SEE Institute in Dubai's Sustainable City will open its doors to a wave of Palestinian business activity on 25 October. The Palestinian Investment Forum, organized by the Palestinian Business Council, lands as a rare chance for direct deal-making between Palestinian entrepreneurs and investors in the UAE and abroad. Emirates News Agency (WAM) confirmed the event's scheduling as of 9 October 2026, but so far, no public record shows completed deals or outcomes.
In the weeks before the forum, the Palestine Exchange (PEX) ran two roadshows in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. These sessions targeted the Palestinian diaspora and investors, with backing from Bank of Palestine and the SEE Institute. The goal: attract capital and expertise from Palestinians living overseas, in line with the UAE's push for international investment and knowledge transfer. PEX CEO Nihad Kamal used these events to lay out the current state of Palestine's financial market, pointing to listed companies and a maturing capital market that now draws more sophisticated investors.
One Dubai gathering, also led by the Palestinian Business Council, pulled in over 80 entrepreneurs and investors. Attendees drilled into the realities of investing in Palestine and reviewed a range of available projects. The UAE's approach here matches the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double Dubai's economy and cement its global investment status by 2033, as detailed in The National.
Forum organizers say the event will put investors, business leaders, and project owners face-to-face to break down the real investment landscape in Palestine. The forum is pitched as a launchpad for Palestinian startups and ventures to secure funding and build new partnerships, using Dubai's business environment as a springboard into wider markets. The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has repeatedly called for more financial sector innovation and cross-border investment, both central themes for this gathering.
Chairman Motasem Al Daour of the Palestinian Business Council - Dubai says the forum is about more than networking. The aim is to build an ecosystem where capital and talent meet, turning talk into real projects. This push lines up with ongoing regulatory reforms in the UAE, including moves by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), which have helped make the Emirates a magnet for international investors and startups.
Dubai's selection as host city comes down to its reputation for business and innovation, and its ability to draw diverse talent. Recent reports show international investors and entrepreneurs are already using Dubai as a launchpad for global expansion.
By gathering Palestinian talent and investors in one place, the forum aims to kick off business activity that lasts beyond a single event. Startups from Palestine and the UAE will be present, signaling a focus on practical economic support. A Dubai Media Office statement points to such initiatives as key to the emirate's ambition for sustainable economic growth.
Dubai's ability to bring together ambitious players cements its role as a regional business powerhouse. The Palestinian Investment Forum marks a shift toward actionable partnerships and cross-border expansion, using Dubai's infrastructure and global reach. The event sets a new operational benchmark for diaspora-driven economic development in the region.
