UAE’s government pencils in 5-6% growth in 2025: Economy Minister Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri sees the UAE’s economy growing by around 5-6% in 2025, up from 4% in 2024, he told state news agency Wam on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Growth will be driven by strong performances in sectors that include “technology, renewable energy, trade, financial services, and infrastructure,” he added.

Not everyone is as optimistic about the UAE’s growth this year: Fitch Solutions’ research unit BMI recently revised its forecast for the UAE’s economy this year to 5.1%, slightly down from 5.2% predicted in October, while the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank revised their forecasts for the UAE’s economy this year to 4%. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) penciled in a higher growth estimate of 4.5% in 2025 in December.

Meanwhile, the World Bank sees GCC economies growing 3.4% in 2025, and by 4.1% in 2026, on the back of significant investments in non-oil sectors, the bank’s Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Ousmane Dione told Wam on the sidelines of the summit. Oil-producing nations in the MENA region will see slowed growth during the year as a result of lowering their oil production, while oil importers will see further growth due to more diversified economies.

This is up slightly from its previous forecast of 3.3% growth for the Gulf region in its latest Global Economic Prospects report.

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