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A good day for FDI and PMI

1

WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: PMI registered 11-month high in Jan + Adnoc eyes USD 2 bn in debt

Good morning, everyone. We have a string of welcome news for you today as non-oil activity came in at an 11-month high in January, just as FAB pencils in economic growth of 5.6% for us this year, and FDI inflows hit a record high last year. Speaking of foreign investment — ADFD is backing Tajikistan’s 3.4 GW hydroelectric project.

Plus: We’re tracking some interesting developments in the energy sector. Adnoc is reported to be eyeing a maiden dim sum offering for as much as USD 2 bn, Germany is sounding out our energy offerings as it looks to diversify its energy import sources, and the price of Murban is ticking up next month. Also, earnings are out for Borouge and Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Menzies Aviation has been tapped for a task in India, and another AI startup has secured more funds.

Watch this space

Adnoc is said to be weighing a move into China’s offshore debt market, potentially raising up to CNY 14 bn (USD 2 bn) through a maiden dim sum offering, Bloomberg reports, citing people it says are in the know. The transaction could see the state-owned oil giant issue multiple tranches with five-, 10-, and 30-year maturities as early as this month. There’s no publicly available information about initial price thoughts. Adnoc recently raised up to USD 11 bn in project financing, drawing what sources described as the largest Chinese bank participation seen in the region.


The UAE is set to be the region’s growth engine in 2026. First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) expects the economy to expand by 5.6% next year, comfortably outpacing projected global growth of 3.1%, and exceeding projected growth across both the GCC and Egypt, according to the bank’s Global Investment Outlook 2026 report (pdf).

Growth drivers: The UAE’s diversification push is fueling momentum alongside a robust real estate sector in Dubai, which saw property transactions jump 49.6% y-o-y as of November 2025, while Abu Dhabi recorded a 43.3% increase as of September. Strong growth across tourism, hospitality, and travel activities is also underpinning GDP growth.

How it compares: FAB’s forecast is slightly more upbeat than those of the IMF and the World Bank, both of which see growth coming in at 5.0% in 2026, and broadly in line with the Central Bank of the UAE’s 5.3% projection.


The UAE is a key stop in Berlin’s latest energy recalibration, as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to arrive in Abu Dhabi this week as part of a Gulf pivot aimed at lessening reliance on US LNG and widening Europe’s supply options, Bloomberg reports. With the US explicitly linking energy to tariff negotiations, high dependency becomes a problem, pointing to the risk of geopolitical blackmail.

The numbers explain the anxiety: LNG makes up some 13% of Germany’s total imports, with roughly 94% of that coming from the US. Across Europe, dependence has surged even faster, with the bloc pledging some USD 750 bn in purchases through 2028.

However, contracts are signed with companies, not governments, and the US system remains reliable — but portfolio risk needs managing, Uniper’s CCO Carsten Poppinga told Reuters, adding that diversification is still required, with the Middle East explicitly on the list. The message was echoed by Sefe’s CEO Egbert Laege, whose company locked in agreements from Adnoc’s Das Island facility last year and the Ruwais LNG project (alongside Germany’s EnBW) in 2024.

The friction point sits with contract length. Gulf LNG exporters typically push for long-term contracts of 20 years or more, while Germany’s climate policy bans LNG imports beyond the end of 2043. For the UAE, contract flexibility is the competitive edge — underscored by Sefe’s three-year supply agreement from Das Island.


DIPLOMACY — Trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US are on their second day in Abu Dhabi, Reuters reports. The second round of negotiations is mediated again by the US, with key issues including the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and territory disputes over the Donetsk region.

BACKGROUND- The first round of negotiations were held last month in Abu Dhabi, and the latest talks come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of using a temporary truce aimed at protecting energy infrastructure last week to stockpile munitions before launching an overnight attack on Tuesday.


INVESTMENT — CedarBridge capital incoming? Private equity firm CedarBridge Partners has started deploying capital from its third fund, CedarBridge High Growth III, targeting platform investments across healthcare, education, wellness, pet care, and essential consumer services in the GCC, according to a press release.

The state of play: The fund reached its first close last November and is targeting USD 150 mn overall. It will deploy most of the capital regionally, with up to 35% earmarked for select UK and European transactions.

ICYMI- CedarBridge’s existing Gulf investment presence includes GCC early education provider Kids First and The Grooming Company Holding — the latter of which it sold in 2024 to Multiply Group.


AVIATION — Emirates could consider a larger A350 if Airbus moves ahead with a new wider model, the airline’s President Tim Clark told Reuters. Both Airbus and Boeing have said they’re studying production of their largest aircraft yet, amid Emirates’ long-standing call for larger planes. So far, the airline hasn’t bought the A350-1000 — Airbus’ largest model currently — due to concerns over engine durability in Gulf conditions. Any new deliveries would take a while, as the two manufacturers have a current combined backlog of more than 11 years.

Data point

54.9 — that’s the seasonally adjusted Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) figure for the UAE in January, according to S&P Global’s latest UAE PMI (pdf). The reading marks a sharp improvement in the health of the non-oil private sector, rising from 54.2 in December to reach its highest level in 11 months.

The breakdown: Growth gained more momentum at the start of the year, with new order volumes increasing at their fastest pace in about two years, driven primarily by domestic demand and new product rollouts. To keep pace, firms ramped up purchasing activity at the quickest rate in six and a half years, shoring up inventories and significantly slashing supply chain lead times.

This rapid expansion pushed input costs to an 18-month high amid strong demand, but firms largely absorbed these pressures to stay competitive, leading to only a modest uptick in selling prices. Hiring remained cautious as capacity pressures eased, with backlogs rising at their slowest pace in two years. Meanwhile, business sentiment for the year ahead climbed to a 15-month high.

Dubai mirrored the national trend, with PMI data pointing to robust operating conditions. New business growth hit a 22-month high, with sales growing at the sharpest rate since March 2024. Although overall activity growth eased from December, it remained steep enough to prompt a rise in employment and stocks. Cost inflation in the emirate also reached an 18-month peak, though price hikes were minimal.

Happening today

PropTech Connect Middle East is wrapping up today in Dubai, bringing investors, developers, and property-tech firms together to discuss AI, data, blockchain, and digital tools reshaping real estate markets across the region.

The International Arab Actuarial Conference is running until Friday in Dubai, bringing together actuaries, insurers, regulators, and banks from across MENA. Sessions will focus on AI, health ins., cyber risk, catastrophe modeling, and pension sustainability.

TheWorld Governments Summit is finishing up today in Dubai under the theme Shaping Future Governments. Government leaders, international organizations, and private-sector executives will focus on governance reform, technology, and global policy challenges.

The big story abroad

The US and Iran agree to talks — with no set agenda: The US and Iran agreed to meet on Friday in Oman. Washington insists that negotiations zero in on Iran’s missile arsenal, its backing of proxy groups in the region, and its response to protests at home. The Islamic Republic is only willing to discuss its nuclear program.

MEANWHILE, IN MARKET NEWS- The tech selloff continues: Fears that rapid advances in AI could undermine software business models have resulted in USD 1 tn in losses over the past week. Stocks and bonds of Silicon Valley players of all sizes saw hundreds of bns in losses in just two days.

^^ We have more on the software selloff in the news well, below.

Amid AI hubbub Alphabet steps up spending: Google parent Alphabet is doubling its capex for the year to up to USD 185 bn as it doubles down on AI, it said in its latest earnings release (pdf). The figure is well above the USD 120 bn penciled in by analysts and the USD 91 bn spent last year.

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Market watch

Adnoc raises Murban price for March: Adnoc has set the official selling price for Murban at USD 63.99 / bbl for March, up from USD 63.06 / bbl in February, Reuters reports. The move signals confidence in the grade picking up, as just weeks ago, Asian refiners were actively ditching Murban after its premium over Dubai crude hit USD 2.24 / bbl, more than double late-2025 levels, sending buyers toward cheaper alternatives.

Circle your calendar

TheForbes Middle East Top Advisors & Investors Summit is taking place on Tuesday, 10 February and Wednesday, 11 February at the Conrad Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, convening investors and advisors to examine global capital flows, wealth management, and financial innovation. The event, organized with MENA-focused financial services provider Beltone Holding, will focus on investment strategy, fintech, and the growing role of AI in asset management.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

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THE BIG STORY TODAY

Mega-projects power UAE’s record USD 33.2 bn greenfield FDI haul in 2025

The UAE attracted a record USD 33.2 bn in greenfield foreign direct investment in 2025, a 78% jump y-o-y, according to a new report (pdf) by Emirates NBD. The number of projects saw a more muted uptick of 10.7% y-o-y, pointing to several large-ticket plans driving the figure, and putting the Emirates in 10th place globally for FDI capital inflows.

Breadth is growing too: The number of announced greenfield projects came in at nearly 1.5k, placing the UAE second globally by project count. The number of foreign companies investing in the country has nearly tripled since 2021, reaching 1.4k in 2025, signaling a broadening investor base.

Where the money landed: Dubai remained the main hub by activity, attracting 1.2k projects — 81% of the total — worth USD 8.5 bn. The emirate saw the most FDI projects in 1H last year, for the eight consecutive time. However, it was Ras Al Khaimah that took the top spot for capital inflows, drawing USD 10.6 bn across just 17 projects — propelled by a USD 10 bn smart manufacturing investment. Abu Dhabi secured 180 projects worth USD 5.2 bn, while Sharjah attracted USD 1.8 bn across 46 projects.

Who’s investing? India led by capital invested with USD 12.6 bn, driven by the aforementioned RAK manufacturing hub. The US followed with USD 10.3 bn, anchored by major data center and AI infrastructure investments from the likes of Microsoft, while the UK topped project count albeit with smaller average ticket sizes.

The UAE’s AI drive is evident in the sector breakdown. Capital inflows were dominated by automotive equipment manufacturing and communications, reflecting mega investments in EV manufacturing, data centers, and AI infrastructure. By contrast, business services led by project count, accounting for 28% of all projects, pointing to continued strength in services-led expansion.

Zooming out: Over the 2021-2025 period, the UAE attracted USD 98.4 bn in cumulative greenfield FDI across 5.6k projects, equivalent to a 32.3% CAGR in announced capital, reinforcing its position as one of the fastest-growing FDI destinations globally.

Who were we keen on? Once again, last year was marked by several high-value projects on the outflow side, which brought total outbound UAE FDI across 365 projects to USD 109.2 bn, up 51% y-o-y. MGX’s investment for a data center campus in France made it the highest recipient for capital values, followed by the US, thanks to Damac’s USD 20 bn data center commitment and Emirates Global Aluminium’s USD 4 bn aluminum plant.

Background: 2024 set the base

As we reported, the UAE ranked first globally for greenfield FDI relative to GDP in 2024, scoring 14.26 on FDI Intelligence’s Greenfield FDI Performance Index — more than 14x the inflows expected for an economy of its size. That strength came despite a 33% y-o-y drop in project value to USD 14.5 bn, even as project volumes rose 2%.

3

DEVELOPMENT FINANCE

ADFD lends AED 376 mn loan for Tajikistan hydroproject

ADFD backs Tajikistan’s hydroplant: Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) signed an AED 376 mn loan agreement with Tajikistan to support construction of the Rogun hydroelectric power station, state news agency Wam reports. The financing is being provided under the USD 2 bn Abu Dhabi Global Water Platform, launched last month.

Rogun station is a USD 6.3 bn hydroelectric project with a projected 3.4 GW capacity. It is slated to provide energy to 10 mn people in Tajikistan, as well as export output to both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan — and possibly Pakistan — through the Casa-1000 link, which aims to export surplus energy from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan over to Pakistan and Afghanistan. The facility will also provide large-scale water storage capacity.

The loan comes amid deepening bilateral economic ties. The UAE was Tajikistan’s second-largest source of foreign investment as of mid-2025, with cumulative investments of about USD 1 bn between 2020 and 2024. Trade volume doubled y-o-y in 1H 2025, and cooperation has spilled over to other sectors like aviation, tech, and smart cities.

The wider take: Emirati players have been expanding their energy footprint across Central Asia. In Turkmenistan, Adnoc’s international arm XRG acquired a 38% stake in the offshore Block I gas concession last May, while Dragon Oil invested USD 10 bn in developing oil production back in 2024. Elsewhere, Masdar inked an agreement in Kazakhstan for a 1 GW wind farm and a round-the-clock energy project, added 2 GW of wind power and 250 MW of solar power to its Uzbekistan portfolio, and upped its Azerbaijan presence with 1 GW worth of solar and wind projects.

In other ADFD news

ADFD also agreed to provide AED 32 mn for a social housing project in the Seychelles, Wam reports. The funding will be used to build 80 residential units for lower-income households, split evenly across two construction phases, and deliver supporting infrastructure and public services.

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EARNINGS WATCH

Borouge + DAE report on 2025 financials

Borouge posts USD 1.1 bn 2025 net income despite pricing pressure

Adnoc petrochemicals JV Borouge ended 4Q 2025 on firmer footing, posting net income of USD 330 mn, down 0.1% y-o-y but up 12% q-o-q, while revenue rose 3% y-o-y to USD 1.7 bn, up 16% q-o-q, according to its management discussion and analysis report (pdf) and earnings release (pdf). Record production and sales volumes, up 21% to 1.6 mn tonnes, helped cushion an 8% y-o-y drop in realized prices amid softer global benchmarks.

FY 2025: Net income reached USD 1.1 bn, down 11% y-o-y, while revenue slipped 3% y-o-y to USD 5.9 bn as pricing weakened. Volumes did much of the stabilizing, with record sales of 5.4 mn tonnes (+1% y-o-y) after output rebounded in the second half following planned maintenance earlier in the year. Production ran above normal output, coming in at 5.1 mn tonnes, while infrastructure solutions accounted for 39% of total volumes.

Dividends: Borouge reiterated plans to pay a FY 2025 dividend of 16.2 fils per share, subject to shareholder approval, with the second-half payout due in April 2026.

Looking ahead: Management expects polyolefin pricing to remain soft in the near term but sees Asia Pacific and the Middle East outperforming developed markets. With no major turnarounds planned in 2026, Borouge predicts 105% average utilization alongside a gradual ramp-up of Borouge 4 facilities.

DAE records positive FY 2025 results

DAE had a good FY 2025: Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) saw its bottom line jump some 47% y-o-y to USD 702.2 mn in FY 2025, which management attributed to stronger operating performance and fleet expansion, according to an earnings release (pdf). The firm’s revenues climbed nearly 21% y-o-y to USD 1.7 bn over the same period, largely driven by higher lease revenues from newly acquired aircraft.

Fleet change-ups and milestone acquisitions marked the year. DAE onboarded 280 jets and shed 111 — with their fleet of owned and managed aircraft rising 38% y-o-y to 604 planes. The firm finalized its full acquisition of Ireland-based Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) in May for an enterprise value of USD 2 bn. NAC’s fleet comprised 252 assets as of September 2024, leased to about 60 airlines in 40 countries.

More to come? DAE locked in some USD 3.9 bn in long-term debt financing across various public and private transactions. The firm saw strong demand for its latest debt issuance, securing USD 600 mn in a seven-year bond, alongside a USD 300 mn, three-year unsecured loan from Bank of China in June of last year.

5

MOVES

New Dubai execs for Edmond de Rothschild and Klay

Edmond de Rothschild taps new investment advisory head in Dubai

Edmond de Rothschild appointed Hamza Hamza (LinkedIn) as head of investment advisory in Dubai, according to a press release. The appointment, in effect since 5 January, will see Hamza head up investment advisory services in the emirate as the firm looks to keep growing its presence.

Hamza has over 19 years of experience in the field — working for the likes of Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered Bank — advising clients on portfolio building, asset allocation, and structured solutions. Most recently, he was executive director of investment advisory at Nomura in Dubai.

Klay strengthens family office platform with new exec

Klay taps new advisory exec: Dubai-headquartered financial services firm Klay tapped Mohit Gaba (LinkedIn) as director of investment advisory for its multi-family office platform, according to a post on LinkedIn. Gaba will strengthen the firm’s private banking advisory business, develop hedge solutions, and oversee asset allocation for the group’s family clientele base.

Gaba joins Klay with nearly 20 years of experience in multi-asset portfolio management and investment advisory. His career includes senior roles at Citibank and Theia Investments, and he has also shared his expertise on Bloomberg TV.

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6

UAE IN THE NEWS

Adic’s strategy gets ink

Abu Dhabi’s lesser-known sovereign wealth unit is catching the eye of the international press, with Bloomberg covering Abu Dhabi Investment Council’s (Adic) pivot toward a louder, more expansion-focused strategy under the auspices of Saeed Al Mazrouei, who took the reins in 2023.

A USD multi-bn player: Founded in 2007 and wholly-owned by Mubadala Investment Company, Adic boasts a USD 160 bn portfolio, putting it firmly in the global lead when it comes to endowment-style funds. The nearest rivals are the Mormon Church’s Ensign Peak Advisors with USD 124 bn, and Harvard Management with USD 84.2 bn.

Adic is now shedding its traditionally quiet presence to focus on expansion while keeping its core endowment characteristics, Al Mazrouei told the news outlet. The SWF is targeting minimum returns of 10%, upping its BTC and alternative asset exposure, and pushing into segments like ins. and secondaries. Its deep capital reserves and lack of payout commitments are giving it an edge on competitors, as it looks to deploy upward of USD 10 bn over the next three years.

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ALSO ON OUR RADAR

Menzies tapped for work at India’s BLR, Albatha acquires a local clinic, and AI hiring startup Qureos secures USD 5 mn

Menzies secures handling contract at India’s BLR

Menzies bags USD 225 mn contract at India’s BLR Airport: ADX-listed logistics firm Agility Global’s subsidiary Menzies Aviation received the green light to provide ground handling services at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) under a 15-year contract, starting in April, valued at USD 225 mn, according to an ADX disclosure(pdf). The firm simultaneously plans to invest USD 9 mn to upgrade and modernize its ground support equipment at the airport.

Menzies is expanding onto the tarmac: The firm formed a joint venture — Menzies Aviation (Bengaluru) Private Limited — with the airport’s operator Bangalore International Airport back in 2023 to manage and expand air cargo services. The JV aimed to boost capacity by 40k tons by 2030 and become the sole operator of a new domestic cargo facility.

UAE’s Albatha acquires majority stake in psychology clinic

Albatha pivots into mental health sector with majority acquisition: UAE-based Albatha Healthcare, a subsidiary of conglomerate Albatha group, acquired a majority stake in Insights Psychology center, a Dubai-based multidisciplinary practice specializing in neurodevelopmental and mental health services, according to a press release. The financial terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed.

Qureos raises USD 5 mn seed round

AI hiring startup Qureos secured USD 5 mn in a seed funding round led by Abu Dhabi-based Salica Oryx Fund and Prosus Ventures, with participation from Dubai’s Cotu Ventures and Oraseya Capital alongside Globivest and Plus VC, according to a press release. The firm plans to deploy the new capital toward product development and market expansion.

Qureos? Founded by Alexander Epure (LinkedIn) and Usama Nini (LinkedIn), the UAE-based platform brings sourcing, screening, and interviewing into a single AI-driven system that automates recruitment workflow from candidate discovery to interview. Its platform is now used by the likes of Qatar Airways and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Queros raised USD 3 mn in a 2022 pre-seed round and was part of a cohort in Oraseya Capital’s sandbox accelerator.

8

PLANET FINANCE

Software selloff deepens as AI worries rattle markets

A new AI productivity suite caused a stir in global markets, pushing stocks of software and analytics companies down in the US and Europe amid concerns that AI could disrupt their revenue models.

What happened?

Investors reacted sharply to the launch of Anthropic’s AI productivity tools for its Claude Cowork platform, which can automate regulatory work and other corporate tasks, the Financial Times reports. The market took the launch as a signal that companies whose business models rely on professional services and data analytics could see their work reliably automated by AI tools soon.

US tech stocks led the sell-off, with Nasdaq falling 1.4% and S&P 500 shedding 0.8%. The JPMorgan index tracking US software stocks also lost 7%, taking its YTD decline to 18%.

The rout was fueled by fears that even market heavyweights like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Oracle could be vulnerable. Nvidia fell 2.8%, Microsoft lost 2.9%, and Oracle dropped 3.4% as investors digested the implications of AI-driven efficiency gains for corporate clients. “All the software players are clients of the hyperscalers,” such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet, and these companies stand to be affected by the disruption, Jones Trading’s Mike O’Rourke told the salmon-colored paper.

There’s also the concern about rising costs in AI hardware. AMD shares fell 8% despite beating revenue estimates and forecasting USD 9.8 bn in sales for the quarter. The company was “entering 2026 with strong momentum,” led by “rapid scaling” of its data center business, CEO Lisa Su said. However, soaring memory chip prices have raised worries over margins, affecting not just AMD but also Intel and Apple.

Europe and Asia were not spared: The selloff also extended to European stocks, with the LSEG losing 12.8% and advertising firms such as Publicis and WPP seeing declines of 9% and 12%. Over in Asia, Indian IT companies such as Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys lost 6-7.1%, while Xero Ltd in Australia fell 16% in Sydney trading, Bloomberg reports.

What’s next?

The sell-off is being framed as a moment for the market to separate AI winners from losers, and investors are weighing their next moves carefully as software and analytics firms face both growth prospects and potential disruptions from AI. “Our sense from investor discussions is that general appetite to step in remains generally low,”JP Morgan analyst Toby Ogg told Reuters.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

The tech selloff is continuing to echo through markets, as investors ditch their tech stocks for cyclical stocks. Asia-Pacific Indices opened in the red this morning, led by South Korea’s Kopsi.

ADX

10,542

+0.7% (YTD: +5.5%)

DFM

6,662

+0.7% (YTD: +10.2%)

Nasdaq Dubai UAE20

5,435

+1.1% (YTD: +11.2%)

USD : AED CBUAE

Buy 3.67

Sell 3.67

EIBOR

3.4% o/n

3.7% 1 yr

TASI

11,341

+0.1% (YTD: +8.1%)

EGX30

49,632

+1.3% (YTD: +18.6%)

S&P 500

6,883

-0.5% (YTD: -0.5%)

FTSE 100

10,402

+0.9% (YTD: +4.7%)

Euro Stoxx 50

5,970

-0.4% (YTD: +3.1%)

Brent crude

USD 69.46

+3.2%

Natural gas (Nymex)

USD 3.47

+0.1%

Gold

USD 5,028

+1.6%

BTC

USD 72,992

-3.6% (YTD: -16.6%)

Chimera JP Morgan UAE Bond UCITS ETF

AED 3.78

0.0% (YTD: +0.8%)

S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk

151.49

+0.1% (YTD: -0.3%)

VIX (Volatility Index)

18.86

+4.8% (YTD: +27.8%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The ADX rose 0.7% yesterday on turnover of AED 2 bn. The index is up 5.5% YTD.

In the green: Al Wathba National Ins. (+10.9%), E7 Group PJSC Warrants (+4.9%), and Al Khaleej Investment (+4.6%).

In the red: Fujairah Cement Industries (-8.2%), Ins. House (-8.0%), and Aram Group (-4.6%).

Over on the DFM, the index rose 0.7% on turnover of AED 1.1 bn. Meanwhile, Nasdaq Dubai was up 1.1%.


FEBRUARY

Signposted to happen sometime this month: Investopia, Lagos, Nigeria.

31 January-7 February (Saturday-Saturday): Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, International Tennis Center, Zayed Sports City.

3-5 February (Tuesday-Thursday): The World Governments Summit, Dubai.

4-5 February (Wednesday-Thursday): PropTech Connect Middle East, Grand Hyatt Dubai.

4-5 February (Wednesday-Thursday): MRO Middle East, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

4-6 February (Wednesday-Friday): Arab Actuarial Conference, Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel, Dubai.

9-11 February (Monday-Wednesday): AIBC Eurasia, Dubai Festival City, Dubai.

10 February (Tuesday): AVCJ Private Equity Forum, Four Seasons Hotel, Abu Dhabi.

10-11 February (Tuesday-Wednesday): Forbes Middle East Top Advisors & Investors Summit, Conrad Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

11 February (Wednesday): Family Office Summit, Park Hyatt Dubai, Dubai.

11-13 February (Wednesday-Friday): MedTech World Middle East, Dubai.

12-15 February (Thursday-Sunday): The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence Global Conference, Abu Dhabi.

9-12 February (Monday-Friday): World Health Expo (WHX), Dubai.

10-11 February (Tuesday-Wednesday): Top Advisors and Investors Summit, Abu Dhabi.

MARCH

31 March – 2 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Arab Media Summit, Dubai.

26-28 March (Thursday-Saturday): Social Capital Conference, Dubai.

28-29 March (Saturday-Sunday): Emirates International Congress on AI & Visionary Leadership in Transforming Healthcare, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

30 March – 2 April (Monday-Thursday): IAAPA Middle East Exhibition and Conference, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

APRIL

7-9 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Health Summit, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

13-15 April (Monday-Wednesday): AIM Congress, Dubai World Trade Center.

13-15 April (Monday-Wednesday): The International Glass Manufacturing Show, Dubai.

14-16 April: (Tuesday-Thursday): the International Property Show, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai.

21-23 April (Tuesday-Thursday): UITP Public Transport Summit, Dubai.

MAY

11-15 May (Monday-Friday): Dubai Future Finance Week, Dubai.

11-13 May (Monday-Wednesday): AI Everything Global, Adnec Center.

19-20 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Capital Market Summit, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

19-22 May (Tuesday-Friday): Abu Dhabi Water and Energy Week, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

JUNE

3-4 June (Wednesday-Thursday): Annual MENA Investor Conference, Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Dubai.

15 June – 15 September (Monday-Thursday): Dubai Mallathon, Dubai.

JULY

31 July (Friday): Large businesses achieving annual revenues equal to or above AED 50 mn must appoint an accredited service provider for e-invoicing implementation.

Signposted to happen sometime in October 2026:

  • Abu Dhabi Space Week, Abu Dhabi.

NOVEMBER

9-10 November (Monday-Tuesday): Annual government meetings, Abu Dhabi.

DECEMBER

2-4 December (Wednesday-Friday): UN Water Conference, UAE.

Signposted to happen in 2026:

Signposted to happen sometime in 2027:

  • 1 January: Deadline for large businesses to implement e-invoicing;
  • 1Q 2027: Completion of the first phase of Hassyan seawater desalination project;
  • 31 March: Small businesses with annual revenues of less than AED 50 mn are obliged to contract with an accredited service provider for e-invoicing implementation;
  • 31 March: Government entities are required to appoint an accredited service provider for e-invoicing implementation;
  • 1 July: Deadline for small businesses to implement e-invoicing;
  • 1 October: Deadline for governments to implement e-invoicing;
  • 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 in 2029:

  • Sibos 2029 organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), Dubai;
  • The commissioning of the seventh phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
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