In 2024, the UAE has been ranked as one of the leading investment destinations globally in the UNCTAD World Investment Report 2025 with an bringing AED167.6 billion ($45.6 billion) of foreign direct investment (FDI) and ranked number 1 among the GCC countries and 23rd globally. This astronomical 48 per cent leap in a year makes it rank among the top 10 countries in world with the number being 10 and 37 per cent of all FDIs into the Middle East region grasping at the prospects of the economy of UAE.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said that the milestone was a “vote of confidence in the economy model of the UAE.” He also revealed that the next FDI target of the country is AED1.3 trillion ($354 billion) by the year 2030.
UAE also bagged the second position in terms of greenfield FDI projects announced across the world ranking after the US with 1369 projects worth AED53.3 billion ($14.5 billion) announced. In spite of a worldwide slowdown in greenfield projects, UAE experienced a growth of 2.8 percent which was faster than the rest of the world with a growth of 0.8 percent.
The Important Development Segments:
Software & IT services: 11.5 %
Business services: 9.7 %
Renewable energy 9.3 per cent
Next, at 9% is the oil, gas & coal segment.
As of now, the UAE FDI stock accounts to approximately 270.6 billion dollars with an increase rate of 10.5 percent CAGR since 2015.
The minister of investment, Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, credited the findings to a sound investment environment that is facilitated by the full ownership by foreign laws, a competitive 9 percent corporate tax, simplified business license, and more than 120 bilateral investment treaties.
Having impactful objectives reflected by the National Investment Strategy 2031, the UAE is expected to grow in terms of advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, AI, and financial services. It also enhances its competitiveness with its appeal to talent, innovation-compatible policies, and influential technology collaborations, including Microsoft and G42 the UAE-based AI joint venture that is worth 1.5 billion dollars.
With growing stability and innovation being the key focus of economies across the world, UAE remains one of the most preferred places towards investing in a sustainable and high-impact manner.
