During the year to date, Dubai Chamber has laid the foundations for its new branch at Jebel Ali Free Zone, been recognised with an award under the Dubai Government Excellence Programme and enhanced its participation in overseas trade fairs and forums as well as receiving a number of commercial missions from all over the world.

The Chamber has continued to implement its mission to protect the interests of businesses and assist them to improve promote their products locally, regionally and globally. This is reflected increase of the number of members registered with Dubai Chamber which jumped 15.6% during the first six months of 2007, ffrom 88,080 members on January 1 to 101,899 members by June 30.

'The rise recorded in Chamber membership reflects the economic growth of the emirate and the success of Dubai Chamber in coping with this growth, as well as its efforts in serving the business community and providing them with support and services that helped improve their trade activities during this period,' said H.E. Hamad Buamim, Director General of Dubai Chamber.

During the first half of 2007, Dubai Chamber received 106 trade delegations and missions including states presidents (those of Georgia, Tajikistan, Eritrea and Uruguay), ministers, ambassadors and consuls from all over the world.

The most significant overseas participation of Dubai Chamber so far this year was in May, when H.E. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of Dubai Chamber, led the UAE business delegation as part of the UAE's official delegation to South Korea.

'Organising overseas trade fairs and forums that offer an opportunity to the Dubai business community to make contact with its foreign counterparts is one of the major objectives of the Dubai Chamber that go in line with its general plan for 2007,' added Buamim.