The Al Habtoor Group (AHG), a leading diversified group in the UAE, recently held discussions with delegations from Australia and the Philippines aimed at developing collaborations and business opportunities.

Earlier this year Dubai announced at strategic partnership with the Australia Gulf Council (AGC) aimed at promoting and facilitating trade, investments and other opportunities between the two countries.

Khalaf Al Habtoor, chairman of AHG, said: “Australia and Dubai already have strong links and we at the Al Habtoor Group have a good relationship with the country following Al Habtoor Engineering’s merger with Leighton Holding. We are always on the lookout for sound investments.”

Separately, senior executives from the Al Habtoor Group met with top Philippine officials to discuss investment opportunities.

Mohammed Fadhel Al Mazrooei, managing director, Al Habtoor Group and Maan Halabi, executive director, Al Habtoor Group welcomed Edwin Gil Q Mendoza, Acting Consul General of the Philippines and Gregory L Domingo, Ministry of Trade & Industry who was on a visit from Manila.

The meeting was aimed at exploring the possibility for the Al Habtoor Group to invest in the Philippines; with particular focus on the tourism sector.

Al Mazrooei said, “The Philippines is an emerging economy with considerable growth even as advanced economies remained weak. The hospitality sector offers a lot of potential.”

“The Philippine Government is negotiating with the Aviation authorities in the Gulf, particularly Emirates and Etihad airlines, to increase the frequency of flights between the UAE and the Philippines; a move that would increase air traffic between the two countries considerably,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service