This week (14 - 20 July) brings a slate of high‑profile gatherings and cultural celebrations across the Middle East and North Africa—from Egypt’s flagship mining forum to the UAE’s date‑harvest festivities, Saudi Arabia’s blockbuster music festival, and an EU‑hosted Mediterranean pact discussion—that will shape investment flows, heritage‑tourism dynamics and regional cooperation agendas.
Business and Sectoral Conferences
Egypt Mining Forum (15–16 July 2025, Cairo)
On Tuesday and Wednesday, 15–16 July, Egypt will host its premier mining industry conference in Cairo. The forum “will bring together key players from the global mining industry” at a time when Egypt is positioning itself as a strategic hub for mineral exploration and processing. Participants—including mining companies, international investors and policymakers—will discuss investment frameworks, exploration best practices and technological innovation in Egypt’s mineral sector.
Oil & Gas Technology Summit (17 July 2025, Dubai)
On Thursday, 17 July, Dubai convenes an Oil & Gas Technology Summit focused on deploying cutting‑edge solutions to enhance efficiency, safety and sustainability across the region’s energy value chain. UAE officials emphasise this event as proof of the country’s central role in driving global energy innovation, with sessions on digital oilfield applications, carbon‑capture advances and next‑generation health‑and‑safety protocols.
Diplomatic and Strategic Dialogues
EU Foreign Affairs Council – Mediterranean 2025 Pact (15 July 2025, Brussels)
On Tuesday, 15 July, EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels for the Foreign Affairs Council session titled “Mediterranean 2025: the Pact and the reform of the Union for the Mediterranean.” They will review a revitalised Euro–Mediterranean pact aimed at bolstering economic linkages, sustainable‑energy and water‑infrastructure projects, and crisis‑resilience measures with partners such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. Institutional reforms to strengthen the Union for the Mediterranean’s governance will also feature prominently on the agenda.
Cultural and Entertainment Events
Liwa Date Festival (14–27 July 2025, Abu Dhabi)
From Monday, 14 July through Sunday, 27 July, the Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi will host the UAE’s annual date‑harvest festival. Showcasing Emirati heritage and agrarian traditions, the event features harvest competitions, date auctions, a traditional souk, folkloric music and dance performances. Farmers, artisans and tourists alike converge to celebrate the cultural and culinary significance of the date palm in Gulf society.
Onyx Music Festival (17 & 25 July 2025, Jeddah)
On Thursday, 17 July and Friday, 25 July, Jeddah’s Onyx Arena will welcome back the Onyx Music Festival with an international lineup of headliners. U.S. rap icons Quavo and Metro Boomin kick off the series, followed by EDM heavyweights Don Diablo and Meduza, before the Black Eyed Peas close out the festival’s grand finale. This two‑day showcase underscores Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding live‑music scene and is expected to draw large, diverse audiences for world‑class performances.
Looking Ahead
With sector‑specific summits in mining and energy, world‑heritage celebrations in the Liwa Oasis, blockbuster music events in Jeddah and high‑level EU‑Mediterranean diplomacy unfolding between 14 and 20 July, this week will be pivotal for investment sentiment, cultural‑tourism flows and regional cooperation frameworks. Stakeholders and observers should track conference communiqués and festival outcomes to anticipate shifts in cross‑border partnerships, heritage‑economy revenues and strategic alignments in the MENA region.
