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

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United Arab Emirates

April 21, 2026

Abu Dhabi 12:59 pm

29°C

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Could UAE tap US currency swap line as Iran war strains Gulf economies?

The Gulf country apparently wanted reassurances from Washington in case its economy is severely damaged by the Iran war.

United Arab Emirates

Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, United Arab Emirates

Interview

UAE official says opening Hormuz integral to any Iran deal, describes infrastructure damage 'manageable'

Abdulla Balalaa, UAE assistant minister of foreign affairs for energy and sustainability, spoke to Al-Monitor about the situation in the Gulf along with the UAE's focus on promoting privatization in the water sector and the 2026 UN Water Conference.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi stocks hit 2026 high, bucking global war-driven volatility

The kingdom's stock market climbed to its highest level of the year on Wednesday, with the kingdom’s equities now far outperforming the S&P 500 and other global and regional indices.

Latest News

UAE's deputy PM holds first call with Ghalibaf amid push to extend US-Iran ceasefire

ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

United Arab Emirates

IMF slashes Mideast outlook by nearly 3 points as Iran war hits economies

A man walks through the atrium during the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)

China signals bigger Gulf role as UAE crown prince visits Beijing

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in Beijing on April 13, 2026.

Oil back above $100 as US moves to blockade Strait of Hormuz

Elke Scholiers/Getty Images

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

Emirates airline reportedly cut jobs

The Dubai-based carrier let go of pilots and flight attendants as it resumes flights during the crisis in global travel, Reuters reported.

United Arab Emirates

A woman wears a protective face mask as she sits with her friend in a coffee shop during the reopening of malls, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 28, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah - RC2SXG92QGHW

Dubai reopens gyms, restaurants after months of closure

Dubai, like many cities around the world, is trying to find a "new normal" as businesses reopen with restrictions.

United Arab Emirates

Egypt announces international anti-Turkey alliance

Egypt announced an international alliance that includes Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates and France to confront Turkish provocative moves in Libya and the Mediterranean.

United Arab Emirates

Workers load aid onto an airplane to be delivered to Rohingya refugees residing in Bangladesh, in coordination between UNHCR and United Arab Emirates, at Dubai airport, UAE, October 11, 2017. REUTERS/Satish Kumar - RC1C12FE9CB0

Palestinian Authority rejects COVID-19 aid flown from UAE to Israel

The Palestinian government said it was not coordinated with regarding the medical supplies.

United Arab Emirates

A plane of Etihad Airways company is seen at Minsk international airport near the village of Slabada, Belarus, May 19, 2016. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko - D1AETKFQNAAC

Report: Etihad Airways faces debt restructuring or possible legal action

The owners of the Emirati airline's debt submitted a restructuring proposal and are waiting to hear back.

United Arab Emirates

Residents hang their laundry off the railing on their balconies at their apartment building, to disinfect them under sunlight, in the city of Dubai on May 17, 2020, during the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

Gulf countries increase virus-related restrictions after new cases

The United Arab Emirates and Qatar registered more than 2,000 coronavirus cases between the two of them on Monday alone.

ATHENS, GREECE - 2019/09/14: An Etihad Airways Airbus 320 leaving Athens airport. (Photo by Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

First commercial flight between UAE and Israel lands in Tel Aviv

The Etihad Airways cargo plane brought COVID-19 aid to Palestinians via Ben Gurion airport.

United Arab Emirates

Gulf’s megaprojects face delays, reassessment

Saudi Arabia has cut capital expenditure for a number of Vision 2030 projects amid a drop in oil prices and Chinese investment. Will other Gulf states follow suit?

Secret operation brings Israelis stranded in Morocco back home

In a complicated operation, Israelis stuck in Morocco because of the coronavirus were finally brought home.

United Arab Emirates

An investor walks past a screen displaying stock information at the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia June 29, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser - S1AETMRJVXAC

Have taxes killed GCC economic integration?

Saudi Arabia's recent decision to increase its value-added tax by 200% could spell the end of chances for regional economic integration and policy coordination.

People are seen on Jumeirah Beach residence, following the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 19, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike - RC24NF9KLRML

Dubai reopens public parks, hotel beaches

Mosques, movie theaters, nightclubs and public beaches remain closed.

United Arab Emirates

A member of cleaning staff wearing protective mask disinfects a seat screen of an Emirates Airbus A380, following the outbreak of the coronavirus, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 5, 2020. Picture taken March 5, 2020. Emirates Airline/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC2WGF9HGKRA

Emirates to resume international passenger flights

The Dubai-based carrier will start flying to North America, Europe and Australia on May 21.

United Arab Emirates