Category: Industry

ABU DHABI: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) announced the issuance of Federal Decree-Law No. 12 of 2023 on public-private partnerships, which sets the general framework for partnerships between federal government entities and the private sector.

In addition to regulating public-private partnerships in the UAE, the law aims to encourage the private sector to participate in developmental and strategic projects, increase investment in federal government projects of social and economic value, and enable the government to efficiently implement strategic projects, as well as benefit from financial and administrative expertise, technical knowledge, and technology solutions available to the private sector.

The new law – which entered into force on 1st December 2023 – will enable the community to attain world-class services at the best value, as well as boost productivity and improve the quality of public services, while ensuring effective management for the development of those services.

It also aims to catalyse know
ledge and expertise transfer from the private sector to federal entities, and train and qualify employees of federal entities in the UAE to manage and operate projects.

Moreover, the new law will accelerate the implementation of projects that offer an added value for public funds, minimise financial and operational risks on the government, transform the management of some infrastructure projects and public services, and enhance the competitiveness of projects in local, regional, and global markets.

The Federal Decree-Law applies to any partnership project that is proposed by a federal entity and wholly or partially funded by the private sector.

The law also specifies exemptions in Article (4), which include partnership contracts that were entered into before the law’s enforcement date, as long as they do not conflict with Article (32) of the law, outsourced services specified in the Partnership Projects Manual, projects whose value is less than the limit specified in the Partnership Projects Manual, public
asset and service privatisation projects, as well as supply and procurement contracts related to national security specified in the Partnership Projects Manual, and federal entities, sectors, and projects that are exempt pursuant to UAE Cabinet Decisions.

To ensure flexibility and business continuity, the Federal Decree-Law No. 12 of 2023 explicitly mentions the continuation of implementation of Cabinet Resolution No. (1/1) of 2017 on the procedures manual for partnership between federal entities and private sector and Cabinet Resolution No. (4/8) of 2019 on the procedures manual for partnership between public and private sectors in the UAE, until the issuance of the Partnership Projects Manual, as long as they do not conflict with the law.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: E7 Group (E7), formerly known as United Printing Publishing Sole Proprietorship (UPP), has commemorated its recent listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) via the first ever Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) merger in the UAE with a ceremony hosted at the stock exchange.

The stock market bell was rung as a symbolic gesture in celebration of the company’s transition to the public market in November 2023.

E7’s listing on ADX represents a significant milestone in the company’s journey as an industrial champion in Abu Dhabi, following its entry into the high-growth sustainable packaging segment in 2022 and its rapid international expansion in the high-value security solutions segment. Besides serving UAE private and public sector entities, E7 Group has an expanding customer base across Central and South Asia, Europe and South America.

Ali Saif Ali Abdulla Alnuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of E7 Group, said, ‘With the backing of an expanded and diverse shareholder base, we have an
opportunity to invest in the growth of our business by expanding our technological capabilities and product offerings and explore opportunities for further regional expansion. As we look to the future, we are confident that we are ideally placed to cater to increasing regional and global demand and remain committed to delivering excellence to our clients.’

The ceremony was attended by senior officials and selected stakeholders.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI: flydubai inaugurated its flights to Mombasa in Kenya on 17th January. With the start of the four-times-weekly service to Mombasa, flydubai has grown its network in Africa to 12 destinations in 11 countries.

With the start of flights to Mombasa, flydubai becomes the first UAE national carrier to operate direct flights from Dubai to the coastal city in southeast Kenya.

Speaking at the press conference, Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent and Africa) at flydubai, said, ‘flydubai’s inaugural flight to Mombasa reflects our commitment to further strengthening our network in Africa and to providing our passengers with more options for convenient travel to one of East Africa’s most attractive destinations. The start of operations will serve the growing Kenyan community in the UAE, support trade between our two countries and provide passengers from the UAE and from across the growing flydubai network with access to a gateway to explore the tourism offering i
n Kenya.’

Henry Ogoye, Ag. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Airports Authority, said, ‘Today marks a significant milestone in the ever-changing aviation landscape in our beloved country. The arrival of flydubai to Moi International Airport not only enhances connectivity between our nations but also represents a testament to the vibrant and growing partnership between Kenya and the UAE.’

‘Moi International Airport has long been a gateway to East Africa, fostering economic growth, tourism, and cultural exchange. With the introduction of flydubai, we are opening new doors of opportunity for both business and leisure travellers. The seamless connectivity this airline provides will undoubtedly strengthen our ties and facilitate trade and experiences between our two nations,’ added Ogoye.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has utilised innovation and the latest disruptive technologies in detecting leaks in the water transmission underground pipelines. This helped DEWA save 243 million gallons of water and AED9.66 million in 2023.

DEWA’s Smart Ball technology detects leaks that are usually difficult to detect using traditional techniques. Since its utilisation in April 2021 and until the end of 2023, the Smart Ball technology detected 81 leaks in the water transmission network in Dubai.

This technology reduces operational expenses, as small cracks in the water transmission pipelines are treated before they increase in size and cause further water wastage.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, said that DEWA relies on the latest tools to anticipate the future, sound scientific planning, and seamless, swift, and effective smart grid operation. This ensures the sustainability of water resources in line with the Dubai Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy 2030.

D
EWA utilises the smart grid to develop state-of-the-art infrastructure for managing facilities and services using disruptive and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. These include AI, drones, blockchain technology, Internet of Things (IoT), among others.

DEWA monitors and controls the water network in Dubai remotely around the clock using the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. In 2023, DEWA launched its third phase of SCADA systems.

He added, “This enables us to monitor the water network in Dubai remotely around the clock, including the water transmission pipelines, pumping stations and reservoirs sprawling over 3,000 kilometres. This has been achieved by installing over 10,000 smart devices. DEWA is currently implementing the District Metering Areas (DMA) at the distribution level and regularly expanding the transmission network and key distribution assets.”

Abdullah Obaidullah, Executive Vice President of Water and Civil at DEWA, said the Smart Ball system consists of a small
diameter sphere with a highly sensitive acoustic sensor inserted into the water network, where the water flow drives it. It detects sounds generated by leaks and identifies gas pockets or anomalies with unique characteristics.

Once the Smart Ball is extracted, the compiled data is analysed by software using mathematical algorithms showing the precise location of leaks, gas pockets, or anomalies. The Smart Ball travels freely inside the transmission pipes at around 3 kilometres per hour and can inspect over 35 kilometres in one day without affecting the water flow.

DEWA has achieved competitive results that surpass prominent European and American companies in terms of efficiency and reliability. In 2022, water network losses were reduced to 4.5% compared to around 15% in North America.

Source: Emirates News Agency

MUSCAT: he Oman Investment Authority (OIA) on Wednesday officially launched the ‘Future Fund Oman’ to start serving a wide range of investment categories, develop the national economy and attract foreign investments.

According to the Oman News Agency (ONA), Future Fund Oman has a capital of RO 2 billion that will be utilised over five years, with RO 400 million every year. The Fund will allocate 90% of its capital to directly invest in new or existing investment projects that prove to be commercially and economically viable. The remaining 10% is divided into 7% allocated to SMEs and 3% allocated to startups.

The Fund offers its funding and investment solutions to various investor categories. They include private sector organisations, business owners, SMEs, foreign investors, and startups. The Fund will focus on eight targeted sectors: tourism, manufacturing, green energy, information and communication technologies, ports and logistics, mining, fisheries, and agriculture.

The Fund will be governed by OIA’s
governance practices as per the best international practices to ensure efficiency and flexibility in achieving the desired financial and economic objectives of establishing the Fund.

The Fund will complement the existing government financing and investment ecosystem involving several institutions such as the Development Bank, SMEs Development Fund, Rakiza Fund, Oman Technology Fund, etc.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI: H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, today approved the results of the 2023 Dubai Government Customer and Employee Happiness Indices.

According to the report, issued by the Dubai Government Excellence Programme (DGEP), an initiative of the General Secretariat of The Executive Council, Dubai government entities achieved an average customer happiness rating of 93 percent, while the average employee happiness rating stood at 88 percent through 2023.

Sheikh Hamdan welcomed the results of the report, highlighting that the government’s constant efforts to improve its performance are in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to offer exemplary public services.

Commending the achievements outlined in the report, Sheikh Hamdan said, ‘Dubai’s Government has created a global model for public services and every one of its achievements is a stepp
ing stone to even greater accomplishments. I am proud of all Dubai’s government entities for achieving customer happiness levels above 90 percent and raising the average to 93 percent. The Dubai Government works tirelessly to improve its services, driven by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and we are entirely committed to continuous development.’

He congratulated entities that topped customer happiness reviews, with the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment (97.7 percent), the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (96.7 percent) and the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (96.1 percent) leading the way.

Top performers

Sheikh Hamdan described people as the most valuable asset of government entities, emphasising the importance of building human capacities and encouraging individuals to be proactive in making the best of opportunities and addressing challenges. Overall happiness levels among government employees averaged 88 percent through 2023. The best entities in t
erms of achieving employee happiness were the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (95.17 percent), followed by the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment (94.91 percent) and the Endowment and Minors Trust Foundation (Awqaf Dubai) (94.51 percent).

Sheikh Hamdan expressed his gratitude to government employees, saying, ‘Your exceptional efforts are appreciated and are a source of tremendous pride for Dubai. By giving your best to the people of this emirate, you are enhancing Dubai’s leadership in the field of exceptional government services.’ He called on employees to remain dedicated in every effort to reinforce Dubai’s global position as a preferred destination to live and work, and strengthen the government’s international reputation for efficiency, innovation, people-centric agendas, foresight, and future readiness.

His Highness also unveiled the findings of the mystery shopper study, which placed the level of happiness with government entities at an impressive average of 94.8 percen
t. Since the implementation of the new mystery shopping model, there has been a significant improvement in the results, underscoring the commitment of government entities to align with the leadership’s directives and prioritise customer happiness.

Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary-General of Dubai Executive Council, and Chairman of the Dubai Government Excellence Programme, said, ‘Dubai has set exceptional international benchmarks for government services through its focus on the happiness of its customers and employees. Dubai’s Government has exceeded 90 percent on customer satisfaction, reaffirming the high standard of public services achieved by the emirate. The 18th of January each year has become an eagerly awaited occasion with Dubai’s Government announcing results of the Dubai Government Customer and Employee Happiness Indices.’

Dr. Hazza Khalfan Al Nuaimi, Coordinator General of the Dubai Government Excellence Programme, said, ‘The Customer Happiness Index, Employee Happiness Index, and the Daily
Mystery Shopper results are mechanisms that have been created based on two decades of continuous development and innovation in government performance. Government excellence in Dubai is based on clear performance indicators and assessment tools that accurately reflect the standard of government work and services. Our ultimate goal is to improve government performance and enhance efficiency, integration, and excellence at all levels.’

Geared for constant improvements

The results of the Dubai Government Customer and Employee Happiness Indices were aggregated through an online platform, which compares the government’s performance with previous years. The platform categorises results, helping government entities to focus their efforts on areas that require improvement.

The 2023 results build on more than 20 years of progress, aiming to further align Dubai’s government with global best practices. The results of the three studies comprising the report – Customer Happiness, Employee Happiness, and Mystery Shopping
– have logged consistent improvements year-on-year and measure up to the highest global standards.

Source: Emirates News Agency