Day: August 9, 2022

ABU DHABI, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to President Halimah Yacob of Singapore, on the occasion of her country’s National Day, which is observed on 9th August.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, also sent similar messages to President Yacob and the country’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the occasion.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, attended recently the swearing in ceremony of Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego as the new President of the Republic of Colombia in Bogota.

Al Zeyoudi conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and their wishes for continuous success, progress, and prosperity to meet the aspirations of the Colombian people.

In response, President Gustravo Petro conveyed his wishes to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. He also expressed his sincere appreciation for the participation of the UAE delegation in the ceremony, wishing the UAE continued progress and prosperity.

Al Zeyoudi’s attendance at the new Colombian President’s swearing in ceremony reflects the depth of the long-standing relations between the two countries that were strengthened by the launch of talks to establish a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the first agreement of its kind for the UAE with a South American nation.

In his speech on the occasion, Al Zeyoudi expressed the UAE’s vision to strengthen ties with Colombia and create new opportunities for cooperation to achieve common interests. He also highlighted the UAE’s keenness to support this friendship and strengthen relations with Colombia in all fields to meet the aspirations of the peoples of the two countries.

In addition, Al Zeyoudi also met with Alvaro Leyva Duran, Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and was accompanied by Salem Rashed Alowais, UAE Ambassador to Colombia, to discuss bilateral relations and ways to enhance them.

The UAE is Colombia’s largest trade partner in the Arab world and, in 2020, accounted for more than 40 percent of Colombia’s foreign trade with the region.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, has issued the Ministerial Resolution No. 318 of 2022 regarding bank guarantees and employees’ protection insurance scheme in the private sector.

This decision is in line with the legislative framework that aims to preserve workers’ rights, support the business community, enhance the competitiveness and stability of the UAE’s work environment, and strengthen its reputation as a preferred and safe destination to live, work, and invest.

Aisha Belharfia, Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), said, “The UAE’s commitment to guarantee and balance the rights of workers and employers reflect national legislations and highlight the nation’s active role in the main agreements originating from the International Labour Organisation.”

“Offering establishments the option of choosing between providing a bank guarantee or an insurance policy allows them to choose what is most suitable for them and helps reduce operational costs, enabling employers to fulfil their legal obligations towards their workers,” she added.

Under the new resolution, establishments may pursue one of two options – the first, provide a bank guarantee of no less than AED3,000 for each worker, paid through a UAE-based bank, provided that the guarantee is valid for one year, can be automatically renewed and paid at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s demand, without any other restrictions.

The second option entails a 30-month insurance policy, at a value of AED137.50 for each skilled worker, AED180 for each low-skilled worker and AED250 for each worker paid by high-risk establishments that are not registered with the Wages Protection System (WPS).

The insurance coverage amounts to up to AED20,000 and includes the wages of the worker’s last 120 working days, the end-of-service gratuity, the expenses of returning the worker to their home country, and in the event of the worker’s death, the costs of repatriating the body to his home country, and other rights and entitlements that the employer is unable to fulfil, based on a decision by the ministry or the concerned labour court.

The resolution outlines four cases where the employer may submit a request to reclaim the employee’s bank guarantee or the remainder therefrom, including – in the event of cancellation of the employee’s work permit and providing proof of their departure from the country; in case of the employee’s death and providing proof of the body’s repatriation or burial in the UAE; if the employee is transferring to a new employer; or any other case in which the employer provides proof of cancellation of the employee’s work permit and payment of entitlements due to the employee.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation reserves the right to refuse to reimburse the bank guarantee to the employer in two cases – if the employer is a party to a collective labour dispute until the employee’s entitlements are settled; or if evidence of due fines against the establishment is proven, or if the establishment’s work permits have been suspended.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Close on the heels of re-introducing double-daily flights, Emirates has announced plans to up frequencies to Mauritius starting 1st October, 2022.

The additional evening frequency which will operate up till 31st January, 2023, is in response to increased travel demand to and from Mauritius, and will boost connectivity to the island nation.

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said, “We thank the Mauritian authorities for considering our request to operate a third daily flight. Air connectivity is critical to international tourism, and these extra seats will help us bring even more visitors from across our network to Mauritius, and accommodate rising demand. Emirates is committed to playing a key role to promote inbound travel, and support the government in achieving its goal of hosting 1.4 million tourists by June 2023.”

The third-daily flight will boost seat capacity to and from Mauritius by approximately 35 percent, catering to the surge in demand and providing added support to the tourism industry during one of the busiest travel seasons.

The added frequency supplements the existing double-daily Airbus A380 services and will also offer customers travelling to Mauritius with more flexibility when planning their trip with the choice of an early morning arrival at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in addition to the existing EK 0701 service which arrives mid-morning, and EK 0703 that arrives early evening.

Travellers departing Mauritius will also have ample choice to connect safely and seamlessly to Dubai, and through Dubai onwards to Emirates’ global network of 130 destinations. All three daily flights offer code sharing with Air Mauritius to allow greater access and a seamless travel experience to and from the island nation.

In May this year, Emirates renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) aimed at jointly promoting the island destination across Emirates’ global network. Mauritius is a very popular leisure destination, and continues to experience consistent growth post-pandemic.

In addition to carrying more passengers, Emirates’ third-daily flight between Dubai and Mauritius will provide around 30-40 tonnes of cargo belly-hold capacity for businesses, further opening global trade lanes through enhanced import and export opportunities.

Emirates started operations to Mauritius in September 2002 with three weekly flights and currently is in its 20th year of operations to the Indian Ocean destination.

Source: Emirates News Agency