The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade for the first half recorded solid growth, surging to over AED1.9 trillion ($517 billion), said a report. 

The emirates had last year attracted $48.3 billion in foreign direct investments, thus putting it ninth globally among the largest FDI destinations, while its cumulative stock of foreign direct investment exceeded AED1.17 trillion ($318 billion), it stated citing a top official at the 15th edition of the AIM Investment Summit 2026.

Speaking at the summit which opened at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, said 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, and a legislative and regulatory environment that supports business, strengthening its ability to turn global transformations into new opportunities for growth.

The summit, held under the theme "Reshaping Global Prosperity: Opening New Investment Pathways Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future", brought together 25,000 participants from 191 countries and organisations, along with 540 speakers across 103 keynote, interactive and dialogue sessions, organisers said.

Al Zeyoudi said the global economy was undergoing rapid changes that were altering trade and investment flows, driven by technological advances, geopolitical realignments, faster adoption of sustainability measures and the emergence of new centres of economic growth.