UAE overhauls pharma distribution rules

The UAE’s single-agent pharma model has been dismantled. The newly established Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) is now requiring pharma companies to appoint more than one authorized agent per medical product marketed in the UAE, state news agency Wam reports. The system effectively ends the long-standing single-distributor structure in the pharma industry.

What’s changed? Global manufacturers typically appointed one local agent per product, responsible for import, storage, and distribution — opening up supply lines to fragility. If that sole agent faced operational delays, pricing disputes, or inventory bottlenecks, supply could tighten nationwide. But now, one product will have multiple pipelines. Companies can designate more than one authorized agent, enabling parallel warehousing and distribution routes across emirates, removing the structural chokepoint from the old model.

Why it matters: The EDE says the shift is designed to cut disruption risk, improve inventory responsiveness, and curb quantity-control practices, while “establishing a flexible legislative environment that supports the sustainability of the [pharma] market and the protection of public health,” Chairman Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri said. The broader aim is to strengthen pharma security and ensure continuous product availability nationwide.

Qatar’s Al Mana Holding has another biodiesel project in Egypt

Qatar’s Al Mana Holding is investing USD 15.6 mn to build a facility that will convert used cooking oil into biodiesel, according to a statement from the Environment Ministry. The project is set to be located in the integrated waste management city in Tenth of Ramadan and is designed to process 100 tons per day.

Why it matters: Global aviation mandates are fueling rising demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). By localizing biodiesel production, Egypt is positioning itself as a potential regional hub for SAF feedstock, in line with state efforts to develop dedicated SAF facilities serving international airlines refueling in Cairo.

But the challenge lies in collection. Egypt consumes around 2.8 mn tons of edible oil each year, generating roughly 2.6 mn tons of used cooking oil. The Qatari company plans to compete in the collection market by launching a mobile app that rewards households for safe disposal, while building dedicated storage and logistics networks to collect directly from food manufacturers and fast-food chains.

Indu adds Northern Emirates warehousing capacity in Rakez

Indu expands north with a Rakez warehouse: UAE warehousing and logistics firm Indu has kicked off construction on a 5.8k sqm warehouse in Rakez’s Al Hamra Industrial Zone in Ras Al Khaimah, adding a 12k cbm of planned capacity, with a 4Q 2026 delivery target. The facility will focus on fast-moving consumer goods — including hotel and food supply storage for F&B customers across the Northern Emirates.

IN CONTEXT- Industrial and logistics space rents are going up at an accelerated pace in the Northern Emirates amid a worsening supply shortage in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and a growing hospitality and manufacturing sectors in the north.

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