The Annual Investment meeting signed memorandums of understanding with organisations and companies in Indonesia on the sidelines of the B20 Summit, which was held on November 13-14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia.
It should be noted that the Business 20 (B20) is a platform emerging from the G20, which is concerned with communicating with the global business community. The Business 20 (B20) was established in 2010 to develop the necessary policy recommendations on previously identified topics and submit them to the G20 Presidency during the Summit.
Mr Dawood Al Shezawi, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Annual Investment Meeting, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry KADIN, represented by the Chairman, M. Arasjad Rasjid P.M., to bring in business owners and investors and help organise joint programs between the UAE and Indonesia, including the Annual Investment Meeting – the Asian version – in Indonesia in November 2023.
A Memorandum of Understanding on Attracting Talent, Innovative Entrepreneurs, and Final Year Students (Future Soft Power) to Participate in the Activities of the Annual Investment Meeting, as well as Contributing to the Preparation of Coordination, was also signed by Mr Walid A. Farghal, Director General of the Annual Investment Meeting, and the Association of Indonesian Private Universities, represented by National Vice Chairman of International Relations, George Iwan Marantika.
The director general of the Annual Investment Meeting, Mr Walid A. Farghal, also signed a third memorandum of understanding with the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council regarding luring the top startups from the startup qualifiers to the ASEAN Advisory Council summit conference and luring investment portfolios from ASEAN to the Annual Investment Meeting.
The fourth Memorandum of Understanding was also signed by Mr Walid A. Farghal, Director General of the Annual Investment Meeting, and the Chairman of the Global Indonesia Professionals’ Association (GIPA), Mr Steven Marcelino (Businessmen Outside Indonesia), in an attempt to attract them to the Annual Investment Forum. Chairman of the Board of Directors Stephen Marcelino signed the contract on behalf of the Indonesian organisation.
The fourth Memorandum of Understanding was also signed by the Director General of the Annual Investment Meeting, Mr Walid A. Farghal, and the Chairman of the Global Indonesia Professionals’ Association (GIPA), Mr Steven Marcelino, to encourage them to attend the Annual Investment Meeting (Businessmen Outside Indonesia).
Describing the signing of the five memorandums of understanding, Mr Dawood Al Shezawi, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Annual Investment Meeting, stated that the MOUs come in the context of the ongoing efforts made by the Annual Investment Meeting to implement that strategic plan into real-world results that will encourage direct and indirect investment and drive sustainable development.
International participations of more than 174 countries demonstrate global economic recovery post Covid-19
Expo 2020 Dubai, UAE, 29 March 2022: Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM 2022) was inaugurated today (Tuesday, March 29th, 2022) by HE Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020 Dubai where it was attended by representatives of official delegations and participants from more than 174 countries.
The strong response on the first day of AIM was a barometer of the global economic recovery post Covid-19 as well as the UAE’s global position as a hotspot for investments across the investor spectrum.
Day one of AIM focused on the latest trends in foreign direct investment (FDI) and its growth prospects in emerging markets and the importance of attracting foreign investment driven by a progressive mix of legislation and flexibility in emerging markets.
AIM 2022 presented a platform for decisions makers, officials, investors, entrepreneurs, experts, analysts and academics who gathered under one roof to discuss FDI challenges, potential and growth.
Participants in AIM 2022 had the opportunity on day one to hold meetings, make contacts and share expertise with peers from all over the world. A variety of sessions were held on the first day.
The first day of the three-day event brought together investors, venture capitalists and financial institutions under one roof to participate in discussions, debates and much more.
Day one started with a debate focusing on ‘Investments in Sustainable Innovation for a Thriving Future’, as dignitaries, delegates and the keen-minded alike converged at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.
“Investments in future come at a time when the global investment landscape is changing rapidly thanks to an array of factors such as post pandemic trends, economic priorities and digital revolution; but one fact remains unchanged, FDI plays a significant role in the continuing efforts to achieve economic growth and prosperity,” said HE Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy.
The Vice President of Colombia, HE Dr Martha Lucia Ramirez kicked off the debate as she highlighted the need for “sustainable innovation” and an improvement in the global supply chain, focusing on a more “integrated” solution.
Shifting focus across the region, HE Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary General, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) expressed her concern on the lack of development and aid provided to developing countries. “In the developed world recovery went up to 30 per cent but in developing countries only 20 per cent. Developing countries are lagging behind in terms of investment in very important sectors.”
HE Vera Songwe, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations and Executive Secretary, Economic Commission of Africa started off by congratulating Dubai on a “fantastic EXPO” and further added on the “peculiarities” that the African continent faces post pandemic.
“All the ecosystems that support the investment is available in Abu Dhabi that boasts a strong and flexible platform not to mention the easiness of starting businesses. Just plug the business into one of the ecosystems in Abu Dhabi,” said HE Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, Undersecretary, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
The debate concluded with the President of the Republic of Tartastan, His Excellency Rustam Minnikhanov, as he highlighted how AIM was progressively gaining traction every year.
“The Annual Investment Meeting is a great platform for us to present investment opportunities for our region, exchange best practices with foreign partners, and make new contacts. Today we heard some informative and engaging discussions and expert opinions addressing a highly important topic of “Investment in Sustainable Innovation for a Thriving Future,” he said.
News of the event has quickly spread with technology and sustainability-driven companies and firms endeavouring to network at AIM 2022. With an hour dedicated to networking over lunch after the debate, high network individuals and company representatives can bolster their corporate framework and build relationships that could help boost business.
“We are looking forward to meeting global startups and entrepreneurs at AIM 2022 and providing them with the market knowledge to propel their startups and take them to the next level and give them not only scalability but the right amount of scaling. Additionally, this is a good opportunity to partner with governments and VCs too create co-investment opportunities to support the UAE startup ecosystem,” said Varis Sayed, Chief Executive Officer at Fincasa Ventures.
Currently, the UAE sits among the top 20 economies for FDI in the world, increasing by 4% year on year. The UAE has set an example by combating every challenge and turning it into an opportunity. Furthermore, the nation has developed its economic sectors to achieve qualitative shifts to a newer and more sustainable economic model, cementing itself as one of the top global economies in the world.
Investments in Sustainable Innovation for a Thriving Future
Dubai Exhibition Center, EXPO 2020 Dubai 29 – 31 March 2022
Initiated by the UAE’s Ministry of Economy and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Annual Investment Meeting is the world’s leading investment platform, which creates a regional and global economic transformation by providing investment opportunities, upholding solidarity, and developing strong economic relations among countries, investors, startups, SMEs, and all other stakeholders in the global investment arena. The 6 pillars of AIM strive to support all economic sectors by opening numerous opportunities to the world as a dynamic roadmap to economic recovery. The 6 pillars are FDI, SMEs, Startups, Future Cities, FPI, and 50 Projects Initiative.
The Annual Investment Meeting will make history once again from 29 to 31 March 2022 at the Dubai Exhibition Center, EXPO 2020, Dubai, in a new edition that aspires to empower the recovery of global economic growth.
“AIM’s forthcoming edition, AIM 2022, will focus mainly on endorsing and boosting investments towards sustainability and innovation through the conference’s 6 pillars: FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT FDI, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES SMEs, FOREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTMENT FPI, STARTUPS, FUTURE CITIES, and the 50 PROJECTS INITIATIVE, said Mr. Dawood Al Shezawi, President of the Annual Investment Meeting.
The FDI Pillar will enable participants to discover new investment opportunities in the global market, thereby, increasing FDI, while promoting economic growth.
The SMEs Pillar will recognize enterprises’ contributions to the global economy and empower them – emphasizing the need to create conducive environments that empower UAE’s entrepreneurs, allowing them to possess the necessary competency to achieve growth and progress.
The Foreign Portfolio Investors FPI Pillar will enable investors to diversify their portfolios, establish contacts with local organizations, and gain access to investment flows.
The Startups Pillar will help investors find new investment opportunities while helping entrepreneurs acquire venture capital and seed funding for their startups.
The Future Cities Pillar will rally up the governments and investors’ support to maximize the potential of innovation, technologies, and smart city solutions, while also recognizing smart city solutions providers from across the globe for their outstanding projects that are aligned to achieve increased operational efficiency & productivity, sustainability, and economic growth.
The 50 Projects Initiatives Pillar focuses on supporting the UAE’s ‘Projects of the 50’ initiative that covers numerous key sectors including Economy, Entrepreneurship, Advanced Skills, Digital Economy, Space, and Advanced Technologies. The 50 projects represent a series of long-term development and economic initiatives designed to accelerate the UAE’s development and establish the nation as a hub for talent and investment.
The AIM 2022 comprises a broad array of features and activities that give real value to all participants and stakeholders of the conference, including AIM Pre-conference Workshop & Seminar, AIM 2022 Conference, AIM 2022 Exhibition, AIM 2022 Innovation Showcase, Startup Hackathon, Startup Live Pitching Sessions, Site Visits, B2B, G2B, & G2G Meetings, Exclusive Breakfast, High-level Networking Lunch, Gala Dinner, AIM Global 2022 Investment Awards, AIM 2022 Startup Pitch Competition, and AIM 2022 Future City Awards, among other features.
With the Annual Investment Meeting’s 6 Pillars providing value to all the event’s participants, therefore, attending AIM is imperative for all stakeholders of the global investment landscape.
The International Humanitarian Summit will take place on the 30th of March, 2022 and will address major humanitarian issues such as racism, gender inequality, intolerance, and persecution, at the Expo 2020 Dubai.
Dubai (19/08/21) – The International Humanitarian Summit, was launched on the World Humanitarian Day, 19th of August 2021, to be held on the 30th of March 2022, in its mission to solve ongoing issues around the world including COVID 19 challenges and the persisting issues of racism, gender inequality, intolerance, and persecution.
Mr.Dawood Al Shezawi
The International Humanitarian Summit will bring together the international community of intellectuals, governmental institutions, human rights and philanthropic institutions, religious institutions, artists, media professionals, cultural associations and the private sector in order to discuss and shed light on the current concerns that need to be addressed, at the Expo 2020 Dubai.
Today’s crises are larger, more complex, and go on for years at a time. Providing humanitarian assistance has become much more difficult. The International Humanitarian Summit will voice out and discuss these issues in March next year, in order to lead, coordinate, and put efforts towards assistance overseas responding to humanitarian crises, natural disasters and manmade disasters. The International Humanitarian Summit will play a major role in promoting and assisting international humanitarian organizations that can better people’s lives and save more lives.
The United Arab Emirates is proud to host the International Humanitarian Summit, which will shed light on humanitarian workers who are reaching out to the most vulnerable people to save lives and alleviate suffering. In no other time has the generous, bravery, and sacrifice of aid workers been more evident or necessary. Around the world, humanitarian workers haven’t stopped saving lives despite the recent pandemic.
The Covid-19 pandemic was responsible for one of the largest humanitarian crises since the Second World War. Over the past few months, it has severely affected the humanitarian sector. The aid industry has suffered the most severe impact of all the industries affected by the pandemic. Countries from all over the world came together to provide medical supplies and medical professionals, however, other sectors of the aid industry received little support. Even with the global pandemic, the International Humanitarian Summit will continue to voice out issues and be a platform to inspire the world, serving as a catalyst for international crisis response in both diplomatic engagements and humanitarian assistance.
The United Arab Emirates has made its mark at the forefront of countries in the world in providing services and providing humanitarian aid and helping those in need around the world. And to crown this role comes the announcement of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday announced that the UAE would offer Golden Visas to charity and humanitarian aid workers in recognition of their efforts and sacrifices. The announcement to provide long-term residence visas was made on World Humanitarian Day.
In this regard, Mr. Dawood Al Shezawi, Secretary-General of the Board of Trustees, stated about the pioneering role of the United Arab Emirates throughout its history through humanitarian work at the regional and global levels “ The UAE policies put humanitarian and development work at the center, which is evident by the establishment of hundreds of humanitarian projects and institutions. Globally, the UAE plays a leading humanitarian role, dedicating resources and efforts to empowering communities and removing barriers to sustainable development.”
Gender Equality and Women Empowerment are topics that will be explored at the International Humanitarian Summit to enable private organizations and governments in promoting an equal world. Sessions will focus on creating an inclusive environment for women and people of determination within the society.
Utilizing the latest digital technology via Events10x, the International Humanitarian Summit will take place in the form of a hybrid event, and will be a powerful dialogue platform which will discuss vital issues in order to achieve a peaceful, healthy and liveable society based on mutual respect and understanding.
The summit is powered with the most anticipated Global Leaders Debate who will discuss the increased fragmentation around the world due to extremism and intolerance, which play a destructive role in achieving global happiness and prosperity. The purpose of this debate is to bring together international leaders to discuss policies to counter these problems and to propose initiatives to further boost human fraternity and tolerance.
The International Humanitarian Summit will feature the Humanitarian Art and Photography Gallery, which allows artists and photographers from around the world to showcase their work while promoting humanitarian values. Through this, visitors will be able to cultivate knowledge, increase awareness and access leading academic archives. Furthermore, the event will also host a digital exhibition where local governments, private institutions and organizations from respective countries will unveil their humanitarian efforts to virtual attendees.
Humanitarian Stories will provide participants with the opportunity to watch encouraging stories about life-changing initiatives from around the world. By doing so, The International Humanitarian Summit will help improve society, as well as highlight individual and institutional efforts in shaping it.
Date: 2nd September 2021, Tashkent – Republic of Uzbekistan
It gives us a great pleasure to invite you to participate in the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group) Private Sector Forum in conjunction with the 46 Annual Board of Governors Meeting in Tashkent —- Republic of Uzbekistan under the theme “Respond, Restore, Restart: Post- COVID Resilience and Prosperity for all”. The Forum will take place at the Tashkent City Congress Hall, Tashkent – Republic of Uzbekistan, on 24 September 2021 from 09:30 to 16:30 (Tashkent time).
The main objective of the Private Sector Forum is to highlight IsDB Group activities, services, initiatives and joint solutions in member countries (investment, trade and insurance). The Private Sector Forum shall provide a unique platform to network and establish business relations and partnerships with other leading representatives and counterparts from business community in order to share their related experience, success stories & best practices and to explore together the investment and trade opportunities offered by CIS countries. Furthermore, it will connect business communities in member countries by arranging parallel B2B and B2G scheduled meetings.
The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the IsDB Group, conscious of the challenge linked to the exceptional circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and cognizant of the safety of all delegates and participants. In this regard, a comprehensive health and safety plan has been prepared, which includes risk mitigation measures, guidelines to manage the flow of participants, specific COVID-19 related hygienic measures, and pre-emptive safety procedures.
In this regard, we are pleased to invite your esteemed organization to participate and provide the necessary media coverage for this forum. We are confident that your presence and active participation in this important event will contribute to the successful achievement of its objectives.
For further information on the provisional program, registration and logistics, please refer to the Private Sector Forum website (www.IsDBG-PSF.org)
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group hosted a webinar on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global investment outlook, which was organized in collaboration between the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Country Strategy and Cooperation (CSC) Department, IsDB on 17th November 2020 to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on FDI and trade in OIC member countries.
The main objective of the webinar is to present the key findings of the World Investment Report 2020 – International Production Beyond the Pandemic with a highlight on FDI trends in foreign direct investment (FDI) worldwide, at the regional and country levels and emerging measures to improve its contribution to development. In addition to presenting IsDB Group Strategy during COVID-19 and its impact on OIC Member Countries and Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs).
The Webinar also proposed adopting policies and strategies to revive investment and trade in member states to advance investment promotion activities, in order to support the IsDB Group efforts to assist Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) in member countries by assisting them in devising appropriate investment and trade policy responses to the ongoing pandemic
Mr. Oussama Kaissi, CEO of the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), stated that “the COVID-19 pandemic has created a devastating global health crisis. According to UNCTAD’s 2020 World Investment Report, global flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) will be under acute pressure this year as a direct result of the pandemic. In order to combat these implications in member countries, IsDB and its group members have implemented a number of initiatives to maintain trade and investment flows. ICIEC will be an important part of the long-term recovery, supporting the growing demand for risk mitigation solutions”.
Mr. James Zhan, Director, Investment & Enterprise Division, UNCTAD, made a presentation which highlighted the key findings and policy recommendations found in its World Investment Report 2020: International Production Beyond the Pandemic.
Mr. Amadou Diallo, the Acting Director-General, Global Practices at the Islamic Development Bank in his speech stated that during COVID-19, the Bank provided technical assistance programs for the Islamic Development Bank Group such as RCI and ITAP to support the Member Countries by assisting them in developing suitable plans for investment and trade policy to confront the ongoing Corona pandemic. This is in the framework of a tripartite approach centered around the “response, recovery and rebuilding” pillars.
Mr. Mohammed Bukhari, Senior Investment Promotion & Regional Cooperation Specialist, CSC Dept., IsDB delivered a presentation on the impact of COVID-19 on MCs, particularly in foreign direct investment (FDI), domestic investment and investment promotion agencies (IPAs).
It is noteworthy that the private sector institutions of the Islamic Development Bank Group played an important role during COVID-19, as Mr. Asheque Moyeed, Division Head, Infrastructure & Corporate Finance, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) made a presentation which focused on the efforts related to promoting investment in member countries, where the IsDB Group private sector institutions pledged with IsDB to provide $ 700 million to stimulate investment, finance trade, investment insurance and export credit in member countries. Two D-8 Egypt and Turkey are going to utilize around $270 million of this package.
The webinar brought together over 500+ participants from 113 countries, including government officials, Presidents & CEOs of local/international private sector companies, multilateral and financial institutions, individual investors, entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce & Industry, business associations, and investment promotion agencies
WBP is a Swiss-based international non-profit organization (www.womensbrainproject.com) focused on sex and gender determinants of brain and mental health as a gateway to precision medicine.
WBP’s mission is “Identifying specific needs related to women’s brain health, advocating for change, and positioning the findings for the benefit of the society.”
In September 2020, WBP held an international Forum out of Zurich, Switzerland. You can still register and access all the content, from insightful keynotes to the recordings of the live discussions, see below:
WBP Forum 2020
CFI.co’s Chairman Tor Svensson is an adviser to and keen supporter of WBP. See his keynote speech for the Forum here:
Should you wish to make a charitable donation for the new WBP research centre of excellence under planning in Switzerland, please contact Tor Svensson at email tor@cfi.co to discuss.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Esteemed Guests,
It is my distinct honor to welcome you to the UAE’s first-ever digital edition of the Annual Investment Meeting. Thank you to everyone participating, including our panelists from the Governments of Costa Rica, Canada, Nigeria and Russia. Today’s discussion on how countries are ensuring the free flow of trade and investment could not be more timely, especially as the world grapples with the economic recovery and moves toward building a more resilient, post-COVID economy.
As you know, the pandemic has significantly impacted global markets, creating new challenges for trade and investment. According to the United Nations’ 2020 World Investment Report, global FDI flows are estimated to decrease by up to 40% this year, dropping well below their value of $1.54 trillion in 2019. This would bring global FDI below $1 trillion for the first time since 2005. Global FDI flows are expected to decline even further in 2021, by 5% to 10%, and only in 2022 do we expect to start seeing markets recover.
While the challenges ahead are enormous, the UAE sees tremendous opportunity for governments and business leaders to work together through trade and investment to reshape policies, create new partnerships, leverage new technologies, and build a future global economy that is more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable. We know that FDI can bring new technology and know-how, lead to new jobs and growth, and is often the largest source of finance for economies – making today’s discussion even more imperative.
For the UAE, FDI has played a critical role in our economic growth. In 2019, the UAE was the largest recipient of FDI in the region, largely due to our increased focus over the years on enhancing local conditions to attract FDI. With policies and measures in place, such as our Foreign Direct Investment Law enacted in 2018 to further open the UAE market to investors in certain sectors, and the issuance of our Positive List, which allows for greater foreign investment across 122 activities, the UAE was able to increase our FDI value by 32% in 2019. The UAE also came in 16th of 190 countries in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business 2020 Ranking due to our digitization strategies and promising business regulatory environment.
The UAE is continuing to refine and implement policies that will maximize competitiveness, increase collaboration, and provide opportunities to facilitate trade and investment. Our aim is to become the #1 country for foreign investment, target zero contribution from oil to our GDP in the next 50 years, and support research, development, and innovation. The UAE’s trade and investment strategy is centered on economic diversification and focuses on enhanced investment in industries such as communications, Blockchain, artificial intelligence, robotics, and genetics. We are also initiating measures to strengthen our position as a regional leader in supplying financial and logistical services, infrastructure, energy supplies, and other services.
The UAE believes that increased partnership and cooperation with governments and the private sector will be key to achieving our objectives. We view platforms such as the Annual Investment Meeting as instrumental in bridging the gap between nations and supporting global efforts to strengthen international trade and investment. Through this platform, we hope that participants will uncover new, innovative ideas and investment opportunities needed to build back better and ensure a strong post-COVID recovery.
H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade: Our aim is to become the #1 country for foreign investment, target zero contribution from oil to our GDP in the next 50 years.
Successful Investment Roundtables for Energy and Agriculture concluded with strategies to facilitate sustainable, smart and scalable investments.
Startups took virtual centerstage as they competed at the Global Champions League 2020
AIM Hub
Dubai, October 21, 2020 – After the huge success of its opening day, AIM Digital, the first digital edition of the Annual Investment Meeting, continued to gain momentum as it reached Day 2. The three-day mega digital event, an initiative of the Ministry fo Economy, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, concluded its second day with interactive activities that catalysed investment-generation, knowledge-enhancement, and local, regional and international collaborations.
Joined by more than 15K participants from over 170 countries, including 70+ high-level dignitaries from across the globe, the second day of AIM Dıgital witnessed a wide range of major events, from the Conference, Exhibition, Investment Roundtables, and Regional Focus sessions to Conglomerate Presentations and Startups competitions; all geared towards providing opportunities to achieve a digital, sustainable & resilient future.
AIM Digital: Virtual Village
In his keynote speech in the FDI session, Ministers Roundtable: Adapting to the New Flow of Trade and Investment, His Excellency Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said: “It is my distinct honor to welcome you to the UAE’s first-ever digital edition of the Annual Investment Meeting. Thank you to everyone participating, including our panelists from the Governments of Costa Rica, Canada, Nigeria and Russia. Today’s discussion on how countries are ensuring the free flow of trade and investment could not be more timely, especially as the world grapples with the economic recovery and moves toward building a more resilient, post-COVID economy. The pandemic has significantly impacted global markets that created new challenges for trade and investment. While the challenges ahead are enormous, the UAE sees tremendous opportunity for governments and business leaders to work together through trade and investment to reshape policies, create new partnerships, leverage new technologies, and build a future global economy that is more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable. We know that FDI can bring new technology and know-how, lead to new jobs and growth, and is often the largest source of finance for economies – making today’s discussion even more imperative.”
He further stated that FDI has played a critical role in the UAE’s economic growth, with policies and measures in place, such as the Foreign Direct Investment Law enacted in 2018 to further open the UAE market to investors in certain sectors, and the issuance of Positive List, which allows for greater foreign investment across 122 activities, and increasing the UAE’s FDI value by 32% in 2019. He also mentioned that the UAE came in 16th of 190 countries in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business 2020 Ranking due to the country’s digitization strategies and promising business regulatory environment.
AIM Digital: Main Registration Page
His Excellency Al Zeyoudi furthered: “The UAE is continuing to refine and implement policies that will maximize competitiveness, increase collaboration, and provide opportunities to facilitate trade and investment. Our aim is to become the #1 country for foreign investment, target zero contribution from oil to our GDP in the next 50 years, and support research, development, and innovation. The UAE’s trade and investment strategy is centered on economic diversification and focuses on enhanced investment in industries such as communications, Blockchain, artificial intelligence, robotics, and genetics. We are also initiating measures to strengthen our position as a regional leader in supplying financial and logistical services, infrastructure, energy supplies, and other services.”
He added: “The UAE believes that increased partnership and cooperation with governments and the private sector will be key to achieving our objectives. We view platforms such as the Annual Investment Meeting as instrumental in bridging the gap between nations and supporting global efforts to strengthen international trade and investment. Through this platform, we hope that participants will uncover new, innovative ideas and investment opportunities needed to build back better and ensure a strong post-COVID recovery.”
Furthermore, world-class speakers shared their viewpoints in Day 2 of the Conference highlighting Foreign Direct Investment, Foreign Portfolio Investment, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Startups, Future Cities, and One Belt, One Road, including H.E. Amb. Mariam Yalwaji Katagum, Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment of The Federal Republic of Nigeria; Victoria Hernández Mora, Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce of Republic of Costa Rica; Hon. Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade of Ontario, Canada; and Sergey Cheremin, Minister of Moscow City Government Head of Department for External Economic and International Relations, among others.
Two Investment Roundtables were also held successfully at the second day of AIM Digital, concluding with strategies to facilitate sustainable, smart and scalable investments. The Energy Roundtable was led by Laszlo Varro, the Chief Economist of International Energy Agency, which works with countries around the globe to structure energy policies towards a secure and sustainable future. Among the notable participants include H.E. Arifin Tasrif, Minister for Energy & Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia; and H.E. Gabriel Obiang, the Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea. The Agriculture Roundtable was led by Islamic Development Bank Group, the multilateral development bank working to promote social and economic development in Member countries and Muslim communities worldwide, delivering impact at scale.
In addition, the second set of National Winners competed on Day 2 of the AIM Global National Champions League. Overall, a total of 65 countries competed at this international startups competition. The top five global champions that will win a total prize of USD50,000 will be announced on the last day of AIM Digital. The competition was launched in a bid to help startups in maximizing their potential to attract funding and promote their business ideas to a global audience, getting utmost exposure and expanding their network.
Participating in the Conglomerate Presentation feature of AIM Digital is Elsewedy Electric led by Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy, its President and CEO. Elsewedy Electric began as a manufacturer of electrical components in Egypt 80 years ago, and Electric has evolved into a global provider of energy, digital and infrastructure solutions with a turnover of EGP 46.6 billion in 2019, operating in five key business sectors, namely Wire & Cable, Electrical Products, Engineering & Construction, Smart Infrastructure and Infrastructure Investments. As part of its commitment to sustainability, it has established green energy and smart metering projects across Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
AIM Digital: Exhibition Booth
The Regional Focus Sessions featured the regions of Asia and Latin America and explored the risks, challenges and opportunities for growth and regional cooperation. Regional Focus Session on Asia brought together government officials and investment authorities from the ASEAN Member States and discussed their strategies to create a borderless and sustainable bloc that will push organic growth, as well as their approaches to gain resilience in the economy. Regional Focus Session on Latin America highlighted the significance of regional and international partnerships to combat the current pandemic and boost trade, investments and employment within the region.
Moreover, Country Presentations on Day 2 presented the outstanding features and investment opportunities in Colombia, Egypt and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia which highlighted the countries’ status as attractive investment destinations.
Another highly anticipated event in the largest virtual gathering of the global investment community is the announcement of winners for the Investment Awards and Future Cities Awards which will take place on Day 3 of AIM Digital. AIM Investment Awards will grant recognition to the world’s best Investment Promotion Agencies and the best FDI projects in each region of the globe that have contributed to the economic growth and development of their markets. Likewise, AIM Future Cities Awards will give tribute to the best smart city solutions providers and for outstanding projects that have resulted to enhanced operational efficiency and productivity, sustainability, and economic growth.
Day 1 of AIM Dıgital welcomed the presence of globally renowned personalities such as the UAE Minister of Economy, His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri who emphasised the vision of UAE’s wise leadership for the post-COVID era, reflecting great significance to enhancing the readiness of the country’s government sector, raising efficiencies and performance at the federal and local levels. Keynote remarks were delivered by H.E. Juri Ratas, the Prime Minister of Republic of Estonia; H.E. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan; H.E. Dr. Bandar M. H. Hajjar, the President of Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group); H.E. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED); and Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
AIM Digital: Virtual Lobby
The UAE Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, underlined in his Keynote Address for the SME Pillar, that it is crucial for Startups and SMEs to be given opportunities to bounce back from the impact of pandemic and provide a conducive environment that will empower them to have the capability of supporting growth and success.
The Global Leaders Debate featured prominent keynote debaters such as Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP); Mohamed Alabbar, the Founder of Emaar Properties, Alabbar Enterprises and Noon.com; Mohammad Abdullah Abunayyan, the Chairman of ACWA Power; and Arkady Dvorkovich, the Chairman of Skolkovo Foundation, who discussed the strategies to restructure the economies in overcoming the consequences of the pandemic.
The first digital edition of the Annual Investment Meeting with the theme “Reimagining Economies: The Move Towards a Digital, Sustainable and Resilient Future, will be held until the 22nd of October 2020.
The Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) is an initiative of the UAE Ministry of Economy, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. AIM is the world’s leading investment platform with over 16,000 participants coming from more than 140 countries. Over 400 exhibitors and co-exhibitors, 60+ high-level dignitaries, 150+ investment specialists and experts have participated in AIM 2019.
