01/03/2015 07:47 AST
nvestments in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be a key topic of discussion at the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) 2015, to be held in Dubai from March 30 to April 1.
It is being held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre with the support of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE, ruler of Dubai.
AIM 2015 will have experts and officials from over 140 countries who will discuss major topics related to foreign direct investment (FDI), mainly in SME sector.
Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy that organizes AIM 2015, says SMEs are the cornerstone of any economy, given their huge contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) as well as employment generation. Hence, it is important to have extensive discussions on SMEs being an incubator for creativity and innovation.”
Speaking about the UAE’s SME scene, Al-Mansoori said: “SMEs have become a springboard for creativity and innovation, given their economic value addition. Many of the SMEs have grown rapidly attracting a variety of investments, as well as funds and governmental support through bodies like Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) and Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development.”
Al-Mansouri said that SMEs are essential for accelerating innovation. An SME is established based on an idea, or as implementation of a patent, and keeps developing to become a productive entity. “We support these institutions by providing facilities. This year’s edition of AIM aims to discuss this subject threadbare, and recommend solutions that would be beneficial to the macro interests of the economies in the world,” he added.
SMEs are facing many obstacles, particularly on the funding side, which calls for increased investment. Participants at AIM 2015 will highlight the significance of boosting investments in such institutions, and ways to address barriers to financing, development and investments.
Dawood Al-Shezawi, CEO, AIM’s Organizing Committee, says: “The AIM agenda will include investments in general as well as FDI in SMEs and their integration with the overall financial system. It will also shed light on its financial obstacles and suggest solutions. We hope that AIM will come out with tangible results to strongly support this vital sector.”
The AIM program includes in-depth debates on patents and orientations of investments highlighting preferences of investors and host countries. It will highlight the views of governments, investors and owners of SMEs, with the goal of finding ideal solutions and ideas for developing this important sector.
SMEs have a shorter establishment process for foreign investors, as they find ready entities for investments and promotion in large open markets.
“SMEs invest in areas that are not on the radar of bigger investors, and develop themselves to become pioneers with huge potential of further growth, especially if they find foreign markets to sell their products or services,” said Al-Shezawi.
AIM 2015 is themed: Sustainable development through FDI induced innovation and technology transfer.
Some specialized reports reveal that SMEs play a key role in reducing unemployment, especially in some developing economies.
It should be noted that many of the SMEs have evolved and grown as a result of innovative ideas of its owners, especially young people. These startup companies are considered centers for innovation and creativity to support the economy, particularly as their activity is concerned with the needs of the community.
In addition to the challenges of financing, SMEs are facing obstacles related to selling in foreign markets, in light of competition from larger companies, or in light of obstacles preventing them from entering new markets.
Arab News
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