Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Israel Export Institute Lay Trade Foundations

The Israeli side during the signing of the agreement. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Israeli side during the signing of the agreement. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Israel Export Institute Lay Trade Foundations

The Israeli side during the signing of the agreement. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Israeli side during the signing of the agreement. Asharq Al-Awsat

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office, ADIO, has signed a cooperation agreement with the Israel Export Institute, establishing the foundation for strong trade bridges between Abu Dhabi and Israel by unlocking opportunities to collaborate on investments, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

The agreement covers the facilitation of introductions with potential investee companies in both markets, hosting joint events and supporting government and industry delegations. ADIO will work closely with the Israel Export Institute to support trade and investment opportunities for Israeli companies, connecting them with strategic partnerships and resources to foster long-term success in the emirate, WAM said.

The signing of the agreement took place virtually on Monday, and was attended by Adiv Baruch, Chairman of the Israel Export Institute, Gadi Ariely, Director-General of the Israel Export Institute, and Dr. Tariq bin Hendi, Director-General of ADIO.

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said, "Rapid progress is being made in laying the foundations for closer private sector cooperation for Abu Dhabi and Israel. This agreement is an important opportunity to strengthen business cooperation and enable technical and commercial collaboration between our respective markets."

Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Director-General of ADIO, said, "ADIO is working to establish links with the key facilitators of investment and innovation between Abu Dhabi and Israel. Our agreement with the Israel Export Institute is an important next step in creating the platform to advance and accelerate opportunities for companies in Abu Dhabi and Israel."

The Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute, IEICI, supported by member firms, private sector bodies and the Government of Israel, promotes global economic and business activities, by providing a wide range of export-oriented services to Israeli companies, and complementary services to the international business community. IEICI helps build successful joint ventures, strategic alliances and trade partnerships.

Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry Amir Peretz said the cooperation agreement is another step towards strengthening the growing economic ties with the UAE.

“This agreement gets even greater significance, specifically now, when facing the COVID-19 crisis and while the Israeli economy is in a difficult situation, and the revenue cycle of many established Israeli companies is suffering considerably as a result. I do hope that the economic ties that are being built with the UAE will play a significant part in accelerating the Israeli economy during this difficult period."

Adiv Baruch expressed confidence that the new collaboration will bring significant business outcomes for both parties and we are excited to embark on this common path.

“The Israel Export Institute, together with the Foreign Trade Administration at the Ministry of Economy, and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to build the most professional infrastructure promoting global economic activities between the UAE and Israel. The collaboration with ADIO will play a major role in promoting the economic relations between Abu Dhabi and Israel."

ADIO recently announced plans to open an office in Tel Aviv to facilitate connections between innovation-focused companies and organizations in Abu Dhabi and Israel.



Egypt Plans $1 Billion Red Sea Marina, Hotel Development

This picture shows a partial view of Egypt's Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, October 7, 2025. (AFP)
This picture shows a partial view of Egypt's Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, October 7, 2025. (AFP)
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Egypt Plans $1 Billion Red Sea Marina, Hotel Development

This picture shows a partial view of Egypt's Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, October 7, 2025. (AFP)
This picture shows a partial view of Egypt's Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, October 7, 2025. (AFP)

Egypt announced plans on Monday for a new $1 billion marina, hotel and housing development on the Red Sea in a bid to boost the region's tourist industry.

Construction on the "Monte Galala Towers and Marina" project would ‌start in ‌the second ‌half ⁠of the ‌year and run for seven years, Ahmed Shalaby, managing director of the main developer, Tatweer Misr, said.

The 10-tower development - a partnership with the ⁠housing ministry and other state bodies ‌including the armed ‍forces' engineering authority - ‍would cost about 50 ‍billion Egyptian pounds ($1.07 billion), he added.

The project, also announced by the cabinet, will cover 470,000 square meters on the Gulf of Suez, about ⁠35 km south of Ain Sokhna, Shalaby said.

Egypt aims to boost total tourist arrivals to around 30 million by 2030, from around 19 million recorded by the tourism ministry in 2025.


Saudi-Polish Investment Forum Explores Prospects for Economic and Investment Cooperation

The forum brought together government officials, business leaders, and investors from both countries with the aim of enhancing economic cooperation - SPA
The forum brought together government officials, business leaders, and investors from both countries with the aim of enhancing economic cooperation - SPA
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Saudi-Polish Investment Forum Explores Prospects for Economic and Investment Cooperation

The forum brought together government officials, business leaders, and investors from both countries with the aim of enhancing economic cooperation - SPA
The forum brought together government officials, business leaders, and investors from both countries with the aim of enhancing economic cooperation - SPA

The Saudi-Polish Investment Forum was held today at the headquarters of the Federation of Saudi Chambers in Riyadh, with the participation of Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Domański, and Vice President of the Federation of Saudi Chambers Emad Al-Fakhri.

The forum brought together government officials, business leaders, and investors from both countries with the aim of enhancing economic cooperation, expanding investment partnerships in priority sectors, and exploring high-quality investment opportunities that support sustainable growth in Saudi Arabia and Poland.

During a dedicated session, the forum reviewed economic and investment prospects in both countries through presentations highlighting promising opportunities, investment enablers, and supportive legislative environments.

Several specialized roundtables addressed strategic themes, including the development of the digital economy, with a focus on information and communication technologies (ICT), financial technologies (fintech), and artificial intelligence-driven innovation, SPA reported.

Discussions also covered the development of agricultural value chains from production to market access through advanced technologies, food processing, and agricultural machinery. In addition, participants examined ways to enhance the construction sector by developing systems and materials, improving execution efficiency, and accelerating delivery timelines. Energy security issues and the role of industrial sectors in supporting economic transformation and sustainability were also discussed.

The forum witnessed the announcement of two major investment agreements. The first aims to establish a framework for joint cooperation in supporting investment, exchanging information and expertise, and organizing joint business events to strengthen institutional partnerships.

The second agreement focuses on supporting reciprocal investments through the development of financing and insurance tools and the stimulation of joint ventures to boost investment flows.

The forum concluded by emphasizing the importance of continued coordination and dialogue between the public and private sectors in both countries to deepen Saudi-Polish economic relations and advance shared interests.


Gold Rises as Dollar Slips, Focus Turns to US Jobs Data

FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
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Gold Rises as Dollar Slips, Focus Turns to US Jobs Data

FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo

Gold prices rose on Monday, buoyed by a softer dollar as investors braced for a week packed with US economic data that could offer more clues on the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy.

Spot gold rose 1.2% to $5,018.56 per ounce by 9:30 a.m. ET (1430 GMT), extending a 4% rally from Friday.

US gold futures for April delivery also gained 1.3% to $5,042.20 per ounce.

The US dollar fell 0.8% to a more than one-week low, making greenback-priced bullion cheaper for overseas buyers.

"The big mover today (in gold prices) is the US dollar," said Bart Melek, global head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, adding that expectations are growing for weak economic data, particularly on the labor front, Reuters reported.

Investors are closely watching this week's release of US nonfarm payrolls, consumer prices and initial jobless claims for fresh signals on monetary policy, with markets already pricing in at least two rate cuts of 25 basis points in 2026.

US nonfarm payrolls are expected to have risen by 70,000 in January, according to a Reuters poll.

Lower interest rates tend to support gold by reducing the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset.

Meanwhile, China's central bank extended its gold buying spree for a 15th month in January, data from the People's Bank of China showed on Saturday.

"The debasement trade continues, with ongoing geopolitical risks driving people into gold," Melek said, adding that China's purchases have had a psychological impact on the market.

Spot silver climbed 2.9% to $80.22 per ounce after a near 10% gain in the previous session. It hit an all-time high of $121.64 on January 29.

Spot platinum was down 0.2% at $2,092.95 per ounce, while palladium was steady at $1,707.25.

"A slowdown in EV sales hasn't really materialized despite all the policy softening, so I do see that platinum and palladium will possibly slow down," after a bullish run in 2025, WisdomTree commodities strategist Nitesh Shah said.