- GBF ASEAN organised by Dubai Chamber in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai under the theme “The New Frontiers”.
- Taking place December 8-9, 2021, high-level forum will examine the wealth of opportunities for investment and trade in the 10 countries that form the ASEAN region.
Dubai, UAE: The huge economic potential of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the wealth of opportunities that the region offers businesses and investors in the UAE will be in the spotlight at the first ever Global Business Forum (GBF) ASEAN, which takes place December 8-9, 2021 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020 Dubai.
Organised by Dubai Chamber in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai under the theme “The New Frontiers”, GBF ASEAN 2021 is the first in the GBF series to focus on the 10 countries in the ASEAN region. The high-level forum will bring together government and business leaders from ASEAN markets and the UAE to explore new avenues of economic cooperation and emerging investment opportunities.
The two-day forum will examine the changing dynamics of ASEAN region in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as new opportunities being created by digital transformation and trade partnerships. ASEAN’s digital economy is forecast to exceed $100 billion, while financing sustainable infrastructure is estimated to be a $2.8 trillion investment opportunity over the next decade.
Other topics on the agenda include plans among ASEAN members and their counterparts to create the world’s largest free trade area, based on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement that will add an estimated $186 billion to global GDP by 2030.
Public and private sector stakeholders attending the forum will also discuss new ways that ASEAN countries can develop a low-carbon economy to build a more resilient and sustainable future, with Southeast Asia one of the world’s regions most at risk from climate change. Other issues include whether there is such a model as Southeast Asian or Middle Eastern brand of entrepreneurship and how much can Dubai and Singapore, as global hubs for their respective regions, can learn from each other.
GBF ASEAN forms part of Dubai Chamber’s Global Business Forum series that was launched in 2012 as a platform to drive trade and explore opportunities between the UAE and some of the world’s fastest growing markets.
“Expo 2020 Dubai represents the perfect backdrop for the inaugural GBF ASEAN, with its focus on building global partnerships highlighting the array of possibilities for increased investment between regions and pushing the boundaries of inter-regional trade, despite the constraints of the global pandemic,” said HE Hamad Buamim, President & CEO, Dubai Chamber.
“ASEAN companies can benefit by leveraging Dubai as a preferred trade and investment hub to expand their global footprint across the Middle East and Africa. GBF ASEAN is the right place to explore cross-border collaboration opportunities and forge new connections with government and business leaders,” he said, adding that the forum is a key pillar of Dubai Chamber’s international expansion strategy, which aims to build bridges between business communities in ASEAN and GCC.
About Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry:
Established in 1965, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a non-profit public entity, whose 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 by promoting Dubai as an international business hub.
About Expo 2020 Dubai:
From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai will welcome visitors from every corner of the globe to join the making of a new world, as it brings together the planet in one place to reimagine tomorrow.
- With the purpose of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 will be the world’s most impactful global incubator for new ideas, catalysing an exchange of new perspectives and inspiring action to deliver real-life solutions to real-world challenges
- Expo 2020 will be the biggest cultural gathering in the world, presenting a visually striking and emotionally inspiring 182 days, as more than 200 participants – including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as millions of visitors – create the largest and most diverse World Expo ever
- Expo 2020’s subthemes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability will inspire visitors to preserve and protect our planet, explore new frontiers and build a better future for everyone
- For six months, Expo 2020 will be a must-visit family destination, with thousands of events, amazing exploratory experiences, and free entry for children up to age 18
- Expo is committed to building a more equitable and just world for everyone, while keeping visitors safe by following the latest guidance of the world’s leading medical, science and health experts
- Expo 2020 is the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
- Built with a meaningful and measurable long-term legacy in mind, the Expo site will transform into District 2020 – a model global community that will rethink the cities of the future – after Expo 2020 closes its doors
