AVIATION-

Zayed Port to see UAE’s first hybrid heliport: The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) granted design approval for the country’s first hybrid heliport at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal in Zayed Port, Wam reports. AD Ports Group, Falcon Aviation Services, and Archer Aviation will collaborate on developing the site, which will have a unified platform to serve both helicopters and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, including Archer’s Midnight model.

The facility will be a launch point for Abu Dhabi’s air taxi service, set to be rolled out by 2026, and the site was chosen for its strategic location and high passenger volume. GCAA’s proposed regulations for eVTOL infrastructure are expected to be finalized by July 2025.

ICYMI- Archer Aviation is set to launch test flights of its eVTOL aircraft in Abu Dhabi this summer, before full commercial rollout later. Archer and Falcon Aviation are also developing a “vertiport” network across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while in Dubai, the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) partnered with electric aircraft developer Joby Aviation last year to launch air taxi services in the UAE by early 2026.

CAPITAL MARKETS-

Iraq is the newest member of ADX’s Tabadul trading hub — making it the ninth stock market to join the platform, according to a press release (pdf). Both the Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) and Iraq’s Securities Commission signed on to Tabadul, which connects roughly 7.5 mn investors and over 490 listed companies across the region with the aim of facilitating cross-border investments. Tabadul enables brokerages on both exchanges to gain remote access to one another’s markets.

Also on the tape: The platform includes the Bahrain Bourse, Muscat Stock Exchange (Oman), Astana International Exchange and Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (Kazakhstan), Central Asian Stock Exchange (Tajikistan), Armenia Securities Exchange, and Amman Stock Exchange (Jordan) — in addition to anchor market ADX.

REAL ESTATE-

#1- DFM-listed Emaar Developments is launching its Grand Polo Club & Resort in Dubai, Arabian Business reports. The development will span 5.5 mn sqm including 1.6 mn sqm of open space and 5.6k residences designed for a population of 24.5k. The community will be located five minutes away from Al Maktoum International Airport and around 30 minutes from the Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, and Dubai Mall.

SPEAKING OF EMAAR- Emaar Malls is waiving four months of rent for food & beverage tenants at Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar facing the Dubai Fountain, according to a press release. The move, pausing payments from June to September, comes in an effort to offset the expected reduction in footfall following the closure of the fountain.

#2- Azizi Developments is developing one of Dubai’s largest mixed-use community developments with some AED 75 bn in value, Azizi Milan, according to a press release. The project, which will be located on the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311), will cover 40 mn sq ft and have a population of 114k. The development will include residential, retail, and office spaces, as well as schools, amenities, and parks. It will be a zero-carbon community, with green initiatives including solar developments to offset emissions, and hopes to become a regional fashion capital.

HEALTHCARE-

ADHDS partners with Sydesis Health on healthcare analytics: M42’s Abu Dhabi Health Data Services signed a term sheet with global biotech research platform Syndesis Health, according to a press release. The agreement will combine ADHDS’s health infrastructure with Syndesis’s database to advance AI-driven genomic analytics, drug discovery, and precision medicine.

The details: The partnership will focus on commercializing phenotype data for pharma and academic research, developing predictive AI models for personalized healthcare, and enhancing pharmacogenomics to reduce adverse drug reactions. The two plan to establish a joint venture to accelerate drug development and improve patient outcomes.

ICYMI- Earlier this week, ADHDS rolled out Cortex&, a new healthcare advisory arm aimed at supporting healthcare institutions, and also partnered with SRI International and VantageBridge Partners to establish an innovation hub in Abu Dhabi.

DIGITIZATION-

Abu Dhabi utility and energy firm Taqa subsidiary Taqa Distribution signed an agreement with ADGM to improve utility management for 16k residential tenants on Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands, according to a press release (pdf). The partnership will centralize billing, payments, and customer service for authority fees tied to tenancy contracts by integrating them within ADGM’s system. Residents will transition to the new system over the next 12 months, with Taqa set to manage the collection and administration of authority fees.

BUSINESS-

Global payments platform PayPal has opened a regional hub in Dubai, its first location in the MENA region, according to a press release. The new Dubai Internet City site will cater to customers in 80 countries and expand PayPay’s global commerce capabilities, helping businesses with cross-border payments and access to wider networks.

AI-

Welligence joins NextGen FDI: US-based energy data analytics firm Welligence has joined the UAE’s NextGen FDI initiative and will establish a regional office in Abu Dhabi to house its sales, research, and consulting teams, according to a press release. This marks the firm’s first expansion into the Middle East, with plans also underway to build a local tech team.

About Welligence: Welligence specializes in upstream oil and gas markets, carbon capture, and greenhouse gas emissions analytics. The firm uses AI to deliver detailed commercial asset valuations and emissions tracking, and has tools tracking energy projects in 193 countries.

ICYMI- Other tech-focused startups establishing and expanding their presence in the UAE through the NextGen FDI initiative include Schneider, Qualcomm, DoxAI, SolarSpace, Continuous Ventures, TG0, and Zelos Technology.

#2- US-based AI firm Senen plans to expand into Dubai and the wider Mena region, Wam reports. The company is in discussions with UAE partners, including the Dubai International Financial Center, to support this expansion. The new office is expected to begin operations later this year.

DEBT-

#1- Moody’s upgrades PNC Investments’ Rating: Sobha Realty’s parent company PNC Investments’ (PNC) received a corporate family rating (CFR) upgrade to Ba2 with a stable outlook by Moody’s, according to a press release. The upgrade, a boost from its previously held Ba3 rating, comes following robust sales, improved credit metrics, strong construction activity, and a backlog of over AED 23 bn.

ICYMI- PNC is considering issuing new sukuk upon the maturity of its current issuance in 2028, rather than tapping into an existing sukuk, CFO Nikunj Patel said in February.

#2- Moody’s affirms DIB’s long and short-term credit ratings: Credit rating agency Moody’s has affirmed Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB)’s long and short-term credit ratings at A3 and P-2 respectively with a stable outlook, reflecting a strong ability to pay long and short-term debt obligations, the agency said in a report seen by EnterpriseAM. Moody’s affirmed DIB’s long-term rating at A3 on the basis that the bank is likely to receive support from the UAE’s government, translating into four notches of uplift for DIB — which it said reflects “DIB’s importance within the UAE’s banking system.”

LEGISLATION-

Dubai rolls out a new public health law: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued a law establishing a comprehensive framework to enhance public health, disease prevention, and environmental sustainability, Wam reports. The law outlines requirements for individuals with communicable diseases — including travelers entering Dubai — as well as food safety standards, consumer product regulations, and environmental health rules, including on tobacco usage and pest control. It also requires public-private cooperation on data sharing and emergency response. The law takes effect 90 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Multi-agency coordination: The legislation mandates coordination among municipal health services to manage communicable diseases and enforce health protocols.

HOSPITALITY-

Kleindienst Group partnered with George V Eatertainment to develop a Buddha-Bar hotel and beach club on Dubai’s World Islands, according to a press release. The AED 3 bn development, located at the Heart of Europe, will introduce a 162-key overwater hotel along with floating villas, while the Buddha-Bar Beach Honeymoon Island will include a beach club, lounge, and dining destination. The two flagship projects will be completed in two years.

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