UAE contracts still on top: The UAE kept its spot as the GCC’s largest projects market in 2Q, despite an overall slowdown in activity, according to Kamco Invest’s quarterly GCC Projects Market Update report (pdf). Total contract awards in the Emirates fell 47% y-o-y to USD 14 bn, yet still accounted for nearly half of GCC-wide project value, holding the largest share at 49.2%.

REMEMBER- The UAE also took the top spot last quarter with USD 26.1 bn in contracts on the back of increased strategic investments, economic diversification efforts, and structural reforms.

By the sector: The gas sector showed the strongest quarterly performance, with its USD 5.3 bn in awards accounting for 37.6% of the UAE’s total. Meanwhile, the typically strongest-performing construction sector saw the steepest decline, bringing in USD 4.9 bn compared to USD 6.1 bn in the first quarter. Transport took the third spot, with USD 1.7 bn worth of contracts.

Background: The gas sector brought in some of the quarter’s largest tickets, including a USD 400 mn LNG export contract between Adnoc Gas and Germany’s Sefe, and Adnoc Gas’ USD 5 bn in contracts for its RichGasDevelopment project.

The regional picture: Across the GCC, project awards dropped 58% y-o-y during the quarter to USD 28.4 bn — the weakest quarterly total in over three years, with declines in five of the six member states and only Qatar recording growth. The downturn was driven by a 72.5% drop in Saudi Arabian awarded contracts — amid a construction slowdown and a complete halt of oil-related contracts — which outsized the 47% drop in the Emirates.

Alas, it looks as if KSA will catch up again: Kamco Invest expects project momentum to return in 2H 2025, led by Saudi Arabia, which holds USD 873.2 bn — over 50% — of the GCC’s pre-execution pipeline. The UAE ranks second with USD 417.9 bn lined up. Across the GCC, the full pipeline of planned but unawarded projects currently stands at USD 1.7 tn.

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