Abu news 2018
Here are some of the top news stories from Abu Dhabi in 2018:
- Abu Dhabi's non-oil trade surplus reaches AED 143 billion: In January 2018, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development announced that the emirate's non-oil trade surplus had reached AED 143 billion (USD 39 billion) in 2017, a significant increase from AED 114 billion in 2016.
- Abu Dhabi's GDP growth rate reaches 2.4%: In February 2018, the Abu Dhabi Statistics Centre announced that the emirate's GDP growth rate had reached 2.4% in 2017, driven by growth in the non-oil sector.
- Abu Dhabi's tourism sector sees significant growth: In March 2018, the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority announced that the emirate's tourism sector had seen a significant growth in 2017, with a 12% increase in hotel guests and a 15% increase in hotel revenue.
- Abu Dhabi's real estate market sees recovery: In April 2018, property experts reported that Abu Dhabi's real estate market was showing signs of recovery, with prices stabilizing and sales increasing.
- Abu Dhabi's ADNOC signs major oil and gas deals: In May 2018, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed several major oil and gas deals with international companies, including a 40-year concession agreement with Occidental Petroleum.
- Abu Dhabi's Louvre Abu Dhabi opens to the public: In November 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum opened to the public, featuring a collection of over 600 artworks from around the world.
- Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways reports significant losses: In January 2018, Etihad Airways reported a significant loss of AED 1.95 billion (USD 530 million) in 2017, due to increased competition and high fuel costs.
- Abu Dhabi's ADNOC Distribution IPO raises AED 10.4 billion: In October 2018, ADNOC Distribution, the retail arm of ADNOC, raised AED 10.4 billion (USD 2.8 billion) in an initial public offering (IPO) on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
- Abu Dhabi's Masdar City signs major renewable energy deals: In November 2018, Masdar City, a sustainable urban development project in Abu Dhabi, signed several major renewable energy deals with international companies, including a 200 MW solar power project.
- Abu Dhabi's Expo 2020 bid wins international approval: In November 2018, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) announced that Abu Dhabi's bid to host Expo 2020 had won international approval, making it the first time the event will be held in the Middle East.
These are just a few of the top news stories from Abu Dhabi in 2018. The emirate continued to make significant progress in various sectors, including oil and gas, tourism, real estate, and renewable energy.