Finance Abu Dhabi VC EQIQ to increase Iraq tech investments Abu Dhabi technology-focused venture capital fund EQIQ says it plans to increase the value of its investments in Iraq as the country seeks to recover from more than four decades of war and economic sanctions. Last year, tech startups in Iraq raised less than $3 million in 10 deals, according to entrepreneurship ecosystem development platform […] May 23, 2025
Opinion Energy Gulf welcomes Trump’s hands-off approach to energy policy Trillions were pledged in AI and energy, but Opec stayed out of the spotlight May 22, 2025
Health Abu Dhabi seeks bids for studies of indoor air quality Abu Dhabi is seeking proposals from research companies, consultancies and academic institutions to study the health impact of indoor air pollution, as the emirate plans to draft new evidence-based public health policies. The Abu Dhabi Public Health Center has invited bids to develop research to quantify the health burden of indoor air pollution and propose […] May 22, 2025
Analysis Finance ‘Protection gap’ is growing in the Gulf as insurance costs rise It is perhaps no surprise that, after the heaviest rains 13 months ago since records began and billions of dollars in flood damage, the cost of insuring homes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi has jumped. But it is the so-called protection gap in the Gulf insurance market, which the average 10 to 15 percent rise […] May 22, 2025
Manufacturing China’s ROX Motors to produce EVs in Abu Dhabi Chinese luxury EV maker ROX Motor and Dubai-headquartered W Motors will manufacture electric vehicles in Abu Dhabi as Gulf countries step up efforts to attract automotive manufacturing. The ROX 01, a mid-size combustion-electric SUV, will be made at W Motors’ new facility in the capital city, the companies said in a joint statement. No […] May 22, 2025
Manufacturing Adnoc awards $2bn contracts to back localisation Abu Dhabi state-backed oil giant Adnoc says it prioritising local manufacturing to mitigate supply chain risks and cut delivery times for critical equipment. The oil company has signed framework agreements valued at AED6 billion ($1.6 billion) with 12 UAE companies to manufacture critical industrial equipment under the “Make it in the Emirates” initiative, according to […] May 22, 2025
Analysis Petrochemicals Adnoc bets big on petrochems as sector struggles Abu Dhabi National Co.’s (Adnoc) multibillion-dollar bet to expand its petrochemical capabilities comes at a fraught time for the sector. The numbers may not immediately add up in terms of return on investment but the focus should boost the company’s global reach and technological capabilities, analysts say. “Abu Dhabi is trying to create a global […] May 22, 2025
Aviation Etihad comfortable with Boeing deliveries as profit rises Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, which posted record profit in the first quarter, said it expects to take delivery of at least 100 planes from US plane maker Boeing over the next five years, helping to equip its route expansion plans. “We’re getting more than 20 planes a year for the next five years,” Etihad Airways […] May 21, 2025
Aviation Ex-Etihad CEO James Hogan takes stake in UK’s Global Airlines James Hogan, the former Etihad Airways chief executive who was at the helm during the airline’s loss-making expansion, is set to become a shareholder in the UK’s Global Airlines, a startup attempting to bring the Airbus A380 back into commercial service. Hogan’s advisory firm, Knighthood Global, will take a stake in Global Airlines and advise […] May 20, 2025
Health Mubadala Bio launches to bolster UAE drug security Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi’s $330 billion sovereign wealth fund, has launched a dedicated life sciences unit as part of a broader strategy to boost domestic pharmaceutical production, improve healthcare resilience and support the UAE’s economic diversification efforts. The new entity, Mubadala Bio, will oversee a portfolio of 10 manufacturing facilities across Asia, Africa, and […] May 20, 2025
Markets Mubadala’s US portfolio hit by GlobalFoundries slump Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co suffered a paper loss of $2.7 billion on its majority stake in US semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries in the first quarter, US regulatory filings show. GlobalFoundries’ stock price has fallen by about half from its March 2022 peak, extending its decline this year. This lowered the value of […] May 20, 2025
Real Estate Lunate and Brookfield in $1bn residential property venture Abu Dhabi alternative investment manager Lunate is setting up a $1 billion Middle East residential real estate joint venture with Brookfield, according to a statement on Tuesday. The company will focus on “developing high-quality build-to-sell and opportunistic buy-to-sell residential assets” across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other markets in the Middle East, the statement said. […] May 20, 2025
Space Abu Dhabi launches facility to manufacture satellites Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Space42 have launched the region’s first satellite manufacturing facility to build local remote sensing capabilities. The Space42 Space Systems facility will localise the design, assembly and testing of SAR satellites used for earth observation, securing space-based intelligence for Abu Dhabi, according to a joint statement. SAR (commercial synthetic aperture […] May 20, 2025
Energy Masdar in talks to develop energy storage in Italy Italy’s Enel and Abu Dhabi’s Masdar have begun talks over jointly developing energy storage capacity in Italy, Flavio Cattaneo, the CEO of Italy’s biggest utility, said on Friday. The companies already have a partnership for a portfolio of renewable energy assets in Spain and are exploring options to extend their alliance to more countries, Cattaneo […] May 19, 2025
Opinion Trade Trump’s Gulf visit was grand – but the real test starts now Pledges and deals may change when reality hits May 18, 2025
Transport UAE passenger train service to start operations next year Etihad Rail, the UAE’s national rail project, will start its first passenger service next year. The announcement was made during the visit of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler’s representative in Al Dhafra Region, the rail operator said in a post on social messaging platform X (formerly Twitter). The passenger rail service will […] May 16, 2025
Energy Adnoc says UAE and US to invest $440bn in energy The UAE and US will spend a combined total of $440 billion in the energy sector by 2035, the head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has said. The US is expected to invest $60 billion in UAE energy projects, a panel at the UAE-US economic dialogue said during US President Donald Trump’s visit […] May 16, 2025
Energy Adnoc seeks EU approval for Covestro deal Abu Dhabi state oil company Adnoc on Thursday sought EU approval under the bloc’s foreign subsidies rules for its €14.7 billion ($16.4 billion) acquisition of German chemicals company Covestro, according to a filing on the European Commission site. Adnoc, which last week won the green light under EU merger rules for the deal, is making its biggest […] May 16, 2025
Artificial Intelligence UAE and US to build largest AI campus outside America The US and UAE will develop a 10 square mile artificial intelligence campus in Abu Dhabi, according to a White House statement on Thursday. It will be the largest such facility outside of America. The announcement came as US President Donald Trump met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Qasr Al […] May 16, 2025
Markets Arabian Construction Company hires banks for IPO Arabian Construction Company (ACC), a family-owned business in Abu Dhabi, has reportedly picked local and global banks for its proposed initial public offering. First Abu Dhabi Bank and HSBC will advise the company on its domestic listing, Bloomberg reported. The listing is expected to take place in the second half of the year, sources said. In […] May 16, 2025
Tech US and UAE agree tech plan as Trump lands in Abu Dhabi US and Emirati officials agreed a framework to enhance exchanges in advanced technology as Donald Trump arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday evening on the third and final leg of his tour of the Gulf. The deal includes commitments from both sides to ensure the shared technology is handled securely, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed […] May 15, 2025
Oil & Gas Taqa profit falls as oil and gas earnings take a hit Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) said earnings fell in the first quarter of 2025 amid commodity market volatility and a fall in oil and gas production. Net profit declined by 1.5 percent year on year to AED2 billion ($572 million) in the quarter ended March 31, 2025, the company said in a statement to the […] May 15, 2025
