The Small to Medium Enterprise Exhibition, SME Expo, has kicked-off on Monday in the nation's capital, Abu Dhabi.

The event was inaugurated by Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the UAE Small and Medium Enterprises Council.

The two-day event is organised in strategic partnership with various funding programmes - such as the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development, RAK SME, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Foundation, and the Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla Programme for Supporting Youth Enterprises - to support and encourage Emirati entrepreneurs.

SME Expo seeks to provide young individuals, entrepreneurs, and small and medium-sized enterprises across the UAE with access to industry-leading experts and solution providers to grow their businesses.

Dr Adeeb Alafeefi, Director of the National Programme for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Projects, said, "SME Expo is part of the UAE Government's strategic efforts to increase the contribution of the SME sector to the national economy, where the current share of the sector to the country’s gross domestic product in 2018 is estimated to be at about 49 percent. The exhibition will boost national efforts aimed at raising contributions to 60 percent by 2021, in line with the objectives of the national agenda."

A number of ministers, senior officials and private sector representatives also attended the ceremony, including: Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry; Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; Hessa Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development; Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills; Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State; Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, and Saif Mohammed Al Hajri, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.

SME Expo is initiated by the UAE’s National Programme for Small and Medium Enterprises and Projects under the umbrella of the Ministry of Economy.

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