Emirates Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of ENOC Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Authority (UAQ FTZ) to become the exclusive provider of comprehensive gas solutions to businesses operating within the free zone. The agreement marks a strategic milestone in Emirates Gas’ expansion and aligns with ENOC Group’s broader vision to deliver reliable energy solutions across the UAE.

The signing ceremony took place at ENOC Group Headquarters in the presence of Sheikh Mansoor Bin Ibrahim Al Mu’alla, executive director of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation – Umm Al Quwain, and Hussain Sultan Lootah, acting group CEO at ENOC. The MoU was signed by Nader Al Fardan, General Manager of Emirates Gas, and Johnson M. George, General Manager of UAQ Free Trade Zone.

Under the agreement, Emirates Gas will provide tailored gas solutions — including centralised systems, tank installations, product supply in bulk and cylinders, as well as technical and consultancy services. Each solution will be based on detailed technical and financial evaluations, coupled with rigorous safety assessments.

Partnership

The partnership establishes a framework for ongoing collaboration between the two entities and is expected to serve as a model for similar agreements with other free zones and industrial areas across the country. By formalising an exclusive arrangement, the MoU underscores the value of integrated gas supply solutions in supporting economic growth and operational efficiency.

“We are pleased to collaborate with the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Authority to expand our offerings to better serve customers in the free zone,” said Hussain Sultan Lootah, acting CEO of ENOC Group. “By providing comprehensive gas solutions exclusively to businesses within the free zone, we are catering to their needs and reaffirming our commitment to delivering reliable energy solutions in the Emirate. Additionally, this partnership aligns with our strategic objectives, adding value to both entities while further supporting the country’s economic development.”

Johnson M. George, general manager of UAQ Free Trade Zone Authority, added: “At UAQ Free Trade Zone, our priority has always been to empower our investors with the right infrastructure, the right partners, and the confidence to grow. This partnership with Emirates Gas, an industry leader known for safety, reliability, and professional excellence, is a strategic move to ensure our businesses have access to world-class solutions.”

Emirates Gas continues to lead the UAE’s energy sector through innovation and a commitment to sustainability. Among its recent developments are LPG Composite Cylinders, designed with lightweight composite materials and a translucent body to enhance safety and ease of use. This product innovation, combined with strategic partnerships like the UAQ FTZ collaboration, strengthens Emirates Gas’ position as a preferred energy solutions provider for industrial and commercial customers across the region.

From pioneering CAR T-cell therapy access to supporting frontline HIV education, Gilead is aligning its global R&D pipeline with local public health priorities in the Middle East.

Here, we speak to Vítor Papão, GM of Middle East, Russia and Türkiye at Gilead Sciences, about the company’s latest partnerships in the UAE, the evolving role of public-private collaboration in healthcare, and how emerging technologies and policy innovation are reshaping patient care across the region.

Tell us about the recent MoUs signed between Gilead Sciences and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. What is the strategic vision behind these agreements and what they aim to achieve?

These agreements reflect our shared commitment with Abu Dhabi to advancing public health in areas of critical need—particularly virology and advanced cancer therapies such as CAR T-cell treatments.

At their core, the MoUs aim to strengthen local clinical research capabilities, broaden access to next-generation therapies, and accelerate early diagnosis through data-driven approaches. They align seamlessly with Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become a regional hub for medical innovation. This is a natural extension of our long-standing collaboration with UAE health authorities, including our partnership with MOHAP on the MAAK Access Program since 2015.

Gilead has been a long-standing advocate for public-private partnerships. How do you see such collaborations accelerating medical research and innovation in the region?

Public-private partnerships are essential to driving progress—particularly in building research infrastructure, enhancing clinical trial readiness, and improving access to innovation. Over the past decade, we’ve worked closely with hospitals and public health authorities across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait to bring advanced treatments to patients more rapidly.

In Saudi Arabia, for instance, our collaborations with the National Guard, East Jeddah Hospital, and King Faisal Specialist Hospital have significantly expanded research in virology and cell therapy. These partnerships not only accelerate timelines but also establish sustainable platforms for long-term improvements in care delivery.

What role is Abu Dhabi – and the UAE more broadly – playing as a hub for advanced healthcare initiatives and clinical research in Gilead’s regional strategy?

The UAE plays an important role in Gilead’s regional strategy, offering a unique environment shaped by forward-thinking regulation, advanced digital capabilities, and a strong appetite for innovation. These conditions have allowed us to work closely with national institutions on initiatives that directly support public health priorities.

Our longstanding collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi has now evolved into a broader partnership with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), focused on improving outcomes in blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. This recent MoU outlines specific areas of cooperation, including public awareness, prevention, and the development of more integrated care pathways.

Among these efforts are Gilead-led initiatives in the UAE aimed at enhancing early diagnosis and follow-up through tailored awareness campaigns and scalable screening solutions.

Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure and policy momentum have made it possible to pilot these efforts in a way that informs broader strategies across the region. Rather than simply adopting innovation, the UAE is helping shape new models for how infectious disease care can be delivered — more proactively, equitably, and sustainably.

Elaborate on the types of therapeutic areas or diseases that are being prioritised under these new initiatives.

Our focus remains on areas where scientific innovation meets urgent need – namely, HIV, viral hepatitis, and oncology. In HIV, we’ve brought 11 antiretroviral therapies to the region, alongside community engagement campaigns like “Behind the Myths” and “Ana Faisal” in Saudi Arabia.

In the UAE, we’ve supported continuing medical education (CME), including a CME-accredited training module on HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for frontline providers, and co-authored a regional call-to-action on integrating PrEP into national frameworks.

Building on this, we hosted the 9th HIV Summit in Dubai earlier this year under the theme “Life beyond HIV: Your Role, Our Future”.

The event convened over 130 HIV specialists, with two focused workshops — one on managing complex cases and another on screening and linkage to care. These conversations helped define new priorities for advancing HIV treatment and prevention across the region.

Patient perspectives are equally critical. Through our “Patient Voice” call-to-action, developed in collaboration with community advocates, we’re promoting more patient-centered models of care and tackling stigma as a barrier to testing and retention.

On the oncology front, our work with Kite Pharma is driving access to CAR T-cell therapies. In the UAE, we’re collaborating with key research institutions to prepare the infrastructure for these cell-based treatments and integrate them into existing oncology and hematology pathways.

In viral hepatitis, we’ve contributed to regional scientific exchange through programmes which brought together hepatologists and public health experts to share real-world experience, data, and elimination strategies for HBV, HCV, and HDV.

The insights generated through such forums feed into ongoing dialogue with UAE authorities around surveillance, screening, and earlier diagnosis. We’ve also worked with liver associations on a regional positioning statement for hepatitis delta to support stronger diagnostic protocols and awareness.

Gilead is known globally for pioneering antiviral treatments. How are your global capabilities and R&D pipeline being adapted to meet the specific needs of the Middle East market?

Adapting our global capabilities to the region begins with listening to local needs — where access, education, and system readiness can vary significantly. Gilead has launched over 55 products in the region, while globally we are poised to meet our ambition, set in 2019, to deliver over 10 transformative therapies by 2030. This includes expanding our pipeline in HIV and hepatitis and introducing new treatments in oncology and inflammatory diseases.

Beyond medicines, we invest in awareness and education programmes like “Ready to be Cured” for HCV, and initiatives such as HIV STAR, which trains physicians across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar to improve diagnosis and early linkage to care. Our goal is to ensure innovation reaches the patients who need it most.

From a policy perspective, what steps do you believe are crucial to further enabling innovation, faster regulatory approvals, and cross-border cooperation in healthcare across the region?

Policy can be the key accelerator or bottleneck in translating innovation into impact. Fragmented regulatory systems remain a major hurdle, even in cases where therapies are already approved elsewhere.

A harmonised approach across the GCC would not only reduce delays but also foster shared infrastructure for clinical trials and real-world data collection.

In parallel, we need to rethink HIV testing policies to better align with lived realities. Earlier this year, we co-convened the HIV Screening and Linkage to Care (SLTC) workshop, bringing together stakeholders from across the Middle East. The session introduced a framework for embedding HIV screening into emergency, antenatal, and pre-marital workflows, while also exploring self-testing and legal reforms to ease consent barriers.

From a system-level view, the SLTC roadmap offers practical next steps: piloting automated testing in emergency departments, distributing at-home testing kits through pharmacies and NGOs, and standardising referral pathways post-diagnosis.

These aren’t theoretical exercises — they are grounded, actionable interventions tailored to our region’s unique cultural and regulatory contexts. By aligning policy with real-world needs, we can build systems that not only deliver innovation but sustain it.

What role do emerging technologies such as AI, data analytics, and digital health platforms play in Gilead’s future vision for the region?

Technology is already transforming how we operate. The “Ana Faisal” campaign, for example, leveraged AI and digital storytelling to raise awareness around HIV.

Across the region, we’re supporting digital health tools for self-testing, treatment adherence, and remote care, especially for people living with chronic conditions.

As governments invest in data infrastructure and electronic health systems, the potential to use real-world evidence to guide care is expanding. For Gilead, it’s not about technology for its own sake; it’s about using digital tools to enhance reach, enable earlier intervention, and help healthcare systems become more connected and resilient.

Read: Tunisia’s Health Minister on why the ‘One Health’ agenda is key to MENA’s health transformation

Ripple, a global leader in digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Ctrl Alt, a UAE-based tokenisation infrastructure platform. The partnership will see Ctrl Alt adopt Ripple’s institutional-grade digital asset custody technology to support the Dubai Land Department’s (DLD) pioneering Real Estate Tokenisation Project.

Under the initiative, Dubai’s property title deeds will be tokenised and issued on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), with Ripple’s custody solution providing secure and scalable storage for the digital assets.

Ctrl Alt, which revealed its involvement in the DLD initiative last month, is Ripple’s first major custody partner in the UAE — a milestone that reflects the growing regional demand for compliant digital asset infrastructure. Ripple’s global custody network now spans clients across EMEA, APAC, and Latin America.

“The Dubai Land Department’s Real Estate Tokenisation Project is a perfect example of the type of forward-thinking, innovative initiative that is positioning Dubai at the heart of the global digital asset industry,” said Reece Merrick, managing director, Middle East and Africa, at Ripple.

“This is the first time a government real estate registration authority in the Middle East has tokenised property title deeds on a public blockchain. That the DLD has chosen the XRPL for this is really exciting and reinforces the XRPL’s credentials as the blockchain of choice for serious financial use cases. We’re delighted that Ctrl Alt has chosen our institutional-grade digital asset custody technology to support the delivery of this project.”

Read: Dubai launches tokenised real estate investment project via ‘Prypco Mint’

Ctrl Alt also recently became the first Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in Dubai to be licensed for issuer-related services by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). The license enables Ctrl Alt to handle the end-to-end tokenisation process — from issuance and custody to on-chain settlement and asset lifecycle management — in a fully compliant manner.

“As the tokenisation infrastructure provider for the DLD Project, Ctrl Alt brings deep expertise in financial engineering and digital asset infrastructure, so it makes sense for us to partner with Ripple to use their custody technology to support this initiative,” said Matt Ong, CEO and founder of Ctrl Alt.

“Partnering with Ripple allows us to leverage proven and trusted technology that meets the highest security and operational standards. We’re excited to work with them and bring Dubai real estate investment opportunities to a wider audience.”

Digital real estate transformation

The DLD’s tokenisation project is seen as a major milestone in digital real estate transformation. By enabling fractional ownership of property, the initiative opens doors for broader investor participation and a more inclusive, transparent, and efficient real estate market. It also reflects Dubai’s ambition to remain a global innovation hub by adopting cutting-edge blockchain infrastructure.

Ripple has been rapidly gaining traction in the UAE. Earlier this year, it became the first blockchain-enabled payments provider to be licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). Since then, it has secured partnerships with Zand Bank — another stakeholder in the DLD tokenisation initiative — and Mamo, which is leveraging Ripple’s blockchain for cross-border payments.

In June, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin was approved by the DFSA for use within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), adding to the company’s growing compliance and product suite in the region.

With over 60 regulatory licenses and a decade of experience in digital assets, Ripple is increasingly being recognised for offering robust and compliant infrastructure to store, exchange, and transfer digital assets — positioning it as a trusted partner for tokenisation efforts worldwide.

With its pristine beaches, Swahili culture, and rising appeal as a luxury destination, Zanzibar is positioning itself as a leading player in sustainable tourism.

In this exclusive interview with Gulf Business, Mudrick Ramadhan Soragha, Minister of Tourism of Zanzibar, outlines the island’s vision for high-value, low-impact tourism, discussing everything from strategic partnerships with Gulf nations and rising GCC visitor numbers to eco-resorts, cultural conservation, and a new digitally enabled airport terminal.

Zanzibar is gaining attention as a premium beach and cultural destination. How is your tourism strategy balancing luxury development with the need to preserve the island’s natural ecosystems and Swahili heritage?

Zanzibar’s tourism strategy is guided by the principle of “sustainability with authenticity”. We recognise that while luxury tourism is vital to our economic growth, it must not come at the expense of our fragile marine ecosystems or our centuries-old Swahili heritage.

To ensure this balance, we have implemented rigorous environmental impact assessments as a prerequisite for all developments. We actively encourage sustainable design, favoring vernacular, low-impact architecture that integrates seamlessly with the natural and cultural landscape.

We are also working closely with UNESCO to safeguard heritage assets and ensure that all tourism development aligns with Zanzibar’s unique cultural identity.

Finally, community engagement remains central, ensuring that development uplifts local livelihoods and reflects the essence of Zanzibari heritage.

Many GCC countries are investing in luxury coastal developments and year-round beach tourism. What lessons or partnerships can Zanzibar explore with Gulf nations to enhance its own beach tourism offerings sustainably?

The visionary transformation of the Gulf into a hub for year-round luxury tourism provides a compelling blueprint for Zanzibar. We are exploring bilateral partnerships with the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain in areas such as hospitality investment, cultural exchange, and green infrastructure.

The Gulf region’s expertise in integrating climate-adaptive technologies, wellness and heritage experiences, and halal-friendly hospitality aligns well with Zanzibar’s ambitions. Already, we are in advanced discussions with entities like Qatar’s Retaj Group and other private investors in the region.

We want to ensure that future investors prioritise integrating the local community and that developments will directly benefit the local population. Ways to achieve this are to employ island staff for all hotel functions and to source furniture, arts and interior design from local artisans.

Our goal is to foster long-term Gulf-Zanzibar tourism investment corridors built on mutual values of innovation, sustainability, and respect for heritage.

With increasing tourism from the Middle East to East Africa, how is Zanzibar tailoring its tourism products to attract high-value travellers from the GCC while maintaining authentic experiences?

We are curating a suite of tourism experiences that speak directly to the preferences of Gulf travellers, particularly families, discerning couples, and faith-conscious tourists. These include ultra-private beachfront villas, halal culinary offerings, and bespoke cultural journeys that honor Zanzibar’s deep Islamic heritage.

We are also enhancing air connectivity and simplifying visa procedures for GCC nationals. This is why Zanzibar proactively pursued the opportunity to host the AVIADEV conference, as part of a broader strategy to attract more direct flights to the island.

Yet, even as we elevate our service offering to match the expectations of high-net-worth visitors, we remain committed to preserving Zanzibar’s soul, be it through traditional dhow sailing excursions, spice plantation tours, or immersive experiences.

Read: Middle East travel spend set to soar 50% by 2030

Over-tourism and climate change are placing strain on coastal destinations globally. What policies or infrastructure investments is your ministry prioritising to make Zanzibar’s beach tourism climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable?

We are acutely aware that Zanzibar’s future depends on ecological resilience. Central to our blue economy policy is our Marine Spatial Planning initiative, an ambitious coastal zoning project, in collaboration with various environmental partners, aimed at ensuring the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources.

In parallel, we are upgrading waste and water management infrastructure within major tourism zones and investing in the training of local communities on sustainable best practices. We are also establishing marine protected areas and implementing coral reef restoration projects, particularly around Pemba Island—a vital biodiversity hotspot.

Our long-term vision emphasises low-density, high-value tourism. By championing eco-conscious resorts over mass tourism models, we aim to protect both our environment and our cultural identity for generations to come.

How is Zanzibar leveraging digital tools, eco-certifications and smart tourism strategies to remain competitive in a global market?

Zanzibar is undergoing a digital transformation with the roll-out of smart visitor data systems, online licensing, and digital promotion platforms.

Through a UK-funded programme we are also piloting the introduction of eco-certifications for hotels and tour operators and promoting sustainable practices via capacity building for small enterprises.

By aligning with global sustainability benchmarks and embedding digital innovation, we aim to position Zanzibar as a regional leader in responsible tourism.

Give us a breakdown of people visiting Zanzibar from the GCC, highlighting perhaps the UAE as well as Saudi Arabia and other key source markets.

The Middle East, particularly the Gulf region, is emerging as a high-potential source market for Zanzibar. In 2024, arrivals from the UAE reached approximately 11,000, while Saudi Arabia accounted for 9,500 visitors.

Collectively, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain contributed an additional 6,000 tourists. These numbers place the GCC firmly within our top ten non-African source markets.

Our objective is to double this volume by 2027, supported by strategic airline partnerships, destination marketing, and tailored hospitality offerings.

Overall, 71.6 per cent of arrivals into Zanzibar were from Europe, with Italy, Germany, France, and Poland leading. African arrivals also grew strongly, with South Africa and Kenya showing double-digit growth.

The majority of travellers (86 per cent) are Millennials and Gen Z, with an average stay of eight nights. At 98.3 percent, leisure remains the primary purpose of travel to the island.

Tell us about the investment from the government towards tourism.

The government of Zanzibar is making transformative investments to unlock the full potential of the tourism sector, which has witnessed record growth. Last year Zanzibar welcomed 736,755 international visitors, a 15.4 per cent increase over 2023 and well above pre-pandemic levels, with hotel occupancy reaching 79.3 per cent in peak months.

Key investments to support the island’s continued tourism growth include the construction of the new international airport terminal at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, which has expanded the airport’s capacity to 1.5 million annual passengers and enhanced air connectivity to the destination.

With tourism now contributing over 27 per cent to Zanzibar’s GDP, accounting for 80 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings, and sector revenues exceeding $1bn in 2024, we are also developing state-of-the-art Tourism Training Institutes to equip the local workforce with the skills needed to meet international hospitality standards.

Moreover, substantial public-private investment is being directed toward eco-resorts, wellness centers, and sustainable marinas. Our heritage conservation initiatives are equally robust, and we are restoring architectural treasures in Stone Town and other cultural sites.

To protect travellers and reinforce market confidence, we are introducing tourism insurance schemes and launching digital service platforms.

All of these are anchored in our national vision of building a resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive tourism economy, grounded in sustainability and driven by innovation.

In a major step toward revolutionising digital customer service, Aramex recently expanded its strategic partnership with Sprinklr, the Unified-CXM platform for modern enterprises. The collaboration is designed to deliver AI-powered, seamless customer interactions across more than 65 countries, using advanced tools like Sprinklr’s Case Management, Sprinklr Voice, and Conversational AI.

Since 2022, Aramex has modernised its customer service framework with AI-driven automation and WhatsApp integration, automating 90 per centof cases and saving over a million agent hours annually.

Here, Françoise Russo, chief digital and technology officer at Aramex, and Amjad Al Sabbah, group VP for the Middle East and Africa at Sprinklr, discuss how the partnership is transforming last-mile delivery, enhancing customer satisfaction, and redefining what great service looks like in the AI era.

Amjad Al Sabbah, group VP MEA at Sprinklr

How does Sprinklr’s unified CXM platform uniquely enable global logistics players like Aramex to scale personalised, real-time customer support?

Our Unified-CXM platform brings all communication channels and customer data into a single, integrated architecture. For global logistics players like Aramex, this means no more siloed systems — agents and AI bots alike operate from a unified console that handles everything from WhatsApp messages and social media queries to voice calls.

Since partnering with Sprinklr, Aramex has automated 90 per cent of customer service cases, saving over one million agent hours per year. Routine tracking inquiries are handled by AI-powered chatbots, and customers now receive proactive delivery updates, like via WhatsApp. The result is consistent, scalable, always-on customer support—a clear competitive advantage that piecemeal platforms can’t match.

What are some of the most impactful features of Sprinklr Voice and Conversational AI for enterprise clients?

Sprinklr Voice is a cloud-based contact centre that, combined with our Conversational AI, offers smart, seamless customer engagement. For instance, our AI voice bots can carry out human-like, 24/7 conversations to answer common logistics queries — like “Where is my order?”— without needing an agent.

What sets us apart is Sprinklr AI+, which uses generative AI (powered by OpenAI’s GPT models) to build intelligent chatbots in days. These bots understand intent, ask clarifying questions, and retrieve data instantly. For live calls or chats, AI assists agents in real time—suggesting next steps or drafting responses.

Plus, features like real-time call transcription and sentiment analysis help supervisors intervene when needed, ensuring a higher level of service quality and agent productivity.

How is Sprinklr evolving its product roadmap to meet rising expectations in logistics and e-commerce, especially in the Middle East?

Today’s customers demand real-time updates, proactive communication, and hyper-personalisation, especially in logistics. That’s why we’re investing heavily in AI and automation. Our roadmap includes advanced AI alerts, proactive outreach, and deeper integration with emerging messaging platforms.

We’ve also addressed data residency concerns by launching local data hosting in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which is critical for enterprise adoption in this region.

Sprinklr is also embedding logistics-specific use cases directly into our platform. Our partnership with Aramex shows how breaking the wall between backend logistics and customer experience leads to stronger outcomes. It’s where the industry is headed, and we’re proud to be leading that charge.

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Francoise Russo, CTO at Aramex

Aramex has automated 90 per cent of customer service cases and saved over a million agent hours. What impact has this had on customer satisfaction and delivery efficiency?

One key example is our Sprinklr WhatsApp BOT, which allows customers to schedule deliveries via a channel that’s secure, familiar, and always available. This self-service option lets customers share precise location data and preferred delivery times—dramatically improving first-time delivery success and overall satisfaction.

Those million agent hours saved come from deflecting high-volume inquiries—like tracking requests—through AI. This frees up human agents to handle more complex issues with greater care.

With AI now central to operations, how does Aramex maintain a human touch in its customer service?

AI is here to complement, not replace, human agents. We use AI to summarise cases, suggest context-specific responses, and surface solution options so that agents are more informed and effective.

But we also recognise not every case is complex. For simpler queries, the AI bot handles the interaction end-to-end. If escalation is needed, the handover is seamless, ensuring the customer feels understood and valued throughout.

As e-commerce grows, what’s next for Aramex in digital engagement and innovation?

We’re expanding AI use to streamline multi-shipment handling within a single conversation, so customers don’t need to repeat themselves. Another area of focus is onboarding new customers through conversational AI, helping them access Aramex services with zero friction.

We’re also looking at enhancing predictive logistics—using AI to anticipate delays or issues and inform the customer proactively.

Our goal is to evolve from being a responsive service provider to a predictive and proactive logistics partner.