Today The National launches free advertising for small businesses as part of a wider campaign to support the lifeblood of the UAE economy.
Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for about 60 per cent of the UAE's non-oil economy and 90 per cent of total businesses.
Yet bank lending to SMEs accounts for for just 4 per cent of the total, according to Dun & Bradstreet research.
SMEs are expected to account for 70 per cent of the country’s non-oil GDP by 2021, according to the Ministry of Economy.
Cultivating a healthy and supportive environment for entrepreneurship is vital if the country is to achieve its economic goals
In the weeks ahead we will be highlighting the vital role small businesses play in the country’s progress towards greater economic diversification.
We will also be throwing light on the challenges they face and how they can be overcome.
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