Housing market evolution and impressive new mega-projects all featured prominently, alongside daring strikes in finance, transport and regional connectivity. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi additionally made headlines with initiatives set to reshape development, mobility and funding flows.
Meet up with 10 of the most important tales this week as chosen by Arabian Enterprise editors.
Dubai faculties: All 23 ‘Excellent’ KHDA faculties revealed
Dubai has confirmed 23 non-public faculties as “Excellent” for the 2023-2024 inspection cycle, the best score awarded by the Data and Human Growth Authority (KHDA).
The outcomes mirror robust efficiency throughout high quality of educating, management, pupil wellbeing and total instructional outcomes, providing mother and father a transparent benchmark of the emirate’s prime establishments.
Charges throughout Dubai’s non-public faculties range considerably relying on curriculum, services and yr group, with annual tuition at Excellent faculties usually starting from the low AED30,000s for early grades to greater than AED110,000 for senior yr ranges.
4 new UAE go to visas in 2025 – All you want to know
The UAE has issued a major replace to its entry allow system, introducing 4 new go to visa classes designed to draw world expertise, assist key financial sectors and strengthen the nation’s place as a hub for innovation, leisure and tourism.
The adjustments kind a part of a broader package deal of amendments introduced by the Federal Authority for Identification, Citizenship, Customs and Port Safety (ICP), which additionally consists of new provisions for humanitarian residence, widows and divorcees, enterprise exploration visas and expanded household sponsorship choices.
Officers say the brand new go to visa classes goal to streamline entry processes for particular kinds of guests whereas supporting fast-growing nationwide priorities corresponding to synthetic intelligence, occasions and marine tourism.
UAE actual property market set to skyrocket to AED486bn by 2030
The UAE’s actual property sector is on observe to surge to AED486.2 billion by 2030, cementing its position as one of many nation’s strongest financial engines, based on new projections from market evaluation agency Analysis and Markets.
The sector, valued at AED302.65 billion in 2024, is anticipated to develop at a compound annual price of 8.06 per cent as investor demand, government-backed improvement and speedy digital transformation push the market into its subsequent section of enlargement.
Pushed by regular inhabitants development, rising worldwide investor curiosity and main infrastructure spending, the UAE continues to place actual property as a cornerstone of its diversified economic system. Analysis and Markets notes that know-how is now a decisive issue on this speedy evolution, with synthetic intelligence, blockchain, digital actuality and augmented actuality changing into central to how properties are designed, marketed and bought.
Emaar unveils Dubai Sq., the world’s first drive-through mall
After giving Dubai a number of iconic actual property tasks just like the world’s tallest constructing Burj Khalifa, and the sprawling Dubai Mall, Emaar Properties has now unveiled Dubai Sq. – a futuristic retail and leisure vacation spot that can even function the world’s first drive-through mall design.
The mission will anchor Emaar’s Dubai Creek Harbour improvement and can span 2.6 million sq. meters of retail, hospitality and industrial space. Dubai Creek Harbour is a gigantic 11 million sq. meters waterfront improvement with a complete improvement price of AED180 billion (US$49 billion). That might make it thrice the dimensions of Downtown Dubai.
The mission underscores Emaar’s imaginative and prescient for the long run, combining residential, industrial, and leisure areas on the banks of the historic Dubai Creek.
UAE points main adjustments to Business Corporations Legislation
The UAE has launched sweeping adjustments to its Business Corporations Legislation to permit new share buildings, private-market fundraising and simpler relocation of companies throughout emirates and free zones underneath a federal decree issued this week.
The amendments goal to modernise the nation’s company authorized framework, develop investor choices and replace possession and financing buildings as a part of a broader push to strengthen the UAE’s place as a number one world funding vacation spot.
Probably the most important adjustments is the introduction of a brand new authorized kind, the non-profit firm. Beneath the brand new framework, these entities will reinvest web income into their said targets reasonably than distribute them to shareholders, making a clearer construction for social and development-focused organisations to function inside a regulated company setting.
Dubai actual property market enters new period of end-user demand and community-led development
The Dubai residential actual property market entered a brand new section of maturity in 2025, formed by end-user determination making, globally various investor exercise and a transparent shift towards community-led priorities, based on Banke Worldwide Properties’ year-end evaluation.
The corporate mentioned the patterns noticed in 2025 level to sustained demand and evolving purchaser expectations that can affect market behaviour by 2026.
Banke reported important exercise from GCC, Indian, UK and European patrons throughout each off-plan and secondary segments. The primary half of 2025 recorded greater than AED431bn ($117.4bn) in actual property transactions throughout 125,538 offers.
Dubai Islands touted because the ‘new Palm’ as rich patrons snap up trophy waterfront houses – developer
World wealth is more and more concentrating on unique beachfront houses as patrons favour island dwelling on Dubai Islands for privateness, solar and proximity to DIFC, a developer instructed Arabian Enterprise.
Consumers from Europe, North America and South America are concentrating on coastal and island-based houses that mix privateness, direct seashore entry and wellness facilities with longer-term capital development potential.
The shift is being bolstered by a rising pipeline of residential launches on Dubai Islands, a masterplanned waterfront vacation spot that builders evaluate to the early rise of Palm Jumeirah.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar signal 300kmph, 785km rail hyperlink with $31bn financial impression and 30,000 jobs
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed an settlement to implement a 785km high-speed electrical passenger railway connecting Riyadh and Doha.
The most important improvement strengthens regional connectivity and displays the deep-rooted fraternal relations between the 2 nations.
The railway will hyperlink the 2 capitals and move by Hofuf and Dammam, connecting King Salman Worldwide Airport in Riyadh and Hamad Worldwide Airport in Doha. Designed for speeds exceeding 300kmph, the route will scale back journey time between Riyadh and Doha to roughly two hours, considerably enhancing mobility, supporting commerce and tourism, and enhancing high quality of life.
Abu Dhabi launches main finance cluster to drive $15.25bn GDP increase, lure $4.6bn funding and create 8,000 new expert jobs by 2045
Abu Dhabi has launched a significant new monetary cluster designed to speed up the emirate’s management in fintech, insurance coverage, digital property and various investments, following approval from Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Govt Council.
The Abu Dhabi Division of Financial Growth and the Abu Dhabi Funding Workplace introduced the FinTech, Insurance coverage, Digital and Various Belongings (FIDA) cluster at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025.
Spearheaded by the Abu Dhabi Division of Financial Growth (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Funding Workplace (ADIO), the cluster goals to strengthen the emirate’s place as a worldwide centre for superior finance and funding.
By 2045, FIDA is projected to contribute a further AED56bn ($15.25bn) to Abu Dhabi’s gross home product, create 8,000 new expert jobs and entice a minimum of AED17bn ($4.63bn) in funding, supporting the UAE’s wider financial diversification agenda.
UAE publicizes 2026 vacation
The UAE has introduced a vacation for public sector to have a good time the 2026 New Yr.
In an official assertion the Federal Authority for Authorities Human Assets mentioned that January 1, 2026 will probably be a public vacation for all federal authorities staff.
It represents the primary official vacation of subsequent yr and can fall on a Thursday.
