Saeed Al Hajeri, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, made a pointed claim this week: roughly 98 percent of foreign investments flowing into the country over recent months have remained untouched by geopolitical pressures. For the more than 200 nationalities living and working inside the UAE, that figure carries real weight.
Al Hajeri framed the stability as a product of accumulated strengths rather than luck. Historically solid economic foundations, deep global connectivity, and organizational flexibility in responding to market shifts, he argued, have allowed the country not merely to endure current tensions but to build momentum through them.
The numbers behind that argument are substantial. Non-oil sectors now account for nearly 79 percent of the UAE’s national gross domestic product as of 2025, a diversification that has steadily reduced the country’s dependence on hydrocarbon revenues. World-class infrastructure, reliable financial institutions, and sophisticated logistics and energy capabilities underpin those industries, according to Al Hajeri.
By contrast, the financial cushion sitting behind the economy is harder to ignore. Sovereign wealth assets total approximately 2.49 trillion US dollars. The country has also locked in 37 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, expanding market access and trade opportunities across multiple regions. Together, those instruments give ordinary residents and businesses operating inside the UAE a degree of insulation that few economies can match.
The workforce itself reflects the country’s global reach. More than 200 nationalities call the UAE home, contributing daily to what Al Hajeri described as a dynamic, globally connected economy. That diversity is not incidental. It is, in his framing, a competitive advantage in its own right.
What changes next, according to the minister, is the pace. The government intends to channel investment into artificial intelligence, advanced industries, trade and finance infrastructure, and digital systems. These sectors, Al Hajeri suggested, will generate expanded opportunities for future generations of residents and investors, not just the current workforce.
The statement closed with a direct invitation to global investors, businesses, and partners to join what Al Hajeri called the next phase of UAE economic expansion, with access to high-growth sectors, global markets, and a stable operating environment. Whether that acceleration translates into tangible gains for the people already living and working there remains the question worth watching.