Sharjah24: The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Foundation (Ruwad), affiliated to affiliated to Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD), revealed that the number of new Emirati small and medium enterprises that joined its membership in 2020 compared to 2019 has increased to 224 new projects, while 109 projects were renewed, while financing was 5 projects with a total financing amount of 1,835,000 dirhams.

His Excellency Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the SEDD, said: “The Sharjah government, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and the follow-up of Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Chairman of the Executive Council Taking the development of the entrepreneurial environment and sector great care and placing it on the list of government priorities, in a way that enhances the efforts exerted to improve the successes and achievements made at the economic and commercial levels in the emirate and its sustainability.

Qualitative government support
Al Suwaidi praised the package of incentives and facilities issued by the Executive Council in 2020 and the set of measures and measures taken to support government and private agencies, business sectors and individuals, and these incentives and facilities came with a total of 944 million dirhams in two packages.

An achievement despite the challenge
Hamad Ali Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Director of the Ruwad, said: The year 2020 represented an exceptional milestone in the march of the business sector in the country and in the world as a whole, and the corporation has successfully overcome it and was able to adapt its procedures and services to ensure its continuity and enhance it communicates with its members who are pioneers and women entrepreneurs, and learn about their needs and challenges that they faced during the past year.

He pointed out that the Foundation within the framework of government facilities and incentives provided to the business sector during the past year, continued to provide its support for new and existing projects by exempting government fees and postponing the payment of installments for projects funded by the foundation for a period of 6 months within the first and second packages of incentives and facilities decided by The Executive Council last March and November, and coordination was made with banks to postpone the payment of installments for projects financed by banks for a period of up to 6 months.