Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania arrived in Abu Dhabi for an official visit on Tuesday.
The long-reigning monarch was welcomed at Al Bateen Executive Airport by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Also there to greet him were Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports Company, among other officials.
Sheikh Mohamed and King Abdullah later held talks at Al Shati Palace, where they discussed efforts to boost bilateral relations and exchanged views on the latest regional and global developments.
Sheikh Mohamed emphasised the strong and profound ties which bind the UAE and Jordan together and conveyed the greetings of President Sheikh Khalifa to the Jordanian king.
The two sides confirmed their desire to continue to work together for the betterment of the region and spoke of the importance of building partnerships with the aim of achieving shared prosperity and sustainable development.
Among those to attend the meeting were Sheikh Mansour and Sheikh Mohammed, as well as Humaid Abushibs, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority, and Mohamed Al Mazrouei, undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court.
Bishr Al Khasawneh, Prime Minister of Jordan, Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, were among the Jordanian delegation.
Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, received Queen Rania at Al Bahr Palace during the visit.
The pair discussed the relations between the countries and cooperation in several areas, including the foundation related to women, children and youth in the two countries.
Sheikha Fatima, who is chairwoman of the General Women's Union, chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and supreme chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, briefed Queen Rania on achievements in the UAE in female empowerment.
Sheikha Fatima also hosted a banquet in Queen Rania's honour.
King Abdullah and Queen Rania left the UAE on Tuesday and were seen off by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
The royal visit will further bolster the long-standing friendship between the Emirates and Jordan.
Earlier this month, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, met King Abdullah in Amman.
Sheikh Abdullah emphasised the solid fraternal ties binding the UAE and Jordan and highlighted the aspirations of the leadership of both countries to support the best interests of their people.
Khalifa Al Marar, Minister of State, and Ahmed Al Balushi, ambassador to Jordan, also attended that meeting.
Sheikh Mohamed flew to the Jordanian capital in May for positive talks with King Abdullah.
On arrival, Sheikh Mohamed said the visit "embodies the depth of brotherly relations between the UAE and Jordan and their brotherly peoples", state news agency Wam reported.
King Abdullah last visited the UAE in February, when he met Sheikh Mohamed to examine efforts to forge closer ties and to review developments in the region.
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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
