Abu Dhabi Investment Group highlights economic challenges

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Abu Dhabi Investment Group (ADIG) is actively participating in the 14th Annual Investment Meeting (AIM Congress 2025), which is held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from April 7 to 9, 2025. The conference is a leading global platform that brings together business leaders, investors, and decision-makers from around the world, under the theme of “Mapping the Future of Global Investment: The New Wave of a Globalized Investment Landscape: Towards a New Balanced World Structure”. The conference is expected to attract more than 25,000 participants from 180 countries, and will include more than 350 dialogue sessions and workshops addressing issues of the new economy, innovation, and sustainability.

In the context of the dialogue session in which Zayed Bin Aweidha, CEO of Abu Dhabi Investment Group (ADIG), participated in Leaders’ Panel: Manufacturing 2030 – Key Trends Shaping the Industry. The most prominent future trends shaping the manufacturing sector by 2030 were discussed. During the session, he noted that current economic challenges create additional pressure on global markets that have yet to recover from previous crises. He emphasized that economic indicators point to a potential economic crisis that may be more severe than the 2008 crisis, given that markets were in better shape at that time.

In this context, he noted that the tariffs imposed by the US administration on global trade could exacerbate economic conditions, warning that this step adds additional pressure on the global economy. Aweidha touched on the future of Industry 5.0 and 6.0, explaining that Industry 5.0 focuses on the integration of humans and machines to achieve more sustainable productivity, while Industry 6.0 moves towards advanced artificial intelligence and comprehensive digital transformation. He emphasized that achieving these advanced stages of industrial transformation may be impossible in light of the current financial crises, which significantly impact companies’ ability to survive and grow. He explained that in the event of another global economic crisis, a lot of companies, specially the ones with uncollected debts, are likely to go bankrupt.

He also discussed the issue of corporate migration, noting that many companies are now seeking new markets to reduce operating costs, including human resources costs, leading many companies to migrate from high-cost economic environments to more economically favorable ones.

The session was attended by a number of prominent international figures who exchanged views on ways to enhance international cooperation to address common economic challenges. The importance of innovation and digital transformation in keeping pace with future developments and achieving sustainability was also emphasized.

The session was attended by Ruben Simonyan, Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia, who presented his country’s vision for digital transformation in the industrial sector and the strategies adopted to promote smart manufacturing. His Excellency emphasized the importance of international cooperation in technology and the exchange of expertise, with a focus on the role of innovation in achieving sustainable industrial development. He also discussed ways to enhance public-private sector partnerships, pointing to promising opportunities for cooperation between Armenia and the UAE in the fields of advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies.

The Abu Dhabi Investment Group’s participation comes within the framework of its unwavering commitment to supporting the UAE’s policy and its ongoing efforts to promote international economic cooperation. The annual investment conference is an ideal platform for exchanging expertise and building strategic partnerships that contribute to achieving sustainable development. The group also seeks to expand its investment activities across diverse sectors, including financial services, real estate, infrastructure, and technology, in line with the UAE’s vision to strengthen its position as a global financial centre.

In addition, the group affirms its commitment to supporting innovation and digital transformation, in line with the UAE’s vision to build a sustainable knowledge-based economic base. It is also keen to explore the latest trends and developments in the global investment landscape. With a focus on addressing current and future challenges, and strengthening public-private partnerships to drive the economy towards further growth and development.

The Ministerial Roundtable on “Investment in Tourism: Shaping Tourism Investment Opportunities through Policy Innovation” assembled at AIM Congress 2025, gathering ministers and global stakeholders to redefine the future of tourism investment through strategic policy transformation.

The session brought together 13 speakers, including officials and ministers from the UAE, Bahrain, Georgia, Montenegro, Egypt, and Iran, as well as senior executives from UNCTAD, UN Tourism, World Economic Forum, ESCAP, and the World Free Zones Organisation.