ABU DHABI, UAE - UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Shahin in a move towards sustainable industrial development and promoting electric mobility. The LoI, signed at the Make it in the Emirates Forum on Wednesday, underlines the country’s commitment to...

Dubai, UAE -- The Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) has posted a net profit of AED 36.1 billion ($9.8 billion) for 2022, compared to AED 10 billion in 2021 due to a surge in business activities and higher oil prices. The Group, which is the main investment arm of the...

PARIS, FRANCE -  Renewable power capacity will grow by a record number this year as high fossil fuel prices and energy security concerns fueled the deployment of solar and wind systems, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday. Global additions of renewable energy capacity are expected to rise by 107 gigawatts...

Dubai, UAE -- A total of 137 companies operating from the UAE were fined AED65.9 million for failing to comply with the anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation. The Ministry of Economy fined these companies, which are operating in the UAE's non-financial business or professions (DNFBP)...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Strata Manufacturing (Strata) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) have established a local satellite component manufacturing of aluminium honeycomb panels for the first time. This partnership is a step towards localization.in the UAE's space industry. Strata Manufacturing will play a vital role by supplying locally...

Geneva, Switzerland - Soaring debt levels compounded by high inflation and rising interest rates have dashed job-seekers’ hopes in developing countries, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) warned on Wednesday. In its new Monitor on the World of Work report, ILO shows that while in high-income countries, only 8.2 percent of...

"With some hardliners in the Republican party coming out against the agreement (in a vote due Wednesday), its passage through Congress could be bumpy," warned AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould. "Weak Chinese data also contributed to a subdued market mood with Asian stocks a little sickly."

Abu Dhabi, UAE - ADNOC signed deals with more than 60 UAE-based and international companies to locally manufacture key non-oil products in its supply chain, local media reports said. The deals were signed at the Make it in the Emirates Forum in Abu Dhabi, and bring ADNOC closer to its...

Dubai, UAE -- The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) Wednesday issued guidelines on the risks related to, and combating the use of, virtual assets (VA), such as cryptocurrencies and exchange tokens, and Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) in money laundering and financing of terrorism. The guideline elaborates on various...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia hit 1.2 million by the first quarter of this year, an increase of 4.8 percent over the fourth quarter of last year, while 89,000 new enterprises were launched during this period. The kingdom's General Authority...

Dubai, UAE - Flat6Labs, a seed and early-stage venture capital firm in the MENA region, has invested $10.2 million in start-up funding in Abu Dhabi. The investments were made through the Flat6Labs Ignite Program, which is a specialized seed program dedicated to supporting start-ups in Abu Dhabi. The program, in...

Dubai, UAE -- Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) ENGIE, a global leader in low-carbon energy solutions, and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), announced the successful financial closing of the AED2.3 billion ($620 million) low-carbon Mirfa 2 Reverse Osmosis (M2 RO) desalination project. The project is primarily (78 percent)...

Dubai, UAE - A  shell-and-core mega penthouse in Palm Jumeirah was sold for AED 220 million ($60 million) by Honey Deylami, making the deal the most expensive ever.  The penthouse sold is on the topmost floor of AVA at Palm Jumeirah, Dorchester Collection, spanning a built-up area of 33,406 sq...

Tehran, Iran-- Terming the UAE as a reliable trade partner, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said bilateral between the two countries are developing in both government and private sectors. He made the remarks during a meeting with Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State of the UAE on Tuesday...

Dubai, UAE--Dubai held the first trial of medical delivery by drones at the Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), in yet another unique public-private sector partnership. The completion of the trial makes Fakeeh University Hospital, an academic-focused smart healthcare facility based in DSO, the first healthcare provider in the Middle East to...

Abu Dhabi, UAE: The UAE on Tuesday issued three new decisions to further smoothen implementation of the Corporate Tax in the country which is set to come into force on June 1. These include fresh rules on tax grouping, interest capping, and unincorporated partnerships. Younis Haji Al Khouri, Undersecretary of...

Dubai, UAE-- The UAE government has launched an AI-powered chatbot that allows users to access information about government services in one place in Arabic and English. The “U-Ask” platform, a unified AI-powered chatbot, is now available on the official portal of the UAE government. Using generative AI technology, the platform...

ABU DHABI, UAE  -  The Economic Integration Committee held its second meeting this year and discussed a range of key economic issues, including access to legislation supporting the growth of new economy sectors in the UAE. The meeting was chaired by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, and...

DUBAI, UAE -  UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei on Tuesday announced the launch of the Global EV Market, a transformational project as per the performance agreements signed by federal authorities in 2022. The project was signed in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid...

Dubai, UAE - The total economic output generated by 63 large-scale events hosted at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) reached $3.53 billion (AED 13 billion) in 2022. Out of this amount, a substantial $2.01 billion (AED 7.4 billion) was retained within the local economy, showcasing the venue's strong contribution to...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE pension authority clarified Tuesday that requests related to Shourak scheme, which enables Emiratis to merge end-of-service benefits when switching careers, will only be considered applicable for eligible insured Emiratis who submit their end-of-service employment applications to the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA)...

Beirut, Lebanon--A Saudi national who had been kidnapped in Beirut has been freed in a "special operation" by the Lebanese army near the Syrian border, it said in a statement Tuesday. "An army intelligence patrol managed to free kidnapped Saudi national Mashari al-Mutairi during a special operation on the Syrian border,"...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Falcon 40B, the UAE’s first large-scale open-source, 40-billion-parameter AI model launched by Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) last week, soared to the top spot on Hugging Face’s latest Open Large Language Model (LLM) Leaderboard. Hugging Face, an American company seeking to democratize artificial intelligence through...

Dubai, UAE-- Some 27 million taxi rides were undertaken in Dubai in the first three months of 2023, up one million from the same period last year. According to the Roads and Transport Authority, the latest figures underscored the sector's “remarkable growth” over the past five years. The increase in...

Dubai, UAE-- In order to fulfill demand for working capital in Africa, DP World has partnered with Standard Bank, the largest bank in Africa by assets, to offer trade finance solutions jointly with DP World Trade Finance. African companies looking for trade finance will now be able to seamlessly access...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai on Monday launched a new QR Code initiative for holiday homes, as part of efforts to improve transparency and increase confidence among investors and visitors in the short-term rental market. Launched as part of Dubai's commitment to supporting the continuous growth of the hospitality industry, the...

SHARJAH, UAE - The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has embarked on a landmark trade mission to India, marking a significant step in strengthening economic ties between the two nations. The trade mission's first leg commenced with the highly successful UAE-India Business Forum held in Mumbai, India's bustling...

Dubai, UAE - The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) on Monday announced the offering of futures contracts on its General Index (DFMGI), which includes the most liquid and largest companies listed on the DFM. The listing and trading of DFMGI futures commenced on Monday. Trading futures contracts on the DFMGI offers...

SHARJAH, UAE - The Sharjah Waste-to-Energy Project, the first of its kind in the Middle East, has strengthened its efforts to divert waste from landfills and contribute to the production of clean energy. Since its launch one year ago, the plant has increased its waste diversion rate from 76 percent...

Dubai, UAE -- Saudi Arabian Alinma Bank posted the first quarter asset growth of 19.1 percent, leading other Saudi-listed banks, compared to same period a year ago. Al Rajhi Bank came second with 18.1 percent growth. The sector’s average growth rate stood at 11.2 percent. The Saudi Investment Bank led...

Dubai, UAE - UAE banks experienced a significant surge in profitability during the first quarter of 2023, according to the latest United Arab Emirates (UAE) Banking Pulse report released by global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M).  The report highlights a 35 percent increase in profits compared to the...

Dubai, UAE-- In order to increase Dubai's water security and keep pace with the increase in demand, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has commissioned a water reservoir in the Lusaily area. The project has a storage capacity of 60 million imperial gallons (MIG) and investments totalling $42.85 million. Saeed...

Baghdad, Iraq--Iraq is looking to deepen cooperation with Iran in the transport sector and facilitate the movement of pilgrims between the two countries. The issue was discussed in a meeting in Baghdad between the Iranian and Iraqi ministers focusing on the ways to expand cooperation between the two countries. The meeting...

Prague, Czech Republic-- The UAE and Czech Republic have held discussions on deepening cooperation in wide-ranging vital sectors of common interest and explore opportunities for trade and investment between the two countries. This occurred in the presence of Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State, and Petr Fiala, Prime Minister...

Amman, Jordan - Jordan's total exports experienced positive growth of 6.3 percent in the first quarter of 2023, reaching a total of JD2.118 billion ($2.98 billion). This is compared to JD1.993 billion ($2.80 billion) recorded in the same period of 2022, according to official figures. Monthly data released by the...

This aligns with UAE's preparations for COP28 and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, and is a part of RTA's efforts to advance sustainability maturity levels in roads and transportation.

SHARJAH, UAE- The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) will embark on a trade mission to India on Monday to explore investment opportunities and discuss potential areas for cooperation. Organized by the Sharjah Exports Development Centre (SEDC), Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the SCCI, will lead the mission,...

ABU DHABI, UAE - Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei headed the UAE delegation to the Development Road Conference in Iraq. The one-day conference brought together transport ministers and officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, Turkey, Syria and Jordan and representatives of the European Union...

Sharjah, UAE--More than 130 auto and tyre companies from China will take part in the second edition of the "UAE China Tyre & Auto Parts Expo" scheduled to begin next week at the Expo Centre Sharjah. The three-day event, which will begin on 29th May, is a joint endeavour supported...

Paris, France--Investment in clean energy across the world is expected to rise to US$1.7 trillion in 2023, with solar set to eclipse oil production for the first time, according to a report by the International Energy Agency. The report noted that Investment in clean energy technologies is significantly outpacing spending...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - The European Investment Bank (EIB) lending to circular economy projects has consistently increased over the years, amounting to US$3.6 billion (€3.4 billion) over the past five years, with a record level of US$1.18 billion alone in 2022. The figures were released ahead of the World Circular Economy...

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE--More than 1,800 new companies have set up their businesses in Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) in the first quarter of 2023, registering a 122 percent jump as against the same period of last year. Ramy Jallad, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), said...

Sharjah, UAE--The Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC Free Zone) has signed more than 10 partnership agreements with publishers from Sweden, Egypt, and Algeria. The foreign publishers are looking to benefit from SPC Free Zone's comprehensive services and ecosystem that cater to investors in the publishing and creative industries, enabling...

Dubai, UAE - The Gen Z in the UAE has a strong inclination towards hybrid work arrangements, where they can work both remotely and in the office, a recent report by the Oliver Wyman Forum. Gen Z currently constitutes more than a quarter of the global population and will make...

Amman, Jordan - Jordan's trade exchange with countries it has free trade agreements with accounted for a significant portion of its overall trade in 2022, amounting to 58 percent, as per data published by the Amman Chamber of Commerce. The total value of these exchanges surpassed $23 billion, with more...

Dubai, UAE -- A total of 3,321 real estate transactions worth AED11.1 billion ($3.02 billion) were conducted in Dubai during the week ending 26th May 2023, according to figures released by the Dubai Land Department (DLD). The DLD report showed that 220 plots were sold for AED 2.54 billion, 2,398...

AJMAN, UAE - Ajman hotels and serviced apartments recorded a three percent growth in hotel revenues in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022. The increase occurred mostly due to higher demand that is pushing the Average Daily Room (ADR) Rate, making investment in hotels...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- UAE's Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security has asked transporters in the Emirates to register in the Electronic National System for Tracking Trucks and Shipments by 30 October 2023. Those who fail to register by this date will be fined AED1,000 for the...

Washington, USA -- The Saudi faculty member at Michigan State University Dr. Yasser Al-Dhamin, received a patent from the US Patent Office for an innovation that stimulates the functioning of immune cells within cancer blocks and increases the effectiveness of vaccines. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA),...

Dubai, UAE - DP World cut direct carbon emissions from its global operations by 5 percent last year, according to its latest Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) report, reflecting progress towards its 2040 carbon-neutral target. The ESG report, published Thursday, has been developed in accordance with the latest Global Reporting...