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Mrini was widely respected for his deep knowledge and commitment to cultural preservation.
Morocco is mourning the death of Abdelhak El Mrini, the country’s official royal historian and former spokesperson for the Royal Palace. He passed away on Monday evening at the age of 91, after a long career serving Moroccan history and culture.
El Mrini was born in Rabat in 1934. He memorized the entire Quran at a young age and even copied 60 parts of it by hand. Over the years, he became one of Morocco’s most respected literary and cultural figures.
He held several important roles during his life, including Director of Royal Protocol and Decorations. But he was best known for his role as the kingdom’s official historian, as well as his work in preserving Moroccan heritage.
El Mrini had an impressive academic journey. He received a diploma from the Institute of Higher Moroccan Studies in 1960, followed by a degree in literature from the Faculty of Arts in Rabat in 1962.
He later studied in France, where he earned an advanced diploma and a PhD from the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Strasbourg in 1973. He also obtained a State Doctorate in Literature from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez in 1989.
El Mrini was also a prolific author who left behind an important literary and historical legacy. Among his most well-known works is “The Moroccan Army Throughout History”, first published in 1968. The book went through several revised editions, with the sixth edition released in 2011 and translated into French in 2000.
He also wrote “Guide for Moroccan Women” in two parts (1993 and 2000), and “An Introduction to Modern Moroccan History” (1996), which covers the period from Sultan Hassan I to King Hassan II.
Other notable titles include “Tea in Moroccan Literature” (1999), “Mohammed V: Studies and Testimonies” (1988), and “The Hassaniyats” (three volumes published between 1975 and 1983), a collection of poems in praise of the late King Hassan II.
Throughout his life, El Mrini made significant contributions to the study and promotion of Moroccan history, and he was widely respected for his deep knowledge and commitment to cultural preservation.
‘From Ocean to Gulf: Heritage Music of the Arab World’ is a series by Ahram Online, in partnership with the AMAR Foundation (Foundation for Arab Music Archiving and Research). In this article, we explore the rich music legacy of Yemen.
‘From Ocean to Gulf: Heritage Music of the Arab World’ is a series by Ahram Online, in partnership with the AMAR Foundation (Foundation for Arab Music Archiving and Research).
In this article, we explore Yemen’s rich music legacy.
Music is a powerful force for healing and reconnecting us with our roots and shared humanity in a world of numerous challenges.
‘From Ocean to Gulf: Heritage Music of the Arab World’ is a new series by Ahram Online, in partnership with the AMAR Foundation (Foundation for Arab Music Archiving and Research). Focusing on the early years of recording in our region, which reflected a modern cosmopolitan repertoire and coincided with the Renaissance era that flourished in Egypt between the mid-19th Century and the 30s of the twentieth Century, this initiative aims to introduce our audience to the iconic figures of Arab music whose contributions have enriched our intangible cultural heritage and inspired generations worldwide.
Yemen, a country on the Arabian Peninsula, is one of the world’s most beautiful and historically rich nations.
Often referred to as Al-Yaman al-Sa‘īd (Happy Yemen), it has long served as a centre of discovery for travellers and a research subject for historians, social scientists, natural scientists, and others.
In the second episode on Yemen, we highlight the music scene from the beginning of the 20th Century to the present.
Music in 20th Century Yemen
The beginning of the 20th Century was difficult in Yemen because of the wars between the Zaydī imams and the Ottoman occupiers. During these wars, the artists swung between the Ottoman authority, which encouraged music, and the Zaydīn, who did not.
Thus, their social, religious, and political position was difficult, as described in the biography of Sa‘d ‘Abd al-Lāh, who, as an artist, was accused by Aden’s jurists and fundamentalists of contravening the religious system of drinking alcohol.
His ‘ūd playing was also subject to accusation. A beautiful legend tells how he faced these accusations and how, thanks to his art and his mastery of religious qaṣīda, he regained the respect of the imam by performing religious qaṣīda and even some religious prayers accompanied by the ‘ūd.
This allowed him to resume his art under the rule of Imam YaḥyaḤamīd al-Dīn. Yet his position remained complicated, and fundamentalists probably killed him in the early 20th Century. We do not have any recordings of him, but some of his numerous students do. Some remained in Sanaa and practised the art of singing.
Music scene in Aden
In contrast, others travelled to Aden, which was under English rule, including famous ‘Alī al-‘Aṭṭāb and MuḥammadẒāfir, who fled from the fundamentalist Zaydī rule and moved to Aden in their early 20s.
In the southern provinces, a vibrant group of artists emerged during the British occupation of Aden (1839 – 1967), with singing and music becoming widespread among Yemeni artists. Professor Muhammad Murshid Naji noted that Lahji singing before the era of Ahmed Fadhl al-Qumindan was influenced by the Sana’ani style. Lahji singers would perform Sana’ani songs, and the singer Hadi Sabit al-Nubi developed his oud-playing by drawing on the techniques of a northern artist whose name remains unrecorded.
Naji attributes the emergence of the first Lahji melody to the poet, composer, and singer Fadhl Mater, who was credited with inventing the initial melody set to the Lahji rhythm. This innovation led Hadi Sabit to sing in the Sana’ani style over one of Al-Qumandan’s poems. It is worth noting that instrumental music is not widespread in Yemen, where it exists under one form whose origin is said to be Turkish, called firtāsh: it is a muwaqqa section, yet it allows variation and improvisation by the artist.
Sanaa singing was divided into two parts: a part in Aden and a part in Sanaa, and the Aden part is the one we have recordings of. Their recordings date back to the late 30s, while those made in Sanaa started later than the 50s. The first recording made in Sanaa in Historical Yemen was made by German orientalist and music expert Hans Helfritz who visited Yemen in the late 1920s and early 1930s to study Yemeni Music in this fundamentalist religious atmosphere, which aroused the suspicion and caution of the pious and religious in particular, and he was accused of being a spy.
Upon the First World War outbreak, the German Odeon Records company had to stop its commercial and recording activities as Yemen was under English occupation. Local record companies started right away, including the major “Aden Crown Company” that took over from Odeon and resumed recording Sheikh ‘AlīAbū Bakr Bāsharāḥīl, as well as Sheikh Ṣalāḥ ‘Abd al-lāh al-‘Antarī and Sheikh Muḥammad al-Mās, who died in the 1950s. They had recorded with the Aden Crown Company in the 1940s.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Indian musical influences became prominent as numerous musical and theatre groups and films were introduced in Aden and Hadhramaut, which had long been under the administration of the British Viceroy of India. By the 1940s and 1950s, Yemeni musicians had adapted these influences to create an “Arabized” Indian style, in which tunes from Indian films were reinterpreted with texts set in classical Arabic rather than colloquial language.
The acclaimed artist Muhammad Juma Khan, known for his mastery of the Hadhrami style, became one of the foremost practitioners of this hybrid form. The distinctive features of Adeni singing developed during the twentieth Century due to the convergence of multiple Yemeni and foreign musical elements, especially from India. Though a large portion of Aden’s pre-independence population was of Indian origin, the evolution of Adeni song was notably influenced by Egyptian melodies, and some musicians even incorporated Western rhythms such as the waltz.
Yemen Radio
Imam YaḥyaḤamīd al-Dīn, who feared openness and foreign interference, forced the Turkish Ottomans out and defended the independence of Yemen, yet within conservative and fundamentalist restrictions. As a consequence, the Yemeni Radio was only launched in 1955. It was a reaction to the launching of the Ṣawt al-‘Arab Radio, which had started broadcasting from Cairo, notably liberalist political ideas. Imam Aḥmad, the son of Imam YaḥyaḤamīd al-Dīn, who took his reign in 1948, consulted with theologians who refused the launching of the Radio. Still, the Radio was launched, and only news was broadcast at first.
They also recorded Qāsim al-Akhṭash, a Yemeni artist in Sanaa. He recorded using reels that existed then, allowing a longer recording duration. Yet recordings were made in Aden before Sanaa Radio’s recordings. They were commercial recordings of Sheikh ‘AlīAbū Bakr Bāsharāḥīl made in the late 1930s, in 1939, by the Odeon.
Singing post 1962 Revolution
After the 1962 revolution, Sanaa singing prospered, yet without the qanbūs or ṭarab, but with the kabanj’ūd played by talented artists such as MuḥammadḤamūd al-Ḥārithī, Aḥmad al-Snaydār, and ‘Alī al-Ānisi among others who became famous and served the Sanaa song with the big ‘ūd and a style inspired a little from Egypt and Syria, while preserving the main form or style.
On the other hand, some other artists did not become famous in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. They are: Ḥasan al-‘Ajamī, Yaḥya al-Nūnū, ṣaḥn player Muḥammad al-Khamīsī, as well as Muḥammad ‘Ushaysh, and they all preserved the old style and preserved the ṭarab as well and revived the old style and methods, considering that many elements, such as the firtāsh and the muṭawwal, had been neglected by the other artists. They continued to play the ṭarab and the ṣaḥn.
Women singers in the public domain
This period also witnessed the rise of women singers. Traditionally, singing was by men, and emerging women performers challenged dominant societal norms. Among these names is Nabat Ahmed (b. 1955), who has appeared in the Yemeni music scene since the early 1970s. Other names presented in the recently published book entitled “Women’s Lyrical Voices in Yemen 1950-2000” by researcher Yahya Qassem Sahel include: Raja’ Basudan, Nabiha Azim, Mona Ali, Taqiya Al Taweelah, Fatima Bahdela and Fatima Mansour Al-Shatri (Habbaniyah).
The rise of the tape cassette
The tape cassette became a dominant and accessible music dissemination format in the 1970s. It also helped a wider circulation of songs within and outside Yemen—the evolution of music in Yemen in the 20th Century and the advent of recording somewhat settled things. Today, we know that, for example, a certain qaṣīda was sung to a particular melody by a specific artist in 1940, recorded by Odeon on a specific date. Still, we do not know how it was before the recording era. This is an essential characteristic of the oral heritage: it is not fixed and settled when transmitted from generation to generation. The sea flows from generation to generation with all its forms, types and variations.
ūdvs Qumbus
The ‘ūd was not used in Yemen before Islam, yet there are indications of its existence there after Islam. Additionally, vocal forms such as the Sanaa singing, including ḥumaynī poetry, are a form of classical poetry influenced by the local colloquial language. It has existed in Yemen since the Medieval period (Middle Ages), i.e. at least since the 12th Century or the 13th Century during or after the Ayyubid dynasty.
The ‘ūd used in Yemen until the beginning of the 20th Century was strangely not the ‘ūdkumaythrī known in the Arab culture since the drawings of Al-Ḥarīrī’s maqāmāt, or even the drawings of the Alhambra showing the ‘ūd with wooden cover. Instead, the Yemeni ‘ūd called ṭarab in Sanaa has a unique pre-Abbasid body covered with goatskin or sheepskin that produces a distinctive sound, maybe softer, that is difficult to describe, yet undeniably distinctive. It is thinner and smaller, and thus can be played standing up, which is very practical to accompany dancing.
Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ṭaḥḥān describes the ‘ūd in “Ḥāwī al-funūnwa-salwat al-maḥzūn” that dates back probably to the first half of the eleventh Century and is considered one of the most important and oldest references about ‘ūd making. He mentioned the ‘ūd that existed before his era, described it as having an animal skin cover, and detailed the contemporary ‘ūd with a wooden cover. Before that, he talked about the ‘ūd with the animal skin cover and called this ‘ūd “barbaṭ”. The name barbaṭ is derived from Persian and Arabic: “bar” means chest in Persian, and “baṭt” means duck in Arabic. Indeed, the shape of this ‘ūd from head to body resembles the shape of a duck’s chest.
Thus, the ‘ūd that reached the Arabian Peninsula and the Ḥijāz coming from Persia during the early Islamic era and the Umayyad era is the same that reached Yemen, settled there, and kept its shape with all the changes that affected the ‘ūd later on in the Arab Levant.
We do not know when it reached Yemen, yet there are indications that it existed there in the 13th Century along with the ‘ūdkumaythrī. So, both co-existed in the same place during the same periods, in Yemen but also in other regions of the Arab World, such as Andalusia and Morocco, where it still exists under a different shape, the rabāba played with a bow, whose shape is very similar to the ṭarab instrument, also called qanbūs in Yemen, a name probably derived from Turkish, since in the History of Turkish Music there is an instrument called kūbūz that probably was Arabized into qabūs then qanbūs.
Most theories in books on Arab music and the Arabic musical system until a late period presented the ‘ūd as the instrument onto which the theory could be applied. This also applies to Yemen. The Yemeni ‘ūd, i.e. the ṭarab or qanbūs, has four strings, unlike the oriental ‘ūd, which was known in the 20th Century and has five strings.
The four strings are similar to those of the oriental ‘ūd except for the fifth string, i.e. the first, the second, and the third strings are Do, Sol, Re, which is from the jawāb to the qarār. The qarār is the fourth string, but it is tuned to Do, not to La like the big ‘ūd. It is the jawāb of the first string. The three strings are double strings, and the upper is single. Considering these four strings, the Do can be a qarār to the rāstmaqām, and the third string can be a qarār to the bayyātīmaqām, and the third one, plucked, would be a Mi / sikāh.
The strings of the Yemeni ‘ūd have names: the first one is the ḥādhiq (energetic); the second one is the awsaṭ (as it is approximately in the middle), and the rakhīm. The beautiful name rakhīm came from some qaṣīda that tells about the ṣawtrakhīm (melodious voice) of the birds or the ‘ūd. The fourth string is called jarr or yatīm (orphan). The yatīm may be because it is a single string.
Jean Lambert – pioneer ethnomusicologist
Jean Lambert is a research professor in anthropology and musicology who has dedicated his life to the study, preservation, and dissemination of Yemeni music. He has been associated with the Musée de l’Homme in Paris since 1991 and is the director of the French Centre for Archaeology and Social Sciences in Sanaa (Yemen). Lambert was also the Director of the Centre for Research in Ethnomusicology (CREM-LESC, UMR 7186), CNRS, Université de Paris Ouest Nanterre.
Focusing on the Arab world, particularly in Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula and Lebanon, Jean Lambert’s works explore the relationships between local musical practices and global meanings of Arab-Islamic culture: performance context, ritual practices, mythological representations, and the formation of contemporary identities. His current research focuses on zajal in Lebanon and the 1932 Music Conference in Cairo. Dr Lambert has published several books, more than forty scientific articles, and thirty CDs of traditional music from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and North Africa. He is also a consulting and management board member of AMAR.
Lambert published his book “Ṭubb al-nufūsfī al-ghinā’ al-Ṣan‘ānīfī al-mujtama‘ al-Yamanī” (“The Medicine of the Soul: Music and Musicians among Urban Dwellers in Sanaa (Republic of Yemen)”) in 1997. He invited several artists to France to record CDs at the Institut du Monde Arabe and French Radio, among others. In his lifelong mission to archive/document the endangered Yemeni heritage, he collaborated with UNESCO in 2000 to inscribe the Sanaa heritage on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. He worked on supporting this art through a project that lasted from 2006 to 2009.
For More on Yemeni music, tune in to AMAR Podcasts:
Several UAE government ministers affirmed that the election of Emirati woman, Her Excellency Sheikha Nasser Al Nowais, as Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a historic achievement for the UAE, both regionally and globally. This achievement reflects the country’s pioneering position and the success of its strategic vision to support international efforts to develop a sustainable and responsible tourism sector that contributes to advancing the economic and social development of the world’s peoples.
“Thanks to the directives of our wise leadership, the UAE is witnessing a new historic achievement for the UAE’s tourism sector, with the victory of the UAE’s candidate, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Nowais, for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations Tourism Organization for the period from 2026 to 2029. This is a translation of the pioneering and influential role played by the UAE in leading global efforts to achieve sustainable tourism development, in cooperation with decision-makers and international organizations at the global tourism sector level. It also confirms the success of the country’s vision to enhance openness to the world and build pioneering international relations that serve its vision as a leading tourist destination regionally and globally.
Sheikha Al Nowais as the first young Emirati and Arab woman to hold the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. This step reflects the competence of our young national cadres and their ability to gain international confidence to lead high-level positions in specialized sectors such as tourism. It also confirms the advanced status that Arab women have attained on the regional and global stage.
His Excellency praised Her Excellency’s expertise and capabilities in representing the country at the highest international levels, presenting a comprehensive and integrated vision for enhancing joint action to achieve sustainable and responsible growth in global tourism, advancing it to more advanced and prosperous levels, and contributing effectively to the implementation of the projects and initiatives of the United Nations Tourism Organization.
His Excellency considered that the UAE tourism sector succeeded in achieving exceptional growth indicators during the year 2024, and witnessed the launch of several national initiatives aimed at encouraging tourism in the country and attracting international tourists. These include the launch of the fifth season of the “World’s Coolest Winter” campaign, the inauguration of the National Tourism Charter, and the adoption of the International Code for the Protection of Tourists as a guide in cooperation with the United Nations Tourism Organization. This supports the achievement of the objectives of the “National Tourism Strategy 2031,” which aims to raise the country’s position as the best tourism identity in the world by the next decade
For her part, Her Excellency Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, affirmed that the election of Sheikha Nasser Al Nowais as Secretary-General of the United Nations Tourism Organization represents a remarkable achievement for the UAE and Emirati women. Her appointment as the first woman to hold this position embodies the international community’s confidence in her competence and reflects the UAE’s pioneering position in supporting sustainable development worldwide.
Her Excellency noted that Al Nowais’s extensive professional record in the private sector will contribute to presenting a new vision focused on achieving tangible results and enhancing the effectiveness of the organization’s work mechanism to serve the global tourism sector.
For his part, His Excellency Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, said: “The emphasis on empowering and supporting Emirati women is a key focus of the vision of our wise leadership to build a more prosperous and advanced future. The UAE is keen to enhance their participation and contribution to the development process at various levels, and to support their influential presence in regional and international forums. In this context, the selection of the young Emirati woman, Sheikha Al Nowais, as Secretary-General of the United Nations Tourism Organization confirms this forward-looking vision and represents an important step towards consolidating the UAE’s pioneering role in developing a safe and sustainable environment for the global tourism sector, which will contribute to driving the growth of this vital sector.
His Excellency added: “The election of Her Excellency Sheikha Al Nowais to this high-profile international position not only reflects her competence and professional excellence, but also reflects the international community’s confidence in the UAE and its credibility as an effective partner in supporting sustainable development around the world. It also underscores the prestigious status the country has attained regionally and internationally.
For his part, His Excellency Omar Obaid Al Hossan Al Shamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed the importance of this historic achievement by the UAE in the tourism sector, pointing out that the election of the first Emirati woman by the United Nations Tourism Organization confirms the continuous support and patronage that Emirati women receive from the wise leadership. It also confirms that the UAE’s ongoing efforts with the organization and its member states have borne fruit. His Excellency expressed his confidence that Emirati woman Sheikha Al Nowais, with her strong and distinguished experience in the tourism and hospitality sectors, will contribute to achieving a qualitative shift in tourism work regionally and globally.
Elected chairman of the Executive Board was Australia
The board’s new officials will hold office until mid-2028
Saudi Arabia was elected Friday as vice chair of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Executive Board for the 2025–2028 term.
The election was held during the board’s first meeting of its 57th session in Geneva following the conclusion of the 78th session of the World Health Assembly.
Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the session was led by Rakan Khalid Bin Dohaish, Ministry of Health undersecretary for international cooperation, reporesenting Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel, SPA reported.
Composed of 34 members from various member states, the WHO Executive Board is responsible for implementing the resolutions and recommendations of the World Health Assembly — the supreme decision-making body of the WHO. The Executive Board oversees priority health programs and policies at both regional and international levels.
Elected chairman of the Executive Board was Australia, represented by Blair Comley, secretary of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Also elected to the Board’s three other vice chair positions were Norway, Togo and Thailand.
A statement by the Saudi delegation, quoted by SPA, said the Kingdom’s election to the WHO Executive Board underscores “the growing international confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership and its significant role in advancing global public health.”
According to the WHO, Saudi Arabia has since 2018 consistently supported the organization, contributing over $385 million to global health initiatives and emergency-related operations in various countries including the occupied Palestinian territories, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Rakan Khalid Bin Dohaish, Saudi health undersecretary for international cooperation, attending the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva on Friday. (SPA)
The sacred site has been documented meticulously by historians and travelers
With an elevation of 1,084 meters, the mountain commands sweeping views across the surrounding plains
Rising from the landscape north of Madinah, Mount Al-Fahlatain has served as a geographical beacon and spiritual waypoint for more than a thousand years.
The landmark, on the historic route to AlUla, bears witness to one of Islam’s most significant military expeditions — the Prophet Muhammad’s journey to Tabuk in 9 A.H.
The mountain’s name tells its own story. Two colossal rocks crown its summit, their silhouette resembling the horns of a bull — “fahl” in Arabic, giving rise to “Al-Fahlatain,” or “the two bulls.”
The sacred site has been documented meticulously by historians and travelers.
Ali Al-Samhudi’s work, “Wafa Al-Wafa Bi Akhbar Dar Al-Mustafa,” places the location precisely one day’s march from Madinah, describing twin peaks sheltering underlying rock formations. Firuzabadi reinforced its historical significance in “Al-Maghanim Al-Mutaba fi Ma’alim Taba,” cataloging it among the landmarks witnessed by the Prophet’s army on their way to Tabuk.
Mohammed Ibn Abdullah Al-Mawlawi provided additional detail in “Rihlat Al-Shita Wa Al-Sayf,” positioning the twin peaks on the mountain’s western flank alongside the main thoroughfare. Al-Suwaidi offered an alternative etymology in “Al-Nafha Al-Miskiyya Fi Al-Rihla Al-Makkiyya,” suggesting the name reflects the mountain’s solitary stance in the landscape, isolated like a bull among grazing camels.
Historian and Islamic history researcher Fouad Al-Maghamsi identifies Mount Al-Fahlatain — sometimes called Faifa Al-Fahlatain — as strategically positioned near Shajwa village, northwest of Madinah.
With an elevation of 1,084 meters, the mountain commands sweeping views across the surrounding plains, bordered by complementary ridges and highlands.
Al-Maghamsi said the site functioned as a vital rest station along the Syrian Hajj route, known as Darb Al-Hajj Al-Shami, earning local appellations including “Antar’s Fortress” and “Antar’s Stable.”
Archaeological evidence such as building foundations and service facilities suggests a sophisticated infrastructure designed to support the thousands of pilgrims and merchants who annually traversed these routes.
The Syrian Hajj route encompasses diverse terrain rich with sites linked to prophetic biography and pilgrimage heritage.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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With an elevation of 1,084 meters, the mountain commands sweeping views across the surrounding plains. (SPA)
The UAE maintained its position as the top destination for deals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the first quarter of 2025, with a total of 63 deals worth $20.3 billion.
The UAE remains the preferred destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region by 2025, accounting for 53% of the total number of incoming deals and 99% of their total value. Austria was the leading investor, accounting for 94% of the total value of incoming deals, driven primarily by a major deal in the chemicals sector.
This was stated in a report issued by Ernst & Young (EY) on “Mergers and Acquisitions in the Middle East and North Africa”, which indicated that the region recorded an increase in deal activity during the first quarter of 2025, with 225 deals compared to 172 deals in the same period last year, representing a 31% increase in the number of deals year-on-year. The total value of announced deals in the first quarter of this year also increased by 66% to reach US$46 billion, compared to US$27.6 billion in the first quarter of 2024.
role in deal volume and value, with 117 deals recorded, representing 52% of the total number of deals, valued at USD 37.3 billion, or 81% of the total value of announced deals. The first quarter of 2025 saw the highest cross-border deal activity, both in terms of volume and value, compared to the same period in the past five years, as companies increasingly sought to grow and diversify outside their home markets.
“We saw a steady flow of M&A deals in 2025, and the MENA region will continue to experience strong deal flow for the remainder of 2025,” said Brad Watson, MENA Leader, EY-Parthenon. “This strong deal flow is driven by regulatory reforms, policy shifts, and a positive macroeconomic outlook, including easing interest rates and improved investor confidence.”
contributed 48% of the total number of deals in the first quarter of 2025. This growth in local M&A deals is in line with the International Monetary Fund’s forecast of 3.6% GDP growth for the Middle East and North Africa region this year, supported by the strong momentum of M&A activity around the world. Companies are re-aligning their strategies to better meet the needs of diversification, digital transformation, and the integration of emerging technologies.
He stressed that the UAE maintained its position as the top destination in the Middle East and North Africa region in the first quarter of 2025, recording 63 deals worth a total of USD 20.3 billion. Kuwait ranked second in terms of deal revenue, with USD 2.3 billion, driven by two major deals in the diversified industrial products and energy and utilities sectors.
During the first three months of 2025, Canada attracted the highest value of outbound deals from Middle Eastern and North African investors, at US$6.4 billion, while the United States remained the preferred target destination in terms of the number of deals.
number of deals in the first quarter of 2025, while the value of deals increased significantly to USD 8.7 billion, compared to USD 1.69 billion in the first quarter of 2024.
The technology sector led local mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the first quarter of 2025, contributing 37% of the total value of local deals and 27% of the total number of deals.
Inter-regional deals involving the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia accounted for 83% of the total value of local deals and 56% of the total number, highlighting the strong activity of cross-regional mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the technology, industrial, and real estate sectors.
foreign direct investment (FDI) during the first few months of 2025, with the number of inbound deals increasing by 21% and their value rising to USD 17.6 billion, compared to USD 2.5 billion in the first quarter of 2024.
The report indicated a 63% increase in the number of deals issued during the first three months of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024, reaching USD 19.7 billion, contributing 43% of the total deal value. The UAE and Saudi Arabia topped the list of deals issued from the Middle East and North Africa region, accounting for 77% of the total number of deals and 94% of their total value.
Anil Menon, MENA M&A and Capital Markets Leader, EY-Parthenon, said: “The MENA deal market has remained resilient, and the MENA deal pipeline for the rest of 2025 is promising and strong, with increased activity expected in the consumer, technology, and energy sectors. Artificial intelligence will drive fundamental value shifts, as we see significant capital allocation in technology.”
The Middle Eastern and North African music scene has a long history of artists blending traditional sounds with contemporary influences to create a truly unique sound.
Today, a new generation of artists are emerging from across the region, pushing boundaries and challenging norms with their bold sounds, unapologetic voices, and groundbreaking talent.
These women are leading the charge for the next generation, redefining what it means to be a female artist in the Arab world and opening new doors for Middle Eastern music on the global stage.
Nemahsis
Photo: Instagram @nemahsis
Nemah Hasan, aka Nemahsis, has captivated audiences around the world with her bold sound and fearless approach to the music industry. The 29-year-old Palestinian-Canadian artist first rose to fame with “what if i took it off for you?” in 2021, sparking conversation in the Muslim community about the hijab. The following year, she took off after releasing her debut EP eleven achers, exploring themes of immigration, mental health, and depression. However, Nemahsis was then dropped by her then label in October 2023. The artist stated: “My label just dropped me, a Palestinian artist, for being pro-Palestine”. After being dropped by her label, she turned to TikTok, Twitter, and Spotify to build an audience, making a comeback through self-advocacy and transparency through sharing her experience and music. She recently released her debut album Vertabhim, creating a sound that is raw, personal, and powerful, all while challenging the conventions of both music and identity. Through her resilience and authenticity, she’s paving the way for a new generation of Middle Eastern female artists, making her voice one to watch.
Zeyne
Photo: Instagram @zeyne
Palestinian-Jordanian singer Zeyne blends Arabic heritage with Western influences. Born to Palestinian parents, she grew up in a home where music was always present, learning piano and performing in a dabke (traditional Palestinian dance) group. During the pandemic, Zeyne began sharing covers on Instagram, gaining global recognition with her performance on the show Colors. Her debut single “Minni Ana” mixes Arabic R&B with modern sounds, while her latest track, “Balak” (featuring Saint Levant), explores love and longing. Zeyne’s music reflects her personal experiences and the challenges of being a young Arab woman in the industry, tackling topics not often discussed in her culture, such as mental health, anxiety and more, giving a voice to those who feel silenced by society. Her ability to blend genres and tell deeply personal stories that resonate with listeners, have made her a rising star, gaining attraction and fans worldwide.
Almas
Photo: Instagram @almasofficial_
Almas, an Emirati singer from Khor Fakkan, began her career at just 15. Inspired by the natural beauty of her hometown, Almas initially focused on Khaleeji pop and Iraqi songs. But as she grew, she started experimenting with rap, producing her own beats, and collaborating with young music producers. Almas continues to inspire with her bold and unique sound, transforming Khaleeji pop by mixing traditional sounds with fresh, new genres. Her major breakthrough came when she performed at the Expo 2020 opening alongside big names like Hussein Al-Jassmi, where she sang the official theme song “This Is Our Time”, celebrating the UAE’s culture, the future, and bringing together nations from around the world. Recently, she became the ambassador for Spotify’s Equal Arabia program, further establishing her as a trailblazer for women in the Arab music scene.
Laura Mekhail
Photo: Instagram @lauramekhail_sop
In early 2024, Egyptian soprano Laura Mekhail made her mark on the classical music scene, performing with Andrea Bocelli in AlUla, performing at the Dubai Opera and becoming the first Arab woman to receive the prestigious Bocelli-Jameel scholarship. Raised in Minya, Egypt, Laura initially faced concern about pursuing classical singing, but she stayed determined to follow her passion. Now, Laura is changing perceptions of classical music and making her mark globally, inspiring future generations with her story of perseverance and dedication to her passion. Her success story is now an inspirational one, setting new standards for young Arab women.
Cosmiccat
Photo: Instagram @cosmicatx
Saudi Arabia’s first female DJ, Nouf Sufyani, aka Cosmiccat, has taken the electronic music world by storm, paving the way for women in electronic music. Born and raised in Jeddah, her love for music began at an early age, though she initially pursued dentistry before following her passion for music production. Since 2016, she has performed at some of the world’s most renowned festivals, including Ultra Miami and Exit Festival. Cosmiccat’s journey is one of determination and ambition, challenging societal expectations and navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry. Through her deep passion for music, unique sound and unapologetic persona, she’s become a trailblazer for women in the Arab electronic music scene, breaking barriers and inspiring a new generation of Arab women in music.
Nour
Photo: Instagram @r4wlight
Egyptian singer Nour is making a name for herself in the global music scene with her mix of soul, R&B, jazz, and UK garage. She developed an interest in music at a young age, often performing in school talent shows. Despite facing challenges as a woman in a male-dominated industry, Nour’s music resonates with fans around the world. Her debut single “Purple Heart” and recent track “Wana” blend Arabic and English lyrics to address themes like grief and self-reflection and has since taken the music scene by storm with her unique sound and identity helping her rise to fame. Nour’s rise has been nothing short of impressive, pushing boundaries and setting new standards for what it means to be an Arab woman artist in today’s music world.
Yara Mustafa
Photo: Instagram @yaraalmustafa
Saudi-born, raised in Kuwait and Jordan, and now based in the US, Yara Mustafa is a trained soprano singer and actress known for her powerful voice. At just 17, she was cast in Netflix’s AlRawabi School for Girls, where she also recorded a theme song for the series. Though she faced societal pressure, Yara rose above it and kept pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an Arab woman in the entertainment industry. Recently, she has became the face of Erborian and is also sponsored by Samsung, while continuing to inspire through her bold and captivating performances.
Tamtam
photo Instagram grazia_me and tamtamsound
Previous GRAZIA cover star, Riyadh born singer Tamtam is reshaping the music scene. Born in Riyadh and now based between Los Angeles and Saudi Arabia, Tamtam blends alternative pop, R&B, and Arabic influences, breaking cultural boundaries. Her debut album “Ma3assalama Side A” merges old-school Arabic cinema vibes with modern pop beats and her bold sound and empowering lyrics have earned her a loyal fanbase worldwide. Each track highlights how Tamtam’s music transcends both borders and generations through her sound. Despite early struggles, including her family’s concerns, Tamtam has made a name for herself globally. She is now on a mission to take Arabic music to the world and bridge the cultural divide between East and West while championing issues of identity, gender equality, freedom, and empowerment.
Nadine El Roub
Photo: Instagram @nadineelroubi
Sudanese-Egyptian artist Nadine El Roubi blends Afro-Arab influences with modern sounds. Raised across multiple countries, Nadine’s music is inspired from her diverse upbringing. Her debut EP Triplicit in 2022 explored themes of self-discovery and empowerment. Known for her freestyles on social media, Nadine uses her platform to speak out on issues like gender, culture, and the ongoing conflicts in Sudan and Palestine. Her recent single New Era is an anthem of confidence, showcasing her blend of trap and Arabic influences and her unapologetic lyrics and unique sound have made her a standout artist in the global music scene. While her songs feature a range of sounds, the underlying themes remain consistent: self-love, self-discovery, and human connection, all through the lens of a third-culture Afro-Arab woman. Nadine is redefining what it means to embrace one’s heritage while pushing the boundaries of music. Her unapologetic, genre-blending style is challenging stereotypes and giving a voice to a new generation of Arab women.
Art has long served as a powerful connector across geographies and ideologies, while its role in bridging cultural divides in these times is vital. The Arab Media Summit featured a session on art and culture, underlining the growing recognition of creative expression as a central pillar in shaping public discourse.
The session, titled “Dialogue on Art and Culture”, was held on the second day of the Arab Media Summit at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It was moderated by Antonia Carver, CEO of the Art Jameel Centre, and featured Saeb Eigner who is an international author and scholar.
Eigner presented his new book, “Artists of the Middle East: 1900 to Now”, a comprehensive 400-page volume chronicling the work of 259 artists from across the region.
Both Carver and Eigner expressed their enthusiasm at the inclusion of an art session within a major media summit, calling it a much needed and timely initiative.
Eigner, known equally for his leadership in financial regulation and his deep involvement in art and culture, shared insights on balancing his dual careers. “Art holds a firm third place in my life, after work and family,” he said.
While his previous book, “Art of the Middle East” – an international success that is now in its fourth edition – offered an introduction to regional art, the new volume dives deeper into the artistic evolution of the Middle East, featuring both early modernists and contemporary voices.
Among the iconic works discussed were Dia al-Azzawi’s “Angry Man”, Mahmoud Saïd’s “Peasant Girl”, and Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq’s evocative pieces. The book also highlights artists such as Inji Efflatoun and Abdulhalim Radwi, offering myriad stories, regional styles, mediums, and influences. The book cover features AI-influenced work by Palestinian artist Samia Halaby.
Eigner reflected on the depth of history behind each selected artist, some deceased, others actively shaping the contemporary art scene. He noted the inclusion of Arabic calligraphy from pre-Islamic times, highlighting the linguistic and visual legacy carried through the arts.
Importantly, the book also shines a light on female artists. “Selecting just 259 artists was no easy task,” Eigner said, “but the intent was to present a wide-ranging, authentic narrative of Middle Eastern creativity.”
The session closed on a poignant note, emphasising that art is not merely an expression, but a necessity in times of division. By celebrating cultural heritage and individual narratives, it fosters empathy and shared understanding across borders.
The Founding Day celebrations concluded on Sunday evening, after being organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Principality of Riyadh region over four days, from February 20 to 23, 2025.
The event witnessed a high turnout, with over 50,000 visitors from various backgrounds.
The celebrations set a Guinness World Record for the largest Saudi Ardah performance, with 633 participants showcasing this traditional dance.
This achievement highlights the significance of Ardah as a deep-rooted national tradition, reflecting pride in Saudi identity and a commitment to preserving and promoting cultural heritage globally.
Renowned Lebanese novelist, journalist, critic and lifetime advocate of the Palestinian cause Elias Khoury died on Sunday aged 76. We delve into his life & work.
Elias Khoury (1948-2024), who died last Sunday in Beirut, once said: “I confess I’m scared. I’m scared of a history that has only one version. History has dozens of versions, and for it to ossify into one leads only to death.”
This sentence remains highly significant when it comes to defining the career of the Lebanese novelist, storyteller, critic, and journalist.
In his career, in both literary terms and human, as all of the above, he never ceased to experiment and innovate, but more than that, his work showed his deep preoccupation with the search for the meaning in history and events, and the significance of this aspect is evident in most of his literary works.
It was perhaps the Palestinian issue, which took on a central place in many of his works, where he probed the sufferings which had befallen the Palestinian people and the dilemma of their fragmentation.
He did this by intertwining the human and political dimensions using characters and events, which were both rooted in reality – yet brimming with imagination.
This style was among what imbued his works with a literary depth and created a unique experience for the reader.
The way he interwove these aspects allowed him to explore psychological, political and cultural worlds, through characters and events which in some cases seemed unconventional, often relying on the technique of polyphony (using multiple voices), and alternating between narrative and inner dialogue.
Time, as a concept in his novels, was often non-linear, reflecting the complexities of life and memory.
This style is clearly evident in novels like Yalo and Gate of the Sun, where his poetic prose infuses the narrative with an aesthetic beauty.
However, when it came to addressing issues around identity and belonging, Khoury often relied on the emotional depth of the characters and events to tackle these aspects; he dealt with Palestinian and Lebanese identity in relation to their background of political unrest, occupation, and displacement.
In this way, he offered ethical and philosophical insights into the meanings of belonging in a world beset by constant upheaval.
The theme of Palestinian asylum appears extensively in his most prominent works, rooted in the many stories he collected from refugee camps during the long years of Israel’s occupation.
Many critics consider his novel Gate of the Sun (“Bab Al-Shams”) (1998) to be the first epic work with regard to the Palestinian narrative, which gave voice to their unfinished journey and their continuing torment.
The novel Gate of the Sun was associated with a later youth-led experiment opposing settler colonialism in the Palestinian territories in 2013, where young Palestinian activists gave the novel’s name to a tent village they established that year on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Israeli forces demolished the site less than two days after it was erected.
In 2013, Khoury gave a speech from Beirut to a group of 250 Palestinian activists who had been involved in establishing the Gate of the Sun encampment.
He said among other things that day: “I will not say, ‘I wish I were with you,’ for I am with you … This is the Palestine that Yunis envisioned in the novel Bab Al-Shams.”
The stories in this novel, although told from the viewpoint of Khalil, one of its protagonists, are written as different versions of the same story, with the narrator moving back and forth with the passage of time, as he wrestles with the evasiveness of memory, and questions of motive and identity, which reflect the instability of the truth, and the impossibility of capturing even one version of it.
In one interview, Khoury said: “I discovered, to my surprise, that there were basically no written accounts of the war. There was no archive to consult, there were only the whispers you might hear at home—the Druze killed your grandfather, the Christians murdered your uncle, that kind of thing.
“To me, this lack of a specifically written past meant that we Lebanese had no present, either. I’m not interested in memory as such, I’m interested in the present. But to have a present, you have to know which things to forget and which things to remember. Our lack of written history made me feel that I didn’t even know the country I grew up in. I didn’t know my place in it.
“I don’t think I made any great discoveries as a historian, but when I began writing novels, a few years later, I found that I wanted to write the present—the present of our own civil war.”
In his novel, White Masks (1981), which he wrote during the Lebanese Civil War, Khoury used a journalistic style to portray the physical devastation wrought on Beirut, its buildings and infrastructure, and the psychological toll of the war on its residents. He dealt with issues rarely addressed by Arabic novelists at that time, like women’s rights, societal restrictions and religion.
Moreover, in his novels, Khoury did not simply describe the horrors that took place, but went further: he went into their impact on people, nature and relationships.
The relevance of the colour white in this novel is in its ability to reveal; its symbolism of light, which exposes things as they are, revealing scenes with all the absurdity, tragedy, and madness they contain.
Khoury did this, letting us read into phenomena and what lay behind them, to understand what was happening around us, so that we would not unwittingly become tools in a game in which we had no choice but compliance; to perform a part.
This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition. To read the original article click here
Translated by Rose Chacko
This article is taken from our Arabic sister publication, Al-Araby Al Jadeed and mirrors the source’s original editorial guidelines and reporting policies. Any requests for correction or comment will be forwarded to the original authors and editors
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