GCC countries recorded approximately $161 billion in outward workers’ remittances in 2025, making the region the world’s largest source of outbound remittance flows, according to new data from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat).

The figure represents a 13.6% increase from 2024, with remittances rising by around $19 billion. It also marks the second consecutive year of growth after a decline in 2023.

The increase comes as Gulf economies continue to attract expatriate workers across infrastructure, services, industry, and non-oil sectors, supporting sustained demand for foreign labor across the region.

Workers’ remittances accounted for around 6.6% of the GCC’s combined GDP in 2025, up from 6% in 2024. The ratio stood at 5.7% in 2023 and 5.6% in 2022.

The GCC’s scale becomes more apparent when compared with individual major economies. Workers’ remittances sent from the U.S. stood at approximately $107 billion in 2025, compared with around $43 billion from Switzerland, $27 billion from Germany, and $21 billion from France, according to GCC-Stat.

The growth highlights the GCC’s expanding role in global financial flows and the economic importance of expatriate workers to the region’s labor markets.

For recipient countries, the flows provide an important source of household income and support consumption and economic stability. For the Gulf, meanwhile, the figures reflect the scale of its expatriate workforce and the continued expansion of economic activity beyond the oil sector.

The latest data also points to the broader economic relationship between the GCC and labor-exporting countries, as Gulf economies continue to serve as major destinations for workers while their remittance flows become increasingly significant to economies across Asia, Africa, and other regions.

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Dubai CommerCity (DCC), Dubai’s free zone dedicated to digital commerce, is investing more than AED1.8 billion ($490.1 million) in its second phase of expansion, as demand from e-commerce, technology, and logistics businesses continues to grow.

The expansion is expected to be delivered between the first quarter of 2027 and the fourth quarter of 2028, adding more than 91,000 square meters of new space across DCC’s Business, Logistics, and Social clusters.

The development comes as occupancy across DCC’s existing office, logistics, and retail spaces has reached nearly 96%, highlighting growing demand for infrastructure supporting digital commerce and technology companies.

The Business Cluster will add six new office buildings, offering a mix of shell-and-core offices, fully fitted workspaces, and flexible plug-and-play solutions. The Social Cluster will introduce additional retail outlets, restaurants, cafés, and services to create a more integrated environment for businesses and professionals.

The Logistics Cluster will also introduce The Hive, a 5,600-square-meter vertically designed logistics facility. It will feature 181 flexible units starting from five square meters, alongside 24/7 climate-controlled fulfillment areas, digitally managed loading and unloading zones, and dedicated last-mile delivery facilities.

The facility will also include electric vehicle charging stations and renewable energy solutions, with its design aligned with leading sustainability standards and LEED certification requirements.

The expansion comes amid strong growth in DCC’s operations. E-commerce parcels shipped through the free zone increased by 152% over the past year, while cargo volumes processed through the DCC Way transit platform rose by 14% during 2025.

The figures point to growing cross-border trade volumes and increasing demand for technology-enabled logistics infrastructure as companies look to scale their regional operations.

Dubai CommerCity was established as a joint venture between the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) and Wasl Group. The expansion supports Dubai’s wider economic ambitions under the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to strengthen the emirate’s position as a global hub for digital commerce, technology, and international trade.

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Dubai Municipality has joined the Digital Twin Consortium (DTC), a global organization working to advance digital twin technology, as the emirate expands the use of virtual models to plan infrastructure and manage its continued urban growth.

The membership, which consists of 170 diverse global entities, will give the municipality access to international expertise and emerging applications of digital twins, geospatial data, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. It will also allow Dubai to contribute to the development of standards governing how digital twins are built and used.

Dubai has already made significant advancements in this space, particularly through Dubai Municipality’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center. The center combines location-based data on buildings, roads and infrastructure with 3D models to simulate real-world conditions and improve urban planning and service delivery.

During the meeting, the GIS Centre delegation presented Dubai’s experience in using digital twin technologies to transform geospatial data into a digital representation. The Dubai Municipality has created 3D models of more than 195,000 buildings and integrated its digital twin platform with the No Objection Certificate (NOC) system, developed in collaboration with utility entities across the emirate.

According to Maryam Al Muhairi, CEO of the Building Regulation and Permits Agency at Dubai Municipality, joining the consortium will continue those efforts to integrate advanced technologies across urban planning, decision-making and sustainable development.

“Dubai Municipality’s membership in the Digital Twin Consortium builds on the GIS Centre’s work to develop an integrated ecosystem for geospatial data and advanced technologies and expand their application across planning, decision-making and sustainable urban development.”

Eng. Maitha Al Nuaimi, Director of the GIS Centre Department at Dubai Municipality, said participation in the Digital Twin Consortium gives Dubai Municipality an important channel for exchanging knowledge and examining how digital twin technologies can continue to evolve in different markets and applications.

“Our focus is on translating relevant global expertise into practical value for Dubai, strengthening the use of geospatial data in infrastructure development and enabling more informed decision-making across government entities and activities. This supports the continued development of solutions that enhance the city’s operational efficiency and future readiness.”

Participants from 10 countries also presented their experiences, technologies and applications, providing an opportunity to compare approaches and explore emerging international practices in the field.

Dubai Municipality’s membership in the Digital Twin Consortium is part of its broader efforts to expand international collaboration in geospatial technologies and to strengthen the application of advanced digital solutions in managing Dubai’s continued urban development.

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As companies invest more heavily in artificial intelligence, many CEOs are struggling to turn productivity gains into measurable financial results, according to a report by global strategy consultancy EY-Parthenon.

Its latest CEO Outlook Survey, which polled 1,200 executives across 21 countries, found that half identified AI as the biggest driver of productivity over the past year, ahead of business-process redesign at 46%. Yet only 16% had clear, real-time visibility into the returns on their AI investments.

Much of the challenge lies in converting those efficiencies into sustained growth. While nearly half of CEOs said productivity gains were being reinvested in innovation or transformation, close to a quarter said the gains were often absorbed by new demands and greater organizational complexity associated with the technology. Regulatory and risk requirements, legacy systems and additional workloads were also cited as factors offsetting those gains.

“AI is creating real productivity gains, but productivity alone is not a strategy,” said to Andrea Guerzoni, EY-Parthenon Global Vice Chair. “The challenge for CEOs now is to convert those gains into measurable value and competitive advantage.”

According to EY, leaders often fail to capture the full cost of AI. Beyond model fees, cloud infrastructure and data, those costs also include integration, governance and training employees to use AI effectively — factors that can materially alter the investment case.

“The leaders who will pull ahead will be those who can create long-term sustainable growth by redesigning how people and technology work together, transforming their operating models and making smart choices about where they deploy capital,” Guerzoni added.

The pressure to capture more value from AI is also changing how companies think about their workforce, with more CEOs citing AI as a workforce transformation issue rather than simply a way to change headcount.

Four in five said AI would have a greater impact on roles, skills, and ways of working than on workforce size over the next three years, as companies saw more output per employee in the last year.

But companies are struggling to develop those skills quickly enough. Nearly half of CEOs said their organizations were not keeping pace with the skills required as AI develops, while 72% expect skills shortages to become a greater barrier to growth than access to capital within three years.

That gap is also reflected in where companies are directing the benefits from higher productivity. While 33% of CEOs cited reskilling as a driver of productivity, only 15% said overall productivity gains were being reinvested in workforce development.

AI is also becoming more widely used in the deal-making process. Nearly half of CEOs said they were piloting the technology in selected transaction activities, while 45% were already using it across multiple or most parts of the process.

Among those surveyed, 45% saw the biggest opportunity in using AI to identify value earlier, while 35% pointed to improved decision-making and faster deal execution.

“Growth increasingly depends on portfolio discipline by using acquisitions, partnerships and divestments to build capability, deploy capital and respond faster,” Guerzoni said.

“But as AI reshapes business, portfolio choices cannot be made in isolation,” he added. “The real competitive divide will be between those that merely adopt AI and those that use it to create lasting value by treating technology, talent and portfolio optimization as one strategic transformation agenda,” Guerzoni concluded.

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The UAE recently unveiled its homegrown probe bound for asteroid 269 Justitia, marking a new step in the country’s deep-space ambitions.

The probe is the centerpiece of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, which will study two planets and seven asteroids to provide deeper insights into the universe and its cosmic environments.

Developed by the UAE Space Agency, in cooperation with the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, the probe is now en route to Colorado, where it will be integrated with the Mohammed bin Rashid Explorer. It will then return to the UAE for final testing before heading to Japan ahead of its planned launch in March 2028.

The mission, spanning eight years, will cover about 5 billion kilometers through the solar system, making flybys of six asteroids before the probe attempts to land on 269 Justitia.

The mission is also a test of how far the UAE’s space program has progressed since the Mars Hope Probe in 2021, and how much of the technology required for future exploration the country can now develop.

At a recent press conference, H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the President of the UAE and Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, said, “It is a landmark achievement in the space industry to have the ambition and vision that have enabled us to reach this point. The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt will mark the start of many programs to be launched in the future.”

“Our teams in the UAE have the courage and confidence to build technology that will conduct missions not just for us, but for the whole scientific community, to further understand the galaxy, the universe, and many other things that we still need answers to, paving the way for many more missions to come,” H.E. Al Bannai added.

The mission reflects the UAE’s capabilities to develop sovereign technology. “Sovereignty means you know the technology, you’re able to evolve it, you’re able to change it, and you’re able to use that knowledge in other programs,” he added.

H.E. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, said the value of a deep-space mission extends beyond what happens when a spacecraft reaches its destination. “Deep-space exploration creates extreme engineering constraints that can lead to innovations on Earth,” he said.

The mission is also building on the expertise developed through the Hope Probe. Engineers who worked on the Mars mission have moved into leadership positions on the asteroid program, with some who were entry-level engineers at the time now leading parts of the current mission.

H.E. Al Falasi said the aim is for the UAE to have, within the next decade, a team capable of developing more complex technologies, supported by a stronger local supply chain.

“The ambition is to build and launch a mission start to finish with one hundred percent capabilities covered within the UAE,” said Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII.

The country’s space program has also had an impact on education. Al Falasi said STEM enrollment increased by more than 30% following the Mars mission.

The project started in July of 2024 and has marked the UAE’s first interplanetary spacecraft in under two years. “This project reflects our system engineering capabilities and a national team of engineers whose work will provide new science data,” said Dr. Anton Ivanov, Executive Director – Space, Propulsion and Space Research Center, TII.

“The breakthrough is not the hardware. It is the team, it is the human capital,” he said.

The UAE’s longer-term ambition is to keep raising the bar. The current mission is the next step in that progression, testing the country’s technology, engineering expertise and ability to operate independently in deep space.

The probe is now moving into the next stage of preparation ahead of launch. Once it leaves Earth, engineers will have limited ability to intervene in the autonomous probe, putting the mission’s systems to the ultimate test.

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Dubai Chambers has signed a memorandum of understanding with Assolombarda, Italy’s largest regional business association, to expand trade and investment ties between Dubai and Italy.

The agreement connects businesses in Dubai with Assolombarda’s network of around 7,000 companies across Milan, Lodi, Monza and Brianza, and Pavia, creating opportunities for investment, partnerships and cooperation across sectors of mutual interest.

The partnership comes as Dubai-Italy non-oil trade reached $13.9 billion in 2025, up 18% from the previous year. The number of Italian companies registered as active members of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce has also increased by more than 400% over the past five years to 1,700 at the end of 2025. Another 160 Italian companies joined during the first half of 2026.

The agreement will support business delegations, establish joint events and knowledge-sharing initiatives, and create new opportunities for family-owned businesses through cooperation between the Dubai Centre for Family Businesses and Assolombarda’s Family Business Network.

The two organizations will encourage the exchange of expertise and best practices and explore opportunities to strengthen commercial ties between the two markets.

“We are committed to expanding international cooperation and building stronger partnerships that support the growth of trade and investment between Dubai and global markets. Our efforts also focus on enabling business communities to explore opportunities in priority sectors and build sustainable partnerships that strengthen competitiveness and support international expansion,” said Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers.

Key features also include synergies between networks dedicated to family businesses and the launch of an Annual Business Roundtable to ensure continuous, structured cooperation.

“This initiative transforms traditional bilateral trade into a systemic partnership,” said Alvise Biffi, president of Assolombarda. He noted that the agreement would create ‘privileged expansion channels’ for its member companies, reinforcing Dubai as a strategic hub for Italian manufacturing and services in the Gulf region.

Biffi also added that Assolombarda will soon open an operational office in Dubai, further consolidating the industrial and technological alliance between Italy and the Emirates.

The agreement was signed during a Dubai Chambers business seminar attended by 80 representatives from the two business communities, including 33 Italian companies.

The event explored opportunities across industry, innovation and entrepreneurship, including the use of emerging technologies such as agentic AI to improve business operations and support decision-making.

The two sides also discussed collaboration between institutions, startups and investors, including through joint ventures and business incubator programs.

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Dubai-based jewelry designers are being offered a new route into international markets as high gold prices and rising business costs put pressure on the industry.

The Dubai Gold Designers Business Group, which represents 50 jewelry designers, founders, and related creative businesses, has unveiled a strategy to help members reach international buyers, retailers, and distributors and generate new export opportunities.

The group, operating under the umbrella of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, will focus on three areas: education and member development, business development and partnerships, and international representation and visibility.

Through the initiative, members will have access to workshops and masterclasses, business matchmaking opportunities and partnerships, and participation in international exhibitions, trade events, and professional platforms. The aim is to generate measurable opportunities, including introductions to buyers, retailers and distributors, export leads, market intelligence and international partnerships.

The move comes as UAE jewellers face high gold prices, rising operating costs and a consolidating market. Global jewelry demand fell to 278 tonnes in the latest quarter, its lowest level since the pandemic, according to the World Gold Council. The slower demand is putting greater pressure on Dubai’s jewelry businesses to reach new customers and international markets.

The strategy is designed to help members expand internationally while preserving the commercial independence and individual identity of their brands.

“Our ambition is to give Dubai-based jewelry designers and entrepreneurs greater access to the relationships, knowledge and international platforms that can help them grow sustainably. At the same time, we want the international presence of our members to reflect Dubai’s strength as a destination for creativity, entrepreneurship, craftsmanship and business,” said Maha Al Sibai, chairwoman of the Dubai Gold Designers Business Group.

The group is also exploring a three-year International Representation Program. The first year would establish and pilot the model, the second would expand buyer and media partnerships, and the third would assess its commercial impact and longer-term funding. Future programs will be measured through buyer meetings, business leads and orders, export opportunities, partnerships, media exposure and member development.

A key priority will be to strengthen the international presence of Dubai’s jewelry design community through selected exhibitions, trade events, and professional platforms in priority markets.

International events will be assessed based on buyer quality, market access, export potential, media reach, cost and alignment with Dubai’s economic priorities.

The group’s previous international engagement has included activities in Mumbai, Jaipur and Bangkok, as well as professional development initiatives in Bahrain and Florence.

The group said its long-term aim is to help UAE-based jewelry businesses expand internationally while raising the global profile of Dubai’s jewelry design sector.

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The UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) have launched a new programme to build Emirati expertise in investor relations and strengthen professional capabilities across the country’s capital markets.

Announced during the MEIRA Annual Conference in Dubai, the Emirati Investor Relations Development Program will provide UAE nationals with structured training, regulatory knowledge and internationally recognized qualifications in investor relations.

The initiative combines MEIRA’s Certified Investor Relations Officer (CIRO) qualification pathway with UAE-specific regulatory content and assessments developed in collaboration with the CMA. Participants will receive in-person CIRO training alongside a dedicated UAE Financial Regulatory Module, with the program tailored to participants’ professional backgrounds.

“Strong capital markets depend on skilled professionals who understand the importance of strategic communication, transparency and effective engagement with investors,” said Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of the UAE Capital Market Authority.

He added that strengthening investor relations expertise would improve engagement between companies and investors, reinforce market discipline and contribute to the long-term resilience of the UAE’s capital markets.

The first cohort is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and will include UAE nationals working at entities regulated by the CMA. Training will be delivered through a mix of in-person and hybrid formats, including sessions hosted at the authority’s premises.

Over time, the program aims to train more than 100 professionals, focusing on creating long-term career pathways for Emiratis in investor relations and capital markets.

Under the partnership, the CMA will contribute regulatory expertise, program localization and training facilities, while MEIRA will lead programme delivery and provide access to internationally recognized certification in collaboration with the UK Investor Relations Society.

The two organizations also plan to establish a dedicated talent pool of program graduates, accessible to listed companies seeking investor relations professionals.

“This partnership with the CMA exemplifies the strategic collaboration MEIRA was established to foster nearly two decades ago,” said Reza Eftekhari, Chief Executive Officer of MEIRA.

He said the programme would combine MEIRA’s professional development framework with the CMA’s regulatory expertise to raise standards in investor relations and create new opportunities for Emirati professionals.

The initiative is part of a broader collaboration between the CMA and MEIRA to strengthen professional capabilities and investor relations standards across listed and regulated entities in the UAE.

Details on applications, nominations, and participating corporate partners for the first cohort are expected to be announced at a later stage.

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Etihad Rail has partnered with Q Mobility and Parkin PJSC to develop and operate smart parking systems across its passenger station network as the UAE prepares to expand integrated rail travel.

The partnership will introduce digitally enabled parking management designed to make access to stations more seamless while improving traffic flow, operational efficiency and connectivity between road and rail journeys.

The first phase will cover Etihad Rail stations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Dhaid and Fujairah.

Q Mobility will operate parking facilities at the Abu Dhabi, Al Dhaid and Fujairah stations, while Parkin will manage parking operations at Etihad Rail’s Dubai station.

The companies said the system will use digital technologies, artificial intelligence and data to optimise parking capacity and improve the overall passenger experience. Travellers will also have access to digital payment options across the station network.

The initiative forms part of efforts to create a more integrated transport ecosystem in the UAE, with parking infrastructure designed to support easier connections between private vehicles and rail services.

“Guided by the vision of the UAE’s leadership to build a more connected and integrated transport ecosystem, we are focused on providing a seamless experience for passengers throughout their journey,” said Azza Alsuwaidi, Chief Operating Officer at Etihad Rail.

She added that the partnership would improve access to stations and provide passengers with greater convenience and flexibility as the rail network expands.

Mohamed Husain Karmastaji, Chief Executive Officer of Q Mobility, said the collaboration would support the development of a unified parking management model powered by data and artificial intelligence.

He said the system would help improve operational efficiency, enhance the user experience and contribute to the UAE’s wider smart mobility ambitions.

Parkin will deploy its digital parking solutions at Etihad Rail’s Dubai station, including systems designed to simplify vehicle access and payments.

“Our partnership with Etihad Rail and Q Mobility marks a significant step in integrating smart parking services within the national transport network,” said Mohamed Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Parkin.

He added that the company would focus on improving passenger access to rail services while contributing to a more connected and sustainable mobility ecosystem.

The partnership reflects a broader push across the UAE to integrate digital infrastructure into transport networks as the country expands its rail, road and smart mobility systems.

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AI is changing how employees in the UAE see their value at work, with 75% saying AI-generated insights make them feel more empowered to propose strategic changes, according to an exclusive interview with Workday. At the same time, that growing influence is being accompanied by anxiety over what AI could mean for careers. 

Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73%) believe AI skills could give them leverage to secure better roles or higher pay, while 65% worry the technology could make them more replaceable.

Speaking to Fast Company Middle East on the sidelines of Workday’s UAE launch in Dubai, dedicated regional operations, and expanded local leadership, Angelique De Vries-Schipperijn, President, EMEA, Workday, said AI is beginning to change how employees define their contribution to an organization.

“Rather than viewing their value primarily through productivity or task completion, enabled by AI, employees increasingly see themselves as strategic contributors who can shape decisions and drive innovation,” she said.

She added that the bigger opportunity lies beyond automating routine work. “The greatest opportunity is not simply automating tasks, but to empower employees to focus on higher-value work that requires human judgment, creativity and collaboration.”

“Critically, 73% of respondents believe AI skills can help them secure better roles or higher pay, and that the ability to effectively use AI will become an important career differentiator,” De Vries-Schipperijn said.

That tension is becoming more pronounced as AI tools become more deeply embedded in everyday work. De Vries-Schipperijn said employees are engaging with the technology, but want greater clarity over how it will affect their roles.

“Employers need to be transparent about how AI will be used, where human judgment remains essential, and what support people will receive,” she said.

“Organizations that invest in developing people alongside technology will be the ones that create lasting business value while maintaining employee trust and engagement.”

The company said the move is intended to deepen engagement with customers and partners as AI adoption and cloud transformation accelerate across the country.

According to the company, more than 11,500 organizations globally use its platform, including more than 65% of the Fortune 500.

“The UAE is a key market in Workday’s growth strategy, with organizations pursuing transformation against some of the world’s most ambitious national agendas,” De Vries-Schipperijn said.

“To succeed, they need technology that helps them move faster, adopt new ways of working, and show clear results while maintaining the trust and control large, regulated organizations require.”

Around 90% of employees surveyed said they use AI at least weekly, including 58% who use it multiple times a week and 18% who use it every working day.

Employees report saving an average of 3.6 hours a week through AI. Yet they also spend an average of 3.4 hours each week clarifying, correcting, or rewriting low-quality AI-generated outputs — underscoring the gap between adoption and effective implementation.

“Many organizations have piloted AI successfully, but fewer have connected it to the trusted data, workflows, and controls needed to deliver enterprise-wide outcomes,” she said.

The research also offers a picture of how UAE organizations are using the efficiencies created by AI.

“Forward-looking organizations see AI as a growth and transformation enabler, not a cost-cutting tool,” she said.

De Vries-Schipperijn added: “This is especially relevant in the UAE, where workforce modernization remains a strategic priority. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into business operations, organizations have an opportunity to strengthen workforce readiness, support internal mobility and help employees develop the skills needed for emerging roles.”

According to Workday’s report “Beyond Productivity: Measuring the Real Value of AI in the UAE,” 33% of organizations are using AI to absorb more work without increasing headcount, raising questions about how businesses define productivity.

De Vries-Schipperijn said productivity gains should not simply mean asking fewer employees to take on more work.

“Real productivity gains come from improving the quality and impact of work, not simply increasing workloads,” she said. “The most effective use of AI removes repetitive and administrative tasks so employees can focus on work that requires critical thinking, customer engagement and strategic decision-making.”

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