The UAE has unveiled its campaign to attract Dh550 billion ($150 billion) in foreign direct investment by 2031 and eventually reach Dh1 trillion by 2051.
The Emirates attracted $30.7 billion worth of FDI inflows last year, compared with $22.7 billion in 2022, an annual growth of 35 per cent, the UN Conference on Trade and Development said in its 2024 World Investment Report.
FDI outflows from the country stood at $22.3 billion, compared with $24.8 billion in 2022, it added.
The UAE is also ranked the second-largest market after the US for greenfield foreign direct investment, according to the UN. Greenfield FDI involves a foreign entity establishing operations in another country by building new facilities from the ground up.
As part of its push to show the world the UAE's investment opportunities, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, shared a video titled Bring Your Impossible on social media on Monday, starring British actor Idris Elba.
"You are not crazy," Elba says in the clip, which lasts a little over a minute. "The world is changing, but you have a dream. A dream that people tell you is a waste of time. A dream that is impossible."
The video then cuts to a model whose world twists, turns and flips, similar to scenes in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster Inception.
"So here is a truth: there is a different path," Elba's voice continues. "A reality where dreams are not just chased, but exceeded. A place where we were told it was impossible until we made it possible. A place where you can imagine your future and create it."
He then ends with the tagline: "Bring your impossible to the Emirates."
Elba, who was one of the speakers at the World Government Summit in Dubai last year, is the latest in a long line of Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities to help promote the UAE and its investment opportunities.
In March, his investment company, the Akuna Group, teamed up with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to promote entrepreneurship, partnerships and investments across Africa.
And he has the business credentials. Besides his acting and music career, he runs several companies including Sherbro Alliance Partners, which is working to build a sustainable city in Sherbro Island, Sierra Leone.
Along with his wife, Sabrina Dhowre, Elba also runs S’able Labs, which makes sustainably sourced skincare products. The couple are also UN goodwill ambassadors.
The partnership also brought Elba back to UAE as a speaker at the Impact Summit, organised by the UAE office and Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem Hub71.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
