His Excellency Abdullah bin Tawq Al Marri:
- Investopia’s hosting of this economic event underscores the commitment of the UAE and the Ministry of Economy to enhancing economic cooperation on both the Arab and Asian fronts
- The conference provides a vital platform for building sustainable economic partnerships and strengthening communication among the Arab and Asian business communities
• An Arab-Asian agreement to boost economic relations in the fields of trade, investment, energy, technology, artificial intelligence, and food security
• Showcasing the UAE’s vision in enhancing economic openness and establishing fruitful partnerships with global markets
• Informing conference participants about promising investment opportunities in the country’s new economic sectors, as well as the attractive incentives provided by the UAE’s business environment
• Discussing the role of regional corridors in enhancing global trade flows and facilitating the movement of investments across borders, along with the latest developments in the region’s new economy
Abu Dhabi, February 26, 2025:
Under the esteemed patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the State, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Court, the fourth edition of “Investopia 2025” was held in Abu Dhabi. This edition marked the inaugural conference for business leaders and investors from the Arab states, Central Asian countries, and Azerbaijan, under the slogan “Towards Sustainable Cooperation and Partnership,” on February 26 in the UAE’s capital.
This edition witnessed the participation of a distinguished group of ministers, government officials, and business leaders from the Arab and Asian regions, including His Excellency Abdullah bin Tawq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Head of Investopia; His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zayoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Her Excellency Alya bint Abdullah Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship; His Excellency Hassan Al Khateeb, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Egypt; His Excellency Samir Obaid, Minister of Trade and Export Development of Tunisia; His Excellency Said Ahmed Abou, Minister of Economy and Finance of Mauritania; His Excellency Mostafa Hassan Mohamed, Minister of Economy, Industry and Investment in the Union of the Comoros; His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Qatar; His Excellency Dr. Khalid Hanfi, Secretary General of the Arab Chambers Federation; His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al Maliki, Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Economic Affairs Sector at the Arab League; His Excellency Khaled bin Ali bin Salem Al Sanidi, Assistant Secretary General for Economic and Development Affairs at the GCC Secretariat; His Excellency Tarek Al Sharif, Vice President of the Arab Businessmen’s Union; His Excellency Shokhrukh Ghulamov, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan; and His Excellency Samed Bashirli, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Tawq Al Marri, in his opening remarks at the conference, affirmed that Investopia’s hosting of this economic event reflects the UAE and the Ministry of Economy’s commitment to enhancing joint economic cooperation on both the Arab and Asian fronts, particularly in sectors of the new economy. He pointed out that the conference represents an important platform for building sustainable economic partnerships and strengthening communication among the Arab and Asian business communities, thereby enabling them to benefit from promising economic and investment opportunities.
Meanwhile, His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zayoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, stressed that the choice of the UAE as the host of this international event reflects its growing and influential role on the global trade and investment map. He confirmed that the state is committed to continuously enhancing cooperation with its partners on both the Arab and Asian levels, in line with the strategic objectives of the “We Are UAE 2031” vision, thereby reinforcing its status as a global trading partner and a dynamic, influential economic hub.
Her Excellency Alya bint Abdullah Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, stated, “The conference creates a new milestone for enhancing relations between the Arab and Asian countries in the fields of entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as discovering opportunities that stimulate innovation and creativity. It also provides a vital opportunity to highlight the potential of the competitive environment for entrepreneurship and start-ups in the UAE.”
The Opening Session of the Conference
In his opening speech, His Excellency Abdullah bin Tawq stated: “The region boasts dynamic economies with rapid growth potential, as reflected in the increase of non-oil trade exchanges between the Arab states and Asia in recent years, which in 2023 reached over 10 billion dollars, with expectations of further growth in the coming years.” He added that the UAE has served as a vital gateway for investment and trade for Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan. In 2022, the UAE’s non-oil trade with Azerbaijan exceeded 1.5 billion dollars, and with Central Asia, it surpassed 3 billion dollars, indicating a mutual desire to develop mutually beneficial projects.
His Excellency emphasized that the opportunities for economic cooperation, partnership, and investment among the region’s countries are vast and varied. He highlighted four main areas of focus: investment in green energy and sustainability, especially in solar and wind power; technology and artificial intelligence, which contribute to industrial development and innovative solutions for economic growth; facilitating trade and logistical cooperation through investment in advanced commercial corridors and logistics systems to open new markets and opportunities for companies in the region; and food security as a strategic area for cooperation and partnership between regional countries.
The Role of Regional Corridors in Enhancing Global Trade
The conference organized two discussion sessions. The first session, titled “Regional Corridors and Creating Business Opportunities,” discussed the importance of regional corridors in enhancing global trade, facilitating the flow of investments across borders, addressing challenges facing supply chains, and the role of the multilateral trading system in providing new opportunities for exporters, manufacturers, and investors. This session featured the participation of His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zayoudi, His Excellency Samir Obaid, Minister of Trade and Export Development of Tunisia, His Excellency Said Ahmed Abou, Minister of Economy and Finance of Mauritania, and His Excellency Samed Bashirli, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan.
During the session, His Excellency Dr. Thani Al Zayoudi underscored that commercial corridors play a pivotal role in enhancing trade and investment flows between developing and developed economies, thereby stimulating global economic growth and creating new opportunities for companies and investors.
Developments in the New Economy in the Region
The second session, titled “The New Economy in the Region: Artificial Intelligence, Waste Management, and Food Security,” examined the developments in the region’s new economic sectors and their role in promoting sustainable development and economic resilience. The session discussed ways to enhance cooperation to create diverse pathways that encourage countries to invest and expand in these vital sectors, as well as the importance of adopting policies and strategies that contribute to a circular economic model. This session was attended by His Excellency Dr. Khalid Hanfi, Secretary General of the Arab Chambers Federation; His Excellency Mostafa Hassan Mohamed, Minister of Economy, Industry and Investment in the Union of the Comoros; and His Excellency Tarek Al Sharif, Vice President of the Arab Businessmen’s Union.
Both the Arab and Asian sides agreed during the discussions on the importance of expanding and deepening mutual economic relations in several vital fields, including trade, investment, energy, technology, artificial intelligence, food security, and addressing new challenges such as climate change.
Roundtable Meeting
The conference also featured a roundtable meeting attended by a group of ministers from both the Arab and Asian regions, aimed at strengthening economic and investment ties between the two regions, exploring ways to provide an interactive platform for the private sector from both sides, and supporting joint efforts to achieve integration among major regional economic initiatives.
Enhancing Arab-Asian Economic Relations
The conference concluded by emphasizing the importance of expanding and deepening mutual economic relations, particularly by encouraging investment from companies on both sides to diversify economic relations. Both parties agreed to advance their cooperation in economic matters, aiming to enhance and support collaboration in sectors such as economic diversification, innovation, energy, climate change, green products, water, waste management, green hydrogen, as well as in new technologies, communications, artificial intelligence, and the establishment of resilient supply chains.
Supporting Public-Private Sector Cooperation
Both sides exchanged views on contributing to sustainable and resilient economic development, including through industrial development, cooperation in the fields of energy, food security, high-quality infrastructure, digital transformation, addressing climate change, low-carbon energy, energy efficiency, sustainable development goals, and resource development, among other areas. They expressed their desire for enhanced cooperation between the public sector and business leaders towards a sustainable and resilient economy under the slogan “Towards Sustainable Cooperation and Partnership.”
Both parties welcomed the progress in economic relations between the Arab states, Central Asian countries, and Azerbaijan in all areas of mutual priority, and agreed on further expanding their cooperation. At the end of the conference, it was decided that the second edition of the conference would be held in one of the Central Asian countries or the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2027.
It is worth noting that the UAE’s hosting of this conference, as part of the “Investopia 2025” events, comes in line with the outcomes of the third edition of the Arab Economy and Cooperation Forum with Central Asian countries and the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was held in April 2024 in the sister state of Qatar.
