Dubai – Expo 2020 should boost the economy of host city Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf countries before, during and after it takes place. The exhibition will last six months, in 2020, featuring pavilions from all countries in the world. Each world fair presents creative and innovative solutions to the challenges faced by society.
This Wednesday (19th), the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce’s president, Marcelo Sallum, and CEO, Michel Alaby, have met with Shahab Abdulla Shayan, head of Foreign Relations at the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). They were also welcomed by the Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing’s senior vice president, Marc Bennett, and foreign offices consultant, Jessie Ling.
During the meeting, DTCM executives outlined Dubai’s plans for the Expo. The city is expecting 25 million tourists during the event. Real estate investment relating to the fair should amount to US$ 8 billion and air traffic is poised to increase. By the time the event begins, a new airport will likely be operational. These investments, said Shahab, should fuel new growth in the economies of the UAE and other Arab countries in the region.
Sallum said the Arab Chamber can help organize and promote the event. “Their project is huge and shows concern with sustainability. In real estate alone, investment should amount to US$ 8 billion. We have placed the Arab Chamber at their disposal to help with publicizing the event,” he said. At the meeting, Alaby offered to sponsor promotional actions in partnership with the DTCM’s regional office in São Paulo.
Certification
This Wednesday, Sallum and Alaby also convened with Mohammad Ahmad Al Mulla, director of the Metrology Department at the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology, which issues certificates attesting that products sold in the country meet technical requirements, including home appliances, equipment and foodstuffs, among other items. The products are rated on the basis of their energy efficiency.
At the meeting, the director explained that certificates for products that do not require testing can be obtained in as little as eight business days. Issuance times vary for certificates involving testing. The organization works in partnership with international laboratories and the entire certificate issuance process is carried out online.
Sallum said going online is “a great achievement” and expressed surprise with the efficiency and sophistication of the process. “It called to my attention how the process is streamlined and fully online, as well as the fact that the certificate takes only eight days to be issued. For us, this was an opportunity to establish closer ties and collect information we will now convey to our members,” he said.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
