Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão departs Dili this Sunday for Dubai to attend the 10th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF). At the invitation of His Highness Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai and His Excellency Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman of the WIFE Foundation, the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address during the Opening Session on 28 October 2014.

Joining the Prime Minister at this important event will be several Heads of State and Government, including the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the Presidents of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, among others. Also in attendance will be important policy makers, business leaders and scholars.

The WIEF provides a globally significant platform to discuss new approaches to international cooperation and economic collaboration, allowing for partnerships to be built across the Muslim world and beyond. The Prime Minister has been asked to speak on the theme of the 10th WIEF “Innovative Partnerships for Economic Growth” between Muslim and non-Muslim entrepreneurs from the Timor-Leste perspective.

According to the Prime Minister “the World Islamic Economic Forum will be an important event to strengthen international solidarity and promote tolerance, understanding and progress, especially in today’s troubling times”.

From Dubai, the Prime Minister will travel to Abu Dhabi for meetings with government development companies to discuss how the UAE is supporting the growth and diversification of its economy by investing in key social infrastructure and creating new industry sectors. The Prime Minister will also meet with officials responsible for investing the country’s petroleum wealth and will discuss approaches to the management of their oil fund and their view to the future. The Prime Minister will also attend a dinner with senior UAE government and business leaders to brief them on the development of the Timor-Leste economy and provide an update on foreign investment opportunities in our nation.

Joining the Prime Minister in Abu Dhabi will be the Minister for Finance, Her Excellency Emilia Pires, the Vice Governor of the Central Bank of Timor-Leste and the Chairman of the Investment Advisory Board of the Timor-Leste Petroleum Fund.

The Prime Minister is expected to return to Dili on 3 November.