Day: October 16, 2021

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Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology showcases the nation’s standards capabilities

ABU DHABI, To mark World Standards Day on 14th October, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) hosted a webinar to showcase the country’s advanced capabilities in quality infrastructure and awareness of the necessary role standards play in industrial and sustainable development.

Local and international officials and experts attended the webinar that was convened in line with the ministry’s mission to upgrade the UAE’s quality infrastructure and achieve its sustainable development commitments.

The virtual event witnessed the participation of Omar Suwaina Al-Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Eddy Njoroge, President of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Farah Ali Al Zarouni, Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for the Standards and Legislation Sector in the Ministry, Dr. Ralph Sporer, Vice President of the International Electrotechnical Organisation (IEC), Dr. Scott Steedman, Executive Director of the British Standards Institutions (BSI), Dr. Oday Albuhamad, Director of Standards and Metrology, Gulf Standardisation Organisation (GSO), and several other experts and specialists from around the world.

Al Suwaidi noted that the theme of this year’s World Standards Day, “Shared Vision for a Better World” aligns with the UAE’s sustainability efforts and the nation’s ambition to become a global leader in all areas of sustainable development by 2071. The UAE Government is committed to applying thousands of international standards related to sustainability. It has also issued multiple standards in agriculture, energy, water, transportation, environment and hydrogen, developed to achieve sustainable development goals.

He said, “The development of standards serves the UAE’s Projects of the 50 in that they support our desire to incorporate innovation and advanced technology into our industrial sector. Standards are vital to increase the quality of products and services in the market and find dynamic solutions to global challenges. We are fully focused on nurturing the technologies of the future to stimulate growth, develop new industrial sectors and provide the optimum platform for experts, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world.

“Through standards, the UAE’s industrial sector becomes more capable of competing globally as we seek to become a global industrial hub and a leading destination for future industries, in line with the objectives of Operation 300bn, the national strategy for industry and advanced technology.”

Al Suwaidi added, “The adoption of advanced technology and 4IR solutions also helps us to achieve tangible progress in the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals, especially the ninth goal that focuses on industry, innovation and infrastructure.”

Njoroge highlighted UAE’s pioneering experience in developing and complying with standards. He pointed out that the country has become a role model in quality infrastructure, a fact that was demonstrated during its successful efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added, “Governments, businesses and organisations have all been put under unexpected pressure. I am impressed by the way that ISO members such as the UAE have put into practice a more flexible, more adaptable way of working, maintaining their commitments to international standards development and continuing to support their stakeholders in benefitting from standards.”

He made a clear link between standards and the international effort to meet the UN’s SDGs, and highlighted the mapping tool they have developed that identifies the standards that give direct support to a specific SDG. “Every SDG is a call for action, but we can only get there if we work together.”

“On World Standards Day, the world needs a message of hope to mitigate the challenges of COVID-19 and to adhere to the 2030 deadline set for implementing the SDGs. We are calling on everyone to join together to build a better world that respects international standards, safety and security for all,” Njoroge said in conclusion.

During a presentation on the role of standards in overcoming industrial challenges in the post-COVID-19 era, Al Zarouni stressed that standards contribute to a sustainable industrial sector, which in turn supports the national economy by meeting the requirements of quality, safety and long-term, responsible growth, especially in priority industries.

Al Zarouni explained that sustainability is one of the goals of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, noting that the celebration of World Standards Day coincides with the UAE’s hosting of the Expo 2020 Dubai, which focuses on innovation and sustainable development from around the world.

The UAE has focused on the following goals: industry, innovation and infrastructure; green and affordable energy; and sustainable cities and communities, all of which are linked to the quality infrastructure that is supervised by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in cooperation with its strategic partners in the public and the private sector.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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Dubai hosts T20 Cricket World Cup, adds further shine to its status as a leading global sporting destination

DUBAI, Dubai, the headquarters of the International Cricket Council, is all set to stage the finals of the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The seventh edition of the global tournament, being held for the first time in the Middle East, reinforces Dubai’s rising status as one of the globe’s most prominent and safest destinations for international sporting events.

Dubai was chosen as the venue for the final of the 16-country tournament, featuring world cricket’s biggest stars, because of its exceptionally successful record of hosting multi-stage global tournaments. Furthermore, its comprehensive hospitality and health infrastructure as well as its ability to create the internationally benchmarked bio-secure bubbles necessary for the safe organisation of a tournament as extensive as the T20 Cricket World Cup made it the ideal venue for the event.

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, said: “Dubai’s steady growth as a global sporting hub has been made possible by the strong support and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the extensive investments made in world-class infrastructure under His Highness’s directives. Encouraging international sporting activity and expanding the infrastructure in this sector, is a high priority of the leadership, and an integral part of the drive to transform Dubai into the world’s best city to live in and work.

“In addition to some of the globe’s best stadiums for various sports, Dubai is home to state-of-the-art coaching academies across disciplines, which are grooming the international stars of the future, all of which have made the emirate’s sports sector one of the fastest growing in the world.”

His Highness noted that the T20 Cricket World Cup is one of a series of mega sporting events that Dubai has provided a safe venue for, amidst the current exceptional global circumstances. The emirate’s ability to implement rigorous precautionary protocols and high vaccination rates have made it a preferred destination for international tournaments, he added.

Mattar Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council said: “The ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup is the latest example of leading global sports bodies choosing Dubai as a venue for mega international tournaments due to the world-class infrastructure and health and safety standards it offers. The generous support and encouragement extended by Dubai’s leadership for the sports sector and the extensive infrastructure projects that have been implemented over the years have made Dubai a major destination on the international sporting landscape. Strategic initiatives undertaken in Dubai to develop all aspects of sporting excellence have further reinforced Dubai’s leading global position in the sporting field and enabled the sector to grow and thrive.”

“Furthermore, the emirate’s exceptional success in dealing with the pandemic and its ability to provide a protected environment for multi-stage international tournaments makes it one of the few destinations that the global sporting community has confidence in, amidst the current global circumstances. We are confident that Dubai will continue to be a preferred venue for major sporting events on the world stage,” he added.

The 16-team ICC Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the UAE and Oman from 17 October to 14 November 2021 features a total of 45 matches, 13 of which will be played in Dubai. Cricket fans from around the world are eagerly anticipating the second day of the Super 12 round of the ICC T20 World cup when traditional rivals India and Pakistan renew their cricketing rivalry in Dubai on 24 October. India vs Pakistan is one of the most exciting rivalries in sports, and with 90 per cent of cricket’s billion-plus fans coming from South Asia, the match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is the biggest talking point of the tournament. The first match between two countries in more than two years, the fixture is generating considerable interest among the more than 4 million people from India and Pakistan who call the UAE their home. Tickets for the India-Pakistan match were sold out in less than five hours. More than 2 billion viewers all over the world are expected to watch the contest on international channels.

The magnificent 25,000 seat Dubai International Cricket Stadium located in Dubai Sports City, the emirate’s state of the art sports complex, will also be the venue for the final of the Twenty20 World Cup on 14 November. Dubai is already a major hub for international cricket, being home to the headquarters of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of the sport, and the ICC Academy, where emerging cricket stars are being mentored.

In 2021, with many sporting events being cancelled across the world due to the pandemic, Dubai emerged as one of the safest venues for global tournaments. The annual Dubai World Cup, organised by the Dubai Racing Club, was among the world’s top ten sporting events in the first quarter of 2021. Major events hosted by Dubai this year include 32nd Omega Desert Classic golf tournament, UAE Tour, the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying rounds, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the 6th Ironman 70.3 Dubai, the ASBC Asian Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships 2021 and the PUBG Mobile Global Championship. The qualifying rounds of the Australian Open tennis championship were held in Dubai, in addition to the Hankook 24H Dubai, and the prestigious Al Marmoom Ultramarathon. On 15 October, Dubai had hosted the final of the 2021 edition of the multi-billion dollar Indian Premier League (IPL), the richest cricket tournament in the world.

Dubai’s prime location and exceptional infrastructure also made it a preferred location for international athletes to train ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. In the coming months, Dubai will also host more than 30 international sports events including the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup qualifiers, the European Tour’s ‘Race to Dubai’ finale and the DP World Tour Championship.

Apart from hosting 130 international sports events, the city is home to over 400 academies, that offer expert coaching in all kinds of sports, and more than 100 public and private sports clubs. Since the beginning of 2021, Dubai has hosted over 70 training camps and friendly matches for international teams in different sports, including swimming, synchronised swimming, modern pentathlon, cycling, tennis, football, badminton, cricket, rugby, golf and more.

The contribution of the sporting sector to Dubai’s economy exceeds AED4 billion annually, according to recently released figures. Currently, more than 20,000 people are employed in the sector.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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Dubai Culture to showcase emirate’s cultural and creative treasures at GITEX Technology Week 2021

DUBAI, Under the umbrella of Digital Dubai, taking place under the theme ‘Digitising life in Dubai,’ Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced its participation in the 41st edition of GITEX Technology Week 2021, the largest technology exhibition in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia that will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 17th – 21st October.

Through this pioneering event, the Authority will showcase the innovative technical solutions it has adopted to celebrate Dubai’s cultural and heritage treasures as well as its contemporary innovations that aim to enhance local and global access to the emirate’s cultural landscape and strengthen its global cultural position.

Dubai Culture is also participating in GITEX Future Stars 2021, the event dedicated to entrepreneurs and start-ups, where Saeed Mubarak Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, will highlight the importance of the creative economy as an economic sector that supports cultural tourism and supports the economic sectors of other countries as well as the cultural and creative industries that fall under this sector.

He will also shed light on Dubai’s cultural vision, as well as on its thriving creative sector, and on the solutions and benefits that the emirate provides to its creative community. Dubai Culture is looking forward to welcoming all those interested in this field at Stand No. 124 in Zabeel Hall 4.

At its stand No. (15) under the Digital Dubai pavilion located at Sheikh Saeed Halls 2 and 3, Dubai Culture will focus on its most prominent services and smart projects in the culture and arts fields, including the ‘Dubai’s Culture and Heritage’ project on the Google Arts & Culture platform that provides members of the public around the world with rich cultural content supported by information, interactive panoramic images and short films. As part of its strategic roadmap and objective to make culture accessible to all, the Authority will also provide virtual tours of Etihad Museum and Al Shindagha Museum during the event.

Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication Department at Dubai Culture, said: “GITEX Technology Week is an ideal opportunity to showcase Dubai’s world-class digital infrastructure and smart services. With our participation in this event, we aim to strengthen the emirate’s leading position in the field of government digital transformation. Through our involvement, we also seek to emphasise our commitment to the Digital Dubai initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, that aims to digitalise life in Dubai and ensure the happiness and well-being of community members through the use of digital technologies.”

“We are pleased to join this ambitious initiative through various technical solutions that we offer in order to allow users to easily interact with Dubai’s vibrant cultural and artistic scene as well as support the emirate’s digital transformation and consolidate its position as the first digital economic capital in the world. With GITEX coinciding with Expo 2020 Dubai, we expect to receive a large number of visitors at our stand who would wish to be part of a journey of culture, creativity, and innovation in Dubai,” she added.

Al Suwaidi added: “In line with Dubai and the UAE’s strategy of digital transformation, the Authority believes in the importance of investing in future technology and advanced digital solutions to improve customer experience; achieve the optimum level of growth; enhance knowledge progress; provide valuable opportunities to support creative industries and creative talents; and highlight the rich cultural, heritage, and artistic landmarks in the emirate, which, in turn, strengthen the emirate’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent as well as a home for digital innovations.”

As the patron of culture and arts in Dubai, the Authority manages Etihad Museum and Al Shindagha Museum as well as provides the public with virtual tours of these two unique museums that document the UAE’s history and the authentic customs and traditions of its people.

With the collaboration of creative community members in Dubai, 800 high-resolution iconic images are made available on ‘Dubai’s Culture and Heritage’ project on the Google Arts and Culture platform, which also includes 120 artefacts and more than 70 stories in Arabic and English documenting the emirate’s history and present through the eyes of its residents, Dubai Culture seeks to paint a comprehensive picture of the cultural richness of the emirate as well as of its unique identity and distinctive heritage.

Based on its strategic roadmap, Dubai Culture, as the government entity entrusted with the culture and arts sector in Dubai, is working to globally position Dubai as a preferred destination for all art and culture enthusiasts, a beacon of cultural diversity, an incubator for international talent, and a centre for creativity and cultural dialogue.

The Authority also seeks to fulfil its cultural responsibility of preserving and celebrating the emirate’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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UAE, Israel review growing economic ties, agree on promoting tourism cooperation

ABU DHABI, Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, met with the Israeli Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov at the opening of the Israeli Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai to review advancing economic cooperation and increasing direct flights between the two nations.

The two ministers deliberated the prospects of further growing business opportunities across priority sectors, accelerating non-oil trade exchanges and diversifying bilateral investments in the post-pandemic phase.

“The UAE-Israeli relations are steadily growing and we’re determined to further develop them over the coming period,” Al Falasi said, noting that Expo 2020 Dubai represents a valuable opportunity for the Israeli businesses to benefit from the opportunities up for grabs during the global fair. He remarked that the non-oil trade exchanges between the two nations amounted to $700 million during the first year that followed the signing of the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement.

“The UAE tourist and hotel establishments have secured high occupancy rates over the past period, overtaking 10 of the world’s most-visited tourist destinations. An achievement that would not have been made but for the efforts made at the country level to stamp out the challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the minister said.

For his part the Israeli minister said, “On the occasion of the first anniversary of signing the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement, we affirm the impressive success achieved over the past period by the two nations specially at the tourist level.

“Despite the movement restrictions associated with the pandemic, the tourist exchanges between the two nations witnessed significant momentum, with around 250,000 Israeli tourists having visited the UAE over the past period. And we expect cooperation in this field to further grow over the coming period,” he said, noting that the tourist sector is a mainstay for the development of economic relations between the two countries.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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Dubai Municipality to showcase digital initiatives at GITEX

DUBAI, Dubai Municipality is preparing to participate in the GITEX Technology Week, which will be organised from 17 to 21 October 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Center with a variety of the most prominent new projects and services provided by the Municipality in various sectors. The new initiatives reflect the standards of inclusiveness, innovation and development the Municipality follows while seeking to meet people’s needs and enhance their happiness and well-being.

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said: “At the Municipality, we take the vision of the wise leadership as an approach for us towards innovation and excellence and always provide the best for all segments of society. We are keen to harness technical development to enrich the emirate with exceptional projects and innovative services, which enhance the principles of global competitiveness and achieve proactive steps in various sectors and fields.”

“Dubai Municipality platform at GITEX this year is witnessing the presentation of a wide range of new projects and services that are characterized by the application of the highest standards of modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Municipality is one of the leading authorities in the digital field and is constantly keen to achieve a distinguished qualitative leap in this field, in order to achieve its goals of providing the best projects and services that meet the needs of all members of society in various sectors and fields,” he said.

The initiatives include: IoT Technology.

Internet of Things (IoT) technology is used by Dubai Municipality to contribute to raising the efficiency of operations, reducing costs, enhancing innovation, and making more effective decisions based on data analysis. An IoT platform was developed and a control and command center designed to monitor the technical infrastructure according to the business requirements of Dubai Municipality, and three pilot use cases were successfully implemented. To measure the actual impact of IoT technology, the cases included: smart monitoring of grease traps (Fog Trap) in restaurants to accurately measure the levels of fats, oils and greases and send the required data to the control center for a timely alert.

It was also used to the pre-detection of sewage pipeline cracks, through monitoring and analyzing pressure to determine the possibilities of pipeline breakage. One of the use cases is also to raise the efficiency of the irrigation network using the IoT and AI, by predicting the level of water demand, prioritizing the connection, and controlling the pump and valves. The application of this technology contributes to equipment maintenance planning, measurement of water level, and proactive planning of water tanks.

Environmental satellite DMSat1.

It is considered one of the latest generations of environmental satellite systems, and aims to monitor, collect and analyze environmental data using space technology and employ it in finding solutions to the challenges of urban pollution and climate change.

Automated audit of building designs using Building Information Modeling (BIM).

An electronic system developed by Dubai Municipality allows consultants to perform an automated audit of building designs according to the requirements of the Dubai Building Code and Municipality regulations. The system services are available around the clock, which helps customers to complete the processing of their designs according to the requirements before sending them to the Municipality, which contributes to reducing time and effort and enhances customer satisfaction and positively affects the global competitiveness indicators in this field.

Odor detection system in treatment plants.

It is a modern and advanced system that was applied through a station to monitor odors in the treatment plants, and it is a fully automatic system that analyzes and monitors sulfur compounds.

Main pumping station for Stormwater Deep Tunnel Project: It is a strategic project that aims to collect stormwater and surface water from a total area of 500 square kilometers, including several different areas in the emirate. It is considered one of the largest stations in the world.

Montaji Platform.

The new version of the “Montaji” platform has achieved great successes in the field of consumer goods control. The platform enhances the efficiency of services provided by Dubai Municipality in this field. It has been updated with the latest innovative features and specialties such as the Technical Solutions that contribute to improving the customer journey from the category of consumer products merchants, supporting the business sector and global trade in the emirate, saving time, effort and cost for customers, in addition to displaying electronic linking mechanisms with the Dubai Central Laboratory system, and electronic linking with strategic partners with the aim of enhancing the flow of shipments of consumer products and cross-border trade, through a single window for import of Dubai Trade, in addition to the development of the risk engine system for products and its technical mechanisms on the platform, with the aim of automating decisions regarding samples from shipments and analyzing big data through smart technologies.

Unified comprehensive sitemap project.

Dubai Municipality has designed a unified model for the comprehensive map of the Emirate of Dubai to issue a comprehensive schematic and geographic site map, common to the various development authorities in the Emirate, in order to create a central geographical database for all lands, including owner data, planning and topographical data of the land and data for infrastructure services, with the aim of facilitating procedures and saving time and effort that are required by customers, enhance centralization of service provision, and standardize land numbering according to the system used in Dubai Municipality among all participating parties, and owners, consultants, contractors, investors and developers benefit from it.

Electronic system for maps and geospatial information, “Dubai is here”.

A system developed by the GIS Center in Dubai Municipality as a comprehensive portal for displaying, analyzing and counting geospatial data, in an easy manner, smooth classification and an easy-to-use search engine to access data. The electronic system for maps and geospatial information includes 2D and 3D maps of the emirate, containing plots of land, asset information, landmarks and facilities, as well as master plans, such as details of buildings, landmarks, and housing units.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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Ministry of Health to showcase state-of-the-art digital health services at GITEX Technology Week 2021

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is participating in GITEX Technology Week 2021, which runs from 17th to 21st October, 2021, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

MoHAP will showcase state-of-the-art healthcare services and projects according to the latest artificial intelligence and digital technologies, through its participation.

MoHAP’s participation aims to consolidate a digitally advanced, efficient, and reliable health system that constitutes a new approach towards future healthcare, enhances health information systems, enriches and improves customer experience and enhances the quality of digital life for the community.

To enrich the experience of its customers, the ministry launched innovative and proactive features that integrate artificial intelligence techniques into health services.

The ministry’s participation in GITEX Week reflects the vision and outputs of government innovation and the reformulation of traditional concepts of work mechanisms.

This is an affirmation of the ministry’s strenuous efforts to keep abreast of the latest developments and rely on the latest technologies in communicating with customers according to the highest international standards.

Samir Al-Khoury, Director of IT Department, MoHAP, said, “The ministry is keen to take part in GITEX Technology Week to showcase its latest smart and digital services, by employing information technology in community service, advancing the government work system, as well as the quality of services to ensure the happiness of its customers.” He added that the ministry strives to incorporate artificial intelligence systems and virtual environments to simulate the future of digital health services in partnership with technology leaders from around the globe.

Al-Khoury called on GITEX visitors and those interested in learning about the latest health technologies to visit the MoHAP stand and view a live demonstration of the services. Visitors can get a closer look at services with their new features.

The new services include birth certificate issuance, health facilities licencing, and health professionals’ assessment.

Source: Emirates News Agency