The Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) 2016, to be held in Dubai next week, will feature intensive discussions on sustainable development goals (SDGs).

SDGs is a new, universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years. The United Nations General Assembly has put together this plan on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda. AIM 2016 added this topic as a discussion to this year’s agenda.

The AIM will be held from April 11 to 13 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

According to World Investment Report by UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows is expected to rise to $1.5 trillion in 2016 and to $1.7 trillion in 2017.

“The 6th Annual Investment Meeting 2016 agenda includes many of the central topics of interest to the various sectors of the economy around the world, which makes this edition significant on several stages. Following the meeting of the Higher Organising Committee, it was decided that sustainable development goals be discussed particularly with respect to this part of the world, and how it can help decision-makers to meet global commitments in implementing this plan,” said Juma Mohammed Al Kait, assistant undersecretary for foreign trade affairs at the UAE Ministry of Economy.

“Various stakeholders will be present on site like governments, multinational corporations, non-governmental organisations, local and international organisations and others. High-profile representatives of these institutions will help examine possibilities for strengthening sustainability and the role of FDI,” added Al Kait.

There are mutual benefits for countries around the world to implement SDGs, such as addressing climate change, energy security, health, biodiversity, oceans. The challenge would be how to organise these priorities as part of addressing these issues fairly. “Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) 2016 will shed light on how to enhance the sustainability drive through transparent and clear solutions,” said Al Kait.

“AIM 2016, held under the theme of ‘The New World of FDI, Key Features and Best Practices’, will discuss many topics of interest to investors and decision-makers alike, such as a promoting FDIs in markets as one of the proposed solutions to the diversity economic and sustainable growth in the economy,” added Al Kait.

There is a significant need to drive long-term investments, including FDIs, to vital economic sectors in developing countries. These sectors include sustainable energy, transport, information technology, telecommunications and other service sectors, according to AIM 2016 organisers. - TradeArabia News Service