UAE Weekly Business News 22/09/2025

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UAE Weekly Business News: Issue 255 published 22 September 2025.

UAE FREE ZONE NEWS

DIEZ trade surges 19% to AED336b in 2024 (WAM 21/09/2025)

DMCC announces 10% growth in Italian companies (WAM 18/09/2025)

RAK Digital Assets Oasis rebrands as Innovation City to become world’s first AI-powered free zone (Arabian Business 18/09/2025)

Dubai South records 15% growth in business aviation movements in H1 2025 (WAM 17/09/2025)

UAE VISA NEWS (inc. employment, Emiratisation, human resources, training and women)

UAE visa ban on Bangladeshis? Ambassador clarifies reports on social media (Khaleej Times 22/09/2025)

How Emiratisation is powering UAE’s transition to a knowledge economy (Khaleej Times 18/09/2025)

UAE BUSINESS NEWS

TII, NVIDIA launch Middle East’s first Joint Lab for AI & Robotics in Abu Dhabi (WAM 22/09/2025)

Tabreed, Johnson Controls to develop, supply next generation cooling (WAM 22/09/2025)

Dubai tops global Greenfield FDI list (Government of Dubai Media Office 22/09/2025)

Emirates Flight Catering launches Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Programme with Dubai College of Tourism (Government of Dubai Media Office 22/09/2025)

Dubai records global highest number of Greenfield FDI projects in half-year period since 2003 (Khaleej Times 22/09/2025)

UAE construction sector set for 22% growth, reaching $130b by 2029 (Khaleej Times 22/09/2025)

F&B industry projected to triple to $43.98b by 2029 (Arabian Business 22/09/2025)

'National campaign on startups' milestone in empowering entrepreneurship (WAM 21/09/2025)

Minister of Economy: UAE seeks to increase number of startups to more than two million by 2031 (WAM 21/09/2025)

‘The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World’ national campaign launched (WAM 21/09/2025)

Dubai real estate sector recorded $4.6b of transactions last week (Arabian Business 21/09/2025)

G42 advancing UAE's standing in global AI landscape (WAM 20/09/2025)

Dubai Health consolidates partnerships with leading institutions at WHX Tech (WAM 19/09/2025)

flydubai grows its presence in Romania (WAM 19/09/2025)

Abu Dhabi successfully completes drone parcel delivery trial (WAM 19/09/2025)

Abu Dhabi Customs achieves significant growth in digital transactions (WAM 18/09/2025)

Mohammed bin Rashid: UAE will continue to set new benchmarks in government performance (WAM 18/09/2025)

MOCCAE launches ‘Tahweel’, UAE’s first national digital marketplace for recyclable materials (WAM 18/09/2025)

Etihad Airways adds Damascus to its network (WAM 18/09/2025)

Amazon opens 1st fulfilment centre in Abu Dhabi (WAM 18/09/2025)

Dubai, Plug and Play to launch accelerator connecting startups with corporate innovation (WAM 18/09/2025)

AD Ports Group begins rollout of LEO satellite connectivity across global operations (WAM 18/09/2025)

Al Seer Marine, BGN JV announce delivery of 3rd VLGC 'Merak' (WAM 18/09/2025)

Abu Dhabi launches AI-powered MRI technique for faster multiple sclerosis diagnosis (WAM 18/09/2025)

UAE’s Space42 and Viasat to form JV to improve universal connectivity (Arabian Business 18/09/2025)

Air Arabia expands Phuket operations (WAM 17/09/2025)

CDA launches updated version of Dubai Social Services Quality Standard (WAM 17/09/2025)

UAE Cabinet approves National Policy for Economic Clusters (WAM 17/09/2025)

Future of UAE's aviation sector lies on qualified human capital (WAM 17/09/2025)

National Industries Park secures over AED1b in new projects in 2025 (WAM 17/09/2025)

UAE University secures US patent for battery that converts carbon dioxide into clean energy (WAM 17/09/2025)

UAE-based artists, designers, creative businesses, manufacturers invited to shape this year’s Eid Al Etihad celebration through creative merchandise (WAM 17/09/2025)

flydubai expands operations in Kenya (WAM 17/09/2025)

UAE leads $18b MEA space market with bold investments (Khaleej Times 17/09/2025)

UAE food consumption likely to rise to 8.8m MT by 2029 (Khaleej Times 17/09/2025)

Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 aims to create 30,000 jobs and add $1b to GDP with new XSOLLA partnership (Arabian Business 17/09/2025)

American University in Dubai launches alliance with Penn Medicine (WAM 16/09/2025)

Dubai Data Establishment launches economic survey on key sectors (WAM 16/09/2025)

DMT approved 30m+ sqm of development across Abu Dhabi in H1 2025 (Abu Dhabi Media Office 16/09/2025)

Dubai RTA to roll out battery-swapping stations for electric delivery bikes (Arabian Business 16/09/2025)

Dubai launches 2025 Economic Survey to boost GDP data and D33 goals (Arabian Business 16/09/2025)

Louis Vuitton opens second Dubai Duty Free store at DXB Terminal 3 (Arabian Business 16/09/2025)

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi expands reach in Egypt (WAM 15/09/2025)

UAE FINANCE AND ECONOMY NEWS

Gross banks’ assets up 1% to AED5,024.1b at end-July 2025 (WAM 22/09/2025)

ADX lists region’s first thematic ETF, offering investors access to pioneers in quantum computing (WAM 22/09/2025)

UAE signs Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement under Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (WAM 20/09/2025)

UAE announces new tax reporting rules for crypto assets (Arabian Business 20/09/2025)

Dubai Chambers, EDB to enhance support for startups (WAM 18/09/2025)

UAE’s real GDP to accelerate to 5.3% in 2026 (Khaleej Times 18/09/2025)

UAE lowers interest rates by 25 basis points (WAM 17/09/2025)

MoF discusses latest financial, economic developments in UAE with IMF (WAM 17/09/2025)

HSBC cashes in on HNWI influx to UAE with launch of first Middle East wealth centre (Arabian Business 16/09/2025)

UAE leads as Mena’s most diversified startup hub amid 74% funding surge (Khaleej Times 15/09/2025)

MERGER & AQUISITION NEWS

Sultan bin Ahmed witnesses Arada’s acquisition of UK’s Regal (WAM 22/09/2025)

OCI Global and Orascom to merge and operate from Abu Dhabi (Arabian Business 22/09/2025)

XRG-led Consortium concludes discussions with Santos Board (WAM 17/09/2025)

MGX joins Silver Lake in Altera acquisition (WAM 16/09/2025)

UAE BILATERAL TRADE NEWS

UAE-Korea Joint Business Council discusses formation of sectoral working groups (WAM 22/09/2025)

Nama PWP inks deal with Masdar-led consortium, OQAE for Oman’s first utility-scale solar, battery storage project (WAM 22/09/2025)

US-UAE Business Council hosts UAE Chief AI Officers (WAM 22/09/2025)

DP World, eCitizen join forces to transform customs clearance in Kenya (WAM 22/09/2025)

Dubai Chambers explores trade, investment opportunities with North Macedonia (WAM 22/09/2025)

The Australian brand making waves in Middle East perfumery (Arabian Business 22/09/2025)

UAE delegation visits Belgium to enhance cooperation in energy, sustainability (WAM 21/09/2025)

UAE signs MoUs with Seychelles, Uganda on auditing, oversight (WAM 21/09/2025)

UAE President arrives in Belgrade on working visit to Serbia (WAM 19/09/2025)

UAE President meets honorary chairman of ruling Georgian Dream Party (WAM 19/09/2025)

UAE President, Georgian Prime Minister discuss growth of bilateral ties under CEPA (WAM 19/09/2025)

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets members of Japanese Parliament, UAE–Japan Society (WAM 19/09/2025)

AD Ports Group breaks ground on Noatum Ports Luanda Terminal (WAM 19/09/2025)

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi visits UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka (WAM 19/09/2025)

UIBC-UC releases landmark study on future of India-UAE CEPA (WAM 19/09/2025)

Dubai showcases higher education ecosystem at EAIE Conference in Sweden (WAM 19/09/2025)

Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority, US National Fire Protection Association to advance fire prevention system (WAM 19/09/2025)

UAE–India economic partnership drives growth in bilateral trade (WAM 19/09/2025)

ADX, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited enhance collaboration (WAM 18/09/2025)

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets Governor of Kyoto Prefecture (WAM 18/09/2025)

e& enterprise to partner with Serbia in tripling its data centre capacity (Arabian Business 18/09/2025)

Abu Dhabi Chamber signs cooperation agreement with Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WAM 17/09/2025)

AD Ports Group awards contract for two shallow-draft container vessels for Caspian Sea operations (WAM 17/09/2025)

MOFA hosts meeting with European Ambassadors (WAM 17/09/2025)

UAE inaugurates Islamic Academy in Kyrgyz Republic under presidential directives (WAM 16/09/2025)

UAE, Indonesia launch Executive Leaders Programme, ‘10 Million Coders’ initiative (WAM 16/09/2025)

UAE participates in 2nd Pakistan International Date Palm Festival (WAM 16/09/2025)

UAE, Azerbaijan Presidents witness announcement of CEPA, signing of multiple MoUs (WAM 16/09/2025)

ADQ, Azerbaijan Investment Holding sign MoU (WAM 16/09/2025)

UAE, Azerbaijan Presidents meet in Karabakh to review bilateral ties (WAM 16/09/2025)

Dubai Chambers, Italiacamp sign MoU to strengthen trade, investment relations (WAM 16/09/2025)

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Written by Jenny Hunt

Founder, Gateway Group, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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