Day: February 10, 2024

DUBAI: The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), is set to host the annual Industry and Advanced Technology Forum at the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2024.

In line with WGS’ goal of shaping a better future for humanity, and the 2024 themes of ‘Reimagining Development’, ‘Future Economies’, ‘Sustainability’ and ‘New Global Shifts’, the forum will focus on driving sustainable industrial development.

The platform will bring together industry leaders and technology innovators to shape industrial pathways. It aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, strategic partnerships and foresight on technology to boost the industrial sector’s contribution to decarbonisation in line with the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative.

The forum supports the objectives of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, Operation 300bn, which aims to enhance the growth and competitiveness of the industrial sector, st
imulate innovation, promote the adoption of advanced technology in industry, and cement the UAE’s position as a global hub for future industries.

By hosting the forum, the ministry seeks to accelerate the adoption of sustainability practices into industrial processes in line with Sustainable Development Goal No. 9, which calls for building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialisation, and fostering innovation. The initiative is in line with the UAE’s plans to achieve sustainable economic development and MoIAT’s strategic objectives to support the national industrial sector through the adoption of advanced technology solutions, driving the sector’s growth and sustainability, enhancing the UAE’s competitiveness and promoting it as a regional and global hub for future industries.

The Industry and Advanced Technology Forum brings together decision- and policy-makers, as well as local, regional and international government and private sector officials to discuss advanced industries, explore
the impact of technologies across sectors, and strengthen international partnerships.

Panel discussions

During the forum, MoIAT will host three panel discussions. The first, titled ‘The Industrial Decarbonisation Roadmap post-COP28’, will focus on the key role of international cooperation in accelerating the decarbonisation of industry and supply chains, in line with global climate change efforts and achieving sustainable economic development. The session will also discuss financing to support low-carbon sectors.

The session will be held with the participation of Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Ahmed Samir Saleh, Egypt’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Mehmet Fatih Kacir, Trkiye’s Minister of Industry and Technology, and Riad Mazour, Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade.

Technology transfer

The second session, titled ‘Technology Transfer and the Role of International Relations,’ will assess the local and international movement of technologies. It will focu
s on the importance of international cooperation in promoting innovation to develop technology solutions and enhance their transfer and exchange, as well as promoting equitable access globally.

The session will be held with the participation of Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, Omran Sharaf, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Advanced Sciences and Technology at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Keith Azzopardi Tanti, Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation.

Quality infrastructure

The third session, titled ‘Quality Infrastructure,’ will focus on the importance of robust quality infrastructure in achieving sustainable industrial development, driving sustainability and facilitating trade.

The session will be held with the participation of Dr. Farah Ali Al Zarooni, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Standards and Regulations Sector at MoIAT, Jo Cops, President of the International Electrotechnical Commission, Ciyong Zou, Deputy
Director-General and the Managing Director at UNIDO, and Ramy Zaki, CEO of Multinational Companies Business Group.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI: Artificial Intelligence and the next frontiers are among the main themes addressed by the upcoming World Governments Summit 2024, held in Dubai between 12th and 14th February, due to its deep impact across various key sectors, and the potential major transformation it could bring to communities around the world.

The World Governments Summit will host more than 100 personalities and leaders of giant AI companies and will bring together business owners, experts and major players in the field of AI, alongside government leaders in meetings that aim to result in solutions that empower governments to keep pace with AI developments and be fully prepared to deal with its challenges and utilise its great potential.

Such meetings aim also to create frameworks to face AI challenges through dialogue and partnerships.

Ministers from around the World

The World Governments Summit will host several key government leaders and international organisation officials involved in advanced technology and AI, including Dr
. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in Egypt; Ulvi Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations of Azerbaijan; Mohamed Abdallahi Louly, Minister of Digital Transformation and Innovation of Mauritania; and Kathi Vidal, Under-Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property of the United States and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Also, present are leaders of giant AI companies, including Chat GPT developer and CEO of Open AI Sam Altman; Yann LeCun, Vice President and Chief AI Scientist at Meta; Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA; Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ; AJ Abdallat, CEO of Beyond Limits; and Werner Vogels, Chief Technology Officer at Amazon.

The list of WGS attendees also includes a host of top experts, CEOs and founders of major AI, advanced technology and smart applications companies, and pioneers of AI integration.

Impacting Trends in Key Sectors

This powerful list of AI stakeholders at the W
orld Governments Summit highlights the major global momentum the event enjoys, as well as its impact on shaping the global trends of key sectors. Similarly, the huge participation at its various sessions and workshops proves WGS has become the ideal and largest global platform for governments, organisations and businesses to share knowledge, forge partnerships and come up with creative concepts and ideas to maximise the benefits of positive change and global progress.

An Agenda to Boost the Role of Governments

The World Governments Summit agenda is full of sessions, workshops and side events addressing the various aspects of AI and its applications. The Artificial Intelligence Forum will act as a catalyst for international cooperation and multi-sector partnerships, further driving responsible AI-centric progress for the benefit of all communities.

The Forum looks into reaching a global consensus on developing and adopting principles of responsible AI, by launching global dialogues that bring together priva
te and public sector officials. It also addresses enhancing AI capabilities by developing education and infrastructure sectors and formulating future policies.

The WGS agenda also features special dialogues with developers of major AI programmes, a panel discussion about governments’ ability to keep up in the age of AI, and the role of governments in shaping the future ethics of AI.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: The Union for Human Rights Association held its first General Assembly in Abu Dhabi on 8th February 2024, with the participation of founding members and representatives from the Ministry of Community Development (MoCD) and the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi (DCD). The GA meeting witnessed the election of the members of the association’s board of directors for the first term, which will last for four years.

The General Assembly commended the commitment of the UAE and its wise leadership to establish national mechanisms concerned with human rights, especially the activation of civil society institutions, and the promotion of respect for human rights in the country and its continuous and constant effort to improve the human rights situation based on the constitution and national legislations.

The assembly also affirmed its commitment to achieving the goals and objectives for which the association was established, expressing its deep appreciation to the MoCD for its keenness to stren
gthen its partnerships with all civil society institutions in the country, and the interest shown by the DCD in supporting the association and achieving partnership in everything that contributes to the development and activation of civil society institutions in the country, and ensuring their important role in highlighting the civilised and human face of the UAE at all levels.

At the end of the GA’s work, the association’s board of directors held its first meeting, where the elections for the formation of the association’s board of directors for the first term, which ends in 2028, took place. The results of the elections were as follows:

Dr. Fatima Khalifa Al Kaabi was elected as the President of the Association’s Board of Directors.

Mariam Al Ahmadi was elected as the Vice President.

Omran Al Khouri was elected as the Secretary General.

Salam Mohammed Abukarnib was elected as the Treasurer.

Israa Al Ameri was elected as a Member of the Board of Directors.

Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi, President of the Union H
uman Rights Association, affirmed the association’s commitment to and support for the fundamental values and principles related to human rights, which are enshrined in the constitution and laws of the state, and in all conventions related to international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

Al Kaabi explained that the association will target 16 integrated human rights specialties in its work, including providing advice on national reports submitted by the state to international bodies and mechanisms concerned with human rights, promoting respect for civil, political, economic, social and cultural human rights for all segments of society, and activating its regional and international role, in terms of interaction and participation with all bodies and mechanisms and in all international events and activities related to human rights, in addition to spreading the culture of human rights.

The Ministry of Community Development has announced its decision to declare and officially register the Unio
n for Human Rights Association as a public interest association. The association’s headquarters will be in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its scope of activity will be the United Arab Emirates.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Amman: Jordan warned on Saturday against an Israeli military operation in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, which is home to a large number of Palestinian refugees who were displaced by the ongoing Israeli aggression on the enclave.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates’ spokesman Sufyan Qudah reiterated the Kingdom’s categorical rejection of the displacement of Palestinians inside or outside their land, emphasizing the need to end the war, protect civilians and allow for their return to their homes and access of aid to all parts of Gaza.

He urged the international community to take immediate action to prevent Israel from continuing its ferocious war, which is causing “an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” and stressed the need that the UN Security Council shoulders its responsibility without delay to prevent a dangerous deterioration and impose an immediate ceasefire.

Source: Jordan News Agency

AJMAN: The Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman announced that the total number of green buildings in the emirate has reached 8,335 buildings according to the green building standards for residential buildings.

This comes in line with the state’s directives and embodies the methodologies adopted in the Year of Sustainability, which continues its journey for the second consecutive year, emphasising its tangible positive results.

The municipality clarified in a press statement that the figure includes the buildings that have been completed since the beginning of the implementation of the first phase of the Green Building Decision issued in 2018 and until the end of last year 2023.

Eng. Khalifa Abdullah Al Falasi, Director of the Buildings at the department, confirmed that the municipality achieved the target number for last year related to green buildings due to its continuous efforts to increase energy efficiency, rationalise water consumption, and raise the vitality of buildings by applying the st
andards and requirements of green buildings for new residential villas in the emirate.

He explained that the department seeks to build a happy community that contributes to building a green economy, and accordingly, it aimed to provide a developed and sustainable infrastructure in a way that ensures that residents and visitors reduce carbon emissions in the emirate’s atmosphere and raise it to be a healthy and attractive city.

The Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman announced that the total number of green buildings in the emirate has reached 8,335 buildings according to the green building standards for residential buildings.

This comes in line with the state’s directives and embodies the methodologies adopted in the Year of Sustainability, which continues its journey for the second consecutive year, emphasising its tangible positive results.

The municipality clarified in a press statement that the figure includes the buildings that have been completed since the beginning of the implementation o
f the first phase of the Green Building Decision issued in 2018 and until the end of last year 2023.

Eng. Khalifa Abdullah Al Falasi, Director of the Buildings at the department, confirmed that the municipality achieved the target number for last year related to green buildings due to its continuous efforts to increase energy efficiency, rationalise water consumption, and raise the vitality of buildings by applying the standards and requirements of green buildings for new residential villas in the emirate.

He explained that the department seeks to build a happy community that contributes to building a green economy, and accordingly, it aimed to provide a developed and sustainable infrastructure in a way that ensures that residents and visitors reduce carbon emissions in the emirate’s atmosphere and raise it to be a healthy and attractive city.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI: Driven by its commitment to supporting creativity and innovation, and in conjunction with Innovation Month, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library is organising ‘An Innovation Journey’ exhibition under the slogan ‘A World of Innovation… A Journey Towards the Future’. Held until 29 February, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore the world of books and creative ideas.

Dr. Mohammed Salem AlMazrooei, Board Member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, said: ‘The exhibition reflects our vision to support and promote a culture of innovation in society. We seek to inspire visitors with ideas that nourish the mind and stimulate creative thinking, based on our belief that reading and knowledge are the basis for any comprehensive development renaissance.’

AlMazrooei added: ‘Today, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library plays a pivotal role in fostering cultural dialogue and supporting education and scientific research. The library combines cultural heritage and technological innovations
to provide a unique experience for readers and researchers to exchange ideas and share knowledge.’

The exhibition aims to inspire visitors and stimulate innovation amongst community members by displaying a unique collection of books and titles from MBRL’s nine sub-libraries. Between culture, literature, economics, business, and human development, the exhibition features 135 books that shed light on a wide range of topics in Arabic and English.

Some of the most prominent titles in the exhibition are The Future of Innovation, Innovation in the Public Sector, Business Model Innovation, The Value of Innovation, Valuing Intellectual Capital, Moving the Needle, among others.

The exhibition enables visitors to learn about the latest theories, innovations, and developments in various fields. It also highlights the importance of reading and continuous learning as essential tools for personal and societal progress, creating a pioneering educational, cultural, and knowledge experience.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Librar
y adopts an effective strategy in organising diverse and free events and exhibitions throughout the year, based on its belief in the importance of culture and knowledge as the foundation for prosperity and progress. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library aims to create a rich environment that embraces creativity, stimulates intellectual dialogue, and provides an opportunity for learning, exploration, and the exchange of ideas. This reflects its vision to promote culture to build an advanced knowledge society.

Visitors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library can know more details and information about the library’s workshops, seminars, and events held throughout the year and register and attend them for free, through the official website mbrl.ae, and by following the library’s social media channels

Source: Emirates News Agency