Is Dubai business continuity ready?

Rudy Chouchany

Since 1971, when the UAE was established, Dubai has developed into a modern international business hub and a great place to invest. It is considered one of the world’s fastest growing cities from the point of view of its economy and the GDP per capita. This has been achieved by having a vision and by changing a number of policies and regulations to make Dubai as free as it is now and by making the best use of the petroleum resources.

In February 2007, the Dubai Government published the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 (DSP). Launched under the theme ‘Dubai...Where The Future Begins’, this sets out a strategic approach to develop the emirate’s growing economic sectors further. However, after reading the DSP you have to stop and ask yourself is Dubai business continuity ready?

The DSP is a great plan covering many aspects of business, social development, infrastructure, and environment, security, justice, safety, and government excellence. Much may be achieved by it.
When tackled from the business continuity perspective, though, various gaps can be highlighted.

The DSP Guiding Principles are:
* Free market economy, human capital;
* Diversification of the economy in favour of non-oil sectors;
* Provision for world-class infrastructure;
* Providing transparency in policy and institutional frameworks, laws and regulations.

Infrastructure:
The plan talks about improving safety design standards and enforcing safety audits for the transportation network. The plan DOES NOT talk about critical infrastructure protection, and how to secure its various elements.

The investor is interested in knowing that whatever will happen, his/her operation will be able to continue and that adequate measures have been taken to ensure the continuity of the services upon which it depends. There is no evidence in the DSP that this will be the case.

Energy:
The plan talks about securing long-term efficient energy and electricity and water supply but with the aim of meeting Dubai’s growing needs, not from the point of view of protection and continuity of the service.

Safety:
As for safety, the DSP addresses the management of crisis and disasters. It also talks about ensuring that concerned stakeholders adopt contingency plans and invest in the necessary equipment and infrastructure for crisis and disaster management. It talks about the development of emergency plans to deal with accidents and risks that threaten public health and about enhancing public health awareness and education.

What the DSP fails to address it that of business continuity plans which address prevention as well as response. The DSP also fails to mention the need for a governmental Tourism Recovery Plan; how to bring back tourism and tourists if there are any problems from terrorist attacks or war in UAE or the Gulf area.

Government:
The DSP talks about the need for the development of strategies that are aligned across government entities and the development of mechanisms for risk identification and management. This is to be welcomed.

Conclusion:
According to a survey conducted by KPMG, only 32 percent of businesses in Dubai have a business continuity plan and most of these are IT centric. This is a very low number according to the type and the nature of businesses and also the future role of this area of becoming an international business hub.

Dubai is an attractive place for investors and one of the most rapidly developing international business hubs in the world. More fine lines have to be drafted to secure the potential deals that are and will be coming its way. To achieve the continuity of Dubai’s success, business continuity management systems have to be developed for the government and enforced on organizations.

Rudy Chouchany, senior business continuity consultant, BCC management BCCManagement has been in business since 2006. It specializes in business continuity, disaster recovery planning, and strategic reviews of conceptual plans. www.BCCManagement.com

•Date: 21st Nov 2007• Region: Middle East •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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