Sharjah’s WIC-SIF 2025 hosted 12,000+ global leaders, urging ESG alignment, green sukuks, and AI-led sustainable investment across 142 nations.
SHARJAH: The World Investment Conference – Sharjah Investment Forum 2025 (WIC-SIF) concluded with a powerful global consensus: to standardise ESG disclosures, expand regional partnerships, and invest in sustainable finance tools to shape future-ready economies.
Held under the theme “Transforming Our World: Investing for a Resilient and Sustainable Future,” the 8th edition of the forum brought together over 12,000 participants from 142 countries, solidifying Sharjah’s rising influence as a hub for sustainable economic dialogue and development.
Organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in collaboration with WAIPA and the UAE Ministry of Investment, the two-day event featured 160 sessions and over 120 business meetings. The discussions focused on aligning environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure standards globally to restore transparency and investor confidence.
Experts strongly advocated for new financing mechanisms such as pilot funds and green sukuks, as well as institutional reforms to ensure fair resource distribution and long-term fiscal health. The urgency to strengthen regional cooperation, particularly in light of the UAE’s success in concluding 13 free trade agreements, was highlighted as a strategy to deepen economic integration and mitigate global uncertainties.
The forum spotlighted the green economy as a major employment generator, urging policymakers to accelerate clean energy transitions. Youth behaviour, it was noted, will play a crucial role, with 60% of young people willing to pay more for eco-friendly products.
Technology and AI also emerged as essential drivers of efficiency and sustainability. Speakers praised the UAE’s commitment to balancing technological advancement with environmental responsibility, reinforcing that investment in people, knowledge, and innovation forms the backbone of economic resilience.
As the forum concluded, Sharjah was lauded as a global platform shaping unified economic visions and actionable strategies that bridge policy, finance, and innovation. Delegates agreed that the forum’s recommendations — from green finance to inclusive growth — would help redefine the future of global investment frameworks.
