IDAIC MENA Foundational Workshop – Setting Priorities Across Finance, AI, and Policy

Dec 5, 2024

Summary

The workshop brought together cross-sector leaders to align on the MENA chapter of the Industrial Decarbonization and AI Coalition (IDAIC), with a focus on sustainable finance, AI/data transparency, and regulatory frameworks. Participants agreed on the value of a collaborative coalition model and began shaping strategic priorities across the three pillars. While further work is needed on governance and action planning, the session laid the groundwork for structured engagement and next steps in early 2025.

Key Takeaways

• Sustainable Finance: Broaden investment theses to include water, health, and female-led ventures; stress the importance of education and trust-building via tokenization.
• AI & Data Transparency: Proposed development of a green procurement platform for the UAE with integrated certification, circular policies, and digital tools.
• Governance & Structure: Recognised as critical but not fully discussed—requires a dedicated session to clarify roles, costs, and levels of involvement.

Next Steps

• Schedule follow-up workshop in early January to finalise governance and refine action items (Jaap to send availability poll).
• Draft Terms of Reference and circulate to group and UK stakeholders for input (Aziz to lead).
• Distribute workshop minutes and prepare deeper dives for Finance and AI/Data pillars in the next session.