Ports, shipping, aviation cargo, warehousing and trade
SunExpress announced updated airport procedures for passengers traveling to Damascus, Syria, effective November 12. All passengers, including digital pass holders, must collect a physical boarding pass at airport counters. Check-in desks at Damascus International Airport will open three hours prior to departure due to heightened security checks.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Beijing for a state visit on November 2, 2026. The two nations signed multiple commercial and energy agreements and issued a 20-point joint declaration prioritizing maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. Beijing also reaffirmed its intent to enhance trade and energy collaboration across Gulf Cooperation Council members.
The value of goods exported from the UAE to Switzerland surged by 175% between January and May 2026, ranking it among the fastest-growing trade corridors globally, according to DHL's October Globalization Tracker. The surge occurred alongside significant movements in international gold trade and trade policy shifts. However, the UAE's total merchandise trade value contracted by 7% year-on-year over the same five-month period.
The People's Bank of China and the Central Bank of Oman have signed a five-year bilateral currency swap agreement valued at 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion). The central banks also signed a memorandum of understanding covering central bank digital currencies and cross-border payment cooperation during Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's state visit to Beijing. The pact broadens China's monetary cooperation network in the Gulf alongside existing arrangements with the UAE.
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