Weekly News · UAE & Qatar | Li Auto Enters the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Asia-Pacific Markets / Qatar Launches Targeted Relief Measures to Support Stable Business Operations

Li Auto Enters the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Asia-Pacific Markets

On April 28th, Li Auto announced its official entry into the UAE and Saudi Arabian markets and simultaneously initiated its layout in the Asia-Pacific region. On April 25th, Li Auto signed contracts with Al Fahim Motors in the UAE and Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors in Saudi Arabia, officially introducing the Li L series to the Middle East market. Li Auto stated that the family design and extended-range technology of the L series highly meet the needs of Middle Eastern consumers. Meanwhile, Li Auto announced its Asia-Pacific market layout, gradually carrying out sales and service arrangements starting from May, marking the official launch of the company's overseas market expansion strategy. (IT Home)

The UAE Launches a $272 Million Industrial Resilience Fund to Strengthen Local Manufacturing and AI Applications

According to ARAB NEWS, the UAE has launched the National Industrial Resilience Fund with a total of 1 billion dirhams (approximately $272 million). The fund aims to enhance local manufacturing capabilities, ensure supply chain security, and promote the application of artificial intelligence in production. The fund will support the localization of key products, ensure continuous supply, strengthen the industrial value chain, and assist in establishing strategic reserves. At the same time, the government promotes the coverage of local products on retail and digital platforms to enhance consumer awareness. (ARAB NEWS)

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Dubai Commercial Bank Hold an Open Dialogue on Corporate Banking Services

According to ZAWYA, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce recently held an open dialogue in collaboration with Dubai Commercial Bank (CBD), bringing together 75 corporate representatives. The dialogue focused on corporate financing needs and innovative banking services, aiming to help enterprises cope with global economic changes and enhance their adaptability. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, the chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, said that they will deepen cooperation with the banking industry to provide financial services that match the needs of enterprises, so as to enhance the resilience and long-term competitiveness of the private sector. Dr. Bernd van Linder, the CEO of CBD, pointed out that banks need to be more responsive to the actual needs of enterprises, simplify financing channels, and support enterprises to grow and withstand pressure in a complex environment. (ZAWYA)

Dubai Cancels the Minimum Property Threshold for Investor Residence Visas

According to AGBI, the Dubai Land Department announced that the minimum property value requirement for investor residence visas has been cancelled, and the threshold for joint ownership has also been lowered, making it easier for small and medium-sized investors to apply for two-year residence visas. Previously, individuals needed to own properties worth at least 750,000 dirhams, which has now been cancelled. Under joint ownership, each person only needs to hold properties worth 400,000 dirhams to apply. This move aims to expand the group of applicants for residence visas, stimulate the demand for mid - and low - priced housing markets, and cope with the downward pressure on sales caused by regional conflicts. (AGBI)

Emirates Telecommunications Operator e& Posts Over $5.3 Billion in Q1 Revenue with Strong User Growth

According to AGBI, the revenue of UAE telecommunications operator e& (formerly Etisalat) in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 15% year - on - year, reaching 19.4 billion dirhams (approximately $5.3 billion). The revenue growth was mainly driven by the strong performance of domestic and international telecommunications businesses and the expansion of the user base. As of March 31st, the total number of the group's users reached 248 million, a year - on - year increase of 31%. Masood Mahmood, the group's CEO, said that the diversification of the international market helped maintain the growth momentum. (AGBI)

Dubai Financial Market's Q1 Net Profit Rises 40%

According to AGBI, in the first quarter of 2026, the net profit of the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) reached 178 million dirhams (approximately $49 million), a year - on - year increase of 40%, benefiting from the active participation of foreign and institutional investors. There were 20,700 new investors, of which 79% were from overseas. Foreign investors contributed 54% of the trading volume, and institutional investors accounted for 70%. Despite the impact of regional conflicts, trading activities generally remained active. (AGBI)

Qatar Launches Targeted Relief Measures to Support Stable Business Operations

According to The Peninsula, Qatar has launched a package of targeted support measures to stabilize the market and enhance investor confidence. The main measures include providing up to 40% support for eligible local expenditures through the Invest Qatar national incentive program. This program has driven approximately 2.8 billion riyals in investment and created more than 900 jobs. At the same time, the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) and the Free Zones Authority (QFZ) have introduced policies such as rent reduction, deferred payment, and lease extension, and provided flexible arrangements for statements and tax declarations in terms of compliance. The government ensures the continuous operation of enterprises through more than 500 digital services, an investor consultation mechanism, and a 24/7 support hotline. Officials said that they will continuously evaluate and optimize the measures to cope with the uncertain environment. (The Peninsula)

Qatar Customs Deploys Agentic AI to Improve Operational Efficiency

According to The Peninsula, the General Directorate of Customs in Qatar announced the introduction of Agentic AI into the AI Nadeeb system to promote digital transformation and build a smarter and more efficient customs ecosystem. This technology goes beyond the traditional execution model, realizes end - to - end workflow integration, enhances the ability to detect anomalies and identify risks, promotes a data - driven decision - making mechanism, and creates an initiative compliance model under human supervision. This move is an important step in Qatar Customs' digital transformation strategy. (The Peninsula)

Media City Qatar Partners with IAMT to Enhance Doha's International Media Influence

According to Gulf Times, Media City Qatar and the International Association of Media and Technology (IAMT) have signed a platinum partnership agreement, aiming to strengthen Qatar's position as a regional hub for media production, content creation, and broadcasting technology. Through IAMT's global digital platform and multiple international industry events in 2026, Media City Qatar will gain extensive exposure and increase its visibility among decision - makers in the global media supply chain. Hamad Omar al - Mannai, the CEO of Media City, said that this move will expand global network resources, attract international media and technology companies to settle in Qatar, and promote the rapid development of the national media ecosystem, in line with Qatar's National Vision 2030. (Gulf Times)

Ooredoo Group's Q1 Net Profit Rises 4.7% to 1 Billion Qatari Riyals

According to Gulf Times, in the first quarter of 2026, Ooredoo Group achieved a net profit of 1 billion Qatari riyals, a year - on - year increase of 4.7%; its revenue increased to 6.2 billion Qatari riyals, a year - on - year increase of 6.0%. The group emphasized that its diversified layout and digital infrastructure construction have driven the performance growth, including the Ooredoo Fiber Network (OFN), the Syntys platform, and the Qatar TowerCo project. The group's total number of customers reached 147.1 million, indicating continuous expansion and market resilience. (Gulf Times)

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