Category Archives: Govt

China’s Belt and Road initiative is expected to have major implications on trade and investment flows among Muslim countries, according to panellists addressing the topic at the Global Islamic Economy Summit 2018 (GIES) in Dubai. Entitled ‘One Belt, One Road, – How Might We Harness the Silk Route for the Islamic Economy?’, the panel highlighted the unprecedented opportunities for the Muslim nations that are located along the New Silk Road and examined the new growth opportunities that are opening up as the major infrastructure project progresses. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE and Ruler, Dubai, the fourth edition of GIES is organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre in cooperation with Thomson Reuters as strategic partner. Held from October 30-31, 2018, GIES attarcted the participation of over 3,000 key decision makers, policymakers, government officials, business leaders and industry experts from around the world. Launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, Belt and Road aims to improve connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries. During the session, Professor Nabil Baydoun, Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai, spoke about the geographical importance of what is a new ‘Silk Route’ and how the project is an integral part of the Chinese plan for their economy. “It helps China increase trade among 65 countries and its biggest advantage is that it brings China closer to the world. Each nation needs to step up and play a part in working towards Belt and Road. Chinese regulations need to open the door to the world,” he said. Professor Wang Yiwei, …

One of the most important MiCE events in the emirate of Sharjah, this year’s Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) opened under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member, Supreme Council and Ruler, Sharjah. Now in its 37th year, the fair has attracted visitors from across the globe and is considered as the second-largest book fair in the world. This edition will be hosting more than 20 million books from 1.6 million titles, 80,000 of which are new titles, and 1,874 publishing houses from 77 countries. The event will be curating 1800 events and featuring 472 guests from around the world with 200 book signing ceremonies for authors from 19 countries. Japan is the Guest of Honour at this year’s edition in celebration of its cultural and creative achievements. SIBF will be organising more than 100 activities comprising 13 Japanese authors and creative artists. The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) announced the launch of its interactive blog during its participation at the SIBF, with an aim to encourage visitors and residents of Sharjah to share their positive experiences in the emirate. The blog provides an ideal platform to share memorable experiences of visits to the emirate’s tourism and entertainment sites. In a move to better engage audiences, SCTDA’s blog will run a contest encouraging participants to write articles on their views and personal experiences about Sharjah in 300 to 400 words. Participants must focus on one of the three main categories – Culture and Heritage; Food and Street Food and Adventures and submissions, and it can include photos and a video. The participants should submit their entries through the official website www.visitsharjah.com for …

Sharjah international book fair has opened under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member, Supreme Council and Ruler, Sharjah. Guests were quite intrigued with an emotional message of heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to recognise the towering contributions of his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson, Supreme Council of Family Affairs (SCFA), and presented her the ‘Sharjah Coronet’ for dedicated services to society. Now in its 37th year, the fair has attracted visitors from across the globe and is considered as the second largest book fair in the world. This edition will be hosting more than 20 million books from 1.6 million titles, 80,000 of which are new titles, along with 1,874 publishing houses from 77 countries. The event will be curating 1800 events and featuring 472 guests from around the world with 200 book-signing ceremonies for authors from 19 countries. Japan is the Guest of Honour at this year’s edition in celebration of its cultural and creative achievements. On the occasion, His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member, Supreme Council and Ruler, Sharjah, said, “I extend a special welcome to Japan, our guest of honour. In 1979, I launched an appeal to stop building concrete structures and build knowledge and culture. In 2019, it’ll be 40 years since the appeal. When we look back, we can see that we have built a 40-year legacy of giving and exceptional cultural achievements. I can never take the sole credit for this; I say ‘we’ have achieved everything together, and I would like to once again thank you all for your contribution to the fair’s 40-year journey and success in …

The United Arab Emirates witnesses UAE Flag Day  celebrations on November 1. Bryan Thompson, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Abu Dhabi Airport’, said, “The celebrations taking place across the nation this Flag Day on November 1 are a manifestation of the unity and cohesion among citizens and residents alike. The flag is a part of the national identity of the UAE; it represents tolerance, belonging, sacrifices made and sovereignty. “Coinciding with the anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President, UAE, Flag Day marks an important date for the country. It is an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and successes of the nation and express our gratitude to the UAE’s visionary leaders.” He added, “By raising the national flag at all of Abu Dhabi Airports’ premises, we are renewing our commitment to national initiatives and implementing the nation’s values on a daily basis. Abu Dhabi Airports has taken our commitment one step further as last month we adopted the values of the nation’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as our corporate values. The values of wisdom, respect, sustainability and human development have become our compass in everything we do.” Commenting on the occasion, HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), said, “We extend our warmest congratulations and appreciation to HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President, UAE; HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, UAE and Ruler, Dubai; HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member, Supreme Council and Ruler, Sharjah, and their highnesses the Supreme Council members and rulers of the emirates. The UAE Flag Day embodies the sovereignty …

Seatrade Maritime Middle East (SMME) 2018 is being organised from October 29-31, 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre. The event brings together ship owners and managers, port operators and cargo owners, C-Suite stakeholders, financiers, and other maritime professionals for a three-day international exhibition and conference programme. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the event is the official maritime exhibition to take place during the UAE Maritime Week 2018. Nearly 300 exhibitors from leading international maritime companies and over 8,000 attendees, including renowned local, regional and global maritime experts and specialists, are expected to join the trade show and its associated events. During the three days, participants are going to network, do business, strengthen and nurture new relationships, while hearing about industry topics within relevant and comprehensive conference sessions, seminars and panel discussions, among others. The topics to be discussed in the scheduled forums will revolve around autonomous shipping and automation, fuels of the future, digital and cyber technologies and environmental challenges within the shipping industry. Participants will also have an opportunity to meet the world’s leading suppliers covering supply, construction, and maintenance of vessels.

The International Government Communication Centre (IGCC) has announced March 20–21, 2019 as the dates for the 8th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) to be held under the theme ‘Behavioural Change Towards Human Development’. Organised by Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), IGCF 2019 will host prominent figures and top officials from around the world, including heads of state and governments, thought leaders, directors of regional and international organisations, representatives of civil society and study and research centres, media personnel and students of mass communication and media. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman, Sharjah Media Council (SMC), highlighted the unique focus of IGCF 2019, saying, “IGCF’s previous editions have successfully strengthened communication structures and tools by shedding light on several issues of importance in the field across nations and governments. The 2019 edition is set to be one of the IGCF’s most specialised. It will be tailor-made to assess the role of government communication in promoting positive behaviour around issues of national interest. Government communication’s mission is to enhance people’s awareness and seeing the larger public interest as part of their own. This can only be achieved when governments use communication to influence personal and social practices in a way that will enable individuals to fully understand their role in the success of national plans.” Local and international communication experts, together with behavioural specialists will come together at IGCF 2019 to deliberate on how to realistically incorporate sociology and human sciences into the development and implementation of successful government communication campaigns.

In its 12th edition, an event is being organised by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in partnership with Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), providing a platform for global tourism practitioners and policy makers to share best practices, analyse and explore opportunities and challenges that will affect the future of sustainable development goals. As part of the event, Haitham Mattar, CEO, RAKTDA, delivered his address on “Sustainable Tourism Development – an overview and vista towards 2030”, where he delved into the key areas of focus and implementations that Ras Al Khaimah is undergoing. Ras Al Khaimah’s journey towards being a sustainable tourism destination was formally communicated in January 2016 – when RAKTDA launched Destination 2019, a detailed tourism strategy for the Emirate which was produced after extensive research and analysis. In partnership with the Waste Management Authority, RAKTDA has put recycling guidelines in place for the Emirate’s hotels, as part of the Emirate-wide initiative to reduce landfill waste by 75 per cent by 2021.

Dubai International Hotel has been officially certified by Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) as a five-star hotel in accordance with the standards set by Dubai’s principal tourism authority. The 5-star rating is a reflection of the high standards of features, facilities and services offered at the 530-room hotel located with Dubai International Airport. Khalid Hussain Mohammad – Supervisor, Abdulla Abbas Saleh – Inspector, Abdul Rahman Khalifa Alsuwaidi – Head of Inspection Unit and Bader Abdulla Mohammad – Deputy Director of Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) presented the plaque to Ranjan Nadarajah Managing Director and Avinash Menon, General Manager, Dubai International Hotel. Dubai Tourism recognises Dubai as a leading tourism destination and a global commercial hub, and Dubai International Hotel continues to substantially contribute to this world-class standard. Part of Dubai Airport Authority, the multi-award winning luxury hotel caters to a myriad of international travellers each day, offering the finest hospitality standards and state-of-the-art facilities. The hotel features eight restaurants and bars, Ahlan Business Class and First Class Lounges, Timeless Spa treatment rooms and bespoke Ahlan Meet & Greet Services. Ranjan Nadarajah, Managing Director, commented at the ceremony, “We are honoured to receive this recognition. Being located within Dubai Airports, Terminal 1 and 3, we are the window to this multi-cultural city and a traveller’s first and often, only impression. For the past 18 years, we have worked in tandem with Dubai Tourism and Dubai Airports to keep Dubai relevant on the world map.”

Emirates is gearing up to launch the world’s first “biometric path” that will offer its customers a smooth and truly seamless airport journey at the airline’s hub in Dubai International airport. Utilising the latest biometric technology – a mix of facial and iris recognition, Emirates passengers can soon check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates lounge and board their flights, simply by strolling through the airport. The latest biometric equipment has already been installed at Emirates Terminal 3, Dubai International airport. It can be found at select check-in counters, at the Emirates Lounge in Concourse B for premium passengers, and at select boarding gates. Areas where biometric equipment are installed will be clearly marked.  Adel Al Redha, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Emirates, said, “Guided by our chairman His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates continuously innovates and strives to improve our day-to-day business. After extensive research and evaluation of numerous technologies and new approaches to enhance our passenger journey, we are now satisfied with the preliminary work we have carried out and are ready to commence live trials of the world’s first biometric path at Emirates Terminal 3. These ground-breaking initiatives are a result of close collaboration with our stakeholders – particularly GDRFA who have been instrumental in the programme to bring the biometric path to fruition.” Major General Mohammed Ahmed Almarri, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), Dubai,  said, “We are pleased to roll-out these new initiatives at Terminal 3 in collaboration with Emirates and our airport stakeholders. The Smart Tunnel tests are running smoothly, and we are now preparing to mobilise the other biometric systems at the other areas …

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has announced the launch of an online chatbot platform ‘Jawab,’ which has been designed and developed to effectively respond directly and automatically to enquiries from exhibitors, organisers and visitors on all event-related aspects, including the diverse range of services provided by ADNEC. With this launch, ADNEC becomes the first venue within the exhibitions and conferences sector in the MENA region to launch a customer interactive machine learning chatbot, and among the top companies globally to adopt this new technology, which contributes to facilitating and accelerating the process of providing information to public and private sector customers. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO, ADNEC said, “It is our constant endeavor to integrate the latest technological advancements seamlessly into our products and service offerings, as part of our mission to foster a culture of innovation and excellence, which effectively contributes to enhancing our competitiveness and capabilities to emphasise Abu Dhabi’s position as the regional capital for business tourism.”