Yesterday, a high-level meeting took place at the UAE Ministry of Economy headquarters in Dubai, laying the foundation for what may become one of the most significant investment initiatives between the UAE and Croatia to date. The topic? The upcoming visit of a delegation of Emirati investors to Croatia, scheduled for Q4 2025.
The meeting brought together:
Dr. Jean Fares, CEO of Investopia and Senior Advisor to the UAE Minister of Economy
Neven Roginić, President of the UAE–Croatia Business Club
Adel Alawadhi, Chairman of The Corporate Group and member of the UAE–Croatia Business Club Advisory Board
This dialogue follows the support expressed by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, during the Investopia Europe forum in Milan earlier this year.
Why Croatia?
The UAE–Croatia investor delegation aims to explore concrete business and investment opportunities in key sectors such as:
Infrastructure & real estate development
IT, digital innovation & startups
Food production & agritech
Renewable energy & green transition
Tourism & hospitality
The multi-day program will include a business and investment forum in Zagreb, hosted by the Croatian Chamber of Economy, the Ministry of Economy, and attended by senior officials from the Croatian Government. One of the focal points will be the Croatian “Investment Promotion Act,” which provides a legal framework for stimulating FDI through incentives and streamlined procedures.
The program will then move to Istria, where investors will have the chance to explore Croatia’s leading tourism region while learning about opportunities in hospitality, sustainable tourism, and energy.
Site visits are being planned to flagship locations such as Rimac Automobili, Port of Rijeka, and cultural hubs like Opatija, Motovun, Brijuni, and Pula.
“Investments don’t come overnight – but they come with the right partners”
Neven Roginić, President of the UAE–Croatia Business Club, shared his vision:
“This delegation isn’t just symbolic. It’s a real opportunity to present Croatia’s economy to long-term investors. With the support of the UAE Ministry of Economy, the Croatian President and Government, and institutions like the Chamber of Economy, we’re building a serious economic bridge between our countries.”
A special feature of the program will be one-on-one business meetings and targeted roundtables. The organizers are exploring the use of Investopia’s event platform to facilitate matchmaking and scheduling—further reinforcing digital-first, results-driven collaboration.
Next Steps
In the coming weeks, the UAE–Croatia Business Club will continue with intensive preparations, identifying high-value investment-ready projects and engaging both Emirati and Croatian companies. There’s also potential for this event to become the foundation of Investopia Croatia – a regional investment platform under the umbrella of the UAE’s global Investopia initiative.
Croatia is ready. The UAE is ready. The bridge is being built.
And 2025 could mark the beginning of a bold new era in economic cooperation.
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