May 17, 2021 Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, minister of state for foreign trade. ABU DHABI — Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) grew by 44.2 percent in 2020 compared to 2019 and reached to a total of $19.88 billion. The positive results come amidst the reeling impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volume of global investment and trade and on the world economy in general. The increase brought the cumulative balance of FDI inflows to about $174 billion, achieving a growth of 12.9 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. The investments included all sectors and economic activities, with majority of the activities led by the oil and gas sector. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) concluded huge investment deals and partnerships with several foreign companies which contributed to achieving this growth.