AIM conference to help developing countries attract FDI
Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) has joined the world’s leading platform for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) at the 2018 Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) in the United Arab Emirates that started on Monday and ends this Wednesday. AIM this year hosts more than 40 country pavilions and 18 country presentations and investment destinations including Botswana that will promote investment opportunities in their locations. Others include; UAE, China, Georgia, Italy, India, South Korea, Egypt, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Jordan, Cameroon, and Nigeria. According to information from the BITC, Acting Chief Operations Officer, Reginald Selelo, Ambassador of Botswana to Kuwait and United Arab Emirates, Manyepedza Lesetedi and Mayor of Lobatse Town Council, Malebogo Kruger are in attendance. AIM’s top focused sectors this year are; Agribusiness and Agriculture, Energy and Mining, Finance and Banking infrastructure and Logistics, IT and Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Real Estate and Property, Tourism and Hospitality and Trade and Industry. The eighth edition of the AIM Conference is expected to assist developing countries to attract FDI.
The platform emphasises on learning and gathering knowledge. The awareness that workshop attendees will get from global experts will support them to improve their knowledge on FDI, world economic policies, sovereign funds of different nations, investments, business development and many other fields. Moreover, attendees will get certificates from higher authorities, which will empower them in future. In addition, investment promotion agencies in attendance will be trained to be proficient to promote investment, run roadshows and make intellectual investments.
The informative approach of this assistance will be combined with a tactical review of operational requirements through practical case studies. The theme for the event is ‘Linking Developed and Emerging Markets through FDI: Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development.’ There will be opportunities to network with business leaders and entrepreneurs for the international investment community, especially at the Gala Dinner and the AIM Startup Innovation Showcase and Pitch Competition. AIM will be spread across 8 000 square metres of net exhibition space in which participants from 140 countries will promote their investment projects, opportunities, services and attractions. Meanwhile, FDI inflow into the UAE reached US$10.3 billion in 2017, according to the UAE Competitiveness and Statistics Authority up from US$9.6 billion recorded in 2016. This takes the total FDI stock of the country to US$128.94 billion in 2017. Dawood Al Shezawi, the CEO of AIM, said, “The UAE’s FDI inflow is a living testimony of how liberal approach and an ease in doing business is helping the UAE attract more investment. The UAE’s FDI stock now exceeds US$128.85 billion, which is significant and puts the UAE ahead of most countries in the Middle East. [Additional reporting by: AIMCongress]