Dubai to boost ties with 3,000 UAE-based Russian businesses

The Dubai-Russia trade in the first nine months of 2014 amounted to Dh7 billion, while in 2013, it scored Dh11 billion.

Dubai — As part of Irtibat, an initiative launched by Dubai Customs to nurture closer ties with foreign business communities based in the emirate, Dubai Customs received a delegation from the Russian Federation and Russian Business Council in Dubai.

The delegation also comprised representatives from Russian businesses based in Dubai.

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, along with Abdullah Al Khaja, executive director of the customer management division at Dubai Customs, and a host of DC senior officials, received the Russian delegation, headed by Gocha Buachidze, consul general of the Russian Federation in Dubai, and Dr Igor Egorov, chairman of the Russian Business Council in Dubai.

Stressing on Dubai Customs’ drive to promote stronger ties with the Russian diplomatic corps and business community, Musabih said: “The Dubai-Russia trade in the first nine months of 2014 amounted to Dh7 billion, while in 2013, it scored Dh11 billion. Facilitating business flow into the emirate comes in line with Dubai Plan 2021, which aims at setting a strong foothold for Dubai on the regional and global trade landscape.”

“Dubai Customs constantly seeks to enhance its relationships with foreign business sectors in support of Dubai’s economic growth. In light of the recently-launched Dubai Strategic Plan 2021, the emirate’s economic perspective consists in further facilitating business growth to uphold Dubai’s regional and global position as a hub of trade, travel and services — which will subsequently provide a strong and integrated basis in preparation for hosting World Expo 2020,” he said.

Musabih spoke about the role of the GCC Customs Union in developing trade between GCC states and international economic clusters. He said that Dubai provides a variety of investment platforms in compliance with investors’ needs, whether running Dubai-based businesses within the boundaries of the free zones or elsewhere in open market venues.