Economy

In what ways has the cultural landscape of Abu Dhabi evolved over the years, and how has it impacted the business environment?

ETIQUETTE & DRESS: Hospitality is a key part of Emirati culture. Long greetings before meetings – whether for business or socialising – are important. In Abu Dhabi it is common for men to shake hands in business settings, and exchanging business cards is fairly informal. However, it is not advisable to shake a woman’s hand unless...

In September 2019 Hazzaa Al Mansoori, born in Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi, became the first Arab to visit the International Space Station (ISS) in an eight-day mission accompanied by two fellow crew members from Russia and the US. Al Mansoori’s successful journey captured the emirate’s imagination and helped raise the global profile of the UAE’s...

The Dubai Air Show in November 2019 marked the inauguration of EDGE Group, a new defence conglomerate based in Abu Dhabi created to bring a range of companies under one name. Launched by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces, the new entity will have a combined annual...

In recent years Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE have passed several important milestones in terms of security, aerospace and defence strategy. In 2019 Hazzaa Al Mansoori, an astronaut born in Al Wathba, roughly 45 km outside Abu Dhabi City, became the first Emirati to visit the International Space Station. The mission helped to raise the profile...

According to Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 94% of all companies in the UAE and provide jobs for 90% of the nation’s workforce. Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) has established emirate-specific definitions for this important segment of the economy, by which...