Abu Dhabi, UAE – The World Investment Report 2025 issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) showed that the UAE ranked tenth globally in foreign direct investment inflows with a value of AED 167.6 billion, reflecting the strength of the UAE economy and its attraction of quality investments.
The report indicated that the UAE economy has established itself as one of the fastest growing economies globally, driven by the flourishing non-oil sectors, local and foreign investments, flexible legislation that supports business growth, in addition to the stable and secure environment provided by the country.
Non-oil foreign trade grew by 24.5% during the first half of 2025, reaching AED 1.7 trillion, equivalent to 14 times the global average. The International Monetary Fund also raised its forecast for UAE economic growth to 4.8% for the year, while Fitch, Moody’s, and S&P Global affirmed the country’s sovereign rating.
Real GDP reached AED 929 billion during the first half of the year, an increase of 4.2% compared to the same period in 2024, while non-oil GDP recorded growth of 5.7%, contributing 77.5% to GDP, compared to 22.5% for oil activities.
In the industrial sector, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology signed five memoranda of understanding with national banks to provide financing solutions worth more than 40 billion dirhams, while the “Made in the UAE” platform attracted industrial projects worth more than 11 billion dirhams with a record attendance of more than 122,000 visitors.
The UAE also launched a National Investment Strategy 2031, which aims to increase foreign direct investment flows from AED 112 billion in 2023 to AED 240 billion by 2031, and to establish the National Investment Fund with an initial capital of AED 36.7 billion.
2025 also saw the registration of more than 220,000 new companies, in addition to more than 36,000 trademarks, with a growth rate of 48.2% compared to the previous year, and the strengthening of the digital economy through initiatives such as the “Digital Academy” and the National Platform for Digital Economy Job Opportunities, and a program to empower more than 100,000 startups by 2029.
The UAE has affirmed its position as a major gateway for international trade through the “UAE Global Trade Hub” program, attracting leading global companies and connecting Emirati export companies to global markets. The number of registered trademarks reached 402,311 by the end of September, with a growth of 129% compared to the first half of 2024.
