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The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a statement outlining how its Youth Council organised a forum at chamber headquarters in cooperation with the Federal Tax Authority Youth Council to observe International Youth Day. The event operated under the theme Partners in Shaping the Future Economy and drew senior officials including Abdallah Sultan Al Owais as SCCI chairman, Sheikh Saud Bin Sultan Al Qasimi as Sharjah Digital Department director general, Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla as Federal Tax Authority director general, Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi as SCCI director general and Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi as SCCI assistant director general for communication and business sector. Representatives from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, Sharjah Police General Command and a cohort of young leaders and entrepreneurs also participated in sessions that addressed artificial intelligence governance alongside digital security measures required to sustain economic expansion.
According to the chamber statement, Al Awadi emphasised that investing in young people’s capabilities, knowledge and skills is the most important investment in building the future economy and strengthening the UAE’s position as a global centre for innovation and competitiveness. The SCCI director general added that the forum assembled young talents, specialists and decision-makers to confront one of the defining forces shaping the global economic landscape, namely the growing role of artificial intelligence in reshaping the business environment and unlocking new economic opportunities. Al Awadi further noted that observance of International Youth Day mirrors the UAE’s forward-looking vision which places youth at the heart of its development agenda and recognises them as key partners and principal drivers of innovation and competitiveness.
The Federal Tax Authority director general stated that the UAE’s development vision places youth at its core and positions them as strategic partners in shaping the future economy. Al Mulla explained that the rapid evolution of AI technologies and digital transformation makes it essential to empower young people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to lead and contribute effectively to this rapidly changing landscape. He described the gathering as a practical example of cross-sector collaboration that illustrates how integration of roles between government entities and the private sector can help build a more resilient, competitive and sustainable economy while advancing innovation that improves government services, operational efficiency and customer experiences.
A panel discussion titled Partners in Shaping the Future Economy formed the centrepiece of the gathering and was moderated by Aisha Saleh as chairperson of the SCCI Youth Council. Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Rahim Al Hammadi from Sharjah Police, Engineer Mohammed Bushlaibi from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, Mariam Almarzooqi from the Sharjah Digital Department and AI content creator Ebrahim Bolehyool contributed perspectives on government leadership in digital innovation. Panel members reviewed how institutions are integrating smart and predictive solutions that harness AI-driven data analysis to raise the quality, reliability and accuracy of information used in decision-making.
Sharjah Police representatives outlined ongoing efforts to embed artificial intelligence and emerging technologies into operational workflows so that service efficiency and responsiveness improve in line with evolving community requirements. The discussion highlighted future foresight as an essential pillar for crafting new strategic initiatives and programmes that bolster institutional resilience amid continuous technological and economic change. Participants stressed the necessity of developing young people’s capabilities with future-ready knowledge and skills while fostering an environment that encourages creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship so that youth can develop solutions and direct digital and economic transformation.
The chamber event complements wider national programmes that have already delivered AI training at scale, with Microsoft reporting that a partnership last year credentialed 55,000 UAE government employees and contributed to upskilling 120,000 workers across federal, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah entities on artificial intelligence applications. Such capacity-building aligns with dedicated entrepreneurship support structures in Sharjah that connect aspiring founders to mentorship, investment and practical frameworks for launching ventures. The combined focus on governance, practical deployment and youth empowerment underscores a structured approach to positioning younger generations at the forefront of AI-enabled business development.
