President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has officially announced 2025 as the Year of Community in the United Arab Emirates, under the inspiring slogan ‘Hand in Hand’. This initiative invites all UAE residents to actively participate in strengthening the societal fabric and enhancing communal bonds.
A Unified Approach to Community Enhancement
The announcement emphasizes the importance of collective efforts and shared responsibility in driving the nation towards inclusive and sustainable growth. By working together, the UAE aims to enhance social cohesion, nurture intergenerational ties, and preserve cultural heritage while also fostering innovation in key areas such as entrepreneurship and emerging industries like artificial intelligence.
Vision for a Prosperous Future
Sheikh Mohamed’s declaration is rooted in the belief that a strong community is the foundation for a prosperous future. The initiative not only aims to uphold Emirati values but also to create inclusive spaces that welcome diverse perspectives and contributions. This vision aligns with the UAE’s broader goals of maintaining its status as an “inspiring model of progress and prosperity.”
Leadership and Oversight
The Year of Community initiative will be overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister, and Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects. Their leadership will ensure that the initiative’s activities and programs are effectively implemented across the nation.
A Continuation of National Themes
This announcement follows the UAE’s focus on sustainability in 2024, extending the theme from 2023. This consistent emphasis on crucial societal themes reflects the UAE’s commitment to addressing important national and global challenges through dedicated annual focuses.
Engaging the Community
Throughout 2025, numerous events are planned to engage the community and foster a sense of unity and shared purpose. These events will serve as platforms for dialogue, collaboration, and celebration of the UAE’s rich cultural heritage and ambitious future.
The Year of Community promises to be a transformative period for the UAE, as it continues to build a cohesive, innovative, and forward-thinking society. With everyone’s participation, the nation is set to strengthen its communal bonds and lay a solid foundation for future generations.
Oracle is escalating its investment efforts in Abu Dhabi, aiming to capitalize on the soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This move comes in response to the rapid adoption of these technologies across the Middle East, spurred by government initiatives aimed at shaping a future-oriented economy, a dynamic digital ecosystem, and a tech-savvy younger generation.
Major Developments in Data Center Infrastructure
In a notable expansion, Khazna Data Centres, based in Abu Dhabi, is constructing a 100-megawatt data center in Ajman, which is anticipated to be their largest facility in the UAE. With this new development, Khazna aims to increase its capacity significantly from 360 megawatts in 2024 to an impressive 850 megawatts by 2029, thus more than doubling their current capabilities.
Oracle’s Strategic Investments and Growth Plans
Nick Redshaw, Oracle’s Senior Vice President for Technology Cloud and UAE Country Leader, highlighted the company’s aggressive investment strategy at the Oracle CloudWorld event in Dubai. “To meet the strong demand for Oracle Cloud in the UAE, we are making a five-fold investment in the Abu Dhabi region,” Redshaw stated. This commitment is part of Oracle’s broader strategy to enhance its service offerings in the region amidst growing competition from other global tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, and Alibaba Cloud, all of which have established data centers in the Middle East.
Regional and Global Expansion
Oracle currently operates two cloud regions in the UAE, located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and has revealed plans for further expansion. The company boasts 11 active cloud regions across the Middle East and Africa, with an additional 14 slated to come online. This expansion includes significant developments such as the planned opening of a cloud region in Neom, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious $500 billion high-tech megacity.
Focus on Sovereign Cloud Capability
Amid increasing reliance on cloud technologies by governments and public sector organizations, Oracle is also venturing into the development of sovereign cloud regions. These initiatives aim to ensure national security, data privacy, and digital sovereignty by hosting cloud services within country borders and under local legal frameworks. Oracle’s upcoming project with Beyon Solutions in Bahrain to establish a sovereign cloud region underscores the strategic importance of such infrastructure in the current global landscape.
Training and Development Initiatives
Furthering its commitment to the region, Oracle has announced plans to train and certify 350,000 individuals across several Middle Eastern countries in the most sought-after technologies. This training initiative, delivered digitally via Oracle MyLearn—Oracle University’s training platform—aims to equip the local workforce with necessary skills to support the growing Oracle Cloud infrastructure in the region.
Oracle’s increased investment in Abu Dhabi and the broader Middle East represents a strategic move to strengthen its presence in a rapidly evolving digital market, ensuring that the region remains at the forefront of technological advancements in AI and cloud services.