The UAE has established its position as a global hub for trade and investment, underpinned by an open, agile and multi-partnership economy, advanced infrastructure with the country’s non-oil foreign trade exceeding AED1.9 trillion ($517.36 billion) during the first half of 2026, a senior minister has said.
Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade and Chairman of the 15th edition of the AIM Investment Summit 2026, which opened today at the Dubai World Trade Centre, stressed that the country's legislative and regulatory environment supports business, strengthening its ability to turn global transformations into new opportunities for growth.
The summit opened with the participation of leaders, policymakers, institutional investors and innovators, bringing together 25,000 participants from 191 countries and organisations and 540 global speakers across 103 keynote, interactive and dialogue sessions, said a WAM news agency report.
Al Zeyoudi said the AIM Investment Summit 2026, held under the theme ‘Reshaping Global Prosperity: Opening New Investment Pathways Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future’, convenes at a time when the global economy is undergoing rapid transformations that are reshaping the trade and investment landscape, driven by technological development, geopolitical realignments, the acceleration of sustainability efforts and the emergence of new growth centres across regions.
He explained that the UAE prepared early for these transformations and has continued to develop an economic model built on openness and international partnerships.
He added that during 2025, the UAE attracted FDI inflows of $48.3 billion, advancing to ninth place globally among the largest destinations for foreign direct investment, while the cumulative stock of FDI in the country exceeded AED1.17 trillion.
Al Zeyoudi said the next phase will witness rapid shifts in the geography of the global economy, a transition towards technology-led economies and the transformation of sustainability into an investment opportunity.
He underscored the importance of investing in future sectors, foremost among them artificial intelligence, clean energy, climate technology, food and water security, and sustainable infrastructure.
He stressed that the UAE offers investors not merely a market, but a global platform for growth, expansion and market access, and emphasised the importance of building long-term partnerships that contribute to the transfer of knowledge and technology, create employment opportunities and promote sustainable and inclusive growth.
Al Zeyoudi said the UAE looks forward to continuing its role as a bridge connecting markets and economies and opening new pathways for trade, investment and technology, stressing that the next phase requires moving from talking about the future of investment to “investing in the future”.
