Dubai Municipality has launched the ‘City Inspector’ initiative, a first-of-its-kind programme aimed at preparing and certifying qualified inspectors across various municipal sectors, the authority said.

The initiative is designed to build an integrated inspection system, unify processes, and enhance compliance with approved laws and regulations, ultimately raising service quality and community satisfaction.

As part of the first phase, Dubai Municipality has certified 63 Emirati inspectors skilled in 14 technical fields of municipal inspection.

The move is intended to standardise inspection practices, reduce duplication, and strengthen the efficiency of Dubai’s regulatory framework, reinforcing the city’s leadership in delivering a living environment focused on health, safety, and quality of life.

Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, DG of Dubai Municipality, emphasised the importance of regulatory and inspection operations in supporting service development and institutional planning.

City Inspector Professional Diploma announced

To support the initiative, Dubai Municipality has launched the ‘City Inspector Professional Diploma’, certifying inspectors across key municipal fields including health and safety, food safety, construction activities, waste management, sanitation, sustainability, and supervision of public facilities.

City inspectors will conduct periodic, complaint-based, and visual inspections, aiming to reduce redundant visits and minimise complaints regarding inspection procedures.

Their role is central to streamlining regulatory processes and safeguarding community interests.

The initiative introduces structural reforms and key enablers such as clearly defined inspection scopes and responsibilities, a legislative framework granting judicial authority status, detailed inspection manuals and risk-based checklists, comprehensive job descriptions, training and awareness programmes to enhance inspector capacity, and integration of advanced technologies to improve inspection efficiency and outcomes.

Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA), the governing body of Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), announced an Dhs1.3bn development plan for DHCC Phase 1, reinforcing its position as a destination for global healthcare investment.

The first stage of the plan will include the launch of a LEED platinum-certified office building, a purpose-built medical complex, and supporting infrastructure facilities aimed at driving ecosystem growth and delivering future-ready facilities.

Issam Galadari, CEO of DHCA, said the projects reflect the authority’s commitment to advancing Dubai’s healthcare infrastructure. “By creating an ecosystem that attracts investments, including FDI, and fosters innovation, while integrating sustainability with world-class design, we are aligning with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, and the UAE Net Zero Strategy 2050. Through the ongoing development, we will continue to cement DHCC’s position as the enabling healthcare and wellness destination for the region and beyond,” he said.

New LEED certified building at Dubai Healthcare City: Highlights

The LEED platinum-certified office building, the first of its kind in DHCC, is designed by P&T Architects and Engineers. Spanning 13,000 square metres across three basement levels and nine floors, it will offer flexible office units and ground-floor commercial spaces, achieving the highest international certification in sustainable urban development.

The purpose-built medical complex, designed by Dubai-based Design and Architecture Bureau (DAR), covers 5,800 square metres with two basement levels and five floors. It will provide adaptable spaces for surgical facilities, laboratories, diagnostics, outpatient care, medical offices, and support services. Its shell-and-core design, optimised layouts, and smart parking integration are intended to meet the evolving needs of healthcare providers and patients.

To enhance community access, DHCA will also deliver multi-storey car parks equipped with electric vehicle charging stations, Salik-integrated smart parking, and full accessibility features.

Allae Almanini, COO at DHCA, said the developments aim to boost confidence for healthcare providers and investors. “These projects will enhance accessibility, sustainability, and efficiency across the community, ensuring that DHCC remains the most attractive healthcare investment destination in the region,” he said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in December, with completion expected by November 2027.

The 10th anniversary edition of Expand North Star, part of GITEX GLOBAL, opened on October 12, attracting more than 2,000 startups and 1,200 investors from 180 countries, reaffirming its position as the world’s largest startup and investor gathering.

This year’s event, which runs until October 15, includes Brazil as the official country partner and marks the first-time participation of Ecuador and Chile.

With global venture capital investments reaching $368bn in 2024, the gathering continues to play a key role in scaling the digital economy and driving growth across emerging AI-driven markets.

New exhibitors at Expand North Star

According to a report by state news agency WAM, Ecuador debuted with 20 startups and 22 companies showcasing AI-driven and medical technology solutions.

Chile participated for the first time with 12 companies across diverse sectors and hosted the Chile-Dubai Innovation Summit to strengthen cooperation in technology and export diversification.

Expand North Star draws investors, sees key deals signed on day 1

Investors with a combined $1.1 tn in assets under management attended the event, reflecting its global economic influence.

According to the WAM report, on the opening day, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organiser of GITEX GLOBAL and Expand North Star, signed new partnerships with Presight, 28 Digital, ApexBrasil, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia to promote innovation and cross-border collaboration.

Through these initiatives, Expand North Star supports Dubai’s goal of creating 30,000 new jobs by 2030 and producing at least 10 unicorns by 2031, strengthening its position as a global hub for entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment.

Read: It’s official: 2025 will be the last year GITEX GLOBAL is hosted at DWTC

As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated and the region’s digital ambitions accelerate, AI is emerging as the backbone of modern cybersecurity. Meriam ElOuazzani, senior regional director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at SentinelOne, discusses how AI-driven automation, zero-trust frameworks, and proactive defense strategies are transforming how regional enterprises safeguard their data and operations.

How is AI changing the way enterprises defend against cyber threats in the Middle East?

AI is transforming cybersecurity in the Middle East by enabling enterprises to move from reactive defense to proactive autonomous protection. Traditional tools often struggle with the sheer scale and sophistication of modern threats, but AI-native solutions provide real-time visibility, rapid detection, and automated response at machine speed. In a region that experiences rapid digital transformation across government, finance, energy, and critical infrastructure, AI addresses the shortage of skilled professionals by augmenting human expertise with intelligent automation.

Machine learning models continuously adapt to new attack techniques, reducing dwell time and minimising impact. Beyond threat detection, AI empowers proactive threat hunting, risk prioritisation, and compliance monitoring, aligning with regional regulations.

For Middle Eastern enterprises pursuing ambitious national digital agendas, AI is not just a technology upgrade but a foundation of cyber resilience, enabling organisations to innovate confidently while staying ahead of an increasingly complex threat landscape.

What cybersecurity trends should businesses in the region be most concerned about?

Firstly, organisations must be prepared for the rise of advanced ransomware and double-extortion attacks targeting critical infrastructure, financial services, and government sectors. These often exploit supply chain vulnerabilities. Second, the surge in cloud adoption and hybrid work models has expanded the attack surface, with misconfigurations and identity-based threats becoming prime entry points. The integration of AI and automation by attackers is creating more evasive and scalable cyber campaigns, challenging traditional defenses.

Additionally, the GCC’s regulatory changes demand stronger data protection and compliance, making governance a strategic priority. Insider threats and phishing continue to persist as employees remain a critical weak link.

To address these evolving threats, businesses should adopt zero-trust, AI-powered defence, and proactive resilience strategies that ensure continuity while safeguarding national digital transformation agendas.

With governments introducing stricter data localisation and compliance requirements, how can organisations ensure they remain secure and compliant without adding complexity or slowing business operations?

Organisations can implement this by adopting security frameworks that embed compliance into daily operations rather than treating it as an add-on. Leveraging AI-native platforms with built-in policy enforcement ensures data is monitored, protected, and stored according to local regulations, without manual overhead.

Zero trust principles, such as verifying every user, device, and workload, help reduce risk while maintaining flexibility across hybrid environments.

Cloud-native security solutions with regional data centres also enable compliance without disrupting business agility. To avoid complexity, automation plays a crucial role, streamlining reporting, audits, and threat detection.

By integrating compliance into security architecture, enterprises can remain resilient, meet regulatory obligations, and continue driving digital transformation without sacrificing speed or innovation.

What strategies should companies adopt to strengthen their overall cloud and application security as digital transformation accelerates?

As digital transformation accelerates, companies must adopt a holistic and layered approach to this. The first step is embedding security into the software development lifecycle through DevSecOps practices. This ensures vulnerabilities are identified and remediated early.

Zero-trust architectures should be implemented across cloud and application environments. Identity security is essential and includes multi-factor authentication, least privilege access, and continuous monitoring to help prevent credential-based breaches.

Cloud-native security tools, including workload protection and posture management, provide visibility and control across dynamic, multi-cloud environments. To reduce regulatory risk, organisations need to encrypt data in transit and at rest, along with automated compliance checks.

Continuous threat hunting powered by AI and automation helps enterprises detect and respond at machine speed. Ultimately, integrating security as a business enabler rather than a barrier ensures that organisations can innovate securely while safeguarding sensitive data, applications, and customer trust.

As the UAE targets one million SMEs and ten unicorns by 2031, the spotlight is on how financial institutions can fuel this next wave of growth. In this conversation, Rehan Ali, head of Business Banking at NBF, discusses the evolving role of banks in supporting entrepreneurs—why digital tools alone aren’t enough, how relationship banking still anchors trust and judgment, and what’s needed to bridge ambition with sustainable finance in an increasingly competitive SME landscape.

What outcomes is the UAE targeting for entrepreneurship by 2031, and why do they matter?

The UAE has set clear objectives for the next decade: one million SMEs in operation, 10 unicorns, and a top three global ranking for entrepreneurship. These targets are central to the country’s strategy for economic diversification and global competitiveness. They signal a deliberate shift toward a more innovation-led economy and set expectations for policy, finance, and private sector collaboration. For financial institutions, these goals highlight the need for capital to flow to productive segments, for support to be timely and adaptive, and for solutions to address the realities of operating and scaling in a competitive regional hub.

How significant are SMEs today, and where are the pressure points that slow growth?

According to the UAE Ministry of Economy, SMEs account for about 63.5 per cent of the UAE’s non-oil GDP, underscoring their role in job creation, innovation, and resilience. However, constraints remain. Access to appropriately structured finance can be uneven, sector guidance is not always readily available, and market entry can be complex, particularly for first-time exporters or firms in regulated industries. These challenges intensify at key moments, such as expansion or compliance change, when cash flow, risk, and governance must be managed in tighter alignment.

What has digital transformation solved for SMEs, and where are the limits?

Digital onboarding, fintech integrations, and data-driven credit scoring have reduced friction and widened access to basic services. These innovations have improved operational efficiency across the banking system. However, technology does not fully capture the nuances of sector cycles, management quality, or evolving regulatory exposure. As firms scale or pivot, they need judgment that is grounded in real context. The frontier is not more technology for its own sake, but better integration of digital tools with informed decision-making.

Why does relationship banking still matter in a digital-first era?

Relationship banking introduces context to data. Continuous engagement allows bankers to understand a client’s operating cadence, supply chain, seasonality, and risk appetite. That insight improves credit decisions and makes solutions more aligned with long-term goals. It also enables proactive support when conditions change. The result is a shift from transactional product delivery to collaborative problem solving, where financing, treasury, and risk management work in concert with the client’s strategy.

What operating model shifts inside banks best support this agenda?

The most effective models combine scalable digital journeys with access to sector-literate experts when complexity rises. Dedicated SME units, clear escalation paths to specialists, and data environments that surface the right signals at the right time all matter.

Omnichannel access remains relevant because businesses operate both online and on the ground. A branch or cash deposit machine is not a substitute for digital, and digital is not a substitute for trusted advice, as the two must reinforce each other.

How should access to finance evolve to meet ambition without compromising prudence?

Risk sharing and breadth of instruments are key. Guarantee schemes with development banks can unlock lending for viable firms that lack collateral depth. Tailored working capital, corporate cards with disciplined controls, and onboarding that is rigorous yet efficient help align capital with productive use. The goal is not simply faster credit. It is better-matched credit that anticipates cash needs, acknowledges sector seasonality, and supports responsible scaling.

How are banks supporting SMEs beyond finance?

A growing number of platforms now integrate advisory and operational tools, linking financial services with basic legal, HR, and compliance resources.

Some banks sponsor innovation challenges and mentorship networks that facilitate knowledge exchange among founders. These efforts aim to reduce the non-financial frictions that often slow growth, especially for first-time entrepreneurs or firms entering new markets.

What factors will determine whether the UAE reaches its 2031 goals?

Progress will hinge on pairing digital scale with human insight. Technology can broaden access and lower costs, but trusted relationships help businesses navigate uncertainty, adjust to regulation, and invest with confidence.

Success will require products designed around real operating needs, continuity in advisory relationships, and collaborative support structures that enable SMEs to grow responsibly and contribute to the country’s next phase of economic transformation.