MEA market decision-making cycle is fast but risk-averse: Ralph MelisÂ
The Middle East and Africa (MEA) markets are characterized by rapid growth, high owner influence, diverse operator models, and a...
Interview
Reason for the GCC’s prosperity is that it is willing to take risks: Tadeu Baldani Caravieri
The Gulf economies face disruptions but embrace risk to grow, says Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, founder of Prototypes for Humanity, on...
Economy
Business
ADNOC signs LNG delivery agreement
The 15-year agreement was inked wit ENN LNG (Singapore).
- The LNG will primarily be sourced from ADNOC’s low-carbon Ruwais LNG project, currently being developed in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi.
- The Ruwais LNG project is set to be the first LNG export facility in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to run on clean power.
Economy
Qatar expects 11.4% revenue dip in 2024 budget on lower oil prices
Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari attributed the decrease in revenues to the adoption of an average oil price...
- Expenditures are expected to increase by 1 percent from 2023 to reach QR 200.9 billion, due to a rise in the allocations for salaries and wages.
- Allocations for both current expenditures and secondary capital expenditures also increased by 6.4 percent and 27.5 percent respectively, compared to 2023.
Business
Saudi fund assets dip slightly in Q3 but subscribers surge
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The total value of assets held by public and private investment funds in Saudi Arabia decreased...
- Public funds focus on local money markets, while private funds favor equity and real estate.
- The value of assets held by equity and real estate funds made up 84 percent of the private funds’ total assets.
Business
DIFC Innovation Hub 2023 graduates raise $600 million in funding
Dubai, UAE -- More than 200 start-ups graduating from the programs of DIFC Innovation Hub in 2023 have collectively raised...
- In 2023, the program also saw a record-breaking number of participants with over 700 applicants for a single cohort, out of which 19 start-ups graduated.
- DIFC Innovation Hub is home to the first and largest financial technology accelerator in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.
Business
ENEC announces completion of Unit 4 of Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the UAE's independent nuclear regulator, recently issued the Operating License for Unit 4...
- The three current commercially operating Units at Barakah, delivered in three consecutive years, are already generating more than 30TWh of zero-emission electricity every year.
- The Barakah Plant, a pivotal player in the international nuclear energy sector, boasts four APR-1400 units, marking it as one of the largest nuclear energy facilities globally.
Business
Mubadala Energy makes gas discovery
This is the company's second successful well in the Andaman area.
- The latest discovery comies after the success of Timpan-1 in Andaman-II, which itself came after the success of Cengkih-1 in our SK320 in Malaysia.
- The well encountered an extensive gas column with a thickness of over 230 meters in an Oligocene sandstone reservoir.
Geostrategy
UAE issues federal decree on regulating electronic, digital media
ABU DHABI, UAE - The UAE Government has issued a federal decree which aims to regulate and organize media in...
- The decree aims to promote the UAE as a global media hub and establish an enabling environment for the growth and prosperity of the sector.
- The provisions of the decree apply to individuals, organizations, media outlets, and free zones dedicated to the media in the UAE.
Business
AviLease, SDH Wings Sign MoU
The MoU will expand SDH Wings' portfolio of aircraft.
- AviLease acquired a 10 percent share of SDH Wings as part of the recently completed acquisition of the aircraft leasing platform of Standard Chartered.
- AviLease and SDH Wings have already identified the first five new technology narrowbody aircraft from AviLease’s owned portfolio that are now under LOI.
Arts & Culture
Saudi Arabia’s Noor Riyadh festival sets 6 Guinness World Records
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Noor Riyadh Festival 2023 has secured six new Guinness World Records, making it its third consecutive...
- The records were set during the closing presentation of an art installation, after the 17 days of celebration, held from November 30 to December 16, 2023.
- Artist Christopher Bauder's artwork titled "Dialogue" set a record for "the most lights used in a temporary light and sound show".
Business
ACWA Power signs $800m agreement for South Africa renewable project
Dubai, UAE --Â Saudi-listed renewable energy giant ACWA Power has signed a $800 million power purchase agreement for ACWA Power Project...
- The project will reach around 50% local content in procurement during the construction and create more than 1,000 construction jobs at peak.
- Commencement of operations is scheduled by Q2 2026, adding significant dispatchable capacity onto the grid.
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Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
MEA market decision-making cycle is fast but risk-averse: Ralph MelisÂ
The Middle East and Africa (MEA) markets are characterized by rapid growth, high owner influence, diverse operator models, and a...
Interview
Company News
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Abu Dhabi real estate transactions reach $4.69bn in Jan, Feb 2025
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Real estate transactions in Abu Dhabi reached AED17.24 billion ($4.69 billion) in the first two months...
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Two lunar landings in a week for NASA’s private Moon fleet
Washington, United States -- More than fifty years passed between the last Apollo mission and the United States' return to...
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Europe backs Zelensky after White House showdown with Trump
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the "unspeakable" row "underlined that a new age of infamy has begun". Friedrich Merz,...
Geostrategy
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How cyber criminals steal cryptocurrency
Hackers from North Korea have become notorious for their sophisticated and relentless tradecraft, according to Chainalysis. Nearly 60 percent of...
- A recent $1.5-billion heist of Ethereum from the Bybit platform -- attributed by the FBI to North Korean hackers -- is believed to be the largest yet.
- Cryptocurrencies are based on blockchain technology, which publicly records transactions between people holding and exchanging them.
Business
Clip of Gaza as seaside resort posted on Trump social media accounts
The video, which racked up more than 15 million views on Instagram and was shared thousands of times on Trump's...
- The 33-second clip remained on Trump's accounts without denial or retraction hours after the initial posting.
- Trump has floated the idea of a US takeover of Gaza under which its Palestinian population would be relocated -- a proposal met with global condemnation.
Business
AI to replace 4,000 jobs in Southeast Asia’s largest bank: DBS
Singapore, Singapore -- Southeast Asia's largest bank DBS said that 4,000 jobs could be cut in the next three years...
- A Bloomberg Intelligence report last month said banks worldwide will cut as many as 200,000 positions in the next three to five years due to AI.
- Last year, the International Monetary Fund said AI could affect around 40 percent of jobs around the world.