International participants at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) unanimously agreed on Tuesday on the importance of investment bringing about positive change in the world and helping achieve sustainable growth. They also stressed the importance of education and the environment in creating the best possible future for humanity.
The fifth edition of the FII in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, is being held under the theme “Invest in Humanity” and will run for three days with the participation of over 2,000 missions and 5,000 decision-makers, leaders, policymakers, investors, and innovators from around the world.
In an opening speech of the event, Saudi-American scientist Ghada Al-Mutairi said that the coronavirus pandemic “has made it clear that what happens in one part of the world affects the other.”
“It is an interconnected world, and we are in it together,” she continued.
“It is not a choice between the economy and the environment,” she added. “Both must be strengthened.”
She explained that the FII is committed to the human future and to ways and methods that make life more secure and protected.
Al-Mutairi called for considering the initiative a platform for cooperation and partnership.
She confirmed that among the priorities of the initiative are healthcare, artificial intelligence, robotics, and providing solutions that help make the world greener, safer, and healthier.
Graca Machel, the former first lady of Mozambique and South Africa, explained that artificial intelligence had transcended the boundaries of science and technology. Despite the achievements it has made in several areas, it has caused an increase in the unemployment rates and deprived many families of a source of income.
“The current world is facing an education crisis. Millions of children have not received adequate education, despite the injection of about 5 trillion dollars to global education,” she noted.
Also, leaders of international companies in the investment sector stressed the importance of climate change, the challenges that will face future generations, and possible investment opportunities.
They reminded the world of climate change and touched upon the importance of investing in small and medium-sized companies and supporting young people to grow in the global economy.
Khaldoon Khalifa Al-Mubarak, the CEO and managing director of the UAE’s Mubadala Investment Co., said that the changes facing the world, including climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, have made the world work together to find and provide the best possible solutions for humanity.
