UAE delegation advances women-led economic partnerships at BRICS summit in New Delhi

New Delhi: The UAE delegation participated in the BRICS Women-Led Development Summit 2026, organised by the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) in New Delhi under India’s 2026 BRICS Presidency. The summit brought together government and business leaders, investors and women entrepreneurs from across BRICS economies to discuss opportunities for women-led economic development and cross-border cooperation. The UAE Chapter is chaired by Feryal Ahmadi, Chairperson of the BRICS WBA UAE Chapter and Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of DMCC. Its leadership and working group representatives include Her Excellency Ayesha Al Mulla, Co-Chair of the Tourism Working Group and Chairwoman of the UAE Businesswomen Council; Her Excellency Badreya Al Maidoor, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and member of the Inclusive Economy Working Group; Prof. Dr. Hoda Alkhzaimi, Co-Chair of the Creative Industries Working Group and National Expert in Advanced Sciences and the Future Economy; Dr. Ibtisam Al Bastaki, Co-Chair of the Healthcare Working Group; and Abeer Al Ameeri, Co-Chair of the Innovative Development Working Group and Director of Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development at Sheraa. Ahmadi, Al Mulla, Al Maidoor and Alkhzaimi participated in the New Delhi programme, while Al Bastaki and Al Ameeri contributed to the UAE Chapter’s work through their respective specialist workstreams. Turning networks into partnerships Feryal Ahmadi said the UAE Chapter is focused on transforming professional networks into practical trade, investment and market-access opportunities. “We see the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance as a platform for translating relationships into tangible opportunities in trade, investment and market access, while leveraging the UAE’s ability to connect businesses, capital and opportunities across BRICS economies and global markets,” she said. Connecting opportunities and markets Her Excellency Ayesha Al Mulla said the value of the alliance lies in its ability to connect women not only to investment opportunities but also to expertise, partnerships, successful policy models and new markets. She emphasised the importance of measuring outcomes through partnerships created, investments facilitated and businesses entering new markets. Knowledge, confidence and capital Her Excellency Badreya Al Maidoor said women’s economic empowerment requires more than access to opportunities. “Empowerment means ensuring that women have the knowledge, confidence and capital to build sustainable businesses,” she said. Al Maidoor added that the diversity of BRICS economies creates significant opportunities for women entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises to expand into international value chains and cross-border markets. Creating new economic value Prof. Dr. Hoda Alkhzaimi said women should play a leading role in shaping emerging and future economies. “We are not speaking only about enabling women to enter existing sectors. We are speaking about enabling women to be among those building the new economies—as founders, investors, innovators, decision-makers and owners of the economic value these economies create,” she said. Alkhzaimi highlighted the collective strength of the 11 BRICS economies and the opportunities created by linking talent, capital, infrastructure, innovation and market access. She stressed the need to build intergenerational economic infrastructure that allows future generations to benefit from existing networks, knowledge and investment opportunities. Annual meeting and future initiatives During the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Annual General Meeting, the UAE Chapter participated in discussions across the alliance’s working groups and joined other chapters in adopting the BRICS WBA Annual Report 2026. The delegation also held discussions on potential areas of cross-border cooperation. According to the UAE Chapter, work is under way on a pipeline of initiatives covering financial literacy, investment readiness, talent development, women’s health, intellectual property, agricultural market access and start-up acceleration. The UAE delegation said its participation reflects a broader shift towards a model of women-led development measured not only by participation and representation, but by economic value creation, business growth, investment mobilisation and sustainable cross-border partnerships.