INFRASTRUCTURE-
Sharjah to expand EV charging network: Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) will cooperate with state-backed sustainable solutions firm Beeah to expand the emirate’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, Wam reports. The partnership will see Beeah develop and install a network of EV charging points and fast chargers across Sharjah along highways and in commercial and urban areas. The project is in line with the Emirates’ national EV policy, which looks to have EVs account for 50% of all vehicles in the UAE by 2050.
TECH-
American computer tech company Oracle is developing an AI-driven customer experience center at its Dubai office as part of renovations, Oracle’s senior VP for tech cloud and UAE country head, Nick Redshaw, told The National. The company has also collaborated with Dubai Business Women Council for a year-long initiative that aims to upskill 500 women entrepreneurs on AI, Redshaw told the outlet.
LOGISTICS-
An air corridor for perishable supplies will be established through a partnership between Etihad Cargo, Abu Dhabi Airports, and Abu Dhabi Food Hub, according to a press release. The statement did not mention when the air corridor, named Fresh Corridor 2.0, will begin operating.
HEALTHCARE-
M42, Egypt talk partnership: A delegation of Egyptian human vaccine manufacturing companies met yesterday with Mubadala and G42’s healthcare venture M42 to explore the potential of collaborating in AI, predictive wastewater monitoring, and early cancer detection, reports Daily News Egypt. The visit was organized by Egypt’s Industrial Modernization Center (IMC).
Egypt ❤️ UAE healthcare tech: Egypt’s Health Minister sat down with another Emirati AI-powered health company — G42 Healthcare — on Saturday to consider the establishment of a modern laboratory for genetic testing, water analyses, and food analyses in Cairo’s Badr City.
TELECOMS-
Oracle + du could roll out nationwide cloud platform: Dubai-based telecom operator du inked a partnership agreement with US-based software provider Oracleto explore developing a sovereign hyperscaler cloud service for the UAE during Oracle’s Dubai CloudWorld Tour, according to a press release.
SOUND SMART- A sovereign hyperscaler cloud is a large-scale data center operator that processes and stores data within the sovereign borders of a certain region, preventing foreign access to the data.
Etisalat by e& will also make use of Oracle’s software, after it expanded its previousagreement with the firm yesterday to include the deployment of Oracle’s NVIDIA clusters in the Oracle cloud region, according to a press release. The on-premises computing resources will also integrate AI into Etisalat by e&’s business applications.
Background: The telecoms service provider inked an agreement with Oracle back in May 2023 to migrate its HR business applications to the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Dedicated Region. Oracle’s cloud region includes over 100 cloud services on-premise.
ALSO FROM ETISALAT- The telco teamed up with Kezad Communities to strengthen the digital infrastructure at Razeen Worker Residential City in Abu Dhabi, Wam reports. The collaboration will see etisalat work to ensure that Wi-Fi is reachable for over 50k residents Razeen Worker Residential City by installing advanced fiber optic cables, high-performance switches, and wireless access points across the city.
FINANCE-
Doo Group opens new Dubai offices: Singapore-based financial services company Doo Group opened two offices in Dubai last week, according to a press release. The two offices are located in the Emaar Square Building in Downtown Dubai and the Dome Tower in JLT.
What’s Doo Group? The financial services company specializes in fintech, offering its services through sub-brands, including brokerage, wealth management, payment exchange, fintech, financial education, and healthcare.
MANUFACTURING-
Pakistan’s National Foods has established its first overseas manufacturing facility in Sharjah after obtaining a license to manufacture in the UAE, Arab News quotes CEO Abrar Hasan as saying. The company’s wholly-owned Dubai-based subsidiary, National Foods, established a new subsidiary in Sharjah, it said in a disclosure (pdf) to Pakistan’s stock exchange.
REAL ESTATE
Aldar Properties is launching Sama Yas, an upscale residential community withinAbu Dhabi’s Yas Park, on 2 February, offering 234 homes, including apartments, duplexes, and penthouses, according to a press release.The development will feature a variety of amenities, including retail spaces, community gardens, a co-working space, and others.
DEFENSE-
Emirati defense contractor EDGE Groupacquired Abu Dhabi-based security solutions group International Golden Group (IGG), reports Wam. The Defense Ministry inked an AED 874 mn contract with IGG for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicle systems and to deliver support services and training for five years, during the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (Umex) and Simulation and Training Exhibition (Simtex), The Nationa l reports.
FINTECH
Fintech Galaxy + Paytabs to roll out fast payment service: Dubai-based open banking firm Fintech Galaxy inked a partnership with KSA-headquartered payment solutions firm PayTabs to launch payment solutions for SMEs and companies through Fintech Galaxy’s open banking platform, according to a press release. The companies will initially provide their services, including account verification, swift payouts, and point-of-sale lending, in the Emirati and Saudi markets, before expanding to other MENA markets.
EDUCATION-
#1- The American University of Sharjah (AUS) is getting a hospitality and tourism institute by 3Q 2026, offering internationally accredited diplomas in tourism management, reports Sharjah 24. The institute is being jointly developed by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Canada, who inked an agreement for the institute yesterday.
#2- Engineering students at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) will get hands-on experience with internships at the Sharjah National Oil Corporation (Snoc),after the AUS College of Engineering (CEN) inked an MoU with the firm on Tuesday, reports Wam.