Abu Dhabi plans 10+ eVTOL vertiports, KSA industrial growth hits 9.3%, Syria to issue new bank licenses, Indonesia weighs online gaming curbs, US closes in on India trade deal
Here’s a look at today's biggest tech stories in the MENA+:
- Abu Dhabi plans over 10 vertiports for eVTOL rollout
- K2 partners Talabat, EXM, Enec, noon for autonomous delivery pilots
- Pinterest begins hiring in UAE in GCC push
- ADIO inks 29 agreements to roll out autonomous mobility technologies
- GDRFA tightens checks for freelance visas
- GAMI announces Saudi military spending reaches 25% localization rate
- Ant partners Abdul Latif Jameel Finance to support MSMEs with digital services
- Darktrace launches Riyadh office in MENA expansion
- $50B+ in deals inked at Future Investment Initiative conference
- Mining, manufacturing drives industrial growth to 9.3%
- 85% of economy to be opened to private sector under State Ownership Policy
- Govt targets 42% clean energy share by 2030
- GCC makes up largest share of FDI as Egypt pushes for more
- Working groups submit responses on Narrative for Economic Development
- CPI accelerates to 12.5% in October, bucking 4-month trend
- Pakistan to unveil first-ever Industrial Policy
- SECP to host Pakistan's first international capital markets conference
- Govt to move welfare payments to digital wallets by this month
- Fewer than 700,000 retailers linked to digital payments despite cashless push
- Air Link pushes local assembly of Acer laptops to 2026
Other MENA+ Developments
- Benefit, NIPL partner for linkage between Bahrain's EFTS with India's UPI
- Oman issues tender to develop Advanced Air Mobility master plan
- Crescent Enterprises to invest $272M in India, SEA, GCC over 3 years
- Syria to issue new bank licenses, double lenders to 30
- Orix, QIA to launch $2.5B Japan private equity fund
Southeast Asia Developments
- Skoda to manufacture EVs in Vietnam
- Vietnam requires in-person verification for e-wallet activation
- Indonesia weighing online gaming curbs following Jakarta school blast
- Thailand to expedite FDI approval with Fast Pass system
- SEA e-commerce GMV is reach $185B this year, with video commerce contributing 25%
