Emerging Strategic Trends Defining the 2026 Regional Economy

Verifying the development of AI in the region, a report launched by PwC previously this month said that the use of AI amongst the workforce in the Middle East continues to rise, with 75 percent of workers in the region using it in their jobs over the past 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 ready to deploy AI properly, well above the 76 percent international standard, supported by the Kingdom's data governance community, consisting of nationwide efforts led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

Policymakers are believing holistically about how to make the region appealing, consisting of having more pragmatic laws to permit experimentation and growth," said the report.

Leading company leaders, policymakers and financiers from the GCC and Latin America recently checked out how nations from the two regions can grow trade in between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 regional and global policymakers, heads of state, CEOs, company leaders, investors, and industry experts participated in the very first Global Business Online forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

Methods for Scaling GCC Strategy in 2026

In 2015 the GCC comprised of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, imported $11 billion worth of items from Latin America. And exports to Latin America from the region were $5.6 billion, a declaration from organisers said. Both areas count on each other for vital products.

In 2015 Latin America supplied nearly half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 percent of the area's total sugar imports, it added. Brazil is without a doubt the largest trading partner for nations in the area, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Among the Latin American states, the GCC counts on Brazil for meat (mainly poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for cars and Chile for wood products, stated a statement.

The forum was arranged by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Moving Synergies", explores how organizations can gain from the changing patterns of global demand and what role Dubai can play in assisting in the next step in organization relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not only in the UAE and in the GCC but worldwide too, by serving as an information and research study centre, by supplying organization documents, using legal services, helping with networking opportunities through signature company occasions and delivering nearly every conceivable service solution, it specified.

GCC development will reinforce in 2026, led by faster growth in hydrocarbons; non-oil growth will stay solid however slow a little. Non-oil activity will be supported by population development, new markets, and public investment; inflation will remain soft, while monetary policy will loosen up. Hydrocarbons sector development will speed up, offsetting in part lower oil costs; financial balances will be mixed, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, however deficits continue somewhere else.

Predicting the 2026 GCC Business Landscape

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 government policies drawing in funds and talent, stated business leaders at the 9th edition of Sharjah Entrepreneurial Celebration (SEF 2026). During a panel conversation on the first day of SEF 2026 analyzing "What Does the Next Year of Venture Capital Appear Like", speakers agreed that the emerging local financial investment landscape appears appealing.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Reacting to a concern on regional start-ups' potential customers of taking advantage of recent financial investments in digital facilities, Tala Al Jabri, Creator and Handling Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have a lot choosing us in the area: the low cost of energy, a very progressive government that is ahead in policy, guideline and information personal privacy; and actually strong universities that are increasingly taking a look at AI and turning out technical talent in AI."She included: "Our ultimate objective is to see this area, particularly the GCC, end up being an AI superpower.

Our most significant chauffeur right now is investing in talent, due to the fact that in the AI race, it's the technical skill that truly wins.

"International growth funds are can be found in, which reveals clear indications of maturity of the environment The ability of the UAE and local governments to draw in skill; their innovation-first technique, abundance of capital here in addition to inflow internationally are the essential foundation."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 "largest ticket size" offers tape-recorded in 2025 in the nation.