Digitalisation to Take Center Stage in Dubai

The push to advance trade through digitialisation figures prominently on the agendas of industry events taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 17-20 February 2025.

At the ICC Banking Commission Meeting (17 Feb), ICC UAE Director Vincent O’Brien will address the hot-button topic of “Transforming the Bill of Lading under Documentary Credits”. Pamela Mar, Managing Director of ICC Digital Standards Initiative (ICC DSI), will report on the effort’s progress and future plans, then a group of leading specialists connected with this work will present their visions for evolution of the ICC Banking Commission and ICC DSI. Panel discussions will also cover “Digital Trade Initiatives Having Sustainable Impact” and introduce “Launch of the Bank Defined Data Set for Trade Finance”.

The two-day GTR MENA conference (18-19 Feb) featuring nearly 100 speakers will include discussion of forces driving global trade, economic growth, and commodity financing. In the area of digitalisation, it will assess milestones reached, existing challenges, and strategies for boosting digital trade, including an innovative response toward the problem of “identification, identity, authentication” of documents in trade and supply chain finance.  

In a one-day workshop, “Trade Transformation & Digitalisation” (20 Feb), industry experts will report on and evaluate UAE’s progress towards becoming a leading hub for digital trade. The session will examine the role of the ICC DSI in facilitating digital trade & finance, the influence & impact of MLETR, the legal standing of electronic trade documents in the UAE, and practices regarding digital identification of trade counterparties.

DCW will be reporting on highlights and key insights.