UAE establishes National Investment Fund with an initial capital of Dhs36.7b

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has chaired a Cabinet meeting held at the Dubai Airshow.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance; Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Interior, and Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Sheikh Mohammed said, “I chaired today’s Cabinet meeting at the Dubai Airshow. The UAE continues to support this global platform, which brings together delegations from 115 countries and more than 150,000 specialists, reinforcing our position as a key contributor to shaping the future of the global aviation sector.

Sheikh Mohammed added: “As part of the Cabinet agenda, we approved the establishment of the National Investment Fund with an initial capital of Dhs36.7 billion, open to future review and expansion. The fund aims to encourage incoming foreign direct investment through financial incentive packages and to achieve our targets of increasing it from Dhs115 billion annually to Dhs240 billion by 2031, and to raise total accumulated FDI from Dhs800 billion to Dhs2.2 trillion. Our message to global investors is clear. The UAE welcomes you… The UAE will provide the world’s best environment for investment… The UAE will continue to support your growth and long-term success."

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid confirmed: “We reviewed progress in the National Strategy for Industry. National industrial spending has exceeded Dhs110 billion, an increase of 244% over the past five years. Industrial exports reached Dhs197 billion. Today, the industrial sector contributes Dhs210 billion to our GDP. Our target is Dhs300 billion by 2031. We will continue to support this vital sector and its rapid growth."

Sheikh Mohammed said: “The Cabinet approved the UAE National Identity Strategy. The strategy includes seventy government initiatives to strengthen national identity among new generations, deepen sense of belonging, and reinforce family cohesion and stability across our society."

Sheikh Mohammed added: “We also reviewed developments in GCC joint economic action. The UAE remains firmly supportive and committed to this shared path. The UAE today holds the highest number of economic licences issued to citizens of other GCC countries, totalling 36,000. "

"The UAE is home to the largest number of property owners from other GCC countries, exceeding 52,000 individuals. And we host the highest number of students from other GCC countries enroled in our public higher education institutions, reaching 7,500 students. Trade between the UAE and GCC countries reached Dhs333 billion. Strengthening GCC cooperation is a principle established by the late Sheikh Zayed, and it remains a cornerstone of our national vision,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

During the meeting, the Cabinet reviewed the year 2024 achievements of the UAE civil aviation sector, which contributed DHS 340 billion, or 18.2%, to the UAE's GDP for the year.

The country's airports handled approximately 148 million passengers, a 10% increase compared to 2023, through more than one million air traffic operations, an 11% increase compared to 2023.

The UAE successfully signed 190 air transport agreements with various countries worldwide.

According to the World Economic Forum's 2023 report, the UAE ranked first globally in air transport infrastructure quality, second globally in compliance with aviation safety requirements according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's report, and fifth globally in air transport quality according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024 published by the International Institute for Management Development.

National Investment Fund

The Cabinet approved the establishment of the National Investment Fund, with an initial capital of Dhs36.7 billion, open to future review and expansion.

The Fund aims to enhance the UAE’s attractiveness as a global destination for investments and support the objectives of the National Investment Strategy 2031.

The strategy seeks to increase annual foreign direct investment FDI inflows to Dhs240 billion by 2031, and to raise the total stock of foreign investment in the UAE to Dhs2.2 trillion by 2031.

The Fund will provide a development package targeting companies capable of delivering remarkable economic impact within the UAE. It will be operated through direct financing of strategic opportunities at the federal level and through cooperation with economic, investment and tourism authorities across the emirates, to support national strategic opportunities.

National Family Growth Agenda 2031

The Cabinet also approved the National Family Growth Agenda 2031, which was launched during the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2025. The agenda aims to build a stable, cohesive, and productive Emirati family, and to make the UAE a global model for family empowerment and growth.

The agenda aims as well to boost the population growth among UAE nationals by increasing marriage and birth rates and improving the quality of family life. It consists of three main tracks: policies and programmes, behavioral interventions, and reproductive health.

UAE National Identity Strategy

The Cabinet approved the UAE National Identity Strategy, which was launched during the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2025. The strategy focuses on strengthening the national sense of belonging and pride, consolidating family and societal cohesion. It comprises more than seventy national initiatives, including the National Model for Emirati Neighbourhoods, the National Framework for Integrating National Identity into Emirati Hospitality, the Emirati House initiative, among other initiatives.

NATURAL RESERVES POLICY

The Cabinet approved a project to develop a national policy for classifying natural reserves in the UAE. The project aims to unify classification methodologies at the national and international levels, and support balanced decision-making between development objectives and environmental protection. The UAE currently is home to 49 protected areas, including internationally recognised biosphere reserves.

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

In legislative affairs, the Cabinet approved the development of a federal law on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. The law aims to protect and conserve plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in the UAE, align with global developments, regulate the monitoring, classification and evaluation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, preserve traditional knowledge, and ensure sustainable access and utilisation.

The Cabinet also approved the issuance of relevant resolutions concerning the services provided by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Foreign Trade, in addition to resolutions supporting the efficiency of the tax ecosystem and trade through modern digital solutions that enhance business environment across all sectors.

FOOD SECURITY

As part of national efforts to strengthen food security, the Cabinet reviewed the 2024 achievements of the UAE Food Security Council.

The Council, in collaboration with local and federal government entities, as well as members of the private sector, successfully delivered significant progress through implementing national programmes and initiatives, including the establishment of a national food cluster under the National Food Security Strategy 2051, the creation of the UAE Food Cluster, the launch of the first national baseline indicators for food loss and waste, the Food Conservation Programme during and after Ramadan, and community awareness initiatives aimed at achieving zero food waste and reducing loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030.

National Pricing Policy

The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of implementing the National Pricing Policy for Essential Consumer Goods, which aims to establish fair and balanced pricing frameworks across the UAE and regulate price increases by suppliers and retailers in accordance with defined standards. A digital platform now provides real-time monitoring of essential goods prices across major retail outlets across the country.

As part of the national Operation 300bn to increase the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP to Dhs300 billion by 2031, the Cabinet reviewed the 2024 progress report of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology.

The industrial sector's contribution to GDP reached Dhs210 billion, representing an increase of 59 per cent compared to 2020. Industrial exports reached Dhs197 billion, which is an increase of 68 per cent compared to 2020. Medium and high-tech exports reached DHS 62 billion, representing an increase of 35 per cent compared to 2020.

The Cabinet reviewed the progress of implementing the National Re-Export Development Agenda for 2024, which recorded total re-export activity of Dhs717.8 billion. Re-exports reached Dhs 719 billion, growing 5 per cent compared to 2023 and contributing 24.5 per cent of the UAE’s non-oil trade in 2024.

GCC'S JOINT ECONOMIC ACTION

During the same meeting, the Cabinet reviewed developments of the GCC countries' joint economic action for 2024. Total trade between the UAE and GCC countries reached Dhs333 billion.

UAE exports to GCC countries amounted to Dhs85.6 billion, UAE imports reached Dhs84.5 billion, and re-exports totalled Dhs162.8 billion.

 The UAE ranked first, among the GCC countries, in the number of economic licenses issued to nationals of other GCC countries, with 36,800 licenses, and first in the number of property ownership in the UAE for nationals of other GCC countries, with 52,200 registered cases.

FEDERAL TRAFFIC LAW

In implementation of the Federal Decree Law regulating traffic, the Cabinet approved the reconstitution of the Federal Traffic Council under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Interior.

 The Council will review and propose policies, strategies and programmes aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the traffic and licensing sector. It will align national standards and regulations, coordinate efforts to address sectoral challenges, and ensure implementation of global best practices.

It will also prepare technical studies, review relevant federal legislation, in coordination with relevant authorities, and monitor national performance in coordination with the concerned authorities.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

In international affairs, the Cabinet approved the ratification of several agreements between the UAE and other countries. These include an agreement with the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on the promotion and protection of mutual investments, two mutual visa exemption agreements with the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and with Antigua and Barbuda, the GCC General Agreement for Electricity Interconnection, and an agreement to host the headquarters of the Union of Arab Securities Authorities in the UAE.

The Cabinet also approved the UAE’s hosting of the Thirty-eighth Session of the FAO Regional Ministerial Conference for the Near East, the Second Agricultural and Veterinary Quarantine Forum, and several related events.

WAM