UAE records Dh1.9 trillion in non-oil foreign trade during H1 2026, says Minister of Foreign Trade at AIM Summit

The story in brief

Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade and Chairman of the 15th edition of the AIM Investment Summit 2026, which opened today at the Dubai World Trade Centre, stressed that the UAE has established its position as a global hub for trade and investment, underpinned by an open, agile and multi-partnership economy, advanced infrastructure, and a legislative and regulatory environment that supports business, strengthening its ability to turn global transformations into new opportunities for growth..The summit opened with the participation of leaders, policymakers, institutional investors and innovators, bringing together 25,000 participants from 191 countries and organisations and 540 global speakers across 103 keynote, interactive and dialogue sessions..Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here..Al Zeyoudi said the AIM Investment Summit 2026, 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 centres 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 Dh1.9 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 Dh1.17 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..He underscored the importance of investing in future sectors, foremost among them artificial intelligence, clean energy, climate technology, food and water security, and sustainable infrastructure..He stressed that the UAE offers investors not merely a market, but a global platform for growth, expansion and market access, and emphasised the importance of building long-term partnerships that contribute to the transfer of knowledge and technology, create employment opportunities and promote sustainable and inclusive growth..Al Zeyoudi said the UAE looks forward to continuing its role as a bridge connecting markets and economies and opening new pathways for trade, investment and technology, stressing that the next phase requires moving from talking about the future of investment to “investing in the future”..UAE Minister of Foreign Trade says global investors are looking for secure, scalable opportunities.UAE investment boom: FDI hits record as AIM Congress returns to Dubai.UAE non-oil trade nears Dh2 trillion in record first half of 2026.UAE breaks FDI record with Dh177 billion inflows and top 10 global rank

Detailed summary

Background & context

This story sits within UAE's broader reform agenda and efforts to grow Oil & Gas as a pillar of non-oil GDP. The region benefits from supportive energy prices, expansionary government budgets, and rising interest from sovereign wealth funds and foreign investors.

GCC angle

For the rest of the GCC, this is a signal on the pace of activity in Oil & Gas, Energy & Renewables, Technology. Capital flows and regulatory decisions in one Gulf state typically travel across borders given the similar economic structures and the coordination inside the GCC framework.

Risks & uncertainty

There is uncertainty around the read-through: projections can be moved by swings in oil prices, by US monetary policy tightening that most GCC central banks track via dollar pegs, and by regional geopolitical events. Headline numbers may also be revised when subsequent official data is published.

What happens next?

Watch for upcoming disclosures from listed names in Oil & Gas, Energy & Renewables, official macro releases for UAE, and any commentary from regulators or sovereign wealth funds. Tharwa will refresh this briefing as new public information becomes available.