Mubasher: Amazon plans its next big push in the Middle East, as the e-commerce giant pursues growth outside the US.

Amazon has been communicating in recent weeks with largest third-party sellers in North America, informing them of an upcoming opportunity to reach customers first in the UAE and then in Saudi Arabia, CNBC reported on Tuesday, citing merchants.

With launching a marketplace in the Middle East in the coming months, the online retail titan is downplaying Souq.com, which it purchased for $580 million in 2017.

The new Middle East marketplace would be similar to Amazon’s other international websites, with a more unified appearance and brand in the region and the same seller back-end system used in the US, sellers said.

The Middle East is a potentially lucrative market for Amazon, as the parts of the region are rife with millionaires, while most business transactions are made in English.