Foreign direct investment to the UAE rose by eight per cent to $10.4 billion in part due to rising cross-border mergers and acquisitions sales, making the country the largest source of FDI in 2017 for the Arab region (at 36 per cent of total FDI inflow), a media report said.

The UAE has ranked 30th in the world in terms of a nation's ability to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2017, up five places from 2016, reported Emirates news agency Wam, citing the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) study titled  'World Investment Report 2018'.

In terms of expanding outflows, the UAE increased by eight per cent to 14 billion, advancing to 21st position globally, and accounting for 41.9 per cent of total FDI outflows for the West Asia region.

Global flows of foreign direct investment fell by 23 per cent to $1.43 trillion in 2017, the UNCTAD report highlighted. It attributed this reduction, in part by, a 22 per cent decrease in the value of cross-border mergers and acquisitions.