Abu Dhabi has introduced a new set of regulatory decisions aimed at strengthening transparency, governance and investor protection across its real estate sector, as the emirate sharpens its positioning as a global property investment hub.

The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) said the measures implement provisions of Law No. (3) of 2015, as amended, and are designed to “enhance the effective implementation of the law” while “further strengthen transparency and governance within the emirate’s real estate market”.

At a practical level, the changes target some of the market’s most sensitive pressure points — how developer funds are accessed, how shared properties are managed, and how disputes in off-plan sales are handled — with the aim of reducing friction and improving confidence on both sides of a transaction.

The framework also establishes “a more flexible and clearly defined legislative environment that aligns with international best practices”, the DMT said, as the sector continues to expand at pace.
Escrow safeguards and ownership clarity

Among the most significant changes are tighter controls on escrow accounts — a long-standing focus area in off-plan property markets.

Developers will now face stricter conditions when accessing these funds before a project reaches 20 per cent completion. The DMT said the mechanism introduces “clear controls linked to the submission of bank guarantees and approved cost estimates… safeguarding purchasers’ funds and preventing any unregulated use” of escrow money.

In parallel, the decisions introduce a more structured framework for jointly owned properties, including apartment buildings and large-scale communities where shared assets require ongoing management.

The authority said the new rules “define the respective roles and responsibilities of developers, property management companies, and Owners’ Committees”, helping to “enhance operational efficiency and sustainability” while safeguarding the long-term quality of assets.

A unified bylaw for owners’ committees has also been introduced, setting out “mechanisms and procedures for establishing owners’ committees” and standardising how they operate across the emirate — a move expected to bring greater consistency to community-level governance.

Off-plan protections and dispute reduction

The package also addresses one of the most commercially sensitive areas of the market — off-plan property transactions.

New provisions define compensation owed to developers if buyers fail to meet contractual obligations, as well as refund procedures for purchasers when units are cancelled and resold.

The DMT said the framework introduces “transparent procedures that safeguard the rights of all parties” and supports faster, more equitable dispute resolution, while helping to “reduce disputes between developers and unit purchasers”.

Rashed Al Omaira, director general of the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), which operates under the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), said the measures represent “an important step” in advancing the law’s implementation.

“These decisions enhance the efficiency of sector regulation and reinforce the principles of transparency and governance, supporting investor confidence and strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading real estate destination,” he said.

He added that the framework establishes “a clear executive framework ensuring balanced contractual relationships” and strengthens “the protection of all parties’ rights”, while improving the speed and efficiency of procedures across the market.

Market growth underpins reforms

The regulatory push comes as Abu Dhabi’s property market continues to gain momentum, with rising transaction values and growing investor participation.

The emirate recorded Dhs142bn in real estate transactions in 2025, marking roughly 44 per cent annual growth, according to data from ADREC.

Transaction volumes have climbed alongside increased foreign investment, while prices in several segments have posted double-digit gains, reflecting sustained demand across residential and commercial assets.

The government of Oman has completed its acquisition of budget carrier SalamAir, while confirming that both Oman Air and SalamAir will continue to operate as independent brands.

Engineer Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said in a statement carried by the Oman News Agency that the move is intended to reduce overlap in destination networks, improve fleet utilisation and expand air connectivity within Oman and across the wider region.

He said maintaining the separate operational identities, fleets, and services of the two carriers will help enhance operational efficiency and offer travellers a broader range of options across different fare categories.

Al Maawali added that the strategic change is expected to strengthen the financial positions of both airlines and of companies involved in associated ground services, by improving cost structures and the quality of revenues.

SalamAir celebrates 9th anniversary

The airline is celebrating its 9th anniversary this year. In 2025, it operated 22,164 flights, carried over 3.4 million passengers, and expanded its network to over 44 destinations across domestic, regional, and international markets.

The airline now operates a modern fleet of 15 aircraft.

Tell us about QBurst and the work QBurst has done in the region.

QBurst is a design-led digital engineering company powered by High AI-Q, combining AI-enabled delivery with applied AI and data-driven approaches to help enterprises modernise, build, and scale.

The Middle East is central to our growth story. We recently appointed Shivkumar Subramaniam as regional head, Middle East, based in Dubai, to anchor our presence and strengthen our ability to serve enterprises and governments across the region.

In the Middle East, QBurst is particularly active in the realty, retail, government, and industrial sectors:

• Real estate: We serve as a key tech partner for top-tier UAE developers, digitising property bookings and implementing AI-driven tenant management systems across the UAE, Qatar, and Jordan.
• Government: QBurst works closely with government agencies. We have developed a unified mobile payment application for a Middle Eastern nation’s Ministry of Finance, serving as the official electronic payment platform for tourists and residents.
• Retail and e-commerce: For one of Kuwait’s largest retail franchise groups, we re-engineered the digital commerce architecture for over 70 global brands, enabling high-speed, localised e-commerce experiences across the GCC and Türkiye.
• Industrial AI: We recently implemented Generative AI solutions for a major regional mining firm, allowing executives to retrieve complex operational KPIs via voice and text, reducing data retrieval time by over 50 per cent.

QBurst specialises in applied AI, cloud, product engineering, data engineering and analytics, QE, and a host of business platforms.

What are the tech trends QBurst is seeing in the region, especially given the current scenario?

Geopolitical developments are influencing how organisations prioritise and pace their investments, but momentum around AI, data, and digital transformation continues. AI is increasingly seen as a core driver of the enterprise.

We’re seeing a shift toward agentic AI, where systems move beyond prediction to action, understanding context, orchestrating workflows, and driving decisions with minimal human intervention. For this model to scale, a strong, unified data foundation is critical.

Across much of the region, data remains fragmented. Consolidating data platforms into governed environments is becoming a priority. Cloud adoption is also accelerating, with hyperscalers establishing local infrastructure, easing previous concerns around data sovereignty, particularly in government and financial services.

What kind of opportunities QBurst sees, and why is there a focus on government in adopting and adapting AI?

Governments in the Middle East are not just participants; they are the primary drivers of AI adoption, using it as a strategic lever for economic diversification, operational efficiency, and citizen experience. Enterprise adoption typically follows government vision, as seen previously with e-commerce and digital services.

For QBurst, this creates opportunities in data, cloud, and Agentic AI. Governments are investing in unified data platforms, sovereign cloud environments, and AI-led services. As a mid-sized partner, QBurst brings the three As, Access, Attention, and Agility, combining large-scale capability with nimble execution, helping clients move from AI ambition to scaled execution.

How does SDAIA’s AI governance model set a benchmark for the Middle East?

Saudi Arabia’s SDAIA model prioritises human-centric AI, emphasising privacy, security, and reliability. It includes fairness and ethical impact assessments, helping CEOs innovate faster with reduced risk.

Globally, AI governance models are evolving: the US is passing laws to override state-level restrictions, while the EU is delaying strict enforcement to enhance competitiveness. SDAIA’s framework stands out by providing a foundation that can evolve, including a national AI index to benchmark and guide sustainable AI maturity.

What lessons from SDAIA’s approach could apply to global enterprise AI strategies, and how is QBurst working with these authorities?

SDAIA’s ethical framework treats fairness as a design requirement, ensuring AI upholds human rights and cultural values.

Our work in insurance, healthcare, and recruitment demonstrates the need for such guidelines. Models can unintentionally discriminate, using proxies in insurance underwriting, introducing bias in healthcare diagnostics, or favouring certain demographics in recruitment. SDAIA’s framework shows that fairness can be built into AI design, balancing ethical responsibility with business performance.

What are your Middle East growth plans?

The GCC accounts for around 10 per cent of QBurst’s revenues and is a strategic priority. We are scaling our regional presence with Shivkumar Subramaniam in place as regional head, adding onsite and domain-specific talent, strengthening technology partnerships, and building GCC-tailored accelerators. Our industry focus spans retail, hospitality, manufacturing, realty, and high tech. We also plan to collaborate with clients, industry leaders, and partners to create roadmaps for high AI maturity and adoption.

How will agentic AI revolutionise the way people do business?

Chat and traditional AI interfaces delivered limited productivity gains. Agentic AI moves from Information to Action. McKinsey’s 2025 Global AI Survey shows 23 per cent of organisations are already scaling AI agents, with another 39 per cent moving beyond simple chat projects.

Human work often spans multiple systems and steps. Chatbots can provide information, but cannot act in the physical world. Agentic AI, however, can plan, react, and collaborate within strict guardrails, functioning as ‘digital workers.’ Interfaces are evolving too, with voice, gestures, and always-on agents. Enterprises that adopt agentic frameworks grounded in governance, human oversight, and domain understanding will lead the next decade.

Residents across the UAE can expect generally fair to partly cloudy skies on Monday, with cloud cover increasing at times by night, particularly over western regions and offshore islands, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

Winds are forecast to remain light to moderate, occasionally freshening and causing blowing dust. In a statement, the NCM said winds will range from north-westerly to south-westerly at speeds of 15 to 25 km/hr, with gusts reaching up to 45 km/hr, a WAM report said.

Read more-High winds hit Dubai: What’s driving unstable weather conditions?

Sea conditions are expected to be rough to moderate in the Arabian Gulf, while similar conditions will prevail in the Sea of Oman.

Unstable weather pattern through early April

The relatively calm start to the week comes amid a broader forecast of unstable weather conditions expected to persist across the UAE until early April.

“The country will experience a noticeable drop in temperatures, followed by relative stability before rainfall chances return midweek,” the NCM said in an earlier statement.

Humidity is expected to increase during morning hours over some internal areas, while skies will remain partly cloudy alongside a general decrease in temperatures.

Midweek rainfall and temperature swings ahead

Looking ahead, weather conditions are forecast to shift beginning Tuesday, when partly cloudy skies may turn cloudier with a chance of light to moderate rainfall across scattered areas. Temperatures are expected to rise slightly during this period.

By Wednesday, conditions are likely to become more intense, with cloudy skies and rainfall that could turn heavy in northern and eastern regions during daytime hours. Temperatures are expected to drop again, particularly in western parts of the country.

Winds during this period will shift from southeasterly to northeasterly, becoming stronger and more variable. Speeds are expected to range between 15 and 25 km/hr, with gusts reaching up to 45 km/h, especially over the sea.

Sea conditions are also forecast to deteriorate, becoming rough to very rough at times in the Arabian Gulf and moderate to rough in the Sea of Oman.

Authorities have advised residents to remain cautious, particularly in open areas where blowing dust may reduce visibility. Mariners are also urged to take note of rough sea conditions, especially during periods of stronger winds.

The NCM continues to monitor developments closely and will issue updates as conditions evolve, particularly as rainfall activity intensifies midweek.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced an alternative assessment framework for Class 12 students in West Asian countries after cancelling board examinations due to ongoing geopolitical disruptions.

In a notification dated March 27, 2026, the board confirmed that exams scheduled between March 16 and April 10 across countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Iran have been cancelled due to “extraordinary circumstances.”

The move follows earlier postponements and reflects CBSE’s decision to prioritise student safety while ensuring results are declared on time for higher education admissions.

Assessment to combine completed exams and internal performance

CBSE said results will be calculated using a mix of completed board exam performance and school-based assessments, depending on how many papers each student has taken.

Students who appeared in all registered subjects will have their results based on actual exam performance. For those with incomplete exams, CBSE will rely on internal assessments, including periodic tests, half-yearly exams and pre-board results conducted by schools.

For subjects with higher theory weightage (70–80 marks), the best of three assessments — quarterly, half-yearly or pre-board — will be considered. For subjects with lower theory weightage (30–60 marks), final pre-board exam scores will be used for evaluation.

The board emphasised that the framework aims to ensure “valid, reliable, fair and unbiased results” despite the absence of full examinations.

Multiple student scenarios covered

The notification outlines several categories of students, including those who appeared in all subjects, some subjects, or none at all.

Students with one pending subject under the compartment category will have their results declared based on available performance or will be allowed to sit for supplementary exams scheduled in July 2026.

Meanwhile, candidates who did not appear in any examination conducted up to March 28 will be marked absent and assessed as per CBSE examination by-laws.

No change to practical and internal marks

CBSE clarified that practical and internal assessments — which are conducted throughout the academic year — will remain unchanged, as schools have already uploaded these scores.

The board has also directed schools to upload final marks between April 6 and April 13, 2026, warning that once submitted, data cannot be altered.

More details can be found here.