Sharjah: Government leaders from three continents convened at the World Investment Conference-Sharjah Investment Forum (WIC-SIF 2025) on Wednesday, urging countries to rethink investment promotion strategies to match rapidly shifting global capital flows.
According to Emirates News Agency, during the high-level session ‘Global Leaders’ Insights: Re-strategising Investment Promotion and Facilitation at the Global Economic Shift,’ ministers and policymakers from Europe, Africa, and Asia highlighted the need for collaboration, trust-based policy environments, and sustainable finance to unlock new growth frontiers. The UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2025 noted that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to least-developed countries rose by 9% in 2024 to reach USD 37 billion, a growth largely attributed to advances in green finance, digital infrastructure, and reform-led emerging economies.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasized the necessity for ‘a new model of investment diplomacy that connects capital to opportunity across the Global South.’ He stressed that Africa’s continental market ‘must now move from potential to participation,’ citing the transformative framework offered by AfCFTA to adapt to global shifts, attract sustainable investment, and create a single continental market for goods and services.
Mohamed Mulla Yaqoub, newly elected president of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), underscored the importance of ‘building a strong and more resilient global economy.’ He pointed out the evolving nature of global FDI trends, emphasizing a growing focus on sustainability, green investment, and the digital economy, and urged for collective action and adaptability.
Highlighting Pakistan’s investment appeal, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Pakistan’s Minister of Investment, stated the country’s trajectory of reform and progress, supported by leading rating agencies upgrading Pakistan’s outlook. He emphasized Pakistan’s goal to become one of the most business-friendly and investment-ready economies in the region, strengthening partnerships with the UAE and beyond.
Serbia’s Minister of Environmental Protection, Sara Pavkov, discussed her country’s transformation driven by climate priorities and sustainable opportunities. She highlighted the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE, which opens avenues to enhance bilateral trade and investment ties, noting Serbia’s attraction of over £5 billion in FDI in 2024.
Jordan’s Secretary General at the Ministry of Investment, Zaher Al Qatarneh, described Jordan as a ‘gateway economy’ linking continents and providing investors with scale and stability through an extensive network of free trade agreements, offering preferential access to a market of over 1.4 billion consumers.
Farrukh Yusufzoda, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of Tajikistan, emphasized the nation’s vast hydropower potential and commitment to building a green, resilient, and regionally connected economy. He highlighted ongoing reforms to maintain Tajikistan as an attractive destination for responsible investment and innovation.
Dr. Holger Bingmann, Member of the ICC-WBO Global Executive Board and President of ICC Germany, concluded the session by emphasizing trust as ‘the new currency of investment’ and resilience as ‘the new measure of success.’ He highlighted the crucial role of investment promotion agencies in adapting, collaborating, and building trust to define the future of sustainable investment.
The event marked the opening day of a significant international forum held in conjunction with the World Investment Conference (WIC) for the first time, marking a major milestone for Sharjah in shaping global discussions around sustainable investment and economic development. The gathering, themed ‘Transforming Our World: Investing for a Resilient and Sustainable Future,’ brings together over 10,000 participants from 142 countries, featuring 130 speakers across more than 160 sessions and 120 bilateral meetings.