Snowflake and AWS Launch AI Data Cloud in UAE for Secure Data Residency and AI Acceleration
DUBAI, UAE – January 26, 2026 – Snowflake and Amazon Web Services announced the general availability of Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud on the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region to provide local, secure AI-ready environments supporting data residency and enterprise AI adoption. The launch reduces latency and improves performance while aligning with the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031.
Announcement Specifics
Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud became generally available on 26 January 2026 in the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region. The expanded partnership includes doubled year-on-year AWS Marketplace transaction growth exceeding $2 billion globally. New interoperability features encompass Catalog Federation for accessing Iceberg-format data via AWS Glue Data Catalog and Catalog-linked databases for automatic discovery and governance without table duplication.
Stakeholder Perspectives
“The combination of secure local infrastructure, strong governance controls, and AI-ready performance is essential as the UAE moves to turn its national AI goals into long-term value.”
— Tareq Masoud, Country Manager, UAE at Snowflake
Why it matters: This underscores Snowflake’s role in enabling UAE’s AI ambitions by addressing infrastructure gaps.
“Our collaboration with AWS strengthens that foundation by giving local organisations a way to modernise data platforms, build trusted AI systems, and generate value from their data at scale.”
— Tareq Masoud, Country Manager, UAE at Snowflake
Why it matters: This highlights AWS’s contribution to scalable AI ecosystems in regulated markets.
Industry Context
The UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031 prioritizes AI for economic growth through talent, innovation, and digital infrastructure. Demand grows for governed data environments to fuel AI across sectors, with local cloud regions ensuring compliance and low latency. This deployment empowers UAE organizations to modernize data platforms securely, aligning with national goals and fostering AI-driven value creation without cross-regional data movement.
The partnership positions the UAE as a Middle East AI hub, strengthening Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s positions as regional technology centers capable of supporting enterprise-grade AI workloads with sovereign data controls.
Conclusion
The partnership is expected to accelerate enterprise AI adoption across the UAE, delivering economic impact through trusted data systems that support the nation’s transformation into a global AI leader by 2031.
Sources: Fintech News Middle East
