United Arab Emirates - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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United Arab Emirates

June 27, 2026

Abu Dhabi 8:18 pm

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Explainer

Gulf states push incentives for investors, expats after war dents image

Several Gulf states are working to recover their images as global havens of stability in the wake of the Iran war.

United Arab Emirates

A worker at a market for fuel oil and automotive fuel on March 17, 2026, in Erbil, Iraq.

Explainer

After UAE and Qatar, could Iraq be next to leave OPEC?

Iraq is seeking a higher production quota as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has slashed oil revenues and plunged the country into a fiscal crisis.

Latest News

Interview

Franco-Gulf investment holds firm despite Iran war, French official says

French Trade & Invest Commissioner for United Arab Emirates and Middle East and Business France's regional director for the Middle East Axel Baroux. — Business France

Axel Baroux

France’s trade and investment commissioner for the UAE and Middle East

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s FM to visit Qatar as regional diplomacy seeks to contain Iran-Israel tension

Turkey says its flurry of diplomatic activity is aimed at bringing the Gaza war back into focus amid the Israel-Iran escalation.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Microsoft pumps $1.5B into UAE's G42 amid US-China tech power struggle

Washington reportedly threatened to punish G42 if it did not reduce its ties with Beijing and strengthen its US commitments.

United Arab Emirates

UAE’s high stakes crypto bet poised for crucial test as Bitcoin rebounds

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

dnata loading meals onto an Etihad aircraft.

Gulf firms set sights on Western airports with Investcorp, dnata deals

The Emirati sovereign fund Mubadala is also reportedly considering an event in London’s Heathrow Airport — another sign of Gulf interest in the West’s airports.

United Arab Emirates

Office building of ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) in Abu Dhabi.

What’s behind Abu Dhabi’s $13 billion investment in gas?

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is seeking more foreign partners as it aims to boost gas production capacity.

United Arab Emirates

A miner from Gold Fields South Africa company walks near the exit of the South Deep gold mine in Westonaria, Gauteng, on Oct. 12, 2022.

Saudi Arabia, UAE amp up Africa investments amid growing competition

Africa is seeing a major uptick in investments from the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which presents the possibility of 'greater returns' for the Gulf states.

Attendees wearing traditional dress arrive at the Grand Palais Ephemere for the Riyadh 2030 reception event to promote Riyadh's candidacy for 2030 World Expo, in Paris on June 19, 2023. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Growing Middle East economic and investment cooperation caught between tailwinds and headwinds

Picture from the Web Summit 2024 in Qatar.

Middle East sees 23% drop in VC funding: Qatar, Bahrain, UAE hardest hit

Qatar saw VC investments tumble by 57% to 43 million QR ($11.81 million), eclipsed only by Bahrain with an 82% drop.

A general view of processing facilities at the Tenke Fungurume Mine, one of the largest copper and cobalt mines and the subject of a dispute between Congolese authorities and the Chinese firm CMOC, southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on June 17, 2023.

UAE eyes Zambia mine as minerals race heats up against Saudi Arabia, China

Wealthy Gulf countries are racing against China, Europe and the United States for minerals critical to powering the global green transition.

United Arab Emirates

A passenger walks along the platform of the Rakosrendezo railway station, site of a controversial redevelopment by the UAE, Budapest, Jan. 12, 2024.

Hungary signs $5.5B deal with UAE firm to develop Budapest neighborhood

The new project around the Rakosrendezo freight train station is expected to bring the futuristic, high-rise style of Dubai and other Emirates to the Hungarian capital.

United Arab Emirates

A view of the platform of the Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea is pictured from the Israeli northern coastal beach of Nasholim, on Aug. 29, 2022.

Israel’s NewMed Energy says UAE deal suspended amid Gaza 'uncertainty'

Israel-UAE relations have been negatively impacted by the war but still remain intact.

Women walks through the Museum of the Future in Dubai during the Artificial Intelligence Forum held on October 11, 2023. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

What to know about MGX, UAE’s latest AI investment firm

The launch of the AI-focused firm follows the UAE’s largest company appointing an AI bot to its board, as Abu Dhabi seeks to become a world player in artificial intelligence.

United Arab Emirates