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Expo 2020 Dubai awarded contracts worth AED 6.8 billion ($1.85 billion) to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), supporting the UAE's drive towards a robust private sector and a more resilient economy.
Of the 3,245 suppliers awarded Expo 2020 Dubai contracts, 66 per cent (2,150) were SMEs, with 64 per cent (1,390) of these comprising domestic SMEs, according a statement from the Dubai Media Office.
The majority of the 760 overseas SME suppliers hailed from the United Kingdom (24 per cent), the United States (16 per cent), France (4 per cent), India (4 per cent) and Australia (4 per cent).
Overall, suppliers from outside the UAE were sourced from 94 countries, indicative of the World Expo’s global reach and impact.
Mukhtar Safi, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy CEO, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “The integration of SMEs into the delivery of what has been a truly exceptional World Expo will be an important part of Expo’s legacy for the UAE and wider region, stimulating employment, strengthening existing industries, enhancing SME competitiveness and ultimately contributing to sustainable economic growth.”
From construction firms to event organisers, retail stores to food and beverage outlets, SMEs played a key role in the success of Expo 2020 Dubai, which awarded AED 1.06 billion to UAE-based SMEs in 2021 alone.
(Writing by Seban Scaria; editing by Anoop Menon)
