DMCC seeks to broaden UAE-US trade and investment flows

DMCC — the world’s flagship free zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise - has concluded its second Made for Trade Live roadshow of the United States this year, visiting San Francisco, California, and Denver, Colorado, as it seeks to broaden UAE-US trade and investment across key economic sectors.

Looking to uphold the UAE’s status as home to the largest US foreign direct investment stock in the Middle East, DMCC briefed American executives on Dubai’s unique, business-friendly environment, world-class infrastructure and the host of opportunities for American businesses in Dubai.

Nearly 700 US companies are based in DMCC, making the district home to over 45% of the estimated 1,500 American businesses in the UAE.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and CEO of DMCC, said, “Dubai has been the longstanding hub of choice for American companies in the region for many years. The record levels of trade and investment we saw last year is a testament to this, and to the continued attractiveness of Dubai for US companies in terms of our market size, infrastructure, trade connectivity and ease of doing business.

“With almost 700 US companies in our district, we represent almost half of the American business presence in the UAE - a position we will aim to consolidate in the future as we expand our business ecosystems and tap into the huge potential of sectors such as tech, AI, energy and more.” DMCC’s Made for Trade Live roadshows are influential in showcasing Dubai as a prime business destination. Through the series, DMCC highlights Dubai’s unique value proposition and attracts significant FDI to the emirate.

Notably, DMCC contributes 15% to Dubai’s annual FDI inflows and is now home to over 24,000 businesses from around the globe. Separately, DMCC-the world’s flagship free zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise-has announced recently key performance results in H1 2024, recording 1,023 new member companies, bringing its total to almost 25,000 companies.

DMCC now accounts for 15% of all foreign direct investment (FDI) in Dubai, up from 11% last year, and 7% of the emirate’s GDP.

DMCC’s focus for the second half of 2024 remains the consolidation of its major real estate developments in Uptown Dubai and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) as well as the strategic expansion of its network of ecosystems in high-value sectors such as AI and Web3.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and CEO of DMCC, said, “Now accounting for 15% of Dubai’s FDI, our performance in the first half of 2024 demonstrates both the consistently strong investment growth across our district as well as the continued appeal of Dubai as a major global trade hub. As DMCC approaches 25,000 member companies, we will continue to accelerate this growth through a curated services offering and commercial space that matches business needs to reality.”

WAM