Support for SMEs and Trade Relations
Gulftainer, a company based in the UAE, is targeting to invest 1 billion dollars in Egypt in container terminals management and port logistics services, according to the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS). This announcement was made while Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel El-Wazir, was participating in the World Maritime Transport Conference in Dubai.
Head of the ECS Abdel Aziz Elsherif announced that Emirati investments in Egypt were reaching about 21.8 billion dollars at the end of February 2025, spanning across 2,139 companies.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expanding its trade relations with the specific goal of increasing bilateral trade with China by $8 billion by the year 2030. To support the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the Dubai Traders Market offers a hybrid retail and wholesale marketplace model, creating incentives for establishing new trading relationships. Also, logistics partnerships will certainly help with robust supply chains for SMEs seeking new markets and additional revenue streams.
Santosh Tirodkar, Group Managing Director, Polestar International Shipping LLC said, “The UAE’s logistics sector is a model of what is possible when vision, investment, and execution come together. The country’s ports, rail network, and multimodal infrastructure are setting new standards for efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. The UAE is not just leading the logistics sector—it is defining it.”
The United Arab Emirates is moving into a global logistics hub, making the most of infrastructure investments, technology and an enabling policy environment. Addressing skills gaps and aspirations around sustainability will be vital to maintain the transition phase world's logistics hub. The cooperation from the UAE and innovation will strengthen the UAE's position to be an important player in the global supply chain but will ultimately drive economic growth and diversification. Logistics companies such as Aramex, Fetchr, and GAC Group support SMEs by providing tailored delivery, warehousing, and distribution solutions that enable global trade opportunities.
“Smaller businesses used to think they couldn’t compete in trade. Now many see it as their best path for growth,” says Toby Edwards, CEO of Shipa Freight, the online freight service. “SMEs are not naïve about the obstacles to unlocking new markets. They see online tools and other technology as a way to conduct transactions, get financing and gather market intelligence.