(MENAFN- Action PR) RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE, October 30, 2025: The inaugural International Real Estate Investment Summit (IREIS) officially opened today at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre. The two-day summit, which is bringing together leading investors, developers, and policymakers from around the world, marks a significant milestone in the emirate’s drive to establish itself as a premier global investment destination - and one that places people at the heart of development, is built on economic diversification, and offers a dynamic business environment.

Sheikh Khalid bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Vice Chairman of the Investment and Development Office in Ras Al Khaimah, attended the opening day’s activities, affirming that the northern emirate continues to move forward with confidence in strengthening its position as a leading global destination for living, working, exploring, and investing.

Running until October 31, the summit comes at a strategic time marked by a surge in global real estate investment activity. According to estimates by leading international real estate consultancy firms, investment volumes are projected to grow by 27 per cent to reach US$952 billion by the end of this year, with expectations to surpass the US$1 trillion mark by late 2026.

In this context, the UAE stands out as a key destination for attracting these capital flows, having successfully drawn US$45.6bn in foreign direct investment (FDI) last year - a 48.7 per cent year-on-year increase - with new real estate projects accounting for approximately 7.8 per cent of this total.

Amid this accelerated national momentum, Ras Al Khaimah continues to strengthen its position as a dynamic investment hub, fuelled by its landmark projects, forward-looking policies, and rise in international investments in Al Marjan Island, one of the emirate’s most prominent real estate development destinations.

Global and Regional Economic Outlook at Centre Stage
On day one, prominent international experts examined global economic developments and investor behaviour. Rajeev Sibal, Deputy Chief Global Economist at Morgan Stanley, addressed shifting geopolitical and economic conditions during his session, “Navigating the New World Order: Investing in Uncertain Times”. Exploring trade dynamics, volatility in global markets, and emerging investment strategies suited to uncertain conditions, Sibal said that while his role as an economist dictates he must “see the glass half-empty because I need to look for what risks are ahead”, in contrast to the US economy where inflation is rising yet growth is slowing, he considers the UAE economy strong as it benefits from recent diversification.

“The UAE economy, unlike many of its peers in emerging markets, has actually diversified tremendously over the past five to 10 years,” he said. “One of the things often overlooked is that the mixed contribution to GDP in the UAE is actually very healthy - it's not a normal oil economy. That diversification has helped transform the UAE economy, giving it a certain amount of resiliency as the Fed uncertainty unfolds. Growth may slow down in the UAE, but it will be healthy for there to be a cycle here. The underlying structure opportunity here is actually very, very strong because of the diversification that now exists in the UAE economy. And that's why we continue to expect real estate to keep performing as an asset class.”

Real Estate’s Role in Economic Transformation
The summit also explored the role of real estate as a catalyst for economic diversification and long-term market resilience. During the session “Middle East real estate boom: Region’s growing appeal”, James Joughin, Executive Director, Colliers, UAE, discussed current metrics and market resilience contribution to sustainable growth.

“If we look at the typical real estate metrics, they are all still green,” said Joughin. “But being a valuer by background, we're always looking for those warning signs, and one area we are starting to see amber lights is in the rental market, and where that is moving. But right now, generally, across the board, across many asset classes, the lights are green.

“Occupancy levels are very strong and sales for tier-one developers in good locations are still performing extremely well. But each emirate and each asset class is probably in a different part of the cycle. You can’t call when the UAE’s recent run will come to an end, but there is still a lot of positive sentiment in terms of what's happening in the market.”

Breaking Barriers: OMNIYAT Group Founder Highlights Sustained Growth in Ultra Luxury Segment
A dedicated session in the afternoon focused on how OMNIYAT, one of the UAE’s leading luxury developers, is seeing sustained growth in certain segments, and how the company's own projections keep being broken. Speaking at the summit, Mahdi Amjad, Founder and Executive Chairman of OMNIYAT Group, spoke of “a global shift” and “a migration to unique and unparalleled experiences”.

“The UAE is attracting some of the biggest names around the world,” he said. “We're witnessing it ourselves – this year, OMNIYAT Group is achieving over three times more in terms of revenue compared to last year. We announced [in 2024] we'll grow our portfolio to Dh200 billion. I can say with confidence that we’ve already achieved that number and will be raising our target yet again.

“This is the sheer power of attracting international investment. While all the FDI is great for the market, what I think is very important is we don't lose sight of continuously innovating, continuously redefining, and elevating. Because the day we lose sight of that, is the day we cannot continue to surprise our international community with the unique experiences and products that continue to attract them.”

Commenting on the success of the summit's opening day, Alexander Heuff, Cityscape Group Director, said: “It’s clear from the attendance, appetite for knowledge exchange, and insightful sessions delivered by some of the world’s leading economists, developers, and industry leaders, that the real estate industry in the UAE – and RAK in particular – is absolutely primed for innovation, investment, and growth. The first day of the IREIS Summit by Cityscape has immediately proven its stature as an ideal B2B platform to showcase the best investments, future economic forecasts, and networking opportunities for an industry that is going from strength to strength in a sustainable way.”

Organised by Cityscape, IREIS brings together national and international leaders from the real estate and investment community, providing a strategic platform to unlock high-value opportunities, connect with key stakeholders, and explore trends shaping capital flows, market expansion, and emerging asset classes worldwide. This global event is supported by leading sector partners, led by Marjan as the Headline Sponsor, along with Al Hamra as Strategic Sponsor, and RAK Properties as Diamond Sponsor.

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