Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC, the United Arab Emirates’ second-biggest shariah-compliant lender, is planning expansion in Africa markets to tap demand in countries with a large Muslim population. In Africa, The bank has “looked closely” at Algeria and Morocco, Chief Executive Officer Tirad Mahmoud told reporters. “We are actively visiting locations where we may be […]
Tag: Abu Dhabi
Egypt: Central Bank blocks transactions with African and Arab banks
There are reports that Egyptian banks have been ordered by the Central Bank to refrain from doing business with some banks in African and Arab countries amongst which are Qatar, Libya, Syria and Sudan. The central bank’s decision is aimed at reducing the scale of money laundering in compliance with the anti-money laundering laws. Several […]
Tunisia Seeks to Do Business with the Gulf Countries
Economists are getting increasingly optimistic about the plan of Tunisia’s Prime Minister, Mehdi Jomaa, to tackle persistent unemployment and a tight budget. Mr Jomaa has recently visited a number of Gulf countries, accompanied by a delegation of businesspeople led by the head of the Tunisian Union of Trade, Industry, and Handicrafts (UTICA), Wided Bouchamaoui. Mr […]
Tunisia: Arabic fiction shortlist announced
The shortlist for the International Prize for Arabic fiction 2013 edition has been announced in Tunisia in a press conference by the judging panel at the prestigious Municipal Theatre. A list of 16 nominees has been reduced to 6 with Sinan Antoon, Jana Elhassan, Mohammed Hassan Alwan, Ibrahim Issa, Saud Alsanousi and Hussein Al-Wad remaining […]
Underground Egyptian Cell Nabbed in UAE
United Arab Emirates security services have said they disrupted lately an Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood network that “recruited Egyptian expatriates in the UAE” and “received instruction on means of changing leadership in Arab countries”. According to Al-Khaleej newspaper, the group, made of a dozen people including three doctors, held “secret meetings” across the oil-rich country, set […]
Abu Dhabi Film Festival kicks off on October 11
The sixth edition of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival will kick off on October 11 with the screening of the feature film “Arbitrage”, starring Richard Gere and Nate Parker and produced by Mohammed Al Turki from Saudi Arabia and director Nicholas Jarecki. A total of 81 feature films and 84 short films representing 48 countries […]
Morocco: Saudi-led Consortium Wins $1 Bln Solar Plant Bid
A consortium led by Saudi’s company ACWA Power International has won a $1 billion contract to build a 160-megawatt solar plant in Southern Morocco. The plant, to be built near city of Ouarzazate, is the first phase of a 500-megawatt ambitious project, first of its kind in Northern Africa. The Saudi-led consortium includes Spanish firm […]






