Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, has inaugurated the Fatima bint Mubarak Centre at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
The new centre provides patients with personalised care, including screening and diagnostic testing, advanced radiation treatments and precision cellular therapies.
Modelled on Cleveland Clinic’s highly rated Taussig Cancer Centre in Cleveland, the 19,000-square-metre centre has a team of 150 nurses, physicians and radiologists.
It has 32 exam rooms for multidisciplinary cancer consultation, 24 private infusion rooms for administering medications intravenously, two procedure rooms and an area devoted exclusively to women's oncology services.
The naming of the oncology centre honours the leadership role played by Sheikha Fatima, Mother of the Nation, in the development of the UAE's healthcare sector.
“The Fatima bint Mubarak Centre provides patients access to world-class screening, cutting-edge diagnostics, and personalised treatment plans to improve their outcomes and quality of life,” said Waleed Al Muhairi, chairman of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and deputy group chief executive of Mubadala Investment Company.
“The opening of the centre represents a major milestone in the development of the region’s healthcare industry and enhances Abu Dhabi’s status as a global leader in the life sciences industry.”
Dr Jorge Guzman, chief executive of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said the new centre “will transform the level of care available to cancer patients in the region and eliminate the need for them to travel overseas”.
“The facility will participate in worldwide clinical trial programmes benefiting from collaboration and expert knowledge sharing with partners across Cleveland Clinic’s global healthcare network.
“Cancer is currently the third most common cause of death in the UAE. The Fatima bint Mubarak Center will bring pioneering technologies and life-saving treatments to set a benchmark in the efficacy of cancer care in the region.”
The inauguration was attended by officials of the Abu Dhabi Government, members of Mubadala Investment Company’s leadership team and senior guests from local and international partners and organisations.
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
