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Senior ministers from the GCC affirmed that the region’s commitment to long-term stability and policy clarity is the primary driver attracting massive global investment.
This emphasis came during a panel discussion where Bahrain showcased a new six-sector strategy aiming for “multiplier returns”.
Speaking at an insightful session on ‘Navigating Uncertainty In Global Markets’ during the Gateway Gulf 2025 investment forum, ministers positioned the GCC as a stable anchor for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in a world increasingly described as being in “flux”, contrasting the region with jurisdictions facing policy volatility due to shifting administrations.
A key theme of the discussion, moderated by The National’s geo-economics editor Manus Cranny, was the necessity for greater cooperation and a unified direction among GCC states to capitalise on global opportunities.
“The most important thing when it comes to the GCC is clarity and certainty,” said Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. He noted that global capital is shifting towards states with a singular vision for trade and FDI. “The vision of the GCC is long-term policies, clarity and stability.”
UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi echoed this, stressing the need to focus on a “general, unified direction” across member states. The ministers agreed that the Gulf’s offering of stability is essential for deploying large-scale capital.
“Once you tick those three boxes – long-term visions, stability of policy, and world-class infrastructure – and you have a 10- or 20-year horizon, you’re able to deploy significant capital,” Shaikh Salman remarked.
This stable environment, he added, is enabling the region to transform from a traditional “capital giver” to a destination where institutions are now eager to “deploy capital at more scale than we’ve ever seen before.”
Shaikh Salman emphasised Bahrain’s strategic position as a gateway for investors looking to access the vast GCC market, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
This role has been reinforced by the announcement of $17 billion in new deals, driven by a targeted strategy focused on maximising “multiplier returns” through six priority sectors.
The largest of these is financial services, which is set to expand by servicing the growing financing needs of neighbouring large economies, encompassing everything from banking and family offices to modern fintech.
Two other crucial areas are logistics, considered a multiplier for regional supply chains, and tourism, expected to increase as overall economic activity across the Gulf rises. To bolster regional self-sufficiency, manufacturing is a priority, aiming to provide supply chain resilience by locating production closer to customers.
Looking to the future, telecommunications and technology is a major focus, leveraging advancements in quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to drive transformation. Finally, oil and gas remains a core priority, dedicated to building local expertise and capability to serve the substantial energy needs of the larger regional markets.
Dr Al Zeyoudi noted the pervasive emphasis on technology, stating that the focus is now on the implementation of AI for efficiency , particularly in sectors like logistics, which are currently “heavily dependent on people at point A to point B.”
The discussion also included a comparison with Western financial centres, where Lord Mayor of the City of London Alastair King offered a robust defence of London’s post-Brexit resilience and its pivot toward technology.
“The City of London is in a very good place,” Mr King asserted, noting that the number of people working in financial professional services in the ‘Square Mile’ has increased significantly since the Brexit referendum, now reaching 678,000. When adding Canary Wharf and Mayfair, the total figure of 880,000 surpasses the entire population of Frankfurt.
Mr King stated that the City is embracing the technological shift, with major companies across finance, legal, and maritime services already implementing AI. “We’re all turning ourselves into AI companies in the City of London, in its own remarkable transformation,” he added.
The widespread focus on AI – from Bahrain’s strategic positioning to London’s technological transformation – underscored a global consensus on the technology’s immediate and transformative impact on finance and commerce.
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