By WAM
ABU DHABI, Nov 6 2018 (WAM)

The first three renewable energy projects under the US$50 million United Arab Emirates-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund, UAE-CREF, have broken ground in the Bahamas, Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MOFAIC, announced today.

Fully financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, ADFD, the UAE-CREF is the largest renewable energy initiative of its kind in the Caribbean, representing a partnership between MOFAIC, ADFD, and Masdar, the project manager and implementing lead.

Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, said, “These renewable energy projects underway in the Bahamas, Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines further make the business case for sustainable development and UAE-Caribbean cooperation. They will create jobs and reduce energy costs to stimulate the local economy, while also incorporating concrete measures to address the reality of climate and hurricane risk.”

The three projects, designed by Masdar with the respective national governments, are set to come online by Q1 2019. In the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria, the projects are also being built to elevate storm standards and are located in less exposed areas.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, ADFD Director-General, said, “In cooperation with MOFAIC and Masdar, ADFD is proud to witness the rapid pace of development in three of the four country recipients of cycle one of the UAE-CREF. Like its predecessor – the ADFD-funded and fully executed US$50 million UAE Pacific Partnership Fund – the UAE-CREF supports sustainable economic and social development across the Caribbean through helping countries to maximize their vast natural potential for resilient, commercially viable renewable energy.”

“Through strategically partnering with Small Island Developing States, a group of small island countries that share similar development challenges, ADFD will help them achieve sustainable energy solutions that enhance their climate resilience and the economic prospects of the local communities. These projects in the Bahamas, Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will have a significant positive knock-on effect on the adoption of renewable energy elsewhere in the Caribbean and Latin American region,” Al Suwaidi added.

In the Bahamas, a 900-kilowatt solar PV plant at the national stadium will also serve as a carport with electric vehicle, EV, charging stations. As the country’s first large-scale solar energy project, it sets a regulatory precedent for new renewable energy plants to feed into the grid.

In Barbados, the project has two elements; a 350-kilowatt solar PV carport also with EV charging stations, and a 500-kilowatt ground-mounted PV plant. Both projects are being built in partnership with the Barbados Water Authority.

In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the project sets a strong precedent for using renewable energy to drive down energy costs on its outer islands. Under construction on Union Island, the 600-kilowatt solar PV plant is connected to a 500-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery and is expected to supply all of the island’s daytime power needs. Union Island’s energy costs are currently almost 50 percent higher than those of the main island of Saint Vincent.

The combined output of the solar power plants will be 2.35 megawatts, MW. Collectively, they will achieve diesel savings of more than 895,000 litres per year while displacing more than 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. This represents an annual diesel fuel saving of at least US$1.1 million.

One of the additional aims of the Fund is to promote local capacity building, including training and employment opportunities, with a view to promoting gender equality. The projects’ manager and lead engineer are both women, and women will represent at least a third (30 percent) of the staff employed by the EPC contractors responsible for the new renewable energy projects.

“Masdar is proud to be working alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development in the implementation of the UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund programme, building on the success of a similar collaboration in the Pacific Islands whose 11 projects continue to benefit local communities today,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar. “The projects being delivered through the Fund will be engineered to meet the specific needs of each host country, and make an important contribution to the emergence of a commercially viable renewables sector in the Caribbean and the Latin America region.”

“As a global renewable energy company active in more than 20 countries, with projects ranging from utility-scale power plants to off-grid and remote-area installations, Masdar is honoured to leverage its experience and expertise in collaboration with those of its partners in the UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund,” Al Ramahi added.

The UAE-CREF aims to deploy renewable energy projects in 16 Caribbean countries over the next three years to help reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports, stimulate economic activity and enhance climate change resilience. Two projects in the first cycle of the fund – in Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica – are currently being reconfigured in the aftermath of the 2017 hurricane season. The second cycle of the Fund – involving renewable energy projects in Belize, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia – was announced at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the IRENA Assembly in January 2018. The next cycle of the Fund will be announced in January 2019.

WAM/Rasha Abubaker/Nour Salman

By WAM
DUBAI, Nov 5 2018 (WAM)

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in collaboration with the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Government of the UAE will host the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) third Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils, on 11-12 November in Dubai.

More than 700 world-leading experts from over 70 countries will participate in the meeting, which aims to address preparations for the huge wave of technological disruption that will come with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future and Co-chair of the Global Future Councils, said the event is aligned with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, which emphasises the need to prepare for tomorrow, today, to strengthen international partnerships to achieve common goals and to adopt a future outlook for the government performance in the UAE.

He added that the Global Future Councils is a network of 38 distinct councils each focused on a specific future issue, such as cybersecurity, quantum computing, governance, innovation, bio-technology, energy and water, space, healthcare, education, commerce and investment.

The outcome of the meeting will shape the agenda for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, as well as the Forum’s ongoing global initiatives.

WAM/Hassan Bashir/Hatem Mohamed

By WAM
DUBAI, Nov 1 2018 (WAM)

Jamal Saif Al Jarawan, Secretary-General of the UAE International Investors Council, UAEIIC, said that the historic ties between the UAE and India are built on mutual respect and close cooperation, which is reflected by the signing of over 40 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, in many areas, especially in investment, under a sustainable development vision.

He added that the historic relations between the two countries share the values of moderation, tolerance, peace and stability, which have strengthened their strategic partnership, through ongoing communication and mutual high-level visits.

During his speech at the two-day 2nd India-UAE Partnership Summit held in Dubai, with the participation of many public and private sector officials from both countries, Al Jarawan said that the strategic partnership between the UAE and India is witnessing ongoing work, with the aim of generating trade worth US$100 billion by 2020. Current levels of trade account for $53 billion, while UAE investments in India account for $10 billion, and the UAE has pledged to provide $75 billion to support India’s infrastructure, as well as $5 billion to the Indian agricultural sector over the next three years, he added.

Al Jarawan highlighted the council’s confidence in the ambitious strategic partnership between the two countries, which has all the components of success, as well as a series of investment reforms in India and its monetary policies, financial system and social security.

Al Jarawan also expressed his confidence in the growing ties between the two countries while noting that India has become the UAE’s second-biggest international economic partner.

A comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between the two countries was signed in January 2017, Al Jarawan noted.

WAM/Nour Salman

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 31 2018 (WAM)

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, today 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, held at the South Korean capital, Seoul. Dr. Al-Zeyoudi led the UAE delegation that participated at the assembly.

Reiterating the UAE’s commitment to green development, the Minister 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,” he added.

Highlighting one of the initiatives in green development in the UAE, Dr. Al-Zeyoudi said, “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 data on the 41 Green KPIs.”

The Minister held several bilateral meetings to boost cooperation in agriculture, food safety, green development and the recycling of industrial materials. These included a meeting with Lee Gae-ho, South Korea’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, former UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon, who is also GGGI’s Assembly President and Council Chair, as well as top officials from the Korean National Cleaner Production Centre.

Accompanied by Abdullah Saif Al Nuaimi, Ambassador of the UAE to South Korea, Dr. Al-Zeyoudi visited Korea Polar Research Institute, a statutory and government-funded research institution that is leading Korea’s national Polar programme for both the Arctic and the Antarctic, to explore first-hand the institute’s research efforts and how it is engaging the youth and the public in polar studies. The Minister was introduced to the key studies and research projects developed at the institute in the last 30 years.

Dr. Al-Zeyoudi also toured the Seoul Upcycling Plaza, Korea’s biggest upcycling complex, where he was introduced to the facility’s entire upcycling process, from material donation and collection to processing, production, and sales.

WAM/Nour Salman/MOHD AAMIR

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 30 2018 (WAM)

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) concluded the 13th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP13) in Dubai, with three UAE-led resolutions passed and the declaration of Jebel Ali Wetland Sanctuary as a Wetland of International Importance, also known as a Ramsar Site.

After negotiations led by MOCCAE, two new UAE-submitted and one UAE-supported resolutions were adopted at COP13. One of the resolutions put forth by the UAE – in line with the Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future theme – aims to protect and manage wetlands under specific guidelines that increase climate change and extreme weather events resilience. In addition, the resolution calls on all countries to involve various stakeholders, including governments, private sector entities, non-governmental organisations, research centers, educational institutions, tourism industry, heritage and culture sector, indigenous peoples and local communities to take part in the decision-making process on wetland issues.

The second resolution adopted includes sustainable urbanization, climate change and wetlands to invite the United Nations General Assembly to recognize February 2, the date of the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, as World Wetland Day. Another resolution was supported by the UAE to introduce Arabic as an official Convention language, aside from English, French and Spanish, so as to foster engagement, raise awareness and improve the implementation of the Convention for Arabic-speaking contracting parties. In addition, it would help appreciate the range of distinct wetland types such as wadis, sabkhas and oases in Arab countries.

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment , said: “Throughout COP13, there were many references made to climate change and its negative effects, and more importantly, how wetlands can play a major role in the mitigation of climate change and to support countries in meeting their Sustainable Development Goals. As a pioneer in the region for green economy and environmental efforts, the UAE was honored to have hosted COP13 and to drive international cooperation and the exchange of best practices to protect these valuable ecosystems that have an impact on our lives, society and our future.”

At the closing ceremony of COP13, Martha Rojas Urrego, Secretary General of Ramsar Convention, said: “For the first time we have the evidence that we are losing wetlands, and their critical services for people, three times faster than forests. My hope is that for the next three years until the next COP, parties can rise to this challenge and implement policies that will effectively integrate wetlands in the sustainable development agenda. The Ramsar Secretariat will support parties to ensure to turn the tide and reverse wetlands’ loss.”

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality – the main sponsor of COP13, said: “Dubai Municipality’s vision focuses on building a happy and sustainable city, and a part of achieving that goal is to ensure the protection and sustainability of the environment. We are proud to now have a second Ramsar Site of International Importance, and to continue protecting our ecologically-significant areas. Through COP13, we are confident that each of us will play our part in furthering the cause for the protection and wise use of wetlands for humanity.”

Located between Jebel Ali and Ras Ghantoot and spanning 21.85 km2, Jebel Ali Wetland Sanctuary was recognized as the UAE’s eighth Ramsar Site, due to housing rare and unique wetland types comprising coral reefs, mangroves, shallow lagoons, seagrass, oyster beds and sandy shorelines, that support 539 species of vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered species of flora and fauna. The sandy beaches of Jebel Ali are also one of the key breeding sites for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle. Established in 1998, Jebel Ali Wetland Sanctuary is recognized by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as one of the Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the Arabian Gulf.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment was also instrumental in launching the results of the Emirates Nature-WWF Coastal and Marine Habitat Mapping project in the Northern Emirates, on the sidelines of COP13. The project mapped 783.2 km2 in total area along a 400 kilometers’ coastline, in which 17 habitat types were identified. With increasing human activities taking place at sea, along with the growing effects of climate change, marine spatial management is crucial in achieving the sustainable and wise management of marine resources.

Six Chinese cities were awarded the Wetland City Accreditation at COP13, in appreciation of China’s commendable efforts on the conservation and wise use of wetlands. The other cities given the Wetland City Accreditation were Amiens, Courteranges, Pont Audemer and Saint Omer in France, Lakes by Tata in Hungary, Republic of Korea’s Changnyeong, Inje, Jeju and Suncheon, Mitsinjo in Madagascar, Colombo in Sri Lanka and Ghar el Melh in Tunisia.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national events and global cooperation for the conservation of wetlands and the rational use of their resources.

WAM/Tariq alfaham/Hatem Mohamed

The Federal Electricity and Water Authority, FEWA, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Honeywell to drive sustainable development and green economy initiatives in the UAE’s Northern Emirates.

The collaboration details FEWA’s focus on driving significant energy savings of between 10 and 30 percent across a range of public sector buildings through the adoption of advanced energy efficiency technologies and to improve the standards of living and achieve sustainable growth by 2021.

Under the terms of the agreement which was signed at WETEX 2018, the parties will determine a Proof of Value, focusing particularly on Honeywell’s next-generation solutions that enable significant energy savings and adhere to sustainable environmental guidelines. These technologies include building management systems, energy management dashboards and energy performance contracting, EPC.

The partnership will support the goals of the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, which is considered the first unified energy strategy in the country based on supply and demand. The strategy aims to increase the contribution of clean energy in the total energy mix from 25 percent to 50 percent by 2050 and reduce carbon footprint of power generation by 70 percent, thus saving AED700 billion by 2050. It also seeks to increase consumption efficiency of individuals and corporates by 40 percent.

Commenting on the collaboration, Salim Bin Rabee’a, Executive Director of Electricity Directorate at FEWA, said, “One of our core objectives is conservation, which is in line with our country’s vision to achieve a sustainable future for the next generation. We are working with leading global technology companies like Honeywell to collectively reduce the UAE’s energy consumption through technology that provides more energy efficient solutions and reduces operational costs.”

Honeywell and FEWA will enter into an energy performance contract based on guaranteed savings focusing on Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning, HVAC, cost reductions, and operational efficiencies based on cloud-based analytics, in addition to ensuring carbon emissions reduction. Facilities of particular focus for the EPC will be schools, mosques, hospitals and FEWA’s offices.

The EPC will be managed through performance dashboards and reports providing visibility of building performance. The initiative also includes the deployment of Honeywell’s cloud analytics platform, Outcome Based Service, OBS, to support increased operational performance, optimal efficiency, increased comfort levels of building occupants, and maximise uptime to positively impact the bottom line.

“With nearly 50 percent of our portfolio linked to cutting-edge energy efficiency and energy management technologies, Honeywell is well positioned to support FEWA in reducing energy consumption. In line with the UAE and FEWA Vision 2021 and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, we remain committed to reducing energy consumption to help achieve a sustainable future,” said Susanna Minoia, Chief Financial Officer, Honeywell Building Solutions, High Growth Regions.

Around 60 to 70 percent of energy demand in the UAE currently stems from building HVAC requirements, with split air-conditioning units making up an estimated 60-70 percent of cooling systems in the market. As part of the collaboration, Honeywell will provide FEWA with insights and data points on energy-efficient low global warming potential, GWP, refrigerants that can drive efficiencies in energy usage and cost. The collaboration highlights both organisations’ commitment to supporting the UAE Sustainable Development Plan in line with meeting the sustainability goals of the UAE and FEWA Vision 2021.

WAM/ /MOHD AAMIR/Nour Salman

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 28 2018 (WAM)

A smart, energy-saving lighting system has been installed by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority on a trial basis to ensure safety of pedestrians and other road users.

The pilot project switches on when it detects cyclists and pedestrians and is being operated by RTA and Philips Lighting at Jumeirah Corniche.

“The system uses specialised sensors that monitor the traffic movement on the road and controls the light intensity,” said Maitha bin Adai, Chief Executive Officer of the Traffic and Roads Agency.

“It communicates and sets the nearby lighting poles ready for the passage of road users. It, therefore, contributes to saving power and at the same time ensures a safe lighting level for pedestrians and road users.”

The system is expected to result in significant energy savings. Provisional readings point to a saving of up to 40 percent on LED lighting and up to 70-80 percent on conventional lighting.

In a related development, RTA employees visited the Outdoor Lighting Applications Center at Philips Lighting in Leon, France, in a bid to learn about the latest trends.

The visit was made as part of an MoU signed between RTA and Philips Lighting in May 2017 on building a strategic partnership in scientific research, said Bin Adai.

WAM/Hatem Mohamed

The 5th World Green Economy Summit (WGES), held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, concluded today. The summit, held under the theme ‘Driving Innovation, Leading Change’ brought together many prominent speakers from across the globe, in addition to dignitaries and representatives from government organisations, academicians, experts and the media.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), and Chairman of WGES, announced the Dubai Declaration 2018 at the conclusion of WGES 2018, expressing his gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for his patronage of the Summit. He also thanked H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, for his presence at the opening ceremony of the summit.

Al Tayer said: “Since its inception in 2014, the summit has made great progress and many achievements, notably due to increased cooperation between decision-makers from the public and private sectors. Over 3,700 participants consisting of global experts, thought leaders and business leaders in green economy and sustainable development, have participated in WGES 2018 to discuss key issues such as climate change and global warming.”

“This summit is especially important, because it has set the journey towards the adoption and signature of the agreement establishing the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO). We sincerely hope that we can count many of your countries amongst the original members of WGEO, who have a very important role in shaping its future,” Al Tayer added.

He further said, “We are concerned by the report recently released by the IPCC defining a stringent scenario for the world to achieve the 1.5 degrees target. Nonetheless we are optimistic, as we know that it can be achieved by harvesting the capabilities of the private sector to make their industries and sectors green. This is why we are here, to form and focus an engine of green transformation built on diversity and entrepreneurship.”

Speaking about the summit’s pillars, Al Tayer said, “WGES 2018 focused on three main pillars including ‘Green Capital’, which has been a focus of discussions at this year’s Summit. This comes at a time when the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), signed in October 2018 a partnership agreement in Dubai to fast-track green investments into bankable smart city projects.”

“One of Dubai’s major green projects is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. This is the largest single-site solar park in the world. Based on the Independent Power Producer model, it will have a capacity of 5,000MW by 2030. This includes the world’s largest single-site Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project with a capacity of 700MW,” Al Tayer highlighted.

WAM/Hatem Mohamed/Tariq alfaham

The second United Nations World Data Forum concluded today with the launch of a Dubai Declaration to increase financing for better data and statistics for sustainable development.

“While it is clear that the data revolution is having an enormous impact, it has not benefited everyone equally,” said United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed in her statement at the Forum. “Our task is to make sure data is available to all people. We must make sure it is harnessed to support implementation of the 2030 Agenda at all levels and in all regions and countries But we urgently need to bridge important gaps. Funding for data and statistical systems remains limited. And beyond funding, we need political, technical and advocacy support in all areas.”

The Dubai Declaration calls for the establishment of an innovative funding mechanism open to all stakeholders, that will aim to mobilize both domestic and international funds, and to activate partnerships and funding opportunities to strengthen the capacity of national data and statistical systems. The funding mechanism will be created under the guidance of representatives of statistical systems and different data and donor communities who will support the decision making on the operational modalities and on raising resources to address the data needs for the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

“The UN World Data Forum is the best place to launch a declaration on financing for data and statistics,” said Mr.

Over 2,000 data experts from more than 100 countries gathered at the Forum from 22-24 October, with participants from governments, national statistical offices, the private sector and academia, international organizations and civil society groups

Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “To achieve the ambitions set on in the Cape Town Global Action Plan, both increased domestic resources and international support will be needed. My expectation is that the declaration, the outcome of the discussions at this forum, will help us shape the way forward to promote “more and better funding” for data and statistics. The immediate next steps will be translating those ideas into action and ensuring that we maximize the effectiveness of funding for sustainable development data, as this is crucial to fulfil the data needs of the 2030 Agenda.”

“We are delighted to have hosted influential leaders, decision makers and experts from around the world over the past three days here in the UAE,” said Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA). “The positive and insightful outcomes we’ve achieved during this important gathering are essential for unifying visions and empowering individuals, institutions and governments to embrace modern technologies and harness data to serve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally, regionally and internationally.”

Over 2,000 data experts from more than 100 countries gathered at the Forum from 22-24 October, with participants from governments, national statistical offices, the private sector and academia, international organizations and civil society groups.

Across over 85 sessions during the three days of the Forum, many innovative solutions to the data challenges of the 2030 Agenda were proposed and partnerships were formed.

Innovative data solutions Some highlights from the Forum include: The launch of a data interoperability guide by a collaborative led by the UN Statistics Division and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, which identifies practical steps to help countries and development partners on the pathway towards integration of data from multiple sources for better monitoring and policy making to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Important discussions on building trust in data and statistics showed that 70 percent of this expert audience believed there is a crisis in lack of public trust in data, 35 percent felt the top cause is that statistics do not align with pre-conceived ideas, and 37 percent said that improving citizens’ data literacy was needed to tackle this challenge. These sessions highlighted an important area of work for the data community moving forward, particularly as it relates to data literacy for both the public at large and policymakers and the need to ensure data relevance, openness and quality.

A session organized by Data2x featured gender data impact stories, including a moving story of how the results of a survey on domestic violence in Viet Nam shocked government officials into enacting new legislation and awareness-raising campaigns which have become a model across Asia. This story and the others highlighted in this session demonstrate the impact data can have when communicated in a way that policymakers can understand. This data impact story is an important example for other data producers, civil society members and journalists on how data can be used to influence policy actions.

Switzerland to host Forum in 2020 It was announced today that Switzerland will host the next UN World Data Forum in Bern from 18-21 October 2020. The announcement was made at a press conference today by Dr. Gabriella Vukovich, co-chair of the Highlevel Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the group that oversees the organization of the Forum.

“We are looking forward to working with the colleagues from Switzerland to organize an exciting World Data Forum in 2020,” said Stefan Schweinfest, Director of the UN Statistics Division. “The UAE has set a high standard of support, and the energy and engagement behind the Forum continues to build, as evidenced by growing attendance.”

WAM/Tariq alfaham

By WAM
VIENNA, Oct 23 2018 (WAM)

The OPEC Fund for International Development, OFID, has signed a US$50 million public sector loan agreement with Argentina to co-finance the second phase of the Desvio Arijon Water Supply project.

The agreement was signed by OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish and Argentina’s Minister of Economy of the Santa Fe Province Gonzalo Saglione.

Al-Herbish highlighted that this project is in line with Argentina’s National Development Plan 2016-2020 as well as with the Provincial Strategy Plan of Santa Fe, Vision 2030, in which the government of Santa Fe defines access to water as a basic right. The project is also in line with OFID’s mandate to alleviate poverty and its commitment to continue supporting adequate water infrastructure.

Al-Herbish noted that this latest loan will provide 122 km of pipelines to connect the Desvio Arijon water purification plant with the city of Rafaela and surrounding towns, benefitting more than 220,000 people.

On behalf of the Province of Santa Fe, Saglione indicated that this project is crucial for residents, and expressed his appreciation for OFID’s continued support.

All of OFID’s public sector loans to Argentina have targeted the country’s water and sanitation sector, in line with the organisation’s strategic focus on the energy-water-food nexus approach to sustainable development. Cumulatively, OFID has approved US$150 million in public sector lending to Argentina, in addition to US$20 million through its private sector window.

OFID is the development finance institution established by the Member States of OPEC in 1976 as a channel of aid to the developing countries. The fund works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international donor community to stimulate economic growth and alleviate poverty in all disadvantaged regions of the world. OFID was established in January 1976 by the then 13 member countries of OPEC; including the United Arab of Emirates.

[Image credit: OPEC Fund for International Development, OFID – Twitter: @OFIDnews]

WAM/Rola Alghoul/Esraa Ismail

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 22 2018 (WAM)

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is encouraging organisations and individuals in the UAE to use electricity and water responsibly, promote efficiency and sustainability of energy and increase the share of clean and renewable energy.

DEWA called for this on World Energy Day, which takes place every 22nd October. This supports the nation’s efforts to protect the environment and natural resources, reduce the carbon footprint, and promote a sustainable green future for generations to come.

World Energy Day is an initiative that was endorsed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and adopted by 54 countries, in addition to the United Nations, the Arab League, and the African Union Commission during the World Energy Forum 2012 in Dubai.

DEWA organised several activities during World Energy Day to raise awareness about energy issues, promote a culture of sustainability and green economy, and emphasise the importance of energy conservation in mitigating the effects of climate change.

DEWA invites the public to participate in its outreach programme to raise awareness about these issues in the World Energy Day corner at WETEX 2018. DEWA is organising WETEX under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, and President of DEWA. WETEX is organised under the theme ‘At the forefront of sustainability’ at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 23rd–25th October 2018.

WAM/Hazem Hussein/MOHD AAMIR

By WAM
ABU DHABI, Oct 21 2018 (WAM)

Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), the UAE Federal export credit company, and SACE, the Italian Export Credit Company (CDP Group), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance business opportunities between the UAE and Italy, as part of the 6th meeting of the UAE-Italy Joint Economic Committee held recently in Rome, Italy.

The signing of the MoU took place at the Ministry of Economic Development in Italy, in the presence of Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors at ECI; Luigi Di Maio, Italian Minister for Economic Development; and Saed Al Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Export and Development Corporation, and Board Member and Chairman of the Executive Committee at ECI.

Under the MoU signed by Massimo Falcioni, CEO of ECI, and Alessandro Decio, CEO of SACE, the two national export credit companies have expressed commitment in strengthening the cooperation between UAE and Italy through the mutual sharing of expertise as well supporting the business relations of both countries.

One of the main highlights of the MoU is the intention to enhance trade between the two countries with focus on Halal industry through Shariah-compliant insurance and finance solutions.

Furthermore, ECI and SACE have agreed to create a dedicated task force and collaborate on seven work areas: insurance, reinsurance and collections initiatives; information sharing; technical training programmes; halal industry and Shariah-compliant insurance and finance solutions; trade promotions (B2B events and workshops); investments; and SME programmes.

CEO of Etihad Credit Insurance said, “Our partnership with SACE plays a strategic and important part in ECI’s role as a major catalyst in supporting UAE’s non-oil exports, trade, investments and strategic sectors development, in line with UAE Vision 2021 agenda. Italy is one of the major trading partners of the UAE in the European Union, while the UAE is also a major trading partner of Italy in the Arab region. Through mutual cooperation in extensive areas, this agreement is set to further cement the growing bilateral trade between the two countries.”

CEO of the Italian Export Credit Company said, “We are honored to cooperate with Etihad Credit Insurance, a key player in the UAE, being fully aware that stronger trade and investment ties between Italy and the UAE are crucial for the future of our respective economies. Our office in Dubai, with a €5-billion (AED21 billion) project pipeline, will play an active part in the Task Force confirming its role of ‘Italian bridge’ in the UAE”.

The trade volumes between two countries have exceeded €6 billion (AED26 billion) in 2017. The UAE ranks number one in the MENA region for Italy’s agriculture and F&B exports while Italy’s imports from the UAE have also been growing.

Other high-potential sectors for joint business exploration include steel and aluminum, ceramics, renewable energy, mechanical, waste management, industrial technologies, infrastructure and construction, jewelry and fashion, and F&B.

WAM/Esraa Ismail

By WAM
ABU DHABI, Oct 18 2018 (WAM)

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) met, today, with Viorica Dancila, Romania’s first female Prime Minister, at ADNOC, in Abu Dhabi.

During the meeting Dr. Al Jaber conveyed the greetings of the UAE leadership to the Romanian leadership and government, emphasising the UAE’s keenness to boost bilateral ties. He stressed the need for both parties to take advantage of the opportunities to enhance bilateral trade.

Accompanied by Dr. Al Jaber, Prime Minister Dancila attended a demonstration of ADNOC’s advanced Panorama Digital Command Centre, which is using artificial intelligence, AI, and big data to drive operational efficiencies and performance, by giving real time visibility to information from ADNOC’s full value chain.

Prime Minister Dancila also visited ADNOC’s Thammama sub surface collaboration centre, that is using smart analytics and is adopting AI platforms to solve subsurface challenges and to help unlock more challenging resources and optimise field development plans, as well as reduce drilling time and manage production capacity across ADNOC’s operations.

Later, Dr. Al Jaber hosted a lunch for Romanian Prime Minister, which was also attended by the UAE’s Ambassador to Romania, Ahmed Abdullah Saeed, and Romani’s Ambassador to the UAE, Adrian Macelaru. During the visit, Prime Minister Dancila also met with members of ADNOC’s Future Leaders Programme, which is designed to identify the company’s brightest and best Emirati employees and provide them with the knowledge, skills and experience they will need to ensure ADNOC continues to thrive in the future energy landscape.

Prime Minister Dancila became Romania’s first female Prime Minister on January 28th, 2018. Before entering politics she was an engineer for Petrom SA, the Romanian National Oil Company.

During her visit to ADNOC she expressed her admiration for how ADNOC is harnessing the enabling power of digitalisation and has adopted an innovative partnership approach to drive growth.

Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Romania were formally established in 1989. Romania opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi in 1991 and the UAE Embassy opened its doors in Bucharest in 2004. In April, the UAE-Romania Joint Committee held its first ministerial meeting in Bucharest. The meeting was chaired by Dr Al Jaber.

Bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and Romania amounted to US$573.8 million in 2016. UAE cumulative investment in Romania from 2003-2017 amounted to US $103 million. Austria’s OMV, which owns 51 percent of PETROM, is part-owned by a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company. OMV has a 20 percent stake in ADNOC’s SARB and Umm Lulu offshore concession area.

WAM/MOHD AAMIR/Tariq alfaham

By WAM
ROME, Oct 17 2018 (WAM)

Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, said that the UAE has taken major steps to guarantee its future food security as a national priority, through adopting a series of relevant policies.

She made this statement while heading the country’s delegation in the 45th Committee on World Food Security, CFS, which began today at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, of the United Nations, UN, in Rome, and will run until 19th October, with the attendance of Saqr Nasser Al Raisi, UAE Ambassador to Italy and Permanent Representative to the Three Agencies of the UN.

During her speech at the CFS, Almheiri explained the key steps taken by the UAE to guarantee its production of high quality and sustainable food products while noting that the UAE has established a national committee responsible for achieving its sustainable development goals and developing sustainable agriculture policies, to encourage the sustainable production of high quality food products through utilising the latest agricultural technologies, as well as for developing national standards for food markets and products and implementing the government’s accelerators programme, to face relevant challenges and overcome the obstacles preventing the achievement of a developed urban agricultural sector.

She also affirmed that these policies, along with many related programmes, aim to encourage a cultural movement that appreciates food and establish a better understanding of future food needs.

Leading international experts and representatives of civil society organisations and the private sector are participating in the CFS, which has made it a key platform for limiting hunger around the world and ending it by 2030.

WAM/Hassan Bashir

By WAM
ABU DHABI, Oct 16 2018 (WAM)

In a bid to elevate the standard of living in developing countries and eradicate global poverty, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, ADFD, revealed that it has allocated nearly AED11 billion for development projects in the education and healthcare sectors.

In a report marking International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which is observed on 17th October every year, ADFD, the leading national entity for development aid, highlighted its mission to help developing countries achieve sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty.

ADFD provides concessionary financial resources in the form of loans that satisfy concessional conditions in accordance with the requirements of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD. The ADFD also manages Abu Dhabi government grants.

In cooperation with international financial institutions, the ADFD has worked to increase spending on key sectors such as health, food security, transport, housing, education, water, agriculture, and energy in order to reach the goals outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, as well as to achieve social and economic growth in developing countries.

Over the last four-and-a-half decades, ADFD has disbursed AED81 billion in concessionary loans and government grants across 88 countries.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of ADFD, said, “The international community is taking great strides to improve the economic and social situation in many developing countries, which suffer from high rates of poverty and unemployment and the deterioration of health services and education. The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an opportunity to further mobilise international efforts and boost cooperation, ensuring the creation of job opportunities and overall socio-economic well-being.”

Al Suwaidi added, “Over the years, the ADFD has intensified its efforts to finance health care as well as education projects, in particular, to reduce poverty rates and increase the standard of living in beneficiary countries.”

In addition to supporting sustainable development in key socio-economic sectors, the ADFD aims to reduce poverty rates by contributing to the healthcare and education sectors.

Among the strategic healthcare projects funded by ADFD is the 200-bed children’s hospital in King Hussein Medical City in Jordan. The fund earmarked AED73 million for the first two phases of the project.

Fitted out with the latest medical equipment to offer specialised care and treatment, the hospital has contributed to the development of the healthcare sector in Jordan by enhancing the quality of health services available to its citizens. The ADFD also supported the expansion of King Hussein Medical City through the allocation of AED735 million for the construction of a new 940-bed hospital, a state-of-the-art facility that can accommodate more than 1,200 patients daily. The ADFD also funded the Al-Bashir Hospital and the King Hussein Cancer Centre in Jordan.

In Pakistan, the ADFD provided AED94 million to build the Emirates Hospital, an integrated specialty medical centre with 1,000 beds. The facility has the capacity to receive 6,000 patients daily. The hospital is also equipped with laboratories and lecture halls to train military personnel and civilians to perform medical duties.

In the Seychelles, the ADFD funded an AED16.3 million integrated healthcare project that seeks to provide high-quality healthcare and treatment at an affordable cost.

In Turkmenistan, the fund allocated AED 43 million for the development of a series of integrated health projects that aim to improve the quality of healthcare services offered by the government. The project involves the construction of specialty hospitals to treat complicated diseases in a bid to reduce disabilities and mortality rates among the population.

The ADFD also financed the construction of the AED16 million Sheikh Khalifa Hospital in the Comoros and an AED 562 million cardiac centre in Bahrain to reduce the pressure on specialised heart disease treatment facilities in the country.

In line with the Pakistani government’s development goals, the ADFD has played a crucial and supporting role in improving and advancing the country’s education sector. In 2013, the ADFD managed an AED46 million grant earmarked for training colleges. This project led to the construction of three training colleges for individuals living in remote areas, including Warsak College in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and Wana College and Spinkai Cadet College, both of which are located in South Waziristan.

In 2009, ADFD allocated AED 7 million to fund expansion works at the Sheikh Zayed International Academy, SZIA, in Pakistan. In Afghanistan, the ADFD managed an Abu Dhabi government grant worth an estimated AED27 million to develop the Sheikh Zayed University in Khost Province. This grant helped source and enhance specialised faculties at the university, particularly in the fields of medicine, engineering, law, arts, literature, and education sciences, among other diverse disciplines. The project also includes vocational career support initiatives to prepare all students for employment and equip them with knowledge and capabilities to overcome socio-economic challenges.

In Morocco, the fund managed an Abu Dhabi government grant worth AED239 million. The grant helped purchase equipment for the 916-bed Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakesh, a specialist medical complex that spans 8.8 hectares.

WAM/Hazem Hussein/Tariq alfaham

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 15 2018 (WAM)

The Organising Committee of the 5th World Green Economy Summit, WGES, 2018, held a press conference today to announce its readiness to hold the summit, which aims to support the UAE’s efforts to achieve sustainable development and consolidate Dubai’s position as the global green economy capital.

Held under the patronage of the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the summit will take place on 24th and 25th October, 2018, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, under the theme, “Driving Innovation, Leading Change.”

The press conference was attended by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, DSCE, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA and Chairman of WGES, and Ahmad Al Muhairbi, Secretary-General of the DSCE, along with other government and private sector officials.

During the press conference, Al Tayer announced that the summit will be attended by prominent leaders, including Francois Hollande, Former President of France; Dr. Al Zeyoudi; Thoriq Ibrahim, Maldives Minister of Environment and Energy; Nezha El Ouafi, Secretary of State to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development of Morocco, and Christiana Figueres, Former Secretary-General of the UNFCCC, as well as leading global experts, thought leaders and executive officials in the areas of the green economy and sustainable development.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi highlighted the summit’s role in maintaining a sustainable environment to support long-term economic growth, in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed while acknowledging the role of the DSCE in enhancing the country’s competitiveness, through initiatives that have made Dubai a global capital of the green economy, in line with Sheikh Mohammed’s vision.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi said that WGES is a strategic platform for exchanging knowledge and innovation, which will help protect natural resources while strengthening Dubai’s competitiveness in global markets, particularly in the renewable energy sector.

Al Zeyoudi also noted that the summit has promoted collaborations between the public and private sectors and encouraged the participation of millennials and the youth while adding that the launch of the Climate Innovations Exchange, CLIX, is an example of its efforts to connect young entrepreneurs and investors, to help create sustainable climate change solutions.

CLIX aims to support and provide funding for the climate change solutions and technologies of young entrepreneurs, including by investing millions of dollars in the most innovative young green entrepreneurs, Al Zeyoudi further added.

Al Zeyoudi expressed his confidence that the summit’s fifth edition will further promote international partnerships, encourage investment in green projects, and introduce effective policies to foster the growth of the green economy.

WAM/ /Nour Salman

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 14 2018 (WAM)

Smart Dubai’s pavilion at the GITEX Technology Week 2018 – held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 14-18 – is set to host 59 Government entities and private companies in Dubai, exhibiting their latest smart services to the public.

Dr Aisha Bint Bishr, Smart Dubai Office Director General, said: “Since its inception, Smart Dubai has been on a mission to implement the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into a full-fledged smart city and make it one of the happiest in the world. H.H. has also called on all stakeholders across the public and private sectors to work together and strive towards that ambitious objective. We at Smart Dubai have forged numerous partnerships as we progress towards our goals, and are delighted that these partners – be they Government entities, private organisations, or start-ups – are joining us here today to showcase their advanced smart services created for the people and the community.”

“GITEX Technology Week has firmly cemented its status as a leading technology platform, shedding light on ground-breaking developments, and bringing together international smart-city experts and influential decision makers with members of the community,” Dr Aisha added.

The exhibitors this year include Awqaf & Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF), which is showcasing its new and improved website and mobile app, while the Community Development Authority (CDA) is exhibiting its Dubai Volunteer Platform, and the Department of Economic Development (DED) is showcasing two services: the DED Blockchain Business Ledger and the Business in Dubai Application, which allows business users in the emirate to conduct all license-related transactions with DED from their smartphones.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is displaying its Billing and Consumption Services, while the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) is exhibiting the DFM Smart Service App, the Blockchain-powered eVoting service, EIDA, a Chatbot service, and the Digital Signature service. Meanwhile, the Dubai Government Department of Civil Defence is showcasing the Company Safety Certificate service and the AI-enabled Auto CallDesk. The Dubai Government Human Resources Department is introducing a new HR Law, while the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is showcasing the DXH Smart App (the gateway to access expert healthcare professionals, premium hospitals and clinics in Dubai), Hasana (an innovative programme to manage and contain the spread of communicable diseases), and Smart Mazad.

Other exhibiting entities include, the Dubai Judicial Institute is showcasing the DJI Mobile app and Emirates Law Magazine, while the Dubai Land Department is showcasing the Smart Wallet, Trakheesi System, Mollak System, and the Dubai Brokers Application. Dubai Media Incorporated is displaying the Mohamed bin Rashid Holy Quran Printing Centre Online Portal, whereas the Dubai Municipality is exhibiting its Earth+ service, as well as Maskani, Makani, Dubai Hydrographic Survey, and the Smart Inspection Service.

The Dubai Statistics Centre is showcasing a Permits Service, the drone-powered Aerial Statistician, the DSC Smart Application, and the GeoStat service, which integrates Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and statistical information. .

The Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority is showcasing a range of smart services covering Smart Economy, such as the Smart City Accelerator (accelerating 40 ventures in 3 years at the cost of AED18 million) and Intelak (a crowdsourcing platform to enhance travel experiences), as well as Smart Environment (Smart Irrigation System, Smart Waste Management System, and a Solar-Powered Smart Masjid), Smart Living, Smart Mobility (EV Charging Stations, Electric and Self-Driving Cars), and Smart People.

The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is presenting its Inspection Management System and the Dubai Sustainability Tourism service, while Dubai Airports joins the exhibition with its Community App, the Real Time DXB service (an integrated solution that improves the visibility and predictability of events and supports efficient decision making) and SPLUNK (which provides a centralised view of airport information, increasing the efficiency of available information and optimising the utilisation of resources).

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is showcasing the Dubai Chamber App and ATA (an international customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary importation of goods for up to one year). Meanwhile, the Dubai Culture & Art Authority is presenting its own Dubai Culture Application, the Creatopia Website, the Dubai Public Libraries app, and the website and application for the Etihad Museum. Leading ICT company Dutech is presenting Maktebi (a “single window” smart solution that brings organisations, employees and business partners together), NAU (previously “Dhowber”, a smart booking marine cargo marketplace targeting the dhow trade that occurs at the Dubai Creek), and DRaaS (Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service for IT systems).

The Government of Dubai’s Legal Affairs Department (LAD) is introducing participants to its Voluntary Legal Services Smart Portal, which makes it easier and more organised for registered advocacy and legal consultancy firms to provide pro-bono legal services to the public, in addition to the New LAD website design with easier access to services. Meanwhile, the Dubai Maritime City Authority is showcasing Smart DMCA, an application providing mobile access to services like Marine Craft License and Marine Craft Driving License, as well as DMVC, an informative, interactive and unifying platform for the maritime sector in Dubai.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) is exhibiting its new AI-driven website, while Dubai Customs is showcasing its Digital Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Platform, and its Risk Engine, which is a profile management and risk assessment engine for various transaction types. The Dubai Department of Finance is presenting the Smart Financial Planning Project and the DOF Processes and Services Automation Project.

The Smart Dubai Pavilion at GITEX Technology Week 2018 also hosts the Dubai Sports Council, presenting its Dubai Cycling Mobile Application, and spend management solutions provider Tejari FZ LLC, which is exhibiting its Tejari App for facilitating eSupply. Meanwhile, Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation Trakhees is showcasing the Trakhees Opportunity Phase II – an initiative to provide a responsive statistical dashboard for customers to make effective and sensible business decisions – as well as an AI-powered Chat Bot, an Accreditation Business Wallet Card (an E-card to replace the hard card), and Trakhees Smart Inspection, which allows inspectors to do their job using a tablet device, providing notifications to revisit a facility if needed and reducing paperwork and chances of human error.

The exhibitors also include start-ups AID Tech, Watopedia, Pulses, Fliptin Technologies, Doscswallet, and Ensosoft. Smart Dubai’s pavilion at GITEX Technology Week 2018 is sponsored by DarkMatter (Diamond sponsor); Emirates Auction (Platinum); IBM, Dell EMC, and du (Gold); and Network International, Huawei, and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) – Dubai (Silver).

WAM/Tariq alfaham

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 11 2018 (WAM)

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, is keen to promote all forms of green energy as a clean alternative to conventional energy derived from environmentally friendly fossil fuels, in line with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, and with DEWA’s vision to be a sustainable, innovative, world-class utility.

DEWA believes that renewables such as solar, wind and water power are keys to achieving sustainable economic, social and environmental development, as they help to avoid several negative consequences resulting from irrational human behaviour.

In this context, DEWA is organising the 20th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition, WETEX 2018, from 23rd to 25th October, 2018, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

It will also focus on its beneficial impact on maintaining health, improving living standards and reducing poverty, securing new jobs, and on protecting the environment through the conservation of natural resources, as well as on reducing the causes of climate change, the number and severity of natural disasters resulting from global warming, and the toxic effect of acid rain and the accumulation of harmful waste. Environmental citizenship will also protect endangered species, fish, and water from pollution, contributing to food security, and increasing the productivity of agricultural crops as a result of the elimination of chemical and gas contaminants.

WETEX 2018 is in line with the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership to accommodate global trends that are shifting towards green energy, reinforcing the transformation towards a green economy. According to the annual report of the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, for 2018, the increase in the proportion of direct and indirect jobs in the renewable energy sector worldwide is 5.3 percent in 2017 compared to 1.1 percent in 2016. In addition, the number of employees in the field of renewable energy, including in the hydropower sector, reached 10.3 million for the first time in 2017, compared with 9.8 million in the previous year.

With the 22.3 percent global solar capacity increase to 94 gigawatts, GW, in 2017 compared to 73 GW in 2016, the solar photovoltaic, PV, sector accounted for the strongest expansion in renewable energy jobs in 2017, with a total of about 3.4 million jobs, a nine percent increase compared to 2016, followed by biofuel at about two million jobs, wind energy at around 1.1 million jobs, and the solar heating/cooling sector at more than 800,000 jobs. The report predicts that the number of jobs in the renewable energy sector will increase from 10.3 million in 2017 to 23.6 million by 2030 and to 28.8 million by 2050, while the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix is expected to double.

“In line with our pivotal role of advancing sustainability and sustainable development in Dubai and the UAE, and in accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, we are working towards strengthening national efforts in the field of green energy. This is accomplished by organising WETEX 2018 on an estimated area over 78,000 square metres at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the participation of about 2,100 exhibitors from 53 countries, under the theme “At the forefront of sustainability”. Green energy solutions and techniques will attract the attention of exhibitors and visitors during the exhibition, thus confirming Dubai’s leading role in highlighting the importance of green energy around the world,”said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

”WETEX 2018, the largest edition since its inception 20 years ago, will be held under the umbrella of the Green Week, in conjunction with the third Dubai Solar Show, and the fifth World Green Economy Summit (WGES). It will feature leading international experts and speakers in the green economy, smart, innovation, and sustainable development fields,” Al Tayer added.

Al Tayer stressed that the third Dubai Solar Show, the region’s largest solar energy exhibition, held in conjunction with WETEX 2018, covers over an area of 14,000 square metres and follows the success of the previous edition. The Solar Show confirms the UAE’s leadership on the reliance of clean energy, green economy, and green energy, as well as on the adoption of sustainability concepts in the environmental, social, and economic aspects across the region.

WAM/Esraa Ismail/Tariq alfaham

Regional and international experts on sustainable built environments came together at the 7th Annual Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) Congress to discuss best practices and immediate strategies to transition to net zero cities within the coming decade to curb the damaging effects of carbon emissions.

Organised by EmiratesGBC, an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, the Congress was held under the theme ‘Targeting Zero: A Vision for Future Cities’. The Congress hosted several regional and international experts who agreed that the world is currently at a point of no return, and that all stakeholders, including the public, have to take bold, immediate steps to avoid the disastrous effects of climate change.

"The Congress this year is by far the most important one to date as we face the unprecedented challenge of securing a prosperous future for upcoming generations. We have a small window of opportunity over the next 12 years, to make a significant change and confidently look to our children and future generations and tell them that we did our best and overcame this challenge"
Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EmiratesGBC

The Congress commenced with welcome addresses by Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EmiratesGBC, Ahmed Muhairbi, Secretary-General, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy; and Hussain Hassan Khansaheb, Director of Partnerships & Special Projects, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

The opening session concluded with a video message by Terri Wills, CEO, World Green Building Council, urging industry stakeholders to formally endorse and sign the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, which is a significant step aimed at generating the next wave of high momentum to cut down global greenhouse gas emissions.

During his welcome note Al Abbar, referenced the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which states that “the planet could pass the 1.5 deg C threshold as early as 2030, which would result in severe consequences to the plant,” if there are no concrete efforts made to tackle the current state of carbon emissions worldwide.

Al Abbar said, “The Congress this year is by far the most important one to date as we face the unprecedented challenge of securing a prosperous future for upcoming generations. We have a small window of opportunity over the next 12 years, to make a significant change and confidently look to our children and future generations and tell them that we did our best and overcame this challenge. Change is achievable if we start today. We have come a long way in the past 10 years to get to the level of awareness and commitment we have today on sustainability. I believe that with the ingenuity of human spirit, the great minds we have in our industry and the leadership of the government sector that we can rise to the challenge and deliver on our global net zero emissions targets.”

The 2018 Congress’ discussions focused on three sub-themes that were closely related to honouring and promoting the values associated with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as the UAE marks the Year of Zayed this year to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary. These are: Inspired Cities reflecting the Wisdom of Sheikh Zayed; Collaborative Cities focusing on the value of Respect; and Holistic Cities mirroring the value of Sustainability which caters to the needs of future generations.

The speakers at the Congress presented and discussed strategies for promoting sustainable built environments for the cities of the future within the objectives of the Paris COP21 Climate Agreement. Through compelling presentations and case studies the Congress further highlighted the urgency to influence sustainable practices in the UAE’s built environment and to help identify key industry challenges and solutions as well as catalyse innovation in green building practices to create new models that support the country’s efforts to be more sustainable in accordance with Vision 2021.

According to the IPCC report, governments around the world must take “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society” to stem climate change. The Congress mirrored this message and concluded with a general agreement that actionable measures must be taken that go beyond the conversation to influence fundamental change. There was also a consensus that in addition to governments and the private sector, the public must play a more significant role for this change to take effect.

Following the Congress, EmiratesGBC aims to further develop the conversation and encourage the increased participation of the industry through its recently established Net Zero Centre of Excellence. The Centre is a think tank and accelerator, which provides an important platform for the government, academia and the private sector to learn and share knowledge on how to advance net zero carbon buildings and push toward net zero carbon cities within the next decade.

The Congress was held for the second consecutive year under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, mandated to promote advancements toward a green economy in the UAE. The event also received support from industry stakeholders with Majid Al Futtaim as Venue Sponsor. The Supporting Associations were: Clean Energy Business Council, Emirates Environmental Group, Emirates Nature-WWF, Middle East Facility Management Association (MEFMA), Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Energy Institute.

The 7th Annual EmiratesGBC Congress was a carbon-neutral event. All the emissions from power consumption, heat energy and refrigeration, among others, will be offset towards DEWA’s Clean Development Mechanism Project: Chiller Station L in partnership with FARNEK.

WAM/Rasha Abubaker/Esraa Ismail

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 9 2018 (WAM)

Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, kicked off a three-year programme in Nicaragua, in partnership with Teach a Man to Fish, a non-profit organisation supporting schools across Africa, Asia and Latin America to establish student-led enterprises that are both educational and profit-making.

The AED 1,936,386 (USD 534,473) School Enterprise Challenge programme which targets the Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACC), the most disadvantaged region in Nicaragua, is set to help 6,300 students across 165 schools gain skills, knowledge, and mindset for decent employment.

In addition, the programme provides schools’ teaching and administration staff with the necessary skills and tools for planning and managing a school business. The programme is also supporting the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education (MINED) and a number of NGOs to help gender-balanced school teams in planning and setting up profitable school enterprises. Moreover, the programme aims to develop an efficient Management Information System (MIS) to support participating NGOs in their management of schools participating in the School Enterprise Challenge.

Since its establishment, Teach A Man To Fish has assisted over 300,000 young people gain business, entrepreneurship, and other life skill through participating in planning and managing school businesses. In 2011, the organisation launched the School Enterprise Challenge to enable any school to replicate their school business model through step-by-step guidance and support. This programme works by developing profit-making businesses in schools which are run by students with the help of mentors. Over the course of a few years and with the scale-up of these businesses, the programmes will become self-sufficient and generate profits for schools ensuring their financial stability and encouraging economic growth in the surrounding communities.

“Nicaragua has a large youth population and although the nation has made important progress in increasing access to primary and secondary education, the completion rates remain alarmingly low, as many parents in the country prefer their children to work and contribute to the household income. Through the School Enterprise Challenge programme, Dubai Cares highlights the urgent need for experiential and vocational training in entrepreneurship and business among Nicaraguan youth, as well as the importance of focusing on gender equality in employment. By empowering young boys, girls, and teachers with the skills required for meaningful employment, the School Enterprise Challenge programme addresses three of the Sustainable Development Goals including No Poverty, Quality Education, and Decent Work and Economic Growth, hence reiterating our commitment to impactful and sustainable solutions in education. The children and youth participating in this programme will gain invaluable life skills that will enable them to better support themselves and their families,” said Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares.

Nik Kafka, CEO and Founder of Teach A Man To Fish, said, “Teach A Man To Fish is enormously proud to be partnering with Dubai Cares to transform education for over 6,000 young people in 165 schools in Nicaragua. Our partnership in School Enterprise Challenge Nicaragua is driven by the aim to prepare young people better for success in school, in work and in life”.

Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Americas and ranks 124 out of 188 countries in the United Nation Development programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Index. More than 45% of Nicaragua’s 6.2 million people live in multi-dimensional poverty, while just over 20% of the population exist below the national poverty line despite working. The majority of poor Nicaraguans lives in rural areas and are employed in agriculture, the country’s main industry. Youth unemployment has been estimated at 12% in the Central American nation, with young people working in precarious low-wage positions in informal sectors. According to the UNDP, about 40% of the adolescents and young adults are either unemployed or working in informal sectors, with female youth accounting for a higher proportion of the unemployed youth population (69%).

WAM/Rasha Abubaker

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 8 2018 (WAM)

The World Green Economy Organization, WGEO, and the Global Green Growth Institute, GGGI, signed a partnership agreement today in Dubai to fast-track green investments into bankable smart city projects.

The joint initiative makes it possible for smart green cities and sustainable infrastructure projects to gain access to grants and investments through the WGEO Trust Fund. Sixty bankable smart green city projects worth a total of US$1.1 billion are being delivered by GGGI to this initiative over the next three years. Each project benefits from the explicit support of host government, and as such present a competitive advantage to interested investors.

Committed to supporting a transition to a green economy, the joint project between WGEO and GGGI will serve as a platform to identify, develop and fund long-term, high-impact bankable projects. Recognising that people are at the centre of sustainable development, the partnership between WGEO and GGGI aims to contribute to securing a world that is equitable and inclusive. Sustainable economic development means that the green economy must include the reduction of inequalities and bring multiple social, economic and environmental benefits to all citizens.

“Smart green cities and sustainable infrastructure projects create unprecedented opportunities for long-term prosperity, leading to more vibrant and attractive markets, healthy economies, poverty reduction, and sustainable development,” says Saeed Mohamed Al Tayer, Chairman, World Green Economy Organization.

“The World Green Economy Organization is uniquely placed to provide systematic and holistic catalytic support to the promotion of the green economy, meaning that it will handle all aspects of the promotion of the green economy. Access to green finance through the WGEO Trust Fund is one among a number of practical value propositions offered by the organisation,” he added.

Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Director-General of GGGI said, “I see a tremendous opportunity in our collaboration from jointly setting up the process of managing the Project Preparation phase and developing green city bankable projects. I am confident that our projects will attract the GGGI Member countries as well as WGEO investors to want to invest.”

GGGI is championing green growth and climate resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement commitments. It is a trusted advisor to governments in more than 30 countries transitioning to green economic growth. GGGI results support six outcomes critical to achieving SDGs and NDCs, greenhouse gas emission reduction; creation of green jobs; increased access to sustainable services; improved air quality; adequate access to ecosystem services, and enhanced climate adaptation.

WGEO emerged in response to the call by the international community, as reflected in the outcome document of the Rio+20 conference, entitled “The Future We Want”, where governments, the private sector, and all other stakeholders are called to support countries interested in the transition to a green economy.

WGEO seeks to promote the mainstreaming of the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, by linking financing, technology, capacity building and all other elements of the enabling environment for the green economy.

WGEO facilitates the implementation of various green investment projects, including renewable energy, a specialised green industrial zone development, waste management, waste to energy, e-mobility, green transportation and smart water solutions.

WAM/Tariq alfaham/Hassan Bashir

By WAM
GENEVA, Oct 6 2018 (WAM)

The UAE pursues a comprehensive approach in supporting world refugees with special emphasis on women and other members of vulnerable groups, said Obaid Salim Al Zaabi, the UAE Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva.

The ambassador made the statements while addressing the 69th Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme, convening in Geneva, where he presented an overview of the UAE policy in providing aid to refugees across the world.

He reaffirmed the UAE support for the UN in its efforts to bridge the gap between human development requirements and available resources for refugees, noting that the country regards the work of the Commission as a stepping stone for establishing a long-term development effort for improving refugees’ lives.

The ambassador reiterated the importance the UAE attaches for laying down a firm framework for world countries collaborating in sharing duties and responsibilities toward the refugees’ crisis around the world, reaffirming that the UAE, while receiving a large number of foreigners from different parts of the world, realises the added value provided by those coming in to seek job and security away from their countries.

“The UAE has received more than 130,000 Syrian refugees since the onset of the conflict in Syria and last year the country received more than 15,000 Syrians as part of the New York Declaration,” he said, noting that the UAE has renewed for one year the residence permits of those coming from crisis-ridden countries in case of their inability to return home.

The UAE also provided direct support to UNHCR, including assistance to Syrian refugees and others in Jordan, Iraq, Greece, Rohingya in Bangladesh, refugees of South Sudan in Uganda, not to mention the Palestinians who are supported by the UNRWA.

Using renewing energy resources is one of the best means to address energy shortage-related problems across refugee camps, he remarked.

In his speech, Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, commended the UAE policy in linking humanitarian work to development in crisis-stricken countries and its comprehensive approach in addressing refugees’ problems, with special emphasis on women.

He extended thanks to the UAE for its humanitarian support for all refugees, specially the Syrians and its pledge to receive 15,000 refugees as well its assistance for UNRWA.

WAM/Hatem Mohamed/Tariq alfaham

By WAM
ABU DHABI, Oct 4 2018 (WAM)

The UAE today signed an agreement with the Jordanian government to extend an economic aid package worth AED3 billion (US$833 million) to stimulate and support economic growth in Jordan. The allocation will be managed by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, ADFD.

The AED3 billion economic aid package from the UAE falls within the framework of the Makkah Summit held in June 2018, where the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait agreed to support Jordan with a cash injection of US$2.5 billion to ensure that its economic development efforts are on track.

The bilateral agreement was signed by Obaid bin Humaid Al Tayer, UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs, and Dr. Mary Kamel Kawar, Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, in the presence of Dr. Omar Razzaz, Prime Minister of Jordan, Matar Saif Sulaiman Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Jordan, Adel Al Hosani, Director of Operations Department at ADFD, as well as senior officials from both countries.

The economic assistance package provided by the UAE is to be distributed as follows: A deposit of US$333.3 million in the Central Bank of Jordan to support the bank’s fiscal and monetary policy and achieve economic stability in the country; US$250 million to support the Jordanian government budget, dispensed over five years (yearly increments of US$50 million); A US$50 million development loan to finance development projects in Jordan, and US$200 million in guarantees to the World Bank to benefit the Jordanian government.

Al Tayer said that the economic assistance package provided by the Government of the UAE to the Government of Jordan is based on the strong historic bonds of friendship that exist between the two countries and in line with the directives of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Al Tayer reiterated that via the economic aid package, the UAE will seek to stimulate the economic and financial landscape in Jordan and contribute to supporting the country’s development plans. More specifically, it will facilitate the Jordanian government in implementing its priority infrastructure projects in key sectors.

For her part, Dr. Mary Kamel Kawar expressed her appreciation for the UAE’s sustained support and efforts in enabling Jordan to overcome its development challenges. She commended the fraternal relations that exist between the two countries and applauded the continued interest of the UAE President in providing her government with all forms of economic and developmental assistance in line with Jordan’s development priorities.

She also praised ADFD’s vital role in supporting the Jordanian government’s socio-economic development efforts since 1974 through the provision of concessionary loans and management of government grants on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, said, “The UAE’s economic and development assistance package to Jordan through the Fund aims to bolster the overall development of Jordan. The financial allocation will aid the establishment of new development projects, boost infrastructure and eventually achieving sustainable development.”

Al Suwaidi added, “Honouring the time-tested ties of friendship between our countries, ADFD has to date enabled the financing of several major development projects in Jordan. In doing so, the Fund has helped Jordan achieve several key development milestones and ensured a positive impact on the lives of thousands of Jordanians.”

The ADFD in 2012 managed the UAE government grant allocation of AED4.6 billion (US$1.25 billion) to the Gulf Development Fund, a five-year grant programme from the GCC member countries to finance development projects in line with the Jordanian government’s strategic goals.

Through government grants and concessionary loans, ADFD has financed 31 development projects amounting to AED5.6 billion in Jordan to date. These projects spanned several lifeline sectors, such as mining, water and irrigation, transport, housing, agriculture, energy, education and healthcare

WAM/MOHD AAMIR/Hassan Bashir

By WAM
VIENNA, Oct 3 2018 (WAM)

A high level delegation from the OPEC Fund for International Development, OFID, on Tuesday, attended the 11th Arab Energy Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, under the theme ‘Energy and Arab Cooperation’.

Suleiman J Al-Herbish, OFID Director-General, attended the conference on an invitation of Abbas Al-Naqi, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, OAPEC, who was a panellist on the session ‘Energy security as a global partnership’.

OFID’s delegation also included Faris Hasan, Director of Strategic Planning and Economic Services; Dr. Namat Alsoof, Consultant; and Iman Alshammari, Senior Officer.

Al-Herbish said that energy is the engine of economic growth and social progress and noted that the priority given by OFID to eradicating energy poverty in developing countries was inspired by OFID member countries themselves. That priority, he said, stems from the Riyadh Declaration – issued at the conclusion of the 3rd OPEC Summit in November 2007 – which established the eradication of energy poverty as an objective. “Our Ministerial Council has approved the allocation of a renewed US$1 billion to this end,” Al-Herbish added.

Since 2007, OFID has advocated tirelessly for energy poverty to be given the priority it deserves in the post-2015 Development Agenda. These efforts – alongside those of OFID’s friends in the international development arena – have culminated in access to energy for all being recognised as Sustainable Development Goal 7, SDG 7, a stand-alone goal in the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

Al-Herbish noted that supporting development operations in the energy sector lies at the heart of OFID’s strategic plan to 2025. He stressed, however, that energy poverty remains a challenge that can only be overcome through strategic partnerships, highlighting that OFID has built strong and diverse partnership networks to expand geographic coverage and operational activities.

Al-Herbish reaffirmed OFID’s commitment to supporting sustainable development plans in Arab countries, particularly energy projects, and outlined various operation supported by OFID in the region, which include US$1.6 billion to finance 14 traditional and 15 renewable energy projects in a number of Arab countries.

Chaired by Aziz Rabah, Minister of Energy, Minerals and Sustainable Development of Morocco, the 11th Arab Energy Conference, which concludes tomorrow, brings together experts from the energy industry, led by ministers of Arab countries, as well as directors of Arab and other organisations.

WAM/Rola Alghoul/Rasha Abubaker

By WAM
ABU DHABI, Oct 2 2018 (WAM)

Rains fell on 29th September, have boosted the amount of water stored by reservoirs of dams in the counrry’s Central Region to 106,500 cubic metres, according to figures released by the Ministry of Energy and Industry.

The water collected in the lake of Wadi Buraq dam was considered the largest amount from the rains and accounted for 90,000 cubic metres. The dam has a store capacity of 500,000 cubic metres. Water levels in the dam rose to 1.6 metre, the ministry noted.

The ministry urged the public to take extra caution and observe safety measures for their own safety.

Water collected in the reservoirs of dams and barriers, as well as runoff water from valleys, have increased groundwater reserves.

According to the ministry, until 2017, the total number of dams and embankments in the country has reached 145, with an estimated design capacity of 131 million cubic metres.

The ministry manages 101 dams and embankments that contribute to the enhancement, improvement and development of water resources, replenish the underground water tables and the prevention of flood hazards.

WAM/Tariq alfaham/Hatem Mohamed

By WAM
DUBAI, Oct 1 2018 (WAM)

The issue of potable water scarcity around the world has led several companies operating in this sector to invest in research using new technologies for water production and storage, limiting water wastage and rationalising consumption. Global research and developmental efforts have led to a qualitative shift in water desalination, reducing costs, wastewater treatment, and introducing alternative clean energy sources to desalinate water, such as solar power and other innovative technologies.

The innovative solutions and advanced technologies relating to water issues are a priority of the 20th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition, WETEX 2018.

Organised by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and President of DEWA, the event will be held from 23rd to 25th October, 2018 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre under the theme ‘At the forefront of sustainability’, highlighting the latest developments and technologies in the fields of water, energy, and environment.

The region’s largest-of-its-kind exhibition coincides with the third Dubai Solar Show which highlights the latest innovations in the solar energy sector, especially in relation to desalination and water treatment using solar power. The exhibition will also focus on the region’s largest projects in this sector by providing participants with a unique platform to build partnerships with governmental and private sectors with the aim to develop innovative solutions.

This year, WETEX 2018 will bring together the world’s most proficient professionals in the water technology sector, showcasing water treatment and desalination plants, pipes, coolers, heaters, water purifiers, pumps and valves, state-of-the-art irrigation systems, agriculture and horticulture equipment, and dewatering equipment. The event will also focus on rationalisation of water consumption by highlighting products for leak detection and treatment products, lining tanks, and other materials used in the water sector.

WAM/سالمة الشامسي/MOHD AAMIR/Nour Salman

By WAM
DUBAI, Sep 30 2018 (WAM)

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has conducted an overall assessment of climate adaptation in the health context in the UAE. Through surveys and a stakeholders’ workshop, MOCCAE outlined the direct and indirect climate-related health risks and the existing and possible actionable solutions for public health adaptation.

Officials from the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Health Authority, as well as representatives from the private sector and academia attended the workshop and contributed their insights on the topic.

Fahed Al Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary of the Green Development and Climate Change Sector at MOCCAE, said, “We are already feeling the impacts of climate change in all aspects of our lives. Given the current projections, such impacts will continue to grow in intensity and frequency, and adaptation is the only viable response strategy.

“This assessment of climate-related health risks is the first brick in the wall to identify the current impacts of climate change on various sectors and come up with ways to adapt to these impacts. Such assessments will help us understand the bigger picture and act accordingly.”

For his part, Dr Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Centers and Health Clinics, MOHAP, said, “We are pleased to join forces with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to confirm that the National Climate Adaptation Program is delivered as planned. It is crucial to take concrete action to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts and build national capacities that can effectively tackle these impacts. In order to ensure a comprehensive overview, we need to capitalize on the research and experiments carried out by other nations as well as the data generated across the UAE.

“In this context, MOHAP has long worked on raising public awareness of the climate-related health risks and enhancing the health system across the country to ensure the UAE is well-poised to adapt to climate change. The recent assessment reveals the burden of climate-related diseases, which should be monitored and addressed. These include diseases associated with carbon pollution, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, climate-related infectious diseases, malnutrition, and heat stress, which leads to reduced labor productivity and spiraling health costs.”

Health experts concluded that the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human health in the UAE are primarily seen in the form of heat stress. This results in reduced labor productivity, particularly for outdoor laborers, and mortality or morbidity due to heat stroke.

They also noted that the multiple initiatives that have been carried out as part of environmental health and occupational safety policies are relevant – either directly or indirectly – to climate adaptation in the health sector. They highlighted the Ministerial Order No. 401 of 2015 that determines the afternoon working hours of laborers employed outdoors to reduce heat exhaustion and heat stress.

Another finding is that despite the existence of adaptation-related initiatives for climate risks, there is still a lot of room for more climate-focused adaptation policies and programs. Health experts proposed multiple actions to help address high and medium risks. Proposed actions include enhancing early warning systems and developing heat alert plans, especially for outdoor laborers during extreme heat events, and developing the capacity of clinics and health stations to recognize and respond to labor concerns on reduced productivity due to climate-related factors.

Furthermore, they recommended that more research needs to be undertaken on the effects of climate change on labor productivity, in addition to strengthening enforcement of existing initiatives such as the Safety in Heat and midday break programs. They also suggested enhancing monitoring and evaluation to objectively assess results, and mainstream climate change adaptation through reorienting existing programs on environmental health and occupational safety to better highlight their adaptation components.

To reduce climate change impacts and pave the way for green economic diversification, the UAE has adopted various policies at the federal and emirate levels to facilitate the transition from a hydrocarbon-dependent economy to a sustainable knowledge-based economy in line with the UAE Vision 2021.

The assessment findings correlate to those of the Leaders’ Roundtable: Climate Change and Public Health held on the sidelines of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 73). The roundtable touched on the non-communicable disease (NCD) dimension of the climate-health nexus, given that many greenhouse gas emission sources are key drivers of NCDs.

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment cohosted a roundtable, alongside Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Nikolai Astrup, Norwegian Minister of International Development, and Gina McCarthy, Professor of the Practice of Public Health in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Director of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE).

At the roundtable discussions, Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “It’s evident that our health and the infrastructure underpinning the health industry will be at increasing risk as climate change intensifies. That is why, the health sector is one of the first sectors we are addressing under the National Climate Adaptation Program launched in September 2017, along with energy, infrastructure and environment sectors. We are systematically assessing risks and identifying mitigation options.”

WAM/Hatem Mohamed

By WAM
NEW YORK, Sep 27 2018 (WAM)

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, today confirmed that the UAE is proceeding with grants totalling US$34.5 million (AED126.7 million) to fund renewable energy projects in the Caribbean that are built to withstand Category-5 hurricanes and located for enhanced resilience. This amount builds on $15 million of projects announced last year as part of the UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy under Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation.

The announcement was made at the second annual Bloomberg Global Business Forum, held on the sidelines of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA, where Minister Al Zeyoudi was invited to speak in the climate segment with President Bill Clinton and Kristalina Georgieva, CEO of the World Bank.

Addressing the forum, Minister Al Zeyoudi said, “The UAE is honoured to have partnered with over 30 island countries since 2013 to implement renewable energy projects that reduce energy costs and create jobs. Today’s announcement on our partnership in the Caribbean builds on this legacy, simultaneously expanding our cooperation into climate resilience.”

“Hurricanes Irma and Maria were a wake-up call for us,” Minister Al Zeyoudi added. “We realised that the kind of projects we pursue had to change. As a result, we have implemented a resilience standard for all of our Caribbean projects that reflects the reality of climate vulnerability in the region. Inspired by this precedent, we are now preparing for global roll-out of a resilience standard across over $5 billion of annual aid from the UAE.”

The Minister described plans for 7 new projects in Belize, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia. He also announced that the UAE had increased its allocation by 50% to the rebuilding of the Barbuda power system, devastated by Hurricane Irma, in order to relocate and strengthen its main plant, where a solar and battery solution will be installed.

The Minister additionally announced that the UAE will allocate $12 million for the next cycle of the fund, to be launched in January 2019 at the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

In tandem with the Bloomberg Global Business Forum, Minister Al Zeyoudi also participated in the One Planet Summit organized by President Emmanuel Macron of France. The UAE is a core member of a sovereign wealth fund working group on carbon accounting, announced under the summit.

UAE foreign aid for renewable energy has reached nearly $1 billion since 2013. In addition to the UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund, the UAE notably has launched the US$50 million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund, which has implemented projects in 11 Pacific island countries, and runs a $350 million soft loan facility with IRENA.

WAM/Hazem Hussein/Hatem Mohamed

By WAM
DUBAI, Sep 26 2018 (WAM)

Regional and international experts on sustainable built environments will come together at the 7th Annual Emirates Green Building Council, EmiratesGBC, Congress to discuss best practices and strategies to go beyond net zero carbon buildings, and explore the significance of net zero cities in ensuring the viability and liveability of our cities in the future.

Organised by EmiratesGBC, an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, the Congress will be held under the theme “Targeting Zero: A Vision for Future Cities”, on 9th October, 2018 at the Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre hotel.

The congress will commence with welcome addresses by Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EmiratesGBC; Eng. Aisha Al Abdooli, Director of Green Development, Ministry of Climate Change & Environment; and Ahmed Muhairbi, Secretary-General, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. It will be moderated by Holley Chant, Executive Director of Corporate Sustainability, KEO International Consultants.

Saeed Al Abbar said, “The congress this year will drive the conversation forward and take a deep dive into the net zero building movement and explore how we can apply and rapidly expand the approach to our cities in the UAE, the region and around the world. The fast pace of urbanisation today is a fundamental challenge, and we are bringing both regional and international experts to the UAE to participate in this dialogue as the emphasis on sustainable buildings and cities becomes more crucial than ever. From the government to the public and private sectors, the UAE has shown its commitment and now we must boldly deliver on it as the global net zero emissions timeline approaches.”

The Annual EmiratesGBC Congress brings together international experts in diverse aspects of energy management and sustainable development to discuss strategies for promoting sustainable built environments for the cities of the future in line with UAE Vision 2021 and the objectives of the Paris COP21 Climate Agreement. The event aims to influence sustainable practices in the UAE’s built environment and to help identify key industry challenges and solutions as well as catalyse innovation in green building practices to create new models that support the country’s efforts to be more sustainable.

The discussions will focus on three sub-themes that are closely related to honouring and promoting the values associated with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the nation, as the UAE marks the Year of Zayed this year to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary. These are “Inspired Cities reflecting the Wisdom of Sheikh Zayed”, “Collaborative Cities focusing on the value of Respect” and “Holistic Cities mirroring the value of Sustainability” which cater to the needs of future generations.

WAM/Esraa Ismail/Nour Salman

The United Arab Emirates has set nine priorities to it will seek to highlight during its participation in the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 73), an event held amidst a high-profile presence of world heads of state, government leaders, and foreign ministers of UN member states.

The nine priorities are designed to ensure the country’s participation as a modern and developed state that boasts a privileged stature in the Middle East region and seeks to promote values of tolerance, inclusion, and sustainable development.

The nine priorities are designed to ensure the country's participation as a modern and developed state that boasts a privileged stature in the Middle East region and seeks to promote values of tolerance, inclusion, and sustainable development.

The country spares no efforts to establish peace and security in the Middle East in collaboration with other nations in the region that share its same moderate views and tolerant approach with the ultimate goal of standing up to the threats posed by terror groups and their sponsors. Empowering governments and state institutions to adopt modern policies based on pluralism, cultural diversity and respect for others’ religious beliefs feature high on the list of priorities adopted by the country.

The UAE regards UNGA 73 meetings as a significant platform to address key issues with close relevance to international cooperation and peace and sustainable and humanitarian development, where it will collaborate with international partners to achieve the following nine objectives: -First: Supporting and restoring regional peace in the Middle East through its partnership with the United Nations. In this respect, tolerance represents a fundamental value that the country deems as an important factor to ensure stability in the region, with the country’s leadership setting a model to be copied for building up peaceful societies capable of confronting subversive ideologies. The UAE seeks to share this fundamental value with the countries of the region and the entire world.

Second: Confronting terrorism and extremism. The UAE believes that regional stability would not be possible without uprooting terrorism and extremism, which the country regards as one of the most critical threats to international security. The UAE will continue to work with UN member states and various UN organisations to exchange best practices to counter terrorism and establish new partnerships in this regard.

Third: Promoting peace and diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, as the country exhibits full readiness to support all constructive efforts to reach peaceful settlement to all armed conflicts in the region, including those flaring in Libya, Palestine, Syria and Yemen, by adopting measures based on peaceful dialogue and confidence-building.

Fourth: Alleviating humanitarian suffering by providing developmental and humanitarian aid as the UAE believes that settlement of disputes is inseparably associated with ensuring sustainable development. Within this context., the OECD named the UAE as the world’s largest Official Development Aid donor relative to national income.

Fifth: Gender-Equality and women’s empowerment. The UAE continues to underline the importance of gender equality and promote women’s empowerment as an integral part of its policies- an approach which manifests itself in the country’s partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, known as UN Women. In this respect The UAE will continue to support the UN Secretary-Genera’ strategy on gender equality.

Sixth: Supporting youth’s integration into society, as the UAE strongly believes that addressing challenges is not possible without adopting a future-oriented approach based on delivering genuine partnerships with youth.

Seventh: Reforming the UN to empower it to fulfill its obligations, as the UAE believes that the world organisation is entrusted with a major role in confronting cross-border challenges, including the current unprecedented waves of displacement, chronic conflicts, urgent humanitarian needs during crises and the escalating role of non-state parties. The UAE will remain committed to supporting the UN; however it will in the same time endeavour to sustain reform efforts made to enhance the world organisation’s ability to address the current geopolitical status quo.

Eighth: Leading efforts to harness technologies with the ultimate goal of addressing major global challenges. This includes fostering cooperation in areas of digital space, future of corporate governance and dedicating science and innovation to realise SDGs.

Ninth: Addressing climate change and mitigating its impact. The UAE is diligently working to propel international efforts aimed at confronting climate change threats by supporting renewable energy investments and cultivating robust partnerships with other international parties concerned.

Finally, the UAE reaffirms its full support for the UN Secretary General in person and for the UN as an organisation to overcome current global challenges on the basis of preventing armed disputes, promoting political mediation efforts to current crises, and enforcing and respecting international law, specially with regards to complying to Security Council resolutions. In this respect, the UAE affirms that collective compliance to UN Charter and multilateral diplomacy is the basis of our joint destiny and stability.

Hatem Mohamed

WAM/Hassan Bashir

By WAM
DUBAI, Sep 24 2018 (WAM)

The Smart Dubai Office, SDO, today launched the “Payment Reconciliation and Settlement” system, in collaboration with the Dubai Department of Finance, which is a blockchain-based upgrade to its financial system.

The new system will enable transactions to be performed accurately and in real time, and economise time and effort. The department’s current procedures rely on staff members physically conducting payments and manually reconciling, as well as settling them and deducting fees, before transferring remaining amounts to relevant authorities, which is a time-consuming process that could take up to 45 days.

Dr. Aisha bint Butti bin Bishr, Director-General of the SDO, attended the launching ceremony, along with Saeed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA; Abdulrahman Al Saleh, Director-General of the Government of Dubai’s Department of Finance; Saeed Al Falasi, Executive Director of Future Platforms at the Dubai Future Foundation, DFF; Wesam Lootah, CEO of the Smart Dubai Government Establishment, SDG; Samer Soliman, Managing Director of Network International, and Evans Munyuki, Group Chief Digital Officer at Emirates NBD.

“Guided by the forward-thinking vision of its leadership, Dubai has long been a pioneer in embracing the latest technologies, most notably those of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” and tailoring them to meet the needs of our citizens, residents and visitors, to transform Dubai into the happiest and smartest city in the world,” Dr. bin Bishr said.

“Once again, Dubai is a pioneer in this sector and continues to make progress, with the launch of the ‘Payment Reconciliation and Settlement’ system, which is in line with the ambitious ‘Dubai Blockchain Strategy’ that was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council. The strategy aims to increase government efficiency by transferring all government transactions to the Blockchain network,” she added.

“Ensuring the success of the ‘Payment Reconciliation and Settlement’ system requires fostering collaboration and synergy among various government entities that have joined or are planning to join the system, which calls for each entity to open its data network and work together with other government departments,” she further added.

“The new and advanced ‘Payment Reconciliation and Settlement’ system offers Dubai Government authorities many significant benefits. As well as enabling near real-time reconciliations and settlements, the system eliminates friction within financial processes through automation and minimising human intervention. It also allows for full financial transparency, immediate disputes and claims resolutions, and the immutability of financial records,” Lootah said.

DEWA and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, KHDA, were the first government agencies to join the system, and have already processed a combined total of over five million transactions using the advanced Blockchain-based system.

More government authorities are planning to join the system, most notably the Dubai Police, Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, the Dubai Health Authority, DHA, Dubai Airports, Dubai Customs, the Dubai Municipality, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, DTCM, Dubai Courts, and Dubai Holding, as well as other local government bodies, leading banks and financial services providers.

WAM/MOHD AAMIR/Nour Salman

By WAM
VIENNA, Sep 23 2018 (WAM)

The Board of Governors of the OPEC International Development Fund (OFID) has approved US$270 million financing plan for projects supporting sustainable development in many developing countries worldwide.

OFID approved the new funding during the fifty-fourth session of the Board, which approved the support of public sector projects in five countries worth about US$154 million.

The approvals included seven grants for number of civil society organizations such as the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, the Institute for Cooperation in Development Projects, the German Foundation to Fight Hunger and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

OFID approved US$42 million for the private sector to help enhance the energy sector in Bangladesh and support a financial institution in Cambodia to expand its lending activities to micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. Under OFID’s trade finance operations, US$70 million was approved to help boost the garment production industry in Jordan and support international trade activities in Bangladesh and Georgia.

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WAM/Tariq alfaham

By WAM
ALEXANDRIA, Sep 19 2018 (WAM)

The Federal National Council, FNC, Parliamentary Division has affirmed that the UAE’s clear development and many regional and international reports and indexes highlight the country’s leading role in implementing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, 2030.

It also noted that the country has created a plan to implement these goals, as part of its strategies and initiatives, which are being supported and encouraged by the wise leadership and have enabled it to achieve significant successes, such as the launch of the UAE Vision 2021, the UAE Centennial 2071, and other related projects and programmes.

During its participation in the “Regional Seminar on the Sustainable Development Goals and Gender Equality for Middle East and North Africa Parliaments,” which is being held in Alexandria, Egypt, from 18th to 20th September, 2018, the division, which includes FNC members Khalfan Abdullah bin Youkha and Ahmed Yousef Al Nuaimi, stressed that the UAE has supported the efforts to achieve sustainable development in the areas of sustainable energy, green economy, food security, safe drinking water, gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In a working session, titled, “SDGs and the Role of Parliaments in their Achievement,” the delegation highlighted the fact that the UAE has implemented many humanitarian and development initiatives that aim to fulfil the needs of communities, eliminate poverty and famine, and launch development projects around the world, as well as establish strategic partnerships to achieve the 2030 goals while noting that the country has drafted a leading strategy with regards to international humanitarian and development aid.

The delegation also pointed out that the UAE occupied the first position globally as the largest donor of foreign aid in 2017, with the total value of its official development aid reaching AED19.32 billion (US$5.26 billion), a growth of 18.1 percent compared to 2016. Over half of this aid, or 54 percent, is non-refundable, to support the development plans of beneficiary countries.

The division also showcased the FNC’s role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, through its monitoring and legislative role, its launch of the first parliamentary strategy in the region for citizens, and its efforts to create an efficient parliamentary institution that can help achieve the UAE’s overall development, in line with the country’s keenness to promote international peace, stability and security, and achieve “Goal 16” to achieve peace and justice and create strong institutions.

WAM/Nour Salman

The philanthropist Bill Gates has thanked the UAE for its support in working to eliminate deadly diseases and reduce world poverty.

Mr Gates was speaking on the eve of the launch of the 2018 Goalkeepers Report, produced by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and which measures progress towards goals for sustainable development by 2030 set by the United Nations three years ago.

In an interview with The National, Mr Gates said the foundation was “extremely thankful for the generosity of the UAE, including the ruling family, the government and a lot of organisations there.”

The UAE’s support was crucial not just because of the large sums of money it had committed to disease elimination and vaccination programmes, but because its strong regional role meant it was able to engage the support of other governments.

He said the UAE’s support was crucial not just because of the large sums of money it had committed to disease elimination and vaccination programmes, but because its strong regional role meant it was able to engage the support of other governments.

He cited Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the UAE has been active in vaccination campaigns working to eliminate the last clusters of polio in some of the most remote tribal regions.

“There’s an effort there to draw on the entire region and the voice of that region where on issues like the polio campaign, the strong relationships both up into Pakistan and Afghanistan, and relationships going down into some of the countries in Africa have been very helpful in getting to religious leaders and getting the focus from the political leaders on these health issues,” he said.

With the Foundation reaching out to Middle East governments to take leadership roles in fighting world poverty, “the UAE has been particularly strong in this,” Mr Gates said.

This is the second Goalkeepers report, with the name referring to leaders in the public and private sector who are committed eliminating poverty and hunger, achieving better health and education, providing clean and affordable energy and improving the environment.

The UN has set out 17 goals in these areas, and others, including gender equality and water quality, that it wants to achieve by 2030.

The 2018 report, released to coincide with the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York today (September 18), measures progress so far and assesses the probability that these goals will be met.

There is a particular focus on Africa where the Gates Foundation has invested more than US$15 billion (AED55bn) and plans to spend even more in the future.

With the highest percentage of young people in the world, what happens to them “will be the single biggest determinant of whether the world makes progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals – that is, whether life on this planet keeps getting better”, the report says.

Large scale investment in the right areas has already led to historic reductions in global poverty over the last 30 years, the foundation says, from China and India to, most recently, Ethiopia.

It provides evidence that the number of people living in extreme poverty – meaning they survive on less than US$2 a day – has fallen from one in three of the world population in 1990 to less than one in ten by last year.

Over the last 20 years, that represents one billion people, Mr Gates said, while population growth, another measure of improved living standards, is largely flat.

But the overall trend conceals significant regional variations, especially in Africa and other developing countries.

“If you just take Africa, even though it’s only 14 per cent of the population of the world, it’s 24 percent of the births already,” Mr Gates said.

“Over the century, it lights up and becomes half of the births. So, you actually have a lot of population growth in Africa, even though the globe as a whole, the growth isn’t that dramatic.”

Of the 10 countries projected to be the poorest in the world by the middle of this century, all are in Africa. More than six in 10 of those living in the worst poverty will be Africans.

Nigeria alone will see its population explode from 190 million today to 429 million by 2050. Over 150 million of these will be living in abject poverty.

Yet investing in human capital projects in these countries could boost their economies by 90 per cent by that date, creating political and economic stability and stemming the flow of mass migration, the report concludes.

WAM/Tariq alfaham

By WAM
DUBAI, Sep 17 2018 (WAM)

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, MOCCAE, today concluded a two-day workshop on performance measurement for greening the economy, organised in collaboration with the Global Green Growth Institute, GGGI.

Held at the ministry’s premises in Dubai, the workshop convened 30 policymakers representing federal and local authorities from the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt to discuss ways of measuring the progress of nations towards achieving a green economy. In line with the UAE Green Agenda 2015-2030, the country has set 41 Green Key Performance Indicators, Green KPIs, that cover the economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainable development, and assess its performance annually in the UAE State of Green Economy Report.

The Global Green Institute is currently developing the Green Growth Performance Measurement, GGPM, that consists of the Green Growth Index, GGI, for measuring green growth of countries around the world and a simulation tool that allows users to explore the impact of specific policies in this field. The workshop is part of regional sessions aimed at introducing GGPM, soliciting expert feedback, and testing its universal applicability that are also taking place in Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

In her opening remarks, Aisha Al Abdooli, Director of Green Development and Environmental Affairs at MOCCAE, said, “Approved by the Cabinet in 2017, the UAE Green Agenda 2015-2030 has made the transition to a green economy the country’s key priority. Measuring environmental performance is a critical component in achieving the ambitions outlined in the UAE Vision 2021. We are confident this workshop will contribute to our journey of sustainability through enabling us to share experiences and lessons learnt with our regional partners.”

The Green Growth Index includes performance metrics in five dimensions – resource efficiency, natural capital protection, resilience to risks, economic opportunities, and social inclusion – across six areas: energy, industry, transport, cities, agriculture, and forests.

In turn, Orestes Anastasia, Head of Knowledge Sharing and Deputy Head of the Office of Thought Leadership at GGGI, said, “An appropriate set of indicators can help stimulate the policy action and investment required for a country’s green transformation. Ultimately, GGPM allows countries to compare their performance with their peers and track their progress over time.”

WAM/مبارك خميس/Rola Alghoul/Nour Salman