President Sheikh Mohamed arrived in Egypt on Thursday to begin a working visit.
He was greeted on arrival at Cairo International Airport by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, state news agency Wam reported.
A red carpet was laid out on the tarmac to welcome Sheikh Mohamed, while a military guard of honour stood to attention as he walked side by side with his Egyptian counterpart.
Mr El Sisi underlined the significance of the trip in bolstering long-standing ties between the friendly nations and opening up new areas of collaboration. The two later attended a ceremony for graduates of Egypt’s military academy and colleges.
Sheikh Mohamed and Mr El Sisi were greeted upon their arrival by Lieutenant General Abdel Majeed Saqr, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and Minister of Defence; Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces; and several commanders of the Egyptian military branches, alongside Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem, Director of the Egyptian Military Academy.
They were welcomed with a guard of honour and performances of the national anthems of both countries, before participating in a flag-raising ceremony as helicopters flew overhead carrying the UAE and Egypt flags. Sheikh Mohamed also signed the VIP guestbook.
The leaders meet regularly in the Emirates and Egypt in support of a decades-long friendship between the countries.
The UAE and Egypt share deep-rooted political, social and economic links and are both committed to the fight against climate change. Egypt hosted Cop27 in November 2022, with Dubai staging the key UN talks the following year.
In August, Sheikh Mohamed met Mr El Sisi in New Alamein City, on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, as part of a private visit. The leaders toured the city, where they were briefed on the prominent landmarks and development projects on the coastal resort.
In March, Sheikh Mohamed visited Egypt for talks with Mr El Sisi aimed at furthering partnerships within the strategic partnership that unites the countries in the economic, development and political fields.
In May 2022, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan entered into an industrial partnership aimed at boosting sustainable growth and exploring opportunities for joint investments in priority sectors, in a move to bolster Arab economic integration. A $10 billion investment fund was allocated to accelerate work on the partnership.
In October 2022, the UAE and Egypt staged a major event in Cairo to mark 50 years of ties. The three-day celebration was held under the slogan of 'Egypt and the UAE – one heart'.
Ministers and officials from both countries were among more than 1,800 leading Emirati and Egyptian figures, drawn from sectors such as business, media and creative industry.
Sheikh Mohamed's delegation in Egypt includes Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Adviser for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Mohamed Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment; and Mariam Al Kaabi, UAE ambassador to Egypt.
President Sheikh Mohamed's working visit to Egypt - in pictures
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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Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
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Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
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Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
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