Sharjah will host the 8th edition of the Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF 2025) from October 22 to 23, bringing together delegations from 142 countries and more than 30 international organisations in a joint event with the World Investment Conference (WIC). The move marks the first time the emirate has hosted both platforms in tandem.
Organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in collaboration with the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and the UAE Ministry of Investment, the forum will run under the theme “Transforming Our World: Investing for a Resilient and Sustainable Future.”
The agenda will focus on aligning global investment flows with inclusive and sustainable development, at a time when the world faces an estimated $4.2 trillion annual financing gap to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Delegations will include senior officials and policymakers from the United States, China, India, the UK, France, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt, reinforcing Sharjah’s role as a growing hub for global economic dialogue.
Key sessions will feature high-level participation from leading international organisations:
- OECD will host an executive workshop on strengthening investment promotion agencies.
- UNIDO will lead a session on embedding SDGs into investment strategies.
- ILO will focus on connecting foreign direct investment to job creation and productivity.
- ITC will highlight ways to integrate environmental and social priorities into investment promotion.
- UN Tourism and the World Free Zones Organisation will co-host discussions on tourism and free zones as engines of innovation and growth.
Marwan Alichla, Coordinator General of the SIF Committee, said the forum’s unprecedented scale reflects Sharjah’s commitment to fostering global dialogue: “In Sharjah, we believe that constructive global exchange is key to unlocking sustainable and equitable opportunities in a rapidly changing world.”
Dr. James Zhan, Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Investment Conference, added: “The World Investment Conference is WAIPA’s flagship event where vision meets capital. Hosting it in Sharjah, alongside SIF, creates a powerful platform to chart a new investment-development course for years to come.”
This year’s edition comes as international funding for SDG-aligned sectors has fallen by more than 10% in recent years, underscoring the urgency of coordinated global efforts to mobilise capital toward sustainable development.
–Input WAM
