Stay informed with the latest company news and developments in Egypt and the region through our unbiased and direct news platform. Our blog publishes press releases and news directly from companies and their PR agencies, giving you a clear and unfiltered view of the industry. Make informed decisions with our easy to follow and clutter-free approach to company news.
TWMA secures three-year contract extension in Egypt with major operator
Global drilling waste management specialist marks 20 years of operations in Egypt
Abu Dhabi, UAE, 21st July 2026 – TWMA, the global leader in drilling waste management, has secured a three-year contract extension with a major operator in Egypt, following an initial three-year term. The contract marks the latest in a series of milestones for TWMA in Egypt, as the company celebrates its 20th year of local operations and approaches 16 years’ lost time incident (LTI) free.
TWMA Egypt employs a fully nationalized workforce across facilities in Cairo and Alexandria and its onshore facility in Alexandria, processes an average of 10,000 metric tonnes of drilling waste per year using its specialist RotoMill® technology. In addition to its onshore processing capability, the business provides both onshore and offshore pit and tank cleaning, along with comprehensive general waste management services. These services ensure that a broad range of hazardous and non-hazardous waste is managed safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with industry standards.
Abdelrahman Amin, General Manager – TWMA Egypt, comments: "Securing this contract extension as we celebrate 20 years in Egypt is a significant milestone for TWMA and reflects our long-standing partnership with local operators. Over the past two decades, we have continually invested in developing local talent and expanding our in-country capabilities as operators see the environmental and efficiency benefits of our solutions.
“This extension reflects the trust our customers place in our people and our industry-leading solutions, reinforcing our long-term commitment to Egypt’s offshore energy sector.”
Halle Aslaksen, CEO of TWMA, adds: “Egypt has been a key anchor of TWMA’s international success and remains central to our ambitions across the Middle East and North Africa. As offshore activity in the Eastern Mediterranean continues to grow, we are strengthening and expanding our regional presence across both onshore and offshore services. This significant contract extension provides a strong platform to further advance these efforts.”
The contract extension is part of TWMA’s wider Middle East & North Africa growth strategy, including the opening of a new onshore processing facility in the UAE and an ambition to grow its presence across the region.
HE Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade
Statement
“The historic results achieved by the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade in the first half of 2026 reflect the success of our leadership's vision – a vision in which the building of a diversified, competitive and open economy is central to our national priorities and enables us to turn global economic shifts into opportunities for long-term growth and prosperity. Our non-oil trade reached AED1.937 trillion in the first six months of the year, representing a new historic milestone for the national economy and reflecting the UAE's standing as a global hub for trade, investment and logistics. Despite the challenges of the global economy, and the impact of geopolitics on our region, the world continues to demonstrate confidence in our market’s capacity for sustainable growth.
“Our foreign trade performance not only underlines the strength of our trade relationships but their diversity and geographical breadth. Through the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CPEA) program, we have continued to deepen ties with key trading partners on every continent, while we have also accelerated growth with new and emerging markets – reinforcing the resilience of the UAE economy and our ability to capitalise on opportunities across the global economy. These results send a clear message: the UAE remains one of the world’s most competitive, open and attractive economies – a global platform connecting markets underpinned by world-class infrastructure, an advanced legislative environment, and an extensive network of international partnerships.
“What distinguishes these results is not only the growth of non-oil trade, but also the sustainability of this growth and its broadening base across multiple markets, partners, and commodities, which enhances the strength and resilience of the national economy and its ability to adapt to global changes. Under the guidance of our leadership, and in close cooperation with federal authorities and our partners in the private sector, we will continue to expand opportunities for our exporters – and ensure we continue to realize our national economic ambitions in the decades ahead.”
-ENDS-
بيانات التجارة الخارجية غير النفطية – النصف الأول 2026
تصريح معالي الدكتور ثاني بن أحمد الزيودي، وزير التجارة الخارجية
أكد معالي الدكتور ثاني بن أحمد الزيودي، وزير التجارة الخارجية أن النتائج التاريخية التي حققتها التجارة الخارجية غير النفطية لدولة الإمارات خلال النصف الأول من عام 2026 تجسد نجاح الرؤية الاستشرافية للقيادة الرشيدة التي وضعت في صميم أولوياتها بناء اقتصاد متنوع وتنافسي ومنفتح على العالم، وقادر على مواكبة التحولات الاقتصادية الدولية وتحويلها إلى فرص للنمو والازدهار.
وقال معاليه إن اقتراب التجارة الخارجية غير النفطية للدولة من حاجز تريليوني درهم خلال ستة أشهر فقط، مسجلة 1.937 تريليون درهم، يشكل محطة تاريخية جديدة في مسيرة الاقتصاد الوطني، ويعكس المكانة التي وصلت إليها الإمارات باعتبارها مركزاً عالمياً للتجارة والاستثمار والخدمات اللوجستية. كما يعكس ثقة العالم المتزايدة بالاقتصاد الإماراتي وبقدرته على تحقيق النمو المستدام رغم التحديات والتقلبات التي تشهدها الأسواق العالمية.
وأشار الزيودي إلى أن هذه النتائج تعكس متانة ومرونة الاقتصاد الإماراتي وقدرته على مواصلة النمو في مختلف الظروف الاقتصادية العالمية، بفضل رؤية القيادة الرشيدة ونهجها القائم على الانفتاح الاقتصادي وتعزيز الشراكات التجارية الدولية.
وقال: "ما يميز هذه النتائج ليس نمو التجارة غير النفطية فحسب، بل استدامة النمو واتساع قاعدته عبر أسواق وشركاء وسلع متعددة، وهو ما يعزز مرونة الاقتصاد الوطني وقدرته على التكيف مع المتغيرات العالمية.
وتابع: "الاقتراب من حاجز تريليوني درهم في النصف الأول من عام 2026 يؤكد أن الإمارات لا تواكب التحولات الاقتصادية العالمية فحسب، بل تستفيد منها لتحويل التحديات إلى فرص جديدة للنمو والتوسع.
وأضاف معاليه أن الأهمية الحقيقية لهذه النتائج لا تكمن في حجم التجارة فحسب، وإنما في طبيعة النمو المحقق ومصادره، موضحاً أن الصادرات غير النفطية الوطنية سجلت مستوى تاريخياً جديداً بلغ 452.8 مليار درهم خلال النصف الأول من العام الجاري، بنمو 23.9% مقارنة بالفترة نفسها من العام الماضي، مواصلة بذلك ترسيخ دورها كمحرك رئيسي للنمو الاقتصادي.
وأشار معاليه إلى أن الارتفاع المتواصل في مساهمة الصادرات غير النفطية ضمن إجمالي التجارة الخارجية غير النفطية للدولة ليصل إلى 23.4% يمثل مؤشراً بالغ الأهمية على نجاح استراتيجية التنويع الاقتصادي التي تبنتها دولة الإمارات على مدى السنوات الماضية، ويؤكد أن الاقتصاد الوطني يواصل تطوره نحو نموذج أكثر إنتاجية واعتماداً على الابتكار والمعرفة والصناعة والتكنولوجيا والقيمة المضافة.
وأوضح الزيودي أن النتائج الحالية تؤكد كذلك أن الإمارات تمضي بخطى ثابتة نحو تحقيق باقي مستهدفات رؤية "نحن الإمارات 2031" في قطاع التجارة الخارجية، مشيراً إلى أن استمرار النمو بالمعدلات الحالية من شأنه أن يضع الدولة في موقع متقدم لتجاوز باقي هذه المستهدفات قبل سنوات من موعدها المحدد، وهو ما يعكس سلامة الخيارات الاقتصادية للدولة ونجاح الرؤى التنموية بعيدة المدى التي تنتهجها القيادة الرشيدة.
وأكد معاليه أن برنامج اتفاقيات الشراكة الاقتصادية الشاملة أصبح أحد أبرز المحركات الاستراتيجية للنمو التجاري للدولة، بعدما نجح في توسيع نطاق وصول الصادرات الإماراتية إلى الأسواق العالمية وفتح آفاق جديدة للتعاون الاقتصادي والاستثماري مع مجموعة من الاقتصادات الواعدة حول العالم.
وقال ثاني الزيودي إن الأرقام المسجلة خلال النصف الأول من عام 2026 تعكس الأثر المباشر لهذه الاتفاقيات، حيث تجاوز حجم التجارة غير النفطية مع الدول التي دخلت اتفاقيات الشراكة الاقتصادية الشاملة معها حيز النفاذ 304 مليارات درهم، فيما بلغت الصادرات غير النفطية إلى تلك الأسواق 66.1 مليار درهم، الأمر الذي يبرهن على نجاح نهج الإمارات في بناء شبكة شراكات اقتصادية نوعية تعزز تدفقات التجارة والاستثمار وتفتح فرصاً جديدة أمام مجتمع الأعمال الوطني.
وأضاف معاليه أن ما يميز أداء التجارة الخارجية الإماراتية اليوم ليس فقط قوة النمو، بل تنوعه واتساع نطاقه الجغرافي، حيث واصلت الدولة تعزيز علاقاتها التجارية مع شركائها الرئيسيين، وفي الوقت نفسه حققت معدلات نمو قوية مع العديد من الأسواق الجديدة والواعدة، بما يعزز مرونة الاقتصاد الإماراتي وقدرته على الاستفادة من مختلف الفرص المتاحة في الاقتصاد العالمي.
وشدد معاليه على أن هذه النتائج تبعث برسالة واضحة إلى المستثمرين والشركاء التجاريين حول العالم مفادها أن الإمارات تواصل ترسيخ مكانتها كواحدة من أكثر الاقتصادات تنافسية وانفتاحاً وقدرة على استقطاب الأعمال والاستثمارات، وكمنصة عالمية تربط الأسواق والاقتصادات عبر مختلف القارات، مدعومة ببنية تحتية عالمية المستوى ومنظومة تشريعية متطورة وشبكة واسعة من الشراكات الدولية.
واختتم معالي الدكتور ثاني الزيودي تصريحاته بالتأكيد على أن هذه الإنجازات تمثل حافزاً لمواصلة العمل والبناء على ما تحقق، قائلاً: "سنواصل العمل، بتوجيهات قيادتنا الرشيدة، وبالتعاون الوثيق مع فرق العمل الاتحادية والمحلية وشركائنا في القطاع الخاص، لتعزيز تنافسية التجارة الخارجية لدولة الإمارات، وتوسيع شبكة شراكاتها الاقتصادية حول العالم، ودعم نمو الصادرات الوطنية، وترسيخ مكانة الدولة مركزاً عالمياً للتجارة والاستثمار، بما يضمن استمرار مسيرة الإنجازات الاقتصادية والتنموية وتحقيق طموحاتنا الوطنية خلال العقود المقبلة."
Global Water Organization convenes one‑year progress meeting during Saudi Water Week
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - 29 June 2026:The Global Water Organization (GWO) hosted the Heads of Delegation from its eight founding Member States at the Saudi Water Week, taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from June 28 to July 2.
Representatives from Greece, Kuwait, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Spain met at the Ritz‑Carlton Jeddah to review progress over the past year, since the signing of the GWO Charter in Riyadh in May 2025, to align on priorities and preparations for GWO’s first General Assembly. Delegations from non‑member states, United Nations agencies, multilateral development banks, and international and regional organizations also attended the meeting, reflecting the growing interest in GWO’s mandate.
During the meeting, GWO’s founding team presented an overview of progress to date, including the approval of the organization’s governance model, bylaws, financial and administrative regulations, and its four‑year strategy – which is built around four pillars: research and innovation, data and insights, policy and governance, and financing and funding.
The organization also highlighted its participation in key international water convenings in Dakar, Madrid, Dushanbe, and Jeddah, alongside engagements with stakeholders. These efforts have contributed to raising awareness of GWO’s role as a facilitator and platform for cooperation as momentum toward the first General Assembly continues to build.
GWO’s founding team remarked: “This meeting reflects the collective commitment of our Member States to shaping a stronger, more coordinated global water sector. Over the past year, we have worked closely with countries and partners to lay the foundations of GWO, and we look forward to advancing the next phase together.”
The meeting concluded with interventions from the founding Member States, underscoring their shared commitment to supporting GWO’s development and strengthening cooperation across the water sector.
As the first global intergovernmental organization dedicated solely to water, GWO was established in September 2023 to help unify fragmented efforts across the sector, promote collaboration, and support countries in strengthening water governance, innovation, financing, and knowledge exchange.
الدول الأعضاء للمنظمة العالمية للمياه يؤكدون التزامهم المشترك بإيجاد حلول مستدامة لتحديات المياه ضمن فعاليات أسبوع المياه السعودي
جدة، المملكة العربية السعودية - 29 يونيو 2026: أكدت الدول الأعضاء في المنظمة العالمية للمياه التزامها المشترك بدعم مسيرة تطوّر المنظمة والعمل على توحيد الجهود الدولية وتعزيز التعاون والتكامل في قطاع المياه، بما يسهم في إيجاد حلول مستدامة لتحديات المياه على المستوى العالمي.
جاء ذلك خلال اجتماع عقدته المنظمة لرؤساء وفود الدول الأعضاء الثماني المؤسسة لها،في فندق "ريتز-كارلتون"، على هامش أعمال "اسبوع المياه السعودي"، الذي ينعقد خلال الفترة من 28 يونيو إلى 2 يوليو الجاري في محافظة جدة.
واجتمع ممثلو الدول المؤسسة (اليونان، والكويت، وموريتانيا، وباكستان، وقطر، والمملكة العربية السعودية، والسنغال، وإسبانيا) لاستعراض التقدم المُحرز منذ توقيع ميثاق المنظمة العالمية للمياهفي الرياض في مايو 2025، ومناقشة الأولويات، والاستعداد لعقد الجمعية العمومية الاولى للمنظمة.
كما شهد الاجتماع مشاركة وفود من دول غير أعضاء، إلى جانب وكالات تابعة للأمم المتحدة، وبنوك تنمية متعددة الأطراف، وعدد من المنظمات الدولية والإقليمية، بما يعكس الاهتمام الدولي المتزايد بدور المنظمة العالمية للمياه وأهدافها، ويُبرز مكانتها كمنصة عالمية متكاملة توحد الجهود لتعزيز التعاون في قطاع المياه.
وخلال الاجتماع، استعرض الفريق التأسيسي للمنظمة العالمية للمياه التقدم المحرز للبناء المؤسسي للمنظمة وأمانتها العامة، واعتماد نموذج الحوكمة الخاص بالمنظمة ولوائحها الداخلية وأنظمتها المالية والإدارية، إلى جانب رسم استراتيجيتها للأعوام الأربعة المقبلة، والتي ترتكز على أربع ركائز رئيسية هي: البحث والابتكار، والبيانات والتقارير، والسياسات والحوكمة، والتمويل والاستثمار.
وذكر الفريق التأسيسي للمنظمة العالمية للمياه: "يعكس هذا الاجتماع الالتزام المشترك للدول الأعضاء ببناء قطاع مياه عالمي أكثر قوة وتكاملًا وتنسيقًا. وخلال العام الماضي، عملنا بشكل وثيق مع الدول والشركاء لترسيخ أسس عمل المنظمة، ونتطلع معًا إلى المضي قدماً في المرحلة المقبلة."
وشهد الاجتماع كلمات لممثلي الدول الأعضاء المؤسسة، أكدوا فيها التزام دولهم المشترك بتعزيز دور المنظمة العالمية للمياه وتمكين التعاون الدولي في القطاع.
وسلطت المنظمة الضوء على مشاركتها في محافل دولية رئيسية معنية بالمياه في كل من داكار، ومدريد، ودوشنبه وجدة، إلى جانب عدد من اللقاءات مع أصحاب المصلحة. وقد ساهمت هذه الجهود في تعزيز الوعي بدور المنظمة العالمية للمياه كجهة ميسِّرة ومنصة للتعاون، في ظل الزخم المتنامي تمهيداً لانعقاد الجمعية العمومية الاولى.
المنظمة العالمية للمياه هي منصة دولية متعددة الأطراف تأسست بمبادرة من المملكة العربية السعودية في سبتمبر 2023، لتكون منصة عالمية توحد جهود الدول والمنظمات في مواجهة التحديات المتزايدة في قطاع المياه. وتهدف المنظمة إلى تطوير حلول مبتكرة، وتبادل الخبرات، وتيسير التمويل للمشاريع ذات الأولوية.
NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS USD 4 BILLION EV CHARGING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY ACROSS EMERGING ECONOMIES
Joint analysis by C40 Cities and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) outlines practical pathways for emerging-market cities to scale charging infrastructure and accelerate electric mobility adoption
The analysis comes at a critical moment for the global electric mobility transition. According to the International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook 2025, the global stock of public charging points has more than doubled since 2022, surpassing 5 million chargers worldwide, with around 1.3 million new public chargers added in 2024 alone, representing an annual growth of more than 30% in the past five years. Projections show continued rapid growth in electric mobility over the next decade, with investment requirements for EV charging infrastructure across the four markets estimated to reach approximately USD 3.8 billion by 2035 (USD 1.9 billion in India, USD 980 million in Brazil, USD 760 million in Mexico and USD 184 million in Colombia).
Despite this rapid progress, deployment remains highly uneven, particularly across emerging economies where affordability, reliability and access to charging infrastructure continue to constrain EV adoption. Investments in charging infrastructure assets targeting personal mobility face the risk of slower-than-expected EV uptake, leading to lower utilization, revenues, and delayed profitability. This can lead to weak returns on investment and deters investors from investing in this sector.
The report finds that the rapid growth in electric vehicle adoption is creating unprecedented demand for charging infrastructure across both mature and emerging markets. In Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and India, EV uptake has expanded dramatically since 2021, driven by improving model availability, supportive policy frameworks, and declining technology costs. Across the four countries, sales grew from around 40,000 vehicles in 2021 to approximately 1.08 million vehicles in 2025, representing an annual growth rate of nearly 130%. By 2025, EVs accounted for approximately 6.5% of new vehicle sales in Brazil, 5.9% in Colombia, 6.2% in Mexico, and 3.7% in India.
Veronica Nyhan Jones, Global Manager Climate Partnerships and Cross Sector Expertise, International Finance Corporation (IFC), said:
“Electric vehicle adoption is accelerating rapidly across emerging markets, but sustaining this momentum will depend on whether charging infrastructure can scale at the same pace. Expanding reliable and accessible charging networks is essential not only for consumer confidence, but also for unlocking private investment and supporting long-term economic growth. This report shows that with the right policy frameworks, strong city leadership and targeted financing solutions, there are substantial potential investment opportunities on which emerging economies can build the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of sustainable urban mobility and jobs.”
The report also highlights the significant expansion of charging infrastructure across the four countries over the past five years. India reached approximately 30,000 public charging points by 2025; Brazil, approximately 17,000; Mexico, approximately 4,000; and Colombia, approximately 700. Yet despite this progress, charging infrastructure remains heavily concentrated in major metropolitan areas and economic hubs, underscoring the need for broader and more equitable geographic expansion to support large-scale EV adoption.
Meeting the next phase of electric mobility growth will require a major acceleration in charging deployment over the coming decade. The report projects that the total number of public chargers across the four countries will increase to approximately 359,000 units by 2035, including around 214,000 public chargers in India, 86,000 in Brazil, 40,000 in Mexico and 19,000 in Colombia, representing an investment opportunity of USD 3.8 billion+ over the next ten years.
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, said:
"Cities are already leading the transition to electric mobility by turning ambition into practical action, from electrifying public transport fleets to unlocking space, partnerships, and planning frameworks for charging infrastructure deployment. But if we are serious about scaling clean transport globally, particularly across emerging economies, we must also scale investment. Expanding access to finance for EV charging infrastructure will be essential to ensure cities can move faster, attract private capital, and deliver cleaner air, lower emissions, and more equitable mobility systems for millions of people.”
Cities can play a catalytic role
National governments typically retain authority over electricity markets, tariffs, and technical standards. Despite these constraints, the report finds that cities can still play a catalytic role in enabling charging deployment. Across the four emerging-market case studies, three city-level approaches consistently emerged as critical:
Using control over public land and urban space to facilitate charging deployment;
Leveraging public transport and municipal fleet electrification to create demand signals and anchor charging investment;
Establishing dedicated governance and coordination structures to streamline permitting, planning, and stakeholder engagement.
Cities across emerging economies are already demonstrating how local leadership can accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure through planning, partnerships, public procurement, and institutional coordination. Rio de Janeiro has enabled charging pilots through its Sandbox.Rio initiative and facilitated access to municipal sites for infrastructure deployment; Bogotá has supported charging deployment through public-space regulation while advancing one of Latin America’s largest electric bus fleets; Mexico City has integrated charging infrastructure into broader mobility planning and supported electrification of the Metrobús BRT system; Pune established a dedicated EV Cell, introduced fiscal incentives for chargers, and deployed public charging infrastructure through public-private partnership models.
Eduardo Cavaliere, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said:
“Cities have a critical role to play in accelerating the transition to electric mobility, particularly by creating the conditions that allow innovation and investment to move faster. In Rio, initiatives such as Sandbox.Rio and the use of municipal sites for pilot projects are helping demonstrate how cities can unlock opportunities for charging deployment. But scaling this transition will require greater access to finance and stronger partnerships between governments, utilities, and the private sector to expand charging infrastructure at the pace our cities need.”
Carlos Fernando Galán, Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, said:
“Bogotá’s experience shows that ambitious public transport electrification can help transform urban mobility while creating demand for charging infrastructure at scale. As we continue advancing one of Latin America’s largest electric bus fleets, it is essential to mobilize investment that supports reliable, accessible, and affordable charging networks. Cities cannot do this alone. And facilitating finance and long-term partnerships will be key to accelerating the transition across emerging economies.”
Héctor Ulises García Nieto, Mexico City Mobility Secretary (SEMOVI) , Mexico, said:
“Electric mobility is not only about vehicles: it is about building integrated urban systems that improve air quality, reduce emissions, and expand access to sustainable transport. Mexico City has worked to integrate charging infrastructure into broader mobility planning, including the electrification of the Metrobús system. The next step is ensuring cities have the financial tools and investment support needed to scale charging infrastructure and deliver a cleaner urban future.”
Recommendations for cities in emerging economies
Based on the analysis, the report identifies several practical approaches cities can adopt to support charging infrastructure deployment:
Integrate EV charging into urban planning and land-use frameworks;
Use municipal assets and public land strategically for charging deployment;
Develop public-private partnership models to attract investment;
Align charging rollout with public transport and fleet electrification programs;
Establish dedicated governance structures and cross-agency coordination mechanisms;
Improve permitting clarity and reduce administrative barriers;
Support interoperability and open-access charging systems;
Coordinate closely with utilities and national governments on grid planning and regulatory frameworks.
It also draws lessons from mature EV charging markets such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Key lessons include the importance of early-stage public funding to de-risk investment, municipal aggregation models to improve scale and coordination, and standardized interoperability frameworks to improve user experience and market confidence. The analysis also highlights that even mature markets continue to face challenges related to grid capacity, heavy-duty charging, and equitable geographic coverage, reinforcing the importance of long-term policy coordination.
Sarah Dimson-Tararuj, Head of Strategic Projects and Programs at The Climate Pledge, said:
“Scaling electric mobility requires more than vehicle adoption alone; it depends on building the charging infrastructure ecosystem that makes the transition practical, reliable, and accessible for communities and businesses alike. This report highlights the critical role cities can play in accelerating deployment through collaboration, innovation, and long-term planning. It also reinforces the importance of mobilizing investment and cross-sector partnerships to help emerging economies build lower-carbon, more resilient transport systems at scale.”
SPIEF 2026: International institutions have lost the ability to act as global regulators
Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft Oil Company, said that Middle East energy routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, remain a key factor in global trade flows and energy security
(St.Petersburg, Russia – 6th of June 2026) – At the Energy Panel of 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft Oil Company and Executive Secretary of the Russian Presidential Commission on Strategic Development of the Fuel and Energy Sector and Environmental Safety, said that international institutions including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, have lost their ability to act as global regulators amid profound shifts in the global economic and political landscape.
In his keynote report, “The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning: What Remains at the Bottom of Pandora’s Box?”Sechin addressed the transformation of the world order, sanctions policy, the growing challenges facing international institutions, and risks to the global economy and energy sector.
According to Sechin, the so-called “rules-based order” has in fact ceased to exist, while the global economy has become hostage to decisions made in the interests of technology, military, and financial corporations. As a result, many international institutions, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, have lost the ability to perform their role as global regulators.
He paid particular attention to the sanctions policy. According to Sechin, sanctions have become a tool of coercion and unfair competition. Over recent years, the volume of global trade subject to restrictions has increased sharply, and around 32,000 sanctions have been imposed on Russia over the past 12 years.
A significant part of his speech was devoted to the crisis in the Middle East. Sechin described developments around the Strait of Hormuz as a precursor to a global crisis. Not only oil and gas supplies pass through the strait, but also significant volumes of fertilizers, and disruptions in supply could trigger rising food prices.
Under these circumstances, the Northern Sea Route becomes especially important. According to Sechin, it is capable of providing global trade with the necessary transport solutions, shortening cargo delivery times and reducing transportation costs.
The head of Rosneft also noted the transformation of the global financial system. The volume of fictitious capital today exceeds $500 trillion, which is almost five times the size of global GDP. According to him, the growing use of the dollar as a sanctions instrument is encouraging the development of alternative payment systems, and Russia could have received more than $400 billion in additional revenue if it had increased the share of gold in its reserves earlier.
Emirates Nuclear Energy Company partners with Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi to train and employ UAE Nationals in civil nuclear energy sector
Abu Dhabi, UAE, 14 May 2026 – The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE), represented by Mawaheb Talent Hub, to establish a comprehensive framework for the training and employment of UAE Nationals. The partnership is designed to empower Emirati talents by providing them with the specialised skills required to be part of the UAE’s growing civil nuclear energy sector.
His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, and Her Excellency Mariam Al Musharrakh, Director General of GovTalent at DGE, witnessed the signing of the agreement by His Excellency Dr Abdulla AlShimmari, Executive Director of the National Workforce Enablement Sector at DGE, and Ahmed Alshamsi, Chief Human Capital Officer of ENEC.
Under the five-year agreement, the two parties will cooperate to qualify at least 100 UAE Nationals holding high school diplomas, vocational diplomas, or postgraduate degrees. DGE’s Mawaheb Talent Hub will provide ENEC with a curated list of candidates and grant access to its state-of-the-art facilities to conduct awareness workshops, technical assessments, and interviews.
ENEC will lead the development and funding of the training programmes and provide financial support for trainees. Upon successful completion of the programme and meeting hiring criteria, the selected trainees will be integrated into the workforce at ENEC and its subsidiaries, joining the teams responsible for the continued operational excellence of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant.
His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, said: "Since its inception, ENEC has been dedicated to cultivating a world-class team of Emirati professionals who are the backbone of our success at the Barakah Plant today and for the many decades of operations ahead. This agreement with the Department of Government Enablement allows us to expand our talent pipeline, ensuring that the next generation of UAE Nationals is equipped with the expertise to lead and secure our nation’s carbon-free future and drive long-term sustainable growth. This Initiative also supports the UAE’s transition to a knowledge-based economy by equipping job seekers with specialised skills for high-tech industries.”
His Excellency Ibrahim Nassir, Undersecretary of the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi, said: "We believe that the most important investment any nation can make is in its people. This agreement with ENEC reflects exactly that – a shared commitment to placing Emirati talent at the heart of one of the UAE's most strategically vital sectors. Through Mawaheb, we are not simply connecting job seekers to vacancies; we are building a pipeline of nationally qualified experts who can lead the UAE's clean energy future for generations to come. Partnerships of this depth and ambition are what transform national vision into lasting reality."
The partnership builds upon ENEC’s proven track record of human capability development. To date, more than 2,000 Emirati professionals have been involved in the development and operation of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. Through six dedicated talent pipeline programmes, ENEC continues to empower future experts to manage the civil nuclear energy sector for decades to come.
Currently, the four units of the Barakah Plant produce 40TWh of clean baseload electricity annually, meeting 25 per cent of the UAE’s electricity demand and preventing millions of tonnes of carbon emissions each year. Through this collaboration, ENEC and DGE’s Mawaheb are cultivating local talent to cement the UAE’s position as a global pioneer in clean energy and a case study for excellence in capacity building for civil nuclear operations.
-ENDS-
About DGE
The Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE) is enabling Abu Dhabi government entities to unlock their potential and shape the government of the future. DGE provides next-generation government services via effortless customer experiences and formulates policies and frameworks to enable a streamlined, resilient, and fully technology-empowered government that can best support government entities, citizens, and residents with seamless and customer-centric service delivery.
DGE was established in 2023, bringing multiple government entities under one organisation: the Department of Government Support, Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, Human Resources Authority, Abu Dhabi School of Government, TAMM, and Mawaheb, with the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi as an affiliate entity. DGE leads the digital transformation for the Abu Dhabi Government.
شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية تتعاون مع دائرة التمكين الحكومي – أبوظبي لتدريب الكفاءات الإماراتية وتوظيفها في قطاع الطاقة النووية السلمية
دولة الإمارات، أبوظبي 14مايو2026: وقّعت شركة الإمارات للطاقة النوويةاتفاقية تعاون مع دائرة التمكين الحكومي – أبوظبي، ممثلة في مركز مواهب، لوضع إطار عمل شامل لتدريب الكفاءات الإماراتية وتوظيفها، بهدف تمكين هذه الكفاءات وتزويدها بالمهارات المتخصصة اللازمة للانضمام إلى قطاع الطاقة النووية السلمية المتنامي في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة.
وشهد توقيع الاتفاقية سعادة محمد الحمادي، العضو المنتدب والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية ومجموعة شركاتها، وسعادة مريم المشرخ، المدير العام للمواهب الحكومية في دائرة التمكين الحكومي - أبوظبي، ووقعها سعادة الدكتور عبد الله الشمري، المدير التنفيذي لقطاع تمكين المواهب الوطنية في دائرة التمكين الحكومي – أبوظبي، وأحمد الشامسي، المدير التنفيذي لرأس المال البشري في شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية.
وبموجب هذه الاتفاقية الممتدة لخمس سنوات، يتعاون الجانبان لتأهيل ما لا يقل عن 100 إماراتي من حاملي شهادات الثانوية العامة أو الدبلومات المهنية أو شهادات الدراسة العليا، حيث تقدم دائرة التمكين الحكومي في أبوظبي إلى شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية قائمة المرشحين، وتتيح لهم الوصول إلى مرافق «مركز مواهب» التابع للدائرة، لاستخدامه في تنظيم ورش العمل التوعوية والتقييمات الفنية وإجراء المقابلات.
وتتولى شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية تطوير البرامج التدريبية وتمويلها وتوفير الدعم المالي للمتدربين. وبعد إكمال البرنامج بنجاح واستيفاء معايير التوظيف، يُضم المتميزون من المتدربين إلى كادر شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية والشركات التابعة لها.
وقال سعادة محمد الحمادي: «حرصت شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية منذ تأسيسها على تطوير فرق عمل من الكفاءات الإماراتية وفق أعلى المعايير العالمية، والتي تقوم بدور أساسي في تميز العمليات التشغيلية في محطات براكة لعقود مقبلة».
وأضاف سعادة الحمادي: «تتيح لنا هذه الاتفاقية مع دائرة التمكين الحكومي في أبوظبي التوسع في عملية تطوير الكفاءات الإماراتية بما يضمن تزويد الجيل المقبل من مواطني دولة الإمارات بالخبرات اللازمة لقيادة مستقبل خالٍ من الانبعاثات الكربونية، وتحقيق النمو المستدام. وتدعم هذه المبادرة تحوّل دولة الإمارات إلى اقتصاد قائم على المعرفة، من خلال تزويد الباحثين عن عمل بمهارات متخصصة في القطاعات التقنية المتقدمة».
وقال سعادة إبراهيم ناصر، وكيل دائرة التمكين الحكومي – أبوظبي: «نؤمن في دائرة التمكين الحكومي، بأن أهم استثمار تقوم به أي دولة هو الاستثمار في أفراد مجتمعها. وتعكس الاتفاقية مع شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية هذه الرؤية من خلال الالتزام والتعاون المشترك بوضع الكفاءات الوطنية في قلب أحد أكثر القطاعات أهمية واستراتيجية في الدولة. فمن خلال مركز مواهب، لا نكتفي بربط الباحثين عن عمل بالشواغر المتاحة وحسب، بل نبني منظومة متكاملة من الخبرات الوطنية المؤهلة التي ستقود مستقبل الطاقة النظيفة في دولة الإمارات لأجيال مقبلة، بالاعتماد على الشراكات الاستراتيجية الطموحة التي تسهم في تحويل هذه الرؤية الوطنية إلى واقع راسخ ومستدام».
وتُعزز هذه الشراكة سجل شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية الحافل في تنمية وتطوير القدرات البشرية، حيث شارك حتى الآن أكثر من 2,000 من الكفاءات الإماراتية في تطوير وتشغيل محطات براكة للطاقة النوويةالسلمية منذ البداية. ومن خلال ستة برامج متخصصة لتطوير الكفاءات الإماراتية الشابة، تواصل الشركة تطوير القيادات المستقبلية لقطاع الطاقة النووية السلمية في الدولة لعقود قادمة.
وتنتج محطات براكة الأربع حالياً 40 تيراواط/ساعة من الكهرباء النظيفة سنوياً، ما يلبي 25% من الطلب على الكهرباء في دولة الإمارات، ويسهم في الحد من ملايين الأطنان من الانبعاثات الكربونية سنوياً. ومن خلال هذه الاتفاقية، تتعاون شركة الإمارات للطاقة النووية ودائرة التمكين الحكومي في أبوظبي على تنمية الكفاءات المحلية، بما يسهم في ترسيخ مكانة دولة الإمارات الريادية على الصعيد العالمي في قطاع الطاقة النظيفة، وإبراز نموذجها المتميز في تطوير القدرات البشرية اللازمة لتشغيل الطاقة النووية السلمية.
EU rules could make fossil-free aviation fuels unnecessarily expensive and energy-intensive
EU regulations risk leading to inefficient use of biomass for production of sustainable aviation fuel, according to a study from Chalmers University of Technology. Image: CC BY Gustavo Ramirez/CC0
The effects of the Iran war on the oil market have brought renewed attention to the EU’s plans for domestic production of fossil-free aviation fuels. But EU rules for synthetic aviation fuels risk steering development towards production pathways that are both more expensive and more energy-intensive than necessary – making it harder to meet climate targets. This is shown in a recent study from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, that has analysed different methods for producing synthetic methanol.
Last year, rules were introduced requiring a minimum blend of 2 percent sustainable aviation fuel at EU airports. This blending requirement will increase gradually, reaching at least 70 percent by 2050. By then, half of the sustainable aviation fuel must consist of a category known as RFNBO: Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin. These are synthetic fuels, also known as electrofuels, produced from renewable hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology now show that the RFNBO rules favour a “detour” in the production of synthetic fuels, which risks increasing both costs and energy use.
“Regulations influence not only industry’s investments in technology, but also which research and development priorities are pursued. Instead of driving innovation towards the most efficient solutions, we risk locking ourselves into less resource-efficient production methods,” says Henrik Thunman, Professor of Energy Technology at Chalmers and co-author of the scientific article.
Thousands of new plants will be needed globally to meet the growing demand for sustainable aviation fuels in the coming decades. This will require very large investments in facilities with long operating lifetimes.
Big differences between alternative pathways for the same product using the same raw material
The research team at Chalmers has studied the production of synthetic methanol, which is an example of a fuel molecule that can be converted into sustainable aviation fuel. It provides a representative case for analysing how different production pathways affect resource use in the production of such fuel molecules.
These energy-rich molecules can be produced by combining carbon atoms and hydrogen in chemical processes. In the study, the researchers compared three different production pathways for methanol in which the carbon atoms come from biomass – so-called biogenic carbon. Two of the methods are based on biomass combustion, where carbon dioxide is captured from flue gases and then mixed with hydrogen produced separately using electricity. The third is based on gasification, where heated biomass is converted directly into synthesis gas, which contains both carbon and hydrogen.
All three production pathways are technically feasible, and both the raw material and the final product can be the same. However, they differ clearly in terms of energy use, cost and electricity demand.
The direct production pathway is disadvantaged by EU regulation
“The gasification pathway proved to be the most resource-efficient option in our analysis, with up to 46 percent lower production cost and 30 percent lower electricity demand than the two combustion-based alternatives. The difference shows how large the energy losses can be when biomass is first combusted into carbon dioxide, which is then rebuilt into fuel molecules using large amounts of electricity and hydrogen,” says Johanna Beiron, researcher in Physical Resource Theory at Chalmers and first author of the article.
Despite this, combustion is favoured much more strongly than gasification by the EU regulatory framework. The RFNBO category – which is expected to expand from close to zero today to 35 percent of all aviation fuel in the EU by 2050 – includes all fuel from the combustion-based alternatives, but excludes around half of the fuel produced via gasification.
The reason is that RFNBO fuels may not be produced using energy and carbon atoms that come directly from biomass, as they largely do in gasification-based production. In contrast, it is permitted to use carbon atoms from biomass in combustion-based routes, provided this is done by capturing the carbon dioxide formed when biomass is used for other energy purposes. One example is the combustion of residual material from the forest industry in combined heat and power plants.
But such residual material can be used more resource-efficiently through gasification.
“One of the combustion-based alternatives we analysed was the process in combined heat and power plants,” says Johanna Beiron. “It has lower cost and energy efficiency than gasification, even when we include the additional electricity needed to replace, for example, the district heating that the combustion process can contribute.”
Regulation risks working against its own objectives
One purpose of the RFNBO classification is to stimulate increased generation of renewable electricity for the production of green hydrogen, and to reduce dependence on biomass, which is a limited resource.
But the carbon atoms for synthetic aviation fuel must come from somewhere. Biomass is expected to be the least costly fossil-free carbon source for RFNBO production, and the researchers expect that today’s regulatory framework will result in a very high demand for carbon dioxide from biomass combustion. Instead of reducing the need for biomass, the EU regulations risk driving a less energy-efficient use of the limited biomass resource.
“The regulatory framework does not account sufficiently for how efficiently different systems use energy and resources,” says Henrik Thunman. “The study therefore highlights a structural issue in EU energy and industrial policy: regulation risks working against its own objectives when definitions of sustainable fuels are not aligned with fundamental energy principles or with the Union’s broader ambitions for resource efficiency.”
Adjusted regulation may be needed to enable effective transition
The researchers hope that their results will contribute to greater knowledge about the technologies and systems that are available.
“It is surprising that EU rules do not provide clearer incentives for the most efficient alternatives,” says Johanna Beiron. “The current regulatory framework risks causing lock-in to combustion-based energy systems, even though technically mature processes already exist that would provide both lower energy use and lower cost – such as gasification and electrification of district heating.”
“Our study shows that some parts of the regulatory framework probably need to be adjusted if the EU is to achieve its long-term goals,” says Henrik Thunman. “Better coordination is needed between climate targets, resource efficiency and industrial feasibility in order to address the uncertainty that currently exists. This uncertainty makes it difficult to make rational investment decisions for the large-scale expansion of sustainable aviation fuels in the coming years.”
