The 7th MENA Construction Summit 2026, held at the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai, concluded on November 10, gathering around 400 participants. This annual event, themed “Design. Build. Operate. Connect.”, was organized under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and featured strategic partnerships with Dubai Municipality, Abu Dhabi City Municipality, and the Ministry of Works Bahrain. The summit brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, developers, contractors, financiers, consultants, operators, and technology providers, to address pressing challenges in construction and infrastructure across the Middle East and North Africa.
During the summit, discussions focused on critical issues such as procurement, supply chain disruptions, artificial intelligence in project delivery, climate resilience, water infrastructure, and future transport networks. On the first day, H.E. Ahmed Fadhel Almehairbi, Director General of Abu Dhabi City Municipality, shared insights into the capital’s development vision. The second day emphasized infrastructure performance post-project handover, with sessions dedicated to climate adaptation, water systems, and transportation assets.
Participants hailed from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, and Morocco, as well as international delegates from China, Singapore, and the UK. Sonia Kerrigan, Commercial Director Middle East at MEED, noted a shift in focus from construction delivery to the long-term performance of completed assets. She underscored the importance of early planning and operational consideration in developing infrastructure that remains reliable, affordable, and maintainable.
In conjunction with the main summit, the UNBX 2.0 forum offered a platform for discussions on modular and offsite construction. Organized by MEED in collaboration with Group AMANA, this forum explored modular construction opportunities in the UAE, drawing on international experiences from Singapore and China. It also examined the supply chain requirements necessary to expand regional capacity, presenting research based on over 30 interviews with developers, consultants, and contractors. Richard Abboud, CEO of Group AMANA, highlighted the need for cooperation between industry stakeholders and regulators to advance modular construction in the GCC.
Organizers confirmed that the 8th edition of the MENA Construction Summit will be hosted by the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi. The dates and further details of the upcoming event will be announced later. The summit is expected to continue addressing the evolving needs of regional construction and infrastructure development, building on the discussions and insights shared at this year’s gathering.
About MEED
MEED is a senior management media brand comprising a subscription website and magazine, more than 30 C-level executive conferences and summits hosted by MEED Events, the MEED Projects Awards and two high-value content businesses, MEED Projects and MEED Insight. MEED Projects is the Middle East’s premium project tracking database and MEED Insight offers tailored research and in-depth analysis. Established in 1957, MEED has delivered business information, news and analysis on Middle East economies for almost seven decades.
Priscila Franco
MEED
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