Saudi’s LEAP tech conference postponed to August

Also canceled…

#1- Saudi’s Leap tech conference has been pushed to August, moving from its original April slot as regional conflict continues to disrupt the international events calendar. Organizers confirmed the shift follows a rethink of the logistics required to ensure the high-level global participation the kingdom’s flagship tech show demands.

#2- Abu Dhabi’s highly anticipated Offlimits Music ‌Festival has been postponed to November. The festival, headlined by Shakira and the Jonas Brothers, was initially set to happen on 4 April.

The festival pushback adds to a growing list of events that have been delayed due to the ongoing war. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions pushed back its Expo Middle East, and London-based Informa has delayed events for over 10 brands.

De-risking Syria

Germany is pushing the EU to follow Saudi’s lead in de-risking doing business in Syria, proposing that the European Commission resume the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) operations in Syria, with a pitch focused on the textile and agrifood sectors.

Why it matters: The German pitch signals a harder push towards economic normalization with Syria that goes beyond just lifting sanctions. As a conservative multilateral lender, the EIB’s entry could provide a compliance cover for private capital still wary of entering Syria, potentially forcing a broader recalculation of the Syria risk premium.

Mawani’s new corridor

UAE, Saudi expand trade routes amid Hormuz risk: The Saudi Port Authority (Mawani) opened a new sea-land logistics corridor between UAE’s Sharjah and Saudi Arabia’s Dammam.

Mawani also added five new maritime shipping services. The new lines are Gulf Shuttle, Redex, jade, AE19, and SE4 services with MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk, and Hapag-Lloyd — adding a combined capacity of 65.6k TEUs across routes linking Saudi ports with regional and global destinations.