During its third meeting of 2026

Economic Integration Committee explores developments in the country’s business and investment environment amid current circumstances

• Latest meeting reviews mechanisms to enhance integration between National Economic Register and relevant government entities

• H.E. Bin Touq highlights UAE’s success in building an advanced and resilient economic model that enables it to handle crises with high efficiency

The Economic Integration Committee held its third meeting of 2026, chaired by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, and attended by the directors general of local economic departments from across the country.

The Committee emphasised the importance of fostering cooperation, solidarity and effective coordination between local economic development departments and relevant federal and local entities, thereby contributing to the growth of the national economy, supporting its diversification, and enhancing the competitiveness of the UAE’s business and investment environment. These efforts are also key to opening up broader avenues for economic and developmental opportunities for the UAE business community and strengthening the country’s position as a leading global hub for business and investment.

The meeting discussed developments in the UAE’s business and investment environment amidst current circumstances. The participants commended the strong investor confidence in the country’s investment climate, and the private sector’s valuable contributions to social responsibility, particularly through initiatives that enhance the resilience and continuity of supply chains and effectively meet all consumer needs.

The Committee also highlighted the outcomes and recommendations of its previous meeting, including the working mechanism for the recently formed economic legislation team. It includes legal representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and local economic development departments, ensuring the continued development of economic legislation and the business environment.

The Minister of Economy and Tourism emphasised the UAE’s success in building an advanced and resilient economic model that enables it to handle regional and international crises with high efficiency. He indicated that this model embodies the development of an integrated system of competitive strategies, policies and legislation that have contributed to diversifying the national economy, reducing reliance on oil, optimising national resources, and creating an attractive business environment for growth.

H.E. added: “Since the beginning of the crisis until now, the economic development departments have played a pivotal role in strengthening the monitoring and supervision of the local markets, protecting consumer rights, and raising the level of transparency in commercial operations. Their efforts have also contributed to enhancing the UAE’s readiness to address evolving circumstances with the highest levels of institutional efficiency. It reflects the synergy of national efforts and our collective action to overcome current economic challenges”

Furthermore, H.E. Bin Touq underlined the meeting’s pivotal role as a platform to enhance dialogue and unify national efforts in developing flexible and competitive economic policies and legislation, facilitating the exchange of best practices and innovative ideas, and launching new national initiatives that support the national economy and enhance its resilience and capacity for sustainable growth.

In detail, the Committee discussed mechanisms to enhance the integration between the National Economic Register and relevant government entities and authorities in the country, ensuring that data is updated periodically and accurately, and shared between government entities with high efficiency and reliability. This will enhance the monitoring of registered companies and contribute to the continued development of economic policies that support the country’s business environment, especially as the number of companies operating in the UAE exceeded 1.4 million by the end of 2025.

Moreover, the Committee reviewed national efforts in the context of preparations for the mutual evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for 2026, with a focus on monitoring the implementation of national policies and measures to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, including procedures for identifying the real beneficiary of businesses. It also addressed ongoing preparations at all levels and coordination among relevant government entities.