Sharjah builds investment credibility through institutions, not incentives: Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi

Sharjah: Foreign investors are drawn to markets that offer credibility and clarity, not just opportunity, according to Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi. Speaking at the Sharjah Investment Forum 2025, she said the emirate’s experience shows that “capital today does not simply chase markets; it follows credibility, clarity and long-term value.”

Sharjah, she explained, focused on building institutions and infrastructure before seeking inflows. “History shows us that when governments invest in their own people, institutions and infrastructure, foreign capital follows,” she said. “Instead of relying on incentives, we built a robust ecosystem, strengthened institutions, improved infrastructure and ensured regulatory predictability and agility.”

Sharjah’s emphasis on domestic investment has highlighted a sharp increase in foreign direct investment activity. In the first half of 2025, the emirate attracted 74 projects, up 57% from the same period last year. Capital inflows reached $1.5 billion, compared with $325 million in H1 2024, according to Invest in Sharjah.

Job creation also rose, with 2,578 new positions compared with 1,779 a year earlier. The biggest gains came in business services, where project activity increased fivefold and employment more than elevenfold. Consumer products projects grew 53%, while the food-and-beverage sector saw a 112%increase in projects.

“These results highlight the strength of our model and the maturity of our innovation framework,” Sheikha Bodour said, adding that sustainable investment depends on stable governance and a skilled workforce.

A core part of that framework is Sharjah’s triple-helix model, which connects universities, research parks and entrepreneurship centres. Sheikha Bodour said the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, the American University of Sharjah and the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) together form “a continuous pathway that transforms academic excellence into entrepreneurial vision.”

Free zones, she added, provide structured access to international markets, while intellectual-property frameworks and partnership models offer investors clarity and protection.

Citing international research, Sheikha Bodour noted that the IMF and World Bank have found that economies investing in human capital, regulatory quality, and innovation attract higher-quality FDI. Sharjah, she said, has turned that insight into policy through “a balanced approach to governance, one that strengthens our market while also using it to improve public services, ensuring the economy remains both dynamic and socially grounded.”

She positioned Sharjah’s progress within the broader UAE economic model, which she described as “defined by clarity of law, cultural vitality, secure infrastructure and visionary leadership.”

While acknowledging Sharjah’s achievements, Sheikha Bodour stressed that its progress stems from deliberate design rather than circumstance. “We are committed to continue investing with discipline, leading with values and growing with purpose,” she said. “Because we believe that when our people build first, partners fund.”