The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will soon set up a consulate in the State, according to Mr Mohamed Sultan Abdalla Owais, Ambassador of UAE in India.
The consulate will be functional ‘very soon’ to serve the people of the State and its business community in particular, the Ambassador said while speaking at an interactive meeting organised by Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in association with UAE Exchange here on Monday.
TRADE TIES
The UAE would also like to ramp up trade ties with Kerala, the Ambassador said in what was his first interaction with the business community in the State.
The UAE has already become India’s leading trading partner, he said, adding that the bilateral trade is expected to touch $50 billion.
Explaining, he said serial IT infrastructure investor Tecom of Dubai is planning to invest more than a thousand crore of rupees in the proposed SmartCity project at Kochi.
MORE FLIGHTS
The national airliner of UAE is planning to provide more connectivity to people of the State who constitute 50 per cent of the expatriate population there.
He also mentioned DP World’s investment in the international container transshipment terminal at Vallarpadam in Kochi.
Mr Biju Ramesh, President, KCCI, Thiruvananthapuram Chapter, presided over the function. Mr Mohammed Rasal, Director, KCCI, welcomed the dignitaries while Mr P. Unnikrishnan Nair, Director, offered felicitations.
Among others who spoke on the occasion were Mr Suresh Kumar, Member, Executive Committee, and Mr Savio Mathew, Secretary, KCCI.