Economy Middle East Summit 2026: Nahyan bin Mubarak Opens Abu Dhabi Forum as UAE Pushes ‘Economy of Tomorrow’

UAE pitches stability as an economic advantage

In his keynote address, Sheikh Nahyan said the UAE continues to show “resilience, stability, unity” during a challenging period. The phrase captured the core message of the summit: in a region often shaped by geopolitical risk, the UAE is presenting predictability as an economic asset.

He linked that stability to economic openness, sound policy, investment in people, entrepreneurship and regional cooperation. He also pointed to the need for cooperation in artificial intelligence, financial technology, cybersecurity, digital assets and cross-border commerce.

The remarks placed Abu Dhabi at the centre of a wider economic argument. The UAE wants to be seen not only as a beneficiary of regional capital, but also as a builder of the systems that will direct it.

That means financial regulation, digital infrastructure, trade corridors, energy transition projects and private-sector development are no longer separate stories. They are now part of one national growth strategy.

In his keynote address, Sheikh Nahyan said the UAE continues to show “resilience, stability, unity” during a challenging period. The phrase captured the core message of the summit: in a region often shaped by geopolitical risk, the UAE is presenting predictability as an economic asset.

He linked that stability to economic openness, sound policy, investment in people, entrepreneurship and regional cooperation. He also pointed to the need for cooperation in artificial intelligence, financial technology, cybersecurity, digital assets and cross-border commerce.

The remarks placed Abu Dhabi at the centre of a wider economic argument. The UAE wants to be seen not only as a beneficiary of regional capital, but also as a builder of the systems that will direct it.

That means financial regulation, digital infrastructure, trade corridors, energy transition projects and private-sector development are no longer separate stories. They are now part of one national growth strategy.

Why investors are watching Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi’s role in the summit matters. The emirate is using its financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds and regulatory platforms to draw global banks, asset managers, family offices and technology companies.

Reuters reported that ADGM posted a 42% year-on-year increase in active companies in the first half of 2025, reaching 2,972 firms by June 30. Assets under management inside the financial hub also rose 42% over the same broad period.

That growth reflects a broader move by international capital toward the Gulf. The region offers large sovereign funds, a rising private-wealth base, low-tax structures and growing demand for alternative investments.

Dubai remains the region’s commercial and tourism hub. Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a deeper institutional capital centre. Together, they give the UAE a two-city model that few regional competitors can match.

Original research: the data behind the summit

Source note: Figures are compiled from WAM and Reuters reports on the Economy Middle East Summit, UAE GDP, non-oil trade, ADGM, PMI, Masdar and Stargate UAE.

Trade remains the backbone of the UAE model

Trade is one of the clearest pillars of the UAE’s economic strategy. The country’s non-oil goods trade reached a record AED 3 trillion in 2024, up 14.6% from the previous year, according to Reuters.

The same report said the UAE had already reached 75% of its AED 4 trillion non-oil trade target for 2031. That matters because trade is not only a number for the UAE. It is the foundation of its wider investment case.

The country has used ports, airports, free zones and bilateral trade agreements to connect Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Its Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement programme has become a key part of that strategy.

Since 2021, the UAE has negotiated trade and investment deals with countries including India, Indonesia, Israel and Turkey. Exports to CEPA partner countries rose 42.3% year on year in 2024, according to Reuters.

This makes trade a natural fit for the summit’s future-economy theme. The UAE is not trying to grow only through domestic consumption. It is trying to become a platform through which capital, goods, services and technology move across regions.

AI is moving from policy to infrastructure

Artificial intelligence was one of the summit’s central themes. Sheikh Nahyan said the region must guide AI in ways that expand opportunity and preserve ethical responsibility.

That message comes as Abu Dhabi prepares for a major AI infrastructure buildout. The Stargate UAE AI data centre project is expected to begin operations in 2026 with an initial 200 megawatts of capacity.

The wider project is planned as a 10-square-mile AI data centre complex that could eventually reach 5 gigawatts. It involves UAE-based G42 and technology partners including OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco and SoftBank.

This changes the meaning of AI in the UAE economy. AI is no longer only about apps, software or government services. It is becoming a capital-intensive infrastructure sector tied to energy, chips, cloud capacity, cybersecurity and international regulation.

The UAE also joined a U.S.-led AI and semiconductor supply-chain programme in January 2026, according to Reuters. That shows the country wants a place inside the global technology supply chain, not only access to finished products.

Digital assets move closer to the mainstream

The summit also included discussions on digital assets, fintech, banking and finance. That mix is important. It shows that digital finance is moving from a niche topic into the region’s mainstream economic agenda.

The UAE has already built one of the region’s most active regulatory environments for virtual assets. Dubai has its virtual-asset regulator, while ADGM has developed a financial regulatory framework that has helped attract funds, fintech firms and digital-asset companies.

The summit’s partner list included Binance, along with the UAE Cybersecurity Council and ADGM. That combination points to the key challenge in digital finance: innovation must be matched with consumer protection, cybersecurity and regulatory trust.

For investors, the signal is clear. The UAE is not treating digital assets as a separate speculative theme. It is placing them inside a broader finance, technology and regulation agenda.

Clean energy becomes industrial policy

Clean energy was another major topic at the summit. Sheikh Nahyan linked the future economy to clean energy, sustainable finance and climate-smart infrastructure.

That aligns with the UAE’s wider clean-energy push. Masdar, the UAE’s state-owned renewable energy company, reached 65 gigawatts of global clean-energy capacity in 2026 and is targeting 100 gigawatts by 2030.

The energy story also connects with AI. Large data centres require major power supplies, cooling systems and long-term grid planning. If the UAE wants to become a serious AI hub, energy strategy and digital strategy must move together.

That is why clean energy is now more than a climate talking point. It is part of the country’s industrial strategy, investment strategy and technology strategy.

Private sector gets a larger role

One of Sheikh Nahyan’s strongest messages was the need to strengthen the role of the private sector. He said future progress would depend on entrepreneurship, investment, cooperation and the next generation of leaders.

This is a practical point. The UAE can build infrastructure and set policy, but long-term growth will require private companies to create jobs, expand exports, adopt technology and build new services.

The January 2026 PMI data supports that view. The UAE’s non-oil private sector PMI rose to 54.9, while Dubai’s PMI climbed to 55.9, according to