DUBAI: Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has achieved significant growth in memberships during 2023. A total of 48,616 new member companies registered between January and September this year, representing an impressive year-over-year (YoY) increase of 42.9% compared to the 34,029 that joined during the corresponding period in 2022.The strong growth underlines Dubai’s attractiveness among both companies and investors, as well as the emirate’s growing reputation as a leading global business destination. This was also reflected in the total value of exports and re-exports of member companies, which reached a total of AED 210 billion with 544,538 certificates of origin issued from Q1 - Q3 2023.In addition, 3,209 ATA Carnets were issued and received for goods and commodities with a combined value of AED 3.3 billion during the nine-month period, compared to 2,919 ATA Carnets with a value of around AED 1.5 billion during Q1 - Q3 2022. The value of ATA Carnets received recorded a remarkable YoY growth of 123.6%.Commenting on the chamber’s strong performance, Abdul Aziz Abdulla Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, said: “I am delighted to see Dubai Chamber of Commerce making headway in improving Dubai’s favourable business environment, enhancing its advocacy efforts, and supporting our members to thrive while driving the export and re-export market. We are the voice of the business community in Dubai and remain committed to empowering our members to contribute towards achieving the emirate’s growth ambitions. We will continue to work in tandem with the government as we advance on our journey towards the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).”As part of its continuous efforts to support the interests of the business community, Dubai Chamber of Commerce reviewed a total of 94 draft laws in cooperation with Business Groups during the first nine months of the year. The number of mediation cases received by the chamber reached 103.The chamber’s Business Relations Department arranged over 180 meetings with representatives from Business Groups and Councils between January and September, including 20 advocacy sessions aimed at shaping Dubai’s favourable business environment. The department also successfully organised 41 Annual General Assembly events for Business Groups and Councils. More than 2,100 attendees benefited from 24 workshops, events, and webinars organised by the department. In addition, a total of 103 meetings were held with key stakeholders and partners to explore opportunities to serve the business community.As part of its efforts to achieve its strategic priority of improving the business environment in the emirate, Dubai Chamber of Commerce also launched the ‘Business Sectors Platform,’ which offers an innovative package of services designed to empower Business Groups and Business Councils and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their activities.The Dubai Centre for Family Business, which was established in May with the goal of ensuring the growth and sustainability of family businesses in the emirate, has successfully launched a number of programmes and initiatives. By the end of Q3 2023, the centre had completed 30 family visits and rolled out two educational certification programmes for family members and advisors. A total of 18 advisors enrolled in the Family Business Advisory certification programme during this period. The centre also concluded two sessions in its Governance Series programme with the participation of 62 family business representatives. In addition, the centre recorded more than 450 downloads of education toolkits and publications between May and the end of September.Dubai Chamber of Commerce seeks to facilitate and improve the ease of doing business in the emirate, while delivering value-added services and serving as a bridge between Dubai’s dynamic business community and the government. A total of 46 country-specific Business Councils and 105 sector-specific Business Groups currently operate under the chamber’s umbrella.

RemotePass, the UAE’s leading platform for onboarding, paying, and managing global remote workers, has announced a strategic partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE), one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers. This collaboration aims to bolster the UAE startup and business ecosystem, by providing a seamless avenue for global businesses to both access the UAE's skilled workforce and relocate global talent, all without the necessity of establishing a local entity. Additionally, the partnership will offer invaluable support to local firms and will enable them to effortlessly hire top talent from around the world, whether as contractors or full-time employees.In pursuit of the DCDE's strategic goal to attract 300 digital startups to Dubai, RemotePass will play a pivotal role in ensuring the HR success of these ventures. With its global infrastructure, RemotePass provides businesses with the essential tools for seamless onboarding, management, and retention of an exceptional pool of both local and international remote talent. RemotePass handles everything from local and international compliance to automated contracts, and global payroll, and facilitates access for workers to top-tier benefits and financial services. This comprehensive support empowers businesses to build remarkable teams and achieve unparalleled success.  This initiative is part of DCDE's "Business in Dubai'' programme, which serves as a business-matching service designed to connect companies with suitable partners, investors, and customers. It also offers a wide array of institutional services delivered in collaboration with the chamber's strategic partners. RemotePass joins this prestigious roster that includes Dubai World Trade Center, etisalat, Dubai Islamic Bank, and many more. The Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy over the next decade, and this partnership with RemotePass plays a key role by equipping companies to attract, hire, retain, and motivate the best talent locally and from around the world. Out of 557,000 SMEs in the UAE, RemotePass was selected by the DCDE as one of the innovative partners to support this mission.  This partnership cements RemotePass’ position as a pivotal entity in the global workforce management landscape, underscoring its commitment to simplifying remote talent management for businesses while ensuring compliance. The biggest positive impact will be RemotePass's contribution to uplifting the UAE's startup ecosystem, fostering enhanced collaboration, and deploying its expertise in streamlining international and local employment processes, benefiting companies looking to hire globally or locally. Eligible businesses can access RemotePass’ services with an exclusive discount through the incentives offered under the Business in Dubai initiative. Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, commented: “We are pleased to welcome RemotePass as the newest service provider on the chamber’s innovative ‘Business in Dubai’ platform, which enables convenient access to a range of integrated services and solutions for digital companies looking to set up or expand their business in Dubai. Our platform plays a key role in attracting leading digital companies and specialised talent to Dubai, as well as providing comprehensive assistance to local startups and established companies. We remain committed to building the world’s best digital infrastructure and consolidating Dubai’s position as the global capital of the digital economy.” Wesley Hattingh, UAE Country Manager, RemotePass commented: "Dubai is the ideal home for entrepreneurs, which is why more than 30,000 new businesses opened in Dubai during the first half of 2023. We’re thrilled about this partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, which aligns perfectly with our mission to simplify cross-border workforce management for the city’s thriving startup ecosystem. This partnership demonstrates our commitment to advancing innovation in Dubai — for companies looking to hire locally and internationally."