Expanding Regional Economic Integration through I2U2’s Business-to-Business Cooperation

Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez participated in I2U2 (Israel, India, the UAE, and the United States) initiative’s inaugural business forum, hosted in Abu Dhabi by UAE Minister of State H.E. Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh on February 22, 2023. The forum convened senior government officials, including Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ronen Levi and the Economic Relations Secretary of India’s Ministry of External Affairs Dammu Ravi, with business leaders and other private-sector stakeholders to spearhead business-to-business cooperation. Under Secretary Fernandez also met with senior Emirati officials to discuss cooperation on climate and clean energy action, food security, and other shared economic priorities – notably ahead of the UAE hosting COP28 in November 2023.

During the business forum, I2U2 leadership discussed opportunities to advance multi-regional cooperation and investment opportunities to address some of the regions’ most pressing issues, including management of the energy crisis and food insecurity. Public and private-sector representatives gathered to strategize on how to best promote prosperity across the region. Our commitment to overcome collective challenges and deepen coordination with I2U2 continues to serve as a regional model to support investments and initiatives to improve sustainability and resilience in key sectors.

Through I2U2, the United States and partner countries continue to realize tangible outcomes from collaboration in areas of food and water security, energy, space, transportation, health, and technology – including support for clean technology and the decarbonization industry, as exemplified through India’s joining of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C) initiative, which increases the partnership to 43 governments and more than 275 total partners who are working to collectively advance AIM4C’s mission.

Find details about India joining the AIM4C initiative, on the margins of the I2U2 Business Forum, can be found, here. Learn more about I2U2 in Under Secretary Fernandez’s remarks, here.

To stay updated, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on Twitter: @State_E, Facebook: @StateDeptE, and LinkedIn: @State-E.

For press inquiries, please contact: E_Communications@state.gov.