Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) concluded its activities for 2006 with various distinguished achievements in credit, most important of which was launching the new electronic service system that aimed at facilitating the commercial transactions handled by the Chamber for its members.

Throughout 2006, the DCCI continued its support to Dubai business community through organizing and sponsoring a number of overseas trade exhibitions and economic forums, several local and international seminars and conferences, receiving presidents, ministers and high-ranking trade missions from allover the world. With 2006 reaching its end, the number of DCCI's members increased by 10.5% and reached 87829 members, compared to 79470 in 2005.

The DCCI was keen that each of its departments carried out its scheduled work plan towards the major goal of offering its members with the best quality services and facilitating the implementation of all their transactions online to save the clients' time and effort. Providing services online by the DCCI was largely involved with issuing the certificates of origin which increased by 14.3% in 2006, compared to 2005, as well as a 25.6% rise in the total value of these certificates.

In the line of the DCCI's vision and role in supporting businessmen and investors in Dubai, and for ensuring the legality of commodities exported and re-exported by Dubai traders, Engineer Hamad Buamim, DCCI Director General, said that the commercial services department has issued 477763 Certificates of Origin in 2006, compared to 417844 in 2005, recording an increase of 14.3%, whereas the total value of the commodities exported and re-exported by Dubai according to the Certificates of Origin issued in 2006 reached AED 121.5 billion, compared to AED 96.7 billion in 2005, recording a rise of 25.6%.

'The increase in the number of value of the Certificates of Origin issued by the DCCI in 2006 reflects the growth of Dubai economy and the efforts paid by the DCCI in coping with this development through its continued support and services to the local business community,' said Buamim.

'Fulfilling its general annual plan for 2006, the DCCI completed in last October the first stages of installing its new electronic service system which enables members, businessmen and exporters to issue their Certificates or Origin, register at the Chamber or renew their memberships online,' he added. Buamim pointed out that the DCCI has also supported the establishment of the new Spanish Business Council bringing the total number of business councils that operate under the umbrella of the DCCI to 34 representing the interests of foreign businessmen of various nationalities operating in Dubai.

The DCCI also set up the Advocates and Legal Consultants Business Group bringing the total number of the DCCI's business groups to 19 through which the Chamber increases its members working in different economic sectors, as well as establishing new links between these groups and the authorities concerned to help overcome obstacles that hinder the development of their businesses.