The MENA+'s great reopening is underway as vaccination drives, stimulus, and détentes drive optimism
Here’s a look at today's biggest tech stories in the MENA+

- UnionPay, Paytabs form payment partnership
- Covid vaccine tourists coming to UAE
- Mubadala restructures to 2X size
- UAE-KSA forum on social development formed
- UAE, UK to deepen partnership for energy transition

- Causeway reopening to give economy a boost
- Neom’s Line to have no cars, streets, carbon emissions
- All travel restrictions to be removed by 3/31
- SAMA issues open banking policy principles
- 10K women in Wusool SR 1,100 monthly transport subsidy program

- Cabinet reshuffle expected with new Parliament
- Return to Pre-Covid growth in 2021 possible
- Dam talks stalled by differences on AU involvement
- Central Bank pumps in $30M to support stock exchange
- Inflation of 5% significantly below CBE target of 9%

- “Strong” data protection law being studied
- Power restoration to take time
- 40% of households face food insecurity
- Record remittances in December
- Customs to only accept digital payments