A big day for M&A: e& expands to Bulgaria + Mubadala said to eye Heathrow, McDonald’s China stakes

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Mubadala is said to eye Heathrow, McDonald’s China stakes

Good morning, wonderful people, and happy hump day to you all. Two more days and we can slide into the weekend and enjoy what looks set to be another beautiful winter weekend.

We have a packed issue for you this morning, so let’s jump straight in:

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT-

#1- Spring break starts on Monday, 25 March for private school students in Dubai, The holiday will coincide with the Eid Al Fitr break, lasting a total of three weeks, with kids due back at their desks on Monday, 15 April. Check out the Knowledge and Human Development Authority’s academic calendar for the current year for the rundown.

#2- Building materials companies get warning on price hikes, price fixing: The federal Ministry of Economy is warning suppliers of building materials that it will act against “any coordinated practices by companies to increase prices” and reminding buyers to bow the whistle if they feel sellers are engaged in price gauging.

The issue: Prices of building materials crept up starting last September when officials announced a ban on trucks capable of hauling 65 tons or more. The ban was due to take effect on 1 February, but policymakers pushed back implementation as the the Energy and Infrastructure Ministry said it would re-examine the measure.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

DXB plans to introduce its smart corridor check-in process before 3Q 2024, Dubai Airports COO Majed Al Joker told state news agency Wam. The process aims to expedite check-ins, allowing passengers to move directly from check-in to boarding without “unnecessary stops,” Al Joker said.

DXB is set to receive ongoing investments ranging from AED 6 bn to AED 10 bn for facility upgrades, transit area developments, and new technology, Al Joker said, without providing a timeline or other details on the capex plan.

REMEMBER-Passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB) rose 31.7% y-o-y to 87 mn passengers in 2023, marking a recovery to pre-pandemic levels.

Traffic is set to grow to 88.8 mnpassengers in 2024, before reaching a record 93 mn passengers in 2025 and 97 mn in 2026.

WHISPERS-

#1- Mubadala to become third GCC shareholder in London’s Heathrow? Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala is in talks to purchase a stake in London’s Heathrow airport after Paris-based buyout firm Ardian approached the wealth fund to join an in-process transaction, Bloomberg reports, citing people who are familiar with the matter. If it goes ahead, Mubadala would join Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the Qatar Investment Authority as the third GCC wealth fund to hold a stake in the airport.

What’s up for grabs? Spain-based infrastructure firm Ferrovial agreed in November to sell its 25% stake in Heathrow in November, with PIF taking a 10% stake and Ardian taking 15%, each though a separate vehicle.

The issue: Shareholders holding a combined 35% stake in the airport have invoked tag-along rights, effectively requiring they be bought out or the full sale doesn’t go through. PIF has for more than a month now been said not to be interested in more than a 10% stake, but Ardian might consider taking a larger position, Bloomberg reports. Ardian needs to find additional partners to snap up the additional 35% stake or risk the transaction going bust.

#2- Mubadala is also mulling investing in McDonald’s China, along with Qatar Investment Authority and China Investment Corp, Bloomberg reports, with a minority stake apparently up for grabs.

Who’s selling? A consortium under Chinese conglomerate Citic, which holds 52% of McDonald’s China through its private equity arm Trustar Capital, has been reportedly weighing its options to divest from the business, including transferring its majority stake to a new investment vehicle, Bloomberg writes. McDonald’s Corporation now owns the remaining 48% after buying Carlyle Group’s 28% minority stake in November.

Mubadala is on course to grow its foothold in Asia and “has a strong pipeline of potential investments,” a Mubadala spokesperson told Bloomberg when asked about the potential transaction.

DATA POINTS-

Food and beverage companies in the UAE racked up USD 16.4 bn worth of retail sales in 2023, according to Euromonitor data made public by the Dubai media office. A breakdown of the numbers:

E-commerce platforms sold F&B worth USD 1.1 bn, a number expected to rise 9.5% by 2027;
Packaged food hit USD 6.6 bn in 2023, and sales are expected to rise to a value of USD 8.3 bn by 2028;
Fresh food retail sales are projected to climb at a 4.7% CAGR to USD 12.4 bn in 2028, up from USD 9.8 bn in 2023;
Beverage retail sales are expected to rise from USD 1.6 bn to USD 2 bn by 2028.

Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) approved more than 8k applications for no objection certificates (NOCs) last year, marking a 39% y-o-y increase, reports state news agency Wam. The increaseis attributed to increased demand for electricity and water from new developments in Dubai.

HAPPENING TODAY-

#1- Star women’s tennis players are here the Dubai Dutyfreee Championships: World No.1 Iga Swiatekis among those on court for the WTA event, which kicked off on Sunday, Khaleej Times reports. The World Tennis Association tour will run until Saturday, 2 March. You can buy tickets for both the women’s WTA tournament and the men’s ATP here.

Swiatek and Coco Gauff have made it to the third round, while Aryna Sabalenka made a shock exit yesterday, losing 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-0 to Donna Veki

#2- The world’s largest F&B event, Gulfood 2024, continues at Dubai World Trade Centre: The event brings together suppliers, distributors, and chefs, to discuss the future of F&B. The event opened its doors on Sunday and concludes this Friday.

#3- The Step Conference kicks off today at Dubai Internet City. The high-profile two-day event will host 400 startups and hundreds of global tech investors for tracks including fintech, wellness, earth, and AI.

#4- UAE Innovates 2024 resumes in Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, before its final stop in Dubai this Thursday, reports state news agency Wam.

#5-The International Dialogue of Civilizations and Tolerance Conference concludes today at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

#6- The Ajman Real Estate Investment Exhibition kicks off its second day today,reports El Balad. Organized by Ajman’s Land and Real Estate Regulation department, the three-day showcase includes presentations and dialogue on Ajman’s property sector, to promote investment in real estate projects.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

#1- CBUAE to hold AED 18.5 bn m-bill auction: The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) will take to auction four m-bill issuances worth up to AED 18.5 bn tomorrow, according to a statement (pdf). Three of the m-bills are tap issuances.

Decoding central bank speak: M-bills are short-term securities issued in AED by the CBUAE at no interest. The bonds typically have maturity dates of one to 12 months and are not retrievable through any other listing. A tap issuance allows the CBUAE to more finely control money supply by allowing it the flexibility to continue selling bills past the initial auction date.

#2- The International Freight Forwarders Conference 2024 gets underway tomorrow and wraps next Sunday, 24 February. The logistics event brings global freight forwarders to the Hyatt Hotel in Dubai.

#3- Taste of Dubai opens its doors this Friday. The four-day food festival will bring together 16 of the emirates’ best restaurants at Dubai Marina’s Skydive Dubai.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR

Mobility startups can pitch ideas for sustainable transportation solutions at Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority’s Startups Challenge, held concurrently with UAE Innovates, starting February 26. You can register for the challenge by sending a nomination request here.

The World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Conference is scheduled from Monday, 26 February, to Thursday, 29 February, in Abu Dhabi. Trade ministers are meeting “at a difficult conjuncture” this year, with factors like regional and eastern European geopolitical tensions and upcoming election threatening to hamper negotiations for global trade agreements, Reuters cites WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as telling reporters in Geneva.

The Investopia Summit will take place from Wednesday, 28 February, to Thursday, 29 February, in Abu Dhabi. The two-day event will run under the theme “Emerging Economic Frontiers: Investing in Fast-Growing Sectors in the New Economy,” gathering investors, government officials, and entrepreneurs to explore investments in strategic markets.

The MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition 2024 is set to take place from 28 February to 1 March at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Look for 2k attendees and 65 speakers, including industry leaders, researchers, and government officials to be in attendance.

Dubai WoodShow is scheduled to start Tuesday, 5 March, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The two day event will welcome more than 680 international exhibitors, showcasing the latest trends and technologies in the global wood and woodworking machinery sector, according to a press release.

Beyond Global Trade opens its doors on Thursday, March 7 at the Edition Hotel in Dubai, according to a LinkedIn statement. The event — held in collaboration between the Economy Ministry, LexisNexis and law firm Al Tamimi — will see speakers from the UAE government, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, and Emirati businesses discuss trade and tech, including digital trade, e-commerce, data protection, and consumer rights.

Dubai to host the Airport show in May: The largest annual exhibition dedicated to the region’s airports industry, the Airport Show, is set to take place in Dubai from 14 to 16 May, 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, according to the event website. The event will showcase around 150 exhibitors from over 20 countries, attracting an expected 7.5k visitors from over 30 countries.

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

e& gets greenlight from Bulgarian watchdog to snap up two telcos

e& gets the all-clear for acquisition of stakes in two Bulgarian telcos: Mobile operator Etisalat by e& is set to snap up a majority stake in Bulgarian mobile operator Yettel Bulgaria and telecoms infrastructure provider Cetin Bulgaria from Czech investment firm PPF Group. Bulgaria’s Competition Protection Commission greenlit the acquisition on Sunday, SeeNews reports (more here and here, the latter in Bulgarian).

Background: Etisalat by e& agreed in August 2023 to purchase a 50% plus one share in PPF Group’s telecoms units in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia for EUR 2.5 bn (AED 9.9 bn).

Disclaimer: It’s not clear whether the entire EUR 2.5 bn transaction is now set to go through, with no reports of approvals from regulators in Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia. The acquisition was expected to close before 1Q 2024.

The acquisitions will allow e& to expand its customer base and “establish a major telecommunications presence in Central and Eastern Europe,” e& CEO Hatem Dowidar said in August.

Binghatti to launch debut USD sukuk to fund land acquisitions and debt restructuring

Dubai luxury developer Binghatti is set to issue its first benchmark-size, USD-denominated sukuk“in the coming days,” it said in a statement.The issuance is expected to have a maturity of three years. The developer kicked off investor meetings for the issuance yesterday, Reuters reported, citing a document it saw.

SOUND SMART- “Benchmark-sized” issuances are usually at least USD 500 mn.

Use of proceeds: Binghatti will use the cash to fund land acquisition and restructure its existing debt, ratings agency Fitch said in a statement, adding that it is giving the issuance a B+ rating.

Advisors: Our friends at Mashreq and HSBC, along with Emirates NBD, Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Sharjah Islamic Bank, and RAKBank were tapped as joint lead managers and book runners.

Binghatti has several projects in the pipeline: Last month, Binghatti Properties acquired a plot of land in Dubai’s Business Bay for AED 365 mn. The developer is also building the world’s tallest residential tower in Dubai.

Dragon Oil plans USD 500 mn investments to boost production in Egypt

Dragon Oil to invest USD 500 mn in Egypt this year: Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) subsidiary Dragon Oil plans to invest some USD 500 mn in Egypt this year to drill new wells and maintain oil production levels at 61k barrels per day (bbl/d), Managing Director Ali Al Jarwan told Asharq Business. Dragon Oil wants to raise its production from the North Safa oil field in the Gulf of Suez to 8k bpd next year from the current 6k bpd, he added.

That’s not the only investment it’s making in Egypt: The oil producer started crude oil production from the Al Wasl field in Egypt earlier this year, and said it plans to invest USD 200 mn to drill seven new wells to double production capacity from the current 3k barrels of crude oil per day. The company plans to drill the wells by 2026.

EDGNEX INVESTS IN TURKEY DATA CENTER-

Damac’s digital unitEdgnex Data Centers is investing USD 100 mn alongside telecoms operator Vodafone Turkey to establish a new 6 MW data center in Izmir, Turkey, according to a statement. The center will connect Izmir to Europe through overland and submarine cables, and is expected come online in 2025, The National reports, citing a press statement

The details: The data center will serve large-scale content businesses and wholesale service providers and will be available for disaster recovery services, The National added. The data center will also address rising demand in the Eastern Mediterranean and on Turkey’s western coast, Vice Chairman Aqil Ali said in the statement, adding that Izmir is an “ideal location” to meet that demand.

For our fellow nerds: It’s a tier-three center, meaning it will offer 99.982% uptime and full redundancy.

Not Edgnex’s first rodeo: The data center firm is investing USD 600 mn to build data centers in Riyadh and Dammam worth a combined 55 MW, as part of a USD 1 bn data center development strategy. The company also inked an MoU in March 2023 to build a data center in Jordan.

Innovo to build Majid Al Futtaim’s AED 1.13 bn Tilal Al Ghaf mansions project

Majid Al Futtaim Development recruited London-headquartered Innovo Build as the main contractor and developer for its AED 1.13 bn Elysian Mansions project at its flagship destination Tilal al Ghaf in Dubai, according to a press release.

About the project: Slated for completion by mid-2026, the project will be home to 94 smart mansions and is set to be the first development to be awarded the BREEAM certificate in Dubai, an assessment that measures the environmental impact of buildings.

ICYMI- Majid Al Futtaim said in Januarythat it awarded construction contracts worth AED 3 bn for the development of Tilal Al Ghaf to ASGC subsidiary Innovo Build to build Elysian Mansions and to UAE-based construction firm Unec for the 130-unit Alaya villa development.

Goldman Sachs Middle East MD steps down. PLUS: New deputy GM and

#1- Goldman Sachs MD and Middle East co-head Selma Hassan (LinkedIn) is stepping down to join logistics firm Rapid Response Services, Bloomberg reports. Hassan, who joined Goldman in 2005 in London, before moving to Dubai, was appointed regional head of the investment bank division in 2019. Two years later, she became co-head alongside Jassim AlSane (LinkedIn), who joined from Citigroup Inc.

#2- Fujairah Cement Industries has promotedAdi Narayana Murthy to deputy general manager at Fujairah Cement Industries, according to an ADX disclosure (pdf).

#3- Sharjah-based investment firm Aram Group has appointed Khamis Mohamed Alshamsi as its newchairman, replacing Ahmed Ali Abdulaziz Alsarkal, who has submitted his resignation, according to an ADX disclosure (pdf). Najoud Abdulla Burahima has been nominated to fill the board position Alshamsi has left vacant.

#4- Ras Al Khaimah Ins. has appointed Dongjun Choi (LinkedIn) as board member following the resignation of Raheel Ahmed (LinkedIn), according to an ADX disclosure (pdf). Choi currently serves as Ras Al Khaimah Bank’s group chief customer officer.

FedEx has a new air cargo hub at Dubai World Central

LOGISTICS-

FedEx Express launches new cargo hub at DWC: Air cargo express delivery giant FedEx Express has inaugurated a new AED 1.3 bn Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa (MEISA) hub at Dubai World Central (DWC) Airport in Dubai South, according to a Dubai Media Office (DMO) statement. The 57k square meter hub incorporates technologies such as automatic sort systems which look to streamline package processing and distribution, the statement said.

MANUFACTURING-

Magsort’s green tech will decarbonize the steel value chain: UAE’s largest steel maker Emirates Steel Arkan and Finnish climate tech company Magsort will initiate pilot testing for an initiative to cut up to 15% of CO2 emissions from the steel maker’s Al Ain Cement Factory, according to a press release. Magsort’s technology is being used to process steel slag — a calcium-rich by-product of steel making — in efforts to decrease limestone and fuel consumption. The plant will be the first of its kind for the region, and comes on the back of Emirates Steel Arkan’s efforts to reach the country’s 2030 decarbonization targets four years ahead of schedule,‍ CEO of EmsteelBuilding Materials — a subsidiary of Emirates Steel Arkan — Hugo Losada said.

TECH-

#1- Uzbekistan to adopt UAE-run AI: Uzbekistan’s digital technology ministry inked an agreement with Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) to integrate the UAE’s AI-powered Falcon Large Language Model (LLM) in its technological infrastructure and government services, according to an ATRC statement.

ICYMI: Last week, Brazil and Serbia also agreed to adopt the open-source LLM in a bid to advance their governments’ tech infrastructure during the World Government Summit.

#2- Abu Dhabi’s Economic Development Department and Hub71 are launching a program to connect startups in key sectors with their regulatory authorities, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. The “regulatory sandbox program” targets healthtech, mobility, and agritech companies close to market entry stage, allowing them to test emerging technologies with regulators ahead of launch.

#3- AI office + UNDP partner to accelerate AI adoption: The government’s AI office inked a partnership agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to promote leveraging AI technologies to achieve the sustainable development goals, Wam reports.

BANKING-

Adib launches new payment platform to streamline remittance transfers:Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank partnered with payment solutions company ProgressSoft to launch a new payment platform that it says will simplify the integration of cross-border services and speeds up cross-border remittances, state news agency Wam reports.

EDUCATION-

The Education Ministry wants to make it easier for higher education institutions in the Ajman Freezone to obtain licenses, according to a press release.

WASTE MANAGEMENT-

IFFCO Group’s Noor Oil and Bee’ahhave launched a recycling campaign to recycle cooking oil into biodiesel, according to a statement. The campaign involves placing Bee’ah machines in several locations across the country — including Sharjah National Park, Al Gharayen, and Dubai’s JLT — where consumers can drop off their used cooking oil and pick up a clean bottle in its place.

IFFCO is boosting sustainability efforts: IFFCO earmarked AED 77 mn for its corporate ESG strategy, with 156 projects in the pipeline, back in November.

GREEN ENERGY-

SkyPower Global to build solar plant in Congo: The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has contracted UAE-based firm SkyPower Global to develop a 200 MW solar plant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, company CEO Kerry Adler told Khaleej Times. The project marks the first phase of the USD 200 mn, 1 GW DRC Green Giant project slated for completion within 18-24 months.

RETAIL-

Dubai Municipality inked a partnership with Majid Al Futtaim to establish a digital food security platform aimed at sharing “strategic food commodity data … to ensure that all members of society have access to healthy, safe, nutritious, and affordable food, even in times of crisis and emergencies,” Dubai Municipality Environment Agency CEO Alia Al Harmoodi said in a press release.

STARTUPS-

UAE-based Edtech startup Thiqa Tutoring bagged USD 300k in funding from Bahrain-based Hope Funds’ VC Hope Ventures, private sector investor Mashael Fairooz, and angel investor Lamya Mahmood through their participation in the third season of the entrepreneurship-themed reality television show Beban, Wamda reports.

US Federal Reserve seen cutting rates in June

Economists now reckon the Fed rate cut to come in June: A slim majority ofeconomists — 53 out of 104 — polled by Reuters expect the US Federal Reserve to start cutting interest rates in June, with another 33 forecasting a May cut.

This is more or less in line with what the newswire’s surveys have been saying since September, projecting the Fed to ease its monetary policy around the middle of this year.

ICYMI: Fed officials have recently been doubling down on the need to see a strong indication of inflation cooling down before they deciding to start cutting rates.

MEANWHILE- Asian markets are in early trading this morning, tracking yesterday’s decline on Wall Street as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed in the red, dragged down by tech stocks. Major benchmarks in Europe look set to open in the red later this morning, and futures suggest a weak open on Wall Street.

ADX	9,400	-0.1% (YTD: -1.9%)
DFM	4,277	+0.1% (YTD: 5.4%)
Nasdaq Dubai UAE20	3,833	-0.2% (YTD: -0.2%)
USD : AED CBUAE	Buy 3.67	Sell 3.67
EIBOR	5.0% o/n	5.2% 1 yr
TASI	12,606	+0.1% (YTD: +5.3%)
EGX30	29,330	-0.4% (YTD: +17.8%)
S&P 500	4,975	-0.6% (YTD: +4.3%)
FTSE 100	7,719	-0.1% (YTD: -0.2%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,760	-0.1% (YTD: +5.3%)
Brent crude	USD 82.44	+0.1%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 1.70	+7.8%
Gold	USD 2,024.34	–
BTC	51,929.31	+0.3% (YTD: +114.7%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The DFM rose 0.1% yesterday on turnover of AED 340 mn. The index is up 5.4% YTD.

In the green: Mashreqbank (+3.0%), Watania International Holding (+3.0%) and Dubai Taxi Company (+1.8%).

In the red: Takaful Emarat (-9.9%), Al Firdous Holdings (-6.0%) and Dubai Islamic Ins. and Reinsurance (-2.0%).

Over on the ADX, the index fell 0.1% on turnover of AED 1 bn. Meanwhile, Nasdaq Dubai closed down 0.2%.

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Dubai Ins. will pay out AED 70 mn in capital dividends to its shareholders, after the board of directors signed off on the payout, according to a DFM disclosure (pdf).

UAE and France launch climate investment platform

UAE + France partner on climate efforts: The UAE and France have signed an MoU to launch the UAE-French Bilateral Platform for Climate Investment to boost investments in clean energy, especially in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries, according to a statement. The platform will include the UAE’s Masdar and Adnoc and France’s TotalEnergies, Bpifrance, and CMA CGM. Masdar and Total also signed an MoU to develop renewable energy projects in developing markets in Africa and Central Asia.

Building on UAE-France ties: Masdar and TotalEnergies partnered to demonstrate the potential for converting methanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) during COP28. Masdar also partnered with CMA CGM to provide long-term supply of green alternative fuels, with a focus on e-methanol, last month.

Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq Al Marrisees GCC tourism growing in 2024, amid pledged to collaborate to activate the GCC’s unified visa, Al Marri said at the eighth GCC tourism ministers’ meeting in Qatar, state news agency Wam reports.

REMEMBER- GCC member states were working on polishing a Shengen-style unified tourist visa that would allow tourists to enter the six member states using a single unified visa starting as early as 2024.

OTHER DIPLOMACY NEWS-

UAE, Egypt to deepen economic cooperation: Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri met with Egyptian Planning and Economic Development Minister Hala El Said to discuss cooperation in technology, SMEs, agriculture, and industry sectors. (Wam)
The UAE’s Climate Change and Environment Ministry inked an agreement with the Lithuanian agriculture ministry to develop their agriculture sectors by boosting agricultural investment, facilitating food exchange, and advancing sustainable food systems. (Statement)
MbZ discusses boosting ties with Congo: President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo discussed boosting economic and investment ties, as well as economic diversification, trade, and renewable energy in Abu Dhabi. (Wam)

CALENDAR

FEBRUARY

2-29 February (Friday-Thursday): Ras Al Khaimah Art 2024 Festival, Al Jazeera Al Hamra.

15-25 February (Thursday-Sunday): FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2024, Dubai.

15-21 February (Thursday-Wednesday): UAE Innovates 2024, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.

19-23 February (Monday-Friday): Gulfood 2024, Dubai World Trade Centre.

20-21 February (Tuesday-Wednesday): International Dialogue of Civilizations and Tolerance Conference, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

21-22 February (Wednesday-Thursday): Step Conference, Dubai Internet City, Dubai.

22-24 February (Thursday-Saturday): International Freight Forwarders Conference 2024 Dubai, Hyatt Hotel.

22-29 February (Thursday-Thursday): UAE Innovates 2024, Dubai.

23-25 February (Friday-Sunday): Taste of Dubai Festival, Skydive Dubai.

23 February-3 March (Friday-Sunday): Maritime Heritage Festival Abu Dhabi.

23 February-3 March (Friday-Sunday): Sikka Art and Design Festival, Dubai

24 February (Saturday): Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, Al Marjan Island.

24-25 February (Saturday-Sunday): Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit, Berklee Abu Dhabi.

25 February-2 March (Sunday-Saturday): Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2024, Al Dhafra Region.

26-28 February (Monday-Wednesday): Management and Sustainability of Water Resources, Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf.

26-28 February (Monday-Wednesday): RTA Startups Challenge, RTA Research and Innovation Centre for Mobility, Dubai.

27-28 February (Tuesday-Wednesday): Dubai Association Centre Conference, Dubai World Trade Centre.

26-29 February (Monday-Thursday): World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

28-29 February (Wednesday-Thursday): Ras Al Khaimah Investment and Trade Summit, Rak Exhibition Centre.

28-29 February (Wednesday-Thursday): UAE delegation attends ‘Invest in Austria’ conference, Vienna.

28-29 February (Wednesday-Thursday): Third Investopia Summit, Abu Dhabi.

28 February – 1 March (Wednesday-Friday): MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition 2024, Dubai.

28 February-5 March (Wednesday-Tuesday): Xposure International Photography Festival, Expo Centre Sharjah.

29 February-3 March (Thursday-Sunday): Gov Games, Dubai Festival City, Dubai.

MARCH

1-3 March (Friday-Sunday): Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah.

5-6 March (Tuesday-Wednesday): MRO Middle East, Dubai Trade Centre.

5-7 March (Tuesday-Thursday): World Police Summit, Dubai World Trade Centre.

5-7 March (Tuesday-Thursday): Dubai Entertainment Amusement & Leisure Exhibition, Dubai World Trade Center.

5-7 March (Tuesday-Thursday): Dubai WoodShow, Dubai World Trade Centre.

5-8 March (Tuesday-Friday): Forbes’ Third Annual 30/50 Summit In Abu Dhabi During International Women’s Day.

7 March (Thursday): Beyond Global Trade, Edition Hotel, Dubai.

8-9 March (Friday-Saturday): World Triathlon Championship Series 2024 Opening Race, Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island.

11/12 March (Monday/Tuesday): Start of Ramadan.

APRIL

TBC April: DRIFTx, Abu Dhabi.

9/10 April (Tuesday/Wednesday): End of Ramadan, public holiday.

8-12 April (Monday-Friday): Eid Al Fitr, public holiday.

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Coatings Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Energy, Dubai World Trade Centre.

23-25 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Connecting Green Hydrogen MENA, Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre.

24-26 April (Wednesday-Friday): Global Education & Training Exhibition.

24 April-1 May (Wednesday-Wednesday): Abu Dhabi Mobility Week.

29-30 April (Monday- Tuesday): Dubai World Ins. Congress, Atlantis, The Palm.

MAY

6-7 May (Monday-Tuesday): Dubai Fintech Summit 2024, Madinat Jumeirah.

7-9 May (Tuesday-Thursday): AIM Congress 2024, Abu Dhabi.

8-9 May (Wednesday-Thursday): Innovative Finance Expo, Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

14-15 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Seamless Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre.

14-16 May (Tuesday-Thursday): The Airport Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

15 May (Wednesday): HFM Summit, DIFC.

JUNE

2-4 June (Sunday-Tuesday): The World Air Transport Summit and International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s annual general meeting, Dubai.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): The Hotel Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): INDEX, Dubai World Trade Centre.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): WORKSPACE, Dubai World Trade Centre.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): Leisure Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

15 June (Saturday): Arafat day, national holiday.

16-18 June (Sunday-Tuesday): Eid Al-Adha, national holiday.

JULY

7 July (Sunday): Islamic new year, national holiday.

SEPTEMBER

9-11 September (Monday-Wednesday): World Utilities Congress, Abu Dhabi.

28-30 September (Saturday-Monday): World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Biennial General Meeting, Abu Dhabi.

OCTOBER

30-1 November (Wednesday-Friday): World Cities Cultural Summit, Dubai.

NOVEMBER

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): ADIPEC, Abu Dhabi.

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): ADIPEC Maritime and Logistics Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi.

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): ADIPEC Decarbonisation Accelerator, Abu Dhabi.

DECEMBER

2-3 December (Monday-Tuesday): National Day, public holiday.

10-12 December (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Business Aviation, Dubai World Central.

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