Supervised by UAE Ministry of Economy:

The zone will showcase investment opportunities and boost business meetings

Dubai, UAE, 18 March 2015

The UAE Ministry of Economy is setting up a new integrated Investors' Zone within the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) 2015 for more direct investment deals in an interactive setting.

AIM will be held from 30 March to 1 April under the directive of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

The Investors' Zone is dedicated to investors interested in meeting prospective clients and AIM participants, for facilitating on the spot transactions.

The Ministry is introducing this concept for the first time at AIM, as part of a firm strategy to encourage innovation and creativity in investment cycle, and to boost relations between foreign investors and investment destinations. This area will boast a proper environment for concluding deals.

His Excellency Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy - Foreign Trade sector said: "We are launching Investors' Zone in response to the need for more effective interaction between concerned parties, as well as to enable a better understanding of procedures and rules for entering new markets. The ultimate goal is of course to boost Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)."

"The concept reflects the maturity of AIM, supported by a strong and diverse investment base in the UAE. Investors' Zone will encourage more investors to expand their portfolio in existing locations and explore new ones," added HE Al Saleh.

AIM seeks to tackle the challenges of depletion of foreign exchange resources in less active markets, and strengthen the active markets at the same time, achieving a healthy and more effective investment flow.

Walid Farghal, Director General, Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Organising Committee said Investors' Zone is an exceptional opportunity for sponsors, participants and trade visitors. The organizing committee will oversee meetings with decision-makers and investors to facilitate the largest number of transactions and enhance communication between investment parties.

FDI helps block four gaps in any economy: the domestic savings gap to finance ambitious investment programs; the foreign exchange gap to boost import of machinery, equipment and technical expertise, the technology gap helping enhance expertise and knowledge of technical, regulatory and marketing issues and, the gap between public revenue and public expenditure.

The investment roadmap relies strongly on FDI as an ideal solution that has proved its effectiveness in emerging, developed and frontier markets to achieve real development and reduce unemployment. The FDI sector has dominated the major portion of investments in these markets, with growing awareness about its ROI, especially through SMEs and franchising.

The forum is themed on "Sustainable Development through FDI Induced Innovation and Technology Transfer" where innovation would top the agenda.

The Investors' Zone will feature key companies including Islamic Corporation for Private Sector Development, National Holding, Citadel Capital, Masdar City, Enel Group from Italy, Thani Investments, Mubadala, Borouge, Etisalat, Al Dahra Agricultural Company and Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.

The 5th AIM reviews not only investment opportunities in the UAE, which is one of the most vital economic hubs in MENA region, but also the potential for investing in many other countries around the world, particularly in emerging markets in Asia and Africa. The event focuses on the challenges and prospects of global economy and its impact on FDIs and the prospects for growth as well as the legislation needed to boost investment partnerships and stimulate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) processes. It will also focus on the feasibility of investments, plus many other areas that are at the heart of the investment process in the modern global economy.

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© Press Release 2015