RIYADH: Dubai secured the top global spot for greenfield foreign direct investment projects in the first half of 2025, with 643 new ventures, extending its lead for an eighth straight half-year, a new ranking showed.
The emirate drew the highest half-year tally since records began in 2003, according to Financial Times’ fDi Markets data cited by the Emirates News Agency, or WAM. That was nearly 500 more than the second-ranked city.
This inflow of investment reflects confidence in the emirate’s long-term economic plans, including the Dubai Economic Agenda, which targets doubling its economy by 2033.
This follows broader regional trends, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar posting notable gains. The Kingdom’s FDI inflows rose 24 percent to SR119 billion ($31.7 billion) in 2024, while Qatar attracted $2.74 billion through 241 projects, creating 9,348 jobs last year.
Crown Prince of Dubai, Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, attributed this achievement to the city’s futuristic development vision. “The strength and resilience of Dubai’s economy continues to inspire confidence among global investors in its ability to reimagine the future and unlock emerging global technological trends and sustainable sectors,” he said, as reported by WAM.
