Good morning, friends. We have a fairly meaty issue for you this morning with some ports action, upgrades, and new roads linking the Gulf. But first, straight from Abu Dhabi…

WTO WATCH-

What went down on day one of MC13: Yesterday marked the opening day of this year’s World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Conference taking place in Abu Dhabi, where more than 150 of the world’s trade ministers are gathering. The biennial event will run until Thursday, with hopes to progress on a number of trade issues ranging from banning fishing subsidies, to maining the ban on digital goods.

A somber start: “If we thought the world looked tough in 2022…then we are in an even tougher place today,” WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said during her opening speech (watch, runtime: 3:01:39). Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, and the Congo, along with rising food and energy prices, as signs of the increased uncertainty and instability plaguing the global economy today.

Global merchandise trade is experiencing a notable contraction, with trade figures in 2023 likely undershooting the WTO’s earlier forecast of 0.8% growth, according to the WTO chief. The WTO is also working on revising its trade forecast for 2024, with the earlier expectation of 3.3% growth looking “unlikely.”

Reforms are necessary: Signs of “fragmentation” are beginning to appear in the global economy, Okonjo-Iweala warned. “We need to repair the multilateral trading system, reform it, make it fit for purpose, but don’t take it for granted,” she added.

REMEMBER- The conference is taking place amid rising geopolitical tensions, heightened protectionism, and global disruptions to trade resulting from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and even climate change.

You can read the full breakdown of Day 1 in this morning’s edition of Enterprise UAE.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Egypt wants to shake up airport management: The Egyptian government will soon launch an international tender for the management and operation of all the airports in the country, Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Abbas Helmy told CNBC Arabia.

The move comes amid a privatization push: Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly first revealed the plan to invite private-sector players to manage the country's airport back in November. Airports were also identified by the International Finance Corporation — the state's advisor for the privatization program — as one of four attractive and lucrative sectors.

#2- Qatar is gearing up to raise its LNG production despite a steep drop in global prices, betting on a long-term rise indemand in Europe and Asia, Reuters reports. The expansion, led by QatarEnergy, aims to add 16 mn metric tons per year to its production capacity, reaching some 142 mn tons per year by 2030. The planned Qatari expansion will prolong the bearish trend foreseen in LNG markets during the latter half of this decade, Goldman Sachs analysts tell the newswire.

#3- Exports to Italy from Libya’s Wafa oil field and a subsea natural gas link were halted due to protests on Sunday, Bloomberg reports, citing people with knowledge of the matter.Some 40k to 45k barrels per day (bbl/d) are no longer reaching the port of Mellitah for export and access to the El Feel field and Al-Zawiya refinery has also been barred. Protests have erupted due to a dispute over wages, putting projects at risk of halt and triggering a contract clause allowing deliveries to be suspended, Bloomberg writes, citing a letter to the government by a state-run National Oil Corp board member.

#4- Will the EU’s carbon tax even work on decarbonizing economies? The European Union's (EU) plan to impose import charges on carbon-intensive products through its carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) will have a small impact on global emissions and on export economies, according to a statement published by the Asian Development Bank summarizing the results of its new report (pdf). The report also gives suggestions for measures to decarbonize international trade and global value chains.

The findings: The report estimates that the CBAM will reduce global emissions by less than 0.2% when compared to an emissions trading scheme with a carbon price of EUR 100 euros (USD 108) per metric ton and no carbon tariff. The carbon charges may also reduce global exports to the EU by around 0.4%, and Asia’s exports to the EU by around 1.1%, while negatively affecting the output of some manufacturers within the EU. The report calls for global cooperation to develop universal accounting frameworks and incentive mechanisms to boost global adoption of carbon pricing and green technologies.

Why implement the CBAM? The EU's CBAM — which is scheduled to take effect in 2026 — will charge imports based on the carbon dioxide emissions embedded in their production. The aim is to prevent polluters from shifting production to countries with less stringent regulations or lower carbon prices.

#5- The US is imposing sanctions on Russia’s leading tanker company Sovcomflot for G7 “price cap violations in addition to deceptive activity,” a senior US Treasury official told Reuters. The sanctions bar US citizens from dealing with those targeted and freezes the latter’s US assets. The Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has issued general licenses that allow for offloading crude oil and other cargo from 14 crude oil tanker vessels in which Sovcomflot has interest for 45 days, and allowed transactions with all other Sovcomflot tankers, the newswire reports.

ICYMI- The US began imposing sanctions last November on shipping firms accused of transporting Russian crude priced above the USD 60 per barrel G7 price cap.

ON A RELATED NOTE- The UK is imposing sanctions on a slew of high profile shipping companies for transporting Russia crude oil in violation of the G7 price cap, S&P Global reports. The sanctions are targeting Turkey’s Beks Ship Management and Active Shipping, UAE-based Fractal Shipping, and Swiss-based company Paramount Energy & Commodities SA, which is owned by Russian oil trader Niels Troost. In response, Paramount SA noted that it has “acted at all times in line with all applicable laws and regulations.” The UK has also said that Russia’s Novatek Arctic LNG 2 will be sanctioned, according to S&P Global.

DISRUPTION WATCH-

UK exporters are feeling the heat from the Red Sea disruptions:Some 55% of British exporters and some 53% of British manufacturers have been impacted by the disruption to shipping in the Red Sea, according to a report by the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC). Impacts include increased costs — with some up to 300% for container hire — and delivery delays of up to three to four weeks, which have caused knock-on effects in cash flow and component shortages for manufacturing, the report states.

The Greek security council has approved the country’s participation in the EuronavApsidesEU naval mission to protect merchant ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Reuters reported quoting a government spokesman. A frigate will be deployed from Greece within the next few days, an anonymous source told the newswire. Italy, France, and Germany will also participate in the mission, which involves protecting commercial ships and intercepting attacks without launching strikes against Houthis targets, the newswire adds.

MARKET WATCH-

Oil prices continued to drop on Monday due to concerns over higher-than-expected inflation postponing high interest rate cuts, Reuters reports. Brent declined 0.3% to USD 81.42 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 0.2% to settle at USD 76.36 a barrel, the newswire said. "With inflation stubbornly hovering well above the Fed’s 2% target and the US economy showing a resilience few had predicted, the markets moved to price in a scenario where interest rates remain high for longer," the newswire quoted ActivTrades senior analyst Ricardo Evangelista as saying.

Asia may look to further diversify its crude supply as non-OPEC+ producers boost their output in 2024,but rising freight costs and turbulence are creating challenges to regional inflows, analysts told S&P Global Commodity Insights last week. Asian buyers are looking to alternative supplies from the US, Brazil, Canada, and Guyana, who are projected to collectively add 1.4 mn barrels per day (bbl/d) of new oil production in 2024, S&P quotes the International Energy Agency (IEA) as saying. All non-OPEC+ producers are expected to add some 1.6 mn bbld/d, according to the IEA. “Asia stands to benefit from rising non-OPEC oil production as the increase will raise global oil supply, prompting more oil to flow to Asia. Many Asian countries already import oil from non-OPEC+ countries directly — so more the merrier,” said Kang Wu, global head of oil demand research at S&P Global.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Iran will host the 17th Iran-Russia Joint Economic Committee meeting on Wednesday, 28 February in Tehran. The meeting will see experts from both countries engage in discussions on means to boost bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, banking, logistics, customs, and other fields, preparing the groundwork for a comprehensive MoU. The event will be co-chaired by Iran’s Oil Minister Javad Owji and Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.

The UAE will host the Gulf Aviation Networking Event (GANE) on Thursday, 29 Februaryin Dubai. The event brings together aviation industry leaders to network, gain insights on prevailing trends, learn about new technologies, and take part in panel discussions and presentations run by industry experts.

The UAE will host the Future-Proof Technology Event on Thursday, 29 February in Dubai. The one-day event gathers industry leaders to discuss how emerging technologies, digitalization, and cross-sector collaboration, could be leveraged to bolster supply chains. The event will see presentations by a panel of experts and major logistics executives.

The UAE will host the TradeTech Forum on Tuesday, 27 February in Abu Dhabi. The forum will see some 180 trade leaders and experts discuss the technologically advanced trade environment and a showcase of trade tech solutions.

The UAE will host the Future-Proof Technologies Conference on Thursday, 29 FebruaryDubai. The event will unite industry experts to discuss strategies for adopting sustainable supply chain operations through cross-sector collaboration, advanced technologies, and integrated logistics.

The UAE will host the MRO Middle East on Tuesday, 5 March and Wednesday, 6 March in Dubai. The two-day event will bring together key decision makers from airlines, MROs, OEMs, lessors, and suppliers spanning all aspects of the airline supply chain.

The UAE will host The Logistics Middle East Award on Wednesday, 6 March in Dubai. The awards ceremony brings together industry experts to celebrate the sector’s biggest accomplishments over the previous 12 months.The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, 19 January.

The UAE will host Abu Dhabi Mobility Week from Wednesday, 24 April to Wednesday, 1 May in Abu Dhabi. The event, organized by The Department of Municipalities and Transport – Abu Dhabi (DMT), will feature announcements, forums, and introduce a mobility strategy for the emirate.

Saudi Arabia will host a special World Economic Forum event from Sunday, 28 April through to Monday, 29 April in Riyadh. The event will focus on global collaboration and energy.

The UAE will host the 23rd edition of the Airport Show from Tuesday, 14 May through to Thursday, 16 May in Dubai. The 23rd Airport Show will see representation from airport suppliers, airport service providers, aviation executives, and regional decision makers. The event will highlight current innovations and new technologies, while emphasizing this year’s "Sustainability and Innovation," theme.

The UAE will host The Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit from Monday, 20 May to Wednesday, 22 May in Abu Dhabi. The event will see industry leaders come together to discuss sustainable mobility and tapping into groundbreaking advancements in electric vehicles while engaging with key decision-makers.

Check out our full calendar at the bottom of this email for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events and news triggers.