Under a directive issued by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, a new distribution company operating under the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) will be formed to enable local publishers expand their reach into regional and international markets with reduced operating costs. 

Members of the UAE publishing fraternity have lauded the continuous support provided by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah to develop the scope and status of the publishing industry in Sharjah and the UAE.  

EPA welcomed the new directive and emphasised the significant positive impact it will have on the national publishing industry. Senior EPA officials emphasised that the directive reflects Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi’s firm commitment to support the local publishing sector and will ease the financial burden on publishers while also helping standardise and restructure processes to facilitate the expansion and reach of the industry, both locally and regionally. 

Commenting on the new directive, Ali Obaid Bin Hatem, President of EPA, said: "The local and Arab publishing sector enjoys the unwavering support and guidance of the Ruler of Sharjah, who firmly believes in the power of books and knowledge in shaping and developing societies.” 

The EPA President added: "His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi recognises the value of proper distribution channels in the publishing process, as it has a pivotal role in driving forward this industry and thereby further Sharjah’s cultural project. The directive to form a distribution company operating under EPA will facilitate the restructuring of the existing distribution process and mitigate the financial burden of publishers. It will also help bolster the presence and boost the share of Emirati publishers in both local and international markets, and their representation in relevant global cultural forums." 

For his part, Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of EPA: "The generous support and patronage of the Sharjah Ruler has been a key driver in the development and advancement of the local and Arab publishing sectors. The new directive will pave the way for a steady flow of Arab titles into new markets and to a wider cross-section of the community, thus strengthening the relationship between publishers and their readers.” 

He continued: "We are well aware of the importance of streamlining the distribution strategy and services as currently, many distributors impose high fees on publishers that are negatively impacting sales, further aggravating the upheavals caused by the pandemic. The Sharjah Ruler’s directive comes at a critical juncture and will lay the foundation for a new era in publishing where UAE publishers can be assured of reaching their target markets and audience by paying nominal fees.” 

The newly formed distribution company will operate from the EPA headquarters situated near Expo Centre Sharjah.