US direct investment in Dubai hits Dhs14.3 billion in H1 2025

Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, affirmed during a panel session at the Dubai Business Forum – USA that US direct investment in Dubai reached Dhs14.3 billion in the first half of 2025.

This figure is double the total US investment in the Emirate during 2024, reflecting a strategic indicator of Dubai's growing appeal as a global investment hub for the American business community.

He noted that Dubai serves as a vital centre for American companies seeking expansion into high-potential global markets, particularly in Africa. Dubai’s non-oil trade with African countries reached Dhs354.5 billion in 2024, 34 per cent higher than the United States’ trade with Africa during the same year, which amounted to Dhs264.2 billion. This positions Dubai as a gateway for American companies aiming to enter African markets.

Lootah added that Dubai’s exports and re-exports to global markets reached Dhs466 billion during the period 2018–2024, marking total growth exceeding 88 per cent and achieving a compound annual growth rate of 11.1 per cent.

This, he said, reflects Dubai’s readiness to provide a supportive and competitive business environment that enables American companies to benefit from its advantages and expand effectively into regional and international markets.

He also pointed out that 145 American investors injected around Dhs3.6 billion into 158 projects within Dubai’s digital economy sectors during the period 2020–2024, underscoring the rapid growth of this pivotal sector and the confidence of American investors in Dubai’s ability to support innovation and stimulate digital entrepreneurship.

WAM