Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism offers new entrepreneurship programme

The Open Minds initiative will train 200 entrepreneurs and provide access to a huge library of resources

Abu Dhabi has rolled out a slew of measures to support SMEs during the pandemic. Victor Besa / The National 

The Abu Dhabi government's Department of Culture and Tourism is offering a new learning programme to help owners of small and medium-sized enterprises respond to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Organised by the department's Maktaba libraries arm, the Open Minds initiative will train 200 entrepreneurs through a series of courses addressing issues such as dealing with the commercial challenges brought by the pandemic or bringing a passion to life through business, the DCT said in a statement on Tuesday. The programme will run until October.

“Due to the current circumstances, we have an opportunity to rethink the programmes and support we provide to society,” said Abdullah Majed Al Ali, executive director of the DCT's Dar Al Kutub sector.

“As the culture of entrepreneurship and small business ownership continues to blossom, we look forward to encouraging a new generation of independent innovators," he added.

Maktaba is responsible for the administration of public libraries in the emirate and through Open Minds, participants will have access to a large, e-library resource that will allow them to explore a vast catalogue of subjects to expand their knowledge, the department said.

Abu Dhabi, which accounts for about 6 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, has rolled out a slew of measures to support SMEs during the pandemic.

In April, the emirate's department of finance teamed up with three major lenders to expand the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme introduced as part of Abu Dhabi’s economic stimulus package.

SMEs make up more than 94 per cent of companies in the UAE and provide jobs for over 86 per cent of the country's private sector workforce, according to the Ministry of Economy.