20th April 2026 - 27th April 2026 | WEEKLY BUSINESS ROUNDUP

UAE announced a key government transformation programme aimed at deploying Agentic AI across half of its public sector services within two years. This move aims to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate service delivery through advanced artificial intelligence systems.

 

GCC nursing workforce marks 4.6% annual growth to 413,200

As per GCC Statistical Centre, reports reveal an increase of about 150,000 nurses over the past decade across GCC - reflecting continued expansion of healthcare systems and investment in human resources. Nursing staff across the GCC grew at an average annual rate of 4.6% between 2014 and 2024 – totalling around 413,200 by end of 2025.

 

MENA reports rise in business travel demand

Business travel demand across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) rose sharply in February, with bookings increasing 20% from January levels. These figures were reported before regional disruptions slowed growth in March. January business travel volumes were 5 per cent higher than December 2025 and March volumes remained 5 per cent above January 2026.

 

Oman-UAE railway hits 40% completion

Marking a significant milestone for one of the region’s most prominent strategic infrastructure, transport and logistics initiatives, the Oman-UAE rail connection has reached 40% completion. The railway will deploy advanced signalling, control and communications technologies aligned with globally recognised standards, ensuring safety and seamless interoperability between Omani and UAE networks.

 

UAE investors retained confidence despite geopolitical disruptions

As per a recent survey, 91% respondents are confident in the long-term performance of UAE-based companies - a statistic unchanged from August 2025. Further 83% respondents mentioned they hold UAE-listed stocks.

 

UAE launches platform to compare prices of essential goods across major retailers

The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism has launched a digital platform allowing consumers to compare the prices of essential goods across 12 major retail outlets - to drive transparency and protect consumer spending. The “Essential Commodities Price Platform” tracks prices in real time for 33 products and displays the minimum and maximum price of each product at individual outlets.

 

150,000 students return to classrooms across 450 schools in Dubai

Reinforcing the resilience of Dubai’s private education sector, the emirate saw more than 150,000 students return to their classrooms across Dubai as over 450 private education institutions operated at a high level of readiness for in-person learning.

 

Clean energy share exceeds 45%; Abu Dhabi to invest USD 43.6bn

Abu Dhabi set to invest nearly AED160bn (USD 43.6bn) over the next five years to accelerate its energy transition. Clean and renewable sources of energy now exceed 45% of the emirate’s energy mix. Further Abu Dhabi has also outlined a pathway to reach 60% clean energy in the coming years, reinforcing its strategy to align with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 ambitions

 

Ras Al Khaimah tourism sees 93% jump in domestic visitors; staycation demand booms

As per latest figures, Ras Al Khaimah nearly doubled domestic visitor numbers in April following disruption to international travel in March. Since the start of April, Ras Al Khaimah recorded 93% increase in domestic visitors compared with the same period in 2025. These figures are indicative of the strong staycation demand from UAE residents.