The inflows of foreign direct investment into the United Arab Emirates have achieved significant growth over the past years; This is despite the repercussions of the “Covid-19” pandemic, which cast a shadow on the volume of investment, trade and world economies.
The cumulative incoming foreign direct investment balance exceeded 171.56 billion dollars in 2021, an increase of 100.5 billion dollars over the past 11 years, or 141.6% from 2011 when it was 71.02 billion dollars.
Inflows of foreign direct investment into the country grew by 116% during the past 10 years from 2012-2021; According to a report by the Ministry of Economy, it reached $20.66 billion last year 2021, compared to regarding $9.56 billion in 2012, an increase equivalent to $11.1 billion.
Inward FDI inflows to the UAE witnessed a remarkable growth during the past ten years, rising from $9.76 billion in 2013, $11.07 billion in 2014, $8.55 billion in 2015, $9.6 billion in 2016, and 10.35 billion $US in 2017, $10.38 billion in 2018, $17.87 billion in 2019, and $19.88 billion in 2020.
In light of the remarkable growth of foreign direct investment flows, the country ranks 19th in the world among the group of twenty major countries that attract foreign direct investment flows, in addition to being ranked first in the incoming foreign direct investment flows at the level of West Asia and at the level of the Middle East and North Africa region. And the group of Arab countries.
investment balance
The cumulative foreign direct investment balance received by the country also increased by 141.6% during the period from 2011 to 2021, rising from 71.02 billion dollars to 171.56 billion dollars last year, which represents an increase of more than 100.5 billion dollars in 11 years.
Over the past years, all economic sectors in the country have achieved significant growth in attracting direct investments. According to the UAE Central Bank, growth rates in the manufacturing sector reached 13%, in the health care sector to 9%, in the information and communication technology sector to 6%, and in the financial, banking and insurance sectors to 4%, in the real estate sector to 4%, in the oil and gas sector to 3%, and in the services sector to 2%; This was during the last year compared to the previous year 2020.
Globally, global FDI flows reached $1.6 trillion in 2021, an increase of 64% compared to 2020; And with the rapid growth of mergers and acquisitions in international project finance.
In the past year, most developed countries witnessed an increase in foreign direct investment; Flows to the United States more than doubled to $367 billion, the third highest level recorded following the 2015 and 2016.
Flows to developing economies rose 30% to $837 billion, the highest level ever recorded; The increase was mainly due to strong growth performance in Asia, partial recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean and recovery in Africa, and the share of developing countries in global flows remained just above 50%. (wam)