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Dubai External Trade Increases 31% in H1 2021

The sun rises over the Dubai skyline with the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 830 meters, at the backdrop. (AP)
The sun rises over the Dubai skyline with the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 830 meters, at the backdrop. (AP)
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Dubai External Trade Increases 31% in H1 2021

The sun rises over the Dubai skyline with the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 830 meters, at the backdrop. (AP)
The sun rises over the Dubai skyline with the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 830 meters, at the backdrop. (AP)

Dubai's non-oil external trade surged 31 percent in the first half of 2021 to reach $196.6 billion from $149.8 billion in the same period in 2020.

Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, said the trade growth demonstrates the success of Dubai's strategic plan to consolidate its position as a global logistics and trade hub that connects the world's diverse markets.

"Dubai's existing sea and air network will be expanded to cover 200 new cities around the world. We are confident that we will continue to build on our growth momentum to achieve our ambitious sustainable development projects and plans."

Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai, guided by the vision of Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has reinforced its status as one of the world's fastest-growing business hubs and plans to increase global trade to $544.4 billion in the coming years.

Based on released data, exports grew 45 percent year on year (YoY) in H1 2021 to $29.8 billion, while imports rose by 29.3 percent YoY to $112.7 billion, and re-exports grew 28.3 percent YoY to $54 billion.

The volume of Dubai's non-oil external trade in the first half of 2021 rose 10 percent to 48 million tons compared to 43.7 million tons in H1 2020.

Exports skyrocketed 30.8 percent YoY to reach 10.1 million tons. Re-exports totaled 7 million tons growing by 10.6 percent, and imports rose by 4.25 percent to 31 million tons.

DP World Group Chairman and CEO and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Sultan bin Sulayem said this trade growth reaffirms Dubai's ability to turn challenges into opportunities based on strategic plans that leverage the stability and flexibility of its economy.

China maintained its position as Dubai's biggest trading partner in H1 2021 with $23.6 billion, while trade with India grew 74.5 percent YoY to $18.2 billion. Trade with the US amounted to $8.7 billion, and Saudi Arabia came fourth with $8.1 billion.

Gold topped the list of commodities in Dubai's H1 external trade at 19.2 percent, followed by telecoms at 13 percent. Diamonds came third in the list at 8 percent, jewelry at 4.7 percent, and vehicle trade at 4 percent.

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Business

Türkiye TPAO, Shell Sign Deal to Carry out Exploration Work offshore Bulgaria

A Shell logo is seen at a gas station in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 12, 2018. (Reuters)
A Shell logo is seen at a gas station in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 12, 2018. (Reuters)
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Türkiye TPAO, Shell Sign Deal to Carry out Exploration Work offshore Bulgaria

A Shell logo is seen at a gas station in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 12, 2018. (Reuters)
A Shell logo is seen at a gas station in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 12, 2018. (Reuters)

Türkiye Petrolleri (TPAO) has signed a partnership agreement with Shell to carry out exploration work in Bulgaria's maritime zone, the Turkish energy ministry and British oil major said on Wednesday.

European Union member Bulgaria, which had been totally dependent on Russian gas until 2022, has been seeking to diversify its gas supplies and find cheaper sources, Reuters reported.

TPAO and Shell will jointly explore the Khan Tervel block, located near Türkiye's Sakarya gas field, and will hold a five-year licence in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said.

Shell will continue as operator of the block, while TPAO will take a 33% interest in the licence, a Shell spokesperson said.

Since the start of this year, TPAO has signed energy cooperation agreements with ExxonMobil, Chevron and BP for possible exploration work in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

In April, Shell signed a contract with Bulgaria's government to allow the oil major to explore 4,000 square metres in the block.

Business

Saudia Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City

udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA
udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA
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Saudia Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City

udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA
udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA

Saudia Airlines has signed a five-year strategic partnership with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City, becoming the official premier partner exclusively in the airline category.

As part of the partnership, Saudia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions. The collaboration also brings the spirit of Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City to the skies through special aircraft branding across Saudia’s fleet, SPA reported. 

Chief Marketing Officer of Saudia Group Khaled Tash said in a press release: "Saudia is committed to supporting national development projects as part of its contribution to Vision 2030, aligned with our strategy to bring the world to the Kingdom. Partnerships of this scale with national partners play a key role in positioning Saudi Arabia as a leading global destination for entertainment and tourism."

Park President of Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City Brian Machamer added: "Our partnership with Saudia not only reflects a shared ambition to connect the Kingdom to the world through world-class entertainment experiences, but strengthens our ability to attract visitors from around the world and realize our vision of setting a new global benchmark for immersive, world-class theme park entertainment and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the global tourism stage."

Six Flags Qiddiya City sets a new benchmark for exceptional entertainment regionally and globally. Spanning six iconic themed lands, the theme park takes visitors on an immersive journey across 28 rides and attractions designed to world-class standards. Beyond the scale and diversity of its offerings, Six Flags Qiddiya City stands out for pushing the boundaries of engineering and entertainment, featuring five exclusive, record-breaking rides that have redefined global benchmarks. Leading these innovations is Falcons Flight, the roller coaster that has captured global attention as the fastest, tallest, and longest in the world.

Aquarabia Qiddiya City delivers a distinctive aquatic entertainment experience, offering 22 rides and water attractions, along with a man-made river designed for both relaxation and family-friendly water fun. For guests seeking privacy and elevated comfort, Aquarabia features 91 luxury cabanas, positioning the destination as a fully integrated leisure offering that redefines water-based entertainment to the highest international standards.

Located in the Tuwaiq Mountains near Riyadh, Qiddiya City is an emerging destination bringing together entertainment, sports, and culture. Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City form part of its entertainment offering.

Business

Moody’s Establishes Regional HQ in Riyadh, Deepening Presence in Region

(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
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Moody’s Establishes Regional HQ in Riyadh, Deepening Presence in Region

(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

Moody’s Corporation announced that it has established its regional headquarters in Riyadh, reflecting ongoing commitment to support the development of the Kingdom’s capital markets and economy.

“This investment aligns to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative and underscores its dynamism and growth,” Moody’s said in a statement this week.

The new regional headquarters marks an expansion of Moody’s presence in Saudi Arabia, where the company first opened an office in 2018, and reflects its longstanding commitment to the Middle East.

“The headquarters will strengthen Moody’s engagement with Saudi institutions and enable broader access to Moody’s decision grade data, analytics and insights,” said the statement.

“Our decision to establish a regional headquarters in Riyadh reflects our confidence in Saudi Arabia’s strong economic momentum, as well as our commitment to helping domestic and international investors unlock opportunities with our expertise and insights,” said President and Chief Executive Officer of Moody’s Rob Fauber.

“We are well positioned to provide the analytical capabilities and market intelligence that investors and institutions need to navigate evolving markets across the Middle East,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Mahmoud Totonji will lead the regional headquarters as General Manager.