Other Briefings
Saudi Arabia Upgrades Digital Platforms for Visa Applications
Saudi Arabia continues to modernize its visa application process to promote ease of access, boost tourism and business travel, and enhance transparency with regards to labor management.
Oman-India FTA Talks Expected to Conclude in January: Latest Updates
Oman and India have continued to keep pace with fast moving negotiations to their bilateral free trade deal. We discuss the key issues in brief.
Shaping ASEAN-GCC Investment Dynamics in 2024
By Michael Barantschik The global economic landscape is continuously shaped and reshaped by the dynamic interactions between various regional blocs. Among these, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stand out for their unique contributions and growing interdependence in trade and investment.
QIA Secures 4.26% Share in Kingdee, Injecting $200M Investment
On December 10, Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd, (0268.HK) announced that Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will make a strategic investment of around US$200 million in consideration for approximately 4.26 percent of Kingdee’s total issued ordinary shares, subject to a lock-up period of 180 days.
NIO’s $2 Billion Funding by CYVN: Catalyzing New Narratives for China and the Middle East
On December 18, 2023, China’s Nio (NIO) revealed it received a US$2.2 billion (RMB 15.55 billion) investment from Abu Dhabi’s CYVN for 294 million new shares. With this deal, CYVN will hold a 20.1 percent stake in Nio.
Saudi Mutual Fund Opens Doors to Chinese Investors for the First Time
U.S.-backed Huatai-PineBridge Fund Management Co. Ltd. has applied to establish the first mutual fund accessible to Chinese mainland investors, tracking the Saudi Arabian stock market and marking a potential milestone in cross-border investment.
Saudi Arabia and Indonesia Collaborate to Elevate the Assurance of Halal Products
Saudi Arabia and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Halal product assurance cooperation in addition to the mutual recognition of each other’s Halal certificates. The agreement was signed between Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Body (BPJPH) and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
UAE Details Provisions of Recently Implemented E-Commerce Law
The Ministry of Economy of the UAE recently unveiled detailed provisions of its latest e-commerce legislation, Federal Decree Law No. (14) of 2023 on Commerce through Modern Means of Technology, which has been in effect since September.
Astra Tech, Tencent Team Up To Link Botim Pay Users To China’s Weixin
Bilateral payment system will become part of a US$200 billion, unsanctionable trade corridor The UAE based Astra Tech investment group, one of the largest in the MENA region, and a major player in consumer technology, has announced a partnership with China-based Tencent Financial Technology to launch cross-border remittances from the UAE’s Botim pay users to […]
Private Tuition Work Permits In The UAE
For many years a grey area, and strictly banned during the COVID-19 pandemic, private tuition at home has now been accepted formally in the UAE. On Monday, (December 18, 2033) authorities from education and employment sectors joined hands to regulate “the provision of private lessons for students outside educational institutions”.
