Sharjah Economic Development Department “SEDD” reviewed the most important developments and events witnessed by the economic sectors and the measures as well as efforts taken by the Department in all sectors and activities, during the first half of the current year 2022. This was done to provide a comprehensive tool for dealers in the economic sectors in Sharjah, and to familiarize them with the most important results achieved, in confirmation of its efforts aimed at achieving balanced and sustainable economic performance, and promoting business continuity in various fields.

Commenting on that, HE Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, SEDD Chairman, said that the data issued by the Department indicate a significant increase in the investment movement, especially in the issued licenses, which are indicators for sustainable growth for the economy of Sharjah. Likely, he pointed out that the issuance of these data is one of the important economic indicators that the Department relies on to study the economic situation in the emirate. In addition, HE stressed that SEDD’s strategic objective is to achieve a comprehensive development plan that promotes economic development in Sharjah, by developing services to match the highest international quality standards in terms of speed of delivery and access to dealers in the economic sector and investors in the emirate, and striving to complete transactions with ease.

Furthermore, HE clarified that Sharjah provides many incentives that contribute to enhancing the continuity of development in various fields, which enhanced the economic and industrial sectors in the emirate. He carried on that SEDD continuously works on number of sectors through the continuous development of the business environment. This is done by adopting matchmaking between business, using the latest systems and technologies such as the smart investor, relying on partners, applying government, and adopting quality systems for business continuity management. All of this ensure performance quality of digital services in the business environment, and the development in the areas of human capital in building innovative capabilities and investing in the citizenship capabilities in universities.

Likely, according to SEDD data, the total number of licenses issued and renewed in Sharjah during the first half of this year increased by 33,157, with a growth rate of 8% over the same period in 2021. Thus, the licenses issued during the first half of 2022 amounted to 3,858 licenses, compared to 3,526 licenses in the first half of last year, with a growth rate of 9%. On the other hand, total number of renewed licenses during the same period reached 29,299 licenses, compared to 27,262 ones throughout the same period in 2021, with a growth rate of 7%.

From his side, Fahad Ahmed Al Khamiri, Director of Registration and Licensing Department at SEDD, stated that the Department’s data showed that the commercial licenses topped others in terms of distribution according to the type of licenses issued. Therefore, it reached 2,248 licenses issued during the first half of 2022, followed by professional licenses with 1,273 ones, then industrial licenses, which reached 161 licenses. After that, “Eitimad” licenses ranked fourth with 99 licenses, while e-commerce licenses came fifth in place with 77 licenses.

With regard to renewed licenses, commercial licenses topped the list, reaching 18,992 ones during the first half of 2022, followed by professional licenses with 8,718 ones. Then, industrial licenses hit 1,233 licenses, while Eitimad licenses touched 306 licenses, whereas e-commerce licenses amounted to 50 licenses.

Al Khamiri added that the results of the emirate's business, including the issuance and renewal of licenses, are in line with the general growth in the GDP in Sharjah. Also, HE noted that SEDD is working to simplify services and procedures, with the aim of facilitating business registration procedures, issuing licenses, and providing greater flexibility for investors and dealers, in the form which allows them to establish their business within a short period of time.

Likewise, Al Khamiri stressed that the growth of licenses during the first half of this year confirms the strength of the local economy and the attractiveness of the investment environment in the emirate, as the Department's initiatives during the last period contributed to promoting business growth and attracting more investments. He also illustrated that SEDD’s figures reflect the confidence of the business sectors in the investment opportunities available in Sharjah's economy.

On the other hand, Khalfan Al Herathi, Director of SEDD Branches, said that the Department, in all its branches, completed 33,157 issued and renewed licenses during the first half of this year 2022, according to the data on business licenses issued and renewed in the Department's branches in the cities and regions of Sharjah.

In detail, the number of issued and renewed licenses in Sharjah city reached 26,670 during the first half of this year 2022. The Central Region branch came second with 3,753 licenses, while Khor Fakkan branch hit 1,314 licenses. Then Kalba branch amounted to 1,140 licenses, while Dibba Al Hisn branch reached 280 licenses.

Moreover, Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director of Commercial Control and Protection Department at SEDD, explained that the Department carried out 81,933 inspection campaigns on various economic establishments in the emirate during the first half of 2022. Al Suwaidi added that SEDD dealt with many cases of consumer complaints, each of which was fully addressed in cooperation with all concerned parties, as the Department handled 5,374 complaints received during the first half of 2022. According to the data, these complaints were distributed, with consumer protection complaints forming the largest share of them with 4,578 complaints. They were followed by complaints of commercial fraud with 477 complaints, and then complaints of service agent with 319 complaints. In detail, consumer protection complaints were distributed to include many sectors, as complaints from the automotive sector and its spare parts recorded 23% of the total consumer protection complaints received by SEDD. Also, complaints of mobile phones amounted to 12%, complaints about furniture and curtains were 7%, and complaints about personal services activities amounted to 9%. In addition, electrical appliances and building materials complaints amounted to 6%, while complaints of tourism, travel and shipping amounted to 5%. Also, other complaints were unevenly distributed among various other economic sectors. Al Suwaidi pointed out that SEDD’s role is not limited to protecting consumers and investors only, but also goes beyond that to familiarize merchants with the systems and procedures adopted to avoid disputes against them and to implement inspection campaigns to ensure the safety of all economic practices in the emirate's markets. These campaigns are implemented regularly through a comprehensive field plan that the Department adopt.

It is worth mentioning that SEDD implements a series of intensive inspection campaigns on sales outlets and shops to ensure the correctness and accuracy of the trade balances used in outlets in local markets. These scales aim to conform to UAE mandatory standards and specifications approved in this field within the Department's plans for metrological verification of legal measuring instruments and to ensure their conformity with country’s technical regulations on weights and scales. This comes within SEDD supervisory role over the markets in the Emirate and out of its keenness to enhance confidence in the Emirate's markets. Thus, according to SEDD’s data, the total number of calibrated scales amounted to 2,553, and the proportion of compliant scales that conformed to standards was 98% of the total calibrated scales.

Additionally, Hamad Omar Al Midfa, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs Department, said that SEDD contributed to the economic activities in the emirate by launching several initiatives that would enhance the business environment in the emirate, and at the same time contribute to attracting citizens to be a major and important partner in the business sector. He added that the Department provided “Real Beneficiary” service, as part of its plan to achieve international standards and implement the requirements of Cabinet Resolution No. 58 of 2020 regarding the regulation of the real beneficiary's data.

Also, Ali Ahmed Al Naqbi, Deputy Director of IT Department, said that the continuous improvement that SEDD undertakes is to apply the directives of the wise leadership at digital transformation strategy adopted by Sharjah and UAE. This contributed to achieving the highest levels of efficiency, flexibility and effectiveness in providing government services and providing them to customers around the clock at any time and from anywhere through smart channels and easy steps. That reflected positively on the commercial activities that witnessed great demand, which indicates the stimulating economic and investment environment for business owners and projects and the diversity in various commercial activities.

Also, The first half of 2022 witnessed major developments in the modernization and development of the digital services of SEDD. This came with detailed and pivotal repercussions and results, while the percentage of smart investor participation in the total transactions completed during the same period increased to 20.5%, and the percentage of digital transactions increased to 97% of total transactions. The Department also made great efforts in linking and integrating with the unified Sharjah application, which resulted in providing the largest number of digital services on the Sharjah digital platform, where SEDD participated with 10 services.

For her part, Mariam Nasser Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director of Industrial Affairs Department, said that Sharjah has succeeded in creating an appropriate and strong legislative and legal environment that supports the visions and plans of the industrial sector and is able to keep pace with the fourth industrial revolution. The government's orientations embodied the emirate's becoming a leading global model in the proactive confrontation of the challenges of the industrial future. Such thing was done through the continuity of economic incentives for the industrial sector at a 50% discount when issuing the license for a period of 3 years, as well as re-engineering the procedures for issuing new licenses, to shorten them with the aim of facilitating investors, and allowing licensing an industrial office for one year.

Based on the data issued by the SEDD, the indicators of economic and industrial development in Sharjah achieved remarkable growth during the first half of this year 2022. That is according to the data issued by the Department, the total industrial licenses issued and renewed in Sharjah reached 1,394 licenses, with a growth rate of 9% compared to the same period in 2021.

She explained that the industrial sector is one of the main drivers supporting economic development in Sharjah and plays a pivotal role in enhancing the emirate's domestic product. Also, she stressed that Sharjah is proceeding in its direction to achieve the targeted economic diversification through government laws and legislation that support and encourage the industrial sector.

It is worth mentioning that SEDD carried out a number of visits to industrial facilities in the Emirate with the aim of enhancing permanent communication with the industrial sector and the business community. These visits were done to inspect the workflow in factories and their production and export programs. Also, they sought to enhance the direct communication between the Department and the owners of industrial facilities. This helped to identify their aspirations and the most important needs and challenges they face for the sustainability and development of the industrial sector and its activities.

Ahmed Saif bin Saed, Deputy Director of Commercial Affairs Department, affirmed that the Department will carry on its strategies derived from the vision of the wise leadership, which is to provide support, guidance and follow-up to entrepreneurs and project owners in the emirate. Also, SEDD will continue to provide them with new and innovative solutions, to help them thrive in the economic and commercial market. All of this to achieve a return added to the GDP of Sharjah’s economy in particular and UAE in general.

He explained that the department has offered several specialized workshops that fall within the Department's programs and plans to qualify, train and educate entrepreneurs and owners of new or existing projects to be able to make their projects a success, continue developing them, and ensure their sustainability. It was done through the use and adoption of the best means to market the project and how to build a commercial reputation for it. Such thing ensures the success of the entrepreneur, and the ability to meet the requirements of the labor market. Also, it helps to keep abreast of the variables of the business and investment sector and to face all urgent circumstances and challenges facing economies and markets of all kinds and causes. Therefore, it helps to enhance the business environment in Sharjah.

For his part, Abdulaziz Al Midfa, Deputy Director of Government Communication Department, confirmed that the SEDD succeeded in creating an interactive platform with its internal and external audience. He said that the Department of Government Communication in SEDD is the official source for news and information, and it is the body responsible for highlighting its institutional identity, enhancing its positive image and distinguishing its role to the world.

SEDD also signed three agreements during the first half of this year 2022. These agreements represented its keenness to support and develop the economic environment in the emirate, expand its activities to keep pace with the requirements of the stage and in order to establish a community and integrative partnership that contributes to establishing social and economic stability in the country. The Department also received 26 delegations during same period, with the aim of discussing ways of cooperation, exchanging experiences, and enhancing work between it and various entities.