The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a population of 9.2 million people and is located in Western Asia. The UAE has a highly diversified economy, with only 29% dependent on oil exports. Some key points:
- The UAE has a GDP of $377 billion in 2012, the second largest in the Arab world. Non-oil sectors account for 71% of GDP, including tourism and business zones.
- Setting up a business in the UAE is easy for foreign investors due to minimal taxation, simple procedures and favorable business laws. The country offers access to large consumer markets.
- Popular business opportunities include construction, financial services, healthcare, tourism and education. Free trade
2. UAE
CAPITAL ABU DHABI
LARGEST CITY DUBAI
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ARABIC
GOVERNMENT FEDERAL PRESIDENTIALABSOLUTE
MONARCHY
3. GDP (PPP)
2013 ESTIMATE
- TOTAL $272.0 BILLION[4] (48TH)
- PER CAPITA $29,176[4] (32ND)
GDP (NOMINAL)
2013 ESTIMATE
- TOTAL $396,235 BILLION[4] (28TH)
- PER CAPITA $43,876[4] (19TH)
4. ECONOMY
• SECOND LARGEST IN THE ARAB WORLD
• GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) OF $377 BILLION (AED1.38 TRILLION) IN
2012
• UAE HAS THE MOST DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
• 71% OF UAE'S TOTAL GDP COMES FROM NON-OIL SECTORS
• TOURISM IS ONE OF THE MAIN SOURCES OF REVENUE IN THE UAE
• DUBAI HAS ALSO DEVELOPED INTERNET AND MEDIA FREE ZONES, OFFERING
100% FOREIGN OWNERSHIP
5. • THE UAE GOVERNMENT HAS WORKED TOWARDS REDUCING THE ECONOMY'S
DEPENDENCE ON OIL EXPORTS BY 2030
• OVER THE DECADES, THE EMIRATE OF DUBAI HAS STARTED TO LOOK FOR
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF REVENUE TOURISM AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
6. WHY YOU SHOULD START A BUSINESS
IN UAE
• SETTING UP A BUSINESS IN THE UAE IS VERY EASY AND
STRAIGHTFORWARD
• UAE ENCOURAGES FOREIGN INVESTORS TO INVEST IN THE
OIL-RICH COUNTRY
• TAXATION IS MINIMAL AND MOSTLY NON-EXISTENT
7. • OFFERS EASY ACCESS TO THE 1.5 BILLION CONSUMER MARKETS SITUATED
IN AFRICA, WEST ASIA, CIS COUNTRIES, EASTERN EUROPE, AS WELL AS THE
NEIGHBORING MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES
• PROCEDURES FOR SETTING UP NEW BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN SIMPLIFIED BY
THE GOVERNMENT
• BUSINESS LAWS THAT ARE REALLY FAVORABLE
8. TOP SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES
• CONSTRUCTION
• OIL AND GAS
• FINANCIAL SERVICES
• FOODS AND SNACKS
• HEALTHCARE
• TRANSPORT
• TOURISM
• ENERGY
• JEWELRY MAKING AND RETAILING
• SPECIALTY SCHOOLS
• REAL ESTATE
9. OPPORTUNITIES IN THE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
• DUBAI IS THE SECOND LARGEST MEMBER OF THE UAE. IT'S HOME TO THE MOST
IMPORTANT PORT AND IS THE COUNTRY'S COMMERCIAL CAPITAL.
• IT OFFERS EASY ACCESS TO THE 1.5 BILLION CONSUMER MARKETS SITUATED IN
AFRICA, WEST ASIA, CIS COUNTRIES, AND EASTERN EUROPE AS WELL AS THE
AREAS SURROUNDING THE RED SEA AND THE GULF
• THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES ALL INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES
• INVESTORS ARE GRANTED INCENTIVES AND ALONG WITH THE SIMPLE
PROCEDURES FOR DOING BUSINESS IN UAE.
10. • IT'S A PLACE WHICH HAS CHANGED CONSTANTLY AND ADAPTED ITSELF TO
BECOME ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT BUSINESS DESTINATIONS
• INVESTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
11. SMALL BUSINESSES WITH BIG POTENTIAL IN
THE UAE
• DUBAI HAS A LONG HISTORY OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
• BEFORE THE OIL ERA, ITS CITIZENS WERE ABLE TO CREATE A VIABLE LIVING IN
ONE OF THE WORLD’S HARSHEST ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH DIVING FOR PEARLS
AND TRADING GOODS AS FAR AFIELD AS INDIA AND EAST AFRICA. THAT SPIRIT
IS NOW REFLECTED IN THE PROFUSION OF SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED
ENTERPRISES (SMES) THAT CALL THE EMIRATE HOME.
• IT OFFERS STABILITY AND SECURITY, SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST-CONNECTED
TRANSPORT HUBS WHETHER BY LAND, SEA OR AIR
12. UAE free Trade Zone
• A FREE TRADE ZONE (FTZ) IS A SPECIFIC CLASS OF SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE.
THEY ARE A GEOGRAPHIC AREA WHERE GOODS MAY BE LANDED, HANDLED,
MANUFACTURED OR RECONFIGURED, AND REEXPORTED WITHOUT THE
INTERVENTION OF THE CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES. ONLY WHEN THE GOODS ARE
MOVED TO CONSUMERS WITHIN THE COUNTRY IN WHICH THE ZONE IS LOCATED
DO THEY BECOME SUBJECT TO THE PREVAILING CUSTOMS DUTIES
13. Establishing A Business Entity In One Of The UAE’s Free Trade
Zones (FTZs) Can Be An Extremely Attractive Option For
Foreign Investors
• 100 PER CENT FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF THE ENTERPRISE
• REDUCED OR DIFFERENT TRADE BARRIERS,TARIFFS AND QUOTAS
• 100 PER CENT REPATRIATION OF CAPITAL AND PROFITS
• CORPORATE TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR UP TO 50 YEARS
• NO PERSONAL INCOME TAXES
• ASSISTANCE WITH LABOUR RECRUITMENT, AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES, SUCH AS
SPONSORSHIP AND HOUSING
• NO RESTRICTIONS FOR DOING MORE THAN ONE ACTIVITY
• ALLOWED TO OPEN BANK ACCOUNT IN DUBAI
14. MAJOR CHALLENGES FOR UAE
BUSINESSES
1. MANAGING THROUGH THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY WITH EMPHASIS ON FINDING NEW
SOURCES OF GROWTH
2. MONITORING THE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ADJUSTING THE STRATEGIC
DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY ACCORDINGLY
3. ADJUSTING TO THE CHALLENGING REALITIES OF CONTINUED GLOBALIZATION
4. MAINTAINING MORALE AND RETAINING TOP TALENT
5. BUILDING CUSTOMER LOYALTY
15. 6. PROTECTING SENSITIVE AND PRIVATE INFORMATION
7. MANAGING IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF INCREASED REGULATORY OVERSIGHT
8. UNDERSTANDING AND RESPONDING TO A CHANGING RISK PROFILE
9. ASSESSING CAPITAL AND MANAGING CASH FLOW EFFECTIVELY
10. EFFECTIVELY USING THE DATA AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN THE
ORGANIZATION TO MAKE TIMELY AND INFORMED DECISIONS
16. Challenges for starting a new business
• COST OF SETTING UP A BUSINESS HAS GONE UP TO AN EXTENT
• VERY FEW BANKS PROVIDE FACILITIES TO START-UPS
• GETTING CREDIT FROM SUPPLIERS HAS BECOME CHALLENGING