High level forum at Expo 2020 Dubai explores trade and investment opportunities emerging across ASEAN markets.

• Event aims to build bridges between UAE and ASEAN business communities and facilitate bilateral economic cooperation.

Dubai, UAE – The first-ever Global Business Forum (GBF) ASEAN – a dedicated conference that focuses on trade and commerce between Dubai and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – begins tomorrow (Wednesday, December 8), with attendees from around the world gathering in Dubai to discuss new avenues of economic cooperation between the UAE and ASEAN countries.

Organised by Dubai Chamber in partnership with Expo 20202 Dubai, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the two-day GBF ASEAN will be held under the theme The New Frontiers. The event explores the wealth of bilateral business opportunities that exist between Dubai and the 10-member ASEAN region as the world progressively emerges from the global pandemic.

High-level delegates joining the event include H.E Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications (UAE); H.E Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State For International Cooperation & Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai; H.E. Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; H.E Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Chambers; H.E Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber; H.E. Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and Prof. Romano Prodi, President, Italy-ASEAN Association.

 “GBF ASEAN is the newest addition to Dubai Chamber’s flagship Global Business Forum, which explores emerging markets around the world. As Dubai welcomes the world for Expo 2020, it’s an ideal time to turn our attention to the dynamic and fast-growing ASEAN economies, which offer tremendous potential that UAE companies can benefit from,” said H.E. Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber, adding that the forum is an ideal platform for fostering cross-border cooperation and mutually beneficial partnerships that drive sustainable growth.

Among the issues under the spotlight at the inaugural GBF ASEAN include the raft of technology opportunities in ASEAN countries that are presenting from the pandemic having pushed the region’s digital economy to exceed $100 billion for the first time, as well as those arising from ASEAN region’s leaders pledges to rebuild their countries with a focus on resilience, sustainability and regional cooperation, made at the 37th ASEAN Summit held in November 2020.

In the wake of last month’s COP 26 Summit, sustainability will be a major area of discussion at the forum, with both the UAE and ASEAN members committed to developing low-carbon economies. The built environment will loom large in these conversations, with sustainable infrastructure estimated to be a $2.8 trillion investment opportunity over the next decade.

GBF ASEAN forms part of Dubai Chamber’s flagship Global Business Forum series, which was launched in 2013 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The series was introduced to provide Dubai’s business community with new opportunities and strengthen the emirate’s position as a global business hub, a dynamic centre of commerce, and a gateway to lucrative new markets.  

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For Editors:

Dubai Chamber mission is to represent, support and protect the interests of the business community in Dubai by creating a favourable business environment, supporting the development of business and promoting Dubai as an international business hub. Since its establishment, the Chamber has contributed to strengthening Dubai's position as a global destination in the world of finance, business and investment. The Chamber provides a wide range of services that enhance business competitiveness and support sector companies through facilitating the conduct of their business, including issuing certificates of origin, providing data and economic research, providing mediation and commercial arbitration services, receiving foreign trade delegations and sending commercial missions abroad. As well as organising forums, seminars, business meetings and training courses for representatives of the business community, serving business groups and councils, providing credit rating services, and a large number of specialised smart services that meet the needs of members and enhance the investment environment in Dubai.

Follow the Global Business Forum (GBF) ASEAN on the links below:

About Expo 2020 Dubai:

From October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai welcomes visitors from all over the world, helping to create a new world, while bringing the entire planet together to reshape the future. Under the slogan “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, Expo 2020 represents the incubator of the most influential ideas in the world, stimulating the exchange of new visions and inspiring movement towards finding realistic solutions to real world challenges. Expo 2020 Dubai will be the largest cultural gathering in the world, as it will provide amazing and inspiring experiences over a 182 days, and more than 200 entities will contribute to these experiences, including countries, multilateral organisations, companies, and educational institutions, as well as millions of people.  Expo 2020’s subthemes, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, will inspire visitors to conserve and protect our planet, explore new horizons, and create a better future for all. Over a period of six months, Expo 2020 will be an ideal destination for families, filled with thousands of activities and wonderful exploration experiences, and will provide free admission for children under the age of 18. Expo 2020 is committed to build a more equal, just and equitable world for all, while maintaining the safety of visitors, by following the latest guidelines issued by world-leading experts in the fields of medicine, science and health. Expo 2020 Dubai is the first International Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, and its location extends over an area of ​​4.38 square kilometers in “Dubai South” near Al Maktoum International Airport. The Expo site represents a practical application of innovation and was built with a vision to being a meaningful and remarkable long-term legacy. After the conclusion of the Expo 2020, it will turn into District 2020, which constitutes a model for a global community that reshapes the features of the cities of the future.

For more information, please contact:

Ruba Abdel Halim

Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry
PR &Corporate Communications Department

Tel: +971 4 2028450

Email: ruba.halim@dubaichamber.com