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

UAE cover image

United Arab Emirates

October 31, 2026

Abu Dhabi 11:04 am

33°C

Lana Nusseibeh, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, speaks at a Sudan Humanitarian Fund event at the Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, on February 3, 2026. (Photo by Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

UAE's Nusseibeh comes in fourth in latest UNSG straw poll: What to know

The latest straw poll puts Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan in first place, Argentina's Rafael Grossi in second, Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in third and the UAE's Lana Nusseibeh in fourth place.

United Arab Emirates

Dock workers load and unload shipping containers in the Port of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Canada, UAE sign trade pact as Ottawa seeks to diversify beyond US

The agreement is set to broadly lift tariffs on key products as Canadian officials hope to boost bilateral trade to $7 billion within a decade.

United Arab Emirates

FADEL SENNA / AFP via Getty Images

UAE battles tanker oil spill as war's environmental toll mounts

Gulf oil spills have become more frequent since the beginning of the US-Israel-Iran war on Feb. 28.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

UAE nominates Lana Nusseibeh for UN secretary-general: What to know

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 23: Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh speaks during a meeting on February 23, 2023 at U.N. Headquarters in New York City. The Security Council met to discuss international peace and security issues. The General Assembly continues its Eleventh Emergency Special Session on Ukraine to resume introductions on a new draft resolution and two proposed amendments on the eve of the one year anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.

United Arab Emirates

Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest

Benoit Tessier / AFP via Getty Images

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar sues Netanyahu for nearly $1M over Oct. 7 claims

Israel's Chief of the Mossad David Barnea (R) and Security Agency director Ronen Bar, attend a ceremony marking the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7 last year that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on October 27, 2024. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

IMF projects Gulf rebound in 2027. Can energy production keep pace?

TOPSHOT - Smoke rises from the direction of an energy installation in the Gulf emirate of Fujairah on March 14, 2026. Smoke could be seen rising from the direction of a major UAE energy installation on March 14, in what appeared to be the latest strike targeting the Gulf's petroleum facilities hours after the US struck Iran's Kharg Island. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) /

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 10: A Chipotle store signage is seen on August 10, 2022 in New York City. NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday that Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that they will be paying $20 million dollars to current and former workers in their NYC restaurants for violating city labor laws. The settlement will cover about 13,000 employees who worked at the chain's NYC stores between 2017 and this year. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Popular Mexican food chain Chipotle coming to UAE, Kuwait

The fast-food giant that specializes in Mexican food is one of the biggest in the United States.

UAE passport.

UAE passport ranks among world's 'most powerful,' Iraq, Syria at bottom of list

The 2023 Henley Passport Index features the world’s most powerful passports based on the number of destinations passport holders can access visa-free.

United Arab Emirates

UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) greeting Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey, UAE ink $50 billion in trade deals during Erdogan visit

The $50 billion worth trade deals come as the Turkish government is struggling to draw foreign funds to ease its currency crisis.

United Arab Emirates

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida prepares before a roundtable meeting during the 29th EU-Japan Summit at the European Union building, Brussels, Belgium, July 13, 2023.

Analysis

On Gulf tour, Japan's PM secures energy ties as China’s influence grows

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s three-day trip that began Sunday to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — its key energy suppliers — is seen as a crucial move to secure Japan’s energy future.

By Salim A. Essaid

A car drives past a road signal indicating the Allenby (King Hussein) bridge crossing point to Jordan.

Work on Israel-Saudi land bridge has begun, Israeli Foreign Ministry confirms

The project will facilitate the transfer of goods in trucks intially between the UAE, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during the UAE - Japan Business Forum in Abu Dhabi on July 17, 2023. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

Japan’s PM visits UAE after Saudi Arabia, talks green energy, supply sources

Japan is trying to move away from fossil fuels toward greener energy, which it plans to promote in the region during Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to the Gulf this week.

Dubai's Stock Market Exchange is pictured on a skyscraper.

UAE suspends Emirates Gold over money laundering allegations

The London Bullion Market Association, which regulates the United Kingdom capital’s metals market, suspended Emirates Gold DMCC’s affiliate membership after conducting a review.

United Arab Emirates

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

UAE, after Kuwait, releases Iranian prisoners

The moves come as Iran works to restore its ties with Gulf countries following years of estrangement and tension.

United Arab Emirates

Dubai's Stock Market Exchange is pictured on a skyscraper.

UAE becomes observer in Asian money laundering group

The move follows the UAE being added to a financial watchdog’s list of countries with deficiencies in countering money laundering.

Shopkeepers fix the price tags of rice at a market in Karachi on Jan. 6, 2023.

Pakistan thanks 'brotherly' Saudis for $2 billion ahead of IMF bailout decision

Pakistan received Saudi Arabia's $2 billion deposit a day before the International Monetary Fund is expected to approve a $3 billion bailout on Wednesday that the country desperately needs.

Dubai crypto authority suspends BitOasis

The cryptocurrency platform BitOasis' license was suspended by Dubai's VARA due to noncompliance of licensing requirements.

United Arab Emirates

Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

UAE sees higher Chinese car sales as China faces decline at home

China relied on overseas markets to maintain 56% of its vehicle sales in June, and the Middle East is a hot spot.

United Arab Emirates