Covering Disaster Risk Management, Repo Facility, Saudi Central Bank, Monetary Policy, Licensing. Explore regulatory developments in Disaster Risk Management, Repo Facility, Saudi Central Bank licensing, and Monetary Policy across the Middle East, focusing on healthcare inventory mandates, financial sector support, and payment service licensing.
Regulatory news, updates, and insights for countries in the Middle East presented by the Carver Agents team
Welcome to Carver's Middle East Regulatory Updates for April 05, 2026.
In the United Arab Emirates, the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi has issued mandatory inventory requirements for pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and consumables. Licensed entities must now maintain a minimum inventory covering six months based on average demand in the Abu Dhabi market. Additionally, monthly inventory reports must be submitted using the specified reporting template starting immediately from the issuance of this circular. This measure aims to mitigate risks of supply disruptions and ensure continuous availability of critical medical products and consumables in the region.
Also in the United Arab Emirates, external circular 400 has been issued to healthcare providers, outlining guidelines to maintain organ donation and transplantation services during crises and exceptional circumstances. Healthcare providers are required to review and comply with these guidelines to ensure continuity of these essential services during emergencies.
Turning to Qatar, the Qatar Central Bank announced new monetary policy measures on March 28, 2026, to strengthen the resilience of the financial sector amid uncertain external conditions. The bank introduced unlimited Qatari Riyal repo facilities with maturities up to three months, reduced reserve requirements on deposits from 4.5 percent to 3.5 percent, and allowed banks to offer borrowers deferral of loan principal and interest payments for up to three months.
In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Central Bank, known as SAMA, has licensed Atioon for Innovative Information and Communication Technology Company to operate payment services. This brings the total number of licensed payment service providers in Saudi Arabia to 31. SAMA emphasizes that payment services may only be operated by entities licensed or authorized by the Saudi Central Bank, and stakeholders are encouraged to verify licensing status via the official SAMA website.
That wraps up today's regulatory updates. Visit carveragents.ai for more information.