01 | UAE’s first e-invoicing requirement approaches its deadline

As of 2026-10-29, businesses with annual revenue of at least AED 50 million should treat the appointment of an Accredited Service Provider and system preparation as immediate priorities: the first deadline is 2026-10-30. Under the phased programme led by the UAE Ministry of Finance and Federal Tax Authority, these businesses must appoint an Accredited Service Provider by that date and implement e-invoicing by 2027-01-01.

Businesses below the AED 50 million threshold must appoint a provider by 2027-03-31 and implement the system by 2027-07-01. In-scope government entities must comply from October 2027. An e-invoice is not a conventional PDF invoice; it is a structured invoice that can be exchanged securely and integrated with accounting or enterprise resource planning systems. Chinese companies operating in the UAE should now confirm whether their existing finance systems are compatible and test whether their invoicing processes can connect properly.

Source: Gulf News, 2026-10-28

02 | ACWA Power signs water purchase agreement for Dubai’s Hassyan desalination project

The signing of the water purchase agreement should not be treated as evidence that equipment procurement has already begun; the construction schedule and commercial operation date have not been disclosed. ACWA Power and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority signed the agreement for the Hassyan seawater reverse osmosis independent water project, valued at US$478 million and covering its development, financing, construction and operation.

Located at the Hassyan Complex in Dubai, the plant will have a desalinated water production capacity of approximately 272,000 cubic metres per day. The agreement runs for 30 years, and ACWA Power holds a 40% interest in the project. Water-treatment equipment suppliers and engineering companies should track the construction timetable and specific procurement arrangements rather than infer that orders have already been released from the agreement alone.

Source: SaudiGulf Projects, 2026-10-28

03 | Abu Dhabi to host an LNP-delivered gene-editing therapy trial

Biopharmaceutical companies considering clinical research partnerships in Abu Dhabi should monitor the confirmed trial sites, enrolment arrangements and progress of regulatory approvals. IROS, M42’s contract research organisation, will work with US biotechnology company Mammoth Biosciences on the UAE’s first clinical trial of a lipid nanoparticle-delivered gene-editing therapy, with support from the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.

The trial will evaluate the investigational therapy MB-111 in adults with persistent chylomicronemia. It is designed to produce sustained reductions in severely elevated blood triglycerides following a single intravenous infusion. The therapy uses lipid nanoparticles to deliver the CasPhi gene-editing system into liver cells and switch off the APOC3 gene. The trial follows an agreement signed by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, M42 and Mammoth Biosciences in June 2026.

Source: M42, 2026-10-28

04 | Saudi dairy group invests approximately SAR 500 million to enter the red meat market

Cold-chain, packaging and food-equipment companies should first watch how Almarai develops local production for its new business. The approximately SAR 500 million investment has moved beyond category planning with the launch of the pre-packed beef brand HABOOR and Almarai’s entry into the red meat market.

The business forms part of Almarai’s 2026–2031 growth strategy, which identifies selective expansion into new food categories, including red meat, as one of four pillars. The company links the investment to greater local manufacturing capacity, a broader food portfolio and Saudi Arabia’s food-security objectives.

Source: Almarai, 2026-10-27

06 | Abu Dhabi and Novartis activate a clinical trials hub through global Phase 3 programmes

Innovative drug developers and clinical research service providers should assess opportunities at the level of individual studies and sites, since each study remains subject to feasibility assessments and regulatory, ethics and institutional approvals. The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Novartis have activated the Abu Dhabi Clinical Trials Hub through Novartis global Phase 3 programmes in neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, oncology and immunology.

The initiative builds on two years of cooperation following a memorandum of understanding signed by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Novartis on 2024-06-05. Their work since then has covered clinical research, evidence generation, healthcare innovation and capability development. The next stage will focus on investigator and research-site readiness, study start-up and pathways for identifying and referring eligible patients.

Source: BioSpectrum Asia, 2026-10-28

Other updates

  • 07 | Changan launches its Deepal flagship model in the Middle East: Changan Automobile held launch events in Oman and Egypt for the Deepal S09, a six-seat range-extended electric SUV co-developed with Huawei, bringing the model to markets across the Middle East and Africa. (Source: Automotive World, 2026-10-27)
  • 08 | Dubai approves an AED 2 billion-plus plan for 48 urban centres: Dubai’s Executive Council approved a programme with a budget exceeding AED 2 billion, covering six main centres and 42 auxiliary centres. (Source: UA.NEWS / The National, 2026-10-27)
  • 09 | Central Bank of the UAE holds its Base Rate at 3.9%: The rate applicable to the Overnight Deposit Facility remains at 3.9%, while short-term borrowing through all standing credit facilities remains 50 basis points above the Base Rate. (Source: Sharjah24, 2026-10-28)
  • 10 | Saudi shopping-centre project awards a SAR 104.3 million facilities management contract: Cenomi Centers awarded DAAM Facilities Management a three-year integrated facilities management contract for Westfield Jeddah, estimated at SAR 104.3 million excluding VAT. (Source: Construction Business News Middle East, 2026-10-28)
  • 11 | DP World and Canadian partners sign an MOU to explore an Arctic trade corridor: Arctic Gateway Group, CentrePort Canada and DP World Canada will examine an integrated transport corridor linking the Port of Churchill, the Hudson Bay Railway, CentrePort Canada and DP World’s global logistics network. (Source: Journal of Commerce, 2026-10-28)
  • 12 | Snowflake announces a US$300 million investment in Saudi Arabia: Snowflake plans to invest US$300 million in the country through 2030 and work with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to provide data and AI skills training for up to 25,000 learners. (Source: Zawya / TradingView, 2026-10-27)
  • 13 | LuLu Group plans an Al Shahama hypermarket for 2027: LuLu Group plans to open a 210,000-square-foot hypermarket in Al Shahama by UAE National Day 2027. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-10-28)
  • 14 | New Saudi law broadens commercial participation and supports entrepreneurs: Saudi Arabia’s new commercial transactions law allows Saudi citizens aged 15 and above to conduct business. (Source: Asharq Al-Awsat, 2026-10-28)
  • 15 | ADNOC Drilling reports US$1.07 billion in profit for the first nine months: ADNOC Drilling recorded net profit of US$1.07 billion and revenue of US$3.7 billion for the first nine months of 2026. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-10-28)
  • 16 | DEWA signs three agreements during WETEX: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority signed three agreements with global organisations during the 28th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition through Moro Hub, a subsidiary of its digital arm, Digital DEWA. (Source: Business Wire)
  • 17 | DEWA uses AI to improve its innovation platform: After Dubai Electricity and Water Authority integrated AI tools into its Afkari platform, the submission of innovative ideas accelerated by up to 25%, while the evaluation cycle fell from 28 days to seven days. (Source: Zawya / TradingView, 2026-10-28)
  • 18 | DP World launches double-stack container rail services in India: DP World introduced two services connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port with its inland container depot network in India’s National Capital Region and with the Sachana inland container depot in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. (Source: ET Infra)
  • 20 | Abu Dhabi technology group expands UAE–Greece AI cooperation: G42 signed memorandums of understanding in the UAE and Greece, including an agreement with Emirates Petroleum Company covering AI applications in energy, cybersecurity and digital technologies. (Source: Developing Telecoms, 2026-10-27)
  • 22 | Dubai regulator fines Moody’s Middle East unit over data breaches: The Dubai Financial Services Authority imposed an AED 2.15 million fine on Moody’s Investors Service Middle East Limited for data-confidentiality breaches spanning seven incidents between December 2023 and May 2026. (Source: The National, 2026-10-28)
  • 23 | Saudi research team identifies a new genetic cause of a fatal childhood brain disorder: Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre identified a previously unknown genetic cause through cases from five unrelated families in Saudi Arabia, Europe and North America. (Source: KAUST)
  • 24 | Al Rajhi Bank reports profit growth and cuts its full-year financing growth guidance: The bank’s net income after Zakat rose 13.3% year on year to SAR 20.87 billion in the first nine months of 2026, while full-year financing growth guidance was revised to the low single digits. (Source: TradingView, 2026-10-27)
  • 26 | Abu Dhabi unveils the design for a youth concert hall: The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi announced a project in the Mina Zayed port district with a 600-seat concert hall and 18 rehearsal rooms, scheduled to open in January 2027. (Source: Dezeen, 2026-10-27)
  • 27 | Nomad Abu Dhabi expands through a partnership with a luxury retail group: The invitation-only collectible art and design event will hold its second edition from November 18 to 22 and introduce a new collaboration with Chalhoub Group. (Source: WWD, 2026-10-28)

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