Zeyoudi welcomes international investment community to AIM Global 2023 in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, 8th May, 2023 (WAM) — Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, welcomed the global investment community to the 12th Annual Investment Conference (AIM Global 2023), held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE capital. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, AIM Global 2023 seeks to bring together a broad range of international investors, Build consensus among policymakers and business leaders through investment opportunities to create long-term, sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
In his opening remarks to kick off this year’s AIM, Al Zeyoudi emphasized the important role that smart, targeted investments can play in nurturing the industries of the future and providing solutions to global challenges, from supply chain resilience to energy transition. He highlighted the UAE’s business-friendly policies, strategic location and world-class infrastructure, which are helping to attract investment in key industries and cement the UAE’s global ranking as one of the top FDI recipients in the MENA region.
“In the UAE, we welcome new ideas, new processes and new capabilities to create clusters of excellence capable of solving some of the most pressing problems in the world today,” Al Zeyoudi said in his speech. “We are the No. 1 country in the United Nations’ World Investment Report 2022 and we are ranked No. 19 in the Arab world, a testament to our position as a leading global investment hub. In 2021, we attracted a value of 207 billion US dollars of FDI, an increase of 4% over 2020.
“As a nation, we continue to push forward and seek new avenues and partnerships to ensure that investments are directed at sustainable, socially responsible projects. This year’s AIM meeting highlighted the need for this new approach, which is one of a kind” Paradigm shift” with a focus on promoting equitable, long-term growth that delivers prosperity and well-being for all. As we move forward, we must work together to ensure that investment is not only a profitable positive impact on the community and the environment.”
Al Zeyoudi underscored the message in a series of bilateral talks with senior government officials from around the world. For example, his discussions with His Excellency Maksim Reshetnikov, Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, and His Excellency Rustam Minnikhanov, Head of State of the Republic of Tatarstan, focused on promoting new investment opportunities and building on the current $10 billion non-oil bilateral trade agreement by 2022 trade between the UAE and Russia.
In addition, Al Zeyoudi spoke with His Excellency Vahan Kerobyan, Minister of Economy of Armenia, and the non-oil foreign trade between the UAE and Armenia has increased seven-fold since 2021 to reach more than US$1.5 billion by 2022. Ministers from the two countries discussed further trade and investment exchanges in sectors such as gold and diamonds, telephones, computers and automobiles. Al Zeyoudi also met with His Excellency Bernardo Ivo Cruz, Secretary of State for Trade and Foreign Investment of Portugal, and His Excellency Luis Castiglioni, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Paraguay.
Strengthening bilateral relations with strategic allies around the world is a cornerstone of the UAE’s economic partnership agenda, which aims to accelerate trade and investment in high-growth sectors. On the first day of AIM, Al Zeyoudi launched a special event to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, during which he foreshadowed the impact of the deal. Since the implementation of CEPA 11 months ago, the bilateral trade volume has reached 45.5 billion US dollars, an increase of 6.9% over the same period 12 months ago.
AIM Global 2023 will be held on May 10, 2023 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. With the theme of “Investment Paradigm Shift: Future Investment Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth, Diversification and Prosperity”, the event includes exhibitions, investment roundtables, introduction of investment destinations, investment awards, start-up awards, investor center and G2G, G2B and B2B conferences.