DUBAI, 22 January 2007 — The Business Registration Division at Dubai’s Department of Economic Development (DED) issued 13,170 licenses for several types of businesses in the emirate in 2006, an increase of 11 percent from over 11,865 licenses in 2005.
The licenses were issued in five categories — Commercial, Professional, Industrial, Tourism and Intlaq (for UAE nationals to set up small, home-based individual businesses).
The majority of the licenses were issued in the commercial sector (9,803), followed by the professional sector (2,287), tourism (452), Intlaq (390) and industrial (238). Licensed activities in the commercial and services sector topped the list with (24,036) licenses issued, followed by construction and building (3,415), real estate, rent and work services (3,275), transport, storage and communications (1,887) and transformational industries (1,005). “Dubai follows a successful policy of economic diversification with a focus on trade, tourism, transshipment, hospitality, health, IT, real estate and financial services,” said DED Deputy Director General for Executive Affairs Ali Ibrahim. “In order to ensure the success of these sectors, the Dubai government has concentrated on strengthening the Emirate’s infrastructure facilities, especially in terms of communication, transport, shipping, cargo, airports and public works,” he said.
“DED focuses on boosting the economic development in Dubai. One of its key functions is to encourage local and foreign investments in commercial and industrial projects and create the appropriate environment for investors.”
Business registration systems at DED have become streamlined and user-friendly and investors in Dubai can set up establishments with minimum procedures and paperwork.