AIM to tackle FDI trends

The UAE’s drive to target to attract over $150 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) in the next ten years will be underpinned by the nation’s excellent handling of the pandemic and the implementation of key business accelerators, according to investment experts.

The ‘Projects of the 50’ initiative, which was unveiled to mark the nation’s 50th National Day in 2021, will play a critical role in the country’s efforts to achieve this target.

The 2022 edition of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), which will be held from March 29 to March 31, 2022 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre at EXPO 2020 Dubai, will play a key role in the UAE move to step up FDI flow as the second largest Arab economy expects to catapult itself into a higher trajectory of growth to realise its ambitious goal of more than doubling the size of its economy to Dh3 trillion by 2030 from Dh1.4 trillion.

The discussions at the AIM will be taking place against the backdrop of increasing FDIs globally. Worldwide, FDIs surged 77 per cent in 2021 to reach $1.65 trillion from 2020’s $929 billion. The 2021 level was higher than the pre- pandemic period.

The UAE was the world’s 15th-biggest recipient of foreign direct investment in 2020, ranking one place above the UK and seven places higher than the prior year, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

Although FDI flows plunged 35 per cent globally in 2020, investment into the UAE increased 11 per cent to almost $20 billion.

The latest edition of AIM is an initiative of the UAE Ministry of Economy designed to provide a framework for global exchange on the key principles underpinning international investment to achieve smart and inclusive global growth.

AIM’s theme for this year is ‘Investments in sustainable innovation for a thriving future.’ The exciting three day event is jam packed with workshops, lectures and networking events that are focused on bolstering and improving sustainable investments via six set pillars–FDI, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Foreign Portfolio Investments (FPI), Startups, Future Cities and the 50 Projects Initiative, which is a series of developmental and economic undertakings designed to accelerate the country’s further development and consolidate its position as a highly preferred destination for talents and investors.

FDI is one of AIM 2022’s six multifaceted pillars set to examine a wide variety and diverse topics of global importance while maximizing opportunities. The other pillars apart from FDI are Small and Medium Enterprises, Startups, Future Cities, Foreign Portfolio Investment and the 50Projects initiative.

FDI is one of AIM 2022’s six multifaceted pillars set to examine a wide variety and diverse topics of global importance while maximizing opportunities. The other pillars apart from FDI are Small and Medium Enterprises, Startups, Future Cities, Foreign Portfolio Investment and the 50Projects initiative.

AIM’s FDI Pillar is designed to help investors to learn and discover more about promising investment opportunities in different countries and regions.

The international gathering will feature pre-conference workshops, panel discussions and investment roundtables, to name a few, to shed light on economic structures and policies that guarantee the confidence of investors.

It will also dive deep on the latest trends and key global investment destinations for FDIs today.

FDIs lead to enormous benefits for both the investors and the recipient countries. Many nations have considered this form of investment critical to their economic acceleration and transformation, thus prompting them to build an environment that is conducive to the growth of their foreign investors.

As part of the AIM’s discussions under the FDI Pillar of AIM, participants will examine relevant investment promotion tips, tools and tactics for 2022 that will push for more effective FDI attraction programs.

This is especially significant amid continued uncertainty and changing market landscape.

More importantly, AIM 2022 will be focusing on driving FDIs towards sustainable innovation, which is necessary to achieve sustainable and inclusive development.

The discussions will be spearheaded by global experts, who will share their insights and analysis. Their inputs will be vital to developing effective FDI programs based on a better understanding of emerging investment approaches and capabilities.

— issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com