Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), in cooperation with the Czech-Italian Chamber of Commerce, organized a business meeting aimed at strengthening economic cooperation with business communities and private sector companies in various countries around the world. The meeting was attended by Dr. Fatima Khalifa Al Muqarrab, Director of the International Relations Department at the Chamber, and Antonio Rotondo, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Czech-Italian Chamber of Commerce. Other attendees included a number of Sharjah Chamber’s officials and representatives of companies from Sharjah and their counterparts of strategic sectors in different European countries.

In her opening remarks Dr. Fatima Al Muqarrab stressed that, as part of Sharjah Chamber's strategy to expand its international network and strengthen strategic partnerships with various chambers of commerce and industry around the world, and in light of a Memorandum of Understanding concluded between Sharjah Chamber and the Czech-Italian Chamber, this meeting is held as a starting point for strengthening economic relations between Sharjah emirate, the Czech Republic, and Italy, opening new horizons for joint cooperation in various economic and commercial sectors.

Dr. Al Muqarrab added that Sharjah enjoys a distinguished strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and a stimulating investment environment, making it an ideal destination for investment in the region, as the emirate has witnessed remarkable growth in attracting foreign direct investment, playing a key role in global investment as one of the fastest-growing cities in this field. The emirate also abounds with promising investment opportunities in many sectors considering the economic diversification policy that has contributed to enhancing the its competitiveness.

Al-Muqarrab indicated: "We at the Sharjah Chamber look forward to developing ties with the Czech-Italian Chamber, increasing trade delegations, enhancing cooperation in the areas of export, organizing joint economic events, exchanging expertise and knowledge, and promoting available investment opportunities. We are confident that this cooperation will contribute to increasing the volume of trade exchange and open the way for companies in our countries to take advantage of available investment opportunities."

Al Muqarrab added that Sharjah is home to numerous Italian companies operating through Sharjah's free zones and markets across diverse sectors. In previous meetings promising areas for joint cooperation were identified, including manufacturing, engineering, digital technologies, sustainable agriculture, food and beverages, and others. These sectors represent common ground and offer promising opportunities for Italian and Czech companies, while also providing Sharjah's business community with access to new markets.

Concluding her speech, Dr. Fatima Al Muqarrab emphasized Sharjah Chamber's commitment to providing all forms of support to companies  wishing to explore investment opportunities in the emirate and serve as their home countries’ gateway to the UAE and regional markets: “We look forward to more cooperation that will contribute to opening new horizons for companies and the business community in Sharjah to access markets in Italy and the Czech Republic, and to building economic bridges with the markets of Central and Eastern Europe.”

Bilateral business meetings were held on the sidelines of the meeting between the Chamber's affiliate member companies and their counterparts from the visiting companies.