Business revitalization with the Emirates
In Dubai, a joint meeting of businessmen of Russia and the United Arab Emirates was held, the result of which, on the initiative of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the United Arab Emirates, the Russian-Arab Business Council and the Chamber of Commerce of the Russian Federation, an agreement was signed on the establishment of the Russian-Emirate business council.
The Russian side was represented by Tatyana Gvilava, Executive Director of the Russian-Arab Business Council (RABS), Valery Okulov, elected co-chair of the Russian-Emirate Business Council (REDS) and other officials. As part of the RABS, national councils have already been created in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. They work as public associations without a legal entity.
"It is the turn of businessmen from Russia and the United Arab Emirates to strengthen and develop bilateral relations in order to raise them to the level of aspirations of both countries in building an integrated economy," said Salah Al-Shamsi, Chairman of the Board of the Federation of the CCI of the UAE and President of the CCI of Abu Dhabi. In particular, he called on businessmen of both countries to "intensify investment and trade partnerships", hold trade, industrial and specialized exhibitions, exchange information, ideas and programs, expand communication channels, study the legislative framework of both countries, and establish information exchange on benefits provided foreign businessmen in both countries.
The members of the Russian-Emirate Business Council represent the leading sectors of the economy of both countries: oil and gas and defense, transport and communications, international tourism, aircraft manufacturing, IT technologies, energy-saving and environmental programs, and much more. Representatives of these companies will hold meetings in Russia and the UAE to consider current and promising issues, provide assistance to enterprises of the other side, exchange information in the field of economy and foreign trade, involve representatives of small and medium businesses in bilateral cooperation, and assist in the settlement of disputes and conflict situations.
The creation of the Council reflects the desire of the Russian side to direct the process of building up Russian-Emirate economic ties, in which large reserves are hidden. At the same time, some countries interested in developing business cooperation with the Emirates are organizing this process from below, organizing business councils on the basis of their national firms operating in the UAE. It seems that such an experience deserves attention, since it involves businessmen who are already active in the Emirate field and who know it well, serves to establish contacts and exchange information between them, find joint solutions to emerging problems, discuss and master new promising areas of work in the UAE .
According to Andrei Zakharov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UAE who participated in the preparation of the signed agreement, the future of Russian-Emirate business ties has great potential. The ambassador notes the interest of emirate entrepreneurs in investing in the Russian economy and considers the prospects for boosting economic ties to be good, the development of which is attached great importance to the leadership of both countries.
After the meeting and the solemn signing by the parties of the agreement on the creation of the REDF, we asked several questions to Lev Koshlyakov, Executive Secretary of the Council, Deputy General Director and Director of the Public Relations Department of JSC Aeroflot - Russian Airlines.
- Lev Sergeyevich, over the past decade, both Russian and local businessmen have repeatedly made attempts to bring together and establish strong business relations. Someone did it, someone is still trying to find market entry for the country of interest to him. In your opinion, the creation of the REDS will finally solve the problem of finding reliable and serious partners in both countries?
- It seems to me that REDS will become the fulcrum that the businessmen of our countries so need. CCI institutions have powerful potential to provide assistance and support to both small and medium-sized and large businesses, as well as extensive databases. However, many representatives of the business community, once having applied to a particular Chamber of Commerce and Industry, either no longer resume attempts, or search for partners or potential investors on their own. The REDS included representatives of the CCI of the Russian Federation and all emirate CCIs, employees of the Russian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Russian Consulate General in Dubai, as well as companies representing the most promising sectors for bilateral cooperation. I believe that this kind of coalition will bring economic relations between our two countries to a qualitatively new level.
We set ourselves the following tasks: organizing direct contacts between businessmen of Russia and the UAE, expanding the information base and potential for cooperation, promoting export-import diversification of mutual commodity exchange, increasing investment and expanding scientific, technical and innovative cooperation in the field of high technologies. We will use traditional and new forms of establishing business contacts aimed at developing joint ventures and preparing mutually beneficial contracts and agreements between interested partners of both countries.
- Will the REDS headquarters be opened in the UAE? If so, where will it be? If not, then where should businessmen interested in bilateral cooperation go?
- The REDS format, according to the Regulation on the Council, involves regular meetings and round tables, both in Russia and in the UAE. There will be no office or headquarters of the REDS in the UAE, so I, as the Executive Secretary of the Council, are ready to accept all applications from Russian companies to participate in the Council, its meetings and thematic meetings in the Moscow office of the Public Relations Department of Aeroflot - Russian OJSC airlines. " Thus, all the information will directly go to the Co-Chair of the Council from the Russian side, Valery Mikhailovich Okulov, General Director of Aeroflot. In addition, Russian entrepreneurs can apply directly to the CCI of the Russian Federation.
Local businessmen can send requests to any of the CCIs in the UAE. All information received will be summarized and processed by the current members of the Council, and on its basis decisions will be made on holding various meetings of the parties interested in cooperation, and the topic of round tables will be set.
- Please tell me why the choice of the Co-Chair of the Council from the Russian side fell precisely on Valery Mikhailovich Okulov?
- Valery Mikhailovich was elected Co-Chair of the REED during an open vote of the Russian members of the Council. That says a lot.
For many years, Valery Okulov has been the head of the country's leading aviation company, JSC Aeroflot - Russian Airlines. He is a professional and experienced leader. In addition, international tourism and air travel are one of the fastest growing areas of cooperation between Russia and the UAE.
Valery Okulov is very well known and respected in the United Arab Emirates. I am sure that his effective leadership, as Co-Chair, will allow the REED to achieve its goals very soon. The first meeting took place. The Russian-Emirate Business Council has been created. We just had to wish the REDS and all its members effective and fruitful work in strengthening the business ties of Russia and the UAE.
