SME Finance & Working Capital: Uzbekistan’s factoring market surged 75% in Q1 2026 as banks provided 94% of volumes, with businesses increasingly using factoring to manage cash flow. UAE Startup & Creator Economy: Dubai’s GameExpo put UAE game makers, designers and small businesses in the spotlight, with Dubai SME’s GameForward accelerator pushing developers from prototypes to commercial games. Egypt Green SME Funding: Egypt’s MSMEDA said it has financed EGP 1.5bn in green economy projects since 2014, including support for a dual-fuel vehicle conversion initiative aimed at cutting emissions and costs for small enterprises. Egypt Refugee-to-Work Microgrants: KOICA and WFP wrapped a $6m programme in Egypt that trained 14,000 refugees and host communities, funded microgrants for small businesses, and helped 5,600 people find jobs. Oman Social Protection: Oman expanded its safety net to cover 1.55m people, but reform focus is shifting to whether benefits actually improve stability and independence for low-income households. Libya Migration Reality Check: Returnees evacuated from Libya described exploitation after being promised work abroad, a reminder of how fragile cross-border job pipelines can be for would-be entrepreneurs and workers. UAE SME Launch Support: Dubai rolled out “SME in a Box” to help founders start and run businesses faster and at lower cost, including fee savings.