UAE Banking Oversight: The UBF council reaffirmed the resilience of the UAE banking sector, citing strong capital and provisioning, and flagged priorities like Emiratisation, digital transformation, SME growth and sustainable finance. Kuwait Procurement Reform: Kuwait issued Decree-Law No. 94/2026 amending public tenders, raising contract thresholds (including KD1m for simpler approvals), boosting SME bid preference (10% above lowest acceptable), and setting a faster grievance committee process. Oman Zakat Push: Oman kicked off its 4th Zakat Conference and Exhibition in Suhar and Sohar, launching a “Zakat Institutions Readiness Index” and focusing on turning zakat governance into measurable sustainability outcomes. Egypt SME Financing: Egypt’s finance minister said EGP 80bn is earmarked in the 2026/27 budget to support production, exports and entrepreneurship, with concessional financing routed via MSMEDA and a simplified tax system for small businesses. Qatar-Syria Skills for Jobs: Qatar Charity launched a $1mn+ project to train 540 women and men in northwestern Syria, linking vocational and digital skills (tailoring, solar, maintenance, marketing) to small-business opportunities. Corporate Tax Deadline (UAE): The UAE Federal Tax Authority reminded taxable persons to file and pay Corporate Tax for periods ending 31 Dec 2025 by 30 Sept 2026 via EmaraTax. Cross-border Dealmaking (Qatar): Qatar Chamber joined the Azerbaijan International Investment Forum and held talks on expanding trade and investment in agriculture, industry and banking.