Фотоотчеты

The 12th edition of The Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) hosted the China Top 50 Unicorns. The event took place at the Innovation and Technology Track located at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, and brought together investors, startups, and innovators from the UAE and China. 

The forum marked an opening ceremony for ‘Arab China Unicorn Investment Conclave’ by HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade and saw the esteemed presence of Dr. Wissam Fattouh, Secretary General Union of Arab Banks and Mariam Gao, General Secretary of Arab China Unicorn Investment Conclave.

 

HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said, “I am delighted to welcome you to the opening ceremony of the Arab-China Unicorn Investment Conclave. Held under the theme ‘Transforming the Future of Investment’, today’s conclave gathers startups and unicorn companies that represent the future of the global economy. In the UAE, we are proud of our status as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship and we are committed to support the growth of emerging businesses that will shape the world around us. China is an increasingly important partner in these efforts and today’s event underlines the synergies between both our approach and our ambition.”

HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi further stated, “The Arab world and China are bound by historic relations. Over the last 40 years, we have enjoyed remarkable progress – particularly in trade and economic cooperation. And this cooperation has yielded a substantial increase in bilateral trade and investment: As of 2021, the UAE was China’s top trade partner in both the Arab and GCC regions – and China the UAE’s largest trading partner globally. In the last year, non-oil bilateral trade grew 18 percent to surpass 72 billion dollars. Two-way investment is also strong and covers critical industries such as real estate, logistics, storage, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and technology. In total, these investments amounted to approximately 12 billion dollars in 2021.Today, China is the third-largest foreign investor in the UAE, with investments worth 9.3 billion dollars in 2021. This is a remarkable 514.5 percent increase from the sum invested in the UAE just ten years ago. And I am confident our best days are still ahead of us.”

Mariam Gao, General Secretary of Arab China Unicorn Investment Conclave said, “We have assembled here to explore the remarkable opportunities and potential for success. Our objective is to design effective strategies to achieve this goal. We are grateful for the support extended by both private and government organizations from Arab and Chinese institutions, and we hope to establish a collaborative synergy between the two.

In recent years, collaboration between the Arab and China regions has increased significantly. While the Arab world has devised successful strategies, China has emerged as a global economic power. By fostering a partnership, we can attain unprecedented growth and progress. The primary aim of this event is to bring together the two nations and create a platform for mutual collaboration. We acknowledge that there will be modern-day challenges, but we are confident of finding solutions to overcome them. We believe that this partnership has the potential to generate impressive returns and contribute positively to the world. Our dedication is towards supporting the unicorn ecosystem in this region, promoting economic growth, and improving the lives of the people.

The forum also featured a session titled, ‘Unicorns: Urban Connectivity in Turbulent Times’. This was moderated by Kim Zietlow- Director, FDI Center who said, “The impact of economic turbulence can be far-reaching and affect both individuals and the economy as a whole. Unemployment, reduced consumer confidence, decreased investment, inflation, and government intervention are some of the factors that come into play during such times. It is crucial for governments and businesses to respond proactively and implement strategies to mitigate the negative effects. Unicorns can play a significant role in promoting urban connectivity and creating job opportunities, encouraging economic growth and stability."