Nirmala Sitharaman to deliver Keynote Address at IGF ME&A

By: WE Staff | Monday, 27 November 2023

On November 27, India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the keynote address at the India Global Forum's annual event in Dubai.

With the IGF Middle East and Africa 2023 (IGF ME&A) Program, the third edition of the event, themed "Unleashing Ambitions," will cover a wider geographic area in addition to the India-UAE partnership.

A range of topics, including trade, investment, innovation, technology, climate change, and sustainability, will be covered in a series of exclusive networking opportunities, panel discussions, and keynote speeches by business leaders, policymakers, and thought leaders from India, the United Arab Emirates, and Africa during IGF ME&A. Virtually speaking to the assembly, FM Nirmala will give her speech and then lead an active Q&A session.

"Unleashing Ambitions," this year's theme, sets the tone for conversations that transcend geographic boundaries and fosters an environment where India, the Middle East, and Africa can converge their strengths and leverage each other's expertise and resources to pioneer a new era of collaboration, said Manoj Ladwa, Founder and Chairman of the IGF. This partnership will be started by IGF ME&A, which will also highlight the countless opportunities that the Global South has to offer.

The partnership between the UAE and India is growing to new levels at the time of the event. India and the United Arab Emirates have witnessed substantial growth in their bilateral trade, with a 16 per cent year-over-year increase to $85 billion in April 2022–March 2023, and a target of $100 billion in non-oil trade by 2030. With the two nations collaborating to support investments and development initiatives in Africa, the bilateral relationship is currently taking on new dimensions.

"In today's world, the India – UAE strategic partnership stands tall," stated Sunjay Sudhir, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, as he looked forward to IGF ME&A. The centuries-old trading partnership has taken off and expanded into a staggering array of opportunities. With more than 150 speakers and over 1000 participants, the IGF ME&A will feature IGF Dialogues, IGF Forum, IGF Studio, Founders and Funders Forum, WomenIN Forum, and Climate & Business Forum.