A deluge of M&A updates from Agthia, Damac, Emirates NBD, and more

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Hello, 2Q + Trump to visit the UAE in May

Good morning, friends, and welcome back. If you’re not one of the many people bridging these final few days of the week along with the weekend to extend your Eid break, then we wish you a productive few days to kick off the new month and quarter. For the rest of you: Enjoy the good weather and the relative calm in the country before people fly back home and conference season kicks back into gear next week.

The M&A theme dominant throughout the final week of Ramadan has continued over the past week, with updates on two big domestic M&A transactions, as well as a push from Damac into the global data center scene with an acquisition of a Nordic data center developer, and new food and beverage sector acquisitions courtesy of Agthia and IHC.

PSA-

It’s the start of a new month and quarter, which has brought a new set of laws and regulations that have taken effect as of 1 April:

New traffic regulations took effect, allowing the minimum driving age to be 17 and implementing new penalties for traffic offenses.

New personal status law came into effect, setting new regulations for marriage, divorce, and child custody;
Cabinet is rolling outnew tightened merger control rules, bringing more transactions under the Economy Ministry’s review scope.

Fuel prices are down again in April: The Fuel Price Committee slashed April fuel prices between 5 and 6% from March’s rates, according to a statement on X.

The breakdown per liter:

Super 98 is now AED 2.57, down from AED 2.73;
Special 95 is AED 2.46, down from AED 2.61;
E-Plus 91 costs AED 2.38, down from AED 2.54;
Diesel is now AED 2.63, down from AED 2.77 last month.

☀️WEATHER- It’s going to be another warm and sunny day, with the mercury peaking at 31°C, before cooling to 23°C overnight, according to our favorite weather app. Over in Abu Dhabi, the mercury peaks at 29°C, with an overnight low of 22°C.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- US President Donald Trump is set to visit the UAE, alongside stops in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as early as May, in what would be his first foreign trip since taking office, Reuters reports, citing statements to reporters. Trump will sign investment agreements with the three countries, he reportedly said, citing a USD 1 tn Saudi investment in the US economy, including purchases of military equipment. The visit would echo what he did during his first term, with Saudi Arabia and Israel also being the subjects of his first foreign trip.

HAPPENING NEXT WEEK-

Conference season is back into full gear next week after the Ramadan and Eid lull:

#1- The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center is set to host Geo-Spatial Week from 6-11 April in Dubai with the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. The week-long event will welcome experts in photogrammetry, remote sensing, and spatial sciences.

#2- EFG Hermes’ One on One conference will take place from Monday, 7 April until Thursday, 10 April in Dubai. The conference is the largest gathering of its kind devoted to emerging and frontier equities and connects international institutional investors with senior execs in industries ranging from food and fintech, to banking and petrochemicals.

#3- The AIM Congress 2025 is set to take place from Monday, 7 April until Wednesday 9 April at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. The event will bring together senior executives, government officials, and global investors to foster investment collaboration to drive global economic development. Attendees can expect forums, panel discussions, workshops, and a startup competition, Wam reports.

#4- Middle East Energy will take place from Monday, 7 April to Wednesday, 9 April at the Dubai World Trade Center. The exhibition and conference brings together industry leaders, and energy professionals to discuss the energy transition, sustainability practices, innovations in power generation, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

#5- The World Local Production Forum is running from Monday, 7 April to Wednesday, 9 April at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. The World Health Organization-backed event will bring together global leaders to discuss localized, sustainable, and diversified medicine production, and strategies to enhance access to quality assured health products.

#6- The Fujairah Bunkering and Fuel Oil Forum (FUJCON 2025) will take place from Monday, 7 April until Wednesday, 9 April at DoubleTree by Hilton Fujairah. Organized by S&P Global Commodity Insights, in collaboration with the Fujairah government, the Port of Fujairah, and the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, the event will bring together energy leaders to discuss geopolitical and decarbonization impacts on shipping and bunkering, fuel quality, market trends, and technological advancements.

#7- AWS GenAI Loft Dubai 2025 will take place from Monday, 7 April to Friday, 11 April at Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) Innovation One building. The five-day event will see industry startups, business leaders, investors, developers, and AI enthusiasts attend workshops and lectures on generative AI technologies and their practical applications across industries.

#8- The World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit will take place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, 8 April and Wednesday, 9 April, state news agency Wam reports. Under the theme Together Towards Building Global Resilience, the event will bring together global leaders to discuss improving international cooperation in crisis management, emergency planning, and risk prediction. The event will also feature two exhibitions — Crisis Management Technologies and Generation Readiness — to showcase new sector-specific technological tools.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

It’s all about tariffs in the foreign press this morning, as the world awaits a raft of new trade barriers set to be unveiled by US President Donald Trump later today.

Trump has touted 2 April as “liberation day” for the US, as he looks to slap tariffs on imports from a host of countries. The White House is reportedly still deliberating the fine print, Bloomberg reports, with sources saying talks are coming down to the wire. Trump has floated reciprocal tariffs — which will match tariffs to existing ones made by countries on US goods — while others claim Trump is also mulling a flat 20% global tariff, or a tiered system that implements tariffs on countries depending on how they treat US goods.

The White House has said tariffs will kick in “immediately,” while a 25% levy on auto imports is already set to kick in tomorrow.

The story is everywhere in the global press: Reuters | Bloomberg | Washington Post | Guardian | Financial Times

ALSO- Another ceasefire is now under threat, after Israel struck a suburb in Beirut yesterday, killing four people, including a Hezbollah official, Reuters reports. The strike was the second in five days.

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Non-oil sector drove 3.8% growth in Abu Dhabi’s GDP last year

Abu Dhabi’s economy expanded by 3.8% in 2024, reaching an all-time high of AED 1.2 tn, the Abu Dhabi Statistics Center said in a statement. Growth came on the back of an expansion in the non-oil sector, which grew 6.2%, marking a contribution of 54.7% to GDP — its highest ever.

By the sector: The manufacturing sector remained the biggest non-oil contributor to GDP, with a 9.5% share and a record value of AED 111.6 bn, and 2.7% y-o-y growth. Coming in at a close second: the construction sector, which accounted for 9.1% of total GDP, growing 11.3% y-o-y. The financial and ins. sector also grew 10.7% y-o-y, contributing 6.6% of GDP, while the information and communications sector grew by the same amount and contributed 2.2%. Wholesale and retail contributed 5.3% of GDP, and transport and storage — which grew the most out of all sectors at 16.9% — accounted for 2.4%.

In 4Q, GDP grew by 4.4%, while non-oil GDP expanded by 6.6%.

Abu Dhabi’s growth mirrors federal levels of growth last year: The UAE’s real GDP grew 3.8% y-o-y in 9M 2024 to reach AED 1.3 tn, with non-oil activity contributing 74.6% to total GDP. GDP is expected to have grown around 4% last year, according to the Central Bank of the UAE, with the cabinet saying it surpassed AED 1.7 tn. The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) sees growth coming in at 4.7% this year, while S&P Global and Fitch Solutions’ research unit BMI are the most optimistic of the bunch, expecting the UAE’s real GDP to grow by 5.1% this year. On the lower end, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank revised their forecasts for the UAE’s economy this year to 4.0%.

Updates on Aramex and EIB’s acquisitions

Two major UAE entities have made headway with their takeover bids: Emirates NBD now owns 99% of Emirates Islamic Bank, while Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ secured a 63% stake in Aramex.

#1- ADQ has secured a 63.26% stake in Aramex, after shareholders offered acceptances for some 40.57% shares in the company to be acquired by ADQ subsidiary Q Logistics Holding, according to a bourse disclosure (pdf). ADQ already owns a 22.69% stake in Aramex through its subsidiary AD Ports.

REFRESHER- Q Logistics Holdings launched a voluntary tender offer to buy up all of Aramex’s shares — excluding the 22.69% stake already held by ADQ shipping unit AD Ports — at AED 3 apiece, valuing the freight services firm at AED 4.4 bn. The company had snapped up a 35.31% stake in Aramex by the time the offer period ended, though more shareholders agreed to tender their shares later. Aramex will soon be folded into ADQ’s transport and logistics cluster, joining assets like AD Ports, Abu Dhabi Airports, Etihad Airways, and Etihad Rail.

Market reax: Aramex’s shares rose 1.81% on the DFM on Friday following the news, closing at AED 2.82.

ADVISORS- Rothschild is acting as financial adviser for Q Logistics, while EFG Hermes UAE, International Securities and Emirates NBD capital serve as co-lead managers on the transaction. Clifford Chance was hired to provide counsel on the potential acquisition. Aramex tapped HSBC as its financial advisor for the potential takeover.

#2- Meanwhile, Emirates NBD acquired an additional 0.078% stake in Emirates Islamic Bank, taking the total size of its stake to 99.971%, according to a disclosure (pdf). This leaves 0.029% in freefloat, with updates on the mandatory acquisition notices for the remaining shares set to be shared in due course.

REMEMBER- DFM-listed Emirates Islamic Bank’s (EIB) board recommended that shareholders accept Emirates NBD’s AED 699 mn full takeover bid, after approving its fair value report earlier this month. Dubai’s largest bank by assets offered to snap up EIB’s remaining 0.11% free-float stake for AED 11.95 apiece, ahead of delisting it from the DFM. EIB will continue to operate independently, retaining its commercial registration and trade name, with business operations set to remain unchanged.

Market reax:Emirates Islamic Bank’s share price remained flat at AED 11.95.

Plus: Big week for food and beverage acquisitions

In more M&A news: Abu Dhabi-listed food and beverage firm Agthia expanded its service offering with a new acquisition of a UAE-based company in the water and food segment, while Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company bought into an Indian snacks business.

Agthia acquires UAE-based bottled water firm + IHC buys into Haldiram: Food and beverage firm Agthia acquired 100% of UAE-based bottled water services firm Riviere for an undisclosed sum, according to a press release (pdf). The acquisition is expected to expand revenue growth for its water and food segment by 6.5%, and marks Agthia’s entry into the mainstream segment, supplying water to offices and homes in the UAE.

Who’s Riviere? The company serves customers across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, and Sharjah in the mainstream segment, and operates three bottling facilities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and a fleet of over 160 delivery trucks.

#2- Indian snacks business Haldiram’s secured an investment from Abu Dhabi royal family-backed firm International Holding Company (IHC) as part of an ongoing equity financing round, the company said in a statement (pdf), where it also disclosed a new investment from New York-based Alpha Wave Global. The company reached a USD 10 bn valuation after Singapore’s state-owned fund Temasek acquired a c.10% stake in the firm earlier last week.

The company plans to expand in the Middle East and the US, while widening its footprint in India, using the funding, the statement said. The transaction is expected to close soon.

REFRESHER- Haldiram’s was part of a bidding war, which involved another Abu Dhabi investor: The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority was also reportedly eyeing Halidram’s as part of a consortium led by Blackstone and Singapore’s GIC, with talks at the time reportedly revolving around a 20% stake in Haldiram for USD 1.6 bn. The consortium was initially eyeing a 51% stake for USD 4.8 bn, valuing the company at USD 8.5 bn. Talks had stalled due to what Blackstone said were disagreements over Halidram’s valuation.

ADVISORS- PwC's investment banking team acted as the financial adviser on the transaction.

Damac’s data center unit acquires Nordic data center developer

Real estate developer Damac’s data center unit Edgnex acquired Finland-based data center firm Hyperco as part of its ongoing push into the sector, according to a statement. The company operates in Finland and Sweden, and will allow Edgnex to “build a significant future capacity in the Nordics and establish a strong foothold in the market,” the statement said. The company’s three founders will continue to lead the company.

Edgnex has big plans in Europe — and beyond: Elsewhere in Europe, Edgnex allocated USD 100 mn with Vodafone Turkey for a 6 MW data center in Izmir, also set to go online this year, as well as a separate initial USD 150 mn investment for a data center in Sparta, Greece.

Edgnex is on track to deliver 55 MW worth of data center capacity in the Middle East by the end of the year, and a 3 GW capacity globally. It is also targeting more than 300 MW of operational capacity by next year, backed by a USD 3 bn pipeline. The company also plans to invest a whopping USD 20 bn to develop data centers in the US, with plans to build 2 GW of capacity over the next four years.

Dubai’s Alpha MBM Investments to invest USD 4 bn in Ugandan crude refinery

Dubai-based private investment office Alpha MBM Investments agreed to become the lead partner on Uganda’s USD 4 bn crude refinery project, acquiring a 60% stake in the project, Bloomberg reports, citing an emailed statement from the Ugandan presidency’s office. The refinery is set to produce 60k barrels of crude per day. The government will retain a 40% stake in the project.

What we know: Negotiations for the agreement began in January of last year. Uganda is set to commence commercial crude oil production in 2025, tapping into fields within the Albertine Rift Basin situated in the western part of the nation, in proximity to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ugandan government manages the oil fields through the state-operated Uganda National Oil Company, in conjunction with China's CNOOC and France's TotalEnergies. The agreement comes after the collapse of talks with a US consortium, which included Baker Hughes, last year over the refinery due to its inability to secure financing in a timely manner.

What’s next? The Ugandan National Oil Company will ink several agreements ahead of reaching final investment decision (FID), including a crude suppliers agreement and shareholders’ agreement to set terms for the partnership.

Who is Alpha MBM Investments? The investment office is led by Dubai royal family member Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, with ventures in sectors ranging from tech and infrastructure to sustainable energy, according to its website.

ALSO- Uganda and the UAE signed five other agreements spanning aviation, tree planting, digital land management systems, logistics, and digital payment systems for government transactions, President Yoweri K Museveni said in an X post.

e&’s Maroc Telecom settles with Inwi, agrees to set up JVs

e& subsidiary Maroc Telecom agreed to settle and pay AED 1.6 bn to competitor Inwi, down from the initial AED 2.3 bn ordered by the Commercial Court of Rabat last year, with the two companies agreeing to set up two joint ventures, according to a disclosure (pdf). The two joint ventures will focus on the deployment of fiber-optic passive infrastructure and rolling out new telecommunications towers.

Background: e& had tried to appeal the court’s decision for e& to pay AED 2.3 bn due to alleged “anti-competitive practices” but was rejected by the Court of Appeals. e& holds majority stakes in Maroc Telecom at 53% shares, while the Moroccan government holds a 22% stake. The case was originally brought forward by Inwi in 2021 over Maroc Telecom abusing its position in the market, Reuters reported in January, without elaborating. The company was previously fined MAD 3.3 bn in 2020 by Moroccan telecommunications regulator ANRT for limiting competitors' access to their network infrastructure.

Gulfnav turns to a loss in 2024, while Orascom Construction a slight uptick in net income

GULFNAV-

Shipping firm Gulf Navigation (GulfNav) turned to a loss in 2024, with a net loss after tax at AED 20.1 mn, as the company focused on strategic investment decisions like fleet modernization and upgrades, according to its earnings release (pdf) and financials (pdf). The company's revenues fell 16% y-o-y to AED 88.7 mn.

Looking ahead, the company is expecting a recovery in the demand for petrochemical shipping services, with positive revenue expectations in 2025. Gulfnav is also set to acquire Brooge Energy’s assets for AED 3.3 bn, after its shareholders approved the transaction in March.

ORASCOM CONSTRUCTION-

Orascom Construction saw its net income inch up 0.4% y-o-y in 2024, coming in at USD 117.3 mn, according to its latest earnings release (pdf). Despite a 21% y-o-y increase in net income from its US operations and a 101.8% increase in net income from its Belgium-based subsidiary BESIX, a 25.7% y-o-y dip in net income from its operations in the Middle East and Africa — its largest source of income — helped bring the overall figure down.

Revenues for the year fell 3.3% y-o-y to USD 3.3 bn, which was driven by an 11% y-o-y fall in revenues from the MEA region. Revenues from US operations were up 5.5% y-o-y. “Revenue comparison y-o-y in Egypt was impacted by the devaluation of the EGP in March 2024, while the increase in revenue in the US reflects project execution and backlog growth,” the release read.

The company’s consolidated backlog dipped 5.8% y-o-y in 2024 to USD 7.6 bn. The dip came on the back of 2023’s figures being put together using the exchange rate at the end of 2023. Using today’s rate of around EGP 50 to the greenback, the backlog would’ve registered a 2.6% y-o-y increase. Projects in Egypt made up 67.3% of the backlog, followed by the US with 21.1% and the UAE with 7.4%. New awards were down 48% y-o-y to USD 3 bn, which the group attributed to the “above-average level” of projects it was awarded in 2023.

On a quarterly basis, net income fell 29.2% y-o-y to USD 31 mn in 4Q 2024, impacted by one-off expenses of USD 20 mn related to the MEA region, while revenues declined 6.7% y-o-y to USD 935 mn. New awards dropped 78.3% y-o-y to USD 412 mn during the quarter.

What they said: “We continue to successfully navigate a challenging and uncertain environment. Our strong fundamentals, focus on performance excellence, strict project controls, and disciplined project selection have allowed us to achieve our current results and positioned us well for the period ahead,” CEO Osama Bishai said.

XRG takes stake in Mozambique’s Rovuma basin concession + Veon secures USD 210 mn from GCC banks, ICBC Standard Bank

ENERGY-

Adnoc’s 10% stake in Mozambique’s Rovuma basin concession is now XRG’s: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has transferred its 10% stake in Mozambique’s Rovuma basin, which it acquired from Portuguese energy company Galp, to its renewables and chemicals investment arm XRG, state news agency Wam reports. The company finalized the acquisition, which was first announced in May of last year.

REFRESHER- Galp secured a USD 650 mn payout from Adnoc, with an extra USD 500 mn contingent upon the approval of two planned development phases. The acquisition hands it a stake in the operational Coral South LNG export project, which produces 3.5 mn tons annually. The planned Coral North expansion could match this output through a floating export vessel, while an onshore Rovuma project — which could see an investment decision by late 2025 — is expected to produce 18 mn tons of LNG per year. Overall, Adnoc is set to get a share of a potential 25 mn tons a year LNG capacity in Mozambique.

DEBT-

Dubai-based (originally Dutch) digital operator Veon secured a USD 210 mn syndicated loan from a consortium of GCC banks and ICBC Standard Bank, it said in a statement. The facility carries an interest of SOFR plus 425 bps. The statement did not disclose who the GCC banks were.

Background: The company had relocated its headquarters to Dubai last year.

It’s a slow start to the year for M&A so far as uncertainty takes hold

Wall Street’s hopes for a post-election resurgence in M&A activity have dialed down, with global transaction volumes reaching just USD 590 mn through 25 March — only slightly ahead of last year, according to Bloomberg Intelligence data. The bump is mostly thanks to a handful of outsized transactions, including Alphabet’s USD 32 bn takeover of cybersecurity firm Wiz and a USD 6+ bn agreement for the Boston Celtics. So far, only seven transactions valued above USD 10 mn have been announced — half as many as this time in 2024. This is despite expectations of a better year for M&A from the likes of EY and Bain.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

Policy turbulence is hurting confidence: While Trump campaigned on deregulation and tax cuts, his early months in office have instead brought market volatility, a stock market correction, and renewed inflation fears. “You print a board book for a meeting one day, and by the time the meeting happens the next day things have shifted in a different direction,” said Paul Weiss, M&A partner Jim Langston.

ICYMI- US inflation climbed 0.3% last month and 0.4% in January, well above the Fed’s 2% target. Trump-era trade measures — including 25% duties on steel and aluminum and looming reciprocal tariffs — threaten to push prices higher, further complicating Fed rate-cut bets.

Regulators aren’t going soft either: Hopes that Trump’s return would usher in a lighter-touch approach to M&A are fading fast. The US Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission are sticking with strict merger reviews, while the Federal Communications Commission has signaled it may oppose negotiations involving companies that promote diversity and inclusion policies.

Big-ticket agreements now come with political calculus: Geopolitical strategy is increasingly guiding transaction flow. BlackRock’s USD 19 bn acquisition of Panama Canal-linked port assets — reportedly blessed after White House talks — and TSMC’s USD 100 bn investment in US chip facilities reflect a growing tilt toward industrial policy and national security-driven M&A. Advisers are being called “by participants who want to get closer to the United States,” said Hogan Lovells’ global M&A head Bill Curtin.

Caution across the board: A senior strategist at Goldman Sachs slashed its M&A forecast for 2025 from 25% to just 7%, while Morgan Stanley and UBS cite “near-term volatility” and more drawn-out processes. Kirkland & Ellis warned that banks remain wary of underwriting agreements, and spreads on public transactions have started widening again — a red flag for merger arbitrage funds, according to Accelerate Financial Technologies.

Private equity and IPOs aren’t filling the gap: A few standout agreements, including Sycamore’s USD 20 bn take-private of Walgreens and a EUR 6 bn loan for Adevinta ASA, have buoyed sentiment, but the overall pipeline remains thin. IPO activity is up just 10% y-o-y and remains well below historical averages. “It’s caused a lot of companies to just pause and see how things play out,” KPMG’s Shari Mager said, citing tariff and policy uncertainty.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are broadly in the red this morning as global investors brace for more news on Trump’s tariffs later today, with Japan’s Nikkei trading near the flatline, the Topix down 0.6%, and South Korea’s Kospi down 0.4%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is also down 0.4%, while mainland China’s CS 300 is flat. Meanwhile, Wall Street futures are down slightly, even after a volatile day that saw indices end the day in the green.

ADX	9,369	-0.2% (YTD: -0.5%)
DFM	5,096	-0.5% (YTD: -1.2%)
Nasdaq Dubai UAE20	4,190	-1.2% (YTD: +0.6%)
USD : AED CBUAE	Buy 3.67	Sell 3.67
EIBOR	4.2% o/n	4.2% 1 yr
TASI	12,025	+0.5% (YTD: -0.1%)
EGX30	32,026	+0.9% (YTD: +7.7%)
S&P 500	5,633	+0.4% (YTD: -4.2%)
FTSE 100	8,635	+0.6% (YTD: +5.7%)
Euro Stoxx 50	5,320	+1.4% (YTD: +8.7%)
Brent crude	USD 74.49	-0.4%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 3.95	-0.0%
Gold	USD 3,147	+0.0%
BTC	USD 85,227	+3.4% (YTD: -9.8%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The DFM fell 0.5% on Friday on turnover of AED 431.2 mn. The index is down 1.2% YTD.

In the green: National Cement Company (+14.8%), Emirates NBD REIT (+5%) and Commercial Bank of Dubai (+4.5%).

In the red: Depa (-8.9%), Dubai Islamic Ins. and Reins. (-4.8%) and Dubai Refreshment (-3.6%).

Over on the ADX, the index fell 0.2% on turnover of AED 1.5 bn. Nasdaq Dubai was down 1.2%.

CALENDAR

APRIL

6-11 April (Sunday-Friday): Geo-Spatial Week, Dubai.

7-8 April (Monday-Tuesday): The International Booksellers Conference, Expo Center Sharjah.

7-10 April (Monday-Thursday) : EFG Hermes One on One conference, Dubai.

7-9 April (Monday-Wednesday): AIM Investment Summit, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.

7-9 April (Monday-Wednesday): Middle East Energy, Dubai World Trade Center.

7-9 April (Monday-Wednesday): World Local Production Forum, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.

7-9 April (Monday-Wednesday): The Fujairah International Bunkering and Fuel Oil Forum, DoubleTree by Hilton Fujairah.

7-11 April (Monday-Friday): AWS GenAI Loft Dubai 2025, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Innovation One.

8 April (Tuesday): Allocations and refunds for Methaq Takaful’s rights issue on the ADX.

8-9 April (Tuesday-Wednesday): World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit, Abu Dhabi.

11-13 April (Friday-Sunday): I-Film Festival, Yas Creative Hub, Abu Dhabi.

12-13 April (Saturday-Sunday): Global Justice, Love & Peace Summit, Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai.

14-16 April (Monday-Wednesday): Dubai Woodshow, Dubai World Trade Center

14-16 April (Monday-Wednesday): IPS congress, Dubai World Trade Center.

14-26 April (Monday-Saturday): Solana Economic Zone, Dubai.

15-17 April (Tuesday-Thursday): The Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, Adnec center, Abu Dhabi.

15 April (Tuesday): The Global Islamic FinTech Forum, Dusit Thani Hotel, Dubai.

16-17 April (Wednesday-Thursday): The FastBull Finance Summit, Coca Cola Arena, Dubai.

16-18 April (Wednesday-Friday): World Future Energy Summit,Abu Dhabi National Exhibition, Abu Dhabi.

21-25 April (Monday-Friday): The Dubai AI Week, Museum of the Future and Area 2071, Emirates Towers, Dubai.

22-24 April (Tuesday-Thursday): DOMOTEX Middle East, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

22-24 April (Tuesday-Thursday): The International Conference on Education Quality,General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Office, Dubai.

23-24 April (Wednesday-Thursday): Dubai AI Festival, Dubai International Financial Center.

25 April-11 May (Friday-Sunday): Dubai Esports and Games Festival, Dubai World Trade Center.

28 April-1 May (Monday-Thursday): The Arabian Travel Market, Dubai World Trade Center

28 April-2 May (Monday-Friday): The Annual Conference of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA)

29 April (Monday): Deadline to send comments and feedback on the FSRA proposal.

Signposted to happen sometime in April:

Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi

MAY

5-6 May (Monday-Tuesday): The Governance of Emerging Technologies Summit (GETS 2025), St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi.

6-7 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Global Ports Forum, Dubai.

6-7 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

6-8 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Airport Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

13-16 May (Tuesday-Friday): International Union for Health Promotion and Education Conference, Abu Dhabi.

13-14 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): The Annual HR Tech MENA, Dubai.

13-15 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Cabsat Middle East and Satellite Middle East, Dubai World Trade Center.

15 May (Thursday-Sunday): The Economy Middle East Summit, ADGM, Abu Dhabi.

15 May (Thursday): Dewa tender for pumping stations bids deadline.

15-18 May (Thursday-Sunday): The GLA Global Logistics Conference, Grand Hyatt Dubai.

16-18 May (Friday-Sunday): GISEC, Dubai World Trade Center.

19-22 May (Monday-Thursday): Make it in the Emirates, Adnec, Abu Dhabi.

20 May (Tuesday): Dubai Business Forum, Hamburg, Germany.

20-21 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): The International Real Estate Investment Summit (IREIS 2025), Al Hamra International Exhibition and Conference Centre in Ras Al Khaimah.

20-22 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Seamless Middle East, Dubai World Trade Center.

23-25 May (Friday-Sunday): EuroLeague Final Four, Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi.

26-28 May (Monday-Wednesday): Arab Media Summit, World Trade Center, Dubai.

27-29 May (Tuesday-Thursday): INDEX, Workspace, and The Hotel Show, Dubai World Trade Center.

30 May (Friday): Arafat Day.

31 May-2 June (Saturday-Monday): Eid Al Adha.

JUNE

17-18 June (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

24-25 June (Tuesday-Wednesday): Middle East Rail, Dubai World Trade Center.

27 June (Friday): Islamic New Year.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2H 2025:

Closing of XRG's acquisition of Covestro

JULY

6-7 July (Sunday-Monday): BRICS Summit, Rio de Janeiro.

29-30 July (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

SEPTEMBER

8-10 September (Monday-Wednesday): DigiHealth exhibition, World Trade Center, Dubai.

12-14 September (Friday-Sunday): The International Real Estate and Investment Show, Abu Dhabi.

16-17 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

24-25 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Forum, Mohammed Bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development, Dubai.

OCTOBER

3-16 October (Friday-Thursday): Dubai Home Festival.

7-9 October (Tuesday-Thursday): The International Symposium on the System of Radiological Protection, the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal.

9-15 October (Thursday-Wednesday): IUCN World Conservation Congress, Abu Dhabi.

27-29 October (Monday-Wednesday): Future Hospitality Summit, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

27-29 October (Monday-Wednesday): Asia Pacific Cities Summit, Dubai Exhibition Center.

28-29 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

NOVEMBER

15-17 November (Saturday-Monday): Myplant & Garden Middle East Green Expo, Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City.

17-21 November (Monday-Friday): Dubai Airshow 2025, Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai.

18-19 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): Dubai Future Forum, Museum of the Future, Dubai.

DECEMBER

1-3 December (Monday-Wednesday): Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day).

1-5 December (Monday-Friday): The World Congress of Neurosurgery, Dubai World Trade Center.

8-10 December (Monday-Wednesday): BRIDGE media summit, Abu Dhabi.

9-10 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2025:

The Middle East Electric Vehicle Show, Expo Center Sharjah.
e& will complete Adnoc’s private 5G network.
Executive Committee Meeting (EXCOM 2025) conference of the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organisation (WeGO)
The International Civil Aviation Organization’s Global Implementation Support Symposium, Abu Dhabi.
Universal Postal Congress 2025, Dubai.

Signposted to happen sometime in the fall of 2025:

2025 Games of the Future, Dubai.
ICOM General Conference 2025, Dubai

Signposted to happen sometime in 2026:

3-5 February (Tuesday-Thursday): The World Governments Summit.
12-15 February (Thursday-Sunday): The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence Global Conference, Abu Dhabi.
11-13 May (Monday-Wednesday): AI Everything Global, Adnec Center.
The UAE to host the Arab Competition Forum
Dubai to host the Arab Actuarial Conference
United Nations Water Conference 2026, UAE
9-11 January (Friday-Sunday): 1 Bn Followers Summit’s fourth edition, UAE

Signposted to happen sometime in 2027:

Abu Dhabi’s solar and battery energy facility, combining 5.2 GW of solar capacity and 19 GWh of battery storage, is set for commissioning.

Signposted to happen sometime between 2027 and 2029:

The commissioning of the seventh phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

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