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Intelligence for the New World Economy

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Intelligence for the New World Economy
Semafor World Economy
Kelsey Warner

Kelsey Warner

Reporter

Email Kelsey

UAE infrastructure moves underground

Under consideration is the 5-gigawatt AI data center project underway with US technology partners, Reuters reported.
A rendering of Al Maktoum International Airport.
Courtesy Coop Himmelb(l)au

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ups hedge fund stakes

In its 2025 review, the Gulf’s largest sovereign wealth fund increased its private equity investments target to up to one-fifth of the fund, from 12%–17% a year earlier.
Abu Dhabi skyline.

Diplomacy in focus as Gulf leaders visit Berlin, Beijing

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed will arrive on a state visit to Germany tomorrow.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan greets Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz back in February 2026
Reuters

Chinese tech firms deepen ties in Saudi Arabia

Chinese AI, robotaxis, and factories are all coming to the kingdom (if they aren’t already there).
A graphic showing the Chinese and Saudi flags, a robotaxi, and a tech conference.
Semafor illustration/Go Nakamura/Yilei Sun/Reuters

Chinese tech companies plant deeper roots in Saudi Arabia

Companies including ByteDance and Tencent announced investment in the kingdom during Riyadh’s annual LEAP tech conference.
Visitors make their way to the main hall during the opening ceremony of the technology event LEAP in Riyadh.
Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters

Adam Neumann opens DIFC office for real estate venture

Flow, the residential real estate venture from WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann, is opening an office in DIFC.
Adam Neumann, co-founder of WeWork and Flow.
Marco Bello/Reuters

UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoon backs domestic and US stablecoins

The deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi is a major shareholder in the holding company of a new US bank linked to World Liberty Financial.

Axel Springer enters crowded Gulf media market

The move comes shortly after the publisher completed a deal to acquire The Telegraph newspaper from RedBird IMI.

American diplomats return to the Middle East

The US is restaffing diplomatic posts across the Middle East after diplomats were evacuated because of the Iran war, sources told Semafor.

Abu Dhabi’s M42 partners with Botswana health ministry, marking Africa entry

The 10-year contract with the government of Botswana includes a national genomics program and will digitize health records and bolster access to medicines.

Kuwait continues to tighten citizenship rules

New rules bar naturalized citizens from voting and replace paper nationality certificates with electronic ones.

HUMAIN teases new laptop developed with Qualcomm

The device represents a big bet by HUMAIN to broaden its AI efforts, and pits it against some large players.

Saudi firms Aramco and Maaden form a mining joint venture

Maaden and Aramco will work to survey the kingdom for copper, zinc, and other minerals.

XRG enters Venezuela as it grows global gas platform

The stake in the concession adds to its portfolio of projects in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Mozambique, Turkmenistan, and the US.

PIF’s assets shrink by $10 billion

While little more than a rounding error in the big-spending world of sovereign wealth, it marked the first such drop this decade.

Gulf startups are staying private for longer

Market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty is continuing to narrow the exit window for venture capital companies.

Saudi data center capacity projected to boom, but financing a challenge

Saudi Arabia’s data center capacity is forecast to reach 1 gigawatt by 2030, making it the fastest-growing Gulf market.

DP World taps into higher demand in Western Europe

The Dubai-owned logistics giant plans to build a logistics hub in the Port of Antwerp set to cost up to €100 million ($116 million).