Al Zaabi Says Streamlined Approvals and Integrated Services Will Enable Businesses to Launch More Quickly.
Abu Dhabi is seeking to establish a new international benchmark for business competitiveness by making the time between an investor’s decision and the start of commercial operations a central measure of its business environment.
The initiative aims to simplify regulatory requirements, speed up approvals and improve coordination between government departments and service providers involved in setting up and operating businesses.
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), said enabling companies to establish themselves and begin operations more quickly is essential to enhancing the emirate’s competitiveness and attracting investment.
He stressed that faster processes must also be supported by transparent, straightforward and predictable procedures that allow investors to navigate the business environment with confidence.
Faster business setup goes beyond government approvals
Al Zaabi explained that improving speed is not simply about reducing the time required to complete individual government transactions.
Instead, the objective is to streamline the entire investment journey, beginning with the decision to establish a business and continuing until the company becomes fully operational.
This involves eliminating unnecessary administrative steps, clarifying regulatory obligations and simplifying procedures across the various stages of business establishment.
The strategy focuses on a key measure of competitiveness: How quickly can an investor turn a business decision into an operational company?
By creating a more coordinated and transparent process, Abu Dhabi aims to provide investors with greater certainty, allowing businesses to plan effectively, complete requirements efficiently and begin operations sooner.
Integrated approach from business establishment to operations
Abu Dhabi’s latest efforts build on a series of reforms introduced to improve its business environment and reduce administrative complexity.
In 2021, a coordinated government initiative involving more than 20 entities achieved a 71% reduction in requirements for establishing new commercial activities.
The improvements followed a comprehensive review of existing procedures, which identified overlapping requirements, eliminated unnecessary duplication and introduced more efficient processes.
These reforms laid the groundwork for a more integrated business establishment experience, supporting Abu Dhabi’s wider ambition to make the transition from investment planning to actual operations faster and more straightforward.
In 2021, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), working alongside the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi, previously known as the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, introduced the Investor Journey service through the TAMM platform.
The initiative brought government procedures, approvals and business-related transactions together into a unified digital system, simplifying the process of establishing a company.
The platform was subsequently expanded to incorporate services provided by banks, telecommunications companies and insurance providers, offering investors access to a broader range of essential business services.
The next stage of development aims to create closer links between the various requirements businesses must fulfil before commencing operations.
These include obtaining regulatory approvals and permits, preparing commercial premises, securing utility connections and completing financial and other operational arrangements.
By improving coordination between the relevant authorities and service providers, Abu Dhabi aims to reduce the overall time required for businesses to move from registration to full operations.
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi emphasised that developing an internationally competitive business environment requires collaboration between public authorities, private companies, investors and financial institutions.
He stressed that “no single entity can provide this environment on its own.”
New initiatives aim to accelerate investment and trade
Recent government initiatives demonstrate Abu Dhabi’s continued efforts to simplify investment procedures and improve commercial efficiency.
On September 29, the opening day of LIVEX, the Department of Municipalities and Transport introduced the Government Asset Investment service through TAMM.
The digital service allows investors to explore investment opportunities involving government-owned land and assets while completing the necessary procedures through a single platform.
Investors can submit expressions of interest, participate in bidding processes and proceed through the awarding and contracting stages using standardised documentation.
The emirate has also recorded significant improvements in customs processing, supported by greater digital integration.
The proportion of customs transactions cleared before shipments arrived increased from 47% in 2023 to 72% in 2024, before reaching 89% during the first half of 2026.
Meanwhile, transactions processed through direct integration between digital systems rose by 23.5% year on year.
These developments highlight how connected government systems and streamlined procedures are helping facilitate faster trade movements and more efficient customs operations.
Economic growth strengthens Abu Dhabi’s competitiveness
Abu Dhabi’s push to accelerate business establishment comes as international competition to attract investment continues to intensify.
For businesses evaluating potential expansion destinations, the time needed to begin operations, the transparency of regulatory procedures and the predictability of approval processes are becoming increasingly important considerations.
The emirate’s efforts are supported by continued economic expansion and growing activity across non-oil industries.
According to the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi, non-oil sectors contributed 54.7% of the emirate’s gross domestic product in 2024, reflecting the increasing role of diversified economic activities.
Business licensing figures also indicate sustained commercial momentum.
Data from the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority showed that the number of new economic licences increased by 21% in the first quarter of 2026, following growth of 29% during 2025.
Together, these developments provide a foundation for Abu Dhabi’s efforts to strengthen its investment appeal by making business establishment and operations faster, more integrated and easier to navigate.
Al Zaabi highlighted the significance of every new business established in the emirate, stating: “Behind every new licence is a decision made by an entrepreneur, an investor or a family to build their future here.”
Through a combination of regulatory improvements, integrated digital platforms and closer coordination between government entities and service providers, Abu Dhabi aims to transform its economic growth into tangible benefits for businesses.
These measures are designed to help companies establish themselves, commence operations and expand more efficiently, further strengthening the emirate’s reputation as an attractive international investment destination.
Abu Dhabi’s long-term objective is to establish itself as a global benchmark for business efficiency, setting the standard for how quickly investors can move from making an investment decision to launching fully operational businesses.
By prioritising speed, transparency and streamlined procedures, the emirate seeks to create an investment environment that other economies can look to as a model for facilitating business growth and development.
