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Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum to deliver keynote
4th forum hosted jointly by Dubai DED and Abu Dhabi DED
Dubai - The ‘UAE Economic Outlook 2017,’ held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and hosted jointly by the Dubai Department of Economic Development and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, will be held 17-18 January 2017 at the Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation, Chief Executive of the Emirates Group and Chairman of the Economic Development Committee in Dubai, will deliver the keynote address at the forum – 4th in an annual series - to be held under the theme ‘Getting a Headstart on Tomorrow: Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Growth and Diversification.” His Excellency Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy for Foreign Trade, will also address the morning session.
The event will bring together key decision-makers in the UAE public and private sectors along with local and international economists and researchers to analyse the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in future economic development and diversification. The first day of the event will feature presentations and debates on the opportunities and challenges central to the economic prospects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for the year 2017. Meanwhile, the second day will focus on the policy environment that best supports innovations, sustainability and diversity.
Referring to the strategic importance of the event in highlighting the UAE’s role in global economy, His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of DED, said: “The UAE Economic Outlook has been a significant step in promoting sustainable economic development in the UAE and showcasing the varied opportunities this country presents for the business community worldwide. Encouraging public-private co-operation is the core objective of the event and it can be achieved only through dialogue and sharing of perspectives on the latest economic developments and variables.”
HE Khalifa Bin Salem Al Mansouri, Acting Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi DED said the 4th session of the UAE Economic Outlook underlines the strategy of the UAE Government to consolidate the efforts of all federal and local government entities towards advancing innovation and entrepreneurship to achieve sustainable economic development as defined by the UAE Vision 2021. “The importance of the 4th UAE Economic Outlook lies in its focus on the role of innovation in promoting entrepreneurship and the role of non-oil sectors in promoting GDP growth. The Government of Abu Dhabi pays great attention to supporting innovation and innovators as well as in enabling the private sector to contribute to the emirate’s economy.”
Recent development in global and regional markets and their potential implications on the UAE economy will be the topic of discussion at the first session on Day 1 the highlight of which would be a presentation by Paul Moreno-Lopez, Lead Economist GCC Countries at the World Bank. Mohammed Shael Al Saadi, CEO Corporate Strategy in the Dubai DED will moderate the session while Dr Raed Safadi, Chief Economic Advisor at Dubai DED and Khalifa Ali Al Hosani, Acting Director at Abu Dhabi DED will present the economic outlook of the respective emirates for the year 2017.
The second session of the day will focus on the long-term prospects for the UAE economy, the drivers of economic strategy and the role of the private sector. Dr Aisha Butti Bin Bashr, Director General of the Smart Dubai Office; Christof Rühl, Global Head of Research at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority; Marios Maratheftis, Chief Economist, Standard Chartered, and Dr Khaled Elsayed Desouky, Economic Expert, Abu Dhabi DED will be the panelists.
The first session of the second day will have Richard Dean from the Arabian Radio Network as moderator of a discussion on the ‘Path to Diversification: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the UAE.’ H.E. Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO, Dubai SME; Mr Mohammad Saeed Al-Shehhi, CEO, Dubai Design District; Her Excellency Shaikha Al Maskari, Chairperson Al Maskari Holding; Mohamed Ismail Al Fardan, Director, City Zone, Masdar City; and Shady Shaher Elborno, Head, Macro Strategy at Emirates NBD, will join as panelists.
The final session of the event will evaluate the past, present and future of diversification in the UAE and lessons learnt from the diversification experience in other countries. Dr. Wifag Adnan, Distinguished Fellow, INSEAD will be joined by Dr Mohammed Lahouel, Chief Economist at Dubai DED; Mansoor Al Malik, Legal Director Twofour54, and Faisal Al Hammoudi, Director Abu Dhabi DED at the panel.
More than 300 officials, including private sector champions and policy-makers will share their observations and experiences and highlight the way forward at the interactive event.
-Ends-
About Department of Economic Development (DED):
The Department of Economic Development (DED) is the government body entrusted to set and drive the economic agenda of the emirate of Dubai, UAE. DED supports the structural transformation of Dubai into a diversified, innovative service-based economy that aims to improve the business environment and accelerate productivity growth. DED and its agencies develop economic plans and policies, identify and support the growth of strategic sectors, and provide services to domestic and international investors and businesses.
For further information, please contact:
Faisal Shamsudheen, DED
Phone: +971 4 445 5927
Email: faisal.pathiasseri@dubaided.gov.ae
© Press Release 2017
