UAE Reports No Cancellations of Planned Foreign Direct Investment in 2026

Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment, stated that no planned foreign direct investment projects have been cancelled in 2026 despite regional geopolitical tensions. The country remains committed to achieving its target of $65 billion in annual FDI inflows by 2031, supported by domestic infrastructure development and investor partnerships. HSBC estimates that the UAE's planned infrastructure project pipeline exceeds $190 billion in financing requirements.

Published October 22, 2026 Source: The National

English Original
中文 Chinese version
العربية Automatic translation

Issuing authority: Ministry of Investment
Jurisdiction: United Arab Emirates
Publication date: October 20, 2026
Official source: www.thenationalnews.com

Photo: The National

No planned foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in the United Arab Emirates have been cancelled in 2026, according to Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment. Speaking on the sidelines of the 10th HSBC Future Forum in Dubai, Alhawi noted that while some foreign investors have temporarily paused, delayed, or slightly reduced the quantum of their commitments amid ongoing regional conflict, overall investment interest remains steady.

Alhawi stated that the UAE remains on track to hit its national target of $65 billion in annual FDI inflows by 2031. In 2025, inbound FDI reached a record $48.24 billion, representing a 6 percent annual rise and ranking the UAE ninth globally and first in the Middle East, according to UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data cited in the report.

The UAE federal government is focusing public capital expenditure on strategic domestic infrastructure, including rail networks, oil and gas pipelines, and port facilities along the East Coast. The Ministry of Investment confirmed it is actively discussing joint-venture frameworks with foreign investors, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices to participate in these projects.

According to an HSBC report analyzing MEED data, the UAE accounts for about 22 percent of the wider Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey region's $872 billion infrastructure project pipeline. HSBC estimates the UAE's funding requirement for planned infrastructure projects, including developments such as Al Maktoum International Airport and Fujairah expansion projects, exceeds $190 billion.