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Dubai: Abu Dhabi's Department of Planning and Economy (DPE) signed an agreement with the Khalifa Fund to support and develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
It is aimed at facilitating the licensing procedure for the projects supported by Khalifa Fund.
The agreement was signed by Ahmad Bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, chairman of DPE, and Hussain J. Al Nowais, chairman of the Khalifa Fund.
Al Suwaidi said the agreement ensures exemption of the projects supported by Khalifa Fund from the fees charged by the DPE for issuance and renewal of business licences and other charges.
The DPE will soon issue a clarification on the mechanism and duration of exemption. Al Suwaidi said that the agreement involves the creation of a joint database of all the data and information related to various projects.
The DPE chairman added that the department would organise training courses for Khalifa Fund staff in order to technically prepare them to handle the required procedures for issuance and renewal of business licences.
"The agreement will allow the licensing systems of Khalifa Fund and the DPE to be linked, thereby enabling SME owners to clear all procedures under a single roof at the Fund's premises," Al Nowais said.
The fund has provided financing for about 115 SMEs in various economic sectors, in addition to other support services, such as accounting, marketing and administrative consultancy.
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