Day: May 24, 2021

DUBAI, The sixth edition of the Global Business Forum (GBF) Africa is set to take place on October 13-14, 2021 under the theme Transformation Through Trade, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, this year’s Forum is organised on the sidelines of Expo 2020 Dubai, a mega event bringing together 173 countries and 24 international organisations.

GBF Africa 2021 will shed light on the global economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on trade and business around the world. The high-level forum will take a closer look at Africa’s next phase of economic development in the COVID era and beyond, as discussions examine the role of cross-border collaboration in creating new business opportunities and driving sustainable growth across the continent.

As one of Dubai Chamber’s flagship business forums, GBF Africa promotes Dubai as a gateway for African companies that can be leveraged to expand their global footprint as it showcases the emirate’s competitive advantages.

Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “As the Official Business Integration Partner for Expo 2020, Dubai Chamber is organising a wide range of high-profile events during the mega event that will provide local and international companies access to networking and collaboration opportunities. Among these is the 6th Global Business Forum Africa, which serves a catalyst for expanding trade links and economic cooperation between Africa and Dubai.”

The upcoming event builds on the substantial progress achieved by the previous five editions of the forum, which paved the way for new bilateral partnerships and economic benefits, he explained, adding that the timing of the event during Expo 2020 Dubai offers African companies an ideal opportunity to showcase their potential and boost their global reach.

“We welcome our partners from all corners of the African continent and look forward to this opportunity where our local business community can explore prospects of expanding their commercial activities and partnerships in Africa,” Buamim added.

This time around, GBF Africa 2021 is structured around three elements, namely GBF Insight, a high-level, curated programme which includes high-level keynotes and plenary sessions; GBF Connect, a fully comprehensive business matching and networking service which runs over the entirety of the Forum; and the Expert Hub, a platform reserved for representatives from Africa to provide first-hand insights into the investment opportunities in their respective country to the audience directly.

Key topics that will be front and centre at GBF Africa 2021 include the outlook for the African economies, expected impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the evolution of global trade, the adoption of advanced technologies and the role of innovation in strengthening capital markets, as well as promising investment opportunities emerging in a post-COVID-19 world.

The Global Business Forum series explores trade and investment potential in promising markets across Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Latin America and the ASEAN region. Since its launch in 2013, the GBF series has welcomed 32 heads of state and government, 140 ministers and government officials, and 9,950 participants, including business leaders and executives from 65 countries around the world. More than 1,800 business meetings were held between UAE investors and their global counterparts.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, With the UAE aiming to become the most food-secure nation by 2051, New Zealand is accelerating efforts to bring its world-leading AgTech solutions to the region.

The island nation is already working closely with Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) on research projects to enhance water and food security across the emirates.

As one of the most progressive agricultural and aqua-cultural nations, New Zealand is recognised globally for its leadership in sustainable farming, production and nutrition.

“New Zealand AgTech solutions are born out of a deep responsibility we have as guardians of the natural environment to leave it in a better place for future generations. This indigenous environmental ethos is called kaitiakitanga, which translates into ‘care for people and place’ – it drives our agricultural innovation,” explained Alpha Kennedy, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s AgTech specialist and private sector advisor.

This focus on creating sustainable food systems has seen AgTech become one of New Zealand’s fastest growing export sectors and a priority area of development under the Government’s industry policy.

The UAE is already firmly in its sights, following the success of several research studies for EAD initiated by New Zealand G2G, a partnership between the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise specifically focused on sharing New Zealand’s public sector capability with the world. The projects have also involved New Zealand research institutes and experts, such as New Zealand Plant & Food Research, a crown-owned research organisation, and OnlyfromNZ, a consultancy that recognised in environmental, conservation and food production services.

“The roadmap set by the UAE National Food Security Strategy emphasises the importance of fast-tracking the adoption of agricultural technology to increase domestic food production. And the recent launch of Dubai’s Food Tech Valley by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, further underscores the importance of global collaboration and investments in AgTech innovation.

“We are proud that New Zealand G2G has longstanding partnerships with Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and is contributing to several breakthrough projects in support of sustainable environmental management. This has certainly piqued the interest of other New Zealand AgTech businesses to bring their expertise to the UAE and we see Expo 2020 Dubai as a golden opportunity to realise some of those partnerships,” said Matthew Hawkins, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the UAE.

EAD’s decision to work with New Zealand, the first country in the world to legislate for the sustainable use of land and marine resources, was prompted by a need to create a regulatory tool to inform the allocation of water to farms across the emirates. The joint studies showed when irrigating date palm, vegetable and forestry crops, up to 50 percent water savings are possible.

Prior to this, a team of New Zealand agencies and fishery experts worked with EAD from 2013-2017, to help make the UAE fisheries more sustainable by 2030, using learnings from New Zealand’s sustainable fisheries initiative and fisheries management system.

EAD scientists and New Zealand Plant & Food Research are also trying to find ways of increasing crop productivity while conserving groundwater and ensuring it does not get saltier. The four-year research project in partnership with OnlyFromNZ has been investigating the feasibility of using reject brine from small-scale desalination plants on farms and aqua-brine from fish farms, instead of groundwater, to grow salt-tolerant crops and fodders. Innovative instrumentation is now in place on 36 different plots in the UAE and will be used to monitor progress until 2024.

Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD, said, “At EAD we understand that one of the main paths to success is through relevant and impactful collaborations and partnerships and we are honoured to be working alongside New Zealand, a nation recognised globally for its leadership in sustainable farming, production, and nutrition.”

“Agritech has become one of New Zealand’s fastest growing export sectors, and through this important partnership, EAD aims to transform the water and food security in the UAE, in support of the national food security agenda. With the help of New Zealand’s extensive agriculture experience and research, the UAE is on a clear path to transition to a controlled agriculture environment and we are confident this country can become the most food-secure nation by 2051. New Zealand has proven to be an extremely committed partner who is consistently placing the environment at the top of its agenda, a goal which is very much aligned with the vision of our wise leadership,’’ she added.

The UAE is New Zealand’s tenth largest trading partner with two-way trade worth nearly US$4 billion.

“With 192 nations present, Expo 2020 Dubai provides a unique opportunity to pursue new market expansion and showcase high-value New Zealand AgTech products and services to new customers. Through our Expo Business Leverage Programme, we are working closely with New Zealand AgTech companies to match their expertise to real market needs in the UAE and the wider region,” added Ambassador Hawkins.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, The UAE e-commerce sector emerged as the fastest-growing economic segment in the Middle East in terms of value sales, supported by rising digital connectivity, infrastructure and substantial growth in consumer electronics, apparel and footwear, based on the findings of the ‘E-Commerce Sector in the UAE 2020 insights’ report.

The report was launched by EZDubai, the fully dedicated e-commerce zone in Dubai South, in partnership with Euromonitor International the world’s leading provider for global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights and Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), a leading professional services firm that specialises in real estate and investment management.

The report examined the dynamic changes in the e-commerce market and presented a regional overview of the sector, evaluating its growth and future opportunities, taking trends as well as key major growth drivers into consideration, including COVID-led digital transformation and technological advancements that are set to reshape the industry moving forward.

In his comments, Mohsen Ahmad, CEO of the Logistics District – Dubai South, said: “E-commerce continues to be an upward trend in the UAE, and this is a great opportunity for logistics players to expand their operations and capture the untapped potential of cross-border e-commerce. The sector played a major role in boosting Dubai’s economy and that of the UAE, consolidating the emirate’s position as a regional hub for e-commerce by attracting leading movers and creating a sustainable ecosystem for a number of corporations. The transition to online payment and the transformation of technological capabilities into quicker, safer and personalised experiences are among the key trends affecting regional e-commerce. EZDubai holds an important role as the first operational e-commerce zone in the region; and we are pleased to share the latest developments of this sector with our industry players.”

The findings revealed that the e-commerce growth in the Middle East is mainly driven by the UAE and KSA (accounting for 75 percent of total e-commerce sales in 2020) due to the high purchasing power, expanded usage of social media, and smartphone penetration rates compared to other regional countries.

According to the report, store-based retailing is expected to grow by a CAGR of 1 per cent over the 2019-2024 period, while e-commerce is forecast to grow by a CAGR of 19 per cent over the same period. Apart from the impact of COVID-19, online penetration in the Middle East is forecast to double to 6 per cent by 2024, compared to 3 per cent in 2019.

Hussein Doughan, General Manager of Euromonitor International in Dubai, said: “The digital revolution has been rewiring retail for years, leading to new business models, commerce ecosystems and channels for reaching and engaging consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transition, as e-commerce became the default option for many homebound consumers. Euromonitor International projects that half of the absolute value growth for the global retail sector over the 2020-2025 period will be digital. That equates to USD1.4 trillion in absolute value growth as more goods are sold online.” ” To put that projected e-commerce growth in context, that would be roughly the size of the total value of products sold across all retail channels just five years ago. Likewise, the e-commerce sector in the UAE and broader Middle East region is poised for growth. Euromonitor International’s Digital Connectivity Index, measuring a country’s digital landscape over time, reveals that the UAE is outpacing its emerging market counterparts on the index given its well-developed e-commerce infrastructure, coupled with its tech-savvy population.”

In line with its continuous effort to present insightful facts about the impact of e-commerce on the retail logistics sector, JLL found that since the outbreak of COVID-19, e-commerce penetration doubled, increasing from 3 percent in 2019 to 5 percent in 2020 across the region. Retailers with established e-commerce and digital platforms performed significantly better than brick-and-mortar outlets, which faced pressure during the lockdown periods. Also, it was reported that the region benefited from a solid and well-established infrastructure. According to the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2018, the UAE ranked 11th globally and the first regionally in terms of the efficiency of its customs, strong infrastructure, quality of logistics services, tracking and tracing. This has supported the country’s position as a leading logistics and e-commerce hub.

Source: Emirates News Agency

SHARJAH, With solar energy a high priority for public and private organisations throughout the UAE and wider region, the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and Petrofac have combined forces to increase solar farm efficiency.

AUS and Petrofac have developed an Internet of Things (IoT) edge device that can remotely assess the cleanliness of solar panels. For solar plant operators, knowing how clean individual panels are is essential in reducing costs, optimising power output and enabling preventative maintenance. Project researchers found that two months of soiling can reduce the power generation of a panel by 40 percent, with dust, the biggest obstacle to reliable solar energy production. However, large-scale cleaning of solar farms is costly, inconvenient and disruptive to grid security. Having multiple edge devices that can identify specific panels that require cleaning offers operators the opportunity to optimise energy generation without the traditional costs associated with panel maintenance.

The edge device continuously measures solar panel performance using open-sourced technology, micro-controllers and smart sensors. Those responsible for operating the solar farm receive information about the state of panels through a wireless network and cloud-based server, allowing them to see, and act on, the data in real-time. In addition to reporting when panels need cleaning, the device is also capable of detecting faults and forecasting power output. The device can also measure temperature, humidity and solar radiation. It is intended for large-scale solar facilities such as Noor Project in Abu Dhabi and Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.

Such technology is of particular importance for the UAE, one of the world’s leading producers of solar energy. The country is currently building what will become the world’s largest solar energy plant, located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. As part of the UAE’s National Energy Strategy 2050, launched in 2017, over $163 billion was allocated to meeting the country’s goal of increasing the contribution of clean energy sources to the total capacity mix to 50 percent (with 44 percent of the mix made up of renewables). The new technology has potential for widespread use as the industry develops.

The Renewable Energy Research Centre (RERC) in AUS’ College of Engineering is currently working on several projects focused on renewable energy. The centre is made possible through the AUS Petrofac Chair Endowment and involves faculty members, research assistants, undergraduate students and graduate students.

Dr. Rached Dhaouadi, Professor of Electrical Engineering at AUS and Petrofac Research Chair in Renewable Energy, noted the significance of the research, “The generous support of Petrofac through the Research Chair in Renewable Energy makes these important gains in solar energy outputs possible. While abundant sunlight makes the UAE a prime location for solar energy sites, solar energy production in the UAE does face environmental challenges such as humidity, dust and high temperatures. By mitigating many of these challenges, the edge device we have developed will allow the UAE to maximise the natural advantages it enjoys in solar energy production. By increasing the efficiency of solar panels, the edge device will play a role in meeting the UAE’s renewable energy ambitions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.”

Source: Emirates News Agency