No Uber for Abu Dhabi

Taxi-hailing company Uber has temporarily suspended its service in Abu Dhabi following reports that as many as 50 drivers had been arrested.

18:29 30 August 2016

Uber has suspended its service in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Rival service Careem has also put its service there on hold. This comes after news that some of the companies’ cars were stopped by authorities and that dozens of drivers were arrested over the weekend.

 

Uber did not provide explanation but they said that the move was “temporary.” In a statement, the company said: "This is a temporary suspension and we will let you know of any further updates."

 

Both Uber and Careem are operating as normal in neighbouring Dubai.

 

Uber has been investing heavily in the Middle East, which was boosted by a recent $3.5bn investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

 

However, the company has been faced with legal battles as they try to expand internationally.

 

In the UK, two drivers have taken the company to an employment tribunal saying that they should be offered holiday and sick pay. In Taiwan, the company is facing a ban after officials said that the firm was not operating lawfully. This month, the company sold its business in China.