Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Investors from China, Russia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Germany, and the United States will be actively looking for investment opportunities through various country presentations at an investment meeting in Dubai.

Top-level government officials representing more than 80 countries are expected to attend the Third Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Congress 2013 in Dubai to define the future economic landscape for frontier and emerging markets. The event is scheduled to take place on April 30 to May 2, 2013 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Exhibiting countries such as Russia's Tatarstan Republic, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Yemen, Libya, Ecuador, Gabon, Namibia, Cameroon, Sudan, USA, France, China, Turkey, Poland, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Ghana will showcase trade and investment opportunities.

The third edition of AIM, organized by the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Trade and held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, will provide a comprehensive and genuine assessment of investment opportunities in frontier, emerging and transition economies with a special focus on some high growth regions such as Africa and Asia as well as the Middle East and North Africa; and in particular the United Arab Emirates, which has become a regional economic powerhouse.

AIM Congress has received global attention for its significant contributions to the development of trade and investments in emerging frontier markets, with leading development organizations confirming their participation in this year's event. Participants include United National Economic Commission for Europe, (UNECE), United National Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Trade Centre (ITC), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Among those who have already confirmed their attendance include top-level ministers from Burkina Faso, Burundi, Hungary, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Liberia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mauritania, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Qatar and Yemen; as well as the President of Tatarstan.

The RAK Free Trade Zone and Hamriyah Free Zone will lead a host of other important UAE-based organizations that will make a case for investing in emerging markets within the UAE. Regional property giant DAMAC Holding has signed up as the event's Diamond Sponsor, underscoring the importance that the private sector plays in boosting regional trade and investment activities.

With the theme "A Future International Economic Landscape in the making, implications on FDI Growth in Frontier and Emerging Countries", AIM Congress 2013 hopes to facilitate discussions and direct action plans that will further boost trade activities in and among developing economies through unrivalled conference and country presentations as well as panel discussions; in addition to B2B meetings and a plethora of other networking opportunities.

The keynote address will be delivered by Karl Sauvant, Resident Senior Fellow at the Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable International Investment, and former Director of the UNCTAD Investment Division.

"The conference will provide not only an in-depth analysis of global trade and investment trends and major policy developments therein, but it will also feature a series of sessions focusing on policy responses to reignite growth, foreign investment policies, strategies and objectives of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) and fiscal policies and investment incentives in a fiercely competitive world," said Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE's Minister of Foreign Trade.

"While the world continues to grapple with one of the most severe economic crises, with high unemployment rates, mounting sovereign debt and limited economic growth in mature markets, emerging and frontier markets continue to grow and are leading the FDI recovery," Al Qasimi added.

Last year, the AIM Congress reached new heights with record participation from countries, as well as regional and international investment and trade communities. The 2012 edition accomplished concrete and tangible results as sizeable transactions were realized translating into millions of dollars of new development projects and an array of newly concluded MoUs and cooperation agreements.