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UAE Freezones Biz News Updates
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'Ease of Doing Business in 2016': World Bank ranks UAE first in Arab
world
Ranked first for 3rd year in row; ranked 31st globally; UAE first in Mena
and fourth globally in getting electricity
The World Bank released today a report on the ‘Ease of Doing Business for
the year 2016’, which ranked the UAE first among Arab countries for the
third year in a row, ahead of all countries in the region included in this
year's report.
The World Bank report, which measures the performance of 189 states in
facilitating doing business for investors, says the UAE has advanced one
step in the ranking from last year to occupy 31st rank globally this year.
The UAE is among the first five countries in the world regarding non-payment
of taxes, which does not affect business, process of construction permits
and electricity delivery.
At the regional level, the UAE topped the countries of the region and within
10 countries of the world in the number of documented improvements by the
World Bank during one year in the delivery of electricity, processing of the
construction permits, protecting investors and enforcement of contracts.
The UAE was ranked first regionally in both dealing with the construction
permits, the delivery of electricity, the protection of small investors and
registering property and the non-payment of taxes, which does not affect
business, processing construction permits and the enforcement of contracts.
The report also praised the four improvements carried out by the UAE.
The Ease of Doing Business report 2016 is one of the most periodic reports
issued by the World Bank Group. This report is version 13 in a series of
annual reports that measure the procedures and legislation, which promote
the trade activity and investment in the states.
It offers quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection
of property rights that can be compared across 189 economies.
The report also measures all actions of improvements and obstacles affecting
10 areas in business.
On this occasion, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State and
Chairperson of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, said in
a statement today that the ease of doing business report includes a set of
the most important global indicators that reflect the extent of interest and
the interest of the Government of the United Arab Emirates towards local and
international investors.
She noted that the report documents all the tremendous efforts made by the
local and federal government agencies in order to facilitate and develop
procedures and legislation for the sake of investors to support and develop
their businesses to acquire competitiveness access to global
entrepreneurship leadership.
Al Hashimi commended the UAE leadership and people on this important
achievement, citing efforts of all local and federal government agencies
that contributed to the planning and activation of procedural improvements
for this year, and the positive impacts on improving the performance of the
state in the report.
For his part, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, stressed
the importance of investors and entrepreneurs, who are a growing category
and one of the main pillars of effective economic planning.
He added that the developed countries take into account the Ease of Doing
Business when drawing the general development policies.
He noted that the experiments and studies have proven beyond doubt the
existence of a close relationship between attractive countries for
investors, and strength and durability of the economic structure of those
countries.
"Therefore, we have to pursue in the UAE permanent the latest practices and
necessary global methodologies to overcome the obstacles that face investors
and entrepreneurs, as this would enhance the economic sector and ensure
improvement in the Global CompetitivenessReports to achieve the goals of the
UAE Vision 2021."
UAE first in Mena and fourth globally in getting electricity
The UAE has, for the third consecutive year, been ranked first in the Middle
East and North Africa, (Mena) and fourth globally in getting electricity,
according to the World Bank’s Doing Business 2016 report, which measures the
ease of doing business in 189 countries around the world.
"The ranking of the UAE as first in the Middle East and North Africa and
fourth globally, adds to the UAE’s roster of achievements and top positions
in different fields, and underlines its competitiveness and excellence
compared to many developed countries around the world. At Dewa, we adhere to
the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to improve
government services, make our citizens and residents happier and more
satisfied with our services. Our aim is to contribute to the excellence of
the UAE and enhance its competitiveness to achieve the UAE Vision 2021,"
said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa.
"The status the UAE has reached globally is the result of the concerted
efforts of local and federal work teams. We all work to achieve a single
goal, which is the development of our country and the happiness of its
people. This contributes to achieving the UAE Vision 2021 for the UAE to
become one of the best countries in the world when we celebrate the golden
jubilee of the Union. As Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid once observed, 'Working
as a team, everybody takes part in building the UAE,'" added Al Tayer.
Al Tayer noted that Dewa has kept its position as the first in Mena and
fourth globally even though the Doing Business 2016 report has broadened the
scope of getting electricity indicators to offer a more complete view of the
electricity sector. The report has added a new indicator to assess the
reliability of electricity supply, which is important for business
activities, by measuring both the duration and the frequency of power
outages experienced by a customer in a year.
Dewa’s results are among the best internationally. Dewa’s 'customer minutes
lost per year' in 2014 was 4.9 minutes, compared to 15 minutes recorded by
leading utilities in the European Union. Dewa has achieved several
milestones globally, surpassing major European and American companies in
different areas. For example, losses in power transmission and distribution
networks decreased to 3.26 per cent, compared to 6-7 per cent in Europe and
the USA. Water network losses decreased to 9.1 per cent, compared to 15 per
cent in North America.
Oct 28, 15 |
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Courtesy Dubai Media Incorporated
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