National Centre For Meteorology Warns Against Reduced Visibility, Rough Sea

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Visibility has been largely reduced in the Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Western areas thanks to a thick blanket of fog and dust funneled to the country from Southern Iraq, according to the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) NCMS, in a statement, warned beachgoers and sailors not to venture out to sea as strong North-Western wind patterns are whipping up 6 to 8-foot high waves.

 

Motorists also were urged by the center to be cautious as dust and fog reduced visibility to 400 meters in some areas.

A largely dusty conditions are expected to linger over the country, the forecaster noted.

National Election Committee Addresses Members Of Electoral College In Dubai And Al Ain

The National Election Committee (NEC) conducted two awareness sessions in Dubai and Al Ain for the Electoral College members in preparation for the Federal National Council (FNC) elections, scheduled for September 24, 2011. The sessions, meant to spread awareness on all legal and regulatory aspects of the electoral process, will resume next week.

The sessions are part of NEC’s outreach and education initiatives to familiarise the society with a culture of elected councils and voting. The awareness sessions are open to all citizens – not only Electoral College members – who wish to learn about the various aspects relating to the elections.

His Excellency Saeed Al Ghafli, Assistant Undersecretary for the Federal National Council (FNC) and NEC member led the session in Dubai while Dr Mohammad Butti Thani Al Shamsi led the Al Ain programme.

"The National Election Committee is keen to closely engage with all Electoral College members in the UAE, especially since their number has increased substantially this year. For majority of them this will be their first electoral experience and we are keen to explain and clarify the regulations governing this process, both to voters and candidates," said Al Ghafli.

"NEC will continue with the programme and Dubai will have one more session to give as many Electoral College numbers as possible the opportunity to attend. Awareness sessions will be held in other emirates as well," added His Excellency.

He added: "Elections have great importance in the political life of any society and therefore the voters must participate in the process, urge other Electoral College members to participate, and wisely choose their representatives. Doing so will positively impact the electoral experience and enrich the political life in the UAE."

The awareness sessions cover the various aspects of the electoral process including the general principles and legal framework of the elections, the rights and duties of the voter, the mechanism of electronic voting, the evolution of the electoral process since 2006, and the changes in the process brought in this year.

 

Prime Minister Of Spain Attends The Spanish National Pavilion At Gulfood 2011

The Prime Minister of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero attended The Spanish National Pavilion at Gulfood 2011 today (Tuesday), highlighting the scale and influence of the Middle East’s most important trade show for the global food and beverage industry.

Welcomed by Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, and accompanied by the CEO of the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, Fernando Salazar and the Ambassador of Spain to the UAE, Gonzalo de Benito Secades, Prime Minister Zapatero took time to tour the exhibition before visiting Spain’s dedicated pavilion. More than 160 Spanish companies are represented at this year’s show, an increase of 37 percent on last year.

“We are honoured to welcome Prime Minister Zapatero to Dubai and to Gulfood. The show is now recognised as the world’s largest annual event for the food industry and Spain’s presence at the show is significant. Business opportunities in the Middle East and neighbouring regions have never been greater and the record participation at Gulfood is a clear demonstration of that,” said Mr Almarri. “Spain has been a key supporter of Gulfood for many years and we look forward to many more years of collaborative success.”

Agro-food and beverage exports from Spain into the GCC exceeded € 400 million in 2010, with UAE the key growth market. Products enjoying the greatest demand in the region include olive oil, nuts, fresh and frozen meats, seafood, fresh produce, and confectionery. Exports into the UAE of food and beverage products totalled € 200 millions for 2010.

Gulfood 2011 takes place until 2 March 2011 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. A record 3,800 exhibitors from 100 countries are taking part this year with a total of 60,000 trade visitors expected to attend during the four day show.

Gulfood is strictly a trade-only event and is open to business and trade visitors from within the industry only. Industry business professionals on the day of the show will be able to buy either a Day Pass for AED 75, or a Four Day Pass for AED 150. Gulfood is open from 11am – 7pm Sunday 27 February 2011 to Tuesday 1 March 2011 and from 11am to 5pm on Wednesday 2 March.

For more information, please visit www.gulfood.com.

 

National Store Targets 20 Percent Growth In 2011

National Store, the flagship company of JK Sons Group and authorized distributor of Canon photography products in UAE, announced its strategic plan for the year 2011. The announcement was discussed alongside the launch of its new Cannon PRO-shop at Al Diyafah Street, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). National Store, the UAE market leader in Photography trade plans to more actively promote training and education of professional photography in the UAE.

“Despite of the economic slowdown, we have had a successful 2010 with a 20 percent growth over 2009. Our target for 2011 is an optimistic 20 – 25 percent growth over 2010. This growth is made possible through our four decade’s long partnership with Canon Middle East, which has been ongoing since 1965. Further, we plan to open two more outlets in the UAE – both in Abu Dhabi – bringing the total to 11 outlets. We are also renovating our existing outlets to apply a unique identity across all of our stores,” divulged Salah Khoory, General Manager, JK & Sons, National Store LLC.

Following the success of the Canon shop in Dubai Mall and the increasing demand for professional cameras, National Store felt it is essential to open more stores catering to professional photography across the Emirates. In addition, National Store is also keen to encourage the education of professional photographers. “We do not just sell professional cameras but educate consumers on the use of these products. There is a dire need for increased awareness on professional photography in the Emirates. Catering to this need, plans are afoot along with Canon to tie-up with an educational institute to offer professional photography courses,” continued Khoory.

The UAE has been a strategic market for Canon photography products, which is evident from the four-fold growth the company has witnessed since the year 2000. “Our objective is to be close to our customers – partners, distributors and end-users – this can be achieved by offering an innovative product line and sustainable business. Our plan going forward is to strengthen the partnership with National Store in every way,” concluded Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director, Canon Middle East.
 

Women Receive AED 86 Million Dirham Worth Of Prizes From National Bonds

National Bonds has announced the winner of its December million dirham prize as well as the latest person to walk away with AED 100,000 from the hugely successful ‘Live a Debt Free Life’ weekly draw. Pakistani Shabana Taj and British National Ann Marie Cook have become the latest female bondholders to join the National Bonds prize winning family.

Already one of the biggest draws in the region, National Bonds is the leading Sharia’a compliant saving scheme in the UAE and rewards 22,250 prizes to its bondholders every month including a monthly draw of one million dirhams in addition to special promotions. Taj and Clark are two of the huge number of female bondholders to be rewarded for saving with National Bonds since its inception in 2006, with total prizes presented to women amounting to more than 86 million dirhams.

According to the data released by the innovative savings scheme, the number of female bondholders increased by 8 per cent between 2009 and 2010, a clear demonstration of the market segment’s potential and the increasing number of women who are taking the control of their finances. Women have also revealed a winning streak, representing a third of all National Bonds prize winners since 2006 and to date, 36 per cent of National Bonds’ millionaires have been women.

“Our data prove that women are becoming increasingly aware of the role they play in contributing to the financial health of their families, via responsible spending and well planned monthly savings habits. We believe in making saving a rewarding experience and want to contribute to the future success and development of our female bondholders. We hope that these data which represent positive behaviors will reach to all women and consequently all the families in UAE and across the region, to showcase the benefits of saving for a better future,” commented Mr. Mohammed Qasim Al Ali, CEO of National Bonds Corporation PJSC.

December millionaire Mrs. Shabana Taj has been a bondholder with National Bonds since inception and through her dedication to savings has been able to instill the habit in her five girls who all joined the scheme in 2009 and now are proud bondholders. “We never thought this could happen to us,” exclaimed one of her daughters. “All five of us collect our income together and invest in National Bonds regularly as it’s such an easy and rewarding saving scheme as you can see.”

The 14th winner of its ‘Live a Debt-Free Life’ weekly AED 100,000 draw was overjoyed when she heard the news. Having been a bondholder since 2006, Mrs. Cook initially saved AED 500/month later increasing it to AED 1000/month, automatically making her eligible for the draw. When asked about her plans for the money “reinvest the whole amount back into National Bonds in the hope for winning the million! I can’t believe that only a week after treating my 80 year old mother to a first class flight from the UK to Dubai, I won, she has always been the reason of all my blessings “

Following the 2010 launch of the company’s first ever Savings Index that revealed that 27% of women in the UAE save regularly post the recent financial crisis, National Bonds has pledged to play a pioneering role in developing a savings culture amongst women in the UAE.

“We believe there is nothing more important than helping women to secure their future and that of their families. Consequently we are committed to providing the tools and knowledge that will allow them to achieve their financial goals, whether its buying their own home, being able to afford good education for their children or even start their own business,” added Al Ali.

National Bonds certificates are available for purchase in nearly 560 outlets nationwide including, National bonds website, Emirates Post offices, exchange houses and banks. For more information, visit www.nationalbonds.ae or call 600 522 279.

Dubai Media City Announces Exclusive Scholarship For Budding UAE National Musician

Dubai Media City (DMC), a member of TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster, today announced it will offer a special scholarship this year to a budding UAE national musician as part of its endeavour to nurture talented young artistes.

The region’s largest media hub’s announcement coincides with its support to the 7th Emirates International Peace Music Festival, an annual cultural and charitable event that will be held from 30 March – 3 April at various locations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah and Sharjah.

Organised by the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO), the festival will gather more than 40 nationalities under the banner of ‘Peace’ to inspire the co-existence of all nationalities through musical harmony.

DMC has been supporting EYSO since 2004 to help develop indigenous talent through organising the music festival that targets young and deserving musicians. EYSO has also established its first accredited music conservatory to attract UAE nationals and protect the orchestra from the migration of expatriate members. In addition, the young members also gain an opportunity to interact with internationally-recognized peers.

Addressing the pre-event press conference, Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster, said: “Today’s youth are constantly looking at new avenues for professional learning in creative fields to chart their career. As a media cluster, we have always supported and encouraged talented youngsters through special programmes. Events such as the music festival offer us a platform to launch key initiatives and engage the community with outreach programmes.”

The Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra has organized six annual festivals so far to showcase indigenous talent in the country and encourage the participation of emerging musicians. The initiative aims to help the youth develop the necessary aptitude and contribute to building a national symphony orchestra.

Riad Kudsi, Director of the Festival, said: “Young musicians living in the UAE must engage in music education and aim to enrich the country’s talent. In doing that, they will automatically gain a wider forum for showcasing their special skills. Creating a UAE-based orchestra is a step towards nurturing a rich base of talent within the country and facilitating a platform for an international audience.”

According to Khawlah Al Raihy, a previous recipient of the DMC scholarship, said: “The festival has proved a perfect avenue for young musicians in the country. Key support from EYSO and DMC has guided me to be more decisive about my music career and take classes from the Syrian conductor Riad Kudsi of EYSO. Similar events will certainly help more young musicians to set long-term goals and learn from experts across the globe.”

Established in 1993, the EYSO is a non-profit organisation created to cultivate and highlight the talent of young musicians and teach the universal language of classical music to children and teenagers.

The seventh Emirates International Peace Music Festival will include the Prague Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, the best youth orchestra in the Czech Republic. In addition to world-renowned young music prodigies such as Elli Choi (9-year old violinist) and Sarina Zhang (14-year old pianist and cellist), the award-winning Syrian solo singer Miral Faisal will render the Zahrat al Madaen (Fairooz).

EYSO music festivals and concerts are dedicated to charity programmes and entry is free of cost. The proceeds from donations are therefore allocated to charitable causes. The 7th Emirates International Peace Music festival (For Young Virtuosos) is dedicated to Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims.

For details of time and venues, please visit EYSO website at www.musicnus.com.

TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster – Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City and International Media Production Zone – has evolved dramatically through offering business friendly regulatory frameworks and a state-of-the-art infrastructure. Its support of industry events comes as part of its long term objective to build a knowledge base for the benefit of stakeholders in the media sector.
 

American University Of Dubai Wins CFA Emirates National Investment Research Challenge

Last night American University of Dubai became the 2011 UAE National Investment Research Challenge champions, beating three other Universities in a close final hosted by CFA Emirates, the association for financial and investment professionals, at the Shangri-la Hotel in Dubai. The winning team will now represent the UAE at the EMEA regional final which will be held in Madrid in March. The winners of this stage will then proceed to the CFA Institute international final to be held in Nebraska, USA, in April.

In addition to American University of Dubai, four universities from across the Emirates took part in the competition, including the The University of Wollongong in Dubai, Middlesex University Dubai and Manipal University Dubai. Each University was represented by a team of students who undertook a two month review of a public company. This year the teams reviewed National Bank of Abu Dhabi, one of the largest banks of the UAE. Each team was mentored by a professional research analyst and at the end of the process they wrote a research report which they then presented last night to a team of judges. This year’s panel included Mr Deon Vernooy, Senior Executive Officer, Emirates NBD Asset Management Ltd, Mr Abdul Kadir Hussain, CEO, Mashreq Capital, Mr Nabeel Qadir Bastaki, Senior Research Analyst at MENASA Capital and Mr Yacoub Husein Nuseibeh, President of CFA Emirates Society.

The champions, which included Taras Kozyk, Monica Aoun, Heba Abu Yousef and Hana Kasem were selected based on their investment case, the delivery of the final presentation and their ability to answer and respond to detailed analysis from the judges. As part of the prize, each student will be enrolled onto the CFA Program and registered for their first exam, as well as a trip to Madrid.

In congratulating the American University of Dubai, Mr. Nuseibeh, President of CFA Emirates, presented the Championship Trophy to the winning team, saying: ‘This competition provides an exceptional opportunity for students in the UAE to learn about the financial industry from the very best professionals who are actively working within the sector. All of the judges were very impressed with the quality of work presented by each team and the dedicated commitment of each student. They should be proud of their achievements in representing their University in a national competition. We want to thank all the students, their teachers and Universities for doing so well and for taking part. American University of Dubai will now have the added distinction of representing the UAE at the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regional final in Spain. We wish them well for this next stage.’

Commenting at the event Mr Mohit Malhotra, Education Chair-Dubai of CFA Emirates said: “The UAE has plans to become a major financial hub. This requires, among other things, greater transparency, technical competence and integrity. The increasing popularity of the CFA program in the UAE is hence very positive and can only act as a catalyst to further develop the local financial and capital markets. This Challenge is a platform to showcase the financial talent available within the UAE, to encourage young graduates to take up the unique and rewarding field of Investment Research as a career and to seriously consider the CFA program as the qualification of choice.”
 

DED And National Media Council To Unify Names Of Media-Related Activities

The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) and the National Media Council (NMC) have signed a co-operation agreement to form a committee to unify all names related to media activities. This initiative is in line with the joint efforts to meet the needs of investors, and further strengthen the economic, social and cultural scene of the UAE.

His Excellency Mr Sami Dhaen Al Qamzi, Director General, DED, and His Excellency Ibrahim Al Abed, Director General of the National Media Council, signed the agreement. Officials from DED and NMC attended the ceremony held, recently, at DED headquarters in Deira.

"Linking DED’s services with concerned local and federal bodies is part of our commitment to further strengthen Dubai’s business environment which is important for the continued growth of the Emirate. We are pleased to sign the agreement with the National Media Council, which will contribute to enhancing the level of services provided to customers," said Mr Al Qamzi

"As per the agreement, the National Media Council will provide DED with an updated list of licenses and media activities, and DED will electronically provide NMC with access service to data related to business licenses and media activities issued by DED" said Mr Al Abed.

The agreement also includes co-ordination in the fields of training, and exchange of expertise, studies, ideas and proposals. The two parties will also co-operate in the field of joint inspections and compliances.
 

Developments in National Security in the Middle East Region

DUBAI, UAE, May 3, 2011/PRNewswire/ — It has been estimated that the UAE is set to double its spending on
homeland security from $5.5 billion to $10 billion in the next 10 years.

Dubai police have announced spending of $130 million plus, to enhance CCTV surveillance in blind spots over the next few years as a result of recent events highlighting the importance of CCTV and video surveillance in sensitive areas.

IQPC’s 4th Annual National Security Middle East Summit (19-22 June 2011, Abu Dhabi) will review the transforming threat landscape and identify areas where protection can be enhanced through new strategies, systems and technologies.

Dr. Eng. Mohammed Alaseeri, Head of Section, Ministry of Interior -Border Guard, Saudi Arabia will give a keynote presentation on how to strengthen border security by integrating physical security solutions and surveillance technologies.

Attendees will explore growing threats and challenges that are posed to cyber security and identify investment priorities to enhance national security with Illyas Kooliyankal, CISO Information Security and Business Continuity, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, United Arab Emirates.

The 4th Annual National Security Middle East Summit provides an outstanding opportunity to network with senior project leaders, decision makers and influencers to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced and build key relationships through the exclusive one-on-one executive exchange.

Attendees will also be able to get specific questions answered through interactive panel discussions that explore the challenges of improving cyber security and the priorities required to further enhance national security and cargo security.

The pre-summit workshop will draw on Dr. Alaseeri and General Dr. Al Shehri’s wealth of experience working for the Saudi Border Guard and review a variety of scenarios for training and developing security personnel.

Visit http://www.nationalsecurityme.com for more information.

Delcy Dsouza, Marketing Manager, Tel: +971-4-360-2903, Email: Delcy.Dsouza@iqpc.com

DU And MBRE Partner To Support National SME Businesses

Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development (MBRE), an agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED), has signed a partnership agreement with du to give priority to members of MBRE in Dubai who are accredited with the Government Procurement Program when providing tenders or bids at du.

The agreement was signed by Abdul Baset Al Janahi, Chief Executive Officer of Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development, and Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Human Resources and Shared Services Officer, du, , attended by officials from Dubai SME and du.

As per the agreement, MBRE will provide a list of its accredited members to du, so that the company can allocate an agreed percentage of selected purchases for some categories of its goods and services specifically to them.

"The agreement with du will provide the opportunity for Mohammed Bin Rashid establishment for SME Development (MBRE) members to explore tangible new opportunities. This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting small and medium enterprises in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to strengthen the national economy through modern methods and techniques for the SME sector," said Al Janahi.

He added: “Enhanced co-operation is one of the cornerstones of the growth of small and medium enterprises. Our agreement with du not only highlights the increased focus of Mohammed Bin Rashid establishment for SME Development (MBRE) in promoting public-private partnerships but also in creating new growth opportunities for the SME sector.”

Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Human Resources and Shared Services Officer, du, said: ”We are proud of this partnership and to be able to contribute as a national company in nurturing the SME sector especially with regard to Emarati entrepreneurs. Through this agreement, we want to support the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment members by offering them the opportunity and priority in providing services to du in various fields in which they specialise.”