African Tradition Comes Alive With Circus Africa Show In Residence At Mirdif City Centre

Sponsored Link

The entertaining and educational, Circus Africa show is a performance oriented show demonstrating the African continent and its people. An experiential feast for the senses the Circus Africa show will be in residence in the mall’s Central Galleria until 16th July.

The show’s combination of skillful acrobats, African dancers, unique Unicycle, Adagio and Diabolo acts will ensure that Circus Africa is a not to be missed show this Dubai Summer Surprises.

Located in the mall’s Central Galleria, performances are underway until 16th July– three times a day – at 4.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

For more information about this and other events please contact 800 6422.
 

Hawkamah And The International Centre For Financial Regulation Join Hands To Advance On Corporate Governance And Financial Regulation In The Middle East And North Africa Region

Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance (Hawkamah) today, at the sides of the GCC Regulators’ Summit, announced a partnership agreement with the International Centre for Financial Regulation (ICFR), a not-for-profit organization focused on best practice in all aspects of financial regulation internationally.

ICFR joins a growing number of reputable institutions showing their support for an independent, private sector initiative that is improving the understanding and practice of corporate governance in the Middle East and North Africa—and backed by major international and regional organizations. ICFR’s support to Hawkamah is an investment in building sustainable and credible institutions for the region.

Hawkamah and ICFR will work together on important initiatives such as the development and implementation of national legal and regulatory frameworks affecting corporate governance, in cooperation with both the public and private sectors. The joint partnership will aim to increase the training capacity of regional institutions, helping them to inform and train regulators, investors, directors, managers, and other stakeholders on good corporate governance.

Dr. Nasser Saidi, Executive Director of Hawkamah, outlined the significance of this partnership: "The financial crisis has shown us that a strong regulatory environment—with regulators willing to question overly-risky behavior among corporate actors—could have played a role in mitigating the crisis. This partnership between Hawkamah and ICFR is a very encouraging development. Both institutions understand the need to develop the capacity of regional regulators to play a critical role in bringing trust to the region’s markets, ensuring greater transparency, disclosure and accountability within our region and assisting in the further development of the region’s capital markets.”

Charles Taylor, the Chief Operating Officer of the ICFR, commented:
“We are delighted to announce this exciting new partnership which will help to consolidate the work that we do in terms of events, research and training on corporate governance. It is undeniable thatgood governance is an essential component of good regulation.

One of the immediate priorities for the new partnership will be to promote best practice and training for both private and public sector bodies across the region.”

Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the UAE, Dominic Jermey CVO, OBE commented: "I am really pleased that this MOU between the ICFR and Hawkamah has been signed today at the 5th GCC Regulators and Compliance Meeting here in Abu Dhabi. It is a positive outcome of the financial crisis that our nations are working increasingly more closely on regulation and we are pleased that the ICFR is able to play its part in the development of financial services professionals here in the UAE".

 

Prototype Interactive Launches Yalla Apps, A Windows Phone 7 Developer Portal For The Middle East Africa Region

Prototype Interactive in association with Microsoft announced the launch of “Yalla Apps” (http://www.yallaapps.com) during Tech Ed Middle East in Dubai. Yalla Apps is a regional Windows Phone 7 developer portal managed by Prototype Interactive, a leading UAE based digital agency. Yalla Apps will serve as an accelerator for the creation, availability and submission of local Windows Phone 7 applications from the developer community across the Middle East and Africa region (MEA) in addition to enabling them to be part of the growing global Windows Phone 7 developer community.

According to Alexander Rauser – CEO Prototype Interactive, “As regional pioneers in Windows Phone 7 development, with Yalla Apps we have the opportunity to help developers create compelling mobile content for the Windows Phone platform. By creating a community around Windows Phone 7 development Yalla Apps will be a springboard that will provide regional developers with tools to jump-start the development of new and exciting applications.”

Gustavo Fuchs Microsoft Mobility Director, Middle East & Africa commented: “At Microsoft, we are committed on creating new developer opportunities in Windows Phone 7. The launch of Yalla Apps is a significant initiative that will enable us to reach out to developers across the region. Through Yalla Apps, developers are able to submit and participate in the global marketplace for Windows Phone 7 by monetizing their applications and creating new revenue opportunities for them. We see enormous potential in terms of the talent that is available across the region to develop new and exciting Windows Phone 7 applications.”

In the case of developers, Yalla Apps will now make it very easy for them to distribute their applications on the portal through a simple and accessible process. Microsoft and Prototype will further utilize the Yalla Apps community to facilitate development support so that developers can get their applications distributed as fast as possible.

Yalla Apps will also offer developers the opportunity to download Windows Phone 7 application templates, sample code and components to get a quick start in their application development. Moreover, developers can also upload their own code and share it with the community either on a free or paid basis. A Forum Module will also be available on Yalla Apps which will allow developers a chance to discuss and get insights into the latest Windows Phone 7 developer tools and enhance their development experience.

Available immediately, Developers in 79 countries across the Middle East and Africa can go to Yalla Apps (www.yallapps.com), sign up to and start unlock WP7 phones for testing, submit, publish and earn money from WP7 apps they develop! Registration is free for students!
 

Prime Minister Of Kenya In Dubai To Announce First GEMS School In Africa In Partnership With MenaLink

The Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, announced today that GEMS Education will build its first school in Africa in partnership with MenaLink Holdings. The international school will be located in Nairobi, Kenya- the political, economic and financial hub of East Africa- and is set to be the region’s leading educational institution. It marks GEMS’ first entry into Kenya.

In attendance for the announcement was H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, the UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, H.E. Humaid Al Qutami, the UAE Minister of Education and H.E. Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim, Minister of Health.

The Prime Minister said, “Today I visited two GEMS international schools and saw children from over 90 nationalities. It is clear that this global education company is supplying high quality education to the children in its schools. In announcing their flagship school, I am pleased that they will soon be enhancing the standard of education in Kenya as well.”

“In coordination with MenaLink, who has been advising and assisting us through their Socio-Economic Development Initiative in Kenya (SEDIK), we have identified best-of-breed partners like GEMS that will share in and benefit from this Vision”.

The Prime Minister said that education was at the core of Kenya’s ambition to achieve the development objectives as outlined in Kenya Vision 2030. Kenya Vision 2030 is an economic, social and political development blueprint that seeks to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, middle-income country by the year 2030.

Mr. Sunny Varkey, Founder and Chairman of GEMS Education said, “Our goal is to support the Kenyan Government wherever we can, whether it be in the private or public sector, to achieve its vision for the education sector. We will harness the full range of educational resources across the GEMS global network to make this international school the very best school in Kenya. A quality education impacts not only the child receiving that education, but the child’s family and the broader community.”

Mr. Rafi Nourafchan, Managing Director of MenaLink Holdings said, “By working closely with governments, we have promoted technology transfer to, as well as foreign direct investment and capacity building in, emerging markets to develop profitable and socially responsible businesses. Our investment into Kenya is underscored by our commitment to excellence as shown by our partnership with GEMS. We selected GEMS to serve as strategic educational partner due to its position as the world’s leading, private educational provider.”

GEMS Education, is a Dubai based company and the world’s largest kindergarten to grade 12 private educational provider, who is working with MenaLink Holdings, an integrated holding company that structures, finances and manages international business transactions.

The GEMS International school in Nairobi, Kenya will establish itself as the region’s leading educational institution. It will offer a British/IB curriculum with state of the art facilities catering to 2,000 students.
 

South African Tourism unveils I Luv South Africa holiday brochure and www.southafricaholidays.com

South African Tourism, the organization responsible for the marketing and promotion of South Africa, has unveiled a new holiday brochure entitled “I Luv South Africa” and a website www.southafricaholidays.com for the Travel Trade and holidaymakers in Middle East. The brochure and website launch are part of a trade road show in Dubai by South African Tourism in association with Sun International, Etihad Airways and Tourism Point.

The Middle Eastern Trade Show event, held at Dubai’s Business Village Conference hall, featured a one-day trade workshop. The aim of the workshop was to bring together trade partners in the UAE together with South African Provincial Tourism authorities to further strengthen and identify opportunities to sell destination South Africa to Middle East travellers.

Commenting on the brochure and the website launch Mr. Phumi Dhlomo, Regional Director for Africa & Middle East at South African Tourism, indicated that there is clear evidence that South Africa is gaining popularity as a tourist destination within the Middle Eastern Travel Trade and holidaymakers. “We have witnessed an upward climb of visitors from Middle East to South Africa in the recent past. The number of visitors from the Middle East especially from the Arab Traveler segments has been increasing,”

“We have been conducting several marketing initiatives in this region. The trade road show, the launch of I Luv South Africa holidays brochure coupled with www.southafricaholidays.com are all part of our continuous efforts in facilitating the increase in tourist arrivals to South Africa from the Middle East,” adds Dhlomo

The website will also allow travellers and trade partners to view products from the brochure and research their holidays as they will be able to view regularly updated special holiday offers. “Additionally, consumers will be able to email for a quote or to book or download the new 2011 brochure online,” says Sujith Subramanian, General Manager Tourism Point LLC – the Africa specialized destination management company in Dubai, who owns and manages the website and the holiday brochure.

“Later this year, the site will be enhanced to allow customers to purchase their holidays directly from the site”, continued Subramanian.

The 102 page holiday brochure contains a wide variety of holiday options for travellers looking for great value and an unforgettable experience. The brochure will be published in English and Arabic languages and will feature a range of short and long holiday destinations across South Africa.. The brochure will feature packages ranging from mini getaways and adventure breaks, to fun-filled family vacations, safaris and golfing packages.

Whether travellers from Middle East want to spend a fun-filled family holiday with exciting activities for kids, a romantic honeymoon at a luxury resort or explore one of the many vibrant cities – the "I Luv South Africa" holiday brochure and www.southafricaholidays.com will assist both the Travel Trade and holiday makers in creating that special holiday in South Africa.

In addition to the trade workshop, there was a Media Launch and networking evening hosted in conjunction with Round Robin Session/Product Presentations. In attendance at the networking evening was key decision makers from the UAE Trade organizations.

To also mark the launch of the brochure and the website a fashion show was held. It consisted of 18 contestants selected from over 200 applicants from 6000 travel professionals in UAE. The former Miss South Africa 2010, Nicole Flint, was also there to lend her support for the fashion show and South African Tourism’s launch of the brochure and the website. As part of the fashion show the contestants competed for three coveted titles, including “the iconic face of South Africa”.

“Our partnership with trade and media in the region is key to our success. By showing them what is on offer from a business and leisure perspective, and giving them the opportunity to explore and experience the offerings in the country, they are better equipped to sell the packages and encourage people to visit South Africa ,” concludes Dhlomo.

Designed to be a comprehensive holiday and destination guide, I Luv South Africa holidays brochure includes top 10 reasons to visit South Africa; top 10 must visit attractions, various holiday options and detailed itineraries. The itineraries within the brochure ensure a range of three, four and five star hotels at competitive prices to help select the perfect holiday.

High resolution pictures of the launch can be downloaded from http://www.southafricaholidays.com/press/Brochure_Launch.zip

About South African Tourism
South African Tourism is the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination. It is headed up by Chief Executive Officer, Ms Thandiwe January-McLean, Chief Operating Officer Mr Timothy Scholtz and Chief Marketing Officer, Ms Roshene Singh.

About Tourism Point LLC
Tourism Point LLC is an outbound and inbound destination management company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The company specializes in holidays to and from Africa, especially South Africa. Tourism Point owns and manage www.southafricaholidays.com. Tourism Point is also the marketing agency for Sun International in Middle East.

For more information, contact:

Ms. Anusree, Tourism Point LLC,
Tel: +971 4 4329383
Fax: +971 4 4329382
 

For more information:

Email: anusree@southafricaholidays.com
Website: http://www.southafricaholidays.com

Dubai Internet City Official ICT Partner For IPTV Forum Middle East And Africa 2010

Dubai Internet City (DIC) today announced it is the official ICT partner and an exhibitor for the second consecutive year at the IPTV Forum Middle East and Africa, the largest conference and exhibition for the IPTV and telecom industry.

Organised by Informa Telecoms and Media, the fourth edition of the event is being held from 2-3 November at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai.

The conference and exhibition brings participants from various verticals including telecom service providers, handset manufacturers, Internet and cable operators/DTH (direct to home) service providers, broadcasting vendors, content owners and aggregators. It also brings together software providers and operations support systems (OSS)/billing vendors, IPTV software and solution vendors, set-top box manufacturers, IPTV middle ware (that controls customer interaction with the service), content, media, entertainment companies as well as representatives from the regional telecom regulatory bodies.

Malek Al Malek, Managing Director, Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone, said: “The relevance of IPTV technology and solutions reflects the growth of broadband in the region. With the increasing adoption of broadband, popularity of IPTV-related technologies will witness a manifold rise in the coming future.

“In the region, enterprises are making significant investments towards upgrading telecom infrastructure to facilitate future growth and the adoption of broadband-based products and solutions. Considering the growth potential for such solutions in the country, Dubai Internet City is supporting the event for the second successive year.”

Speakers at the event include top executives from the industry such as Khalifa Al Shamsi, Senior Vice-President – Marketing, Etisalat, UAE; Eng. Saad Dhafer Al Qahtani, VP – Residential Sector Services, STC, Saudi Arabia; Samer Geissah, Vice President – Network Development – Core Networks, du, UAE; Dr. Akil Al Akil, Vice-President and Head of Regulatory Affairs, Mobily, Saudi Arabia; Cliff Nelson, SVP, OSN (Orbit Showtime Network), UAE; Rudolf Kogler, Head of Product Engineering (inc IPTV), Multichoice, South Africa; and Cedric L. A. Vansteenkiste, General Manager, Strategic Products, Omantel, Oman.

Gavin Whitechurch, Research Director for IP&TV World Series, Informa Telecoms & Media, said: “We are delighted to have the continued support of Dubai Internet City for IP&TV Middle East & Africa 2010. By pooling our resources and working together we are able to elevate the message of the ever-expanding OTT (over the top) and IPTV services within the MEA region and invite companies to attend the event to see the latest market offerings that are available and meet the major decision makers from the region.”

According to Point Topic, the UK-based industry analysts, and Broadband Forum, global consultants, the growth in broadband subscription witnessed an upswing during the first quarter of 2010, supported in part by healthy DSL growth in every region as well as strong fibre rollouts in Asia and aggressive IPTV service offerings.

The figures show global broadband lines now top 484 million lines (484,788,597), representing a 3.12 per cent growth in the quarter and 12.41 per cent until the end of 1Q 2010. The first quarter growth rate demonstrates a swelling of positive growth for worldwide broadband even as the number of IPTV subscribers has risen to 36.3 million.

China topped the IPTV growth market with over five million lines, while South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong were among the top 10 countries during Q1 2010. The Americas’ market share grew to 18.17 per cent, representing the only other region to increase its share, while the Middle East and Africa region is beginning to show dynamic growth for the first time with numbers from the UAE and Egypt contributing significantly to a record quarter.

The region-wide growth is also reflected within Dubai Internet City as telecom continues to remain the fastest growing sector with the presence of market leaders such as Singtel, AT&T, Verizon and British Telecom.
 

Emirates Brings West Africa Closer With Launch Of New Dakar Route

Emirates has strengthened its links to West Africa with the launch of a new direct service to Dakar.

EK 797 took off this morning for the airline’s 105th destination, creating the only non-stop, scheduled passenger link between Dubai and Senegal. The new route will cut current journey times to Dakar by around the equivalent of an eight hour working day, creating an easy, fast and convenient service for business and leisure travellers.

Nigel Page, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Africa & the Americas said: “Today marks a new chapter in air travel between the Middle East and West Africa. No more will passengers travelling to and from Senegal face long detours to Europe or other parts of Africa to reach their final destination.

“Instead, they can enjoy the convenience of a non-stop air link with Dubai, seamless connections to key centres in the Middle East, the Indian Sub-continent, Asia and the Far East through our state-of-the-art Terminal 3, a very competitive baggage allowance and the award-winning in-flight service for which Emirates is renowned."

EK 797 departs Dubai at 0955hrs every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and arrives in Dakar at 1600hrs. EK 798 leaves the Senegalese capital at 1740hrs and gets into Dubai at 0715hrs the following day.

An Airbus A340-300 is being deployed on the route, offering 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business and 213 in Economy.

On the cargo side, Emirates will be transporting 65 tonnes of goods a week from various points on its global network, including oil industry equipment from the UAE; textiles from Asia, electronics from East Asia and Europe; and a number of products and garments from India.

One of the key imports from Senegal will be seafood, with Emirates SkyCargo expecting to transport up to 3,500 tonnes of seafood a year in the belly-hold of the A340-300. Fresh produce – such as lobster, shrimp and sea bream – will be landing in supermarkets and restaurants throughout the UAE and the rest of the GCC, as well as various destinations across the Emirates network, including Athens, Larnaca, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Paris and Beirut.

The new Dakar route caps an exceptionally busy few months for the airline. Since the start of the summer, Emirates has announced orders for an additional 30 Boeing 777-300ER and 32 A380 aircraft; and placed a US$2.0 billion order for GE90-115B Engines to power the new 777s. With 12 A380 aircraft now in service, Emirates has instated its flagship A380s on its Beijing and Manchester routes, with the latter also commencing today, 1st September.

Mr Page added: “Our new Dakar service is a further demonstration of Emirates’ commitment to investing in and supporting the development of its pan-African footprint. Not only is the service already paying dividends through the creation of new jobs, such as our first Senegalese cabin crew and sales staff, but it will provide a significant long-term boost to trade and commerce in both the Middle East and West Africa.”

Trade between the UAE and Senegal has climbed from USD 14.2 million (AED 52.1 million) in 2003 to USD 184 million (AED 676 million) in 2009, according to figures from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Dakar is the fifth new route to be launched by Emirates this year. The others are Tokyo, which launched on 28th March, Amsterdam on 1st May, Prague on 1st July and Madrid, on 1st August.
 

Emirates Expands North Africa Footprint

Dubai-based carrier Emirates has announced to introduce its Airbus A340-500 on Tripoli route from 1st August 2010.

The Emirates will offer a total of 3612 seats per week between Tripoli and Dubai representing increases of 9 percent in passenger capacity.

Haitham Al Battawy, Emirates Manager Libya said: "Demand for our services to Libya has been steadily building and we are delighted to now offer our customers an even better experience when travelling on this route. The introduction of the highly acclaimed A340-500 will facilitate travel for scores of Libyan nationals who reside in Dubai and Australia and visit home each year. The aircraft enhancement will also offer travellers from North Africa markets smooth connections to Far East, GCC, Indian subcontinent destinations and Australian points via Emirates Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, designed for optimum travelling comfort" "Not only will customers enjoy the very latest Emirates in-flight product, including our multi award-winning ICE entertainment system, but thanks to the increased seat capacity provided by the A340 aircraft, passengers will also enjoy more flexibility in planning their journeys." Emirates’ A340 aircraft offer 12 First Class Suites, 42 Business and 204 Economy class seats, alongside 15 tonnes of cargo-carrying capacity.

Emirates’ SkyCargo division transports a range of goods into Tripoli such as mobile phones, spare parts, pharmaceuticals and electronic goods from the UAE ; drilling equipment from the US and electronic goods and spare parts from the Far East. Exports from Tripoli to Dubai include oil well equipment, spare parts and tools for onward distribution across Middle East.

Emirates currently operates daily flights to Tripoli utilising an Airbus 330-200; offering 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business and 183 seats in Economy. EK 746 leaves Tripoli at 1520hrs and arrives in Dubai at 2310hrs. EK 745 departs from Dubai at 0920hrs and arrives in Tripoli at 1320hr.

 

Etisalat To Introduce Edutainment Services Across Middle East, Africa And Asia

Etisalat will shortly provide educational and entertainment (edutainment) services across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Sudan following the signing of a partnership agreement with Rubicon Group Holding. Rubicon Group Holding is a digital production company who will create new educational and interactive content for Etisalat’s customers.

As a result of the joint venture, Etisalat’s customers will be able to enjoy exclusive games, cartoons and applications that they can download via their mobile, on TV or through the Internet.

The brand new content created and managed by Rubicon Group Holding, will be designed to aid learning and educate younger customers in an entertaining format, a concept known as edutainment. The first services will be presented before the end of 2010. It will be initially produced in Arabic and English and, following the commercial launch in the UAE will be expanded to Etisalat’s sister companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Sudan. In order to reach a broad audience the content will also be translated into French, Urdu and Hindi.

The deal is the first-of-its-kind in the region and is part of Etisalat’s growing commitment to educational, entertaining and immersive media content. As a part of the agreement the two companies will create a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in Abu Dhabi.

Training games and simulations are proven to help increase skills and improve knowledge retention in children. Parents are eager to expose their children to richer learning experiences and take every possible opportunity for improving their child’s educational development. This partnership will allow Etisalat’s customers to provide their children educational experiences while they play – using either mobile, TV or a PC.

Commenting on the partnership, Essa Al Haddad, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat said: “The idea that learning can be fun, and that fun activities can promote learning, has spawned a new world of services – edutainment. This will be the first time an operator provides such a comprehensive suite of edutainment services and content, and we are delighted that Etisalat’s customers across the Middle East, Asia and Africa will be the first to enjoy them.”

Outlining the nature of the deal, Randa Ayoubi, CEO of Rubicon Group Holding said: “We believe education should not be confined to the classroom and together with Etisalat, we will create content that makes learning interactive, convenient and most importantly – fun. Our edutainment service will adhere to international standards and enhance the curriculums of the respective countries by offering an engaging learning experience. In this respect, it is a unique initiative for the region and testament to Etisalat and its commitment to e-education.”
 

Enjoy The Excitement Of South Africa At Soccer Circus Dubai This Summer

The World Cup may be drawing to a close on July 11th, but football fever will continue all summer long as Soccer Circus Dubai, courtesy of Majid Al Futtaim Leisure offers summer camps for kids!

Open to kids five years and above, from June 20th until August 1st, children will have the unique opportunity to perfect their soccer skills at this interactive football training academy and receive expert coaching 5 days a week. For children who want to be at the top of their game and shoot from 35 yards like Ronaldo, all aspiring footballers’ dreams can be fulfilled through team games, individual training, and three five- a–side expansive pitches at Team Zone that are on offer at the first-of-its kind facility at Playnation, Mirdif City Centre.

In addition to the thrill, fun and excitement of mimicking their favorite football sensations Soccer Circus summer camp is designed to ensure performance tracking and monitoring through daily score cards and activity reports so all progress is mapped. Children are then free to test their newly acquired skills in the ultimate showdown of the final tournament on the last day of the camp.

Offering limitless fun, ‘Team Zone’, provides the perfect experience for corporate and group bookings and allows active athletes to enjoy their favourite sport, from football to cricket, volleyball to field hockey and badminton so they can keep fit during the lull of the summer months.

Whether it’s the most zealous of fans or first time footballers, Soccer Circus Dubai is the ideal destination to enjoy the thrill of the game this summer in the cool and refreshing indoors of Playnation at Mirdif City Centre.

Soccer Circus Dubai is part of Playnation – a dedicated leisure and entertainment zone within Mirdif City Centre. A total of five exciting leisure experiences are integrated within Playnation and feature something for everyone. From the adrenaline thrills of iFly, an indoor skydiving centre and Soccer Circus, a fully interactive football attraction, to the excitement of Magic Planet and Yalla! Bowling, along with the children’s edutainment attraction Cite’ des Enfants