Category Archives: Govt

The GCC Board of Directors Institute (GCC BDI) has announced the 6th Annual Chairman Summit in Riyadh on November 26, that is expected to draw the participation of influential chairmen, board directors and C-suite executives to debate on a wide range of topics. Titled ‘Digital Disruption and the Fourth Industrial Revolution – Are boards ready?’, the summit will look into board strategies on digital transformation and the skill sets required to fully embrace disruptive technologies, as well as cyber security advice, best-practices in IT governance and how Blockchain technology and AI will transform business processes. The summit will be opened by His Excellency Eng Abdullah Al-Swaha, Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Saudi Arabia, with welcome remarks given by Mohammed Al-Shroogi, Chairman, GCC BDI, as well as Dr Abdul-Rahman bin Saad Al-Jadhai, Chief Executive Officer, Elm. Other guest speakers will include renowned serial entrepreneur James Bilefield, Lino Cattaruzzi, Managing Director- MENA, Google; Ihab Foudeh, General Manager- Public Sector- MENA, Microsoft; Abdulrahman Tarabzouni, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, STV; Xavi Anglada, Managing Director and Digital Lead-MENA, Accenture; Phyllis Newhouse, Chief Executive Officer, Xtreme Solutions, Dr Hans-Martin Stockmeier, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company, Evans Munyuki, Group Chief Digital Officer, Emirates NBD; Matthew White, Head, Digital Trust and Blockchain Lead, PwC; Omar Hashem, Head of Digital and Technology at NCB; Wael Fattouh, Cybersecurity and Technology Risk Partner, PwC; Zeyad Khoshaim, Managing Partner, Khoshaim & Associates and Vinay Chandran, Digital Partner, McKinsey & Company. Jane Valls, Executive Director, GCC BDI, said, “Technological advancements continue to shift the paradigms in the business world faster than ever before. This year’s Chairman Summit has been established to identify industry trends with the help of some of …

Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai (GDRFA) to further facilitate the delivery of smart services to investors, entrepreneurs and startups, particularly homegrown entities, and help them develop their businesses in areas such as technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city applications. Aligned with Dubai’s Smart Government strategy and the UAE Vision 2021, the agreement will ensure the protection of intellectual property and enhance creative thinking skills and applications, while boosting cooperation in the scientific, training and professional fields as well as the exchange of expertise in legal, technical and administrative matters. As part of the MoU, the GDRFA will set up an office in DSOA’s headquarters to provide government services directly to Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)-based entrepreneurs and investors. Dr Mohammed Alzarooni, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DSOA, signed the MoU with Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, GDRFA, in the presence of senior officials from the two sides. Dr Mohammed Alzarooni said, “DSOA is committed to growing and developing its services according to the Smart Dubai initiative, which aims to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world. We are pleased to sign this partnership agreement with a pioneering entity such as GDRFA that is known for its extremely effective and efficient smart government services and for achieving high levels of customer happiness. Notably, the agreement supports the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021 in shaping an attractive environment that empowers creative entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into successful projects that serve the national economy.” Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri said: “Our agreement is …

The Dubai HeliShow from November 6 to 8, 2018 at the E2 Royal Pavilion, Al Maktoum International Airport, is set to attract strong international participation from leading global players in the field of civil and military helicopter technology and operations. Set to be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE, and Ruler, Dubai, the event will provide an ideal platform to analyse the emerging trends, learn about the latest technological innovations related to commercial helicopters and various other areas of civil defence and military, and explore prospective partnerships. The participants include Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai South, Dart Aerospace, Transmex Systems Int, Southern Cross Aviation, Flir Systems, DeVore Aviation, Motor Sich Middle East FZE, Vertex Aerospace (L3), Thuraya and Fujairah Aviation Academy to name a few. By bringing together exhibitors, decision makers, government and defence officials, besides commercial customers, owners, users and manufacturers in the industry for meaningful discussions and fruitful partnerships, Dubai HeliShow 2018 highlights the significance of joint efforts in promoting the growth and prosperity of the helicopter and homeland security industry regionally and globally. Ahmad Abulhoul, Managing Director, Domus Group, organisers, Dubai HeliShow 2018, said, “Helicopters are increasingly being utilised in industrial, hospitality and crisis management scenarios including military, transport and cargo, firefighting, rescue and offshore oil support. The high levels of interest expressed by leading international players in the helicopter industry in the event reaffirm the rising global confidence in the region’s potential to become an influential force in defining the future roadmap for the sector. All these factors make the Dubai HeliShow 2018 a strategic platform to showcase and discuss the …

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is set to promote Sharjah’s unique tourism attractions during its participation at the ongoing World Travel Market (WTM) London, which will conclude on November 7, 2018 at ExCel London. SCTDA is participating at WTM London for the 16th consecutive year, bringing its distinctive tourism product offerings to the UK market featuring Sharjah’s family, culture, soft adventure and eco-tourism destinations. The initiative is in line with SCTDA’s commitment to meet the targets set within the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 to attract 10 million visitors in the emirate by 2021. HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, said that the Authority’s participation at the global event for the 16th year reflects its continuous efforts to achieve its strategic goals and objectives aimed at targeting major global tourism markets. The authority continuously works towards attracting a greater number of visitors from the UK and Ireland with unique offerings while showcasing a wide range of outstanding experiences and continuing to increase our international network in line with Sharjah’s tourism goals. The exhibition is an important addition to our ongoing efforts to provide the most important experiences and tourist products and provide new experiences to our visitors while capitalising on Sharjah’s diverse heritage. SCTDA’s programmes will showcase Sharjah’s unique tourism environment, which is naturally rich in biodiversity and the various tourism developments taking place in the emirate. Al Midfa further emphasised the importance of international exhibitions in promoting Sharjah’s tourism hotspots to the international market and attracting tourists and investors to the emirate, saying “We have seen the growing appeal of Sharjah as a destination for ‘business and leisure’ travellers as business executives learn to optimise long weekends …

His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment has announced that the UAE will contribute US$1.5 million annually for the period 2019 to 2021 cumulatively amounting to US$4.5 million to fund the projects carried out by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). The announcement was made at the GGGI’s Assembly and Council in the presence of His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi, who led the UAE delegation at the assembly. Reiterating the UAE’s commitment to green development, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said, “In the UAE, we are resolved to achieving a green economy as per the UAE Green Agenda 2030 adopted by the UAE Cabinet in 2015. During 2017-2018, we have made a lot of progress in the implementation of the Green Agenda 2030 and key policy developments with the assistance of the GGGI Abu Dhabi office team. The UAE Cabinet adopted the National Climate Change Plan 2050 in June 2017, which consolidates the country’s climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives under one integrated framework. As part of the Climate Plan implementation, we have recently conducted a comprehensive climate risk assessment across four key sectors and identified priority climate risks that require us to develop appropriate adaptation measures.” Highlighting one of the initiatives in green development in the UAE, His Excellency added, “The development of green growth indices is not new to us. We have already set 41 Green Key Performance Indicators to track the UAE’s progress towards achieving a green economy and offer regular updates through the UAE State of Green Economy Report. Furthermore, we launched the UAE Green Dashboard just last week, an open data platform which allows anyone to access and analyse underlying …

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.