ECC becomes founding member of Global Competitiveness Council

Emirates Competitiveness Council signs first MoU with U.S. Council on Competitiveness

14th June 2009

The Emirates Competitiveness Council (ECC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Council on Competitiveness in Washington.The agreement is the first MoU that the ECC has signed with another organization since its inception in May 2009. The MoU formalizes a strategic partnership between the two councils, which will bring together leading experts to develop global competitiveness standards and practices,, initiate public-private sector partnerships to promote sustainable economic growth, and foster high-value innovation in both nations.

In addition, the MoU aims to enhance capacity building, which will entail nurturing local talent through training and knowledge transfers that contribute to local and international growth.

MoU signatories were Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Secretary General of Emirates Competitive Council and Debra Wins, President of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. His Excellency Omar Al Shamsi, Minister Plenipotentiary in UAE Embassy in Washington DC and Saud Al Nowais, Commercial Attaché in the Ministry of Foreign Trade UAE also witnessed the signing, along with Chad Holliday, Chairman of the Council and Chairman and CEO of DuPont, Several other UAE federal and local government officials andofficials and administrators from the U.S. Council on Competitiveness also participated in the ceremony.

"This MoU conforms with the Council's aims to strengthen strategic partnerships with leading global competitiveness councils,” Lootah said. We hope this partnership will facilitate the exchange of information, knowledge transfers and access to global best practices. Our goal is to realize leadership objectives to achieve the highest levels of global competitiveness for the UAE."

Under the MoU, the ECC will be a founding member of the Global Competitiveness Council, an initiative of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. The Global Competitiveness Council will be composed of board members from competitiveness councils around the world. The major goals of the Global Initiative are to understand, analyze and benchmark the new dynamics of competitiveness in the global economy. The initiative works to facilitate dialogue, summits and partnerships with key partners. The first meeting of the Global Council will be held in September of this year, in Brazil, with the participation of the ECC.

Lootah added, "The MoU will contribute to UAE society by helping to build the capacity of our citizens and bring more UAE nationals into more innovation and creativity-oriented sectors through on-going training opportunities, skills & knowledge transfers, enabling them to participate fully in moving the country forward within a globalized, innovation-driven economy"

The Emirates Competitiveness Council (ECC) is comprised of 18 representatives from the seven emirates at the federal and local levels of government, as well as the private sector. Working together in partnership with the public and private entities the council enacts policies and undertakes actions which will drive the UAE’s competitiveness agenda and unites the country towards achieving the nation’s vision for sustainable growth and prosperity.

 The U.S. Council on Competitiveness is an independent non-governmental organization based in Washington D.C. Founded in 1986, its members include corporate CEOs and leading educators. The U.S. Council brings together business leaders, academics and government officials to assess the challenges and opportunities in the field of competitiveness. In addition, the Council organizes conferences and publishes reports and presents its assessments and recommendations on issues of competitiveness on a regular basis to the U.S. government, the media and decision-makers.