Etihad’s acquisition of Boeing aircraft + the UAE’s investments in Africa get ink

EtihadAirways’ USD 14.5 bn plannedacquisition of 28 aircraft from US manufacturers Boeing and GE Aerospace caught the eye of the international press, with Bloomberg noting that some of the aviation agreements US President Donald Trump oversaw during his visit to the region — including with Saudi Arabia and Qatar — are slim on details, despite their hefty price tags.

While the airline did not specify how many of each model it would take, the business information service speculates that the agreement could be a restructuring or formalization of an earlier commitment rather than a new one. Aviation consultancy Ishka estimates the real value of the transaction to be closer to USD 5.4 bn, even if most orders lean toward the more expensive 777X.

ALSO– The UAE’s rapidly growing influence across Africa is getting ink in the New York Times. Emirati firms have announced some USD 110 bn in investments since 2019 — more than any other country. Backed by ruling families, these agreements span ports, mines, mineral resources, and renewables, with giants like DP World, AMEA Power, and International Holding Company playing key roles. The increase in Emirati investments comes as American and Chinese involvement wanes, and as the UAE looks to ink more economic partnership agreements and dominate trade routes and supply chains to deepen its access to AI, mining, and energy resources across the continent.