Ajman Chamber organizes the “Ajman - Indonesia” business forum with a view to enhancing joint cooperation and reviewing investment opportunities

1/8/2022

In cooperation with the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, the Ajman Chamber has organized the “Ajman - Indonesia” business forum. This Forum aims to enhance joint cooperation and review the opportunities and capabilities of the two countries in many sectors, including the textile and clothing sector. The forum also provides a direct channel of communication to increase cooperation between business owners from the two countries, which is in line with the Ajman Chamber's efforts to diversify its partnerships and economic cooperation with all countries. The Forum was held at Fairmont Ajman hotel and was attended by H.E. Salem Al Suwaidi, the Director-General of Ajman Chamber, H.E. K. Candra Negara, the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai, Mohamed Ali Al Janahi, the Executive Director of the Trade Development and International Relations, Nasser Al-Dhafri, the Executive Director of the Member Support and Innovation, Marwan Hareb, the Director of the Promotion and International Relations, and Khaled Al Shamsi, Director of the Economic Studies Administration at the Ajman Chamber. The Forum was also attended by Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamdan Al-Nuaimi, Director of the Exports and Investment Development Administration,.at Ajman DED. There were also several entities in Ajman that participated in the forum, including the Municipality and Planning Department, the Department of Economic Development, the Department of Tourism Development, the Ajman Free Zone, and a group of business owners, factories, and companies working in the clothing, spinning, and weaving fields. At the beginning of the Forum, H.E. Salem Al Suwaidi welcomed the attendees and stressed the importance of the Forum and its role in reviewing the opportunities and possibilities available in the two countries in the textile and clothing sector, explaining that the Emirate of Ajman is characterized by a leading group of clothing and textile factories, so that the clothing industry is one of the most prominent sectors that have steady growth and provide promising investment opportunities, which reflects the importance of this Business Forum and its role in opening new partnerships between the two countries.

The number of clothing, spinning and weaving factories in the Emirate reached 47 factories during the year 2021, with a growth rate of 13% compared to 2020, and the volume of the Ajman’s exports of clothing and textile products increased during the year 2021 with a growth rate of 43% compared to 2020. The markets importing the clothing factory products vary, with Saudi Arabia at the fore in the current list of countries, followed by the United States of America, Kuwait, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Al Suwaidi confirmed that the Emirate of Ajman, under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, the Ruler of the Emirate of Ajman and a member of the UAE Supreme Council, and H.H Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of the Ajman Executive Council, is keen to provide infrastructure and services of the highest quality and competitiveness to ensure sustainability and ease of doing business in order to promote the growth of the sectors of “commerce and industry tourism, education, health, and other sectors". On his part, H.E. K. Candra Negara, the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai, said that the Forum is an extension of strengthening economic relations between Indonesia and Ajman, especially in the presence of officials from government entities concerned with economic affairs and a group of business owners and workers form the textile and clothing sector. He added, "The Republic of Indonesia has a huge market in the field of clothing and fashion industry and trade, which will enhance cooperation in this vital field and open up prospects for partnership between business owners from the both countries."

The Forum included a presentation by the Ajman Free Zone, highlighting the opportunities and possibilities offered by the Ajman Free Zone to investors to ensure the ease of doing business. The Economic Development Department in Ajman (Ajman DED) reviewed the most prominent elements of investment in Ajman and the opportunities available in the emirate. The Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) gave a presentation to the audience about the emirate's pioneering tourism sector that is characterized by diversity and comprehensiveness. In addition, the Ajman Municipality and Planning Department reviewed "Heritage Route" project and its role in preserving heritage buildings in the region, increasingly attracting tourists to heritage areas, promoting cultural heritage tourism in the city, and creating new job opportunities.. The Forum’s activities included a review of a number of participating companies and factories and an overview of their products, with the aim of discussing partnership and cooperation opportunities and concluding potential deals between business owners. The attendees also stressed the importance of the Forum and its role in providing an effective channel to increase the existing economic cooperation between the two countries and an opportunity to intensify cooperation and partnership and increase the volume of intra-regional trade, especially in the clothing and textile sector. Mohamed Ali Al Janahi, the Executive Director of the Trade Development and International Relations, honored the participating parties in the Forum, and stressed the importance of intensifying future meetings, exchanging visits, and participating in events and exhibitions organized by the two countries. Al Janahi explained that the Ajman Chamber, in cooperation with all its partners in the economic affairs, welcomes all investors and business owners from the Republic of Indonesia and affirms its keenness to provide an attractive and supportive business environment. We also stress the need for continued direct communication, exchange of visits, and holding of specialized forums to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, provide channels for partnership, cooperation and exchange of deals between the business communities in Indonesia and Ajman.