The organizing committee of the Annual Investment Meeting 2019 has completed the preparations for its event. More than 20,000+ corporate leaders, policy makers, businessmen, regional and international investors, entrepreneurs, leading academics, experts, and stakeholders from over 140+ countries from Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, and Asia has participated in the three-day event.
Some of the heads of states who came are H.E. Evo Morales, President, Plurinational State of Bolivia; H.E Muhammadu Buhari, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria; H.E Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan, Russian Federation; H.E. Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of Chechen Republic, Russian Federation; and H.E. Huchiev Muslim, Deputy Chairman of Chechen Republic, Russian Federation.
More than 60 high level officials including heads of state, government ministers, and other top public officials joined prominent global business figures, over 1,000 FDI experts, and representatives of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and business councils. They tackled the most pressing challenges and key opportunities in the midst of exponential digital innovations, technological developments, and influential global trends.
H.E Mr. Fareedon Hartoqa the Secretary General of the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC), said, “We in Jordan, and at the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC), are committed to working with investors and businesses to facilitate their work in Jordan and maintain strong mutually beneficial relationships with those entities. JIC continues its determination on leveraging Jordan’s strengths. Our position in the heart of the Levant makes us a strategic platform to the GCC and MENA region. It also makes us an ideal global East-West hub. Our Free Trade agreements give us access to over one billion consumers. Jordan offers the ideal destination when looking for a manufacturing base, outsourcing center, distribution and back office operations. Jordan also could serve as a base for infrastructure and reconstruction projects in our region.”
A delegation from Bolivia also participated at AIM. Widely regarded as the country’s first president to come from the indigenous population, this is the first time any president from Bolivia has made it to the UAE. H.E. Evo Morales, President, Plurinational State of Bolivia, stated that Plurinational State of Bolivia intends to promote greater FDI such that at least 40 percent of Foreign Direct Investment contributes to diversify the productive matrix of the country and generates added value (productive industrial complexes, services and tourism) through partnerships in mixed state companies, in alliance with the central level of the State and Autonomous Territorial Entities. The Bolivian perspective aims to encourage foreign investors in a way that they become strategic partners and not owners of natural resources and surpluses. The country’s goal is that FDI should respect the country’s sovereignty, mother earth and the profits in the territory should be converted to strengthen the model of living well.
In addition, a delegation from Kingdom of Bhutan also joined the event. According to H.E. Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, Minister of Economic Affairs, Kingdom of Bhutan, the number of FDI projects approved in the year 2018 has more than doubled from the number in 2017. A total of 16 projects were approved in 2018 against just seven in 2017.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has just recently formulated an open economy policy, gains a strategic move participating at AIM 2019. “We saw growth in both FDI inflows, which were 127 percent higher in 2018 than in 2017, and in the number of new licenses awarded. 739 new licenses were awarded in 2018, an increase of 96 percent on the previous year. This momentum has continued in 2019, with broad based growth across all sectors and geographies. The Saudi Arabian economy is undergoing a period of rapid transformation, and this is creating new opportunities for the private sector and international investors. Through Vision 2030, we have been able to introduce a number of new policies and reforms that are allowing investors to tap into these opportunities in an unprecedented way,” H.E. Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi Minister of Commerce and Investment, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Further, with the participation of Brunei Darussalam, AIM 2019 provides an ideal platform to push their economic agenda, specifically on attracting higher FDI this year. “As one of the biggest events on the global FDI calendar, AIM 2019 will provide the perfect platform for Brunei Darussalam to showcase the direct investment and collaboration opportunities, as well as the world class products and services we have to offer. As per revised 2017 figures, Brunei Darussalam recorded a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) net inflow of BND635.3 million, equivalent to USD 470.37 million. This positive momentum continued into 2018, where a further number of FDI projects came online, particularly in the food sector. We are confident that the global conference will provide useful insights into the latest trends & challenges to enable us to deep dive and further refine our investment promotion strategy,” said H.E. Dr. Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, minister of Finance of Brunei Darussalam.
As part of AIM’s onsite networking functions, bilateral G2G, G2B, and B2B meetings were staged for government officials, private sector executives, businessmen, and investors to network, collaborate, and discuss among themselves investment projects and prospective partnerships from different regions. Additionally, the event held a rapid networking session for investors to meet with potential partners and introduce business opportunities. This feature is a dedicated platform for exclusive, quick one-on-one meetings offering a networking opportunity through a secured platform.
During the scheduled gala dinner, the AIM Investment Awards recognized the best FDI projects from each region of the world. Besides the winning countries, the Awards honored their Investment Promotion Agencies as well for their successful investment promotion strategies and exceptional investment projects.