The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone aimed at enhancing trademark registration services and investment development. This collaboration is designed to facilitate easier access for clients of Sharjah to the trademark registration and protection services provided by the ministry, while also strengthening the integration of services for investors and entrepreneurs.
Significant Partnership Formed
The agreement was officially signed in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, and His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Mari, Minister of Economy and Tourism, during the Sharjah Investment Forum. The MoU was executed by Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority and Sharjah Publishing City, and Dr. Abdulrahman Al Mahaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the UAE Intellectual Property Office at the Ministry.
Objectives and Benefits of the MoU
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri stressed that this agreement marks a significant step in evolving the service ecosystem provided by Sharjah Publishing City for investors and entrepreneurs. “Our collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism aims to offer investors and entrepreneurs easier access to trademark registration services while raising their awareness of the importance of intellectual property rights protection, which provides their projects with additional growth and expansion capabilities,” he said.
He continued, “In line with the vision of His Highness Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, we are committed in Sharjah Publishing City to provide a comprehensive business environment that not only simplifies company formation and operational procedures but also enables them to protect their intellectual assets and enhance their competitiveness. We aspire to strengthen Sharjah Publishing City’s position as a business and investment hub that serves as a launching pad for creative ideas and projects into new markets.”
Commitment to Intellectual Property Protection
Dr. Abdulrahman Al Mahaini noted that the UAE is continuously improving its legislative and service frameworks to protect intellectual property rights and trademarks while enhancing the competitiveness of businesses and fostering innovation in various business activities. He highlighted that the ministry registered 17,230 national and international trademarks during the first half of 2026 and launched over 60 exceptional initiatives aimed at enhancing the intellectual property and innovation environment over the past three years, averaging more than 20 initiatives per year.
Dr. Al Mahaini remarked, “We aim to expand our cooperation with relevant entities providing services to investors and entrepreneurs to simplify procedures and enhance awareness of the importance of intellectual property protection. The MoU with Sharjah Publishing City represents a crucial step in empowering and protecting innovation in the publishing sector and other creative industries by facilitating clients’ access to trademark registration services, offering necessary technical support and training, as well as implementing joint awareness initiatives that promote intellectual property protection and support project growth and expansion.”
Streamlined Trademark Registration Services
The MoU stipulates that Sharjah Publishing City will be empowered to provide and showcase trademark registration services to its clients upon request. This arrangement is expected to enhance investors and entrepreneurs’ ability to benefit from specialized services for the protection of their trademarks. Additionally, the collaboration includes the provision of technical consultation and guidance relating to the trademark registration system, training staff at Sharjah Publishing City on utilizing the system and its various applications, and coordinating specialized training courses to reinforce their proficiency in this service and its operational mechanisms.