Dubai moves to reassure investors, anticipating strong comeback from war

FREIGHT VISION

Saudi Arabia is advancing plans to establish a railroad corridor with Jordan aimed at boosting trade links and positioning the kingdom as a regional transport hub linking Asia, Europe and Africa. The 1,700-kilometer (1,050-mile) international rail project connects King Abdulaziz Port in Saudi Arabia’s ports of Dammam and Jubail to Jordan and neighboring countries, with trains carrying over 400 containers. The route has previously featured in plans for a rail connection linking the Gulf and Israel’s Mediterranean port in Haifa. Officials say the project will strengthen regional connectivity, reduce shipping time by half, and lessen reliance on long-distance trucking. 

GROUNDED FLEET

Qatar Airways is seeking ways to preserve cash amid its fleet remaining grounded, including asking lessors to defer or reduce rental payments due to war-related disruptions. The airline has canceled thousands of flights since late February, making it the most affected carrier in the region by suspended services, Bloomberg reports. Building its reputation for luxury services and global sponsorships, the airline has been slower than rivals Emirates and Etihad Airways to restore operations, as its new CEO, Hamad Ali Al-Khater, navigates the crisis just months into the role. Around 20 large planes, including A380s and Boeing 787s, have been placed in storage abroad as the airline scales back operations.

Mubadala: The Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund and KKR are selling their stakes in Canada’s CoolIT Systems, a liquid cooling provider to data centres, for $4.75 billion, earning 15 times their investment.

Humain: The Saudi AI investment firm is teaming up with Silicon Valley-based Turing to build a marketplace for AI agents capable of handling business functions such as HR, finance, legal, operations and procurement.

Public Investment Fund: The PIF’s FII Institute announced at the Miami conference the launch of a “Capital in Motion” Index that tracks shifting global investment flows.

Qatar Investment Authority: Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued a decision to reconstitute the board of the Qatar Investment Authority.

Oman Investment Authority: The Omani government has acquired SalamAir to strengthen the national aviation sector while keeping it and Oman Air, an OIA company, as independent brands.

🏨Hotel Fund: Patel Family Office, a U.S. investment enterprise and Saudi-based Abdel Hadi A Al-Qahtani & Sons signed a $1 billion agreement to launch AYARA, a platform that aims to develop 50 international brand-name business hotels across Saudi Arabia by 2029.

🚢 Energy Assurances: TotalEnergies said it will honor all LNG contracts despite disruptions following attacks on facilities in Qatar, relying on its global portfolio to redirect supply around the world and maintain deliveries.

🏡High Value: Dubai Residential REIT, an Islamic‑compliant property investment trust, built 56 four‑bedroom villas at its Garden View Villas community after agreeing to buy them for about $65million.

🏗️ Property Jitters: UAE developers are trying to reassure investors that the property market will rebound after the war, emphasizing strong demand and ongoing project pipelines despite the heightened geopolitical risk, Bloomberg reports.

🛢️ Pipeline Revival: Plans for a Syria-Iraq oil pipeline are gaining renewed attention as regional players explore alternative export routes to bypass chokepoints and mitigate disruptions linked to the Iran conflict, Arab News reports.

🚢 Hormuz Force: The UAE has told the U.S. and Western allies it will promote a multinational “Hormuz Security Force” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid Iranian attacks, The Financial Times reports.

⚓Port Trouble: Kuwait’s Shuwaikh port was damaged by a drone attack as Iran intensified Gulf strikes in retaliation for US-Israeli actions.

💰Cost Help: The World Bank said it will support governments affected by the Middle East conflict with immediate financial relief, policy guidance, and fast-disbursing finance.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who paid a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to discuss Ukrainian defense systems.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister, held separate meetings with Western counterparts, including British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Germany’s Johann Wadephul, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot, Canada’s Anita Anand, and Italy’s Antonio Tajani on the sidelines of the G7 meeting.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Qatar’s Foreign Minister, held talks with Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense, on Thursday in Washington to discuss strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber and Roger Kearns will lead Bourouge Group International, a petrochemicals maker created through the merger of companies owned by ADNOC and Austria’s OMV. Al Jaber, ADNOC’s Chairman and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, will be Chairman of Bourouge’s Supervisory Board. Kearns, chief of OMV’s Nova Chemicals, will be CEO. 

Dr. Al Jaber spoke to the crowd at the Middle East Institute that energy security is not a slogan but an important component in human life, adding that the Strait of Hormuz plays a significant role in it. 

Jared Kushner, the White House envoy and founder of Affinity Partners, said in an onstage interview at the FII Priority Summit in Miami that he’s been working with Saudi Arabia on starting a sovereign wealth fund to support reconstruction of Gaza.

Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Managing Director and Group CEO said in a letter to the U.S.-UAE business council that the sovereign fund “reaffirms the strength of the foundation we have built over two decades,” expressing confidence that Mubadala will emerge stronger” from the current conflict.

Basim Khudair, Iraq’s deputy oil minister, said that the country is repairing the war-damaged Kirkuk-Faysh Khabur pipeline to restore exports of up to 650,000 barrels per day of crude oil to Turkey.

Joel Tan, CEO of XinXi Asset Management, a newly established firm focusing on family offices, told Bloomberg the firm is helping at least seven clients move more than $100 million in combined assets from Dubai to Hong Kong.

🐎Horse Power: Horse racing star arrived in Dubai this week for the 30th Dubai World Cup, including Forever Young, trained by Yoshito Yahagi. A win of $12 million would make Forever Young the richest dirt racer and simultaneous holder of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Saudi Cup, and Dubai World Cup titles. The World Cup takes place at Meydan race track on Saturday.

March 30-April 1, Cairo. Egypes Energy Show. A major international energy exhibition and conference focused on the future of energy. Egypt International Exhibition Center.

April 7-9, Marrakesh. GITEX Africa. Africa’s biggest tech and startup conference. Place Bab Jdid on Boulevard Al Yarmouk

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

May 4-7, Abu Dhabi.Make It In The Emirates. The UAE’s industrial promotion board celebrates its fifth anniversary. ADNEC.

May 12-14, Dubai. Airport Show & Global Airport Leaders Forum. Bringing together top airport suppliers, aviation leaders, and thousands of professionals. Dubai World Trade Center. 

May 19-21, Abu Dhabi. World Utilities Congress. Global policymakers, industry leaders and innovators discuss transforming the power, water and utilities sector into resilient, low‑carbon systems ADNEC. 

May 19-21, Damascus. Big5 Construct Syria. The inaugural edition of the platform for reconstruction and development. Syria Expo Center.

May 19-21, Riyadh. Middle East Museums & Heritage Expo. Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated museums, heritage and cultural development trade show. Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center.

May 8-24, Dubai. Dubai Esports & Games Festival. More than two weeks of events, tournaments, game launches and free activities citywide, including GameExpo 2026. Dubai World Trade Center. 

GULF GAMING

Blackstone has invested $250 million in an Abu Dhabi-based payments firm, valuing the company at about $1 billion in one of the first major private equity deals in the UAE since the start of the Iran war. The investment backs Advanced Digital Gaming Technology, which is building payments and compliance infrastructure for regulated digital markets. The deal comes as investors weigh geopolitical risks tied to the conflict while continuing to pursue opportunities in the Gulf. Blackstone’s move signals ongoing capital flows into the region despite heightened uncertainty, Bloomberg reports.

WESTERN PIVOT

Saudi Arabia is sharply increasing crude exports from its Red Sea port of Yanbu, with shipments climbing toward 5 million barrels a day as it redirects flows away from the disrupted Strait of Hormuz. Tanker-tracking data show exports from Yanbu have already surged to around 4 million barrels a day, up from well below 1 million earlier this year, Bloomberg reports. The shift relies on the kingdom’s East–West pipeline, which can carry about 5 million barrels a day to the Red Sea for export. But even with the diversions, piping oil to the Red Sea will only be enough to offset about half the lost Gulf shipments this month.

DAMAGE TOLL

Energy infrastructure repair costs across the Middle East could reach at least $25 billion Arab News reports, citing estimates by Rystad Energy. Key facilities including LNG trains, refineries, and gas-to-liquids plants, have been hit, leaving some sites offline for years. Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City faces up to a five-year recovery due to destroyed LNG trains and a 17% capacity drop. The disruption is also driving steep costs for regional businesses, like Hapag-Lloyd, which faces $40-50 million in extra weekly expenses that will likely be passed to customers.

Public Investment Fund: The PIF’s NEOM unit has terminated Rome-based Webuild’s $4.7 billion contract to build three dams and related infrastructure at its Trojena ski resort.

Alterra: The Abu Dhabi-backed firm is investing in the U.K.-based Wireless Logic alongside General Atlantic to expand “Internet of Things” technology that connects devices like electric vehicle chargers, energy systems and industrial machines to mobile networks.

Mubadala: The Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund’s Mubadala Energy unit said it has secured a major exploration and production contract in Indonesia’s Southwest Andaman block.

🏗️ Kenya Capital: UAE-based Arise IIP plans to invest $3 billion in Kenya over five years, expanding infrastructure and industrial projects as Gulf capital continues moving into East Africa.

📦Cargo Hubs: Egypt Marine Ports and the Suez Canal Economic Zone signed agreements to develop and operate cargo terminals at Ain Sokhna Port, boosting capacity and advancing Egypt’s goal of becoming a regional transport and logistics hub.

💨 Wind Power: A consortium led by Engie has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company to develop a 900-megawatt onshore wind farm near Ras Shokeir.

🛸Delayed Presence: The Iran war is likely to derail U.S. electric aviation startups’ plans to launch their first commercial flights in the Middle East, The Electric reports.

⚒️ Congo Copper: The UAE has secured control of key mining licences in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Katanga region, including copper and cobalt deposits held by state miner Gécamines, African Intelligence reports. The assets were transferred last year to Kabulungu Kamilombe Mining, a joint venture with Falcon Resources, which is linked to Abu Dhabi-backed International Holding Co.

🥖 Food Shock: Shipping giant Maersk warned the Gulf faces a “pressing need” for food imports as war-related disruptions halt cargo flows, with the region reliant on imports for up to 85% of its food and companies scrambling to find alternative routes.

⛽ Iranian Gas: India has bought its first Iranian cargo of liquified petroleum gas in years after U.S. sanctions were eased, redirecting a tanker originally bound for China.

🚧 Port Cranes: DP World has added three new semi-automated quay cranes at Jeddah Islamic Port, boosting its ability to handle the world’s largest vessels.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met with Ahmed Abou Hashima, a member of the Egyptian Senate and Vice President of the Republican People’s Party.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia received a phone call on Wednesday from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss mediation with Iran.

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, met with Francisco Chacón Hernández, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the UAE; Gerardo Pérez Figueroa, Ambassador of El Salvador to the UAE; and Jorge Rafael Archila Ruiz, Ambassador of Guatemala to the UAE at his palace in Saqr bin Mohammed City on Wednesday.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Washington D.C. Later Dr. Al Jaber received the 2026 Distinguished Global Leadership Award at the Middle East Institute gala dinner. Among others attending were former Secretary of State John Kerry, Amos Hochstein, the former Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, and Fox anchor Brett Baier.

Jamal Bin Thaniah, Chairman of Dubai-based Emaar Properties, said at the company’s annual general meeting that the company expects the Iran war to have little impact on its business.

Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Minister of State, warned in an interview with Fox News about the global consequences of Iran’s near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. “We should not allow Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism, to set the global price for food and gas,” she said.

🐪 Saddle Up: Dubai’s all-female camel racing championship is continuing its season, standing out as one of the few cultural events still going ahead despite widespread cancellations across the region, Arabian Business reports. The C1 Championship finale is scheduled for this coming  Sunday at Dubai’s Al Marmoom Camel Race Track, with free entry for the sport’s avid fans.

March 23- 27, Houston, Texas. CERAWEEK. The annual event gathers global leaders to discuss energy transition, technology, and policy. Hilton Americas-Houston and George R. Brown Convention Center.

March 25-27, Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds an annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 30-April 1, Cairo. Egypes Energy Show. A major international energy exhibition and conference focused on the future of energy. Egypt International Exhibition Center.

April 7-9, Marrakesh. GITEX Africa. Africa’s biggest tech and startup conference. Place Bab Jdid on Boulevard Al Yarmouk

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

May 4-7, Abu Dhabi.Make It In The Emirates. The UAE’s industrial promotion board celebrates its fifth anniversary. ADNEC.

May 12-14, Dubai. Airport Show & Global Airport Leaders Forum. Bringing together top airport suppliers, aviation leaders, and thousands of professionals. Dubai World Trade Center. 

May 19-21, Abu Dhabi. World Utilities Congress. Global policymakers, industry leaders and innovators discuss transforming the power, water and utilities sector into resilient, low‑carbon systems ADNEC. 

May 19-21, Damascus. Big5 Construct Syria. The inaugural edition of the platform for reconstruction and development. Syria Expo Center.

May 19-21, Riyadh. Middle East Museums & Heritage Expo. Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated museums, heritage and cultural development trade show. Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center.

May 8-24, Dubai. Dubai Esports & Games Festival. More than two weeks of events, tournaments, game launches and free activities citywide, including GameExpo 2026. Dubai World Trade Center. 

HEDGE SHIFT

Millennium Management, led by investor Izzy Englander may relocate some of its Dubai staff amid the disruptions and security concerns stemming from the Iran war. The New York-based firm, which had more than 100 employees based in Dubai before the war began, is prepared to expand its presence in the Channel Island of Jersey to staff members who have requested the move, The Financial Times reports. Other hedge funds and financial firms are weighing contingency plans, including splitting teams across locations, tightening travel and adjusting trading operations to manage risk. Damage from drone debris to a building in Dubai’s International Financial Centre that houses Millennium employees added to the fears about safety, according to the FT.

DR. SULTAN’S D.C. SWING

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Group CEO of ADNOC, held meetings with U.S. senators this week in Washington, D.C., including Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania and Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. The meetings come as ADNOC’s international arm, XRG, accelerates its expansion across the U.S. despite the national oil company’s installations in the UAE being attacked by Iran. “The message is clear: energy security is the foundation of economic security,” ADNOC said in an X post.⁣ Al Jaber is to receive the Middle East Institute’s Distinguished Global Leadership Award today at the Washington think tank’s gala dinner.

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority: ADIA and Aramco Ventures are among the Gulf wealth funds reaping hundreds of millions of dollars in gains from early investments in Chinese AI companies, Bloomberg reports.

Mubadala: The Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund is part of a group with Japan’s SoftBank and Singapore’s Temasek that will seek to raise as much as $1 trillion to strengthen supply chains for fuels and critical minerals, including $250 million pledged by the U.S. government under its Pax Silica alliance. Meanwhile, a delegation from the UAE will meet U.S. officials in Washington on Thursday to strengthen AI partnerships, The National reports. 

Saudi Aramco: The kingdom’s state-owned oil company signed a $370 million deal with Arabian Internet and Communications Services for a supercomputing project.

NEOM: The company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has terminated Eversendai Corporation Berhad’s Trojena contract effective March 26.

✈️ Credit Lift: Dubai Aerospace secured $2.8 billion in new long-term revolving credit lines, lifting its total borrowing capacity to about $4 billion.

🛢️ QatarEnergy: The Doha-based oil company declared force ‌majeure ‌on ​some ‌of ⁠its ​long-term ⁠LNG ⁠supply contracts with ‌customers in ‌Italy, Belgium, ‌South Korea, and ⁠China, saying its inability to fulfill the terms was beyond the firm’s control.

⛽ Desert Discovery: U.S. energy firm Apache Corp. and Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. announced a major new gas discovery in Egypt’s Western Desert region.

🏗️ Bond Stress: At least six Dubai real estate bonds have fallen into distress as the Iran war batters investor confidence, with property developers among the hardest hit, Bloomberg reports.

🌙 Islamic Finance: Vault22, backed by Standard Chartered’s innovation unit, plans to launch its AI-powered, Islamic-compliant personal finance and wealth platform Hafiq in the UAE mid-year.

🇦🇪 Indian Anchor:  Indian expatriates, the largest foreign community in Dubai, are largely choosing to remain in the city despite the missile barrage, citing deep economic ties and limited alternatives, The Financial Times reports.

🚀 Missile Defense: Volkswagen is discussing a deal with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to shift one of its factories in Germany from car production to making components for the Iron Dome missile defense system, The Financial Times reports.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held a phone call with Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar, President of Slovenia on Tuesday. Sheikh Mohamed also spoke with Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the Iran conflict.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi Defense Minister, met French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin in Riyadh to discuss defense cooperation.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, a Qatari billionaire and member of the royal family, is backing German robotics startup Neura, along with Amazon, Bloomberg reports.

Shane Heraty was appointed as the Vice President and General Manager for Cisco Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Romania effective May.1st.

Tomaso Rodriguez was named Non-Executive Chairman at UAE-based adtech company Flyby.

🎤 Stage Shift: More concerts and cultural events across the UAE are being postponed as the Iran war disrupts travel and logistics, forcing organizers to reshuffle crowded spring calendars. Art Dubai, originally set for April, has been moved to May 14–17 at Madinat Jumeirah, while the Offlimits Music Festival in Abu Dhabi will now take place on Nov. 21 with Shakira and the Jonas Brothers still slated to perform. Among other events, Arabian Travel Market is being pushed back to August and Middle East Comic Con to September.

March 23- 27, Houston, Texas. CERAWEEK. The annual event gathers global leaders to discuss energy transition, technology, and policy. Hilton Americas-Houston and George R. Brown Convention Center.

March 25, Washington, D.C. Middle East Institute Gala. MEI to present Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Group CEO, with its Distinguished Global Leadership Award. Ritz Carlton. 

March 25-27, Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds an annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 30-April 1, Cairo. Egypes Energy Show. A major international energy exhibition and conference focused on the future of energy. Egypt International Exhibition Center.

April 7-9, Marrakesh. GITEX Africa. Africa’s biggest tech and startup conference. Place Bab Jdid on Boulevard Al Yarmouk

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

May 4-7, Abu Dhabi.Make It In The Emirates. The UAE’s industrial promotion board celebrates its fifth anniversary. ADNEC.

May 12-14, Dubai. Airport Show & Global Airport Leaders Forum. Bringing together top airport suppliers, aviation leaders, and thousands of professionals. Dubai World Trade Center. 

May 19-21, Abu Dhabi. World Utilities Congress. Global policymakers, industry leaders and innovators discuss transforming the power, water and utilities sector into resilient, low‑carbon systems ADNEC. 

May 19-21, Damascus. Big5 Construct Syria. The inaugural edition of the platform for reconstruction and development. Syria Expo Center.

May 19-21, Riyadh. Middle East Museums & Heritage Expo. Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated museums, heritage and cultural development trade show. Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center.

May 8-24, Dubai. Dubai Esports & Games Festival. More than two weeks of events, tournaments, game launches and free activities citywide, including GameExpo 2026. Dubai World Trade Center. 

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD

The conflict between Iran, the U.S. and Israel poses a major environmental threat to the Gulf’s fragile ecosystems, experts warn. Attacks on energy facilities and ships risk severe air and marine pollution, including oil spills and toxic emissions like the “black rain” reported in Tehran, The National reports. Damage to desalination plants could disrupt vital water supplies, worsening existing environmental stress and threatening public health and food systems, the newspaper says, citing Doug Weir, director of the London-based Conflict and Environment Observatory. The longer the conflict becomes, the greater and more unpredictable the environmental consequences will be, he said.

CHEEKY SHOPPING

Even as Iranian missiles score direct hits at adjoining hotels and office towers, the Dubai Mall is preparing to welcome Primark this week to its vast retail galleries. Primark will open its largest Middle East store in the world’s busiest shopping emporium on Thursday, part of a three-store rollout with UAE partner Alshaya Group, employing a staff of 600, Arabian Gulf Business Insights reports. Primark, a pioneer of bargain fast-fashion stores, will be sitting amid luxury boutiques operated by Prada, Gucci and Hermès. Executives say prolonged instability could impede supply chains, but alternative routes and strong inventory levels are helping maintain operations for now.

Qatar Investment Authority: Qatar’s sovereign fund is planning to buy about a 10% stake in Italian sneaker maker Golden Goose, joining investors including HSG, Temasek, and Permira following a deal valuing the company at over $2.9 billion.

Saudi Aramco: Saudi Arabia’s national oil company, the world’s biggest, is pressing ahead with plans to expand cooperation with state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corp., which has been trying to lease part of its pipeline network, Bloomberg reports.

ADNOC Gas: The UAE-owned company resumed operations at its Habshan natural gas processing plant after an attack last week forced a halt in production.

🤝 Energy Merger: Saudi’s National Gas and Industrialisation Holding Co. will invest $33 million to acquire a 50% stake in Riyadh-based JACKO Gases.

🏗️ Supply Boost: The U.S. is committing $250 million to a new investment fund aimed at strengthening supply chains amid disruption from the Iran war, Bloomberg reports.

💰 Asset Surge: Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, backed largely by Gulf sovereign wealth funds, saw assets climb nearly 30% to $6.2 billion by the end of 2025, Bloomberg reports.

🏎️ F1 Comeback: Formula One owner Liberty Media should be able withstand the Middle East conflict and go ahead with its international racing schedule despite cancellation of races next month in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Reuters reports.

🍳 Homegrown Delivery: Talabat UAE, owned by Germany’s Delivery Hero, has launched a program offering 100 rent-free kitchen spaces to the country’s restaurant brands 

🛜 Storage Outage: Amazon Web Services in Bahrain endured disruptions this week attributed to Iranian drone attacks, marking the second outage in a month.

🌋 Sulphur Disruptions: Iran war is disrupting sulphur supplies, driving up prices of fertilizers, chemicals, and semiconductors, Arabian Gulf Business Insights reports.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met with Catherine Vautrin, French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman received phone calls from King Philippe of Belgiumband Rob Jetten, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, on Monday.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, held calls with José Manuel Albares, Minister for Foreign Affairs for the European Union; Lê Hoài Trung, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam; and Tom Berendsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a phone call with Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will travel to Algeria this week to secure alternative ​gas supplies Reuters reports.

Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, chaired a meeting that included Ahmad Yousef Al-Hassan, CEO and Managing Director of DP World GCC, and other major private sector companies to discuss  shipping challenges. 

John Stevens was appointed CEO for Chestertons, a London-based real estate advisory firm, to lead MENA expansion.

🚶🏽Culture Walk: Dubai is seeking to revitalize one of the city’s oldest districts and its historic Al Ras Walkway. The project will create 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) of walking paths and 5 kilometers of cycling tracks. The trail will also include 10 stations along the way showcasing works by local artists, Arabian Gulf Business Insights reports. 

March 23- 27, Houston, Texas. CERAWEEK. The annual event gathers global leaders to discuss energy transition, technology, and policy. Hilton Americas-Houston and George R. Brown Convention Center.

March 25, Washington, D.C. Middle East Institute Gala. MEI to present Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Group CEO, with its Distinguished Global Leadership Award. Ritz Carlton. 

March 25-27, Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds an annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 30-April 1, Cairo. Egypes Energy Show. A major international energy exhibition and conference focused on the future of energy. Egypt International Exhibition Center.

April 7-9, Marrakesh. GITEX Africa. Africa’s biggest tech and startup conference. Place Bab Jdid on Boulevard Al Yarmouk

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

May 4-7, Abu Dhabi.Make It In The Emirates. The UAE’s industrial promotion board celebrates its fifth anniversary. ADNEC.

May 12-14, Dubai. Airport Show & Global Airport Leaders Forum. Bringing together top airport suppliers, aviation leaders, and thousands of professionals. Dubai World Trade Center. 

May 19-21, Abu Dhabi. World Utilities Congress. Global policymakers, industry leaders and innovators discuss transforming the power, water and utilities sector into resilient, low‑carbon systems ADNEC. 

May 19-21, Damascus. Big5 Construct Syria. The inaugural edition of the platform for reconstruction and development. Syria Expo Center.

May 19-21, Riyadh. Middle East Museums & Heritage Expo. Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated museums, heritage and cultural development trade show. Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center.

May 8-24, Dubai. Dubai Esports & Games Festival. More than two weeks of events, tournaments, game launches and free activities citywide, including GameExpo 2026. Dubai World Trade Center. 

NEW NORMAL

Hundreds of Gulf delegates are set to attend Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative summit this week in Miami Beach amid the Iran war, which has shaken regional economies and global markets. FII chief Richard Attias said the event, at which U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak, will address how Middle East executives can adjust to the “volatile environment” created by the conflict. “Uncertainty is the new norm for years,” Attias told The National. Analysts warn the conflict’s impact on energy supplies and Gulf GDP could be severe, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia potentially contracting 5% and Kuwait and Qatar facing double-digit declines. The three-day event starts on Wednesday. 

BUBBLE BURSTS

The UAE’s real estate boom is showing signs of a rapid slowdown three weeks into the war with Iran, in the biggest test yet for the five-year long rally fueled by an influx of wealthy migrants. Real estate transaction volumes fell 49% month-on-month for the first 12 days of March and 37% when compared to the same period last year, according to estimates published by Goldman Sachs. Agents are reporting some properties already being offered at big discounts of 12% to 15% as owners seek quick sales, Reuters reports. One agent told the news agency that an off-plan flat in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah was advertised at a 15% discount to its original price of $2 million. Shares in Emaar Properties, the developer behind the Burj Khalifa, have fallen more than 26% since the start of the war.

Public Investment Fund: Savvy Games Group, a PIF company, will acquire mobile gaming company Moonton from Tiktok’s ByteDance for about $6 billion.

Qatar Investment Authority: Qatar’s sovereign fund is reportedly preparing to buy a 10% stake in Italian luxury sneaker maker Golden Goose. The company was valued at about $2.9 billion in December, when private equity firm HSG acquired a majority stake. 

Mubadala Capital: Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Friday that Petrobras would attempt to repurchase the Mataripe refinery in Bahia, which was sold to Mubadala’s asset management arm in 2021 under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

🛡️ Fast Delivery: The U.S. has fast-tracked an $8 billion defense package to the UAE, approved under emergency measures by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including F-16 munitions, THAAD air defences, and anti-drone systems.

🛢️ Iran Oil: The Trump administration waived sanctions on the purchase of Iranian oil at sea for 30 days on ​Friday, bringing some 140 million barrels ‌of oil to global markets and help relieve pressure on energy supply, Reuters reports. 

🎓 Education Bet: Arada has awarded the main $50 million construction contract for a branch of the U.K.’s prestigious Reigate Grammar School in Masaar, its megaproject in Sharjah.

🧈 Gold Bet: Gold prices suffered their biggest weekly drop in more than 14 years last week and fell a further 3% on Monday to reach a four-month low.

🏗️ In Storage: Group Amana won a DP World contract to develop a multi-tenant warehouse project at Jafza in Dubai.

✈️ Parked Jets: Qatar Airways has sent 20 of its largest aircraft to a site used for long-term storage in Spain, The Financial Times reports. 

🐴 Horse On Course: Calandagan, considered the best racehorse in the world, has been cleared to travel to compete in the Dubai World Cup this week despite earlier doubts due to the Iran war.

🏎️ Paradise Parking: Dozens of gleaming Porsches are sitting in a warehouse on the island of Lamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site off Kenya, among more than 4,000 vehicles unloaded from ships that were unable to reach Dubai’s Jebel Ali port.

🛫 Flight Risk: Dozens of flights have arrived and departed from Middle East airports within minutes of Iranian strikes, raising concerns among some industry experts, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

🚢 Ship Shape: Saudi Arabia has launched five new maritime shipping services to boost supply chain resilience and expand alternative routes to the Strait of Hormuz.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met with Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, on Sunday in Abu Dhabi to discuss developments in the region. Sheikh Mohamed met with Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Friday.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday to discuss regional developments.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad performed a funeral prayerfor Qatari military personnel who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon, traveled to the Middle East a few months ago to meet with sovereign wealth funds as he seeks to raise $100 billion for a new fund to buy up manufacturing companies for AI automation, the Wall Street Journal reports.

David Ellison, CEO of  Paramount, faces an uphill challenge of winning over Wall Street with his Gulf-backed $111 billion bet on Warner Bros. Discovery, The Ankler reports..

Luigi Di Maio, EU Special Representative for the Gulf region, met with Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to UAE President, on Sunday to express full EU solidarity with the UAE.

Mansour AlMulla was appointed Chairman of Abu Dhabi Aviation.

🌙 Keeping Faith: Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque welcomed nearly 1.7 million visitors during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr, serving a record number of iftar meals to help worshippers break their daily fast. Despite regional conflict, worshippers continued to gather in large numbers, reflecting solidarity and faith, The National reports. Mosques across the UAE hosted more than 3.2 million guests collectively, highlighting their role in promoting tolerance and community initiatives. 

March 23- 27, Houston, Texas. CERAWEEK. The annual event gathers global leaders to discuss energy transition, technology, and policy. Hilton Americas-Houston and George R. Brown Convention Center.

March 25-27, Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds an annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 30-April 1, Cairo. Egypes Energy Show. A major international energy exhibition and conference focused on the future of energy. Egypt International Exhibition Center.

April 7-9, Marrakesh. GITEX Africa. Africa’s biggest tech and startup conference. Place Bab Jdid on Boulevard Al Yarmouk

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

May 12-14, Dubai. Airport Show & Global Airport Leaders Forum. Bringing together top airport suppliers, aviation leaders, and thousands of professionals. Dubai World Trade Center. 

May 19-21, Abu Dhabi. World Utilities Congress. Global policymakers, industry leaders and innovators discuss transforming the power, water and utilities sector into resilient, low‑carbon systems ADNEC. 

May 19-21, Damascus. Big5 Construct Syria. The inaugural edition of the platform for reconstruction and development. Syria Expo Center.

May 19-21, Riyadh. Middle East Museums & Heritage Expo. Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated museums, heritage and cultural development trade show. Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center.

May 8-24, Dubai. Dubai Esports & Games Festival. More than two weeks of events, tournaments, game launches and free activities citywide, including GameExpo 2026. Dubai World Trade Center. 

STAYING PUT

The UAE is expected to ease tax residency rules for expats who left amid the Iran conflict. Authorities are signaling that they’ll allow residents to spend longer periods abroad without losing their favorable tax status – in an effort, aiming to encourage their return, The Financial Times reports. The policy could be especially significant for Dubai, which has attracted high-net-worth individuals with its tax appeal. The adjustment reflects the UAE’s effort to protect its status as a global hub for mobile wealth and talent, the FT notes.

MUSK DEBUT

Elon Musk’s Starlink service launched today in the UAE, offering market-beating plans for both residential and business customers. The rollout illustrates Starlink’s expanding role in the Middle East, both as a major boost to connectivity and a growing source of tension, Gulf News reports. As adoption spreads across the Gulf, including upcoming in-flight Wi-Fi on Emirates Airlines, the service is stirring controversy in Iran. Authorities have seized hundreds of smuggled terminals over concerns about unrestricted internet access. Starlink is already available in more than 150 countries and territories.

Presight: The data analytics firm owned by Abu Dhabi-based G42 has begun deploying capital from its artificial intelligence investment fund, backing early projects aimed at expanding AI applications.

Public Investment Fund: PIF-owned Electronic Gaming Development Co. acquired a 5% stake in Capcom, the Japanese video game company, bringing the Kingdom’s total holding to about 10% alongside the PIF ’s existing stake.

NEOM: The PIF-owned mega-project has terminated a $1 billion tunnelling contract with Hyundai Engineering & Construction for its urban development in western Saudi Arabia, “The Line.”

Oman LNG: Oman has kept a limited stream of liquefied natural gas shipments moving despite the regional conflict, providing one of the few remaining Gulf export outlets as the war and shipping risks disrupt energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reports.

G42: Talal M. Al Kaissi, interim CEO of Core42, a G42 company, said he was “on the ground” at the NVIDIA GTC event in San Jose, Calif., for CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote address.

Saudi Aramco: Wa’ed Ventures, Aramco’s $500 million VC arm, has invested in Resemble AI, a California-based developer of AI voice generation and real-time deepfake detection.

📈 Price Shock: Middle East crude benchmarks surged to record highs as the Iran war disrupts tanker traffic and cuts supply, with Cash Dubai crude rising to $157.66 a barrel and Oman crude topping $152.

💶 Asian Pledge: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. asked Asian banks to reconfirm commitments to a $1.5 billion Saudi loan deal amid Iran conflict risks.

🏦 Bank Warning: S&P Global Ratings warned Gulf banks could face up to $307 billion in deposit outflows if the Iran war intensifies, though regulators say lenders remain well capitalized with hundreds of billions of dollars in liquidity buffers.

🔥 Power Shift: Israeli startup Niv-AI raised $12 million in a seed round led by Glilot Capital Partners to develop software that manages electricity use in data centers, helping AI processors run heavy workloads without overloading power grids.

💲Chilling Time: The UAE central bank introduced a resilience package allowing banks greater liquidity access, regulatory relief, and flexibility on loan classifications to support lending and the economy amid regional market strain from the Iran war.

🍷 Dry Capital: Syrian authorities imposed a ban on alcohol in Damascus as the government tightens social restrictions during wartime conditions, affecting restaurants, bars and nightlife in the capital.

🛢️ Refinery Hunt: Asian refiners are searching global markets for crude from Africa and the Americas as Middle East supplies shrink and shipping through Hormuz halts, forcing some plants to cut operating rates, Bloomberg reports.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk about the Iran conflict.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain received a phone call from the U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss issues connected to the war.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Tuesday to discuss war issues.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke with Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State of the U.S., Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO, and Sheikh Jarrah Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, met with Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor Group.

Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the UAE, discusses the rapidly evolving conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States in an online interview with the Council on Foreign Relations, and its implications for the Middle East.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said in an interview with CNN that Dubai will bounce back very quickly from the war, adding that expansion Dubai airports will not be suspended. 

Hayyan Abdul Ghani, the Iraqi Oil ⁠Minister, told the state news ​agency on Tuesday that there is ongoing communication with Iran regarding allowing the passage of some Iraqi oil tankers.

Thani Al Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister for Foreign Trade, met with leaders of the gold industry in Dubai to discuss business continuity, supply-chain resilience and public-private collaboration.

Brandon Craig was appointed CEO of BHP Group, the world’s biggest mining company, which sells to steelmakers and other industrial buyers across the Middle East.

🦅  Museum Moment: Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum has been named to TIME’s “World’s Greatest Places 2026” list, placing it among 100 destinations worldwide recognized for their cultural significance and visitor experience. Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, the museum – crafted by architect Norman Foster to recall the shape of a falcon’s wings – traces 300,000 years of human history in the region and highlights the legacy of the UAE’s founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

March 23- 27, Houston, Texas. CERAWEEK. The annual event gathers global leaders to discuss energy transition, technology, and policy. Hilton Americas-Houston and George R. Brown Convention Center .

March 25-27, Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds an annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-7, Riyadh. Real Estate Supply Chain Forum. Transforming the real estate supply chain landscape. Mandarin Oriental. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

DRUG DETOURS

Disruptions to Middle East airspace are forcing pharmaceutical companies to reroute cargo flights carrying temperature-sensitive medicines, raising concerns about delays to shipments of treatments, including cancer drugs. Airlines are diverting aircraft around closed corridors over Iran and parts of the Gulf, adding hours to delivery times and complicating cold-chain logistics, Reuters reports. Industry executives say longer routes increase the risk of temperature fluctuations that can damage sensitive biologic medicines. Companies are now shifting shipments through alternative hubs in Europe and Asia while monitoring supply risks if the conflict persists.

RIYADH IN MIAMI

Global investors, tech executives and, possibly, President Donald Trump, will converge on Miami Beach next week for the U.S. edition of Saudi Arabia’s annual Future Investment Initiative conference. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026 is a satellite event of the annual “Davos in the Desert”  gathering held in Riyadh and will take place under the shadow of the current conflict with Iran. As he did last year, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to appear at the conference, while Donald Trump Jr. is among the scheduled speakers. Participants will include Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.S., and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the PIF sovereign wealth fund and chairman of Saudi Aramco. Other speakers include Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Humain CEO Tareq Amin, Diriyah Co. Group CEO Gerard Inzerillo, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Meta President and Vice Chairman Dina Powell McCormick.

Mubadala: Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala will acquire a 30% stake in Hong Kong-based Loscam International, a provider of pallet pooling and returnable packaging. 

Investment Corp. of Dubai: Emirates airline, which is owned by ICD, is operating some flights back to Dubai with extremely light loads as travelers avoid the Gulf, with some services from Prague and Budapest only about 5% to 10% full, Bloomberg reports.

G42: The Abu Dhabi-owned technology company signed a draft agreement with Boston-based Publicis Sapient to explore a joint venture to develop AI agent capabilities in the UAE and countries in Asia, Africa and South America.

🇬🇧 Summer Halt: British Airways has canceled all flights to the UAE, Bahrain and Jordan until at least June, and to Qatar until May.

🏠 Designer Homes: Zoya Developments launched Nuvé by Zoya, a $55 million residential project featuring 232 fully furnished units.

🚧 Construction Funds: Dubai-based construction and engineering company, Drake & Scull International, said 2025 revenues more than doubled to $61 million.

Circuit Chatter

🏖️ Business Down: The Gulf’s tourism sector faces a sharp short-term hit from regional conflict – triggering over 5,000 flight cancellations, airspace closures, and a projected 11%–27% drop in 2026 arrivals, according to Oxford Economics and Tourism Economics.

✈️ Flight Risk: Oman Air will introduce fuel and war risk surcharges across its cargo network f, citing volatile fuel prices and rising insurance costs in high-risk regions.

💉 Healthcare Logistics: Aramex has opened a certified regional healthcare and pharmaceutical hub in the Dubai South Free Zone to expand its capabilities in the growing life sciences supply chain sector.

🫂 Stronger Ground: The UAE will “emerge stronger” from the Iran conflict, based on how its diversified economy and strategic investments have enabled it to weather previous crises, entrepreneur Mishaal Gergawin writes in Semafor. 

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed met with King Abdullah of Jordan in Abu Dhabi on Monday to discuss the conflict with Iran. The meeting was also attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Monday.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a series of calls with international officials, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar; ⁠Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia; ⁠and Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain.

Behnam Gurban-Zada was appointed Executive Director, Islamic Finance and Banking of  Fasset, a banking and investment platform based in Dubai.

Ziad Malak was appointed Head of Investment Banking of SICO Capital, a provider of asset management, brokerage, and investment banking services in Riyadh.

Hisham Ezz El-Arab was appointed CEO of Egypt’s Commercial International Bank with an initial three-year contract. 

🎨 Canvas Boom: Saudi Arabia’s art market is gaining global attention after a painting by artist Safeya Binzagr sold for $2.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Riyadh, nearly double its estimate. Initiatives such as Riyadh Art, the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale and Desert X in AlUla  are helping expand the cultural sector, which the government aims to grow to about $48 billion by 2030, Arab News reports. Auction houses and collectors say Saudi artists are increasingly entering global art markets, though the industry still lacks mature financial infrastructure such as valuation data, funds and financing mechanisms.

March 23- 27, Houston, Texas. CERAWEEK. The annual event gathers global leaders to discuss energy transition, technology, and policy. Hilton Americas-Houston and George R. Brown Convention Center .

March 25-27: Miami Beach, Fla. FII PRIORITY Miami 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative holds annual U.S. conference. Faena Hotel.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 6-7, Riyadh. Real Estate Supply Chain Forum. Transforming the real estate supply chain landscape. Mandarin Oriental. 

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.