Sharjah Chamber discusses facilitating market access for Vietnamese SMEs

The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) welcomed a high-level economic delegation from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to its headquarters, discussing ways to enhance economic cooperation and opening new and sustainable investment channels for the business communities of both countries.

The discussions placed particular emphasis on enabling Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enter Sharjah’s competitive market and expand their presence across the wider Middle East region.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Fatima Khalifa Al Muqarrab, Director of the International Relations Department at SCCI, while the Vietnamese delegation was led by Nguyen Hoang Phuong, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Economic Development Research and Chairman of IMCE Global, with several officials from both sides present.

During the meeting, Dr. Fatima Al Muqarrab delivered a comprehensive presentation on Sharjah’s attractive and stimulating investment environment, highlighting the integrated suite of services provided by the Chamber and its affiliate entities, including the Sharjah Exports Development Center (SEDC).

She underscored SCCI’s foundational role in supporting economic activities, nurturing business relations, and offering all necessary facilities and support to foreign companies seeking to launch operations from Sharjah, leveraging its strategic location, advanced free zone infrastructure, and investor-friendly ecosystem.

Al Muqarrab added that the visit of a specialist delegation from IMCE Global, dedicated to supporting SMEs, marks a significant contribution to collaborative efforts strengthening Sharjah–Vietnam economic relations within the framework of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

She noted that bilateral non-oil trade reached $6.1 billion in the first half of last year, driven by a 58.4% surge in UAE non-oil exports to Vietnam. This performance positions bilateral trade to contribute approximately $8 billion to the UAE’s national economy by 2032.

For his part, Nguyen Hoang Phuong praised the Sharjah Chamber for fostering an investor-friendly ecosystem and offering foreign investors a robust infrastructure that supports international expansion.

He emphasised Vietnam’s commitment to enabling its SMEs to reach global markets and highlighted Sharjah’s advanced logistics capabilities and streamlined business setup procedures in its free zones as key advantages. “These factors position Sharjah an ideal gateway for Vietnamese companies to enhance value creation and expand their regional footprint,” he added.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides discussed the potential for future joint initiatives, including specialized workshops and trade missions, aiming to highlight available investment opportunities in priority sectors for both countries.

The discussions also focused on promoting direct coordination between entrepreneurs and business communities in both Sharjah and Vietnam, thereby elevating bilateral economic relations to new and sustainable heights.