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Construction and healthcare growth opportunities in UAE

The UK-UAE Business Council has met for the third time in Dubai, as plans to increase trade between Britain and the UAE to £12bn by 2015 take shape.

UK companies are currently exploring opportunities to participate in the UAE’s £1.4 trillion of construction and infrastructure development programme and the development of its healthcare sector which will be worth £7.4bn by 2015.

The Business Council is co-chaired by His Excellency Nasser Ahmed Alsowaidi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Mr Samir Brikho, CEO of AMEC.

Current discussions are centred around plans for a leadership development programme and cooperation between the UK and UAE companies in third countries.

The first example of this was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between al Thani and Shell, witnessed by Lord Green and HE Sultan al Mansouri at the event.

UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment Lord Green said: “The friendship between Britain and the UAE is very important and our commercial relationship continues to strengthen. The UAE has ambitious development plans, which British business and expertise can make a huge contribution towards and are already helping to realise.

“The UK is committed to making it quicker and easier for British businesses and Gulf states to do business together. Both countries are targeting a 60% increase in trade from 2009 levels, to reach £12 billion by 2015. I was delighted to hear about the progress that the Business Council has made in deepening the ties between the UK and the UAE.”

Samir Brikho, Co-Chair of the UAE-UK Business Council and Chief Executive of AMEC said: “With each Business Council meeting we are creating deeper relationships and developing broader opportunities for trade and investment between the UAE and UK. The Prime Minister’s endorsement today of the Business Council’s objectives demonstrates the United Kingdom’s commitment at the highest level to the long lasting relationship between our two countries.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .