Day: June 10, 2022

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DMCC boosts Dubai-US relations through agreement with Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

DUBAI, DMCC – the world’s flagship Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise – has signed an agreement with the United States’ Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce that will see the two entities work together on a number of beneficial initiatives to promote trade and support the international expansion of American businesses through Dubai.

DMCC will work with the Brooklyn Chamber to support New York-based businesses in setting up their operations in Dubai, utilising the emirate’s status as a gateway to some of the world’s fastest-growing markets. Similarly, the partnership will look to facilitate the expansion of DMCC’s member companies into the US market.

Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, said, “DMCC is thrilled to collaborate with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to create new, mutual opportunities for growth across enterprise and culture. Both New York and Dubai are hyper-connected business hubs that share a forward-thinking, dynamic landscape for trade.

“As Brooklyn continues to evolve, we look forward to working alongside the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, its future-driven organisation and 62,000 members by providing them a path to grow and thrive in Dubai.”

Given DMCC’s particular focus on commodities trade, the partnership will also see Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce promote the services offered by DMCC’s Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), Tea Centre and Coffee Centre to commodities businesses within the New York business community.

The DDE has played a key role in developing the UAE’s position as a world leader in the diamond industry. The UAE is now the global leader in the trade of rough diamonds, with over US$22.8 billion of rough diamonds traded in 2021.

As the US remains one of the leading consumer markets for the diamond and jewellery industries, the agreement with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce will look to further expand the UAE’s polished diamond trade market.

“Brooklyn has a well-earned reputation as an international brand and has long been known as a bridge to the world,” said Brooklyn Chamber President and CEO, Randy Peers. “We are happy to partner with DMCC to promote culture and commerce.”

DMCC has become home to over 21,000 member companies, from large multinationals to SMEs and entrepreneurs. It is currently home to over 650 American companies.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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UAE delegation calls for progressive climate action at Bonn Climate Conference

BONN, Germany, A UAE delegation of climate diplomats have stated the case for progressive climate action as an enabler for global stability, low-carbon economic progress and inclusive prosperity at the Bonn Climate Change Conference for the 56th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) subsidiary bodies from June 6-16.

At the conference, countries that are parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have begun discussions to reinvigorate momentum for climate action and set the stage for the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt this November.

The UAE delegation to Bonn is led by the Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and includes the participation of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority and youth representatives.

The Bonn Climate Change conference addresses implementation issues under the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement including transparency, mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology and capacity building. It also fosters dialogues on the latest findings of the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Chairman of Masdar, said, “The UAE is keen to advance progressive climate action at this important gathering leading up to COP27. In our approach to the COP process, we aim to convert pledges and promises into practical outcomes that will deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The UAE is driving a net zero by 2050 strategic initiative as it is a low-carbon, high-growth economic model that will guide our sustainable development for the next 50 years. Making the right decisions and investments now will create diversified economic growth that fosters future-critical industries, knowledge and jobs.”

“With the two upcoming COPs being hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region, the UAE has committed to working closely with the Egypt’s COP27 Presidency to raise ambition for climate progress, close the emissions reduction gap and make measurable progress towards the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement,” added Dr. Al Jaber.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, said, “The UAE is committed to driving inclusive, robust, and effective collective climate action worldwide. In our quest to achieve net zero by mid-century, we are adopting a science-based approach to determine the impact of our sustainability measures on the carbon footprint. We are developing the National Strategy for Net Zero 2050 to inform our next steps, and have launched the National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA) that aims to engage all sectors in our decarbonization drive. Last month, we hosted the inaugural session of NDCA targeting the cement sector under the theme ‘Cementing a Decarbonised Future’. The meeting convened 83 stakeholders from the cement, waste, technology, and energy sectors.

“At the Bonn Climate Change Conference, we are joining the call to mobilise action and raise ambition to ensure a successful COP27. Climate change is the defining challenge of our era, and it is progressing exponentially. We need solidarity to move faster to flatten the climate curve and avert worst-case scenarios. The UAE is keen to share expertise, identify overlapping objectives, and explore areas of collaboration with like-minded nations that prioritise a development approach that is good for people and the planet. Together, we can build climate resilience capacities, boost green investments, and step up meaningful climate efforts.”

The UAE has long placed climate action at the centre of its economic growth and diversification strategy, while contributing innovative and practical solutions to one of the world’s greatest challenges. The UAE has demonstrated its commitment as the first country in the region to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement, and the first to commit to an economy-wide emissions reduction.

Just last year, the country launched the Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative which provides a roadmap for sustainable economic development through to the mid-century. At present, the UAE is working on updating its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) – a climate action plan to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts – ahead of COP27 in line with the goals of the Glasgow pact.

Source: Emirates News Agency

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DEWA approves 50,567 NOC Applications as part of Soqoor programme

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has approved 50,567 No Objection Certificates (NOC) Applications as part of the Soqoor programme. It is the first government programme of its kind to evaluate consultants and contractors in Dubai and identify their compliance to the requirements, standards, terms and conditions, and guidelines when submitting No Objection Certificates (NOCs) service applications and field operations for their projects.

The Soqoor programme enables consultants and contractors to get DEWA’s approval to provide services from the first time of submitting the applications, reducing violations and avoiding fines, as well as saving time and efforts. This makes field operations safer and protects DEWA’s assets and its services. The Soqoor programme creates a healthy competition among consultants and contractors to ensure their compliance with the highest quality, safety, and excellence standards. The programme is related to the corporate performance which is based upon scientific standards such as the quality of applications, and respecting DEWA’s assets. Consultants and contractors who achieve the best performance according to the highest international standards win Soqoor awards in project and service categories, such as Infrastructure Projects NOC; Electricity Network Services; and Water Network Services.

“DEWA strives to facilitate all stakeholders and provides all requirements and guidelines for them to work within the best standards, to enrich their experiences. We are proud of our leadership in launching unprecedented projects, and adopting innovation as a key pillar in our strategies and work. This helps achieve the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. We are pleased with the collaboration of consultants and contractors as well as their positive response to our initiatives that contribute effectively to the growth of Dubai in the shortest time possible. The Soqoor programme is a great example of collaboration between the public and private sectors to achieve the Smart Dubai initiative to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“DEWA has approved 50,567 No Objection Certificates (NOC) Applications as part of the Soqoor programme from 1,746 consultants and contractors by the end of April 2022. The Transmission Power division at DEWA has approved 26,383 NOC applications, the Distribution Power has approved 17,597 NOC applications, and the Water & Civil division has approved 6,587 NOC applications. DEWA strives to make all its employees and partners aware of the latest technologies and standards,” said Eng. Hussain Lootah, Executive Vice President of Transmission Power at DEWA.

DEWA published the Soqoor programme guide and the technical requirements for applications and made them available to customers round the clock. It also organised awareness courses and workshops to provide more clarifications on these requests. DEWA works to evaluate consultants and contractors according to the Final Customer Performance Assessment Result (FCPAR) which is calculated by taking the average of the Initial Customer Performance Assessment Result (ICPAR) and the Customer Site Performance Assessment Result (CSAR). DEWA is also responsible for reviewing service requests and reply to them on time. This is in addition to issuing the Violation Control Reports for stakeholders who do not comply with its requirements.

Source: Dubai Electricity & Water Authority