Sharjah Investment Forum concludes with global call for unified finance, stronger regional partnerships

The 8th edition of the Sharjah Investment Forum concluded with a powerful mandate from senior government leaders and global experts to safeguard transparency in investment markets by standardising environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures and to expand on regional partnerships and sustainable investment.

Organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah), in partnership with the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and the UAE Ministry of Investment, the forum brought together a global audience of over 12,000 participants from 142 countries. Through 160 sessions and 120 business meetings held under the theme “Transforming Our World: Investing for a Resilient and Sustainable Future,” ministers and institutional leaders explored how green investment and sustainable finance can build tomorrow’s economies amidst major geopolitical and technological shifts.

Experts in the event affirmed that transparency in project financing is essential to restoring investor confidence, and they called for full institutional disclosure of investments and environmental emissions. They underscored the need to harmonise global financial and governance‑disclosure standards to enable comparability and reliability across markets.

Speakers recommended developing innovative financing tools such as pilot funds and green sukuks (Islamic green bonds) to channel investment into sustainable projects, emphasising that thorough institutional reform is the gateway to long‑term economic development.

Exploring future economies and reinforcing resilience against potential risks, government figures highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in tackling economic challenges. They stated that flexibility and speed of adaptation to change are critical to building economies that can endure. The UAE’s experience in concluding 13 free‑trade agreements was cited as a model for opening new markets to investors.

Speakers also stressed the value of integrated supply chains for entering new markets and attracting quality investment, calling for more responsive systems, faster processes and welcoming policies for talent, coupled with continuous service support for investors from project inception through to expansion.

Deliberating on the green economy, participants stressed its importance as the core of future economies and urged turning environmental commitments into effective policy. They highlighted successful green‑job initiatives in Oman and Brazil and noted that clean‑energy infrastructure remains the greatest challenge to sustainable investment, particularly in developing countries, where they called for streamlined procedures and the acceleration of the transition to green energy. They also noted that consumer behaviour plays a decisive role in the success of the green economy, citing that 60 % of young people are willing to pay extra for eco‑friendly products.

Corporate leaders emphasised that AI and advanced technologies are already helping reduce emissions and improve industrial efficiency, noting that the UAE has become a global hub for energy and sustainability thanks to a strategy that balances growth with environmental responsibility.

They stressed that investment in people, knowledge and technology is the single most important factor in building resilient economies and societies capable of adapting to global change.

Reflecting on their experience in Sharjah during the Sharjah Investment Forum and World Investment Conference, participants noted that the emirate has clearly established itself as a global platform for economic dialogue, bridging international expertise with the UAE’s development vision, and serving as a hub for capital, innovation and human potential.

They also affirmed that the forum’s outcomes will help to define the global investment agenda through its concrete recommendations, which champion sustainability, equitable partnerships, green finance, and transparent governance to promote worldwide economic balance and inclusion.

WAM