Agriculture Red Sea Global farm co-op builds on Saudi food plans Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global has set up a farm cooperative to supply its resorts, amid wider plans to boost farming and food security. The Red Sea Farm Cooperative, also known as Tamala, aims to build on Saudi Arabia’s record agricultural production levels that were achieved last year. Farmers will be able to sell their […] September 1, 2023
Renewable Energy Acwa Power secures $123m for Egyptian solar project Acwa Power, the Saudi-based energy developer, has secured $123 million of loans to reach financial close on a $182 million solar project in Egypt. The financing for the Kom Ombo solar plant, which will add 200MW of energy capacity, comes from a range of banks and funds. According to a filing to the Saudi Stock […] August 30, 2023
Tourism Farmhouses the latest draw for Abu Dhabi’s tourists Abu Dhabi is turning to farmhouses to add diversity to its tourism as the emirate aims to attract more than 24 million visitors in 2023. Authorities in the UAE capital are set to introduce a comprehensive policy framework to license and promote farmhouse tourism activity, with farm owners encouraged to develop and promote Emirati-led agri-tourism […] August 30, 2023
Analysis Banking & Finance Islamic finance tops $3.3trn but growth challenges remain Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest player in Islamic finance and the appetite for it in the kingdom is only growing. It has $830 billion of assets out of a global market estimated to be worth $3.3 trillion, according to Ayman al Sayari, the governor of the Saudi Central Bank. Just last week, when Saudi […] August 30, 2023
Energy Oman’s $3.4bn green steel plant to be ready by 2026 A green steel plant project planned for Oman is scheduled for completion in 2026 and aims to position the sultanate as a production trailblazer. Vulcan Green Steel, a project by India-based Jindal Steel Group in the special economic zone at Duqm (Sezad) will establish a six million metric tonnes per annum green hydrogen-ready steel plant. […] August 30, 2023
Analysis Trade Saudi minister Al Falih heads to Milan for trade talks Saudi Arabian and Italian officials are to meet in Milan next week for talks on investment opportunities in clean energy, healthcare, manufacturing and hospitality. The Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia will co-host the Italian-Saudi Investment Forum on September 4, as the countries seek to build on bilateral trade that surpassed $11 billion last year. […] August 30, 2023
Tourism Builder picked for luxury resort as Egypt tourism rebounds A construction contract has been awarded to build the first phase of the $1.7 billion Soul Luxury Beach Resort on Egypt’s north coast. Eagle Hills Properties, based in Abu Dhabi, has signed a $62 million contract with Egyptian company Orascom Construction. It described the deal as a “significant milestone” in the development of the resort, […] August 29, 2023
Analysis Agriculture Inside the $100m plan to transform desert farming Total cropland in Mena countries decreased by 2.4 percent between 2003 and 2018 – the sharpest drop in the world – according to satellite imagery. In response, a Beirut-based multilateral is seeking $100 million for a new programme to enhance innovation to increase farming productivity in a region that already had the lowest cropland […] August 29, 2023
Analysis Finance Bahrain adds ‘smart factories’ to strategy to lift private sector Bahrain plans to develop 300 “smart factories” by 2026 as it seeks to boost private sector activity and tackle its sluggish growth rate. The iFactories initiative aims to support the manufacturing sector’s move to digitalisation, reduce dependence on unskilled work and strengthen national industries, said Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, the kingdom’s industry and commerce minister, […] August 28, 2023
Health Pure Health buys UK private hospital group for $1.2bn Pure Health, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, is buying Circle Health Group, the UK’s largest operator of private hospitals. The deal, valued at AED4.4 billion ($1.2 billion), is Pure Health’s first entry into the UK. Based in Abu Dhabi, Pure Health has a network of more than 25 hospitals, 160 laboratories, 100 […] August 28, 2023
Banking & Finance Network invests $32m to fuel Egypt’s cashless ambition Dubai’s Network International is investing EGP1 billion ($32 million) to accelerate Egypt’s transition from cash to digital payments. Network said it plans to enhance its payment technology and capabilities in Egypt. This includes investing significant amounts in procuring, deploying and maintaining about 100,000 point-of-sale machines. It will also invest in implementing and operating its payments […] August 28, 2023
Tourism Dubai lures UK travel firm as Saudi rivalry intensifies Holiday Swap, a UK travel tech company that allows people to find holiday accommodation by swapping homes, is to establish its headquarters in Dubai. Its new office will be located in Dubai Internet City. It aims to support 500 jobs there within two years. The vacation exchange and booking platform has more than one million […] August 25, 2023
Trade Dubai’s exports to Southern Africa growing fast Southern Africa is fast emerging as a vital export destination for Dubai-based companies, new figures show. Dubai Chamber of Commerce revealed on Wednesday that the emirate recorded an 81 percent year-on-year growth in exports to the region, to reach AED477.2 million ($130 million). This was up from AED264 million ($71.8 million) in the year-earlier period, […] August 24, 2023
Analysis Trade Joramco flies high as UAE and Jordan deepen industrial ties Commercial aircraft maintenance operator Joramco is establishing a new Boeing Converted Freighter production line in the Jordanian capital of Amman. The company, which is part of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, is flying the flag for trade relations between the UAE and Jordan as they expand their joint industrial ambitions. Joramco said the new venture will support […] August 24, 2023
Tech Dubai tech company buys Virgin Mobile Latin America A Dubai technology investment company has bought Virgin Mobile Latin America, a mobile virtual network operator with operations in Mexico and Colombia. The acquisition by Beyond One follows its buyout in February of Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa, which serves Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Kuwait. A mobile virtual network operator is a provider […] August 23, 2023
Real Estate US builder to manage Riyadh business hub expansion US construction and engineering company Parsons Corporation has won a contract to manage the expansion of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD). The Virginia-based business said it has been awarded a five-year contract by the KAFD Development and Management Company for Saudi Arabia’s prime business and lifestyle destination. The contract supports the expansion of the […] August 23, 2023
Tech Space tech company launches Dubai HQ and listings plan A US space tech company is setting up a regional headquarters in Dubai. Orion Applied Sciences and Technology (OrionAST), a global provider of high-resolution satellite data, is establishing a base in Dubai Silicon Oasis and intends to list its shares on Dubai Financial Market. The company has also launched a subsidiary, Open Skies Industries, to […] August 22, 2023
Employment Dubai named top city for ‘executive nomads’ Dubai has risen to the top of a new index that ranks the world’s most desirable destinations for executive nomads. New entry Abu Dhabi is also emerging as a hotspot for senior professional remote workers, placing fourth. Malaga and Miami took second and third places. According to the latest Savills Executive Nomad Index, Dubai has […] August 22, 2023
Industry Petrochemicals producer in $40m blow A major Saudi Arabian petrochemicals company has announced a temporary shutdown at some of its plants which is likely to cost it SAR150 million ($40 million). Yanbu National Petrochemical Company (Yansab) said a “technical upset” forced the shutdown on August 14 and is likely to continue into early September. “The work is in progress to […] August 22, 2023
Finance Saudi investor leads $350m funding for US space company An investment firm from Saudi Arabia has led a $350 million funding round for Axiom Space, three months after the US company took the kingdom’s first astronauts to the International Space Station. Axiom Space said the Series-C funding round was led by Saudi Arabia’s Aljazira Capital and South Korean healthcare firm Boryung, taking its total […] August 22, 2023
Exclusive Health US biotech manufacturer seeks Gulf genomics partners US biotech company ProPhase Labs is in talks with prospective partners in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. ProPhase Labs, which is listed on Nasdaq, has appointed two advisers: investment bank ThinkEquity and Al Ramz Corporation, a capital markets financial institution in Abu Dhabi. Discussions with potential partners in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia are […] August 22, 2023
Analysis Trade Aid turns to trade as UAE plans Ethiopia investments The UAE is planning to increase its investments in Ethiopia as the economic relationship between the two countries evolves from aid to trade. More than a dozen memoranda of understanding were signed between public and private entities in Addis Ababa during an official visit to Ethiopia by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan […] August 21, 2023
