Skopje, 22 September 2025 (MIA) - Growth of over 3 percent of GDP in the past four quarters, acceleration in construction, and growth in tourism and agriculture. I believe these figures are a good recommendation. We are a new market and we want to develop, and as a Government, we want to present ourselves to business-oriented Governments, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski in his address at the opening of a working meeting Monday with the CEO of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, and representatives from the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia.  

Mickoski said the country has a nominal GDP growth of 7.8 percent and it would not be a surprise if it reaches GDP growth of 4 percent by the third quarter of this year, given the budget consolidation.  

"Our Government’s priority from the very beginning is the economic stabilization of the country. We would like to present ourselves as a business-oriented Government that wants to bring in as many foreign direct investments as possible and to support domestic investments. The result of that is significant growth in the second half of last year and the first half of this year compared to the same period in previous years," Mickoski stressed.

Mickoski said the Government is accelerating construction, tourism, agriculture, and paying significant attention to the exports of agricultural products. He noted that the country is making good progress, but said there is still room for improvement,

"So far, we have consolidated the economy and created a good business climate. There are no longer politicians who pressure businesses, and this is something that's very important for the country, bearing in mind the experience from the past, which was a big problem for the business community. My first step was to free businesses from external political pressures and to allow them to grow freely, and that is something that has added value to our economy so far," Mickoski said.

Despite the figures not being very large, Mickoski said the country has achieved incredible things considering the challenges it faces.

"I believe that for now, we are offering good solutions and supporting our exporters in the European market. We are still very competitive, and I believe that your idea of finding another window of opportunity, especially in the African market, when it comes to spare parts for cars, is a really good idea. We have representatives from that region here; you will have meetings with them later and you can delve more into the substance of this proposal," Mickoski said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted tourism as a priority, noting that in the first seven months of the year the country registered a 15 percent growth in visitors and ten percent in the number of overnight stays.

"It will not be a surprise if we increase the number of visitors by 29 percent by the end of the year. If we also see an increase in the number of overnight stays, it will be truly incredible. If we can reach 1.5 million tourists over the entire year, it will be a truly great achievement, and that is something we really want to achieve," Mickoski said.

Mickoski pointed out that the inflation rate in June was around 4 percent on an annual basis, emphasizing that on a monthly level, the country has an average rate of 0.2 percent.

"We expect to have an average inflation rate of around 4 or less than 4 percent by the end of the year and we will continue to consolidate the inflation rate to around 3 percent, which is our short-term goal," stated Mickoski.

According to the CEO of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, Dubai has a unique position as a hub, where Macedonian companies can boost their growth on global markets. He stressed that there is great potential for cooperation in areas such as trade, sustainability and digital economy sectors which, he said, can potentially lead the country to 20 percent growth by 2030.

Lootah thanked for the hospitality, stressing that Prime Minister Mickoski’s visit to Dubai at the beginning of the year represented a turning point in the growing bilateral relations between the two markets.

"Today's meeting builds upon that previous visit and represents our mutual commitment to deepening our partnership. In the period between 2020 and 2024, trade between our markets reached a total of US$495 million, and this long-term trend is one of positive engagement and growing opportunities. This is a good opportunity to reach higher figures from which both nations will benefit," Lootah said.

According to Lootah, Dubai offers a favorable business environment for investors with world-class infrastructure, an incomparable global connectivity, and a dynamic digital ecosystem.

"Our city has a unique position as a hub, where Macedonian companies can boost their growth in global markets, such as those in Africa, on the sub-Saharan continent, and so on," Lootah said.

He also pointed out that businesses from Dubai have a significant interest in understanding the opportunities that North Macedonia offers, indicating that he expects an engagement with the private sector to begin today that will lead to common platforms for cooperation and growth in figures.

"The Dubai Chamber of Commerce remains ready to support you in your cooperation with North Macedonia," said Lootah, addressing the business communities of both countries in his speech.

"We are prepared to connect our business communities, to facilitate partnerships, and offer mutual benefits. Thank you for the warm welcome from the Macedonian Government and the continued commitment to strengthening bilateral ties," he added. 

Photo: MIA