ع
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade and UAE International Investment Council chairman, convened the third board meeting to assess ongoing initiatives and sharpen plans for directing Emirati capital toward high-potential international destinations through the remainder of 2026. The UAE International Investment Council used the session to present two specialised products designed to support its members with actionable intelligence for overseas operations. These developments signal the council’s transition from building institutional foundations to driving practical execution in line with national economic objectives.
The council’s FDI Dashboard supplies a broad overview of worldwide investment patterns, permitting detailed examination of trends by country, sector, investor profile, investment category and time frame while incorporating data on values, deal volumes and projected pipelines. Users can also retrieve downloadable country-specific reports that incorporate UAE outward investment statistics. Complementing the dashboard, the Investment Potential Reports deliver rigorous evaluations of the most promising openings for UAE capital in selected target markets.
According to the UAE International Investment Council, the new platforms will link members to prospects created by the country’s expanding web of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements and other strategic ties. Al Zeyoudi emphasised the practical value of these resources in a competitive global environment. “The Council is equipping members of the UAE International Investment Council with the data, intelligence, and market insights they need to deploy capital strategically into high-potential markets around the world,” he said, adding that the tools reflect a move toward turning insights into tangible partnerships and sustained economic presence.
The CEPA programme, a cornerstone of UAE foreign trade policy, has grown to 38 agreements since its introduction in September 2021, with 18 currently active, the council reported. Non-oil foreign trade climbed to AED1.937 trillion in the first half of 2026, the council added, illustrating the deepening commercial platform that underpins outward investor activity. These metrics reinforce the infrastructure available for Emirati entities seeking to expand internationally.
A Ministry of Investment assessment found that the UAE’s outward FDI stock has now surpassed inward levels, positioning the country alongside a narrow set of OECD-style economies that function as both magnets and exporters of capital. UNCTAD data places UAE outward foreign direct investment flows at $63.4 billion in 2025, lifting the cumulative stock above $400 billion. The council’s latest instruments aim to refine how investors select destinations and sectors amid this expansion.
Established in 2009, the UAE International Investment Council has developed into a collaborative platform that aligns public and private sector endeavours to safeguard and advance Emirati stakes in more than 90 countries. Its broadened responsibilities encompass assembling a membership that mirrors the full spectrum of the national investment community, delivering proactive advocacy to shield overseas assets, promoting public-private cooperation in facilitation, and operating as a repository for market intelligence that includes best-practice sharing and risk evaluations. The initiatives unveiled at the latest board meeting build directly on this mandate to ensure outward flows remain synchronised with broader diversification goals.
