Modi in UAE, UNTOLD Dubai, Hajj and Umrah: Biggest Gulf stories from this week

The period from February 12 to 18 has been full of notable developments for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The UAE hosted the World Government Summit 2024 from February 12 to 14 and is playing the host for the ongoing Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup.

There have also been key happenings in terms of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages ahead of the holy month of Ramadan this year. In addition, the Emirates has also marked a significant strengthening of relations with India and another Gulf state of Bahrain.

Biggest Gulf news you might have missed this week

1. Indian PM Modi’s UAE trip

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meticulous discussions on a number of important topics on February 13 on the sidelines of the Dubai Summit, marking the exchange of several major agreements.

The Indian leader participated in the annual WGS meeting as a Guest of Honour, addressed tens of thousands of Indians in the UAE at the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event, and inaugurated the grand BAPS Hindu Mandir in the capital Abu Dhabi on February 14.

2. Saudi Arabia eases Umrah facilities for UAE

The Kingdom has announced a series of initiatives aimed at facilitating Umrah pilgrimages for UAE residents. Emiratis can perform Umrah through the multi-entry e-visa, a facility allowing them to extend their stay in the country to up to 90 days per year.

There have also been numerous developments in terms of increased connectivity between the two countries. The announcements followed a recent official UAE trip by Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Tawfiq Al Rabiah, who also inaugurated the Nusuk platform exhibition.

3. UAE-Bahrain fraternal ties in focus

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed and King Hamad of Bahrain discussed the fraternal ties between the two countries and addressed several matters of joint concern in a meeting in Manama on Friday. They spoke about their common goals.

His Highness met the family of Bahraini officer who died in a recent terrorist attack in Somalia that also killed four UAE Armed Forces members. The King of Bahrain, in turn, expressed his condolences over the martyrs of the UAE.

4. OpenAI CEO talks AI regulation and risks

Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s chief executive Sam Altman delivered a notable speech at the recently concluded Dubai Summit, calling artificial intelligence the “most exciting frontier” he could possibly imagine, but emphasising the need for a global AI watchdog system.

He highlighted that the evolving technology needs a lot of work to reach its true potential, saying: “You have to be patient, give us some time.” The UAE, meanwhile, has taken a significant step towards democratisation of AI by announcing a $500 million programme.

5. Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup kicks off

16 countries are locking horns at the 12th edition of Fifa’s highest-scoring tournament from February 15 to 25. The teams include Iran, Japan, Oman, the UAE, Egypt, Senegal, the US, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Tahiti, Belarus, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Dubai is playing the host. The emirate has become a beach soccer hub in recent times. Moreover, the sport has been receiving increasing attention lately as the 2021 tournament attracted a staggering 63 million viewers globally.

6. UNTOLD Dubai concludes today!

One of the biggest music festivals on the planet has been entertaining people in Dubai since February 15. Originally from Romania, UNTOLD Dubai is set to conclude on Sunday. It has a huge line-up of music spanning multiple different genres.

Headliners include Ellie Goulding, Armin Van Buuren, Rapper Badshah, G-Eazy, PSY and Timmy Trumpet. More than 21,000 tickets had already been purchased as of February 14. The edition in Dubai is also likely to score a couple of global records. Keep an eye out for updates.