The Arab-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce (ABLCC), in close collaboration with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Brussels, and with the support of EXPO 2020 DUBAI, had the pleasure to invite you to their key webinar  “EXPO 2020 DUBAI: Business Opportunities for SMEs and Startups” on Wednesday 13 October 2021, from 12:00 to 13:00 Brussels time (14:00-15:00 UAE time).

EXPO 2020 is an opportunity to leverage the convening power of World Expos and the UAE’s unique position as a global nexus point to convene 192 countries and business participants and millions of visitors.

With quality speakers but especially with high-profiles representatives this gathering attests the long-term benefits of EXPO 2020.

As a good introduction phase before digging deeper into the subject, as to know the business opportunities for SME’s and Startups, the attendees plunged into the EXPO 2020 and its main ambitions.

Mr. Qaisar Hijazin, secretary general of the Arab-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce underlined the importance of the actual partnership beyond the frame of EXPO 2020 between on the one hand Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU and on the other hand the UAE.

 

HE Peter Claes Belgium, Ambassador of Kingdom of Belgium in the UAE, reminded the implication of Belgium all along the process of the organization of the EXPO. Besides, The Belgian Pavilion is representing more than the diversity of Belgium and its strengths in representing the future of mobility. It symbolize the 50 years of intense bilateral cooperation between Belgium and the United Arab Emirates. But most of all, M. Claes pointed out that EXPO 2020 was the occasion to finally join forces to face world’s issues like climate change, poverty, inequality by innovation and technology.

HE Robert Lauer, Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in the UAE, spoke about the importance of Luxembourg in the development of EXPO 2020, as the first nation to show interest in the matter. Moreover, The Luxembourg Pavilion represents a testimony of the entrepreneurial spirit that it shares with the UAE and Belgium.

 

Then, participants gained valuable insights from field experts and get the most out of these to successfully position your business in the United Arab Emirates.

Sumathi Ramanathan, Vice President, Market Strategy and Sales for the Expo 2020, explained the Moto of the world expo “Connecting minds, creating the future”. She stressed this spirit can be found in the DNA of the UAE “which for many years have been a center where people have always met and merged and connected” from the Silk Route to Arab scholars and again to the venetian merchants. Then, she continued on underlining that the EXPO are aiming also to meet the UN SDG’s or the key topics that need to be addressed for a sustainable future.

Hamad AlShirawi, Senior Manager for the Expo 2020 Business Programme, developed the business programme that actually gather many different opportunities like forums, events, briefings, networking series, guides and connected centers for businesses to learn more about the opportunities of investments not only in the UAE but in the 192 countries participating in the EXPO. Mr. AlShirawi also presented the new EXPO 2020 B2B App, allowing business to connect according to their matching profiles.

Meera Al-Ali, Contracts and Procurement Buyer for the EXPO 2020, presented the ways for business to be more involved in the upcoming opportunities that the expo generates.

Faisal Alhammadi, Advisor at the Ministry of State for Entrepreneurship and SME’s, shed light on the very favorable business landscape of the UAE. The UAE is a leading business Hub globally and regionally, and have put in place many incentives to foster investments and business opportunities in all 7 Emirates. Learn more on : https://www.investemirates.ae/en.

 

We can conclude that the UAE are even more than ever a safe haven of opportunities: The UAE are a hub in the matter as all the conditions are there to do fruitful investments.