The UAE has cemented its status as a global industrial investment hub, drawing nearly US$33 billion in foreign direct investment across 251 projects in the industrial sector over the past decade, the country’s Minister of Investment revealed this week.
Speaking on the sidelines of the “Make it in the Emirates 2026” event, Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi said the influx of capital generated more than 38,000 jobs, underscoring the confidence international investors place in the UAE’s manufacturing capabilities.
The manufacturing sector now ranks as the fifth-largest recipient of FDI in the country, accounting for 7% of total FDI stock. Alsuwaidi described it as a key pillar in delivering the objectives of the National Investment Strategy 2031.
The United States led all source countries, contributing 22.6% of industrial projects between 2015 and 2024, followed by the United Kingdom at 10.1%, India at 9.8%, Germany at 8.1%, and China at 5.7%. Western Europe collectively represented 37.8% of total projects, highlighting the UAE’s broad appeal across both advanced and emerging markets.
The Minister affirmed that the UAE is building on this growth through Operation 300bn, a national strategy targeting an increase in the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP to AED300 billion by 2031.
On the sidelines of the event, the Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology jointly launched a white paper on the industrial sector. The document offers a detailed analysis of how the UAE’s industrial landscape is evolving into one of the world’s most advanced and investment-ready ecosystems.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
