Outlook for aviation sector uncertain as Western airlines take step back from the region

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: A fire at Fujairah + relief is coming to the UAE’s delivery sector

Good morning, friends — what a day it has been. We’ve had four jump scares — so far — from alerts on our phones, the first since the ceasefire began almost a month ago. The alerts came only a few hours after reports of an attack on Adnoc’s (empty) Barakah tanker, which was attempting to pass through Hormuz.

The tanker was safe with no reported injuries, but the UAE accused Iran of what it says was an unprovoked “terrorist attack” and demanded it halt all hostilities.

Later, there were reports of a fire erupting at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone and the UAE said it intercepted three cruise missiles from Iran while a fourth fell into the sea.

The attacks seemed out of the blue, with things remaining calm across the Gulf over the past three weeks since the ceasefire was announced.

But… they weren’t completely: Before the reported attacks, US President Donald Trump had said US troops would guide stranded ships out of the strait, after which Iran’s navy claimed it blocked US ships from entering Hormuz and threatened to attack any US forces breaking its blockade. Iran also said two missiles hit a US vessel, though US Central Command denied any strike.

Iran seems to be targeting every oil export route the UAE has. The Strait remains blocked, and now the Fujairah pipeline, which has been carrying out half of the UAE’s output since the war began, is likely compromised.

And now… the question on everyone’s mind: What’s next? We’re keeping an eye out for news out of the UAE or the US on a potential response to the attack.

Not a response but … last night, the US said it sank several small Iranian boats and shot down missiles and drones launched from Iran as it pushed to open up the strait through its so-called Project Freedom.

It remains unclear what this means for peace negotiations, but it appears that they’re still on track. “As talks are making progress with Pakistan's gracious effort, the US should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE,” Iran’s Foreign Minister said on X earlier this morning.

Schools and nurseries are going remote until the end of the week “to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the educational community,” the Education Ministry said in a post on X, adding that it may extend the directive if necessary. Schools and nurseries resumed operations late last month after weeks of remote learning.

While all of this is happening, Make it in The Emirates is set to continue at the Adnec Center Abu Dhabi. We have everything you need to know from day one in the news well, below.

WEATHER- It’s extra warm in Dubai again today, with a high of 40°C and a low of 29°C, while Abu Dhabi will see a high of 38°C and a low of 26°C.

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Watch this space

Relief is now coming for the UAE’s delivery backbone, with the Postal Sector Regulatory Committee rolling out a support package for postal and courier firms to ease cost pressures and keep operations running amid disruption linked to the ongoing war, according to a press release.

The measures include deferring all 1Q 2026 fees to 2Q and waiving related penalties, in a bid to boost liquidity as operators grapple with rising costs, shipment delays, and more volatile demand.

ICYMI- Support has been on a roll across sectors: The latest comes alongside a new AED 1 bn national fund targeting localization and supply-chain resilience, following earlier measures aimed at healthcare, SMEs, tourism, and other critical parts of the economy.

REAL ESTATE — Some developers in the UAE are lowering down payments for units to 2-20%, and sometimes rolling on or waiving the standard 4% registration fee, without touching headline prices, Al Khaleej reports.

The rationale: The move is a way to pull in both end-users and new investors at a time when confidence is wavering, without compromising on pricing, founder and CEO of Orla Properties Munir Al Deraawi told the news outlet. We recently reported on another incentive aiming to bring in more international investors to the real estate scene, after Dubai lowered entry requirements for property-linked visas.

Others, however, aren’t making any changes, with Emaar CEO Mohamed Alabbar telling Bloomberg that the firm wouldn’t lower sales points by a single USD, pointing to the fact that Emirati firms had bounced back quickly following previous regional tensions. Alabbar also said monthly customer data showed clients were still confident in local real estate, however he noted that Emaar was delaying offering tenders for projects given current disruptions for contractors.

ECONOMY — Al Zeyoudi adds more color to our currency swap talks with the US: The Emirates’ currency swap with the US is “under discussion,” Foreign Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi confirmed, adding that the move is an “elite matter. It is not about bailing out.” He pointed to the monetary authorities of Europe, the UK, Japan, Canada and Switzerland, all of which have permanent USD swap lines with the Federal Reserve.

Wait, a currency swap? News of the currency swap first made headlines late last month, when the New York Times and Wall Street Journal broke the news. Shortly after, the UAE’s ambassador to the US Youssef Otaiba denied that the country needs “financial backing.” We broke down what it all means in a story published last week — check it out here.

INVESTMENT WATCH — It’s business as usual for Mubadala: “The last eight weeks have been difficult … Everyone is looking for [potential prospects]. We are looking past all the stuff that brought us down,” Mubadala Deputy CEO Waleed Al Muhairi said. The sovereign wealth fund is currently doubling down on AI, healthcare, and energy in the US, where it currently has 44% of its total assets.

The big story abroad

The US-Iran war is once again dominating headlines after Iran attacked the UAE and the US sank Iranian boats crossing the Strait of Hormuz, casting doubts about an already shaky ceasefire.

^^ We have more in the news well, above.

Oil jumped following the exchange of attacks, with Brent futures rising some 6% to USD 114.44 per bbl.

Analysts don’t think investors are grasping the gravity of the situation, with some saying that the energy crisis could be pushing global economies into a big recession. “We think oil should be higher and the equity market should be a lot, lot weaker,” head of market intelligence at Energy Aspect Amrita Sen told CNBC, explaining that there is an “extremely misplaced euphoria.”

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

Recovery ahead for the aviation sector?

1Q 2026 was the first quarter in a while where Dubai International Airport (DXB) did not report a rise in traffic. The airport saw traffic fall 20.6% y-o-y during the quarter, while March traffic plunged 65.7%, according to recent data. Even during the war, around 6 mn passengers moved through DXB, and 213k tons of cargo came through as of 30 April.

Only up from here? “Aviation has a long track record of rebounding quickly from shocks,”

Richard Maslen, head of analysis at CAPA - Centre for Aviation, tells EnterpriseAM. “Dubai International Airport remains one of the most structurally advantaged hubs in global aviation. The question is not whether it recovers — but how quickly confidence returns to match demand.”

IN CONTEXT- Airspace restrictions imposed at the start of the war were scrapped earlier this week, setting the stage for a gradual recovery. Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said flights are currently being ramped up.

DXB now has 51 airlines — out of 90 — serving 192 destinations, Griffiths said, which falls short of the usual throughput. The gap is mostly due to less US and Western European airlines operating flights to and from DXB due to difficulty obtaining ins. cover, as government travel advisories continue, he added.

“The key issue for Western airlines is not demand — it’s risk-adjusted profitability,” Maslen tells us. “In the current environment, deploying aircraft into the Gulf comes with higher uncertainty, higher costs, and operational complexity.” Add to that the already highly competitive landscape of the Gulf, and “the commercial case becomes much harder.” “Capacity follows certainty — and right now, certainty lies elsewhere,” he adds.

Still, recovery is expected — and soon: Griffiths expects airlines to come back “very rapidly now,” Griffiths said. May figures are already strong, and the transfer market, which usually accounts for half of the usual data, is recovering strongly, he said, adding that he remains optimistic, particularly heading into 3Q and 4Q.

The problem? “If ins. constraints and travel advisories don’t ease,” Maslen says. That might “slow recovery rather than stop it — but the impact is meaningful. They affect airline decisions, passenger confidence, and cost structures all at once, creating a drag on both capacity and demand, particularly in higher-yield segments where corporate travel providers hold huge influence.”

Already, Griffiths says, its target to reach 100 mn passengers a year has been shifted from 2026 to 2027, according to Bloomberg. Despite that, Griffiths still expects to close the year in “positive territory.” Maslen’s take? “The recovery is intact — but the runway has just got longer. Confidence, not demand, is the real constraint right now.”

Home advantage

If there’s one key takeaway from day one of Make It In the Emirates, it’s that the UAE is not just after FDI anymore. Officials are doubling down on local investments, domestic resilience, and localization as supply chain disruptions hit multiple sectors across the economy, with Industry and Advanced Technology Minister and Adnoc CEO Sultan Al Jaber framing local investment as a “national priority.”

The data backs it up: UAE-based investors have already been deploying bns into the economy, with AED 119 bn deployed last year, dwarfing foreign direct investment by 2.5x, Special Envoy of the Foreign Affairs Minister for Business and Philanthropy Badr Jafar said yesterday. In terms of exports, the UAE’s industrial exports were valued at AED 262 bn last year, with AED 92 bn of the total coming from advanced industrial products, state news agency Wam reports.

This comes after foreign investors pulled out some USD 120 bn from the Emirates earlier in the conflict. While it’s still unclear what the full impact of the war will be on the UAE’s “safe haven” image, with many foreign firms including asset managers like Citadel and Hillhouse doubling down on the UAE, it’s at least clear that a prolonged disruption is likely to add to the level of risk associated with the UAE and the wider region.

Companies in the UAE are working on insulating themselves against that risk, with localization agreements across industrials, defense, pharma, and food.

As always, it starts with Adnoc

Adnoc launched a new industrial resilience program, including five initiatives aimed at strengthening supply chains and expanding local manufacturing, Wam reports. The energy giant also named 70 initial local manufacturers under the scheme, with scope to expand. The company is targeting 24.5 bn USD (AED 90 bn) worth of locally manufactured products by 2030.

REMEMBER- Adnoc is expanding its in-country value program to pump bns of USD into the UAE economy over the next five years as it brings more Emirates-based companies into the energy industry supply chain. It’s also lining up AED 200 bn in project awards between now and 2028.

Mubadala’s working the oil servicing + pharma angle

Mubadala and Spain-based industrial manufacturer Tubacex Group have brought online their Abu Dhabi facility for manufacturing oil country tubular goods (OCTG), the two said on the sidelines of the conference. The project is backed by a USD 200 mn investment and has already signed up Adnoc as a client for tubulars used in gas extraction and production.

The facility is the Middle East’s first dedicated base for these kinds of products, offering an option for firms to be supplied with local specialized energy infrastructure tools rather than relying on imports. It’ll reduce reliance on overseas processing and shorten delivery cycles. The facility has the capacity of 20k tons per year and is geared toward both conventional and lower-carbon energy projects.

Mubadala’s healthcare arm Mubadala Bio also just opened a 2.5k sqm expansion of its warehouses to accommodate more medical supplies for its pharma logistics subsidiary GMSC, it said in a statement.

In other pharma news…

UAE-based pharma manufacturer LifePharma inked an MoU with Abu Dhabi Ports (AD Ports) for an AED 700 mn pharma manufacturing platform in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi, according to a press release.

The platform is designed to expand domestic production across vaccines, oncology, treatments, and advanced injectables, including peptides and biologics. It is expected to contribute around AED 2 bn to GDP over its lifecycle.

Who’s doing what? Abu Dhabi Ports Group will provide infrastructure, land access, and utilities, while LifePharma leads technical and regulatory development. The project also includes financing support from Ajman Bank.

The same logic is beginning to show up in defense procurement

The UAE’s defense and security authority Tawazun Council tapped Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer for aircraft, but a key condition in the contract called for the development of maintenance, repair, and overhaul capacity in partnership with a national company, according to a press release. Tawazun is set to receive 10 firm orders and 10 options of the C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.

The plan: The aircraft will be used across cargo and troop transport, medical evacuation, humanitarian missions, and airdrop operations in complex, mission-critical environments.

And food supply chains are moving on the same track

Al Ain Farms Group and NRTC Group have launched a joint venture under the brand Al Ain Taaza, aiming to capture about a third of the UAE’s AED 500 mn fresh juice market within three to five years, according to a press release. The operation is structured as a fully UAE-based supply chain that combines production, sourcing, processing, and distribution under one system.

Who’s doing what? NRTC Group will manage sourcing, production, and cold chain infrastructure, while Al Ain Farms Group brings brand equity, packaging capabilities, and its distribution network of 23k sales points.

Over in construction

UAE-based building and construction materials manufacturer Hira Industries has added a new facility in Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone’s Al Ghail Industrial Zone, according to a press release. The 7.5k sqm site lifts production capacity for insulation materials to over 500k sqm per month.

What to watch

We’re still waiting on the list of 150 key commodities that will fall within the new National Supply Chain Resilience Program’s scope, which were said to be announced at MIITE. Those are set to include food, meds, and industrial goods.

2PointZero reports 1Q boom post-merger + market volatility weighs on Apex earnings

2PointZero posts blowout first quarter post-merger

Abu Dhabi’s 2PointZero Group kicked off 2026 with a surge in earnings following its mega-merger, reporting net income of AED 2.3 bn in 1Q, up from AED 210.2 mn the year before, according to its financials (pdf) and earnings release (pdf). Margins held at 30%, pointing to solid underlying profitability.

Revenue jumped 1,823% y-o-y to AED 9.9 bn from AED 517.1 mn, driven by consolidation across Tendam, Ghitha, and legacy platforms, alongside organic growth. Reported earnings were supported by AED 1.1 bn in unrealized gains from underlying investments and market fluctuations, with management citing strong performance across all verticals despite a volatile backdrop.

REFRESHER- The Multiply-Ghitha-2PointZero merger created a newly listed investment platform last November focused on energy and consumer sectors. Multiply had acquired a majority share in Tendam earlier in the year. 2PointZero group now operates under a new board chaired by Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and pulled in AED 3.6 bn in FY 2025 net income, reflecting one month of consolidation.

Where earnings are coming from: Revenue remains diversified across consumer, mining, energy, and investments, with the consumer segment contributing 37%, mining bringing in 52%, and investments making up 12% of revenue.

The group stayed active on M&A during the quarter, acquiring a 60.8% stake in Italy’s Isem Packaging for AED 704 mn — entering packaging as a new vertical — while signing a USD 2.3 bn agreement to acquire US-based Midstream Partners, marking its push into North American energy infrastructure. It also participated in Whoop’s Series G, adding exposure to global consumer tech. The group also entered India’s renewables market through a joint venture with Adani Green Energy via ePointZero.

Apex slips into loss as market swings and March disruption bite

Abu Dhabi-based Apex Investment swung to a net loss of AED 94 mn in 1Q 2026, widening from AED 23 mn a year earlier, as market volatility and a late-quarter disruption hit earnings, according to its management discussion and analysis report (pdf). Revenue still grew 7% y-o-y to AED 210.7 mn on steady demand across services and cement.

Core resilient, then came March: Underlying businesses held up, with core net income (before tax) at c.AED 37 mn, down just 2% y-o-y. However, escalating tensions forced its better-performing offshore oil and gas operations to demobilize by around 60% and drove up input costs across F&B and coal, erasing earlier momentum.

Markets did the real damage: An AED 115 mn unrealized mark-to-market hit on equities pushed the group deeper into the red, while noncash charges tied to Enercap — including IP amortization and depreciation — dragged operating income down to AED 20 mn from AED 31 mn last year.

Looking ahead: Tensions have begun to ease with partial market recovery into April, while Enercap is progressing pilot deployments in the UAE and Germany and has reduced cashburn by around 34% y-o-y.

Alpha Dhabi sees 81% jump in net income

Alpha Dhabi Holding reported a 81% y-o-y jump in net income to AED 3.8 bn in 1Q 2026, it said in its latest earnings release (pdf). Revenues saw a more modest 8% y-o-y increase to AED 18.8 bn, led by increased income across key business segments — real estate, industrial, and construction.

What’s next? The holding company plans to move forward with fresh acquisitions and geographical diversification and implement AI solutions across its companies, according to its management discussion and analysis report (pdf).

Marjan revamps top team

Ras Al Khaimah’s master developer Marjan Group is overhauling its senior leadership as it ramps up delivery across its flagship projects in RAK. The developer has appointed Saqr bin Omar Al Qasimi as CEO of Marjan Development, Alison Grinnell (LinkedIn) as CEO of Marjan Hospitality, and Donald Bremner (LinkedIn) as CEO of Marjan Lifestyle, according to a press release.

Meet the execs: Al Qasimi previously served as managing director at RAK Real Estate, and also served on the board of RAK Ceramics. Grinnell joins from RAK Hospitality Holding, where she served as CEO and previously CFO, with earlier stints at PwC. Bremner also comes out of RAK Hospitality Holding, where he was COO, and previously ran Stirling Hospitality Advisors after a stint at Jumeirah Group.

The timing matters: The shake-up comes as Marjan moves into a heavier delivery phase, with projects like Al Marjan Island and RAK Central at the center of its next growth cycle and RAK’s tourism and investment push.

Adnoc Drilling locks in Oman stake takeover, another Emirati player doubles down on London real estate, Judan pushes into digital banking

Adnoc Drilling locks in its Oman play

Adnoc Drilling has completed its acquisition of an 80% stake in MB Petroleum Services (MBPS), a Muscat-based drilling and oilfield services provider, according to a statement (pdf), locking in a key leg of its regional expansion. The acquisition — closed ahead of schedule — lifts its fleet to 170 rigs, including 30 across Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain through joint ventures, and adds a 22-rig portfolio across core GCC markets.

Early signs are encouraging: MBPS has secured four new rig contracts in Oman and Kuwait, while posting strong early performance, with freecashflow up 20%+ and net income up over 40% in 1Q 2026. The business will be consolidated from 2026, with a full-year contribution expected in 2027.

REFRESHER- Adnoc Drilling agreed last November to acquire the stake for USD 163 mn, with an option to buy the remaining 20% from Oman’s MB Holding Company, as part of a broader push into regional drilling assets. The acquisition builds on earlier plays in Kuwait and Oman, including its SLB land drilling acquisition, and sits within a wider plan to scale its fleet and deploy up to USD 1 bn into inorganic growth.

UAE banks double down on London real estate

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) and Emirates NBD closed a GBP 121 mn five-year club facility to refinance the Pullman London St Pancras hotel, according to a press release. The transaction, structured as a 50-50 split, marks their second joint UK play, following a USD 177.6 mn student housing financing near Paddington in 2024.

The asset fits the brief: A 312-room hotel in central London, operated by the French hospitality group Accor, next to St Pancras, King’s Cross, and Euston. It is positioned for steady demand across business, leisure, and events.

Judan pushes deeper into digital banking

Abu Dhabi’s new financial heavyweight Judan Financial is stepping further into fintech, with one of its units converting into a digital bank. Reem Finance has secured a community banking license from the Central Bank of the UAE and will now operate as Reem Bank, targeting SMEs, fintechs, and digital wallets, it said in a LinkedIn post.

At the helm: The bank will be led by former First Abu Dhabi Bank banker Sara Al Binali (LinkedIn) and will rely on existing shareholder capital, Bloomberg reports.

The move adds to Judan’s rapid buildout since its launch earlier this year by IHC as a financial services platform spanning banking, asset management, and fintech. It has wasted little time deploying capital: the group snapped up a majority stake in Alpha Wave Global, giving it exposure to global AI names like OpenAI and SpaceX, and is also expanding into India’s lending market via Sammaan Capital.

GameStop’s Gulf gambit

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is courting GCC sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) to bridge the equity gap in his USD 55.5 bn unsolicited takeover bid for eBay, the Wall Street Journal reports. GameStop, a meme stock and the world’s largest video game retailer, already owns around 5% of the legacy marketplace platform — which trades at roughly 4x its market cap. Both the buyer and the target are listed on Nasdaq.

A case of big eats… bigger? This reverse-scale acquisition will need a massive third-party equity injection to cross the finish line, which Cohen is turning to our part of the world to find. The structure also includes USD 9.4 bn from GameStop’s own coffers and a USD 20 bn debt commitment from Toronto-based investment bank TD Securities, leaving some USD 26.1 bn to be filled by SWF equity.

It’s not a shot in the dark. GCC SWFs love playing equity bridge for marquee Western take-privates. The hunt for regional capital tracks with the Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) record USD 55 bn leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts and its minority position in Nintendo through its gaming arm, Savvy Games Group.

How the bid stacks up: At USD 125 per share, the 50-50 cash-and-stock offer represents a 20% premium to eBay’s close on Friday and a 46% premium to its closing price in early February, CNBC reports.

The logic? eBay is bloated and undervalued. “EBay should be worth — and will be worth — a lot more money,” Cohen, who sits on a meme-era cashpile, told WSJ, adding that he wants to make it the “legit competitor to Amazon.”

What’s next: eBay’s board has to respond. If it rejects the offer, Cohen said he’s prepared for a hostile proxy fight.

Pundits are skeptical: “Though the companies overlap in collectibles and resale, we see low probability of an [agreement],” according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Poonam Goyal and Sydney Goodman. Bernstein analysts separately wrote that they “see real challenges to structuring this [agreement].”

Market reax: eBay popped as much as 13.4% in after-hours trading to USD 118, but still traded well below offer, suggesting the market isn’t fully buying the takeover. GameStop, meanwhile, added roughly 4% to USD 27.6.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Markets in Japan, Korea, and mainland China are closed today in observance of holidays. When they open, we’ll be closely watching how investors react to renewed tension in the Middle East. It remains unclear how US equities will open with futures flat.

ADX	9,821	+0.3% (YTD: -1.7%)
DFM	5,780	+0.2% (YTD: -4.4%)
Nasdaq Dubai UAE20	4,658	+0.5% (YTD: -4.7%)
USD : AED CBUAE	Buy 3.67	Sell 3.67
EIBOR	3.5% o/n	4.0% 1 yr
TASI	11,091	-0.9% (YTD: +5.7%)
EGX30	51,974	-0.7% (YTD: +24.3%)
S&P 500	7,201	-0.4% (YTD: +5.2%)
FTSE 100	10,364	-0.1% (YTD: +4.4%)
Euro Stoxx 50	5,764	-2.0% (YTD: -0.6%)
Brent crude	USD 113.80	-0.6%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.85	-0.6%
Gold	USD 4,530	-0.1%
BTC	USD 79,978	+1.8% (YTD: -8.7%)
Chimera JP Morgan UAE Bond UCITS ETF	AED 3.69	-0.3% (YTD: -1.6%)
S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk	151.40	+0.1% (YTD: -0.3%)
VIX (Volatility Index)	18.29	+7.7% (YTD: +22.3%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The ADX rose 0.3% yesterday on turnover of AED 2.0 bn. The index is down 1.7% YTD.

In the green: Al Khaleej Investment (+9.4%), Adnoc Drilling Company (+9.2%), and Sharjah Cement and Industrial Development Co. (+9.0%).

In the red: Fujairah Building Industries (-4.8%), Hayah Ins. Company (-3.8%), and Investcrop Capital (-3.4%).

Over on the DFM, the index rose 0.2% on turnover of AED 671.6 mn. Meanwhile, Nasdaq Dubai was up 0.5%.

CALENDAR

MAY

4-7 May (Wednesday-Friday): Make It in the Emirates, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

12-14 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Abu Dhabi Infrastructure Summit, ICC Hall, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

15-17 May (Friday-Sunday): Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

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

22 May-7 June (Friday-Sunday): Dubai Esports and Games Festival, Dubai.

JUNE

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

3-4 June (Wednesday-Thursday): MENA Desalination Forum, Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

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

17 June (Wednesday): Investopia Global Talks, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

22-24 June (Monday-Wednesday): The International Glass Manufacturing Show, 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.

AUGUST

17-20 August (Monday-Thursday): Arabian Travel Market, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

SEPTEMBER

1-3 September (Tuesday-Thursday: Middle East Energy, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

7-9 September (Monday-Wednesday): AIM Congress, Dubai World Trade Center.

7-9 September (Monday-Wednesday): International Property Show, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

12-13 September (Saturday-Sunday): Emirates International Congress on AI & Visionary Leadership in Transforming Healthcare, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

29-30 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): AFCM Annual Conference, Abu Dhabi.

OCTOBER

4-10 October (Sunday-Saturday): World Space Week, Abu Dhabi.

5-7 October (Monday-Wednesday): AI Everything Global, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

12-14 October (Monday-Wednesday: Airport Show, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

20-22 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Health Summit, Adnec Center Abu Dhabi.

27-28 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Arab Competition Forum, Dubai.

Signposted to happen sometime in October 2026:

Abu Dhabi Space Week, Abu Dhabi.

NOVEMBER

2-6 November (Monday-Friday): Dubai Future Finance Week, Dubai.

4 November (Wednesday): Digital Transformation Summit, Sofitel, Abu Dhabi.

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

10-12 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Dubai International Electric Vehicle Exhibition & Conference, Dubai World Trade Center.

DECEMBER

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

8-9 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): Capital Market Summit, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

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;
1-3 February (Monday-Wednesday): World Governments Summit;
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;
21-22 April (Wednesday-Thursday): Token2049, Dubai;
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 2028:

Artificial Intelligence Summit.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2029:

Sibos 2029 organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), Dubai;
Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, Abu Dhabi;
The commissioning of the seventh phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

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Outlook for aviation sector uncertain as Western airlines take step back from the region

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Today at a glance

THIS MORNING: A fire at Fujairah + relief is coming to the UAE’s delivery sector