February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

Jebel Ali is an industrial district in the southwestern part of Dubai that encompasses Jebel Ali Port — the largest port in the Middle East and one of the busiest container ports in the world — and the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), one of the most commercially significant free zones globally. Together, the port and free zone form a logistics, manufacturing, and trading hub that handles a substantial portion of the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade and serves as a critical trans-shipment node for the wider region.

UAE Context

Jebel Ali Port was inaugurated in 1979 as a strategic decision by the Dubai government to build a deep-water port facility that could accommodate the largest vessels in global shipping. Operated by DP World, the port has been expanded multiple times and now features multiple container terminals with capacity to handle tens of millions of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually. The adjacent Jebel Ali Free Zone, established in 1985, hosts thousands of companies from more than 100 countries, offering foreign investors 100 per cent ownership, zero corporate and personal tax, full repatriation of capital and profits, and streamlined customs procedures.

Key Data

Jebel Ali Port ranks among the top ten container ports globally by throughput. Its facilities include container terminals, a bulk-cargo terminal, and ro-ro berths. JAFZA alone contributes a significant share of Dubai’s total non-oil trade. The area also houses the Al Maktoum International Airport and the Dubai World Central logistics district, creating an integrated sea-air-land trade corridor.

Vision 2031 Significance

Jebel Ali underpins the UAE’s position as a global trade and logistics hub. It is indispensable to the D33 agenda’s goals for trade growth, supports the Operation 300bn industrial strategy by hosting manufacturers, and provides the physical infrastructure that enables the UAE to serve as a commercial gateway between East and West.

  • DP World — The global port operator that manages Jebel Ali Port.
  • JAFZA — The Jebel Ali Free Zone adjacent to the port.
  • Free Zone — The regulatory framework under which JAFZA operates.
  • D33 Agenda — Dubai’s economic strategy that relies on Jebel Ali’s trade infrastructure.