Abu Dhabi to consolidate China-focused investments, Saudi public transport ridership hits 420M last year, Bahrain gets first AI-powered voice agent, Philippines joins Pax Silica, India's MeitY constitutes new AI advisory body
Here’s a look at today's biggest tech stories in the MENA+:
- Abu Dhabi to consolidate China-focused investments under one platform
- AIQ studying opportunities to export energy AI tech to US, Canada
- Etihad Rail unveils passenger network for launch this year
- Lunate unit Axight to invest in Australia's La Trobe Financial
- Economy and Tourism Ministry unveils Essential Goods Prices Platform
- STC deepens Netflix partnership to include bundle streaming on STC tv
- KACST and ispace partner on lunar exploration
- IMF projects 3.1% GDP growth, third-fastest in G20 in 2027
- Higher Saudization rates introduced for marketing, sales roles
- Public transport ridership hits 420M last year, up 129% from 2019
- MCIT, Oracle explore digital transformation cooperation
- Egypt modernizing airports to boost civil aviation sector
- Egypt exploring digital grid optimization with Nexus Analytica partnership
- GB Auto reaches annual production capacity of 110,000 vehicles
- FRA Chairman appointed vice chair of International Organization of Securities Commissions
- UBL becomes Pakistan's biggest bank
- SBP signals faster-than-expected macroeconomic recovery despite conflict
- PTCL, Indus Cloud partner to deliver Huawei Cloud stack in Pakistan
- Nimir Group launches domestic battery storage business
- Nationwide AI upskilling program rolled out targeting youth
Other MENA+ Developments
- Moody's downgrades Bahrain, Iraq outlooks to negative over war impact
- Abu Dhabi’s Borouge forms Chinese JV for polyethylene complex
- Zain's OneCX launches Bahrain's first AI-powered voice agent in Bahraini dialect
- Automotive sector remains resilient on strong demand, brand loyalty
- Ooredoo becomes Qatar's first operator to launch LTE-M for IoT applications
Southeast Asia Developments
- Singapore warns banks on AI cyber risks following Anthropic's limited release of Mythos
- HPE partners VST ECS to introduce IT infrastructure platform
- Philippines joins Pax Silica, to collaborate with US on developing major industrial hub
- Vietnam to extend EV tax incentives until 2030
- Vietnam to begin digital asset exchange pilots in Q2
India Developments
- Odisha inaugurates India's first semiconductor 3D glass substrate packaging plant
- MeitY constitutes advisory body to support new AI Governance and Economic Group
- RBI warns lenders that Digital Rupee will displace transactional deposits
- EDGE, Indra partner to develop GenNext radar systems
- AirTrunk to acquire Lumina CloudInfra in India data center expansion
