Page 271 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - FEBRUARY 2025 Part 1

The second session titled ‘The New Economy in the Region: Artificial Intelligence, Waste
Management and Food Security’ discussed developments in the new economy sectors in the
region, their role in enhancing the growth and sustainability of economies, how to strengthen
cooperation to create diverse paths that support encouraging countries to invest and expand in
these vital sectors, and the importance of adopting policies and strategies that contribute to the
transformation of circular economic models. This session was attended by Dr. Khaled Hanafy,
Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers; Mustafa Hassan Mohamed, Minister of
Economy, Industry and Investment in the United Republic of the Comoros; and Tarek El-Sherif, Vice
President of the Arab Businessmen Union.
During the conference discussions, the Arab and Asian sides agreed during the discussions that
took place at the conference on the importance of enhancing the prospects of joint economic
relations in many vital fields and sectors, including trade, investment, energy, technology, artificial
intelligence, food security, and new challenges such as climate change.
The conference featured a roundtable meeting attended by ministers from the Arab and Asian
sides. Its aim was to strengthen economic and investment cooperation between the two regions,
discuss ways to provide an interactive platform for the private sector from both sides, and support
joint work to achieve integration between major regional economic activities.

The conference concluded with the importance of expanding and deepening mutual economic
relations between the two sides, especially by stimulating investment by companies from both
sides to diversify economic ties. The two sides agreed to advance their cooperation in the field of
economy and advance the discussion with the aim of enhancing and supporting collaboration in
sectors such as economic diversification, cooperation for innovation, energy, climate change,
green products, water, waste management and green hydrogen, as well as in the field of new
technologies, communications, artificial intelligence and building flexible supply chains.
The two sides exchanged views on participating in creating sustainable and resilient economic
development, including through industrial development, cooperation in the field of energy, food
security, high-quality infrastructure and digital transformation, addressing climate change, low-
carbon energy, energy saving, sustainable development goals and resource development, in
addition to other areas. Both sides expressed their desire to cooperate between the public sector
and businessmen towards a sustainable and resilient economy under the slogan Towards
Sustainable Cooperation and Partnership.

The two sides welcomed the development of economic relations between Arab countries, Central
Asian countries and Azerbaijan in all financial fields of shared priority and agreed to achieve further
cooperation. Concluding the conference, the two sides decided to hold the second session of the
conference in one of the Central Asian countries and the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2027.
The UAE's hosting of the conference at Investopia 2025 falls within the framework of the outcomes
of the third session of the Arab Economic and Cooperation Forum with the Central Asian countries
and the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was held in April 2024 in Qatar.

https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bieay71-investopia-hosts-inaugural-business-investors