The huge economic potential of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the wealth of opportunities that the region offers businesses and investors in the UAE will be in the spotlight at the first ever Global Business Forum (GBF) ASEAN, which takes place December 8-9, 2021 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020 Dubai. 

Organised by Dubai Chamber in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai under the theme “The New Frontiers”, GBF ASEAN 2021 is the first in the GBF series to focus on the 10 countries in the ASEAN region. The high-level forum will bring together government and business leaders from ASEAN markets and the UAE to explore new avenues of economic cooperation and emerging investment opportunities.

The two-day forum will examine the changing dynamics of ASEAN region in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as new opportunities being created by digital transformation and trade partnerships. ASEAN’s digital economy is forecast to exceed $100 billion, while financing sustainable infrastructure is estimated to be a $2.8 trillion investment opportunity over the next decade.

Other topics on the agenda include plans among ASEAN members and their counterparts to create the world’s largest free trade area, based on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement that will add an estimated $186 billion to global GDP by 2030.

Public and private sector stakeholders attending the forum will also discuss new ways that ASEAN countries can develop a low-carbon economy to build a more resilient and sustainable future, with Southeast Asia one of the world’s regions most at risk from climate change. Other issues include whether there is such a model as Southeast Asian or Middle Eastern brand of entrepreneurship and how much can Dubai and Singapore, as global hubs for their respective regions, can learn from each other.

GBF ASEAN forms part of Dubai Chamber’s Global Business Forum series that was launched in 2012 as a platform to drive trade and explore opportunities between the UAE and some of the world’s fastest growing markets.

“Expo 2020 Dubai represents the perfect backdrop for the inaugural GBF ASEAN, with its focus on building global partnerships highlighting the array of possibilities for increased investment between regions and pushing the boundaries of inter-regional trade, despite the constraints of the global pandemic,” said HE Hamad Buamim, President & CEO, Dubai Chamber.

“ASEAN companies can benefit by leveraging Dubai as a preferred trade and investment hub to expand their global footprint across the Middle East and Africa. GBF ASEAN is the right place to explore cross-border collaboration opportunities and forge new connections with government and business leaders,” he said, adding that the forum is a key pillar of Dubai Chamber’s international expansion strategy, which aims to build bridges between business communities in ASEAN and GCC.