Alibaba Expands Gulf Presence Through Local Partnerships
The UAE and Saudi Arabia's inclusion in discussions around the BRICS bloc signifies growing ties with China.
Alibaba Group Holding, the Chinese e-commerce giant, is gearing up to bolster its presence in the Gulf region through strategic collaborations with local enterprises in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.[1]
At the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Michael Evans, President of Alibaba Group, emphasized the company's commitment to deepening its engagement in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region by replicating successful partnership models.
"We've chosen to partner, which is somewhat unconventional for a Chinese company," Evans remarked during a panel session at the World Governments Summit (WGS), as reported by Bloomberg. "Partnering in a local market, we've done it here in the GCC. We're going to do it in the UAE. We've just finished doing something very interesting in Saudi Arabia."
Despite challenges, co-founder Jack Ma's call to rectify the company's trajectory resonated, prompting a reevaluation of its approach.
Evans emphasized the value of local partnerships as conduits for ongoing dialogue and insight into market dynamics, stressing their integral role in sustaining competitive relevance.
In a broader geopolitical context, the UAE and Saudi Arabia's inclusion in discussions around the BRICS bloc signifies growing ties with China, fueling ambitions for regional economic expansion.
Alibaba Cloud's entry into the Saudi market through a joint venture with Saudi Cloud Computing Co. supports the Kingdom's development goals. Operating from the King Abdullah Financial District, Alibaba aims to deliver cloud services to both public and private sector entities.