Discussions took place during the Committee’s second meeting of the year, chaired by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri

Abu Dhabi: The Economic Integration Committee held its second meeting of 2026, chaired by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, and with the participation of directors general of local economic development departments from across the UAE.

The Committee discussed mechanisms to enhance cooperation and coordination between federal and local entities to strengthen the competitiveness of the UAE’s entrepreneurship environment, while also bolstering the growth of the silver economy in the country. These efforts contribute to reinforcing the UAE’s position as a leading global destination for business and investment. The Committee also reviewed the outcomes and recommendations of its previous meeting and its efforts to further develop the country’s legislative environment in line with global best practices.

H.E. Bin Touq highlighted that the UAE has made significant strides in developing an advanced economic legislative framework, thanks to the directives of its wise leadership. The framework is characterised by an integrated approach that focuses on empowering the private sector, stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship, and strengthening partnerships between federal and local entities. These efforts have contributed to enhancing the growth of the national economy.

During the meeting, H.E. said: “The Economic Integration Committee has played a pivotal role in reinforcing the UAE’s standing in global competitiveness indicators by advancing flexible and competitive policies and legislation. The UAE ranked third globally in ease of doing business and future economic growth opportunities, and seventh globally in economic strength and stability in the Global Soft Power Index 2026. This reflects the robustness of our economic and business environment and its appeal to investments and companies from around the world.”

H.E. noted the importance of leveraging the outcomes of the World Governments Summit 2026, which contributed to expanding prospects for establishing national companies through global partnerships focused on investment in modern technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation, which drive sustainable growth of the future economy. H.E. also highlighted the ‘Future of the Economy’ Forum, which served as an important platform to explore global economic growth opportunities amid economic and geopolitical shifts happening at the regional and international levels. It underscored the importance of economic multilateralism in strengthening investment relations among countries.

Enhancing the contribution of SMEs to the national economy

In detail, the meeting reviewed national efforts to enhance the contribution of entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises to the national economy. It explored opportunities for cooperation between relevant federal and local authorities to provide a supportive legislative environment for the growth of startups and to help them expand into foreign markets. These efforts are key to consolidating the UAE’s position as a leading destination for entrepreneurship and startups at the regional and global levels.

Formation of an economic legislation team comprising local economic development departments

The committee approved the proposal of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism to form a permanent legal and technical team affiliated with the committee. It will be composed of legal representatives from the Ministry, local economic development departments, and relevant legislative bodies, with the aim of supporting national efforts to develop a flexible and proactive economic legislative system aligned with global best practices, by enhancing legal coordination, unifying work methodologies among the relevant entities, and reducing the time required to harmonize new economic legislation and policies.

The new Economic Legislation Team will contribute to the development of a unified working platform that brings together relevant parties and stakeholders to discuss legislation and exchange views on an ongoing basis, through periodic meetings and consensus-based drafting. This approach will help monitor progress, address discrepancies, and reach joint decisions, thereby accelerating the issuance of legislation through the swift implementation of agreed outcomes and reducing the overall adoption cycle. The Economic Legislation Team will also submit its outputs and recommendations periodically to the committee for approval and to follow up on their implementation.

Supporting the growth of the silver economy

The committee reviewed the potential for growth of the silver economy in the country, which represents one of the future economic paths that keep pace with global demographic shifts. It will open up new horizons for investment in promising sectors including healthcare and wellness, financial services and retirement, elderly-friendly housing, accessible tourism, mobility and smart services, in addition to supporting paths that include jobs and productivity, investment and financing, and awareness and empowerment.

The committee affirmed that the focus on the silver economy is consistent with the objectives of the “Year of the Family 2026.” It is an economic and social pillar that enhances the quality of life and supports the building of a more inclusive and sustainable economy, characterized by integrated services and stimulating investment and innovation in healthcare solutions and health technologies and attracting quality projects.

Updates on linking ‘Growth’ platform with government agencies and licensing authorities

The meeting also assessed latest developments in linking the National Economic Register “NER” (the ‘Growth’ platform) with government entities and licensing authorities in the country, as well as the progress achieved since its launch. The National Economic Register contributes to developing a unified national system for companies and commercial licenses in the country, which enhances the quality and accuracy of information and its exchange between government entities with high efficiency and reliability.

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