Emerging Strategic Shifts Shaping the 2026 Regional Market

Affirming the development of AI in the region, a report released by PwC previously this month stated that the usage of AI amongst the labor force in the Middle East continues to increase, with 75 percent of staff members in the area using it in their jobs over the previous 12 months.

In November, a report released by KPMG highlighted Saudi Arabia's progress in the technology sector and said that 84 percent of CEOs in the country are all set to deploy AI properly, well above the 76 percent worldwide criteria, supported by the Kingdom's data governance ecosystem, including national initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Expert System Authority.

Policymakers are believing holistically about how to make the region appealing, including having more practical laws to enable experimentation and growth," stated the report.

Top magnate, policymakers and investors from the GCC and Latin America just recently checked out how countries from the 2 areas can grow trade in between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 local and global policymakers, heads of state, CEOs, magnate, financiers, and market specialists participated in the first Global Company Online forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

Reviewing 2026 GCC Data for Future Growth

In 2015 the GCC made up of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, imported $11 billion worth of products from Latin America. And exports to Latin America from the region were $5.6 billion, a declaration from organisers stated. Both regions depend on each other for important products.

In 2015 Latin America provided almost half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 per cent of the region's overall sugar imports, it included. Brazil is by far the biggest trading partner for countries in the area, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Among the Latin American states, the GCC depends on Brazil for meat (mainly poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for automobiles and Chile for wood items, said a statement.

The online forum was organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Shifting Synergies", explores how services can take advantage of the changing patterns of international need and what function Dubai can play in assisting in the next action in organization relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not just in the UAE and in the GCC but internationally too, by functioning as an information and research centre, by supplying organization paperwork, using legal services, assisting in networking chances through signature organization occasions and providing practically every possible service solution, it stated.

GCC growth will reinforce in 2026, led by faster expansion in hydrocarbons; non-oil growth will remain solid but slow slightly. Non-oil activity will be supported by population growth, new industries, and public financial investment; inflation will remain soft, while financial policy will loosen. Hydrocarbons sector growth will speed up, offsetting in part lower oil costs; fiscal balances will be mixed, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, but deficits persist in other places.

Analysing 2026 GCC Data for Future Growth

SHARJAH (WAM) The GCC and wider Middle East area is poised for the next wave of investments in AI and tech-led sectors, with business-friendly and innovation-focused federal government policies attracting funds and skill, said magnate at the 9th edition of Sharjah Entrepreneurial Celebration (SEF 2026). Throughout a panel conversation on the very first day of SEF 2026 analyzing "What Does the Next Year of Equity Capital Appear Like", speakers concurred that the emerging local investment landscape appears appealing.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Responding to a concern on local startups' potential customers of benefiting from current financial investments in digital facilities, Tala Al Jabri, Creator and Managing Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have so much going for us in the area: the low expense of energy, a really progressive government that is ahead in policy, regulation and information privacy; and actually strong universities that are increasingly looking at AI and turning out technical talent in AI."She included: "Our supreme objective is to see this region, specifically the GCC, end up being an AI superpower.

Our most significant chauffeur today is investing in skill, since in the AI race, it's the technical talent that really wins."Focusing on the attractiveness of the region for financiers, Christos Mastoras, Founder and Handling Partner of Iliad Partners, stated: "I believe we are very lucky to onboard the 3 biggest banks of Greece as LPs [Limited Partners] for financial investment in the area.

"International development funds are can be found in, which shows clear signs of maturity of the community The capability of the UAE and local federal governments to draw in talent; their innovation-first method, abundance of capital here in addition to inflow internationally are the crucial structure blocks."Paula Tavangar, Chief Investment Officer at Injaz Capital stated that within the region, Saudi Arabia is leading the number of handle the highest values, with 250 "biggest ticket size" deals recorded in 2025 in the nation.