In 2024, the UAE attracted $45.6 billion in foreign direct investment, ranking it among the world’s top 10 destinations.

Source: Khaleej Times

In 2024, the UAE attracted $45.6 billion in foreign direct investment, ranking it among the world’s top 10 destinations.

UAE Dominates Foreign Investment in the Middle East in 2024

The UAE accounted for a commanding 55.6% of all foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Middle East, which received a total of $82.08 billion in 2024.

UAE Among World's Top 10 FDI Destinations

According to a United Nations report, the UAE ranked among the top 10 global destinations for foreign direct investment in 2024. FDI inflows into the country rose by nearly 49%, reaching $45.6 billion (AED 167.6 billion), up from $30.68 billion the previous year.

Published on Thursday, the World Investment Report 2025 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows that the UAE has moved up the global rankings from 13th place in 2023 to 10th in 2024.

Other major recipients in the region included Saudi Arabia ($15.73 billion), Turkey ($10.59 billion), and Oman ($8.68 billion).

“A strong rebound in FDI flows to the UAE helped lift subregional figures, even as flows to Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries declined,” the UN report noted.

Outbound UAE Investment Also on the Rise

Foreign direct investments originating from the UAE also showed moderate growth, rising 4.8% to reach $23.4 billion in 2024.

Global FDI Trends: A Mixed Picture

Globally, FDI increased slightly by 4%, reaching $1.51 trillion compared to $1.45 trillion in the previous year. However, UNCTAD emphasized that this increase was artificially inflated by volatile flows through conduit economies. When adjusted for these distortions, global FDI actually declined by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of decline.

“Productive foreign direct investment dropped by 11% in 2024, continuing a downward trend,” warned Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD. “This is not just a downturn – it’s a pattern.”

UAE and India See Surge in Greenfield Activity

Despite the overall decline, the United States remained the largest global recipient of FDI, topping the charts in both greenfield project announcements and international project finance (IPF) deals. Other top destinations included Brazil, Egypt, the UAE, Mexico, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Greenfield investment activity was especially strong in India and the UAE, while IPF deals were largely concentrated in a handful of mature markets and major emerging economies.