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Comedian Bassem Youssef had the audience at Cop28 in hysterics in no time but there was a serious message behind the humour.
The Egyptian surgeon-turned-comedian has been in the global spotlight recently thanks to his interviews with Piers Morgan on the Israel-Gaza war.
Expo City Dubai’s Al Forsan Park was packed with people keen to catch Youssef in action on Tuesday.
“How’s everyone doing at Cop so far? Are you cop-ing?” he asked an enthusiastic audience, who responded with laughter and applause.
The session, called “Sustainable” Personal Stories with Bassem Youssef, kicked off with a brief monologue and evolved into a Q&A with attendees.
Youssef briefly walked the audience through his career path over the years, and how he went from doctor to comedian to now viral sensation following his interview with Morgan.
“Let’s be honest, the only reason I’m here is because I’m trending,” he said to the audience.
“But also because I’ve long been an advocate of plant-based diets.”
Youssef’s humour was as sharp – and dark – as ever as he told one story after the other and responded to audience questions.
“Why stand-up comedy and how do you find humour during these dark times?” one person asked.
Youssef answered: “It’s simple. Because the fact that we still have to meet every year to decide not to hurt our planet is a joke itself.”
When asked if he would consider becoming a TV host again, the former host of satirical news programme El Bernameg (The Programme), said he loves touring and doing stand-up comedy and does not want to give that up.
For his second interview with Morgan, Youssef said he spent three sleepless weeks trying to perfect his argument, knowing that many people around the region counted on him in being their voice.
Perceptions could be changing
When a Palestinian student asked Youssef how to best persevere and navigate around increasing censorship, the comedian said the narratives are visibly changing, against all odds.
“The problem comes with the frustration that you want something to change right now, and we are dealing with a status quo that has been going on for years and years and years and years,” said Youssef.
“But in the last two or three months, there has been a huge shift in the directives, scripts and narratives in the West, in the way that they look the conflict.
“I think as frustrating as it is right now, we are on the precipice of something very important and we can actually find changes in the coming years.
“So keep doing what you're doing.”
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Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
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Rating: 3/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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