A supportive business environment

Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, visited the pavilion of Belgium, known as the “Green Arch,” at Expo 2020 Dubai, located in the Mobility District and held under the theme, “Diversity in Harmony.”

Al Zeyoudi, who was received by Myriam Cops, General Director of the Belgian Pavilion, highlighted the importance of Expo 2020 Dubai to reinforce the international stature of the UAE as a supportive business environment and promote economic cooperation between participating countries.

Expo 2020 Dubai’s theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” embodies a series of objectives and creates an opportunity to participate in exploring new ways of achieving growth and prosperity, he added. The event represents a platform for establishing developmental partnerships for a better future in various economic, business, trade, investment, tourism and cultural areas.

The Belgium pavilion offers its guests an outstanding experience, showcasing the country’s most famous storyboard and encouraging the protection of the environment and green spaces and communication between various countries.

The non-oil trade exchange between the UAE and Belgium totalled some $7 billion in 2021, a 46 per cent increase compared to 2020.

Belgium is the fourth leading trading partner of the UAE in the European Union (EU), accounting for nearly 13.4 per cent of the non-oil foreign trade of the UAE with EU countries. It is also ranked first in terms of re-exports, accounting for 35 per cent of the UAE’s re-exports to EU countries.

Belgium accounts for nearly 16.2 per cent of the UAE’s non-oil exports to the EU.


Mariam Bint Mohammed Almheiri tours Trinidad and Tobago Pavilion

Meanwhile, Mariam Bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, visited the Trinidad and Tobago Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Accompanied by Brian Benjamin, the pavilion’s director and an expert in environmental sustainability, Minister Almheiri learned about investment opportunities available in Trinidad and Tobago in areas such as energy, aviation, and logistics.

She was also briefed on the capabilities and support provided by the nation to facilitate access to diverse markets, its highly efficient infrastructure, its skilled workforce, and the low cost of establishing and managing a business in the island country.

She attended a detailed presentation by the pavilion’s officials on Trinidad and Tobago’s crucial efforts to protect the environment and preserve its natural resources and biodiversity. The country’s economic development drive has contributed to achieving a globally high median income and the third-highest GDP per capita in the Americas.

The Caribbean nation has earned prominence in the oil and gas and petrochemicals sectors, and is the world’s second-largest exporter of methanol and ammonia.

Trinidad and Tobago has the oldest forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere, and its marine waters are home to the world’s largest live brain coral.

OUR COMMON HOME: For a limited time only, the Canada Pavilion will bring a unique interactive installation, “OUR COMMON HOME”, to Expo 2020 Dubai. The high tech art exhibition challenges visitors to reconsider how their actions impact the world around them and highlights the urgent need to combat climate change.

From February 11 until the end of Expo, Expo’s Sun Stage will be lit up for visitors with Canada’s immersive experience created by Montreal-based media studio ‘’Iregular’’.

 “OUR COMMON HOME” is a large-scale public art exhibition, fusing art and interactive technology, which aims to send a message about the urgency of climate action at a time when the repercussions of the global environmental crisis are being felt more than ever.

Its four-chapter journey takes visitors through interactive displays built with artificial intelligence and computer vision to precisely track people’s movements and behaviors as they engage with the installation. Whether tracking their faces, body language, hand gestures or the flashlight of their mobile phones, the exhibition encourages viewers to consider how our individual actions can have a global impact.

 “We are proud to bring this new interactive and immersive experience to Expo 2020 Dubai. It is an amazing opportunity to showcase Canadian expertise, ingenuity and innovation while bringing to light some of the most pressing challenges we all face.” Marie-Geneviève Mounier, Commissioner General of Canada, Expo 2020 Dubai

“Through our work, we always aim to attract crowds, make people reflect, and generate emotions and lasting impact. It was inevitable for us to use these attributes for the global good and lend our voice and platform to one of the most important current issues threatening our very existence.” Daniel Iregui, Founder of Iregular

Our Common Home will take the stage at 9.30pm - 10pm for five days and 9pm-10pm for the remainder of Expo.

Andhra Pradesh Week: As part of its efforts to collaborate with the best corporations in the world and develop the state as the top destination for investments, the Government of Andhra Pradesh is set to showcase its business-friendly policies, excellent infrastructure and growth opportunities to global investors during the state’s participation at the India Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai from February 11th to February 17th, 2022.

The state will showcase the rapid strides being made by Andhra Pradesh in attracting investments in manufacturing, development of ports, multi-modal logistic parks, Industrial Corridors, Industrial Parks, fishing harbours along with developing education, medical, tourism sectors amongst others.

The state floor at India Pavilion will be inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Commerce and Information Technology, Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Government of Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr Ahmed Albanna, UAE Ambassador to India, Sunjay Sudhir IFS, India Ambassador to UAE and Zulfi   Ravdjee, Advisor to Government of Andhra Pradesh (Cabinet Minister Rank), Special representative to Government for Middle East & Far East Countries along with the senior Government officials from the state at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Post the inauguration ceremony, a special cultural program is being organized by the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) to showcase the timeless culture and legacy of the state at the Amphitheatre at India Pavilion.

During the presence of the state delegation at the Expo, the high-level delegation led by Shri Mekapati Goutham Reddy will attend various business meetings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to discuss potential collaborations with top corporations in the UAE and present opportunities, in various sectors, in the state.

The delegation will also meet various industry associations and conduct bilateral meetings to strengthen the trade relations with the UAE.

The Andhra Pradesh week at India Pavilion will conclude on 17th February 2022.