Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, asked business and investors to put their faith in Western Region’s education. Delores Johnson / The National
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, asked business and investors to put their faith in Western Region’s education. Delores Johnson / The National
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, asked business and investors to put their faith in Western Region’s education. Delores Johnson / The National
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, asked business and investors to put their faith in Western Region’s education. Delores Johnson / The National

Education

Western Region seeks investors in schools

The Western Region of the emirate needs more private investment in schools to support its growing population, the Al Gharbia Development Forum was told on Tuesday.

The National staff

May 19, 2015

  • English
  • Arabic

ABU DHABI // The Western Region of the emirate needs more private investment in schools to support its growing population, the Al Gharbia Development Forum was told on Tuesday.

“We are keen to develop the appropriate environment to encourage investors to build schools in the Western Region,” said Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. “I call for business leaders and investors to extend the hand of partnership to education bodies.”

Dr Al Qubaisi said that the Western Region now has 45 schools, 33 public and 12 private. Adec recently completed the construction of five, including three in Mirfa.

The forum took place to inform investors, entrepreneurs, developers and project owners about opportunities in Al Gharbia, which accounts for about 40 per cent of the GDP of the UAE.

Topics included oil and gas, progress in the UAE’s nuclear energy programme, infrastructure investments plans, education and health, banking and finance, developments in the food production and real estate and tourism projects.

The forum was organised under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, and organised by the Department of Economic Development of Abu Dhabi.

“We believe education must complement the needs of industry and the labour market,” Dr Al Qubaisi said. “We are developing our curriculum, emphasising science, engineering and technology and working to enhance the tertiary sector.

“Knowledge is our future wealth. The creation of a generation that can absorb such knowledge is our goal. The key to the future will require us to be serious about what we do.”

newsdesk@thenational.ae

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Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

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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. 

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