Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade and Chairman of the 15th AIM Investment Summit 2026, said the UAE has cemented its role as a global trade and investment hub. He was speaking at the summit's opening at Dubai World Trade Centre.
The event drew 25,000 participants from 191 countries and organizations, with 540 speakers across 103 sessions, under the theme "Reshaping Global Prosperity: Opening New Investment Pathways Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future."
Al Zeyoudi said the summit comes as the global economy shifts under the weight of new technology, geopolitical realignment, sustainability pressure, and emerging growth markets. He said the UAE anticipated these shifts early and built an economic model around openness and international partnerships, noting non-oil foreign trade topped AED1.9 trillion in the first half of 2026.
He added that the UAE pulled in $48.3 billion in FDI during 2025, moving up to ninth globally among top FDI destinations, with cumulative FDI stock now exceeding AED1.17 trillion.
Looking ahead, Al Zeyoudi said the global economic map will keep shifting toward technology-driven economies, with sustainability increasingly functioning as an investment opportunity rather than a cost. He flagged artificial intelligence, clean energy, climate technology, food and water security, and sustainable infrastructure as priority sectors.
He said the UAE positions itself as more than a market, offering investors a platform for growth and market access, and stressed the value of long-term partnerships that transfer knowledge and technology, generate jobs, and support inclusive growth.
Al Zeyoudi closed by saying the UAE intends to keep serving as a bridge between markets, and that the next phase calls for moving past discussion of investment's future toward actually investing in it.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
