XRG enters Venezuela

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Du gets the MSCI EM nod as two names get the boot + Wendy’s could be BlueFive’s latest play

Good morning, everyone. Defense contracts keep flowing into Washington, and a very American name could be BlueFive’s latest target for its portfolio.

The UAE is adding new THAAD launches to its missile defense network under a USD 211.4 mn Lockheed Martin contract modification, underscoring Washington’s continued role as the backbone of Abu Dhabi's missile shield. We’re also following reports of BlueFive possibly joining a consortium eyeing a take-private of Wendy’s in what would add another notch to its increasingly international portfolio.

It’s also another big day for earnings, with results in from Taqa, DP World, Alec, Parkin, and Air Arabia.

The EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum is back —— and we’re devoting the full day to the singular set of questions on everyone’s mind: What does AI actually mean for your company, your people, your economy, your own job — and your kids’ future?

Every session on stage answers one question: “So, what do I actually do about it?”

Join us on 5 October in Cairo. Seats are limited and attendance is by invitation only.

Request your invitation here.

Du gets the nod, two DFM names get the boot

Global index builder MSCI added (pdf) Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) to its Emerging Markets Index in its August 2026 quarterly review on Wednesday. Meanwhile, it removed (pdf) Taaleem Holdings and Deyaar Development from its GCC Small Cap Index. Both changes take effect after market close on 31 August.

SOUND SMART- MSCI’s indices are widely used benchmarks for global equity markets and stakeholders, including institutional investors, portfolio managers, and financial advisors. Investors use the indices as gauges of market performance, benchmarks for comparing other stocks or markets, and blueprints for building index-tracking funds, among other purposes. Getting added typically draws in fresh institutional buying, while getting dropped can trigger the opposite as index-tracking funds rebalance out.

REMEMBER- The telecom operator’s inclusion comes less than a year after Mubadala sold a 7.55% stake in the company for AED 3.2 bn — the kind of freefloat boost that’s become a familiar precursor to MSCI inclusion in the UAE market (see: Adnoc Gas).

MEANWHILE- Taaleem and Deyaar are out of the Small Cap Index, with no other UAE names added or removed there. As with any exclusion, this isn’t necessarily a red flag — MSCI usually drops names for failing to clear market cap or liquidity thresholds.

Stargate campus on track despite war

Stargate UAE is still on track, with construction moving ahead despite the regional conflict, Khazna Data Centers’ Chief Commercial Officer Greg Jasmin told Khaleej Times. Equipment was procured and moved to site ahead of regional logistics disruption for the planned 5 GW US-UAE data center campus, which is set to be the largest AI facility outside the US, he said.

IN CONTEXT- The Abu Dhabi cluster, being built alongside Nvidia, OpenAI, and Oracle, is set to be operational this year with an initial 200 MW capacity.

A testing time: Khazna's existing UAE facilities remained operational during the conflict, with around 300 MW currently live and another 370 MW under construction and commissioning. The company expects around 700 MW to be live and contracted in the UAE within 12-14 months.

Wendy’s could be BlueFive’s latest play

Abu Dhabi-based alternative investment firm BlueFive Capital could be part of a consortium preparing a bid to take US fast-food chain Wendy’s private, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management would be leading any possible bid that could be submitted within weeks. Peltz already holds a 16.24% stake in the firm, and could move to take the chain, which has a USD 1.4 bn market value, private.

Why this matters: Any bid would give BlueFive exposure to a high-profile US consumer brand and mark an expansion of its ever-growing portfolio. Its recent investments include co-leading a near USD 3 bn funding round for China’s Kling AI, as well as a USD 250 mn raise for CargoX. It is also a backer of Bugatti and owns 49% of LeasePlan Emirates.

PSA

If you’re renting in Dubai, you may soon be able to ‘rent now and pay later,’ a service set to launch in September, allowing tenants to spread annual rent payments over up to 12 months at zero interest, Emarat Al Youm reports. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) is developing the scheme with a local bank.

How it will work: Under the proposed model, the participating bank pays the landlord the full yearly rent, while the tenant repays the bank in monthly installments over up to a year without interest. The final structure is still in the works, with details on eligibility, applications, repayment terms, and arrangements between tenants, landlords, and banks expected to be announced at launch.

REMEMBER- The move builds on DLD’s Flexi Rent initiative, which allows tenants to pay rent monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.

WEATHER- The mercury is set to reach 44°C in Dubai and 45°C in Abu Dhabi, before cooling to a low of 33°C in the former and 32°C in the capital.

Oil watch

Middle Eastern crude is flowing back to US shores, with at least 9 mn barrels from the region — from countries including the UAE and Saudi Arabia — set to land at US ports this month, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler picked up by Bloomberg. That’s still roughly half the pre-war norm, but they come at a time when the US has drained inventories to offset disrupted Middle East flows during the Iran conflict, at one point exporting a record 6 mn barrels a day.

The barrels are coming through two channels: cargoes released during June's now-collapsed US-Iran ceasefire, and the “shuttle trade” workaround that's kept oil moving around a largely blocked Strait of Hormuz.

The big story abroad

Washington sold 30-year Treasuries on Thursday at 5.22%, the highest yield since 2001, as investors priced in a debt pile nearing USD 40 tn and inflation still running above the Fed's target — a bill that's compounding as the US doubles down on its Iran strategy.

Speaking of Iran: With ceasefire talks stalling, the US is claiming that it can blockade Iran's shipping indefinitely, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promising a fresh round of sanctions next week as Hormuz tanker attacks keep squeezing global oil supply.

Over in Tech Land: Microsoft has shut more than 15 China offices in five years and weighed a full exit in 2023, even as it keeps a foothold serving Chinese exporters like ByteDance through Azure, Reuters reports in an exclusive. Plus: OpenAI's revenue run-rate is set to cross USD 40 bn, roughly double where it ended 2025, as it races Anthropic toward a public listing.

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XRG takes a stake in Venezuela’s offshore Loran gas field in BP-led deal

XRG has bought its way into Venezuela, taking an equal-interest stake in the offshore Loran gas licence alongside BP and Qatar's UCC Oil and Gas, Adnoc’s international investment arm said in a statement (pdf). The field holds more than 4 tn cubic feet of proven gas.

REMEMBER- We reported in January that Adnoc was evaluating a Venezuela entry through XRG, contingent on clearer legal and financial structures and coordination with Washington. Interim Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodriguez has been rewriting the country's hydrocarbon law to open the door to foreign capital since the US captured former President Nicolas Maduro in January and pushed Rodriguez's interim government toward an investment-friendly posture.

In context: US President Donald Trump has been lobbying American oil companies directly to invest in Venezuela's energy sector — but several have stayed on the sidelines, wary of the cost of rebuilding a gas industry that's gone through years of underinvestment and sanctions. That's the gap XRG, bp, and UCC are stepping into.

Venezuela's gas sector has moved fast since January. Shell was awarded Loran's first phase in June, tied to its existing Manatee development across the maritime boundary in Trinidad and Tobago, with first gas from Manatee expected next year. This latest award to bp, XRG, and UCC covers phase two of the same Loran-Manatee accumulation, which holds roughly 10 tn cubic feet of recoverable gas combined. Loran, together with Shell's Dragon project — another Venezuelan gas field holding 4.2 tn cubic feet — are expected to give Venezuela its first offshore gas exports, with the initial supply routed to Trinidad for LNG processing.

BACKGROUND- This is XRG's second Latin American gas position in under a year. XRG and Eni each took 32% stakes in three YPF-operated upstream blocks in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale basin in June, with YPF retaining 36% — the upstream backbone for an integrated LNG project targeting 12 mtpa across two floating units. That sits alongside XRG's stake in NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG in the US, Azerbaijan’s Absheron gas field, Turkmenistan’s Offshore Block 1, and Mozambique’s Area 4 concession. The oil and gas investor is also eyeing potential investments in Canada and Australia, while also doubling down heavily on US gas.

What's next: XRG's stake is still subject to definitive licence terms, regulatory sign-off, and “applicable international sanctions [and] compliance requirements.”

UAE adds new THAAD launchers in USD 211 mn Lockheed Martin contract

The UAE is adding new THAAD launchers to its missile defense network under a USD 211.4 mn Lockheed Martin contract modification, according to a US Department of War announcement. The contract adds new Configuration 3 (C3) launchers and is a modification to a THAAD production contract originally awarded in 2019 — one that's now worth USD 1.05 bn in total after this latest change. Work runs from this month through January 2031, per the Missile Defense Agency, the US Foreign Military Sales contracting authority overseeing the agreement.

Why it matters: This is the latest in a long line of THAAD-related purchases, deliveries, and upgrades the UAE has made since becoming the system's first international customer back in 2015. This is at least the third THAAD-related US contract action for the UAE since early 2025 — two modifications to a 2021 sustainment agreement and now this one to a separate 2019 production contract — showing that Washington remains the backbone of Abu Dhabi's missile shield even as the Emirates works to diversify who it buys from.

BACKGROUND- The UAE was the first country to deploy THAAD outside the US, receiving its first interceptors in 2015 and acquiring two batteries by 2016. It has used the system operationally since January 2022, most notably during this year's Iran-Israel war.

The contract builds on a broader US-UAE weapons pipeline. The UAE picked up USD 147.6 mn in precision-guided rocket systems from Washington in May, part of a USD 8.6 bn regional package that also armed Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel in the aftermath of the Iran war.

REMEMBER- Just last month, the US had opened the door wider for the UAE to buy advanced American chips, satellites, and defense equipment, with the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security moving the UAE into Country Group A:5, giving the Emirati government and approved commercial entities broader access to license exceptions for sensitive US exports.

The UAE is also defense shopping beyond the West: The UAE is reportedly in early-stage talks to buy India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and Akashteer automated air-defense system as it works to diversify beyond traditional Western suppliers in the wake of the Iran war.

Conflict weighs on earnings from Air Arabia, DP World, and Alec

Taqa marks higher income, lower revenue as L’imad takes full control

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) saw a 21.7% y-o-y surge in 2Q net income, which rose to AED 1.98 bn, even as revenues from customers slipped 2.4% y-o-y to AED 13.8 bn. For the first half of the year, net income rose 9.7% y-o-y to AED 4.1 bn, while 1H revenue fell 2.6% y-o-y to AED 27.5 bn, according to its 1H management discussion and analysis report (pdf).

Behind the numbers: Net income expanded thanks to higher returns from Taqa’s transmission and generation divisions, it said in an earnings release (pdf). Revenue, however, was weighed down by lower pass-through costs for Taqa Distribution, construction work at the Shuweihat 1 plant, and reduced oil production following the planned decommissioning of East Brae in the UK North Sea.

REMEMBER- Taqa is now fully controlled by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund L’imad, which was set to acquire the remaining 1.88% shares of Taqa yesterday, closing out the final chapter of Abu Dhabi’s utility consolidation strategy. This gives the sovereign wealth fund greater flexibility over long-term capital allocation, investment, and expansion strategy, keeping critical energy assets fully under state ownership.

Watch this space: A delisting could be the next step, given there’s no remaining freefloat, though no delisting plans have been specified yet.

Dividends: Taqa’s board approved a 2Q cash dividend of AED 899 mn, or 0.8 fils per share.

The war weighed on DP World’s 1H income

Conflict-driven disruption at Jebel Ali weighed on DP World's first-half earnings: Ports and logistics operator DP World's net income fell 39.1% y-o-y to USD 585 mn in 1H 2026, according to its financials (pdf). Throughput fell 90.1% y-o-y in 2Q to just 374k TEU, versus a 59.5% decline for the half overall. Its revenue rose 13.1% y-o-y to USD 12.7 bn during the half, while gross container throughput fell 5.7% y-o-y to 42.8 mn TEU. Gross volumes excluding Jebel Ali are up 6.5% like-for-like in 1H.

DP World also noted that Jebel Ali’s infrastructure remains intact, with the decline reflecting reduced vessel traffic rather than physical damage.

DP World's only numeric guidance for 2026 is on spending. It plans to invest approximately USD 3 bn for the year, funding projects including Jebel Ali's expansion, EZ World, London Gateway, and the two new Fujairah terminals it plans to develop as a workaround for the Strait of Hormuz.

Doubling down: DP World is still adding Gulf capacity, with plans for two new terminals on the UAE’s Gulf of Oman coast, away from the Strait of Hormuz disruption that hit Jebel Ali.

Alec Holdings hit by offshore energy costs

Dubai-based construction firm Alec Holdings swung to a net loss in 2Q as regional geopolitical conflict disrupted offshore energy operations and drove up project costs. The DFM-listed contractor reported a net loss of AED 16.6 mn in the second quarter, even as revenues surged 51.3% y-o-y to AED 4.4 bn, according to its earnings release (pdf) and financials (pdf). For 1H, net income fell 10.5% y-o-y to AED 213.8 mn, despite total group revenues climbing 67.6% y-o-y to nearly AED 9 bn.

The margin squeeze was concentrated in the group’s energy services subsidiary. Although energy services revenues rose 36.9% y-o-y to AED 2.8 bn in 1H, it posted a gross loss of AED 157.5 mn as extended offshore work stoppages from regional geopolitical conflict forced the division to absorb fixed idle workforce expenses. Meanwhile, the building and construction division remained the largest contributor, with revenues surging 105% y-o-y to AED 5.8 bn, while related businesses grew 123.7% y-o-y to AED 2.6 bn on higher internal MEP and fit-out cross-selling.

Dividends: The board approved an interim cash dividend of AED 100 mn for 1H 2026, set for an October payment.

Air Arabia also saw a hit to its earnings from the war

Reduced operating capacity meant Air Arabia’s net income after tax came in at AED 87.9 mn in 2Q, down 74.9% y-o-y, according to its financials (pdf) and earnings presentation (pdf). Revenues saw a more muted 3.4% drop to AED 1.7 bn during the period, with higher direct and finance costs weighing on results.

For 1H, revenues dipped 1.1% y-o-y to AED 3.5 bn, as net income dropped by 48.7% to AED 336.1 mn. Net income before tax came in at AED 374.4 mn, down 51.4%. Passenger numbers for 1H were down 14% y-o-y to 8.7 mn, due to airspace closures and disruptions because of the regional war. Higher fuel prices also weighed on earnings.

Parkin records strong 2Q from expansion

Developer expansion and strong sales helped Dubai’s public park operator Parkin record net income of AED 166.2 mn in 2Q, up 12% y-o-y, as revenues grew 14% on a yearly basis to AED 364.1 mn, according to its earnings release (pdf). Revenues from public parking slipped 8% y-o-y but still provided the biggest topline contribution with AED 121.9 mn. Its developer parking segment saw the most growth with 61% and AED 35.8 mn overall, followed by its season cards and permits segment with AED 50% growth to AED 78.2 mn.

Net income rose 23% in 1H to AED 351.4 mn on the back of a 26% uptick in revenues to AED 593.3 mn. Once again, the developer, seasonal cards, and permits segments saw the biggest topline growth, all clocking a 63% uptick, while public parking brought in the most revenues.

Behind the growth: Developer spaces rose 213.8% y-o-y to close out 1H with 61.5k spots on the back of new contracts, helping to push total parking spaces up 27% y-o-y to 211.5k.

Dividends: The operator is aiming to pay out whichever is higher of at least 100% of net income for 1H, or free-cashflow to equity.

Mobility tech Naran raises USD 10 mn

UAE-based mobility fintech Naran raised USD 10 mn to expand its vehicle financing platform for ride-hailing and delivery drivers across Africa and Latin America, according to a press release (pdf). The investment came through a mix of equity and debt from UAE investment firm Landel.

About Naran: The startup offers rent-to-own financing for cars and motorcycles, targeting drivers who struggle to access traditional auto credit, primarily in emerging markets. The company is looking to scale up its fleet in Colombia, Peru, Senegal and Ivory Coast and expand into MENA, among other markets.

Anthropic’s backers are pricing in USD 2 tn valuation

Some of Anthropic’s backers are pricing in a valuation of USD 2 tn when it lists as soon as October — arguing that surging revenues justify more than doubling its USD 965 bn mark from May, several of the backers told the Financial Times. A debut at that level would top the roughly USD 1.77 tn valuation SpaceX listed at, potentially making it the largest IPO ever.

High demand for Anthropic’s AI tools is expected to multiply revenues tenfold over the course of the year, they said, adding that they expect Anthropic’s annualized revenue to hit USD 100-120 bn by the end of 2026. One investor’s logic: if Palantir and Nebius can trade near 55x revenue, even a conservative 30x multiple on that growth rate puts Anthropic at USD 3 tn.

The Wall Street Journal had already flagged the trajectory — revenue more than doubling q-o-q to USD 10.9 bn, enough for Anthropic’s first-ever operating income. Investors have backed that growth with capital: institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, and venture capitalists have poured nearly USD 100 bn into the company this year.

BACKGROUND- It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Anthropic despite what it sounds like. Washington forced the company to pull its newest Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models offline worldwide in June. This came after Mythos 5 — alongside a rival OpenAI model — was found to have carried out “unsanctioned” actions during UK government safety testing, including hacking a website and attempting to inject harmful code. Meanwhile, low-cost Chinese rivals are continuing to undercut prices and gain ground.

MEANWHILE- Wealth managers aren’t waiting for the bell: Firms are building out their Silicon Valley operations ahead of a new wave of AI-IPO wealth — with Morgan Stanley’s USD 74 bn asset capture from post-IPO SpaceX staff serving as the blueprint everyone is chasing, the salmon-colored paper reports separately. The pitch is getting cheaper too: wealth group Choreo is offering some clients a management fee starting at 0.5%, roughly half the industry’s usual 1%, to lock in relationships before the money lands.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are mostly in the green, with South Korea’s Kospi leading gains, up 2.5% at open, and Japan’s Nikkei gaining 0.75%. Meanwhile, Wall Street futures are little changed after a record session, which some analysts have chalked up to a solid earnings season.

ADX	10,045	+0.3% (YTD: +0.5%)
DFM	5,908	-0.2% (YTD: -2.3%)
Nasdaq Dubai UAE20	4,858	+0.1% (YTD: -0.6%)
USD : AED CBUAE	Buy 3.67	Sell 3.67
EIBOR	3.4% o/n	4.3% 1 yr
TASI	10,824	-0.2% (YTD: +3.2%)
EGX30	55,252	+0.4% (YTD: +32.1%)
S&P 500	7,799	+0.7% (YTD: +13.9%)
FTSE 100	10,773	-0.6% (YTD: +8.5%)
Euro Stoxx 50	6,545	+0.2% (YTD: +13%)
Brent crude	USD 87.14	+0.1%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.75	+0.7%
Gold	USD 4,385	-0.8%
BTC	USD 63,392	-0.3% (YTD: -28.6%)
Chimera JP Morgan UAE Bond UCITS ETF	AED 3.62	0.0% (YTD: +1%)
S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk	151.24	+0.3% (YTD: -0.4%)
VIX (Volatility Index)	14.63	+0.6% (YTD: -2.1%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The ADX rose 0.3% yesterday on turnover of AED 1.3 bn. The index is up 0.5% YTD.

In the green: Fujairah Cement Industries (+13.0%), Sharjah Cement and Industrial Development Co. (+4.1%), and Abu Dhabi National Co. for Building Materials (+3.0%).

In the red: Al Wathba National Ins. Co. (-5.0%), Gulf Cement Co. (-4.8%), and Umm Al Qaiwain General Investment Co. (-4.5%).

Over on the DFM, the index fell 0.2% on turnover of AED 611.7 mn. Meanwhile, Nasdaq Dubai was up 0.1%.

Manu Midha sold a Saudi fintech, then built a fixed-price alternative to law firms and accountants

Manu Midha spent over a decade bouncing between e-commerce startups before building and selling a fintech business in Saudi Arabia — then, less than two years ago, turned around and did it again. This time it’s Arnifi, a fixed-price alternative to the lawyers-and-accountants maze that greets anyone trying to set up a company across borders.

It's working: Arnifi has incorporated more than 1.2k companies — for clients ranging from Bollywood names to some of India’s richest families — with a 100-person team split between India and the UAE, where it says it’s now the second-largest corporate services provider by transaction volume.

Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and throws in a couple of questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Manu Midha (Linkedin), founder and CEO of Arnifi. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

EnterpriseAM: Take us back before Arnifi. What's the path that got you here?

Manu Midha (MM): I’ve been a working professional for close to 12 years now. By background, I started in banking, earned an MBA in finance, and spent most of the following decade at internet and e-commerce companies. Before Arnifi, I built a fintech business and sold it in Saudi Arabia.

E: What problem was Arnifi built to solve?

MM: A lot of people want to set up holding companies, funds, subsidiaries, and other structures in different parts of the world. Traditionally, that space is fragmented between company secretaries, lawyers, and accounting firms. We’ve put a technology layer on top of the entire process — company formation, filings, accounting, taxation, renewals, even visas and immigration, all through one platform and one point of contact. We operate across 12 markets, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the Cayman Islands.

E: Why make fixed pricing such a central part of the model?

MM: It all comes down to transparency. With lawyers, you may have a conversation, then get a proposal several days later, with the possibility of being billed by the hour if the scope changes. We have around 1.6k products in our catalogue, and they’re all fixed-price. A startup and a b’naire pay the same price for the same service. The client gets certainty, and we take the risk of the work requiring more or less effort.

E: How much of what Arnifi does now runs through AI rather than traditional advisory work?

MM: We built Arni Ledge for AI-led accounting and Arni OS for ERP-based workflow management. Take corporate structuring: you’d typically go to a lawyer or banker and lay out where you want a holding company, a subsidiary, or an operating company. But those structures aren’t static. Tax treaties and rates shift constantly, so what was optimal yesterday may not be today. Our system continuously tracks those changes, so instead of waiting days for someone to come back with an answer, you get guidance much faster.

But technology without customers doesn’t prove anything. We need both — products that work and clients who actually use them. Sometimes that means slowing down on product to focus on getting traction for what we’ve already built.

E: What does the UAE mean to Arnifi's strategy?

MM: In two years, we’ve become the second-leading corporate services provider in the UAE by traffic and new transactions. There are players that have been here for decades, so we’re proud of that progress, but we don’t want to stop there. Currently, about half of our business comes from the Emirates. I’m a strong long-term believer in the UAE. While India gives us access to technology, compliance, and accounting talent, the UAE gives us a gateway to the world.

E: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

MM: Morning is my prime time. I want to start the day positively, with energy and a clear head, so I deliberately avoid anything that can spoil my mood. I clear my messages and emails. I tell my family that if they have feedback, a complaint, or anything that needs correcting, tell me in the afternoon. I’ll listen to everything after 3pm.

The first hour has one purpose — making Arnifi better. I might send a note on an urgent client issue or a process fix. From 9am, the day fills up with reviews, sales calls, and clients, so I want that first hour dealt with before everyone else’s priorities arrive. On low-energy days, I start with small admin tasks — bill payments, approvals — just to build momentum. By 8:15am, if I’ve cleared messages and knocked off a few tasks, the rest of the morning already feels easier.

E: And how do you wind down at the other end?

MM: Gradually, not all at once. Clients don’t stop expecting replies just because it’s 6pm. I take a 15-minute nap most afternoons, with zero meetings scheduled between 2 and 3. After 6, I go for a walk near the office and have an early dinner — often with whoever I’m meeting that day, client or friend, instead of doing it at a desk. I close things out around 7:15pm, and I’m home by 7:30pm. I sleep by 10:30pm and get up by 6 or 7pm. It’s a long day, but well-paced — that matters more than how long it runs.

E: What are you reading at the moment?

MM: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff.

CALENDAR

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.

14-17 September (Monday-Thursday): Arabian Travel Market, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

15-16 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.

17-19 September (Thursday-Saturday): International Real Estate & Investment Show (IREIS), Adnec, 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.

14-15 October (Wednesday-Thursday): Sharjah Investment Forum, Jawaher Reception and Convention Center, Sharjah.

13-15 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders, Dubai.

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

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

27-28 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.

30 October (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

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.

9-12 November (Monday-Thursday): EMEA Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education Conference, Dubai College of Tourism, Dubai.

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

16-18 November (Monday-Wednesday): World Police Summit, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai.

18-19 November (Wednesday-Thursday): Touchdown Middle East 2026, Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

25-26 November (Saturday-Sunday): Doers Summit, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai.

DECEMBER

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

4-6 December (Friday-Sunday): Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi.

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

8-9 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.

7-10 December (Monday-Thursday): Abu Dhabi Finance Week, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi.

8-10 December (Tuesday-Thursday): Abu Dhabi Water & Power Week, Adnec Center, Abu Dhabi.

8-10 December (Tuesday-Thursday) Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association Show, DWC, Dubai Airshow Site.

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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