In the Presence of H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri and in collaboration with Euro Atlantic

CEE-UAE ‘Investopia Strategic Economic Forum’ launched to advance investment in AI, Space, Defense, and Energy

Event marks a pivotal step in strengthening collaboration and fostering future-ready partnerships between the UAE and Central and Eastern European countries

Investopia today convened “the CEE-UAE Investopia Strategic Economic Forum” in Dubai, a platform designed to advance economic and investment cooperation between the UAE and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) across advanced and future-focused sectors. The forum aims to strengthen the new economy, artificial intelligence, space, defense, energy, and advanced technologies, while opening new investment channels that deepen engagement between the business communities on both sides. It also seeks to identify promising opportunities across emerging sectors that are shaping the future of the global economy.

The forum, organized in collaboration with Euro Atlantic Consulting, was attended by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of Investopia, along with ministers, senior officials, business leaders, decision-makers, and investors from both the public and private sectors in the UAE and Central and Eastern European countries.

H.E. Bin Touq took part in a high-level session titled “Geopolitical and Geo-economic Restructuring,” alongside H.E. Milon Zugovic, Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development of Montenegro, and Dr. Tamás Fellegi, Founder & Chairman of Euro Atlantic Consulting (DIFC), former Minister of National Development of Hungary.

During the session, H.E. bin Touq stated: “The economic partnership between the UAE and CEE continues to expand and diversify. This growth is reinforced by strategic partnerships and agreements on the elimination of double taxation, as well as on investment protection and promotion. Together, these provide a solid foundation for expanding economic and investment exchanges between our regions.”

“Both sides possess significant economic and investment potential across advanced and emerging sectors - including the new economy, technology, the knowledge economy, renewable energy, logistics, and future industries. These areas present substantial opportunities to build long-term, high-impact partnerships,” he said.

H.E. also pointed out that the total number of Central and Eastern European companies operating across various key economic sectors in the UAE has reached nearly 17,400.

H.E. added: “Building on this growing momentum, the launch of ‘Investopia Strategic Economic Forum’ today marks a pivotal step toward creating new avenues for collaboration and establishing long-term partnerships and projects between the UAE and Central and Eastern European countries. This aligns with Investopia’s mission to provide an effective platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange among business leaders, policymakers, and investors, while highlighting the latest policies and strategies shaping global finance and investment trends. Ultimately, the forum connects two dynamic regions, helping redefine the landscape of future opportunities in a sustainable and inclusive manner.”

Dr. Tamás Fellegi, Chairman of Euro Atlantic, stated: “The ‘Investopia Strategic Economic Forum’ serves as an important platform for deepening discussions and expanding economic and investment partnerships. Through fostering innovation, investment flows, and cooperation on dynamic and competitive economic policies, the forum creates new avenues for collaboration. Building on the outcomes of this event, Investopia and Euro Atlantic will continue to advance this dialogue and translate its ideas and insights into tangible, actionable partnerships.”

In detail, the forum featured a series of panel discussions exploring the future of cooperation across key economic sectors—including artificial intelligence, space and defense, energy, and technology — the key pillars for strengthening economic and investment partnerships between the UAE and CEE.

One of the key sessions, titled “Enablers of the Investment Environment in the UAE,” highlighted the advantages of the UAE’s investment ecosystem and the supportive policies that facilitate investor and business entry into the UAE market. The session featured the participation of Dr. Fadel Jaoui, Advisor at the UAE Ministry of Investment.

The discussions also underscored the strategic role that Euro Atlantic can play in supporting companies from Central and Eastern Europe seeking to expand into GCC markets and explore high-potential investment opportunities. The company offers an integrated suite of services, including advisory, market research, and project management, that enables businesses to navigate new markets effectively.

Furthermore, H.E. Radomir Salitros, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization of Slovakia, H.E. Szabolcs Szolnoki, Deputy State Secretary for Tech., AI, Space & Defense in Hungary, and Martin Yates, Senior Government Technology Advisor in Presight, participated in a session titled “Future horizon: Artificial Intelligence, Space, and Defense.” which was moderated by David Tabet, Chief Operating Officer of Investopia. The session examined the industrial and technological strengths of Central and Eastern European countries, particularly in space, defense, and communications, as well as the region’s capacity for innovation and sectoral development. Speakers noted that leveraging these capabilities alongside emerging opportunities in regional and global markets could unlock significant avenues for joint economic advancement.

The forum also featured the session titled “The future Developments for space, defense and communication sectors in CEE,” presented by Mr. Peter Fekete, CEO of 4iG Group PLC. It reviewed a wide range of investment and innovation opportunities in the space, defense and communication fields and discussed their vital role in enhancing global economic competitiveness.

Another session titled “Dubai: A Global Platform for Connectivity, Growth, and Sustainability,” featuring Mohammed Sharaf, Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Investment Attraction at Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC)- outlined the UAE’s and Dubai’s dynamic business and investment environment, supported by agile legislation and forward-looking economic policies.

The discussion highlighted how these frameworks enhance the UAE’s appeal to both local and international investors, while opening new channels for economic collaboration with global regions, including Central and Eastern Europe. The session also examined how the UAE’s strategic location and extensive global economic network can be leveraged to expand growth opportunities and strengthen links with international markets.

Another session, titled “Energy Transitions: The Resilience of CEE Economies and the Flow of GCC Capital,” explored collaboration prospects in the energy and renewable energy sectors between the GCC countries and the nations of Central and Eastern Europe. The discussion focused on aligning industrial and technological capabilities with financing and investment enablers to develop sustainable, high-impact economic projects. The session was moderated by Dejan Simetich, Managing Partner at ID Consultants, and featured the participation of Gergely Jakli, Chairman and CEO of Paks II Nuclear Power Plant; Thomas Gangl, the Former CEO of Borealis and Liberty Steel Europe, and a long-standing executive board member at OMV; and Mario Klarić, CEO of Professio Energia.

Besides, the session titled “Policies and New Pathways: What Europe Offers” examined European economic policies and the opportunities they create for cooperation and export growth between the UAE and CEE countries. The discussion was moderated by Aron Fellegi, Chairman of Hypex Consulting, and featured the participation of H.E. Hrvoje Bojanović, Croatian former Minister of Economy and Sustainability; and H.E. Vazil Hudák, former Slovak Minister of Economy; and H.E. Katalin Bihari, Deputy State Secretary for External Economic Relations of Hungary and CEO of the Hungarian Export Promotion Agency.

In addition, Omar Al Faheem, Vice President of Business Development and Account Management at Dubai Silicon Oasis; and Asmaa AlQaseer, Founder of FirmFox; and Neven Roginić, participated in a session titled “From Idea to Enterprise: Setting Up in the UAE,”. It delivered a presentation outlining the procedures for establishing businesses and diverse economic activities in the UAE. It also highlighted the country’s competitiveness in enabling companies to set up swiftly and efficiently.

The outcomes of the Forum included a directive to host new editions of the Investopia Global Dialogues next year across Central and Eastern Europe. This initiative will strengthen knowledge exchange and innovation, open broader horizons for strategic partnerships between the UAE and the region and support the development of an interconnected global economy built on innovation, efficiency, and integration.

Since its launch in 2021, Investopia has attracted more than 16,000 participants from around 71 countries through its events and conferences. The platform has organized 18 global events in major cities—including New York, Geneva, London, Milan, Monaco, Rabat, Hong Kong, and Beijing—advancing the UAE’s long-term ambition to cement its role as a premier global destination for investment while expanding its links with the most dynamic and rapidly growing markets worldwide.