Jafza looks to establish itself as focal point for international firms accessing regional markets

The inaugural Dubai–Osaka Economic Partnership Forum 2005, held recently in Osaka, Japan, has generated tremendous response from Japanese investors looking to tap the Middle East markets, with leading Japanese companies expressing keen interest in setting up operations in Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza). The Forum was attended by a diverse spectrum of blue chip Japanese companies from the manufacturing, electronics, real estate, infrastructure, construction, tourism and finance sector, with a large percentage hailing from the industrial sector.
The first Dubai-Osaka Economic Partnership Forum hosted a series of trade talks and seminars with the aim of increasing economic co-operation between the UAE and Japan. During the course of the event, H. E. Saeed Al Nouais, UAE Ambassador to Japan, invited all delegates to a reception hosted at the UAE embassy. The reception was aimed at facilitating interaction, and served to provide a preliminary base for future discussions.
Present at the reception were senior officials including H.E Qassim Sultan, Director General, Dubai Municipality and H. E. Abdulrahman al Motawi, Director General, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Senior Jafza officials including Salma Hareb, CEO of Jafza, Ibrahim Al Janahi, Vice President, Commercial Sales in Jafza, Jamal bin Marghoob, Manager for the Asia and Pacific Region, Gota Akai, Jafza representative in Japan, H.E Qassim Sultan, Director General, Dubai Municipality and H. E. Abdulrahman al Motawi, Director General, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Commenting on the event, Salma Hareb said, “The forum is a concrete step towards expanding the scope and depth of bilateral trade and investment between the two countries The UAE and Japan share a historically cordial relationship, and Japan was one of the first countries that the newly-formed UAE sought diplomatic and commercial ties with in 1971. The level of interest expressed by Japanese concerns at the Forum is truly heartening, and we feel that this co-operative avenue will serve to attract further investment to Jafza, and Dubai as a whole.”
Japan has assumed the position of the UAE’s third-largest partner in terms of trade quantity. Trade between the two countries in the non-oil sector is in excess of Dh13.4 billion, 66 percent of which is directed through Dubai. In 2004, Japanese export to the UAE grew by 27 percent, reaching US$4.6 billion (Dh16.882 billion,) while imports also rose by more than 28 percent to hit US$18.3 billion (Dh67.16 billion). The upward inclination in trade figures has continued through 2005.
Ibrahim Al Janahi said, “Our participation has resulted in increased awareness of Jafza’s logistical and infrastructural amenities among Osaka-based investors and businesses. Japanese firms are interested in leveraging Jafza’s excellent infrastructure, facilities, incentives and proximity to world-class air and sea ports in order to access burgeoning Middle East markets.’’
“The Dubai–Osaka Economic Partnership Forum was a concrete step in facilitating trade and furthering investment, and is certain to have a positive impact on the number of Japanese firms choosing Jafza as the base of their Middle Eastern operations. We are looking to encourage international manufacturing concerns to avail themselves of Jafza’s superior offerings in a bid to diversify a heavily trade-oriented Dubai economy,” Al Janahi added.
The Dubai–Osaka Economic Partnership Forum 2005, organized in accord with the twin cities trade facilitation agreement signed between Dubai and Osaka in 2002, was sponsored by Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), with Index Conferences and Exhibitions assuming the role of technical organizer.