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Amazon To Deliver Thousands Of Iftar Meals Across The UAE
The e-commerce giant has partnered with the UAE Food Bank to deliver 50,000 kg of food during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Amazon UAE has announced plans to continue its long-standing collaboration with the UAE Food Bank for the launch of the 2024 edition of “Iftar on Wheels”, a meal donation program supporting thousands of families in need. Now in its fourth year, the partnership will leverage Amazon’s massive fulfillment network to pack and distribute 50,000 kg of Iftar meals across the Emirates during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Over the last four years, Amazon has contributed to delivering millions of fresh meals and grocery supplies to underserved communities. The 2024 edition of the Iftar on Wheels program will also kick off a company-wide volunteering initiative that will see employees dedicating thousands of hours to delivering produce to vulnerable families across the UAE.
Regarding the partnership, Manal Bin Yaroof, Executive Director of the UAE Food Bank, said, “The UAE Food Bank aims to entrench the values of social responsibility and volunteerism among individuals and organizations. We do this through sustainable partnerships with various entities to raise awareness and help reduce food waste in the country. Our partnership with Amazon is now in its fourth year and we are very happy to work together once again for the Iftar on Wheels program. Through Amazon’s scale and logistics expertise, we will further our goals by delivering meals to as many underprivileged people as possible during the Holy Month of Ramadan”.
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Iftar on Wheels is a part of Amazon’s wider global efforts to reduce food insecurity for underprivileged communities. As part of that process, the company continues to provide vital support to local partners in all of its operational regions who share the same commitment.

Prashant Saran, Director of Operations, Amazon MENA, said, “The Holy Month of Ramadan reminds us of the people who need our compassion. Amazon is committed to working side by side with local partners to make a positive impact in the community. This is a special time of the year when we continue to serve customers while at the same time utilizing our scale and expertise as a force for good in the community”.
Since its UAE launch, Amazon has continued to strengthen its presence and boost the order fulfillment experience for local customers. Today, Amazon’s operations network in the UAE spans three fulfillment centers, another three sorting centers, eight delivery stations, and a vast network of small and medium logistics businesses working as Delivery Service Partners.
News
Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments
Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.
For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.
Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.
Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.
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The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.
For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.
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