The GCC region has the strategic advantage of being a bridge between Europe and Asia with air links and seaports, such as Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, above, that are continually improving their offerings. Reuters
The GCC region has the strategic advantage of being a bridge between Europe and Asia with air links and seaports, such as Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, above, that are continually improving their offerings. Reuters
The GCC region has the strategic advantage of being a bridge between Europe and Asia with air links and seaports, such as Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, above, that are continually improving their offerings
Mohammed Alardhi is the executive chairman of Investcorp, chairman of Muscat Stock Exchange MSX and chairman of Royal Jet
August 11, 2023
Quick advancements in technology and supply-chain transformations have led organisations around the world to restructure their operations to increase agility and move with the times. The Gulf region is no exception. And while we have witnessed fast growth in infrastructure to meet the demands of the logistics sectors, there is more that can be done. There are, after all, opportunities to create a significant impact given the Gulf’s location and global business ties.
According to research published by Marmore Mena Intelligence in 2022, industrials and logistics have been identified as core drivers of economic diversification in the Gulf region, which has taken on a pivotal role in the circulation of commodities around the globe. The report also noted that more than 60 per cent of the total expenditure on ports in the Middle East is in the GCC.
The GCC region has the strategic advantage of being a bridge between Europe and Asia, and it offers modern cities that have grown into international business hubs, with both seaports and airports that are continually improving their offerings based on growing demand and interest. Further, governments have been investing heavily in infrastructure and technology to support regional and global trade.
The highly anticipated GCC railway project is moving forward under the leadership of the GCC Rail Authority, a body that was established last year and will be responsible for the rail network starting operations over the coming years.
The region has also made great strides in sustainability and renewable energy, and can grow green logistics, especially with solar power, considering the abundance of sunlight our nations receive.
We must strike while the iron is hot and use our existing and upcoming infrastructures. According to Statista, an online platform that specialises in data gathering, the global logistics industry was valued at $10.4 trillion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $14 trillion in 2028.
Projected industry growth, paired with strategic geographical advantages, and ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure and adapt technologies set the stage for logistics sectors in the GCC to be key drivers for economic growth in the future.
The adoption of artificial intelligence is also increasing within the region, which will no doubt transform the logistics sector through advanced data collection and analyses that will help develop better customer experiences, efficient management of resources, optimal use of resources and automation in warehouses and processes in general.
Logistics is a dynamic area. There are several trends and technological advancements that could redefine the industry and its operations, including cloud-based systems, autonomous vehicles, 3D-printing, real-time tracking and analytics, blockchain, machine learning and robotics.
The world is moving rapidly and in order to keep up and continue to attract foreign direct investment, the GCC region must stay abreast of these trends.
There are many opportunities for aspiring and established entrepreneurs across the region to enter and expand into the logistics sector, actively engage with existing industry players, employ synergistic and innovative approaches, and help the development of the logistics sectors to reach its full potential.
One of the most profitable areas in this industry is third-party logistics, with cost to entry being a significant barrier for entrepreneurs. Regional banks can exploit interest in the area and support entry and expansion into third-party services through incentivised borrowing rates.
Further, governments and leaders in the areas of transport, logistics and technology must collaborate to form cross-border consortiums and strategic international partnerships to enhance the region’s position as a global centre for trade.
The GCC region will also benefit from widespread campaigns that engage with the youth and educate them about the crucial role of the logistics sector in economic development, opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and mentorship that help pave the path towards growth and stability in coming years.
While the logistics sectors in the GCC have the potential to play an important role in positioning the region as a hub for innovation, we cannot forget that advancements and the adoption of the newest trends and technologies will also support various industries locally. Transport and logistics can be the deciding factors in the success or failure of a business, so they are extremely important areas of focus going forward.
GCC nations have a number of strengths, opportunities and projects in the pipeline that could unlock a new era of economic growth, where the transport and logistics sectors are instrumental in concreting the region’s position as a uniquely equipped, dynamic centre for global trade. Now it is in the hands of citizens, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and governments to remain united in this vision for synergistic results that would lead our nations into a more secure and prosperous future.
Oscars in the UAE
The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024. It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine. Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages]. The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts. With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians. Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved. Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world. The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
UK’s AI plan
AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
£10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
£100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
£250m to train new AI models
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Understand What Black Is
The Last Poets
(Studio Rockers)
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood. Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues. Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity. Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available. Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus. Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel. Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
If you go...
Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.
Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.
