From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said the 2022 Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) would spur growth in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) worldwide.
The UAE noted that developed economies registered a threefold increase in FDIs in the 1st Half of 2021 (1H21), reaching a total of $424 billion. The UAE is one of the world’s top 20 economies, in terms of FDI.
The AIM 2022’s FDI Pillar aims to explore pivotal themes, including mainstreaming ESG investments, GVCs Optimisation, IPAs as a favourable business environment, importance of SEZs, among other relevant topics.
Ahead of the 2022 AIM, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, said: “Currently, the UAE is ranked 11th in the world for Ease of Doing Business and first in the region. Together, we will make the UAE the best investment destination in the world.”
Eyeing the augmentation of FDI flows worldwide, the AIM, an initiative by the UAE’s Ministry of Economy, expressed its keenness on continuing to create numerous investment opportunities and innovative economic and business strategies, while fully supporting the ensuing macro recovery and subsequent changes to the global economy.
AIM’s next edition to be held from March 29 to 31, 2022, with the theme: “Investments in Sustainable Innovation for a Thriving Future,” will focus mainly on endorsing and boosting investments towards sustainability and innovation through key activities under the FDI Pillar.
Al Zeyoudi added: “With the world’s greatest show, Expo 2020 Dubai, we are now looking forward to collaborating with other organizations and partnering with the best ideas in the world to shape the future. To achieve our goal of attracting foreign direct investment, we offer a number of incentives to investors such as zero personal income tax, 100 percent foreign ownership, and a 10-year golden visa. Currently, the UAE is ranked 11th in the world for Ease of Doing Business and first in the region. Together, we will make the UAE the best investment destination in the world.”
He added: “For the past 10 years, the Annual Investment Meeting has played a crucial role in bringing in foreign investment to the UAE. Our focus is now on enhancing UAE’s international reputation as an investment hub and mobilizing concrete investments, along with bringing in solutions for sustainable economic growth. I believe the next edition of the Annual Investment Meeting will bring positive economic change achieving new milestones in the FDI world.”