59th UITP Congress Is A Turning Point In The History Of Mass Transit In The Region: RTA

Roads & Transport Authority – Nashwan Attaa’ee: With less than two weeks to go, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) reported that the 59th International Association for Public Transport (UITP) Congress & Mobility & City Transport Exhibition; which will be held by the Emirate of Dubai during 10 – 14 April 2011, promises to be a turning point in the history of mass transportation in the Middle East & North African (MENA) region, particularly as the event is held for the first time ever in the region.

A statement to this effect was made during the press conference held yesterday at RTA Head Office chaired by Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, RTA Board Member, Chairperson of the Higher Organizing Committee of the 59th UITP Congress & Mobility & City Transport Exhibition, in the presence of the Organizing Committee members and a host of local media representatives.

“So far it is confirmed that the event will be attended by scores of international dignitaries including the Minister of Transport, Kingdom of Sweden; Minister of Transport, the Republic of Senegal; Member of the European Parliament; Member of the Colombian Senate; Minister of Transport, State of Karnataka, India; Deputy Minister of Transport, Russia; Secretaries-General of Transport, Provinces of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Minister of Transport, Gauteng Province, South Africa, Mayor of Kayseri city, Turkey; CEO of New York Metro, USA; CEO of Moscow Metro, Russia; President of Paris Metro, France; Chairman of Delhi Metro Rail, India; Chief Executive of the French Railways; Mass Transit Railway, Hong Kong; and President of Land Transport Authority, Singapore.

Al Mulla said: "We’ve completed our preparations for the organization of this international event in a way living up to the global standing of the UAE in general and Dubai Emirate in particular in staging multifarious conventions and exhibitions, particularly important in the sector of public transport and mass transit systems, including the metro, public buses, marine transit modes. "

He explained that more than 1500 people hailing from more than 75 countries would attend the Congress. The accompanying Exhibition spans an area of 29,400 square meters; a 12 per cent increase over the area occupied by the 58th edition held in the Austrian capital Vienna in 2009. Dubai Exhibition would feature the participation of 252 exhibitors representing 37 countries, and 65 seminars would be organized on the sidelines of the Exhibition.

"Through organizing this global event, RTA is seeking to put Dubai Emirate on the global map of public transport by showcasing its achievements reflected in projects and strategic initiatives achieved in a record time compared to other developed countries with over a century of experience in this field, including European countries, United States, Canada and Australia," continued Al Mulla.

"This event will also be a great opportunity for specialized international companies and institutions to showcase their products, services and solutions in this field to business visitors, investors and decision-makers in ministries and authorities in charge of regulating public transport sector from all countries around the world," he said.

Al Mullah praised the continued cooperation of RTA strategic partners among the government and quasi-government bodies in the Emirate of Dubai, through their representatives deployed in the RTA to provide the necessary support in their respective fields. The Organizing Committee of the event holds meetings, gatherings and workshops with the relevant authorities in the Emirate on a regular basis as per a preset timetable to develop a consolidated approach towards making the Congress and Exhibition a success. In the meantime co-ordination is in hand with the UITP to brief them on all matters relating to the organizational plan in addition to taking all necessary procedures and arrangements for receiving the participating delegations as planned.
 

History Man Kiptanui On Course For Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

Just eight months after destroying a talented field in Prague, precocious Kenyan athlete Eliud Kiptanui is set to continue his meteoric rise with a debut appearance at the 2011 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 21.

The 21 year-old’s European marathon debut in the Czech Republic saw him romp home in a time of 2h:05:39, which not only beat his nearest challenger by two minutes, it also saw the young Kenyan smash into the all time record books with the 17th fastest marathon run in history and the sixth best of 2010.

It was a stunning performance by Kiptanui especially as the Prague racecourse features several kilometres of cobbled streets and is far from conducive to a fast pace. With the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon route considered one of the flattest in the world, the Kenyan will be one of the favourites to improve his personal best and make even greater strides in the sport.

"I was expecting a better time than 2:12, which was my previous best" said Kiptanui. "I thought I could do 2:08, 2:09, but 2:05 is incredible, I’m very happy. If the field is good, I can go faster."

And Kiptanui, who pledged his Euro 75,000 Prague prize money to help his two brothers and three sisters through school, will be out to land the $250,000 first prize in Dubai – the biggest cheque in marathon running – when he lines up in the emirate next month.

"The future of marathon running is very exciting with talented athletes like Eliud coming through the ranks at such a young age," said event director Peter Connerton. "His winning time in Prague was amazing for a young man whose only previous marathon had been in Kenya just a few months earlier."
 
When Kiptanui won the Safaricom Marathon in Kisumu, Kenya in December 2009, it was in humid conditions with the temperature well over 30C yet he still won by over seven minutes.

In Prague, his relative anonymity coupled with his aggressive front-running gave the impression that Kiptanui was a pace maker but by taking the initiative at the 35km point of the 42.2km race, the Kenyan left no-one in any doubt as to his title credentials.

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and staged under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is firmly established as one of the world’s leading road races producing a world-class field and a prize-fund of $1 million.

It is also supported by The Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Holding, "Official Outfitter" adidas, The Address Dubai Marina, 103.8 FM, Khaleej Times, TNT, Gatorade, Aquafina, Fitness First, Men’s Fitness, Plan B and by government departments Dubai Police, RTA, Dubai Municipality DHA and the Dubai Ambulance Services.

"Once again we could not be able to put on a race of this magnitude without the support of the Dubai Government who allow us the freedom of the streets of the emirate for the biggest running event of the year," said event general co-ordinator Ahmed Al Kamali.

Competitors looking to sign up to join Eliud Kiptanui for the full marathon distance, the popular 10km event or the 3km Fun Run can register at the event’s official website www.dubaimarathon.org or visit any branch of Fitness First in Dubai.

Reserve Your Place In History – Register Now For Your Place At The StarCraft II Launch!

The long awaited StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game, is set to be released globally on 27 July. It will be launched exclusively within the UAE at Emax, Mirdif City Centre, with avid fans able to purchase the game from 12.01am.

StarCraft II is the sequel to the global smash hit StarCraft, which has sold 11 million copies globally since its release in 1998. StarCraft II’s release has been hotly anticipated, and passionate gamers are eagerly awaiting the chance to test it out for themselves. Emax have launched an online pre-registration site, http://www.megamers.com/starcraft2/, so that gaming enthusiasts can be first in the queue to buy the StartCraft sequel.

Anyone who has not pre-registered can turn up on the night and register at the Emax store in Mirdif City Centre, from 10 pm. In addition, Emax have teamed up with Sugar Daddies, and Nescafe, to provide free cup cakes and coffee for customers as they wait for the game to go on sale. StarCraft II will retail at AED 239.

Neelesh Bhatnagar, CEO of EMAX said, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to launch StarCraft II exclusively in the UAE. We know that UAE gamers are eager to get their hands on the game and try it out for themselves, and we are confident the night will be a great success. We encourage fans to register online now to ensure that they are one of the first to be able to buy their own copy, and to take their place in what will be an historic occasion in the gaming world!” 
 

History Made And Records Tumble At 14th Emirates Singapore Derby

It was a historic running of the 14th Emirates Singapore Derby on Sunday, when Jolie’s Shinju became the first filly to win the race in 36 years.

With jockey Ronnie Stewart in the saddle, the daughter of Jolie’s Halo was in command throughout the race and ran on well to claim a five-length victory. The win gave her a clean sweep in all three rounds of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge.

Following the victory, Dato Dr Tan Kai Chah, the owner of Jolie’s Shinju, donated the bonus prize money he had just won to the Emirates airline-supported charities.

As the long-term title sponsor Emirates celebrated the 14th running of the Emirates Singapore Derby by raising a record sum of S$207,560 for eight voluntary welfare organisations under the umbrella of the Community Chest of Singapore.

Richard Jewsbury, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East and Australasia, said, “Since the eighth Emirates Singapore Derby, we have used the event as a platform to raise funds for the less fortunate in our society. To date, Emirates has raised more than S$800,000 for the underprivileged and we want to extend our warmest thanks to our supportive guests and donors who have made this possible.”

Dubai History

Looking Back at Dubai

Most of Dubai’s history is known only to the desert and the sea. There’s little information about pre-Islamic activity in this corner of the Arabian Peninsula. After the spread of Islam in the 7th century, the Umayyad Caliph invaded southeast Arabia and drove out the Sassanians, one of the great powers of the time. Several artifacts from the Umayyad period have been discovered in modern-day Jumeirah as a result of excavations carried out by the Dubai Museum.

Few written records were kept before the 19th century, and much of the knowledge of Dubai’s past was passed on orally between generations. Documented records of a Dubai village exist only after 1799. Those who first settled here did so around the creek. Traditional economic activity focused on fishing, pearling, herding sheep and goats, and cultivating dates and other small-scale agriculture. For centuries, this region was embroiled in dynastic disputes. It became known as the Pirate Coast because raiders from the modern-day emirates often attacked foreign ships and each other.

Around 1830, a branch of the Bani Yas tribe ancestors of the Bedouins who inhabited the harsh deserts around Abu Dhabi left Abu Dhabi and settled a small fishing village at the mouth of the Dubai Creek. Dubai, under the Al Maktoum dynasty of the Bani Yas tribe that rules the emirate today, became one of seven sheikhdoms under British protection. It used British maritime protection to thwart attacks by the Ottoman Empire and competing sheikhdoms and to advance trade relations with neighboring states.

The advent of the pearling industry drove Dubai’s growth, and by the 1870s, the emirate had become the main trading port along the Gulf coast. Dubai has always taken a laissez-faire attitude toward trade, and this liberal money-making posture attracted merchants from Iran, India, and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. By the early 1900s, Dubai boasted the region’s biggest trade markets. The dhow was the sailing craft that made trade possible, and the souk was the destination. You will see dhows continuing to operate along the creek today, as well as souks in Deira that still bustle with activity. By the 1950s,

Dubai had become a small but successful regional trading and fishing post, although its population was still not much more than 5,000 people. The pearling industry had died out in the 1930s, a result of World War I, the Great Depression, and the cultivation of cultured pearls elsewhere. The discovery of oil in 1967 and its production soon after generated a period of rapid development that forever altered Dubai. An influx of foreign workers, primarily from South Asia, led to exponential population growth.

In 1968, the U.K. announced, as a result of cutbacks in its foreign operations, that it would end its treaty relationships with the seven emirates, then called the “Trucial States” because of the truces that had been negotiated, as well as with Bahrain and Qatar. The nine entities tried unsuccessfully to establish an independent country, and Bahrain and Qatar went their own way. In 1971, Dubai joined Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quiwain, Fujeirah, and a year later Ras Al Khaimah to create the United Arab Emirates. This decision was especially important in ending a long history of border disputes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which had even led to war between the two in 1947. Dubai’s rulers sought to put Dubai on the map through a remarkable plan for development. The late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum is credited with much of Dubai’s rapid growth, focusing Dubai’s energies on trade, diversifying the economy away from the shrinking oil supply, and building commercial infrastructure to attract investment. Rather than spending the oil money on palaces and weapons, as happened in some oil-rich states, he wisely channeled much of the revenue into new investments.

Oil and trade remained the big industries, but in 1979 Dubai opened the Jebel Ali free zone to attract companies from around the world to do business here. This expansionary vision has been continued by his son, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Mohammad has pushed effectively to transform Dubai into the main trade, financial, and entertainment center of the region. He has encouraged competition among developers who come up with the most innovative projects.

The Dubai government established new economic clusters based on its success with the Jebel Ali free zone, such as Media City, Internet City, Healthcare City, and the Dubai International Financial Center. In the past 5 years, it has focused increasingly on growth in the tourism and real estate sectors, as well. Now that Dubai’s oil industry is all but exhausted, the emirate’s economy is successfully diversified and booming. Dubai’s political system has been less dynamic, operating under the framework of a constitutional monarchy. The political relationship between the seven emirates developed as a loose federation rather than a centralized system. Each emirate has its own hereditary ruler and enjoys substantial autonomy.

Dubai is the second-most powerful emirate after Abu Dhabi, and the other five emirates are substantially less wealthy and influential. Under the government structure, the president of the UAE is the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the vice president is the ruler of Dubai. There’s no universal suffrage or political parties in the UAE, where leaders are chosen by their dynastic positions. Democracy is slowly making an appearance into the political system, however. At the end of 2006, the UAE held its first-ever limited elections to select half the members of the Federal National Council (FNC), a 40-member consultative body with 20 members appointed by emirate rulers and 20 elected. One woman won election to the FNC and seven more women were appointed as council members.