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Dubai is drawing talent and wealth from around the world thanks to its business-friendly stance and quality of life, Dubai Economic Development Corporation CEO Hadi Badri said Thursday.
“When they come, they’re coming for quality of life, safety, security, tolerance, and optimism,” Badri told Semafor’s Mohammed Sergie at Semafor’s World Economy Summit.
The United Arab Emirates is the world’s top destination for high-net-worth individuals, Badri said, and Dubai has benefited. The city is already a logistics hub — “connectivity is definitely a superpower for Dubai” — and wants to expand, he said, with opportunities in technology and financial services designed around its residents’ needs.
“We are very pro-business, very pro-investment,” Badri said. “We are a very high-touch government as it relates to engaging with business and investors to give them the confidence to invest.”
Dubai is also looking to increase its trading partnerships as it seeks to become one of the top three global cities. Overall, the UAE is looking to sign free-trade agreements with 20 nations, on top of the 40 it already has.
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Badri has been in Washington throughout the week to promote Dubai and attended the invitation-only US Chamber of Commerce 2025 Global Summit, where he also highlighted the city’s business friendliness.
His visit follows another by UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, who met with President Donald Trump and top US officials last month, as the UAE committed to a $1.4 trillion US investment over the next decade in artificial-intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, energy, and manufacturing.
The Semafor View
The energy transition is changing, not ending. Renewable and fossil-fuel production are at record highs. Clean energy is cheaper than oil drilling, and Big Tech’s appetite for power is growing exponentially. Investments into new fuel sources and green tech are unlikely to wind down any time soon, while countries are increasingly concerned with energy independence.