Business & Money | Thursday 5 April, 2018 1:28 am |

A delegation of six sate-run and private sector authorities in Sharjah, will be part of the proceedings of the forthcoming edition of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM 2018) – the region’s most established gathering of the international investment community, which will be held on April 9-11, at Dubai World Trade Centre.  

 

The emirate’s participation will be facilitated and organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), the investment arm of the Sharjah Government. The delegation will be utilising the AIM platform to take a closer look at latest location developments, market projections, FDI trends, and investment promotion strategies being applied by global businesses.

 

Comprising of Invest in Sharjah; Sharjah Chamber Commerce and Industries (SCCI); Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD); the emirate’s media freezone, Sharjah Media City (SHAMS); Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park; and Sharjah Environment Company (Bee’ah), the participating state entities will use the opportunity to network, pitch business opportunities and showcase its increasingly diverse economic sectors, guiding potential investors to the tremendous opportunity and potential Sharjah offers.

 

On the second day of AIM (Tuesday, April 10), Invest in Sharjah organises a press conference to announce FDI growth in various economic sectors in 2017, and will offer key market insights into new and emerging business opportunities. The press conference will be taking place on the Sharjah stand at AIM and will kick off at 11:00am.

 

HE Khalid Bin Butti Al Hajri, Director-General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), said, "The Annual Investment Meeting that is held in Dubai brings together leading foreign investment experts, investors and businesspeople to discuss the changing landscape of foreign investment during the past few years. We consider the forum to be an opportunity to meet and cooperate with various regional and international governmental entities and chambers of commerce, as well as an opportunity to discuss various ways to attract investment in various markets and to promote the different investment opportunities in Sharjah.”

 

Al Hajri added, "The Annual Investment Meeting offers the opportunity to connect with representatives of regional and international economic institutions and to inform them of the investment opportunities that differentiate the emirate of Sharjah in the region. The forum also provides an opportunity to build economic partnerships with these institutions, which builds on the efforts of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other government departments to develop sustainable economic relationships. This can be achieved by meeting with investors and businesspeople that are participating in the forum and informing them of both the benefits of investment in the Emirate, and the existing and future projects adopted by Sharjah in various sectors, which makes it a leading center for the establishment of business in the region. "

 

H.E Dr. Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman of Shams, said: “We look forward to making our presence felt at AIM 2018; one that will add significant value to what Sharjah has to offer through its diversified investment market. Our objective is to lead the emirate’s entertainment and multi-media production industry and share its potentials and efficiency to global investors.”

 

He added: “During our participation, we will be showcasing our facilities and services that will cater to the growing market in the media industry. We are looking to attract creative individuals and companies to curate media content locally and nurture talent in the region.”

 

The Chairman of Shams also noted: “We are witnessing a significant growth and progress in the media industry due to the advanced technological and digital solutions made available. Therefore, we are keen on positioning Shams as Sharjah’s central platform to cater to this development through its digitized system. Shams will provide its investors and companies registered within the Free Zone with modern facilities and services.”

 

As the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) readies its debut at AIM, Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTIP, said: “Our debut in this year’s AIM reflects on our belief that the event provides the ideal platform for foreign direct investments seeking growth in key markets in the Middle East. Amidst unprecedented technological developments, there is a growing focus on exploring investment opportunities in knowledge, innovation, research, science and technology, which are the foundations of the UAE economy.”

 

He continued: “SRTIP is a leading technology hub in the region, as it supports innovation, entrepreneurship and technological development as key pillars for a comprehensive and sustainable development in the UAE and Sharjah, in line with the directives of our wise leadership and vision of HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council Ruler of Sharjah. We are confident that the event presents a common ground for sharing our vision, transfer knowledge and explore new prospects that would attract investments, especially those that would further contribute to our efforts in achieving a knowledge-based economy.”

 

Al Mahmoudi added: “Our sustainable growth and the future of our youth rests on the support mechanisms that would produce tangible projects that are effective and competitive in a knowledge-driven market. Participating in the event is part of our commitment to strengthen public and private partnerships that would lead to economic diversification founded on research, innovation and entrepreneurship, in line with the directives of the country’s wise leadership.”

 

Highlighting the importance of Sharjah’s presence at such high-profile events, Mohammed Juma’a Al Musharrkh, CEO of Invest in Sharjah, said: “AIM is an authority in the foreign direct investments (FDI) space in existing as well as emerging markets not just regionally, but around the world. As Invest in Sharjah, we are dedicated to the continued transformation and economic diversification of the emirate and committed to guiding foreign investors through a bespoke step-by-step facilitation process. This will be a unique opportunity to make new business and government acquaintances. We are excited about our participation this year, and look forward to returning in future years to cement our relationships."

 

The CEO of Invest in Sharjah highlighted: “At a time when Sharjah is applying an integrated development approach by unifying its diverse economy sectors under a common robust strategy for foreign investors to be able to gain a more comprehensive view of its offerings, this meeting comes in to give our strategy a great push forward, at the right place and right time. The emirate is strongly committed to mutually beneficial trade relationships with our overseas partners, in line with our leadership’s vision to be an effective facilitator of inclusive and sustainable growth.”

 

HE Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah highlighted the importance of the environment company’s participation at AIM with the following remark: “We are proud to participate at the Annual Investment Meeting, for the third year in a row. This edition of AIM has a particular focus on the utilisation of partnerships in sustainable development. As one of the region’s pioneering forces for sustainability, Bee’ah will use this unique opportunity to great advantage in highlighting key business opportunities in the sector. As a public-private partnership, Bee’ah’s presence also serves to feature Sharjah’s success in using the partnership model to further its environmental ambitions.”

The eighth edition of the Annual Investment Meeting will have the theme “Linking Developed and Emerging Markets through FDI: Partnerships for Inclusive Growth & Sustainable Development”.

AIM 2017 Conference gathered more than 100 influential FDI thinkers and renowned experts offering participants the latest investment intelligence, trends and updates on International Investment as a Path to Competitiveness and Development – the theme of the event.