Boeing landed its biggest deal for widebody airplanes on Wednesday when state carrier Qatar Airways placed firm orders for 160 jetliners plus options to buy 50 more during President Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf Arab country.

The deal for Boeing 777X and 787 planes with GE Aerospace engines was worth $96bn, according to the White House. It is a win for Trump on a high-profile visit to the region, even though it will be years before the jets are delivered.

The sale is also a boost for Boeing and its biggest engine supplier at a time when large versions of rival Airbus’ A350, powered by Rolls-Royce engines, have struggled with maintenance problems from operating in the world’s hottest climates, including the Gulf region.

The agreement is for 160 firm orders – 130 787s and 30 777Xs – and options for another 50 of the two long-haul airplanes, according to Boeing. The company’s shares rose 0.6 per cent in New York, while GE Aerospace stock gained 0.7 per cent.

For the 787s, Qatar opted for GE Aerospace’s GEnx engines rather than Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000, according to the administration. GE Aerospace’s GE9X is the only engine option for the 777X.

The deal for 400 GE engines is the largest ever for GE Aerospace, the company’s CEO Larry Culp said in a statement, a point echoed by Qatar Airways, which told Reuters in March that it was working on a large order for widebody jets.

Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani joined a signing ceremony with Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. Trump said Ortberg told him it was the largest jet order in Boeing’s history.

The deal was signed during Trump’s second stop on a tour of Gulf states after he struck a string of deals with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The 777X is still in development and slated to start deliveries in 2026, six years behind schedule. Qatar Airways already has orders for 94 777Xs. Its competitor, Emirates, has orders for 205 777Xs. The two airlines were among the first customers when Boeing launched the program in 2013.

Boeing’s order book included 521 777X orders and 828 787 orders as of April 30, according to the company.

GE Vernova announced energy initiatives valued at up to $14.2bn to support power generation and grid stability projects in Saudi Arabia.

The announcement includes up to $2bn in backlog or reservation agreements as of Q1 2025, alongside a pipeline of future contracts and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) extending over the next four years.

The initiatives were signed during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

The initiatives are aligned with the kingdom’s Vision 2030 and its target of achieving net zero emissions by 2060.

“As the world’s energy equipment manufacturer, GE Vernova is proud to deploy world class technology to help deepen the longstanding relationship between the USand Saudi Arabia, advance energy security, and strengthen the economic prosperity and competitiveness of both nations,” said GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik. “We are committed to continuing our work to grow capacity and jobs in the U.S. and beyond to meet these critical needs.”

Saudi partnerships to drive energy transition

Among the key collaborations:

• Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) and GE Vernova will supply heavy duty gas turbines built in Greenville, South Carolina; synchronous condensers and balance of plant equipment to stabilize the grid; and capital parts and maintenance services to enhance operational efficiency.

• Principal Buyer and GE Vernova signed MOUs for supplying advanced power generation equipment and services, commercializing carbon capture technologies, and investing in training, manufacturing, and R&D in the power sector.

• ACWA Power and GE Vernova agreed to explore opportunities for supplying high-efficiency gas turbines and electrification equipment. ACWA Power is a global leader in desalination, energy transition, and green hydrogen.

• Aramco and GE Vernova will collaborate on maintenance services, repairs, and spare parts to ensure reliability across Saudi power plants.

GE Vernova has operated in Saudi Arabia for nearly 90 years, with a power generation installed base of over 50 gigawatts. Its presence includes the GE Manufacturing and Technology Center (GEMTEC) Campus in Dammam, which houses facilities for turbine servicing, component manufacturing, and R&D, employing up to 850 people.

The announcements underscore GE Vernova’s role in Saudi Arabia’s evolving energy landscape and its long-term commitment to supporting industrial growth, energy security, and technological innovation in the region.

Dubai is poised to attract a major surge of international wealth in 2025, potentially reshaping its role in the global financial system, according to a new report by real estate brokerage Betterhomes.

Titled Dubai: No Longer a Pit Stop, But the Finish Line for Global Wealth, the report outlines how shifting global geopolitical and economic dynamics are fueling high-net-worth individual (HNWI) migration to the UAE. This, in turn, is transforming Dubai’s prime real estate landscape.

In 2024, 6,700 millionaires relocated to the UAE. With 142,000 millionaires expected to migrate globally in 2025, Betterhomes projects that if just five per cent choose Dubai, the emirate could gain around 7,100 new millionaires — bringing with them approximately $7.1bn (Dhs26bn) in capital. That figure would represent nearly half of Dubai’s total foreign direct investment in 2024.

HNWIs looking to “anchor” themselves in Dubai, UAE: Betterhomes CEO

“Dubai’s real estate market is no longer driven by speculation, but by strategic, long-term capital,” said Louis Harding, CEO of Betterhomes. “We are seeing global wealth not just arrive, but anchor itself here, in branded residences, legacy properties, and high-quality developments built for permanence.”

The report identifies key global “push” factors influencing millionaire migration, including increasing wealth taxes, political instability, and tightening immigration policies. These are contrasted with Dubai’s appeal as a tax-efficient, safe, and globally connected lifestyle hub.

Betterhomes suggests the evolution of Dubai’s property market into a “structural asset class,” with HNWI investment increasingly focused on long-term residential value rather than short-term market cycles.

As the emirate continues to draw the world’s wealthy, Dubai’s role as a global benchmark for residential investment is expected to grow.

Read: Real estate trends in 2025: Dubai developers share insights

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday witnessed the signing of a series of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) at the Amiri Diwan in Doha, reflecting deepening strategic ties between the two countries, Qatar News Agency reported.

The signing ceremony included a high-profile agreement for the purchase of aircraft from Boeing, a statement of intent for defense cooperation, a letter of offer and acceptance for MQ-9B drones, and another for the FS-LIDS anti-drone system.

The two leaders also signed a joint declaration of cooperation between the governments of Qatar and the US.

The ceremony was attended by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and other senior Qatari officials, while members of the official US delegation joined President Trump.

Trump-Emir discuss regional developments

Speaking after the ceremony, the Emir stated that the talks covered bilateral relations and key regional developments. “The memorandums of understanding signed today will elevate our bilateral relations to a higher level,” he said, expressing gratitude to President Trump for his visit to Qatar.

According to Qatar News Agency, President Trump described the discussions with the Emir as extensive and focused on international issues including the Ukraine crises, acknowledging Qatar’s supportive role. He also highlighted future developments in commercial and defense cooperation, underlining his longstanding friendship with the Emir and expressing his desire to expand joint efforts.

The agreements underscore the growing partnership between Qatar and the US in areas such as defence, investment, energy, and regional security. They are expected to reinforce Qatar’s strategic capabilities while strengthening American ties in the Gulf region.

Read: Saudi Crown Prince, US President Trump sign Strategic Economic Partnership

The global healthcare sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by the urgent need for scalable, tech-enabled solutions.

What was once a long-term ambition, the integration of technology across systems and services has become an immediate priority. From policy to practice, digital health is no longer optional. It’s here, it’s accelerating and the time for implementation is now.

Nowhere is this momentum more visible than in the Middle East and North Africa.

Countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are investing heavily in next-generation healthcare infrastructure. From AI-powered diagnostics and smart hospitals to digital patient records and virtual care platforms, the MENA region is fast becoming a key player for healthtech innovation.

In the UAE alone, landmark initiatives such as the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, the introduction of Malaffi – the first health information exchange platform in the middle East and the deployment of advanced robotics and telemedicine solutions highlight a clear commitment to building a future-ready healthcare system. Saudi Arabia’s Health Sector Transformation Programme, part of Vision 2030, is similarly redefining delivery models at national scale.

This growing ecosystem of investment, policy support and private-sector innovation is precisely why we’re launching WHX Tech in Dubai from 8–10 September 2025 a groundbreaking event designed to accelerate digital health adoption, cross-border partnerships and bring the most advanced, transformative technologies to the forefront.

WHX Tech is the latest expansion of WHX — the world’s largest network of healthcare events and will be launched in partnership with HIMSS, the global authority in health information and technology.

WHX is no stranger to building world-class events in Dubai, with its flagship, WHX Dubai (formerly Arab Health), having welcomed the global healthcare community since 1975. Organised by the same team behind WHX Dubai, WHX Tech is set to follow a similar trajectory bringing together innovators, investors, healthcare leaders and policymakers to shape the future of digital health.

With more than 300 exhibitors and 5,000+ health tech leaders expected to attend, WHX Tech isn’t just another trade show. It’s a curated platform built to accelerate collaboration among startups, investors, regulators, and global healthcare operators.

Why Dubai?

Building on the legacy of launching world-class healthcare events in Dubai, choosing the city as the launchpad for WHX Tech was a natural decision.

Dubai is already a global crossroads for business and innovation and increasingly for health. With its advanced digital infrastructure, innovation-friendly policies, and unmatched connectivity to global markets; Dubai provides the ideal environment to support new models of care.

Government-led initiatives, such as the Dubai Health Strategy 2026 and Dubai Future Foundation’s sandbox for healthcare innovation, further reinforce the city’s ambition to lead, not follow.

WHX Tech is here to reflect and amplify that ambition.

Our three core stages, World X, Future X, and Xcelerate will showcase everything from real-world smart hospital implementations to the most promising biotech and AI startups shaping the next 20 years of health.

As a platform built for innovation, WHX Tech is committed to accelerating the startups driving healthcare transformation. The Xcelerate Zone, featuring its own dedicated startup stage, will host the region’s largest digital health startup competition offering a $50,000 prize fund and the opportunity for early-stage ventures to pitch directly to global investors. Beyond the competition, startups will gain access to curated networking, expert feedback, and connections that can unlock funding, partnerships, and commercial growth.

Hosting Xcelerate in Dubai, a global hub for entrepreneurship, healthcare investment, and cross-border expansion gives startups an unparalleled platform to scale their impact across the Middle East and beyond.

What sets WHX Tech apart isn’t just its scale, but its purpose. We’ve assembled a world-class advisory board featuring industry leaders including Dr David Rhew (Microsoft), Dr James Mault (BioIntelliSense), Dr Myriam Fernandez (AWS), Dr Tamara Sunbul, ReenitaDas (Frost & Sullivan) and Dr Sam Shah (NEOM), to ensure the event stays grounded in outcomes and global best practice.

The time is now

As technologies evolve, so must the ways we connect, collaborate and drive change. WHX Tech emerges at a time when healthcare systems worldwide are grappling with questions of access, ethics, regulation, and data interoperability. Through live demos, immersive content, and expert-led panels, the event will tackle these challenges head-on, while opening doors for meaningful collaboration across borders.

WHX is where innovation comes to life, turning innovation into impact to benefit the healthcare systems that support both the people who deliver care and those who depend on it. It’s where policymakers shape the future of regulation, startups bring breakthrough technologies to market, and investors back solutions that will transform health systems. At WHX Tech, global ambition meets regional opportunity and the future of healthcare becomes reality.

The future of healthcare will be defined at WHX Tech and we invite you to be part of the movement.

Join us at WHX Tech and become part of the digital healthcare revolution: https://shorturl.at/yEK8N

• Solenne Singer is senior vice president, Informa Markets.