Khalifa Fund Organizes 4th ‘Tawasul’ Forum in Al Ain

The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) has organized its fourth ‘Tawasul’ Forum in Al Ain at Al Ain Convention Centre on the sidelines of the Emirates SMEs Exhibition. The forum was held to support innovative entrepreneurial ideas relevant to the country’s advancement and productivity of all vital local sectors. It showcased the importance of entrepreneurship, cooperation, dialogue, and experience sharing in the field of business.

During the ‘Tawasul’ Forum, the attendees engaged in the exchange of ideas and experiences, while providing them with an opportunity to introduce their business projects, products, and services. The forum was held with the goal of strengthening the communication ties among KFED-supported entrepreneurs in Al Ain city while engaging them in networking activities with the Fund’s local partners. In addition, it served as a venue to strengthen the strategic relations between the Fund and its key partners.

KFED’s Acting CEO Mouza Al Nasri pointed out that the ‘Tawasul’ Forum enhanced the spirit of communication among the entrepreneurs supported by the Fund, who presented their projects before local partners from the government and private sectors. She said that the event was in line with the KFED’s strategy to instill a culture of entrepreneurship in UAE citizens by building a supportive and innovative environment where they can embark on entrepreneurship and helping their projects to succeed.

Al Nasri added: “Since the beginning, KFED has been striving to promote entrepreneurship in the UAE and provide various forms of support to Emirati-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in line with the directives of our wise leadership. We believe in the importance of providing projects critical to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) with the right support and opportunity. ‘Tawasul’ took place in conjunction with the Emirates SMEs Exhibition, which enabled entrepreneurs to connect with owners of more than 200 SMEs across the country, to showcase the best practices for SMEs and give them an opportunity to learn from the experiences of each other. In addition, government, semi-government, and private entities were encouraged during the forum to help new business projects, especially those with vital economic contributions to Abu Dhabi and the UAE, develop and succeed.”

On the first day of the ‘Tawasul’ Form, a representative of the UAE Federation of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) delivered a speech, followed by a presentation on the services of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) offered to the private sector given by Shaikha Al Marzouqi, Head of Customer Relations at ADGM, and Amel Badr, Strategic Development Manager at ADGM. Meanwhile, Sultan Al Mheiri, Manager of Procurement and Supply Management, Etihad Aviation Group, presented opportunities for SMEs offered by the Group. The day also featured case presentations of four successful KFED-supported Emirati projects owned by Sultan Mohammed Al Maamari, Ahmed Al Muhairbi, Abdullah Al Mazrouei, and Ahmed Ali Al Shamsi.

Adel Al Naqbi, Customer Service Supervisor at the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, gave a speech on the second day during which he enumerated the services of the department’s business center provided to entrepreneurs. This was followed by a series of presentations of successful entrepreneurs supported by KFED. They were by Fatima Fahad Al Shamsi, Mohammed Al Hadrami, Abdullah Hamad Al Darei, and Mohammed Barak Al Jabri. The forum also featured Eng. Ahmed Bulteour, Manager of Procurement and Supplier Assurance at Strata; Shoaib Al Hammadi, Marketing Manager at Union Coop; and Shamma Salem Al Darmaki, Specialist of SMEs and Entrepreneurs Affairs at Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They introduced various services for Abu Dhabi’s SME sector.

In the meantime, during the Emirates SMEs Exhibition, a KFED’s information desk was present to answer the visitors’ queries. The exhibition was supported and organized by the UAE FCCI and the Abu Dhabi Chamber. It highlighted how to optimize investment opportunities in the SME sector.

It featured meetings with big companies across sectors, workshops, and training programs. It attracted top government entities responsible for the development, assistance, promotion, and financing of SMEs. The essential event sought to increase business competitiveness and expand private business opportunities.

The Emirates SMEs Exhibition also focused on the best practices and financing opportunities for SME owners and entrepreneurs to help build a knowledge-based economy and a competitive business environment.  It has been collaborating with various government and private companies to achieve sustainable development of the UAE and rest of the GCC region.