Emerging Strategic Trends Defining the 2026 Regional Market

Verifying the growth of AI in the area, a report released by PwC earlier this month said that the use of AI amongst the workforce in the Middle East continues to increase, with 75 percent of staff members in the area utilizing it in their tasks over the past 12 months.

In November, a report launched 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 release AI responsibly, well above the 76 percent international benchmark, supported by the Kingdom's information governance ecosystem, consisting of national efforts led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.

Policymakers are believing holistically about how to make the area attractive, including having more practical laws to permit experimentation and growth," stated the report.

Leading business leaders, policymakers and financiers from the GCC and Latin America just recently checked out how nations from the 2 areas can grow trade in between each other in Dubai, UAE.More than 500 local and global policymakers, presidents, CEOs, magnate, investors, and market professionals attended the very first Global Company Forum Latin America held at the Atlantis Palm - Dubai.

How to Secure a Competitive Advantage in 2026

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

In 2015 Latin America supplied almost half the meat imports into the GCC and 36 per cent of the region's total sugar imports, it added. Brazil is without a doubt the biggest trading partner for countries in the region, followed by Argentina and Mexico. Among the Latin American states, the GCC counts on Brazil for meat (primarily poultry), Argentina for cereals, Mexico for automobiles and Chile for wood products, said a declaration.

The forum was organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce under the style "Shifting Synergies", checks out how businesses can benefit from the altering patterns of international need and what role Dubai can play in helping with the next step in company relations. Dubai Chamber takes a pioneering position not just in the UAE and in the GCC however worldwide too, by acting as an information and research study centre, by providing business documents, using legal services, facilitating networking opportunities by means of signature company events and delivering nearly every imaginable organization solution, it specified.

GCC growth will enhance in 2026, led by faster growth in hydrocarbons; non-oil development will stay strong but sluggish 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. Hydrocarbons sector development will accelerate, offsetting in part lower oil prices; financial balances will be blended, with surpluses in UAE and Qatar, however deficits continue somewhere else.

Reviewing 2026 GCC Research for Strategic Insights

SHARJAH (WAM) The GCC and larger 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 bring in funds and talent, said magnate at the 9th edition of Sharjah Entrepreneurial Festival (SEF 2026). During a panel discussion on the first day of SEF 2026 examining "What Does the Next Year of Venture Capital Appear Like", speakers concurred that the emerging regional investment landscape appears promising.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Reacting to a question on local start-ups' prospects of gaining from current financial investments in digital infrastructure, Tala Al Jabri, Founder and Managing Partner of Wyld VC stated: "We have a lot going for us in the area: the low expense of energy, an extremely progressive federal government that is ahead in policy, regulation and data personal privacy; and truly strong educational organizations that are progressively looking at AI and turning out technical talent in AI."She added: "Our ultimate goal is to see this area, specifically the GCC, end up being an AI superpower.

Our greatest driver right now is investing in talent, due to the fact that in the AI race, it's the technical talent that actually wins."Concentrating on the beauty of the region for financiers, Christos Mastoras, Founder and Handling Partner of Iliad Partners, said: "I think we are really fortunate to onboard the three biggest banks of Greece as LPs [Limited Partners] for financial investment in the area.

"International development funds are being available in, which shows clear indications of maturity of the ecosystem The capability of the UAE and regional federal governments to bring in skill; their innovation-first technique, abundance of capital here along with inflow internationally are the essential foundation."Paula Tavangar, Chief Financial Investment Officer at Injaz Capital stated that within the region, Saudi Arabia is leading the number of deals with the greatest worths, with 250 "biggest ticket size" offers taped in 2025 in the country.