Annual Investment Meeting (AIM 2017) to focus on capacities and challenges of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)

According to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2016, FDI inflows to developingeconomies reached a new high of $765 billion in 2015, 9 per cent higher than the previous years.

Focusing on FDI capacity, The Annual Investment Meeting which will be held in Dubai from 2nd- 4th April 2017 at the Dubai World Trade Centre will be attended by representatives of official delegations from more than 140 countries.

Key development, trade, investment challenges and global trade and political trends will be among the agenda items to be discussed at the seventh edition of the Annual Investment Meeting.

“Over the last few years, the UAE has maintained positive growth levels despite the presence of a global downturn. As a country, we’ve adopted open economic policies and have implementedsound and strategic plans supported by the government. This has led to economic diversification and contributed to the development of various sectors. We are positive that in the years to come, our strategic plans and policies will continue to address the challenges faced in building a sustainable economy. As an important hub for trade and business, the Annual Investment Meeting is a great opportunity for industry veterans to inspire creativity and innovation as well as to tackle evolving needs in key economic sectors,”said HE Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy.

Despite the decline in oil prices over the past few years, Dubai has maintained its investment growth resulting in sustained economic growth across various sectors. While Dubai’s total investments in the economy was at Dh77.3 billion in 2016, it is projected at Dh82.5 billion and Dh86.5 billion respectively in 2017 and 2018.*

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a principal avenue of development finance. Since it can contribute to economic development, governments want to attract it. It is noted that the UAE which remains the number one market in the region for foreign direct investments, attracted 61.6 per cent of all FDI projects in GCC countries in 2015. Official figures showed that Dubai alone received nearly Dh20 billion in foreign direct investments in 2015 and more than two thirds of the funds came from Saudi Arabia, the US, the UK, India and Kuwait.

FDI is regarded as one of the prime transmission vehicles of advanced technology for all countries. The panelists at the Annual Investment Meeting will discuss the opportunities and challengessurroundingforeign direct investments and economic growth across various areas.

The pre-event will oversee an FDI capacity building workshop for investment promotion professionals.

The UAE is targeting foreign direct investment (FDI) to make up 5 per cent of GDP by 2021*. As such, day one of AIM 2017 will witness global business leaders, senior public officials and head of international institutionswho will debate and discuss on international investments as a path to competitiveness and development. Global leaders will also highlight key enablers that can increase the contribution of FDI for the competitiveness of a national economy. In addition, the session will also focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and the competitiveness of a national economy for a successful ecosystem.

The second day of the conference will shed light on the risks and opportunities for the agriculture sector. It will also focus on how national economies gain from public-private partnerships. Also, the daywill host a special session on Expo 2020.  The session will highlight economic reforms that will explore the plans of GCC nations to achieve their 2030 goals. In addition, new technologies and innovation, investment incentives and success stories that have used FDI as a means to strengthen their economies will be in focus.

The last day of AIM 2017 will highlight FDI’s role in building physical infrastructure and competitiveness. It will also shed light on the role of technology in transforming the financial sector. The UAE is also aiming for innovation to account for at least 5 per cent of GDP by 2021.

The Annual Investment Meeting is a premier event focusing on foreign direct investment (FDI) in growing markets. It is the leading global platform aimed at facilitating strategic networking and promoting investments while providing a rich learning experience. It gathers the international investment community, corporate leaders, policy makers, experts, and practitioners from across the globe to discuss strategies on attracting FDI and to connect businesses and countries willing to engage in sustainable partnerships with investors.

“It is an honour to host the seventh edition of the Annual Investment Meeting. The meetingwill serve as a perfect platform for key international experts to discuss and promote resilient economic policies that will drive growth and productivity for their countries. In addition, it will provide a great opportunity to businessmen and operators in several industries, from the private and public sector to find out about the investment potential in the UAE,” saidDawood Al Shezawi, CEO, AIM’s Organising Committee.