SHARJAH – UAE Ministry of Culture Undersecretary Mubarak Al Nakhi and Chinese Ambassador to the UAE Zeng Jixin visited the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund’s pavilion at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair, where they were briefed on programmes to help publishers enter the industry and expand into new markets.
Iman Ben Chaibah, director of strategic initiatives and global markets at the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), briefed the officials on the fund’s three tracks, Launch, Scale and Disrupt. Known as Onshur, the fund was established by SBA Chairperson Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi. It supports aspiring publishers, established publishing houses and companies developing technology for the sector.
Ben Chaibah said 16 publishing and cultural projects graduated from the Launch track in 2026. The fund also invested in KlooBR, the winner of its Disrupt track, which is showcasing AI-powered tools for publishers at the pavilion.
Al Nakhi expressed interest in exploring ways to support publishers applying to Onshur’s programmes and in working with KlooBR to develop tools for the industry.
