Sharjah, Portugal eye stronger economic ties

SHARJAH, 21st September, 2021 The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has received a high-level Portuguese delegation, headed by Eurico Brilhante Dias, Portugal's Secretary of State for Internationalisation, to discuss strengthening economic relations between Sharjah and Portugal. The delegation was received by Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the SCCI, in the presence of Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of the Sharjah Chamber. The meeting explored areas of cooperation and the importance of organising joint programmes that serve the interests of their business communities, as well as a trade mission to Portugal in 2022 to enhance economic, trade and investment ties. Al Owais welcomed the delegation and pointed to the depth of relations between Sharjah and the Portuguese business community, thanks to the mutual visits of official and commercial delegations, which culminated with the launch of the first Portuguese Business Council in Sharjah in January 2021, in addition to organising the Sharjah-Portugal Business Forum in cooperation with the Aicep Portugal Global last June. The SCCI Chairman showcased before the Portuguese delegation Sharjah's economic growth and future projects across all sectors and invited Portuguese businessmen and companies to invest in Sharjah and participate in relevant international events, as they provide invaluable opportunities to forge partnerships with UAE companies and institutions. Dias, in turn, expressed his country's eagerness to enhance trade relations with Sharjah, noting its keenness to tap into SCCI's leading distinctive experiences in supporting its local business community and attracting foreign investment. He also invited the SCCI to visit Portugal's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, which will provide a leading platform to organise meetings between the business communities of both countries. Dias extended an invitation to Emirati bodies and companies working in the field of port operation to visit the port of Lisbon, describing it "as one of the most essential European ports, through which the most important maritime communications across the Atlantic Ocean take place." The meeting was attended by Marta Costa, the Portuguese Assistant Minister of State for Globalisation; Francesca Guedes de Oliveira, Deputy Commissioner-General of the

Portuguese delegation participating in Expo 2020 Dubai; Daniel Pontas, Economic Adviser at the Portuguese Embassy in the country; Jamal Said Bouzanjal, Head of the Media Department at SCCI, and Fatima Al Mokarrab, Director of International Relations Department at SCCI.