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Romania and Bulgaria Officially Join the EU’s Schengen Zone

As of Wednesday, January 1, 2025, Romania and Bulgaria have become full members of the European Union’s Schengen free-travel area, marking a historic expansion of the bloc. Land border controls were officially scrapped, allowing residents to travel seamlessly across participating countries without passport checks.

A Celebratory Moment at the Danube

Fireworks illuminated the night sky at the Friendship Bridge, a key crossing over the Danube River near the Bulgarian town of Ruse, as the interior ministers of both nations symbolically lifted the barrier at midnight. This crossing, a critical route for international trade, is often plagued by bottlenecks, but the removal of land checks is expected to ease congestion.

“This is a historic moment,” declared Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev. “From Greece in the south to Finland in the north and as far west as Portugal, we can now travel without borders.”

A Long Road to Schengen Membership

Although border checks for air and sea travel were removed in March 2024, land checks had remained in place until Austria recently lifted its veto. Austria had previously argued that additional measures were needed to curb irregular migration.

Romania and Bulgaria’s journey to Schengen membership has been long, as they faced years of opposition despite meeting the technical criteria. The recent development is a major milestone, cementing their place in the EU’s free-travel area.

Schengen: A Borderless Vision

The Schengen area, initially established in 1985 between France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, now encompasses 25 of the EU’s 27 member states, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

However, not all EU countries participate. Ireland has opted out, and Cyprus remains outside the Schengen zone. Despite being an EU member since 2004, Cyprus faces challenges in meeting all the technical requirements for Schengen membership, partly due to its complex political situation. These challenges include strengthening border security and immigration controls.

Cyprus continues to work towards full Schengen membership, but the political and logistical factors involved present significant hurdles, and the timeline for its integration remains uncertain.

This historic expansion of the Schengen area, however, reinforces the EU’s vision of a borderless Europe, further uniting the bloc and streamlining travel and trade across its member states.

Forbes Middle East Unveils 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen Of 2025

Forbes Middle East has unveiled its much-anticipated 2025 ranking of the region’s top businesswomen, spotlighting influential leaders reshaping industries and driving meaningful transformation. The list was based on business size, individual accomplishments, leadership impact, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Top Spot For Hana Al Rostamani

For the third consecutive year, Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank (UAE’s largest bank by assets), claims the top position. In addition to retaining her position in the Forbes Middle East ranking, she was also featured on Forbes’ 2024 list of the World’s Most Powerful Women, securing the 60th position globally. Under her leadership, the bank achieved an impressive $3.5 billion in net profits and $334.8 billion in assets in the first nine months of 2024.

Rising Stars In The Top 10

Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar of NBK Group and Shaista Asif, cofounder and Group CEO of PureHealth Holding, take the second and third spots respectively, completing the top three.

The top 10 remains largely unchanged from last year, with Tayba Al Hashemi of ADNOC Offshore, Alisha Moopen of Aster DM Healthcare GCC, and Suzanne Al Anani of Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) making their debut in the top 10. In total, 27 new leaders have joined the list this year.

A Diverse And Powerful Group Of Women

This year’s list features 100 women from 32 sectors and 29 nationalities, underlining the diversity of talent driving the region’s progress. The banking and financial services sector leads with 25 entries, followed by healthcare and technology with nine each, and venture capital with five. Remarkably, 40% of the top 10 women are from the banking and financial services sector. Notably, Shaista Asif (PureHealth Holding) and Alisha Moopen (Aster DM Healthcare GCC) are the only non-Arab women in the top 10.

UAE Leads With 46 Leaders

The UAE continues to dominate, with 46 of the women on the list hailing from the country, solidifying its status as a global business hub. Egypt follows with 18 influential women, and Saudi Arabia claims nine entries. Egyptians lead in representation, followed by Emiratis and Lebanese women.

Empowering Women Through Initiatives

Several of the leaders have focused on upskilling and creating opportunities for women. Susana Rodriguez Puerta launched the ‘sAIdaty’ initiative in collaboration with the Dubai Business Women Council, aimed at providing 500 female council members in the UAE with AI skills. Similarly, Lamia Tazi of SOTHEMA collaborated with the Foundation for Research, Development, and Innovation in Science and Engineering to provide scholarships to PhD students from low-income backgrounds.

Click here for the full list.

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