UAE records more than 25% growth in international card spending in 2023
Dubai, UAE--Total spending using international cards in the UAE witnessed a growth of more than 25% during the year 2023. J.K. Khalil, General Manager, MENA East, Mastercard, told Emirates News Agency (WAM) that digital payments continue to experience remarkable growth in the UAE, with more users and companies opting for...
Gulf watch: Sectors that will grow most in 2022
The business environment in the region will experience a transformation that will have a far-reaching impact on economic trends and social dynamics.Council of Arab Ministers declares Muscat Arab Digital Capital for 2022
Oman's capital Muscat will be the Arab Digital Capital for 2022, the Council of Arab Ministers for Communications and Information has announced following a decision at the 25thsession of the Arab minister's council. The event was hosted via videoconferencing by the Arab League’s technical secretariat general of Arab Ministers of...Kuwait denies withdrawing driving permits of expats
The ministry said in a statement that the personnel were actually engaged in routine upgrade of the licenses' data system.Arab youths are increasingly saving, investing with fintech
The region's economic instability, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, has spurred many to turn to online banking and financial tools.Bahrain to introduce digital currency in the country
The Central Bank of Bahrain will offer the digital Dinar through a digital payments platform that can be accessed round the clock.‘Physical currency won’t disappear anytime soon’
Ralf Wintergerst, Group CEO of 170-year-old German firm Giesecke+Devrient (G+D), said physical currency is a resilient form of payment and it is here to stay alongside digital currency.EFG Hermes of Egypt unveils new digital trading platform
EFG Hermes, the first universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in Frontier Emerging Markets (FEM), has launched an advanced version of its flagship “EFG Hermes One” trading platform.Dubai International Financial Centre Courts first fully digital court in emirate
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts said on Monday that all its internal processes and customer-facing services were now operating fully digital. Following the launch of the Dubai Paperless Strategy in 2018, the DIFC Courts accelerated the integration of all services into its extensive digital infrastructure, DIFC said in...Mosul restaurant brings robot waiters to Iraq
The robots being used in the restaurant are imported but the installation, applications and their servers are managed by the University of Mosul.Nokia, UNICEF and Organge Foundation to empower Morocco youth
As part of UNICEF’s UPSHIFT program, Nokia has agreed to a partnership with Orange Foundation and UNICEF to empower marginalized young people, particularly girls, in Morocco with digital, entrepreneurial and environmental skills. The UPSHIFT program will empower young people to become resilient citizens who engage more actively with their everyday life, contribute to...Etisalat to acquire elGrocer DMCC
The acquisition will support the telecom giant's digital ambitions.Augmented reality: an early taste of the metaverse?
The key idea behind metaverse, supposedly the internet of the future, is the blurring of the divide between the physical world and the digital one.ADIO and Etisalat to facilitate digital economy access for firms in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Etisalat will work together to unlock opportunities for businesses in Abu Dhabi by introducing companies to their extensive networks and strengthening cooperation across the economic system. The partnership combines ADIO’s support services with Etisalat’s innovation capabilities to deliver opportunities for businesses in the emirate,...Arab News editor-in-chief lauded for newspaper’s digital, global makeover
Japan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia Iwai Fumio has lauded Arab News editor-in-chief Faisal Abbas's efforts in transforming the newspaper into a more digital and more global platform with several international editions.Cyber-pandemic quickened UAE digital push
Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti has said the UAE is fully equipped to transition into AI for governance and economy.Digital inclusion vital for economic growth: Experts at WEF discussion
DUBAI: An estimated 47 percent of people worldwide are offline, and the cost of available broadband exceeds affordability targets in 50 percent of developed countries. The importance of making such populations digitally inclusive was discussed during the World Economic Forum EDISON Alliance discussion a couple of days ago. During the...Arkan launches digital platform
Medical, lab supplies and equipment can be purchase online.Facebook may launch digital wallet
The wallet, Novi, would let users store cryptocurrencies.Dubai RTA got $723m in revenues via digital platforms in 2020
The RTA’s Director-General Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer said this revenue came from just the authority’s e-payment portal and smart kiosks.ENOC’s world-first eLink Station: can be relocated, saves space and time
The eLink Station is fully sustainable and includes vapour recovery systems to reduce emissions while loading from storage tanks. It is powered by biodiesel, features LED digital screens and lighting, and is equipped with a smart meter.Digital tool launched to help UAE SMEs boost digital reach
Chamber members can set and verify their business profiles on Google Search and Maps The tool can generate a customized total score for each business’s online readiness Dubai: Members of the Dubai Chamber can set and verify their business profiles across single or multiple locations on Google Search and Maps using...Middle East govt entities should digitize services fast
Governments need to build necessary foundations to exchange non-sensitive public data Develop interoperable digital platforms and a broad range of technological capabilities Governments in the Middle East need to intensify efforts to digitize services, said a study by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority and Strategy&. Hani Zain, partner Middle East...Can Palestinian Monetary Authority’s digital currency move be practical?
Israel has placed restrictions on large cash transactions Digital money could demonstrate apparent autonomy from Israel The Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA) might launch a digital currency to pave way for monetary independence from Israel. But, it raises questions over whether the measure would be practical at all. Two studies on...Bitcoin fund launches on Dubai bourse in Mideast first
Canadian digital asset manager 3iQ Corp seeks to raise around $200m in the offering Bitcoin price slumped recently due to fresh Chinese crackdown on cryptocurrencies The Middle East's first bitcoin fund launched on the Dubai bourse on Wednesday, with Canadian digital asset manager 3iQ Corp seeking to raise around $200...Saudi Arabia gives nod to set up digital banking in kingdom
Saudi cabinet authorizes finance minister to issue licenses Last year, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) licensed 16 financial technology companies to provide payment services Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod to the Kingdom’s finance minister to issue licenses for the country’s first digital banks, the Saudi Press Agency...Saudi Arabia to give nod to digital banking in kingdom, service may start soon
Two digital banks are being set up, if all goes well with the regulatory agencyWhy leaders need to embrace digital change?
By Charles Galunic Going digital requires a lot of change management and perhaps more time and energy is spent here than on anything else. Why would that be the case? As we are discussing it quite frequently, organizations on the digital journey may need to rethink core roles and processes....Role of digital in accelerating disruption pace globally
The public sector is being transformed under the ‘platform-economy’ model, evolving former silo-based entities into interconnected ones. TRENDS talks to Xavier Anglada, Managing Director – Accenture Digital Lead, Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, about the new digital technologies that will have a major impact on public service business models. Anglada...