Weekly News Roundup · UAE & Qatar | Mubadala Plans to Prioritize Expanding Its Footprint in Asia; Doha to Host the World Investment Forum
Mubadala Plans to Maintain Annual Investment of 39 Billion US Dollars, Focusing on Expanding Footprint in Asia
According to The National, Abu Dhabi sovereign investment agency Mubadala stated that it plans to continue keeping the annual global investment scale at around 39 billion US dollars, equivalent to about 10% of its investment portfolio, and list Asia as a key market for expansion. Over the past three years, the proportion of Asian assets in its portfolio has risen from 10% to 13%, and it will further increase investments in China, South Korea, India and Japan in the future. Key priority areas include energy transition, technology, global supply chain restructuring and consumer markets. (The National)
Dubai CommerCity Launches 1.8 Billion AED Expansion Plan
Dubai CommerCity announced the launch of its second-phase expansion, with an investment of more than 1.8 billion AED, which is expected to be delivered in batches from 2027 to 2028. The project will add more than 91,000 square meters of office and supporting space, and build new logistics facilities integrating smart warehousing, order fulfillment and last-mile delivery. Currently, the occupancy rate of the park is close to 96%, reflecting the continuously strong demand from e-commerce and technology enterprises. (WAM)
Dubai Municipality Joins Digital Twin Consortium to Promote Intelligent Urban Management
According to WAM, Dubai Municipality has officially joined the Digital Twin Consortium, and will work with global institutions to promote the technical standards and practical applications of digital twin technology, with key coverage of urban planning, infrastructure and asset management. This cooperation will further introduce artificial intelligence, geospatial data and predictive analysis technologies, improve the efficiency of urban planning, engineering coordination and public facility management, and promote Dubai's transformation to a smart city management model. (WAM)
Dubai Future Foundation Launches Agent AI Government Service Accelerator
According to WAM, Dubai Future Foundation has launched the "Agent AI Government Service Accelerator", in collaboration with Dubai Digital Authority and the Electronic Security Center, to promote artificial intelligence to shift from assisted consultation to autonomous processing of complex government processes. In the first phase, 33 government agencies will participate, select projects suitable for AI transformation from more than 300 public service scenarios, and cooperate with certified technology enterprises to develop solutions. The project aims to shorten the development cycle of government services, simplify processing procedures, and ensure data security and compliance. (WAM)
Abu Dhabi Invests Over 300 Million AED to Upgrade Public Transport
According to Arabian Business, Abu Dhabi's transport authority announced an investment of more than 300 million AED (about 81 million US dollars) to build a new generation of intelligent public transport system. The project includes an advanced automatic vehicle management system and an integrated digital intelligent ticketing platform, which improves the convenience of public transport operation scheduling, passenger services and payment through real-time data and digital technology. This investment will improve the operation efficiency and service reliability of the transport network, and support Abu Dhabi to build a more convenient and sustainable urban travel system. (Arabian Business)
Dubai's Creative Industry Attracts Over 3.7 Billion US Dollars in Investment, Driving 19,000 Jobs
According to Arabian Business, Dubai continues to attract international capital into the creative industry. In 2025, the relevant foreign direct investment reached 3.76 billion US dollars, creating more than 19,300 jobs, and it continues to maintain its leading position in the number of new foreign-funded creative industry projects worldwide. With the continuous agglomeration of international enterprises and creative talents, Dubai is further improving the creative industry ecosystem, promoting the development of cultural content production, commercial services and innovation activities, and enhancing the growth momentum of the non-oil economy. (Arabian Business)
Doha to Host World Investment Forum, Focusing on Global Capital Flows and Gulf Investment Opportunities
According to The Peninsula, the 9th World Investment Forum will be held in Doha, Qatar from October 25 to 27, co-hosted by Qatar and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It is expected to bring together government officials from various countries, sovereign wealth funds, international investment institutions and corporate executives. The forum will focus on discussing investment opportunities in artificial intelligence, energy, critical minerals, infrastructure and sustainable finance, and set up a special session on investment in the Gulf region. (The Peninsula)
Huawei and Vodafone Qatar Hold Smart Education Summit to Promote AI into Teaching Scenarios
According to Gulf Times, Huawei and Vodafone Qatar jointly hosted the 2026 Education Summit to discuss the application of artificial intelligence in teaching, scientific research and smart campus management. Huawei demonstrated AI solutions for basic education, higher education and scientific research; Vodafone introduced infrastructure such as campus networks, cloud computing and network security, and jointly demonstrated robot education applications with Chinese robotics enterprise Unitree Robotics. The two sides hope to cooperate with educational institutions through technology to promote the digital upgrading of Qatar's education system and cultivate talents that meet the needs of future industries. (Gulf Times)
Qatar's Catering Outlets Exceed 6000, Tourism Drives Service Quality Upgrading
According to Gulf Times, Qatar Tourism stated that the number of catering outlets across the country has exceeded 6000, showing the continuous expansion of the catering and hotel service industry. Through the "Taste of Qatar" program launched in 2025, Qatar Tourism implements star rating for restaurants and cafes, and provides a communication and display platform for local catering entrepreneurs. Qatar hopes to enhance tourism attractiveness and cultivate more small and medium-sized enterprises with the help of catering culture, service standards and local brand building. (Gulf Times)
Qatar Ranks 5th in MENA in AI Talent Readiness, Skill Training Grows Rapidly
According to Gulf Times, the "2026 Global Skills Report" released by Coursera shows that Qatar ranks 5th in the Middle East and North Africa region and 46th globally in the newly established "AI and Human Skills Synergy Index". This index mainly measures the integration of AI technical capabilities with human skills such as critical thinking, communication and collaboration. The number of registrations for AI courses in Qatar increased by 70% year-on-year, reflecting the continuously rising demand for relevant skills from enterprises and individuals. The government is accelerating the cultivation of digital talents through AI training programs and cooperation with international technology enterprises, so as to promote the transformation of artificial intelligence investment into actual productivity. (Gulf Times)
Qatar Increases Investment in Recycling Industry to Promote Waste-to-Energy and Circular Economy Construction
According to Arabian Business, Qatar is accelerating the development of circular economy by expanding investment in recycling facilities, introducing private capital and building waste-to-energy projects. At the 6th Recycling and Sustainable Development Conference, the Ministry of Municipality stated that 9 investors have been selected to build new recycling facilities, 4 of which have signed land lease agreements. The government also plans to build centralized sorting and recycling facilities, modern waste-to-energy plants, and upgrade the national intelligent waste management system. Relevant measures aim to reduce landfill, improve resource utilization efficiency, and turn waste treatment into new industrial investment opportunities. (Arabian Business)
Recent Events
Registration for 2026 Beijing International Investment and Trade Fair is Now Open
On October 29, the "2026 Beijing International Investment and Trade Fair", co-hosted by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Beijing Sub-council and Beijing Chamber of International Commerce, will be held at Beijing Kunlun Hotel. The conference focuses on Beijing's investment opportunities, cross-regional industrial coordination and two-way cross-border empowerment, bringing together Chinese and foreign government representatives, leading enterprises in various industries, think tank experts and investment institutions. The conference is now open for event registration and 1-on-1 business negotiation application for enterprises, building a practical docking and negotiation platform for two-way investment and industrial cooperation between Chinese enterprises and overseas government and enterprises. You are welcome toclick "here" to submit the registration application. Enterprises with clear docking requirements must submit the B2B negotiation intention at the same time when registering. The main conference adopts a screening system, and we will arrange the review as soon as possible after receiving your registration and notify you separately.
English Services
Service | KrASIA Launches Brand-new English Media Services for Chinese Enterprises Going Global
In the current complex global economic landscape, English reporting is not only an important means to convey value propositions to overseas customers and consumers, but also a cognitive precipitation of enterprises around the world. KrASIA (kr-asia.com), the English media, is committed to introducing Chinese business and culture to the world. About 60% of the readers of the English website are business people in core Southeast Asian countries. Through excellent search engine optimization, professional English content, reliable social media matrix, as well as external inclusion platforms such as Bloomberg Terminal and Dow Jones Factiva, which are the world's top information and data platforms, KrASIA helps Chinese companies enhance their global brands. If your company has relevant needs for English communication, or hopes to cooperate with KrASIA to provide going-global services, you are welcome to scan the QR code below or click "here" to fill in the form to get the KrASIA media service rate card and the contact information of the staff.
Japanese Services
Service | 36Kr Japan Combines "Chinese Efficiency" with "Japanese Expression"
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