Weekly Highlights · UAE & Qatar | Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority Partners with Huawei and Other Chinese Enterprises to Advance AI Metro Construction; Qatar Free Zones Authority Discusses Advanced Manufacturing Cooperation with BYD
Dubai RTA Partners with Huawei and Other Chinese Enterprises to Advance AI Metro Construction
According to Gulf News, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Huawei and Casco Signal Co., Ltd. to apply artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and smart transportation technologies to the Dubai Metro Blue Line and future rail transit projects. This signing is a core outcome of the RTA's visit to China. The delegation conducted on-site inspections of how Chinese cities leverage AI, automation, and digital platforms to manage large-scale transportation networks, and exchanged insights with multiple leading Chinese tech enterprises and government agencies. (Gulf News)
Abu Dhabi AI Investment Firm MGX Closes $49 Billion Inaugural Fund
According to AGBI, Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence investment firm MGX announced that its first dedicated AI fund has completed fundraising at $49 billion, exceeding its initial target of $45 billion, with investors spanning diverse institutional and private capital from the Gulf, North America, Asia, and Europe. The fund focuses on semiconductor and AI infrastructure development, and has invested in 14 companies since its establishment. This massive fundraising further strengthens Abu Dhabi's position as a key global player in AI investment. (AGBI)
UAE and World Economic Forum Launch "Global Future Leaders Annual Summit"
According to ZAWYA, the UAE government and the World Economic Forum jointly announced that the inaugural "Global Future Leaders Annual Summit" will be held in the UAE from October 13 to 15, 2026. The summit aims to bring together top global leaders, policymakers, multinational CEOs, and cross-sector experts and innovators to engage in open dialogues on ideas and solutions that accelerate progress toward a sustainable future, contributing forward-thinking insights and innovative policies to address the world's most pressing challenges. (ZAWYA)
UAE's Mubadala Invests $15.2 Billion in H1, Leading Global Sovereign Wealth Funds
According to ZAWYA, in the first half of 2026, UAE's Mubadala Investment Company became the world's most active sovereign wealth fund with $15.2 billion in investment. Despite market fluctuations, Gulf sovereign funds collectively deployed $53.9 billion across 108 deals, hitting an all-time high in transaction value. Among the 42 global megadeals exceeding $1 billion, 21 involved Gulf sovereign fund participation. (ZAWYA)
Dubai SME Program Secures AED 1.78 Billion in Contracts for Local Businesses in 2025
According to Gulf Today, data from Dubai SME, the small and medium enterprise development agency under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, shows that the "UAE Supplier Program" helped local SMEs secure contracts worth AED 1.78 billion in 2025, representing a 38% year-on-year increase. Under relevant regulations, government entities and government-controlled organizations must allocate no less than 10% of their procurement contracts to Dubai SME member enterprises. Currently, 84 institutions have joined the program, creating business opportunities for 1,070 UAE-based companies. (Gulf Today)
Qatar Attracts $3.4 Billion FDI in 2025, New Projects Surge 52%
According to The Peninsula, the 2025 Annual Report released by Invest Qatar shows that Qatar attracted a total of $3.4 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, with 373 launched projects marking a 52% year-on-year increase and creating 15,000 new jobs. More than half of the investment went to greenfield projects, and nearly half of the projects fell into the medium and high-tech sectors, reflecting investor confidence in Qatar's innovative economy. During the same period, Qatar launched a $1 billion industrial incentive plan to continuously optimize its investment environment. In 2025, Qatar ranked among the top 10 in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking for the first time, and rose to 12th place globally in the Greenfield Investment Performance Index, further enhancing its international investment appeal. (The Peninsula)
Qatar Free Zones Authority and BYD Explore Advanced Manufacturing Cooperation
According to The Peninsula, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Faisal Al-Thani, CEO of Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ), held talks with Stella Li, Executive Vice President and CEO of BYD. The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges on cooperation opportunities to advance advanced manufacturing and innovation in Qatar's free zones. The BYD delegation later visited the Business Innovation Park to inspect the advanced facilities and innovation ecosystem supporting high-value industry development. (The Peninsula)
Qatar's ICT Market Projected to Reach $37.7 Billion by 2031, Growing 13.7% Annually
According to ZAWYA, data from Mordor Intelligence shows that Qatar's ICT market will continue expanding driven by government digital transformation, AI, cloud computing, and 5G, growing from $19.91 billion in 2026 to $37.74 billion by 2031. Core growth drivers include the National Digital Agenda 2030, sovereign cloud construction, and the development of Arabic large language models, with the government having invested approximately $2.47 billion to accelerate digital infrastructure development. (ZAWYA)
Qatar Welcomes 1.13 Million Tourists in Q1, Tourism Expected to Rebound in H2
According to Qatar Tribune, data from Visit Qatar shows that Qatar received approximately 1.13 million tourists in the first quarter of 2026. Beaches, luxury resorts, natural reserves, and historical landmarks are becoming popular choices for family travelers. Visit Qatar has launched the "Hello Summer" seasonal campaign, featuring a toy festival, concerts, sports events, and mall entertainment activities to continuously enhance Qatar's tourism appeal. (Qatar Tribune)
Upcoming Events
"Dubai Business Forum · China" to Debut in Shenzhen This October, Registration Now Open
The 5th "Dubai Business Forum · China" will be held in Shenzhen on October 14, 2026. Under the theme "Gathering Momentum for Shared, Sustained Growth", the forum will introduce diversified development opportunities brought by Dubai's Economic Agenda (D33) to the Chinese business community, opening up new paths for bilateral cooperation and strategic investment. As a high-end platform driving strategic economic collaboration between Chinese and Dubai business leaders, the Dubai Business Forum · China brings together core representatives from top Chinese multinational corporations, unicorn companies, high-growth tech enterprises, venture capital firms, and family businesses; the Dubai Chamber of Commerce will lead a top-tier delegation composed of key local enterprises, prominent family offices, leading investment institutions, and critical government departments to attend the event. If you are interested in this year's Dubai Business Forum · China, you are welcome to scan the QR code below, orclick "here" to fill out the registration form and apply for an event seat.
English Services
Service | KrASIA Launches New English Media Services for Chinese Enterprises Expanding Overseas
In today's complex global economic landscape, English-language reporting is not only a critical means to communicate value propositions to overseas clients and consumers, but also a way for enterprises to build global brand recognition. KrASIA (kr-asia.com), an English-language media platform, is dedicated to introducing Chinese business and culture to the world. Approximately 60% of readers on the English website are business professionals from core Southeast Asian countries. Through excellent search engine optimization, professional English content, a reliable social media ecosystem, and inclusion in top global information platforms such as Bloomberg Terminal and Dow Jones Factiva, KrASIA helps Chinese companies elevate their global brand presence. If your company has needs for English-language communication, or wishes to collaborate with KrASIA on overseas expansion services, please scan the QR code below or click "here" to fill out the form to obtain KrASIA's media service rate card and contact information for our team.
Community | Welcome to Join 36Kr Global's Overseas Expansion Learning & Exchange Group
Currently, 36Kr Global's overseas expansion learning and exchange group has attracted over 17,000 members who are professionals in overseas expansion, coming from domestic and international startups, industry giants, investment institutions, and more. In this community, we curate and organize daily global cross-border news for members to help them stay updated on the latest trends; we regularly host overseas expansion exchange events to connect the entire overseas expansion ecosystem and help members find potential partners. You are welcome to add 36Kr Global's assistant WeChat (ID: wow36krchuhai-xzs2) to apply for group membership, and grow globally together!
