01 | Iraq’s Supreme Court rules old foreign ownership ban unconstitutional

As of 2026-10-28, the ruling has removed a blanket restriction from Iraq’s former regime on foreign nationals owning assets and investing in Iraqi companies. Businesses should not interpret it as the removal of every sector-specific restriction on foreign investment.

Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the relevant Revolutionary Command Council decision, issued in 1994 and amended in 1997, violated Articles 23, 25 and 26 of Iraq’s 2005 Constitution. The old decision had suspended laws and decisions permitting foreign nationals to own assets or invest in Iraqi companies. It also prescribed imprisonment of one to three years and confiscation of assets for violations. Under Article 94 of the Constitution, the ruling is binding on all authorities.

Foreign businesses preparing to enter Iraq still need to check the current rules for investment, company formation, licensing and asset ownership in their intended sector. The judgment addresses the constitutionality of the old decision; it does not replace a project-specific market-entry review.

Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-10-28

02 | Türkiye completes alignment with EU machinery safety rules

Following Türkiye’s alignment with EU machinery safety legislation, machinery exporters will be able to complete conformity assessment and certification in Türkiye. The immediate change concerns where certification takes place and how the process is administered; product compliance obligations remain in force.

Türkiye’s Trade Ministry said it had signed a declaration confirming regulatory alignment as required under the customs union. Türkiye can now designate accredited notified bodies domestically, and their assessments will be recognised under the same conditions as those performed for EU manufacturers. The ministry said the arrangement is expected to cover more than $10 billion in annual Turkish machinery exports to the EU. Machinery accounts for around 10% of Türkiye’s total exports to the EU.

Businesses already exporting machinery from Türkiye to the EU can reassess their certification bodies, conformity assessment arrangements and document workflows to determine whether procedures previously completed abroad can move to Türkiye.

Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-10-27

03 | Bahrain introduces a six-month work permit for expatriates already in the country

Bahrain’s new six-month work permit gives employers an option for short-term assessment of expatriate workers already in the country. It does not create a new route for overseas recruitment.

On 2026-10-27, Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority announced that the permit would be available to expatriates who already reside in Bahrain and work in the commercial sector. It will sit alongside the existing one-year and two-year permits. The authority expressly limited the new category to expatriates already in Bahrain.

For businesses in their start-up phase or those with unsettled staffing requirements, the shorter term allows more time to assess suitability and employment costs before making a longer commitment. Before applying, employers should confirm the candidate’s current residence status, sector and permit eligibility rather than using the six-month permit for recruitment from abroad.

Source: yen.com.gh, 2026-10-27

05 | Oman changes rules for recruiting expatriate workers from 2027

Oman’s new framework places clearer responsibilities on licensed recruitment offices, contract documentation and service guarantees. From 2027, employers appointing a recruitment office will need to check its licence, the applicable guarantee period, and the conditions for refunds or replacement workers—not merely compare recruitment fees.

Oman’s Ministry of Labour issued the framework through Ministerial Decision No. 390/2026, effective from 2027-01-01. Recruitment offices must obtain a licence and meet conditions including Omani ownership and authorised signatories, registration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority, and a financial guarantee of OMR5,000. Licensed offices must also use prescribed job-offer and service-contract forms, provide workers’ personal details, skills and experience, arrange pre-entry medical examinations, and obtain insurance for each service contract.

Recruitment offices may not charge recruited workers fees for recruitment or employment. They may not retain passports or official documents without the worker’s written consent. Unless a shorter period is agreed, the office must recruit the worker within 45 days after the service contract is signed.

In specified circumstances, recruitment offices must refund the employer or provide a replacement worker where agreed in writing. Employers may lose their right to a refund through their own conduct, including misrepresenting working conditions, failing to pay wages for more than two consecutive months or for three non-consecutive months within one year, or subjecting workers to harassment or violence. The wage condition does not cover every isolated late payment.

The prescribed service guarantee lasts two years for domestic workers and equivalent categories. For workers recruited for establishments, it lasts 90 days from the start of employment. Temporary labour authorisations will remain valid for 180 days and cannot be renewed. Employers should establish which category applies before signing a contract rather than applying domestic-worker rules to general corporate employment.

Source: People Matters, 2026-10-26

06 | Türkiye raises qualified-investor thresholds and extends the fund compliance deadline

Türkiye’s latest changes affect both investor eligibility and the compliance timetable for funds. Investors who obtained qualified status under the previous financial criteria must provide evidence again. Those unable to demonstrate that they meet the new thresholds will be limited to selling instruments reserved for qualified investors.

On 2026-10-26, Türkiye’s Capital Markets Board raised the total financial asset threshold for professional-client applications from TRY10 million to TRY50 million. The trading-volume threshold increased from TRY5 million to TRY25 million. The previous exemption for purchasers of units in real estate investment funds and venture capital investment funds was also removed, making the general thresholds applicable to them.

The deadline for full compliance with portfolio and investment limits has been extended to 2027-01-31. The regulator also removed the interim deadlines of 2026-10-31 and 2026-11-30. Investment firms and fund managers must treat client eligibility reviews and fund-limit remediation as separate workstreams rather than viewing both changes as a single extension.

Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-10-27

Other updates

  • 07 | ADGM enhances its funds regulatory framework: The Abu Dhabi Global Market Financial Services Regulatory Authority has finalised amendments to its funds and fund managers framework, introducing categories including the Sub-Threshold Fund Manager for managers with aggregate capital commitments of up to $200 million. (Source: Norton Rose Fulbright)
  • 08 | Egypt reviews bringing forward its renewable electricity target to 2028: Egypt’s president reviewed a plan to raise renewables to 45% of the electricity mix by 2028, compared with the previous target of 42% by 2030. The plan also covers energy storage, green hydrogen and desalination. (Source: Daily News Egypt, 2026-10-27)
  • 10 | Egypt reports progress on its new-city programme: Egypt’s prime minister said the national plan covers 39 new cities, of which 27 have been completed or are under development. The programme forms part of the National Strategic Plan for Urban Development 2052. (Source: Business Today Egypt)
  • 11 | Iraq’s prime minister says the US has agreed to increase physical dollar shipments: The arrangement cited in the report involves $1 billion in banknotes per month and concerns cash supply, not a change in exchange-rate policy. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-10-27)
  • 12 | Oman announces a $3 billion AI data-centre consortium plan: A consortium led by Oman’s Mubbadrah Investment plans to develop an AI data centre with planned capacity of up to 400MW. The project remains at the development-planning stage. (Source: Middle East Construction News, 2026-10-26)
  • 14 | US company signs a long-term LNG supply arrangement with QatarEnergy: Cheniere Energy has entered into long-term sale and purchase agreements to supply QatarEnergy with a combined 4 Mt/year of LNG from 2031 through the end of 2054. Of that volume, 1 Mt/year remains conditional on a final investment decision for the relevant expansion project. (Source: Enerdata)
  • 15 | Qatar expands its Active Asset Management Initiative to QR5 billion: Doha Investment announced that the initiative will grow from QR2.6 billion to QR5 billion, with new funding open to eligible local and international asset managers. (Source: Gulf Times, 2026-10-27)
  • 16 | Port of NEOM schedules its container terminal opening for November: The port plans to open the new container terminal on 2026-11-10 with an initial annual capacity of 700,000 TEU. This is a scheduled opening, not a terminal already in operation. (Source: Inspenet, 2026-10-26)
  • 20 | Türkiye’s 2040 energy strategy includes a $100 billion grid investment plan: Türkiye’s energy and natural resources minister said the strategy envisages approximately $100 billion in transmission and distribution network investment. The strategy is scheduled to be unveiled on 2026-11-05. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 21 | Türkiye’s central bank exempts certain corporate-debt repayment loans from credit-growth limits: Turkish lira loans used to repay domestic debt securities issued by non-bank private-sector entities and maturing by the end of 2026 will be exempt from the limits. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 22 | US military says it helped Gulf countries export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz: US Central Command said it had helped Gulf partners export more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since summer 2026 and that more than 3,000 commercial vessels had transited the strait with its support over the past six months. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 23 | Masdar issues a $600 million blue bond: Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company issued a five-year blue bond with a 5.875% coupon under its $6 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-10-27)
  • 24 | Sharjah completes the first phase of the Hedebah gas-field development: Sharjah National Oil Corporation completed the first phase of the gas-condensate field project in preparation for higher output in 2027 and stable production rates in 2028. A more than twofold production increase remains a future expectation. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-10-27)
  • 25 | Apollo invests more than $1 billion in Mubadala Capital: Apollo Global Management’s chief executive said the company had invested more than $1 billion for a 10% stake to support Mubadala Capital’s expansion in North America. (Source: The National, 2026-10-27)
  • 26 | Egypt works with the World Bank Group on an investment promotion strategy: The strategy is intended to direct foreign investment towards productive activities that support exports, expand manufacturing, and strengthen links between major projects and local suppliers. (Source: Daily News Egypt, 2026-10-27)
  • 27 | Iraq and Jordan discuss establishing a free trade zone: Delegations meeting in Amman discussed a bilateral free trade zone and cooperation in energy, investment and trade. The zone remains under discussion. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-10-27)
  • 28 | Port of NEOM signs an MoU on a multimodal logistics corridor: Port of NEOM and CEVA Almajdouie Logistics signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a trade corridor connecting Europe, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, GCC countries and Iraq. The current step is a cooperation framework. (Source: SaudiGulf Projects, 2026-10-26)
  • 29 | Türkiye’s capital-markets regulator suspends two asset managers: The Capital Markets Board temporarily suspended the capital-markets activities of Tera Portföy Yönetimi and Pusula Portföy Yönetimi and arranged for their closed funds that are not yet in liquidation to enter liquidation proceedings. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 30 | European automotive industry calls for protection of existing investments in Türkiye: The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association called for targeted exemptions under the EU’s proposed “Made in EU” rules to account for European manufacturers’ existing investments in Türkiye. The relevant legislation has not been adopted, and no exemption has been approved. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)

Last updated: October 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice.