The UAE has emerged as a top global destination for lucrative investment opportunities and a significant player in the global economy. In 2023, the UAE acquired 45.4% of the total foreign direct investments flowing to the Arab countries, totaling 248.3 billion dirhams. This growth has been attributed to economic diversification and a conducive environment for sustainable development, allowing the UAE to remain at the forefront of attractive investment locations in the Arab world and regionally.
According to the 2024 Global Foreign Direct Investment Report by UNCTAD, the UAE saw a remarkable 35% increase in foreign direct investment flows, reaching 112.6 billion dirhams in 2023. The country’s attractiveness to investors is further enhanced by its flexible and competitive capabilities and policies for establishing businesses, especially in emerging sectors such as technology, artificial intelligence, space sciences, and healthcare.
The UAE has become a model for economic performance and investment environment competitiveness with integrated economic development plans and a visionary leadership. Key factors such as a proactive government vision, a free economy model, empowering investors, and a strategic location have made the UAE the most attractive economic and investment destination in the Middle East and North Africa, drawing interest from investors worldwide.
Legislation amendments have led to an advanced legal environment that encourages foreign investors to establish companies in various economic sectors and activities within the country’s borders. For example, legislation amendments such as the Commercial Companies Law allowing 100% foreign ownership have led to an increase of over 788 thousand companies by December of 2023 from only around half that number two years earlier (within one year & half). This flexibility makes it easy for foreigners to invest in different areas of business with no limits on ownership or control which helps boosting new ventures creation rate significantly.
The UAE continues to collaborate with government and private sectors to achieve its “We are
