The Sharjah Investment Forum was held on the 8th and 9th of February 2023. The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) was represented by Mrs. Eva Salamon Kaplan, Communication Specialist, WAIPA at the Forum.
Furthermore, WAIPA jointly organized a workshop with OCO Global on the theme “FDI Capacity and Readiness Training- Integrating Innovative Approaches in Investment Promotion”for IPAs and Economic Development Organizations (EDOs). The opening remarks were given by WAIPA’s Steering Committee (SC) Regional Director for MENA, Mr. Mohammed Mulla Yaqoub, Assistant Director General for Business Development at Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) and SC Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Mr. Yofi Grant, CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Investment Centre (GIPC).
The workshop began with a fireside chat on the theme “Strategic Considerations for Investment Promotion & Role of Technology and Innovation on Attracting FDI.” The distinguished speakers for the same were:
WAIPA’s Steering Committee (SC) Regional Director for MENA, Mr. Mohammed Mulla Yaqoub, Assistant Director General for Business Development at Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), SC Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Mr. Yofi Grant, CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Investment Centre (GIPC) and Ms. Rokaya Kebe, CMO, Senegal Investment Promotion Agency. The fireside chat was moderated by Mr. Joe Hepworth, Director Middle East, OCO Global.
This was followed by a presentation on the critical theme of “Integrating Innovative Approaches in Investment Promotiondelivered by Mr. Ricky Shah, Middle East Head of Consulting, OCO Global.
The workshop was organized against the backdrop of contemporary global events- the pandemic, Russia-Ukraine Conflict, etc. that have shaped investors’ behaviours. Investorswere stated to accord considerable significance to geopolitical risks while making FDI considerations. Another crucial change in perspective has been the regionalization of global supply chains.
The workshop was thus vital in making participants and more particularly IPAs truly understand these developments and thus be better prepared to attract true “value-driven” FDI that are in line with their national sustainable objectives.
In addition to being investor-ready and providing a stable environment, the participants were further advised to act on climate change by promoting Green FDI. It was stated that corporations today are increasingly willing to reduce their carbon footprints and thus creating a space for IPAs to act as drivers of FDI.
The participants were thoroughly enriched by this insightful workshop.
