SHARJAH, 25 January 2007 — Gross domestic products (GDP) of Sharjah emirate registered a 19 percent growth in 2006, a government official said yesterday.
“The Sharjah GDP has reached around AED42.5 billion for 2006, compared to AED35.7 billion for 2005, achieving an increase of 19 percent. This is a further proof for the success of our investment plans which we have prepared and which have now translated to generating a continuous economic growth for our emirate,” Sharjah Economic Development Department General Manager Ali Bin Salem Al-Mahmoud said.
With ongoing investment in Sharjah boosting the economic growth of the emirate across its various sectors, the Sharjah Economic Development Department announced yesterday that it issued 40,215 licenses last year, a 10.2 percent increase over 2005.
The distribution went to trade with 20,900 licenses, 18,104 licenses for vocational and 1,198 were industrial licenses, in addition to 13 professional licenses.
The number of industrial facilities for 2005 has reached 1,493 facilities and 1,572 facilities for 2006, with a growth rate of 5.3 percent.
The number of industrial licenses for 2005 has reached 1,048, compared to 1,198 for 2006.
Out of the 19 industrial areas in the emirate, 17 of them are for different industries, and the eighteenth is for exhibitions and warehouses, in addition to area number 19 in Sajaa.
“The policy of Supreme Council Member and Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi has provided an investment environment that is attractive to various kinds of economic activities, which has made the emirate the most ideal place for various economic sectors including commercial, industrial, tourism and cultural,” Ali Bin Salem said.
Meanwhile, in Dubai, the fifth international Dubai City of Gold conference scheduled on April 22-23, this year will focus on the opportunities and challenges facing the global gold jewelry industry, Arab News staff K.T. Abdurabb reported yesterday.
He quoted Dubai Gold and Jewelry Group officials saying “this year’s conference will bring together an outstanding and diverse group of industrialists, bankers and experts in the forefront of gold, diamond and precious stones trade.