The UAE ranked first among the top five countries in the region in terms of FDI inflows between 2008 and 2012 with a total value of $14.6 billion.
This comes in the first edition of the report «Investment Partnerships for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in Emerging and Emerging Markets», launched by the Annual Investment Forum (AIF) in collaboration with the Financial Times' FDI Intelligence magazine, in its fourth edition and for the first time since its inception. The report also showed that the list of the top ten global cross-border deals for Middle Eastern companies included the UAE's Etisalat's $6.10 billion purchase of Vivendi's 53% stake in Maroc Telecom and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority's $0.97 billion purchase of Marriott Hotels UK, which includes 42 hotels in the UK.

Philip Morris' acquisition of a 49% stake in Arab Investors in the UAE worth $0.63 billion. The report noted that UAE investments are strongly present in the top 10 largest foreign direct investments in new projects in Africa in terms of capital investment in 2013.
For the first time, the report utilized different sources of investment data from reputable institutional investors and international entities to provide a comprehensive view and showcase different investment destinations.
Commenting on the importance of launching the report for the first time at the Annual Investment Forum, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, emphasized that the world has witnessed radical changes in the global economy with some fundamental shifts that have created a new international economic landscape on the one hand, and a new geography for investment on the other hand.

"Emerging markets have become the main drivers of global economic growth and important investors in their own right. This is the celebration of the major shifts that led to the establishment of the Annual Investment Forum and its first edition, which was launched in 2011."
He pointed out that the past three editions of the AIM have proven that the forum is an inclusive platform that brings together under one roof decision makers, senior companies, leaders and senior officials from multilateral institutions and civil society, which is the essence and mission of the event to bring participants under one umbrella through an exclusive forum to discuss and exchange views and experiences.

Mansoori added that the AIM has become the main driver of global economic growth and important investors themselves.