UAE-In-Focus — UAE, Egypt, and Jordan form economic partnership with $10bn fund; Dubai records $2.3bn in real estate deals in one week

Aerial morning view to Dubai marina skyscrapers. (Shutterstock)
Short Url
Updated 30 May 2022
Follow

UAE-In-Focus — UAE, Egypt, and Jordan form economic partnership with $10bn fund; Dubai records $2.3bn in real estate deals in one week

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan have established a $10 billion fund (36.7 billion dirhams) that will strengthen sustainable economic growth across five industries in the three countries.

Through food and agriculture, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, textiles, minerals, and petrochemicals, the partnership aims to achieve growth, according to the Emirates News Agency WAM.

The fund will be managed by ADQ Holding, a strategic partner.

WAM added that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Jordan’s Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh were present for the signing of the Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Growth.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a statement: “Through its capabilities, effective policies and current focus on developing advanced technology and logistics infrastructure, we are confident that the UAE can build a global economic powerhouse by leveraging industrial partnerships across the region.”

According to Al-Nahyan, developing the industrial sector in the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan would help strengthen and diversify the economies of each nation and increase the contribution of industry to the GDP of each nation.

In the MENA region, the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan account for 25 percent of GDP, which is worth 2.8 trillion dirhams annually.

Together, they account for 26 percent of the region’s total population (122 million consumers) and are ranked 14th in the world in exports and imports, with 22.3 billion dirhams in exports and imports.

To achieve self-sufficiency as well as to integrate value chains across UAE, Egypt, and Jordan, joint industrial projects will be launched between the three countries, the statement said.

As part of the UAE’s plans to promote growth and prosperity in the next fifty years, this strategic partnership will enhance the contribution of the industrial sector to developing a global economy, said WAM.

$2.3 billion in real estate deals in Dubai in one week

Dubai recorded 2,884 property transactions valued at $2.3 billion (8.7 billion dirhams) during the week ending 27th May, according to the Dubai Land Department.

DLD weekly report stated that 297 plots were sold for 1.59 billion dirhams, as well as 2,116 apartments and villas for 4.75 billion dirhams, according to Dubai Media Office.

The three top land transactions were an Al Wasl land sold for 218 million dirhams, an Al Warsan First land sold for 110 million dirhams, and a Saih Shuaib 2 land sold for 38.04 million dirhams.

Al Hebiah Fifth recorded the most sales with 89 transactions for 216.11 million dirhams, followed by Jabal Ali First with 57 sales transactions for 188.42 million dirhams, and Al Merkadh with 37 sales transactions for 292 million dirhams for third place.

An apartment in Burj Khalifa was sold for 635 million dirhams, an apartment in Business Bay was sold for 563 million dirhams, and an apartment in Al Wasl was sold for 495 million dirhams.

In addition, there were 2.02 billion dirhams worth of mortgaged properties last week. A total of 89 properties worth 413 million dirhams were granted between relatives.


Work suspended on Riyadh’s massive Mukaab megaproject: Reuters

Updated 27 January 2026
Follow

Work suspended on Riyadh’s massive Mukaab megaproject: Reuters

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has suspended planned construction of a colossal cube-shaped skyscraper at the center of a downtown development in Riyadh while it reassesses the project's financing and feasibility, four people familiar with the matter said.

The Mukaab was planned as a 400-meter by 400-meter metal cube containing a dome with an AI-powered display, the largest on the planet, that visitors could observe from a more than 300-meter-tall ziggurat — or terraced structure —inside it.

Its future is now unclear, with work beyond soil excavation and pilings suspended, three of the people said. Development of the surrounding real estate is set to continue, five people familiar with the plans said.

The sources include people familiar with the project's development and people privy to internal deliberations at the PIF.

Officials from PIF, the Saudi government and the New Murabba project did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Real estate consultancy Knight Frank estimated the New Murabba district would cost about $50 billion — roughly equivalent to Jordan’s GDP — with projects commissioned so far valued at around $100 million.

Initial plans for the New Murabba district called for completion by 2030. It is now slated to be completed by 2040.

The development was intended to house 104,000 residential units and add SR180 billion to the Kingdom’s GDP, creating 334,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030, the government had estimated previously.

(With Reuters)