Sharjah FDI Forum to Reaffirm the Vital Role of Women and Youth in Shaping the Future of Economy

The key roles of women and youth in realising the sustainable economic development in the UAE, the Arab region, and beyond, and the importance of boosting their participation in all market sectors will be brought under the spotlight next week by a group of business leaders and economic experts, at the Sharjah FDI Forum 2018.

These discussions will be held as part of the forum’s fourth edition titled ‘Shaping the Future of Economies’, on December 10-11 at the Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, in Sharjah. The event is organised under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council Ruler of Sharjah.

Youth Circles (10 Dec)  

A discussion on the first day of the forum titled ‘The role of youth in shaping the future of economies: How the youth drive digital advancement and economic development’, is organised and moderated by the Shurooq Youth Council, and feature the following speakers: HE Abdulla Al Saleh, Under Secretary of the Foreign Trade and Industry at the UAE Ministry of Economy, HE Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq); the session will be moderated by Ammar Al Muaini, Chairman of the Youth Council for the Future of Economy.

The session will focus on the ability of youth in spearheading sustainable development locally and globally, and analyse the impact of their contributions. It will deliberate on ways to address market needs, and place the role of young professionals and entrepreneurs within the context of enhancing competitiveness.

Shurooq launched the Youth Council to give its efforts in activating the role of youth a unique push, and in line with its vision to support the young Emirati leadership and realise their potential, while contributing to achieving Shurooq’s aspirations and reinforcing the emirate’s stature Sharjah as an investment, tourism and commercial destination.

Shurooq Youth Council will also announce its plans for the next phase during the session.

Advancement of Women in the Business Sector (11 Dec)

On day two, the forum will host a panel titled ‘Advancement of Women in the Business Sector’, to reiterate the importance of women’s role in driving economic growth. The discussions will focus on the future of workplaces, women’s enterprises, and women’s leadership in the business world, and things that can be done to boost their entry into non-traditional sectors of technology, health, energy, science and finance.

Speakers at this session are: Stefanie Vera Futorjanski, Innovation Advisor, Mentor, Angel Investor, Women Empowerment Advocate, Blockchain Enthusiast, Founding Team Dubai Future Accelerators Dubai Government; Jessica Wardel, Managing Partner, M&C Saatchi; and Najat Benchiba Savenius, Chief Executive Officer, Gazelle Advisory; and Bassam Aoun, Contributor UN Women Country Gender Economic Profiles Report: GCC Women in Leadership, Euromonitor Consultant.

Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO, Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), said: “Young men and women will be offered the Sharjah FDI Forum’s platform to raise important questions about their future roles in the national economy, and discuss their challenges. They will actively propose solutions to these challenges and develop recommendations, with a focus on the role of women in economic development.”

Al Musharrkh added: “Young men and women, who enter the business field, are increasing steadily, whether in private or government institutions and corporations, and it is essential that they be offered these open, dialogue-based platforms where they can make their voices heard and also hear from top experts in the field.”

Speaking on Shurooq Youth Council’s role at the Sharjah FDI Forum, Fatma Al Mahmoud, Chairperson of the Council, said: “Our debut at the forum reflects on our mission and vision to create a strong impact to global leaders, and communicate a physical testament that we are an extension to the voices and ambitions of youths in Shurooq and in Sharjah. Our role in organising and moderating the forum’s first-ever Youth Circle will be to lead discussions on empowering young leaderships, and to present our list of objectives and initiatives which we aim to roll out for the coming years.”

Pushing for youth and women empowerment is part of Sharjah’s and the UAE’s  strategic vision for development. To this end, the nation has been investing continually in building the skillsets of women and youth, offered training in income generating activities, set up special councils for women, and introduced equal employment opportunities at various levels of management. Sharjah also features several youth councils dedicated to dealing with challenges facing them in business.

The Sharjah FDI Forum, which was first launched in 2015, is organised by Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) with the support of the Ministry of Economy, and in strategic partnership with CINBC Arabia.

The upcoming edition seeks to boost to the emirate’s endeavours to attract more foreign investments, promote opportunities in main sectors, and strengthen the UAE’s position as a top investment destination in the region and the entire world.