Sharjah to highlight emirate’s growing business potential to Dutch investors

SHARJAH / WAM

A high-level trade delegation from Sharjah, representing its government’s key investment and business entities, will travel to Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands on a two-day trade mission to introduce Dutch investors to new business opportunities in a variety of sectors including logistics, tourism, environment, healthcare, education, media and digital productions, and offer them keen industry insights about the fast-growing business environment of Sharjah.
The visit organised by Invest in Sharjah – the investment promotion agency of the emirate – is a follow up to the business roundtable this February, where Sharjah hosted over 150 Dutch investors, representing a mix of existing businesses based out of the emirate as well as business owners who travelled from the Netherlands to explore areas of interests.
On May 8, first day of the visit, the delegation is scheduled to meet representatives from key innovation hubs and centers in the city of Amsterdam, including the Science Park; the Marineterrein, a historic hub known for its cultural, maritime and commercial functions, and is growing in significance as an innovative testing ground for Amsterdam and cities worldwide; Growth Tribe, which is Europe’s first growth hacking academy; and Yes!Delft, a start-up incubator that supports entrepreneurs in building and growing technology companies.
On May 9, Invest in Sharjah is organising the “Sharjah Netherlands Business Seminar”, slated to take place at the Hilton Rotterdam Le Jardin Venue in Rotterdam. Participating at the business seminar are Saeed Ali Yousef Alnowais, UAE, Ambassador to Netherlands; as well as the high-level representatives and participants from the Sharjah delegation, and top Dutch investors based in Sharjah and the Netherlands.

Shedding light on the importance of the visit, Mohammed Juma’a Al Musharrkh, CEO, Invest in Sharjah, said: “After a hugely successful business roundtable with the Netherlands in February this year, we are gearing up for what Sharjah believes will be a great opportunity to meet and connect with industry leaders in the Netherlands, a nation with which Sharjah the UAE’s trade relationships were forged more than 60 years ago. We are always looking at ways to optimise the relationship at a higher level, and partnerships in key sectors like healthcare, maritime, food and water sustainability, in which the Dutch represent some of Europe’s best, can be instrumental in driving sustainable and positive growth in both nations.”
“Currently, around 150 Dutch businesses are based out of Sharjah and we are keen on growing this number substantially. At the roundtable event, we discussed with our Dutch counterparts that positive, practical steps will be taken to open viable investment opportunities for Dutch businesses to either grow or enter in the Sharjah business community. This visit will be the first in a series of new efforts we are planning in the direction,” he added.
The Rotterdam visit comes as part of the continuous drive by Invest in Sharjah to collaborate with overseas private and public organisations in order to boost the emirate’s visibility and foreign investment appeal, increasing international awareness of Sharjah’s potential as a target for international businesses.