Sharjah's 45% growth in foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2025 reflects the competitiveness of the UAE economy.

This is according to Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah).

Al Musharrkh made the remarks in an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on key shifts in the global economy and Sharjah’s economic readiness, as the emirate prepares to host the ninth Sharjah Investment Forum, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment from October 14 to 15 at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre.

Building Adaptive Economies

Held under the theme “Building Adaptive Economies”, the forum will bring together more than 80 speakers, including ministers, investors, entrepreneurs, experts and decision-makers from around the world, to discuss the transformations reshaping the business and investment landscape and ways to build businesses and economies that are better able to adapt to change and achieve sustainable growth.

Al Musharrkh said global changes have made investors more selective about where they invest, with capital increasingly concentrated in fewer countries and sectors. Investors are looking for countries that offer a clear outlook, stability and flexible legislative and regulatory frameworks, he said, noting that these advantages place the UAE among the leading investment destinations.

He said the UAE economy’s attractiveness rests on four main pillars. The first is economic diversification and the distribution of growth drivers, with non-oil activities accounting for 79.4% of the economy in the first quarter of 2026, led by financial services, construction, healthcare and telecommunications, providing investors with an economy capable of sustaining growth across different cycles.

Legislative ecosystem

He added that the second pillar is a legislative ecosystem that keeps pace with the market. The UAE ranks first globally in both Adaptability of Government Policy and Bureaucracy, and fourth in Legal and Regulatory Framework, he said, noting that these rankings reflect investors’ actual experience in setting up, operating and expanding their businesses.

Al Musharrkh identified people as the third pillar, explaining that talent is the foundation of a knowledge economy and that the UAE has made attracting and empowering talent an official policy.

He noted that the country ranks first globally in employment and international experience and second in the creation of firms. The UAE was also the first country in the world to appoint a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in 2017, while more than 70% of its working-age population now uses AI, underscoring the role of talent and technology in advancing the entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem.

Early positioning

He said the fourth pillar is early positioning in emerging sectors, with manufacturing and telecommunications leading greenfield investment into the UAE, placing the country in an advanced position as the investment landscape for the coming years takes shape.

Al Musharrkh stressed that, within the UAE model, Sharjah represents an economy with a clear identity built on production and knowledge.—TradeArabia News Service