UAE at 19th rank in Kearney FDI Confidence Index

By DG Staff

ABU DHABI 22 June 2020: The 2020 Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Confidence Index, an annual survey ranking the markets likely to attract the most investment in the next three years, saw the UAE advance to 19th place out of 25 markets, compared to the 21st place in 2017.

The ranking shows the Emirati government strategies to diversify its economy, apply innovative methods in different sectors, and encourage business growth, according to a press release.

The UAE government’s policies set in 2019 to achieve these strategies, including the introduction of 100% foreign ownership in 13 economic sectors, and the country’s boosting technology sector, make the UAE one of the world’s most attractive FDI destinations.

“Investors clearly anticipate that these fundamentals combined with an extremely effective response to the crisis will enable the country to emerge strongly from the current situation,” said Rudolph Lohmeyer, partner at the National Transformations Institute of Kearney Middle East.

“The UAE is also expected to benefit from the entry into force of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, through new trade opportunities with African countries,” Lohmeyer added.

The 2020 index has selected only three emerging economies, namely China, Brazil, and the UAE.