Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, minister of Foreign Trade and chairman of the 15th edition of the AIM Investment Summit 2026, said the summit, held under the theme “Reshaping Global Prosperity: Opening New Investment Pathways Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future,” convenes at a time when the global economy is undergoing rapid transformations that are reshaping the trade and investment landscape, driven by technological development, geopolitical realignments, the acceleration of sustainability efforts and the emergence of new growth centers across regions.

He explained that the UAE prepared early for these transformations and has continued to develop an economic model built on openness and international partnerships, noting that the country’s non-oil foreign trade exceeded AE$1.9 trillion during the first half of 2026.

He added that during 2025, the UAE attracted FDI inflows of $48.3 billion, advancing to ninth place globally among the largest destinations for foreign direct investment, while the cumulative stock of FDI in the country exceeded AE$1.17 trillion.

Al Zeyoudi said the next phase will witness rapid shifts in the geography of the global economy, a transition towards technology-led economies and the transformation of sustainability into an investment opportunity.