Abu Dhabi Investment forum in Tokyo will start Wednesday

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) is set to organise the 2nd Abu Dhabi-Tokyo investment forum tomorrow on 27th November, 2013 in the Japanese capital Tokyo, with the participation of a high-level government delegation led by Nasser Ahmed Al Sowaidi, the Chairman of ADDED, and the Japan State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Midori Matsushima. The Forum aims at highlighting investment opportunities and incentives in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for the Japanese business community, investors, establishments, government and private agencies in areas of infrastructure, energy, investment, finance, industry, transport, logistics and other services; which are all offered in view of the orientations of the leadership in Abu Dhabi to proceed with the implementation of several major development projects. This event reflects the keenness of the Government of Abu Dhabi to strengthen economic relations and investment ties with Japan, especially that UAE, is Japan's key trading partner in the Gulf region. That Abu Dhabi-Tokyo Economic Council will hold its second meeting this year in the wake of the activities of the Forum, to translate the findings of the forum into actions; and activate the role of joint committees and task forces in providing adequate ground for Japanese and UAE investors and businessmen, to avail of major investment opportunities on both sides. The forum will be opened by Nasser Ahmed Al Sowaidi, the Chairman of the Department of Economic Development, who will deliver an opening speech to shed light on major investment opportunities offered by the Government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the coming years that would form the backbone of the strategic partnership between Abu Dhabi and Japan, through focusing on the development of trade and investment relations in the non-oil sectors, particularly those linked to the knowledge-based economy. The forum will feature five meetings and will kick off with an opening session and keynote speeches from both sides, which will be followed by a presentation on the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 by Fahad Al Raqbani, the Director General of Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development (ADCED). The forum thereafter will dive into a discussion session around the overall investment opportunities with the participation of ADCED, Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Chamber. The first discussion session which will involve Mubadala, Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority, Masdar and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, will responds to questions concerning the strategic partnership and investment opportunities available for Abu Dhabi and Japan in fields of energy, in view of plans and major development projects that will be undertaken by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the coming period in this vital sector. This session will explore Abu Dhabi's initiatives aimed at developing natural energy resources, which will make the Emirate an important strategic partner with Japan, to explore maximum utilisation of opportunities offered by both sides; particularly the technical and technological capabilities enjoyed by the Japanese private sector, as one of the important pillars in the partnership between the two sides. The second discussion session will review major development projects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the field oil, gas and petrochemical industries, with the participation of Mubadala Petroleum, Burooj and ADNOC companies. The importance of this meeting comes in view of Japan being as one of the biggest importers of oil. The UAE oil exports to Japan, including petroleum products, during the first seven months of this year amounted to Dh 91 billion (US$24.59 billion) compared to Dh 93.7 billion (US$25 billion) for the same period last year. The third session will address investment opportunities in infrastructure and transport sector under the Government of Abu Dhabi's support for this the sector. Participants in this session will be Abu Dhabi Airports Company, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, Etihad Rail and Abu Dhabi Department of Transport. This session will allow Japanese businessmen and investors to have a clear picture of the major infrastructure projects implemented by Abu Dhabi, which may provide investment opportunities for Japanese companies, based on Abu Dhabi's strategic plan for logistic services which was announced this year, which aims at turning the Emirate into a regional hub for logistics services in the region, especially that the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone, stands as one of the prominent major future projects of the strategy. The fourth session of the Forum will be devoted to investment opportunities offered by the industrial sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and will involve the participation of the Higher Corporation for Specialised Economic Zones (ZonesCorp), Khalifa industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) and the General Holding Corporation (SENAAT). This sector is considered as one of the leading sectors targeted by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which aims at strengthening the role of non-oil sectors in the GDP of Abu Dhabi. This fourth session, comes at a time when the Department of Economic Development oversees the implementation of the industrial strategic plan 2013-2017 to develop the industrial sector by attracting international companies, through the establishment of the best industrial practices in the region, offering investors a competitive low-cost operating environment, in addition to facilitating easy access to local and international markets through the network of sophisticated sea, land and air transport, which strengthens the global competitiveness of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The Forum's fifth session will be dedicated to the discussion of the important business opportunities offered by Abu Dhabi's financial sector, which will include Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Investment Company, Abu Dhabi Investment Council and the HSBC Bank. This session will be held in view of the intension of Abu Dhabi government to launch the Abu Dhabi International Financial Centre on Al Mariah Island, to turn Abu Dhabi into a regional and global financial centre. – Emirates News Agency, WAM