(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A delegation from the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, or Shurooq, has successfully concluded a visit to Switzerland,
where it participated in the Swiss Arab Wealth Management Forum, a major business and economic event organised by the Arab-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group and the Geneva Financial Centre in Geneva.
More than 200 high-profile speakers and participants, including government officials and central bankers, leaders and representatives of major Arab, Swiss and international banks, private banks and financial institutions, as well as other important players in investment and wealth management from Switzerland and the Arab world attended the event - the first of its kind in the Swiss capital - during which the UAE was recognised as the guest of honour.
Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, chief executive officer of Shurooq, served as a panellist during a session entitled "United Arab Emirates: A global business hub", where he presented the current state of Sharjah's key sectors and highlighted the existing investment and business opportunities for those seeking to invest in the UAE. He also stressed the facilities provided by Shurooq and other government departments in support of foreign investment in the emirate.
Al Sarkal, joined in Geneva by Saud Meqdad Al Suwaidi, director of Corporate Services, further provided detailed and exclusive information on four key sectors - healthcare; travel and leisure; logistics and transportation; and environment - and highlighted Sharjah's significant business and investment potential in these vital areas.
"This is our second visit to Switzerland this year and, as part of Shurooq's broader strategy to promote Sharjah throughout Europe and to strengthen ties with Switzerland, in particular, we are extremely pleased with the outcome of the forum. The recognition of the UAE as guest of honour at the event was especially poignant," Al Sarkal said.
"Switzerland and the UAE share diplomatic and economic ties that go back several decades and today Switzerland counts the UAE as its most important trading partner in the region. In fact, the total volume of foreign trade between the UAE and Switzerland increased by more than $17 billion during the first nine months of 2012.
Statistics show that total exports increased to $13.395 billion while imports grew to $3.647 billion during that period. In addition, bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Switzerland has also been developed beyond the economic sphere to include political, security, cultural, sports, academic and research matters," he added.
"The Swiss Arab Wealth Management Forum provided an ideal platform to debate and review economic ties between the Swiss and Arab nations. It enabled us to discuss means of mutual cooperation and ways of boosting Swiss corporate investment in the UAE, and we look forward to fostering closer ties with the Swiss as a result of this event."
The delegation also conducted a number of meetings with representatives from Swiss government bodies and educational institutions, including Severine Hutin, communication and marketing director of Geneva University Hospitals; Prof Christophe Penot, head of marketing and commercial of the Geneva Hotel Management School; and Dr Francois Gilardoni and Gilles Chevrey from the Office for the Promotion of Industries and Technologies.
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