Dubai attracts Dhs38.5 billion of foreign direct investments

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, has expressed his happiness at Dubai’s number one ranking globally among the ‘Top fDi Performers 2018’ and termed the achievement “a precursor to Dubai’s future achievements.” Dubai’s top FDI ranking follows the city being featured among the best performers in reports like the Global Cities of the Future; Digital Economies of the Future; Aerospace Locations of the Future; and top global free zones of the year.

The ‘Top fDi Performers 2018,’ published by the Financial Times’ fDi Intelligence magazine is based on data compiled by fDi Markets, the world’s leading online platform that monitors capital flows and new FDI projects around the world, and fDi Benchmark, which identifies the best FDI destinations based on comparison of latest FDI data.

The report highlighted that Dubai has dominated global FDI rankings throughout 2018, followed by London, Paris, Dublin and Singapore, as the leading city globally in foreign direct investment, FDI, in 2018.

Sheikh Hamdan emphasised that the latest achievements revealed in the annual ‘DUBAI FDI Results & Rankings Report 2018’ of the Dubai Investment Development Agency, Dubai FDI, an agency of the Department of Economic Development, DED, in Dubai, reflect global investors’ continued confidence in Dubai’s ability to sustain economic growth, and further boosts its global leadership. The first rank is a precursor to Dubai’s future achievements, he added.

Sheikh Hamdan said, “We are proud to announce the latest results of FDI capital inflows in 2018, which has reached Dhs38.5 billion, a growth of 41 per cent over 2017, taking Dubai to the sixth place from 10th in global capital flows into greenfield projects. Dubai has also attracted 523 FDI projects in 2018, an increase of 43 per cent over 2017, elevating the emirate’s global ranking in the number of new investment projects to third from fourth.” He stated that Dubai’s continued achievements in FDI are the result of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who laid the foundations for a world-class investment ecosystem in Dubai. FDI plays a central role in the transfer of knowledge and technology as well as in attracting global talent, which are the pillars supporting the emirate in achieving its goals set in the Dubai Plan 2021 and the 50-Year Charter aimed at strengthening Dubai’s position as a pivotal hub in the global economy, said Sheikh Hamdan.

Sheikh Hamdan expressed his appreciation for the concerted efforts that have made the latest achievement possible, particularly the cooperation among government entities, free zones and the business community in Dubai in developing opportunities and new investment projects in various economic sectors, thereby enhancing Dubai’s position as a preferred FDI destination. Sheikh Hamdan also commended the initiatives of Dubai FDI which helped improve the emirate’s investment ecosystem, highlighting the role of ‘Dubai FDI Monitor,’ the FDI open data platform which provides the latest information and data round the clock. «Dubai FDI Monitor is a testament to Dubai’s commitment to enhance competitiveness and transparency of the emirate’s investment ecosystem, using innovative technologies and services to serve the global investor community,» Sheikh Hamdan said. Sami Al Qamzi, Director-General of DED, hailed Dubai’s success in achieving record levels of FDI inflows despite global FDI flows declining by 19 per cent in 2018 as reported by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD. He said the achievement reflects the resilience, diversity and competitiveness of Dubai’s economy on a global scale.

He underscored that following the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Hamdan, the emirate has continuously developed its investment ecosystem, offering new strategic advantages for investors and the business community, including developing the emirate›s infrastructure and regulatory environment as well as launching a range of incentives to accelerate economic growth. These efforts have contributed to enhancing business competitiveness and investor confidence as key drivers of sustainable economic development in the emirate.

Al Qamzi noted that fDi Benchmark, which identifies the best FDI destinations in the world by comparing FDI data, has clearly identified Dubai’s leading position and strong presence in all areas of investments in 2018. Dubai has been ranked first globally among the top 20 cities for renewable energy investments between 2013-2018 and second globally in the ‘Global Cities of the Future 2018 - 2019’ report in terms of economic potential. Dubai also ranked first among the top FDI cities in the ‘City FDI Performance Index,’ issued for the first time in 2018, which further confirms the success of the Dubai Government’s plans and strategic initiatives in creating investment opportunities in the emirate.

He said that the Eight Principles of Dubai, which places economic diversification on the top of its strategic priorities to create new economic sectors, and the 50-Year Charter launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, further strengthen the sustainability and growth of FDI in the emirate, taking the city to further global prominence.

WAM