This is the sixth bi-weekly bulletin for the period from September 15 to 29, 2023.

1) 23 September, 2023: Mamata Banerjee returns with investment pledges from Spain and Dubai

Against the backdrop of the upcoming seventh edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit scheduled for late November, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke about the pivotal investment advancements and collaboration deals. 

After a 12-day official tour of Europe and the Middle East, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee posted an update on her X handle stating, “Back to Kolkata with serious offers for investments and partnerships from Spain and Dubai. Follow-up overseas delegations will come shortly and during BGBS in November for carrying forward what we started.” The tour was undertaken with the vision of showcasing Bengal to the communities of Madrid and Dubai, attempting to forge partnerships with associations in diverse domains. West Bengal’s location proved to be a paramount advantage to the delegation as it seemed to encourage prospective investors to form alliances with the state. One such investor is the Director of Tempe, Mr. Jose Manual Pastor Flores, who has “expressed interest in sourcing leather and non-leather products and getting their brand manufacturing being done in Bengal.” 

Banerjee also made major progress with the sports association, as the President of Laliga, Javier Tebas, entered a Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU is aimed at amplifying the flow of knowledge & expertise from La Liga- the largest football ecosystem in the world – into West Bengal. “The signing of an MOU between the Government of West Bengal and La Liga will bring a new glorious chapter for Bengal football. We are on our way to becoming the epicenter of football in India,” said Mamata Banerjee. Tebas also commented on the MoU saying, “This Memorandum of Understanding signifies our commitment to the people of West Bengal as jointly aim to create a self-sustaining football ecosystem that will nurture talent in line with their rich heritage. Through knowledge sharing and collaboration, we will work towards building a brighter future for Indian football.” 

Lastly, in a closed-door meeting with Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, the chief minister discussed means of strengthening trade relations between UAE and the state of Bengal, emphasizing on the fields of transport, mining, tourism, and green technology. During this meeting, Banerjee highlighted West Bengal’s 12% export to UAE and extended an invitation to the previously mentioned summit.