Emirates Mars Mission improves UAE’s overall Soft Power score by 5% compared to last year UAE moves seven places up from last year in the ‘Respected Leaders’ category to reach the 7th globally  The Index was launched in the virtually-held Global Soft Power Summit attended by decisionmakers and specialists Mohammed bin Rashid: The UAE is not a place in the globe, but the globe in one place   • UAE sits at the top 10 for its strong and stable economy • UAE ranks 9th globally in ‘affairs people follow closely’, climbing 8 places up from last year • UAE classified among top 15 countries in the world in COVID-19 response and future growth potential • The General Public selected UAE among top 14 great places to visit  • UAE improves rankings in ......read more

Dubai, 25 February 2021: Dubai Municipality has obtained nine new certificates of conformity with international standards specialized in the fields of administrative systems in addition to renewing 10 international certificates, after evaluation and auditing of them by specialized international auditing companies from UK and Germany. The achievement comes within the framework of the Municipality’s keenness to enhance the sustainability of efficiency and quality standards in its various sectors. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said: "We, in Dubai Municipality, always strive to follow the best strategies aimed at applying international standards in all practices, in line with the Dubai Government Excellence Program system, in order to enhance the achievement of leadership goals in the areas of ......read more

Emirates Environmental Group brings together over 200 entities to participate in the 25th Can Collection Day Campaign in the Year of “Towards the Next Fifty”. EEG Collects 1,500 kg of Aluminium Can and mitigates 23 MTCO2E, saves 341 Million BTU of Energy  and 36 m3 of Landfill space. Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) has yet again reunited the nation for its 25th Cycle of the Can Collection Day. The programme gathered more than 200 entities from all over the country to participate. It is with the help and true efforts of numerous corporations, hotels, academic institutions and families that EEG managed to collect 1,500 kg of Aluminum Cans for recycling on Thursday -25th of February 2021.  Mrs. Habiba Al Mar’ashi Chairperson of EEG said: “In celebrating the silver jubilee of this national ......read more

United Arab Emirates -  February 25, 2021:   Leading detergent brands Tide and Ariel have announced plans today to donate one million washes to frontline workers in 54 public and private hospitals across Saudi Arabia before the end of March 2021.  As healthcare workers and first responders fight the pandemic, Tide and Ariel have launched  their COVID-19 relief campaigns: Tide’s “Protect the Protectors” and Ariel's “Tough for the Toughest”  to supply frontliners and their families across the kingdom with their innovative anti-bacterial fabric-care products that ensure thorough cleaning from all dimensions, eliminating dirt and stains while removing up to 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. Tide and Ariel have joined hands to inaugurate the donation roadshow that aims to ......read more

Sharjah, February 24, 2021:  The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) underlined its eagerness to strengthen all forms of economic relations between Sharjah and Egypt, increase the volume of bilateral trade between the two friendly countries, and stimulate economic activities in the emirate to launch more investment ventures. The statements made on the sidelines of the meeting held at the Chamber premises between HE Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman, SCCI, and HE Ashraf Deeb, Consul General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Dubai. Present at the meeting were HE Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director General of the SCCI, Counselor Wael Fathy, Consul of the Republic of Egypt in Dubai, Ashraf Hamdy, Minister Plenipotentiary of Commerce, Head of the Economic and Commercial Office at the Consulate. While ......read more

Dubai - 21 February 2021: Dubai Municipality is joining the activities of the UAE Innovates 2021, organized by the General Secretariat of Dubai Executive Council, from 21 to 27 February, to enhance the Municipality's directions towards promoting the values of creativity and innovation in its various sectors. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, emphasized the Municipality's keenness to participate in the activities of UAE Innovates 2021, which is a forum for embodying and translating the directives of the wise leadership towards achieving happiness and the highest levels of living standards for the members of the society, by making innovation a method of work, a pattern for government development, and an essential tributary of development and sustainability.  He added that the Municipality pays ......read more

• 15 programs launched in 2020 bringing the total number of programs to 227 since inception • Dubai Cares rolled out a nationwide fundraising campaign in support of students from low-income families in the UAE • Dubai Cares launched RewirEd, a new global education platform with the vision to rewire education for a prosperous and sustainable future • The United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC) approved Dubai Cares as a member of its association     Dubai, UAE, 21 February 2021:  Despite the massive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social and economic sectors around the world, Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, remained committed towards helping achieve SDG4 by rolling out global education initiatives that advocate for children ......read more

• ‘Sharjah Startup Studio’ delivers a jab of hope to startups leading the post-covid recovery • UAE’s first government-backed startup studio will take startups from idea to company, and position them to power the nation’s digital transformation      Sharjah, February 20, 2021   The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has launched its latest program, the Sharjah Startup Studio (S3), designed to build enduring businesses that will accelerate the region’s digital transformation and contribute to the growth of the non-oil economy in the UAE.   The first government-backed startup studio in the UAE will go beyond the traditional method of education-based programs, taking a more hands-on approach to venture building. S3 will dedicate a team of ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates -  February 18, 2021:   Dubai Land Department (DLD) is participating in the UAE Innovates Week 2021 that will be held virtually from 21 – 27 February under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. HE Sultan Butti bin Mejren, Director-General of DLD, commented: “DLD continues to play an important and vital role in the UAE’s path towards enhancing innovation and digital transformation through several innovative services that facilitate customer procedures, enhance investor trust, and strengthen the position of Dubai’s real estate sector, which is one of the most globally prominent. Our services and innovations across our various sectors and organisations are also consistent with the ......read more

Dubai – 18, February 2021:  Dubai Customs has 39 initiatives and events under the “Al Furdah Innovates 2021” that are ready to launch in the upcoming UAE Innovation Month in Dubai (21-27 Feb). The events will address all categories, so there will be 6 events for the clients, 9 events for the partners, 19 events for the employees and 5 events for the society at large.  “Innovation has turned into an essential component in Dubai Customs’ work environment. Our services and operations are continuously developing and improving in accordance with our vision of adopting the best world practices to consolidate Dubai’s position as a global trade hub,” said Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs. “The challenges posed by the spread of covid-19, which has rapidly ......read more

Number of complying food establishments rose to 5,264   Dubai - 16, February 2021:  Dubai Municipality revealed that since the beginning of this year it has ordered the closure of 32 food establishments for violating precautionary measures to combat the Corona virus, in addition to issuing warning notices to 472 outlets. “Within 45 days since the beginning of this year, the Municipality inspectors had carried out 5,841 field inspection visits to ensure that the food establishments are adhering to the procedures and controls set by the health authorities to combat the spread of the new Corona virus,” said Sultan Al Taher, Manager of Food Inspection Section in the Municipality. “While 32 food establishments in Dubai were temporarily closed, the number of committed food establishments amounted to ......read more

In the Education Supporting Institutions Category Dubai, 15 February 2021:  Dubai Municipality has won the 23rd Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance award, organized by the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, in the “Education Supporting Institutions Category.”  The Municipality’s winning initiative, “CSR Activities in the Field of Environmental Sustainability for the Education Sector,” is considered one of the most important pioneering initiatives in the field of supporting the environmental education system and disseminating sustainable environmental knowledge in the UAE, to instill a culture of environmental protection and prepare future generations with the highest levels of awareness on important ......read more

AED21.5b: trade between Dubai and UK in 2020   Dubai – 14, February 2021:  The implementation of Brexit and the following consequences on trade, travel and security were the main highlights of the meeting that took place between Dubai Customs and its British counterpart.  The meeting was organized online, and H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs confirmed to H.E. Bill Williamson, Director of British Customs that Dubai Customs will provide all what is necessary to British businesses and investors to help them overcome any challenges that might result from them leaving the trading bloc.  Britain has officially left the European trading block and started applying new procedures from the first day of the new year.  On his part, Mr. Williamson highly commended the ......read more

Dubai – 13 February 2021:  Dubai Customs received Agile Organization Certification from the American Business Agility Institute (BAI), as the first agile government organization worldwide. The Government Department consolidated its position in agility by obtaining four-star rating, the highest agility rating given by BAI, topping other competitors. The next four competitors in the list were private sector companies from different countries. The California based institute has 2,500 members from 94 countries around the world. In its report, BAI stated Dubai Customs’ agility stood at 94%, topping 90% of the 1,030 organizations and companies evaluated. These included 170 companies and establishments that work in the same field as Dubai Customs, which means that Dubai Customs is at the top 10% of agile ......read more

Under the terms of an MoU, the Foundation will provide financial assistance to AU’s Thamer Fund for 3 years United Arab Emirates -  February 11, 2021:    Ajman University (AU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Al Maktoum Foundation to further enhance its support to underprivileged students who are unable to continue their education due to financial barriers. Under the MoU, Al Maktoum Foundation will provide financial assistance to augment the Thamer Fund at Ajman University.    The Chairman of Thamer Fund, H.E. Abdullah Al-Mazroei along with Dr. Karim Seghir, AU Chancellor welcomed the delegation representing the Foundation at Ajman University campus where the MoU was signed. The delegation comprised of H.E. Mirza Al Sayegh, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation and ......read more

Winning initiative focused on reducing contractual journey with suppliers while maintaining quality  Dubai, 11 February 2021:  Dubai Municipality has won the CIPS Middle East Supply Management Award in the Public Procurement category, organized by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply.  The Municipality’s winning initiative, “Agile Procurement for lasting value through benchmarking,” aims to improve customer experience, solve the issues they raise and enhance their satisfaction level as well as re-engineer and design contract processes in line with Dubai government strategies of digital transformation and paperless transactions, by developing systems and reducing human interference in the implementation of operations and providing services. The winning initiative focused on reducing ......read more

Dubai, 07 February 2021: Dubai Municipality organized a virtual seminar under the slogan "Green Recovery," coinciding with the celebrations of the National Environment Day, which falls on 4th February every year. The symposium witnessed the presence of a group of participants at the local, Arab and international levels.  The symposium shed light on the concept of green recovery, the experience of the countries participating in green recovery, and how to benefit from the experience of each country, in addition to screening films related to the field of environment that showcase the concepts of environmental recovery. Dubai Municipality participated in the celebrations of the 23rd National Environment Day under the slogan "Nature-based solutions," which reinforces its vision of building a happy and ......read more

United Arab Emirates -  February 07, 2021:  The Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Catherine Sozi, and the Federal Minister of Peace of the Government of Ethiopia, Muferihat Kamil, completed a joint visit to Mekelle in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region, aiming to highlight the need for strong partnership to rapidly scale up a Government-led collective response to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of people in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region.  Mr. Beasley commended the emergency food assistance that the Government and partners have already provided to the people of Tigray since the onset of the crisis, reaching almost 1.7 million people with emergency food distributions. 26,000 Eritrean refugees residing in two camps ......read more

A total of 1,762 vessels registered in the easy-to-use mobile app   DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, 06 FEBRUARY 2021: “NAU by DP World”, a digital marketplace and an aggregator of cargo ‘dhows’, traditional wooden vessels, has achieved a shipping volume of more than 255,000 tonnes in 2020, with 1,762 dhows registered in the application.  Launched officially in February 2020, NAU connects Dhow owners  with traders allowing them to search, negotiate and book shipments.  The platform represents a digital transformation of the traditional industry, effectively ushering in a new era of smart trade that DP World enables and promotes. The app uses the latest AI technologies to connect traders with the boat captains.  This has increased the number of cargo operations through the ......read more

Dubai – 05 Feb 2021: HE Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs held a videoconferencing meeting with a German delegation headed by H.E. Holger Mahnicke, German Consul General to Dubai to discuss means of enhancing mutual economic cooperation and trade between Dubai and Germany, the role of Dubai Customs in supporting supply chain and the customs facilities provided. The two sides covered major matters including the stimulus packages launched by the Federal Government and Dubai Government to support the business activity and to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. They also talked about the measures taken by Dubai Customs to back the global supply chain and the business and trade groups in Dubai. The meeting was attended by Mr. Oliver Oehms- head of the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & ......read more

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem: Dubai is a central hub for storing and distributing Covid-19 vaccine Ahmed Mahboob Musabih: 13.6m items of luggage, 820 seizures in Dubai Airports in 2020 iDeclare boosts Dubai airport’s reputation worldwide   Dubai – 3 February 2021: In a visit to the Dubai International Airport, H.E. Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman & CEO and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation Stated that the UAE has been among the top countries in supporting international efforts to curb the spread of the covid-19 virus since the start of the crisis.  “The UAE is the world's top humanitarian donor of aids and logistics related to combating the virus in the region and beyond. The country has put all its advanced infrastructure and deep-rooted experience in ......read more

Dr. Saif Al Qassim co-authored landmark study on molecular motor responsible for transport of cellular cargo in the human body with researchers from the University of Pennsylvania  United Arab Emirates -  February 01, 2021:   Dr. Saif Al Qassim, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) has become the first Emirati scientist to be featured in Nature Communications, one of the world’s most eminent peer-reviewed scientific journals, for his work on a breakthrough study on molecular mechanisms in the human body.  Dr. Al Qassim and a team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania conducted the research titled ‘A tunable LIC1-adaptor interaction modulates dynein activity in a cargo specific manner’ on Dynein, a molecular ......read more

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih: “UAE Customs Week” gained international reputation with the participation of WCO United Arab Emirates -  February 01, 2021:  H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs said the UAE Customs Week has gained global reputation with the active participation of the World Customs Organization in the 4th UAE Customs Week, held from 24-28 January 2021.  The Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) HE Kunio Mikuria, in a televised speech on the opening of the Week, said customs in the UAE is an example to follow and the sector’s digital transformation is reflective of the huge advancement that takes place in the field.   The UAE has strong and solid relationship with the WCO that was translated into giving the UAE the honor of ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates; January 28, 2021: In solidarity with those facing uncertainties brought on by the Coronavirus, Henkel, one of the leading multinational FMCG companies, donated 75,000 pieces of Fa Hand Sanitizers to Emirates Red Crescent.   The initiative followed the transformation of Henkel’s production facilities to produce disinfectants, part of the Germany-headquartered company’s global solidarity program.  Malek Dardour, Cluster Head of Beauty Care Retail for GCC, Maghreb, Egypt, Lebanon, said: “We were able to produce Fa hand sanitizers locally in the UAE in the Summer. The first batch was donated to hospitals and key areas in the Emirates that needed support the most. Alongside it’s primary objective of protection against viruses, the product also provides them with a little ......read more

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih: We developed 237 new customs innovations in 2020 based on young employees’ innovative ideas Saeed Mohammed Al Nathari: Turning dialogue into a daily practice is a priority, and we organized 3,000 discussion panels that targeted 3,000 young people    Dubai – 28 January 2021: Dubai Customs organized a youth’s panel discussion as part of its activities in the 4th UAE Customs Week in conjunction with the World Customs Day on 26 January. The panel discussion was organized in cooperation with the Federal Youth Authority to discuss the youth’s role in the future customs, in the presence of HE Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs and HE Saeed Mohammed Al Nathari, Director General of the Federal Youth Authority.  Mr Musabih and Mr Al Nathari talked ......read more