Unlocking Opportunities: H.E. Mohammad Alhawi Discusses U.A.E. Investment Strategy
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(L to R): David Greenhalgh, Executive Vice President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council; His Excellency Mohammed Abdulrahman Alhawi, Undersecretary at the U.A.E. Ministry of Investment.

“We are looking for is real economic value and long-term impact in the country.” – H.E. Mohammad Alhawi, Undersecretary, U.A.E. Ministry of Investment

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted an afternoon discussion with H.E. Mohammad Alhawi, Undersecretary of the U.A.E. Ministry of Investment, on February 3, 2026, at the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s offices in Washington, D.C. The discussion convened approximately 40 representatives from U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council member companies to hear directly from His Excellency on the Ministry’s mandate, the U.A.E.’s evolving national investment strategy, and priority sectors for U.S.-U.A.E. partnership.

Key takeaways included:

  • The U.A.E. Ministry of Investment, established approximately two and a half years ago, serves as a central coordinating body across federal and emirate-level entities to attract and retain high-quality foreign direct investment. H.E. Alhawi emphasized that the Ministry’s core mandate is to work directly with companies to understand their business models and support sustainable, long-term growth in the U.A.E.
  • Investors should leverage the U.A.E.’s global connectivity to access international markets across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa. Over the past five years, the U.A.E. has significantly expanded its international partnerships, market access and reduced barriers through a growing series of investment agreements, strengthening its role as a platform for serving regional and global markets.
  • The U.A.E. has shifted away from providing broad subsidies toward targeted incentives tied to real economic value. H.E. Alhawi noted that “we’ve cancelled most of our subsidies” and now prioritize investments that generate tangible impact, employment, and long-term resilience rather than short-term financial support. 
  • The scale of the U.A.E.’s economic growth underscores investor confidence. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of registered companies in the U.A.E. increased from approximately 400,000 in 2020 to around 1.4 million today, reflecting policy transparency, regulatory reform, and sustained openness to global business.
  • Technology and innovation are central pillars of the U.A.E.’s investment agenda. Priority areas include digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, where the U.A.E. sees strong alignment with U.S. leadership. H.E. Alhawi underscored that the U.A.E. has chosen the United States as its primary partner for advanced and high-end technologies.
  • Other sectoral priorities highlighted during the discussion included financial services, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, infrastructure, real estate, tourism, energy, and technology-driven services. His Excellency emphasized that the U.A.E. seeks “real economic value and long-term impact in the country.” 
  • Addressing geopolitical and regional dynamics, His Excellency reaffirmed the U.A.E.’s long-standing focus on economic stability and investment protection. He emphasized that the U.A.E. remains committed to transparency during periods of global uncertainty.
  • The discussion echoed themes from the Ministry’s newly released whitepaper, “From Capital Exporter to Financial Architect: The UAE’s Evolving Role in Global Finance,” which explores the U.A.E.’s expanding role in shaping global capital flows across banking, asset management, fintech, sustainable finance, and digital assets.
  • H.E. Alhawi emphasized that the U.A.E. aims to be “part of the conversation” in directing capital toward productive global investment opportunities, even when the U.A.E. itself is not the destination. He noted the U.A.E. has approximately 4 trillion dollars in assets under management: 2.5 trillion in sovereign wealth funds and 1.5 trillion in family offices.

To learn more about the U.A.E.’s business landscape, please consult the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and Morgan Lewis’s Guide to Doing Business in the U.A.E. To learn more about this event and the Business Council’s programming, please contact Matthew Gardell at mgardell@usuaebusiness.org.