Denis Meleshkin: ‘The volume of foreign direct investment from the UAE in Belarus has quadrupled’

The meeting of the management of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with Ibrahim Salim Al-Musharrah, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to the Republic of Belarus, took place at the BelCCI.

The parties discussed the results of Belarus' participation in the 14th Annual Investment Meeting AIM Congress in Abu Dhabi and prospects for further interaction.

– It was the first time Belarus participated in the AIM Congress, and we highly appreciate the opportunities that opened up for our business in Abu Dhabi," said Deputy Chairman of the BelCCI Denis Meleshkin. - Projects in logistics, IT, agriculture, production of automotive components and innovative materials were presented. Belarusian experts took part in thematic sessions, held a number of negotiations with companies from the UAE, India, Korea and Pakistan on investment projects in IT, construction, agro-industry and energy.

The BelCCI considers AIM Congress as a strategic platform for the long-term promotion of Belarusian investment and export opportunities in the markets of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

In addition, the participants of the meeting discussed the prospects of trade, economic and investment co-operation.

According to Denis Meleshkin, there is a significant growth of direct investments from the UAE to Belarus: in January-September 2024, their volume increased almost four times compared to the same period last year. Also, our country considers the UAE not only as a strategic partner, but also as the largest hub for access to the markets of the Persian Gulf, Africa and Asia.

The development of transport and logistics infrastructure, establishment of joint ventures, participation of Belarusian companies in food security projects and opening offices in the UAE are among the promising areas.

Ibrahim Salim Al-Musharrakh, in turn, noted that the trade turnover between the countries has grown significantly over the past three years due to the active cooperation of business and government agencies. The UAE ranks third in the structure of Belarus' foreign trade, and there are all the prerequisites to take the first place next year.

– I am confident that Belarus' participation in the AIM Congress will bear fruit, including through the promotion of Belarusian goods, which are of high quality. This is the quality that is lacking in the world markets," said Mr Ambassador. – We are ready to cooperate with Belarus in the future: to send invitations to the Emirati side to participate in joint events, to activate agreements with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the UAE Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, to hold online meetings.

Ibrahim Salim Al-Musharrakh also noted the importance of the opening of the new Minsk International Exhibition Centre, which will start operating in early May this year. According to him, the centre will become another world-class platform for the development and strengthening of cooperation.