project took in its analysis of the warehouse.

Upgrading work included installation of state-of-the-art lighting systems, energy monitoring equipment, implementing solar powered lights and operational training of staff. Pacific Controls, a company focused on driving sustainable development initiatives, supplied the metering equipment and web-hosting technology for the new FreightGate-5 Energy Monitoring System.

His Excellency Mr Sami Al Qamzi, Director General, DED, said: “As a hub for trade in the region, Dubai’s logistics sector plays a vital role in the economy. Integrating the Emirate’s logistics sector with sustainable development best practices is imperative to drive further efficiencies, and will generate stronger demand for the logistics sector. The success of this initiative is also driven by support from Pacific Controls and Philips, highlighting Dubai’s capabilities in driving forward innovative practices.”

He added: “The carbon reduction project at FreightGate-5 demonstrates that significant improvements in energy usage can be achieved in the logistics sector. Improving energy efficiency will secure Dubai’s position as the world’s logistics hub of choice. In addition to contributing to the environment, this project – if replicated across the logistics sector – can bring about large cost savings, which can eventually be passed on to the supply chain, thus boosting operational efficiency.”

Gary Chapman, President Dnata, said: “Dnata has always been an innovator, actively supporting, and participating in, social and environmental initiatives. This is important to us. As the proud owners and operators of the Middle East’s first carbon neutral warehouse, FreightGate-5, we hope that this ‘first’ will inspire and motivate other companies to make the necessary improvements to their own premises.”

“The initiative necessitates government leadership, like the support extended by the Department of Economic Development and Dnata to drive a requirement for change in energy efficiency. The changes brought about at FreightGate-5 are achievable across the whole of Dubai’s logistics sector and can be done on a commercial basis without financial subsidy. Similar projects can achieve up to 50 per cent energy savings with payback windows of two to four years,” said Mr Peter Rusy, COO, DHL Energy Performance & Management.

The Dnata Cargo FreightGate-5 upgrade was based on the DHL Energy Performance & Management team’s experience with a wide range of warehouse types across the world, tested with software modelling.