Author: Web Desk

DUBAI, The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has announced that the Eid al-Fitr holiday for federal entities in the UAE will begin on Tuesday, 29th Ramadan (corresponding to 11th May) until 3rd Shawwal 1442 H, which is yet to be declared.

On the occasion, the Authority conveyed its congratulations to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; and Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates.

The Authority also offered greetings to the people of the UAE and Arab and Islamic nations around the world.

 

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Aviation X Lab, Dubai’s leading aviation-focused incubator based at AREA 2071, an innovation ecosystem of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), has announced the shortlisted start-ups of its Carbon-Negative Moonshot challenge, aimed at identifying game-changing solutions that can help reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation industry.

Selected from 41 applicants, the two successful start-ups, ZALINA and SATAVIA, will now commence an intensive 12-week proof-of-concept incubation programme, run in collaboration with Aviation X Lab’s partners, Emirates, Airbus, Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation and Thales. The next step will be presenting the developed solutions to the Aviation X Lab board members.

ZALINA has developed proprietary nanotechnology to produce aviation biofuel and bioplastics using microalgae, CO2 and sunlight as the main feedstocks. Microalgae grow in seawater or freshwater, which eliminates the need for arable land. Each ton of microalgae biomass can capture two tonnes of CO2.

Meanwhile, SATAVIA uses artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis to study and tackle contrail formation. Created by aircraft cruising above 26,000 feet, contrails are line-shaped clouds that can contribute to the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. To reduce the environmental impact of aviation through smarter flight planning, the start-up has developed an AI platform called DECISIONX that uses weather prediction modelling to generate a high-resolution replica of the Earth’s atmosphere over time. The platform can determine atmospheric changes in temperature, sunlight, humidity, pressure, clouds and wind speed, among other factors.

Saeed Al Falasi, Executive Director of Future Design and Acceleration at DFF, said, “Aviation X Lab’s challenges align with DFF’s efforts to shape the future of the aviation sector by studying its challenges and opportunities, anticipating upcoming changes, and preparing to meet new and emerging needs at the local and global levels.”

Amna Al Redha, Project Lead at Aviation X Lab, said, “While aviation contributes only two percent of global carbon emissions, we know technology and innovation can drive this number down further. Aviation X Lab will help the winning teams reach the next level by supporting their innovative projects and leveraging its world-leading partners to accelerate their path to wider commercial adoption.”

The success of ZALINA and SATAVIA follows a recent proof of concept completed by Finland-based start-up NANOKSI, the winner of Aviation X Lab’s Accelerate Traveller Wellbeing challenge. The company has invented an active self-disinfecting coating solution based on titanium dioxide (TiO2) that uses photocatalysis to eradicate 98 percent of microbes within two hours. The innovative solution can be used across a wide spectrum of sectors, from travel to healthcare.

 

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021 has reconfirmed that Dubai will host the largest in-person travel & tourism event in the world, since the onset of the pandemic last year.

Now in its 28th year, ATM 2021 will go-ahead at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Sunday 16 to Wednesday 19 May, as final preparations are being put in place.

“The theme of this year’s show is ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’ and the spotlight will be focused on the very latest ‘COVID’ news from around the world – vaccine rollouts, the current state of the industry and more importantly, what the future holds,” said Claude Blanc, Portfolio Director, WTM& IBTM Portfolios.

ATM 2021 features 67 conference sessions with over 145 local, regional and international speakers overall. Onsite, there is a Global Stage which will include a hotel industry summit, dedicated buyer forums for Saudi Arabia and China, an International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC), as well as an aviation panel and a special session on Gulf-Israeli ties.

Other features this year will include Travel Forward at ATM, which has world-class technology experts, providing industry-leading insights about the latest technologies and trends that will undoubtedly shape the future of travel and tourism.

A total of 62 countries are being represented on the exhibition floor this year such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Germany, Cyprus, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, the Maldives, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico and the US.

“This underscores the importance of ATM, connecting destinations with their source markets,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director Middle East, Arabian Travel Market.

ATM 2021 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, spread across nine halls. Consistent with the existing density restrictions and social distancing guidelines and regulations, there will be 11,000 people in the halls at any given time.

The event will once again play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week, a 10-day long festival of travel and tourism events taking place in Dubai and online. In addition to the in-person Arabian Travel Market event, the travel events that are part of Arabian Travel Week are: travel technology exhibition Travel Forward, ARIVAL Dubai for the tours and attractions sector, GBTA’s half day virtual business travel conference, ITIC’s Middle East Tourism Investment Summit, speed networking events for digital influencers and regionally focused buyer groups including China, and of course ATM Virtual, the online edition of the ATM exhibition.

This year, for the first time in ATM history, a new hybrid format will mean a virtual ATM running a week later to complement and reach a wider audience than ever before. ATM Virtual, which made its debut last year, proved to be a resounding success attracting 12,000 online attendees from 140 countries.

“It is imperative that we include a virtual element, many industry professionals from around the world, may not be able to attend in-person every year, particularly this year with travel restrictions changing rapidly around the globe,” said Curtis.

“Due to Dubai’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety and its effective citywide management of the pandemic, it was awarded a ‘Safe Travels’ stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC),” added Curtis.

Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world to visit with a wide range of precautionary measures in place to ensure the safety of tourists at every stage and touchpoint of their travel journey, from arrival to departure. Over 10.6 million doses have already been administered in the UAE, which is also a major achievement.

ATM 2021’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) as Destination Partner, Emaar Hospitality Group as Official Hotel Partner, Emirates as Official Airline Partner and The Vision as Official Destination Management Partner Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), commented: “As Dubai plays host to the Arabian Travel Market during this challenging period, it is testament to the city’s tireless efforts in leading the restart of global tourism, inspired and guided by our visionary leadership with the goal of positioning Dubai as one of the world’s safest destinations. It is noteworthy that through a proven framework for welcoming back visitors safely and ensuring they enjoy a well-rounded destination experience, as well as our ability to transform challenges into opportunities, Dubai has demonstrated a successful model for recovery of the international travel and tourism sector.” ” With industry professionals from around the world set to converge in the city this month, we look forward to sharing Dubai’s positive outlook during ATM 2021, while emphasising how crucial it is to always keep the health and safety of travellers at the top of the agenda to ensure tourism growth.”

Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline, said: “An event like ATM is vital in supporting our industry to find its bearings, share new developments, work together to help rebuild trust in travel, and simply do business. This important event will play a vital role in showcasing our home and hub, Dubai, as it continues to safely host mega-events. Dubai has also become a model for other governments and cities in its response to safeguarding public health through comprehensive health and safety protocols, whilst thoughtfully providing a roadmap for the opening of businesses and protecting its economy for the long-term. We are proud to play a role in providing vital air links to support Dubai’s tourism industry, and enhancing the city’s appeal to even more potential visitors around the globe.”

Mark Kirby, Head of Emaar Hospitality Group, added: “ATM has always been an indispensable part of the travel & tourism family, this year even more with the challenges we’ve faced as an industry. I am certain I speak on behalf of my hospitality friends and colleagues, that we’ve managed to come out stronger after a difficult phase last year. We like to believe 2021, is our year as we look forward to stepping outside of our home, Dubai to newer opening locations.”

Dr. Ali bin Zaid Abu Monassar, Chairman, The Vision Destination Management, added: ” We all have been largely affected by the current situation, particularly our segment. But, once again, we had tangible reassurance on our way to deal with future trends, opportunities and challenges. Since its establishment, The Vision Destination Management embarked on a model which is a mix of flexibility, creativity and focused solutions adapting to ever-changing situations. We are resilient and optimistically preparing future steps based on our skills, contacts and experience.”

 

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Dubai Municipality has further demonstrated its ability to achieve the highest global benchmarks by obtaining the international certification ISO / PAS 45005: 2020 for occupational health and safety management and the application of safe work procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the final report prepared by the British Standards Institute (BSI), Dubai is the first municipality in the world to obtain this international certification, which was launched in December 2020.

The Municipality’s achievement reflects its exceptional efforts to adopt the best international standards and global specifications that form part of its commitment to ensure the health and safety of all employees, partners and customers during the pandemic.

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said: “In line with the government’s vision to make Dubai the world’s best city to live and work in, we have adopted and applied the highest global preventive standards and procedures to secure the health and safety of our employees at work sites.”

“We continue to maintain high levels of preparedness at the Municipality to ensure the continuity of operations, deliver our responsibilities and provide vital services both for strategic partners and customers across all sections of society,” said Al Hajri.

“Dubai Municipality is keen to continuously develop and enhance its programmes and services in accordance with international best practices, as part of ensuring public safety in Dubai,” he added. Al Hajri reiterated the keenness of the Municipality’s various organisational units to further raise its standards locally and internationally by obtaining international certifications for all aspects of the organisation’s operations.

BSI is a global organisation that equips businesses with the necessary solutions to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence. Formed in 1901, BSI was the world’s first National Standards Body and a founding member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

 

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, dnata, a leading global air services provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Blue Aqua Food Tech (Blue Aqua) to boost food security in Singapore.

The partnership will see Blue Aqua recycle organic waste from dnata’s catering and ground handling operations into alternative insect protein for aquafeeds.

Blue Aqua’s innovative bioconversion solution processes underutilised nutrients from the leftovers that can be transformed into quality insect proteins for aquacultural use. The bioconversion is a virtuous circle that makes the insect protein a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional fishmeal.

Compared to traditional protein, insect protein is a sustainable solution with low land, water, and carbon footprint, offering a very high yield. The partnership will supply Singapore’s farmers with sustainable access to domestically produced animal feed, which is traditionally imported.

The MoU is the starting point to a deeper partnership between Blue Aqua and dnata, which will look into the development and implementation of a “Zero Waste” master plan. The air services provider will also add Blue Aqua to its list of suppliers to purchase locally farmed seafood for its catering operations.

Dirk Goovaerts, dnata’s Regional CEO for Asia Pacific, said, “We are delighted to partner with Blue Aqua to further decrease food waste and support the local food production supply chain. This initiative will help us minimise our environmental footprint whilst delivering the highest value for our customers and the communities around us.”

Dr. Farshad Shishehchian, CEO & Founder of Blue Aqua International Group, said, “Blue Aqua has been a strong advocate for sustainable and practical farming since its inception, so this partnership with dnata is a perfect fit. We are excited to grow our efforts in food technology to develop a circular economy in aquaculture globally through our network, starting with Singapore.”

The global population is expected to reach 9.9 billion by 2050, and food production has to increase by 70 percent to fulfil this demand. This is further implicated by food security concerns worldwide and the rapid degradation of valuable farmland. Waste management is a global issue that governments and companies are racing to solve. Singapore imports more than 90 percent of its food, yet, its food waste amounts to 744,000 tonnes annually. Today, less than 20 percent of Singapore’s food waste is recycled.

 

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, During the month of April, the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) registered a monthly Average Open Interest (AOI) of 179,554 contracts.

The DGCX’s Indian Rupee Quanto Futures Contract recorded a year-on-year (Y-O-Y) Average Daily Volume (ADV) growth of 562% during the month, as market participants looked to hedge their risk amid market volatility. Additionally, the DGCX’s new Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Futures Contract – which just launched in the middle of the month, the first of its kind to be traded on a regulated exchange – traded a combined total of 180 lots valued at USD 2.35 million.

Continuing its strong performance during 2021, the DGCX also saw a spike in its Silver Futures Contract in April, recording a year-to-date (Y-T-D) volume growth of 146%, compared to the same period last year.

Les Male, CEO of DGCX, said: “Last month saw the DGCX Group achieve a number of historic milestones that will position us strongly going forward. Significantly, we obtained a permit from the Israel Securities Authority; enabling qualified Israeli corporations who trade on proprietary basis to become trade members and benefit from our trading services and platform. Following market demand, we also launched the world’s first PKR Future Contract – as well as signed a strategic MoU with Global Islamic Financial Services – to develop and provide Islamic derivatives and commodities for market participants going forward. We are confident that together, these initiatives will strengthen our growth, as well as support us in meeting the growing needs of our member base.”

During April, DGCX received a permit from the Israel Securities Authority, enabling the DGCX to service Israel-based market participants and qualified investors with its diversified global products and services, including its Futures and Options Contracts that cover precious metals, energy, equities and currencies.

The DGCX also signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Global Islamic Financial Services (GIFS) to partner on the future development of Islamic derivatives and commodities, as well as promote the DGCX’s Shari’ah Gold Contract, which adheres to Shari’ah principles for the ownership of gold.

 

Source: Emirates News Agency