Ministry of Foreign Affairs Convenes MoFA Dialogues Special Session on the sidelines of UNGA 81

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a special session of its MoFA Dialogues: Voices of Influence initiative on the sidelines of  the 81st United Nations General Assembly, bringing together His Excellency Badr Jafar, Special Envoy for the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business and Philanthropy, and renowned Allianz chief economic adviser Mohamed El-Erian for a discussion on the forces shaping the global economy and their implications for governments, businesses and highly interconnected economies.

The exclusive session explored global economic trends, inflation, interest rates, debt and growth, the impact of artificial intelligence, geopolitical and structural shifts, and the opportunities emerging from a changing global economic landscape. The discussion also examined the role of economies such as the UAE in supporting global growth, strengthening economic resilience and navigating greater uncertainty.

H.E. Badr Jafar said: “The UAE’s economic strength is grounded in strong fundamentals, global connectivity and institutional depth. With non-oil sectors accounting for almost 79 percent of GDP in 2025, sovereign wealth assets of approximately USD 2.49 trillion, and 38 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, we remain focused not simply on maintaining momentum, but on accelerating it - particularly through investment in AI, advanced industries, trade, finance and digital infrastructure.

“Our world-class infrastructure, trusted financial institutions, and advanced logistics and energy capabilities provide a strong foundation from which to navigate geopolitical and economic shifts and emerge stronger.

“At the same time, our greatest asset remains our ability to attract and connect talent, capital and ideas from around the world. More than 200 nationalities live and work in the UAE, contributing to a dynamic and globally connected economy. We invite investors, businesses and partners from around the world to be part of this next chapter - one defined by innovation, opportunity and long-term growth,” His Excellency added.


For his part, Professor El-Erian said: “The UAE has navigated the turbulent period we have seen this year remarkably well and has the attributes to navigate what lies ahead successfully.
 
“We are entering a world being shaken from above by geoeconomics, where economic outcomes increasingly depend on national security, domestic politics and geopolitics, and bottom up by extraordinary innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, life sciences and, down the road, quantum.
 
“In this environment, three attributes matter enormously: resilience, optionality and agility. The UAE has demonstrated all three. It has shown resilience by absorbing shocks, recovering quickly, and continuing to move forward. It has demonstrated optionality through an open-minded approach that draws on expertise wherever it can be found. And it has also shown agility by moving quickly and adapting to changing circumstances.
 
“These attributes will be critical to sustaining the UAE’s economic momentum and positioning the country to capture the opportunities emerging from a rapidly changing global economy.”

The MoFA Dialogues: Voices of Influence initiative is a series of panel discussions by the Strategic Communication Department and the Office of the Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business and Philanthropy. The initiative brings together influencers and global leaders from diverse fields to exchange perspectives, discuss the latest regional and international developments, and explore topics relevant to the UAE’s foreign policy, investment, economic leadership, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence