The Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, SCCI, HE Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, underlined the Chamber’s commitment to communicating with the local business community through the sectoral business groups, in order to get acquainted with the latest developments, provide the necessary support to curb Covid-19 consequences on the economic activity, improve the sustainable performance of companies, and maintain business growth and stability.

Al-Owais made the statement during a virtual meeting held in the presence of the heads and deputies of the Chamber's sectoral business groups, HE Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al-Awadi, SCCI Director-General, Jamal Bu Zinjal, Head of Media Department, and representatives from the industry, hotels, hotel apartments, shopping centers, used cars trade, foodstuffs, and real estate sectors.

The meeting touched on the most important issues and challenges facing the different sectoral groups and the private sector, with the aim of providing the necessary support and enable the private sector companies to pursue its activities under the current circumstances.

 Al-Owais underlined that Covid-19 has already inflicted huge damage on economics around the world, emphasizing his confidence in the national economy and its ability to get through the crisis, thanks to the unstinting support of the wise leadership by launching stimulus packages and initiatives that gave the private sector greater flexibility. This is manifested in the positive indicators of some sectors during the last four months.

Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al-Awadi pointed to the SCCI’s commitment to supporting the private sector by consolidating the concept of cooperation and joint coordination between sectoral business groups and the Chamber's strategic partners from the government sector, stressing that the SCCI will continue to work with its partners to develop practical solutions and more effective choices for companies and investors to deal with the current circumstances.

Lalu Samuel, Chairman of the Representative Committee of the Industry Sector Business Group, shed light on the industrial reality in Sharjah and the Chamber's substantial role in overcoming challenges and developing effective solutions. He threw light on the most prominent challenges faced by the industrial sector, such as the impact of Covid-19 on air freight, the disruption of money transfers flow, and the inability of companies to export and import industrial equipment.

Saeed Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Representative Committee of the Real Estate Sector Business Group, said: “Since last July until now, Sharjah’s real estate sector has begun its rapid recovery process, where the percentage of leaving residential and commercial units did not exceed 5%.”

Al Suwaidi implored the Real Estate Registration Department to establish a subordinate body to regulate work between the landlords and the real estate developers, in order to preserve the rights of all parties.

Dr. Faisal Al Naqbi, Vice Chairman of the Representative Committee for the Real Estate Sector, shed light on some of the Covid-19 repercussions, such as the suspension of real estate financing by banks and the high government fees. Hoda Al Mazmi, a member of the representative committee of the shopping centers sector business group, called for the resumption of recreational activities in shopping centers and the launch of further promotional offers to stimulate and boost sales.

Khaled Omar Mohammed Batarfi, Chairman of the representative committee of the Car Trade Sector Business Group, called for the need to regulate the traffic of car sales through licensed channels, through the activation of the standard contract. Salima Hallaq and Hisham El-Din Hisham, members of the representative committee of the Hotel and Hotel Apartments Sector Business Group, called for the need to reduce operational costs and government fees because this would greatly contribute to easing burdens and finding solutions to many challenges. Mustafa Al-Hussaini, head of the representative committee of the foodstuff trade and industry sector business group, called for the need to develop policies and programs supportive of local food products.