General

ABU DHABI,  The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Data Analytics Forum will take place on 28th March as a virtual event.

Established in 2019, the forum is a gathering for the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi to exchange data and insights on the latest trends impacting travel and tourism, presenting a unique opportunity for industry experts, analysts, and researchers to share key data, findings, and developments with tourism industry stakeholders in a bid to create industry-specific initiatives.

The 2021 edition of the Forum aims to provide participating tourism professionals with the tools and insights to aid in the enhancement of the overall sector. It also aims to shape the future of the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi through a series of innovative discussions and talks. The virtual event will feature approximately 20 expert speakers in eight key sessions and discussions, as well as unique networking opportunities for hundreds of tourism industry professionals in the emirate. This year’s edition will also cover the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector in order to identify future opportunities for recovery and growth.

“The Forum was founded with the purpose of creating a unique platform that showcases the latest data and technology to encourage dialogue around the future of the industry,” said Nawal Rashed Al Hassani, Executive Director of the Strategy and Planning Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi. “The Forum’s approach is one that is rooted in science and analytics to produce accurate information and reliable strategies for the future. In that, the Forum also provides the opportunity for the patrons and leaders of the tourism sector in Abu Dhabi to come together and shape the future of our industry together.”

The successful inaugural event, which took place in December 2019, was marked by the emergence of important data points and insights that signalled key growth points as well as risk mitigation tactics for the industry. The 2021 edition is set to see the participation of leading brands such as Wego, Expedia Group, ADNEC Group, and Google MENA with the aim to position Abu Dhabi as a leader on the subject of analytics in tourism regionally and identify opportunities to grow the industry and capitalise on emerging trends as they arise.

“During volatile periods such as the one we are living in today, it is important to come together to address the challenges of the present and share best practices for the future. Only through this dialogue can we begin to establish effective strategies and solutions to overcome the difficulties we face and pave the way for a brighter future for the tourism industry. The event provides an open-source platform for such dialogue, and we are looking forward to gathering with all of our industry peers to drive this conversation forward,” added Al Hassani.

Source: Emirates News Agency

VIENNA, The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $61.63 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $61.61 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has announced that 127,047 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given in the past 24 hours in the UAE. The total number of doses provided up to Thursday stands at 7,730,375 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 78.16 doses per 100 people.

This is in line with the Ministry’s plan to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to all members of society and efforts to reach acquired immunity resulting from the vaccination, which will help reduce the number of cases and control the Covid19 virus.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), in a strategic partnership with the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an, has launched a project to develop family counseling services in Abu Dhabi.

It will enable the concerned authorities to support parents of children aged between 0 and 8-years, helping them to cope with the challenges posed by family conflict issues.

The project falls within the framework of Ma’an’s Social Impact Bonds System (SIBs), which is the first-of-its-kind in the Gulf region, and aims to develop sustainable solutions to complex social challenges.

“Together with our strategic partner, ECA is working on promoting cooperation and coordination with Ma’an to execute joint programmes, share information, and form operational working groups to address social challenges related to supporting the children’s holistic development,” said Thamer Al Qasimi Acting Executive Director Special Projects and Outreach at ECA.

“The two sides are responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the project, to ensure achieving its sustainable and positive social impact.”

Faisal Al Hammoudi, Acting Executive Director for Social Incubator and Contracting at Ma’an, said that more than 40 countries worldwide use Social Impact Bonds, because they provide innovative solutions based on results of partnerships between social service providers and social investors, and other partners. The first-of-its-kind programme in the region, Ma’an pioneered the use of SIBs in the Gulf because they are a proven and successful international tool with which to finance public services.

Al Hammoudi said, “Last year, we launched the first project under Ma’an’s Social Impact Bonds system, ‘ATMAH’, which was created to provide people of determination in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi with professional skills and expertise, helping them to enter the employment market and seek meaningful employment.

“We are continuing this pioneering path by launching our second Social Impact Bond project, this time in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority. This project will contribute to improving the lives of people by providing them with the support and guidance – all of which further enhances Abu Dhabi’s strong reputation as the best place in which to live and work.”

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, The Federal National Council (FNC) Parliamentary Division participated in the fourth meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-European Parliamentary Committee, which is part of the regular meetings of Shura councils and parliaments of GCC countries.

The FNC Parliamentary Division was represented in the meeting, which was held remotely via video conferencing, by Hamad Ahmed Al Rahoumi, First Deputy to the FNC Speaker, and FNC member, Khalfan Rashid Al Shamsi.

At the meeting, its participants discussed the parliamentary dialogue between the GCC countries and the EU and agreed to add an item to the meeting’s agenda related to water and food security and water desalination technologies, as well as another item on the cooperation between the GCC countries and the EU in securing medical supplies and achieving readiness for future pandemics.

Al Rahoumi said that during the meeting, the FNC Parliamentary Division presented several suggestions for boosting the relations between the GCC countries and the EU, most notably regarding their cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) and achieving food security and sustainability in times of crises and emergencies.

The meeting’s participants also agreed on a response to the EU’s reports on human rights in the GCC countries, energy transformation, carbon emission reduction, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Water and food security are being prioritised by the GCC countries, Al Rahoumi added, noting that international reports recently revealed that the food security measures adopted by them during the COVID-19 pandemic have been effective.

Al Shamsi stressed that the GCC countries face many challenges related to food security, most notably the scarcity of renewable water sources and how to preserve remaining water resources, in addition to climate and soil conditions.

Therefore, the FNC Parliamentary Division advised the committee to cooperate with the European Parliament to adopt a free trade policy with the European side, as well as intensify their industrial cooperation and coordinate in AI and other new technologies, he added.

Source: Emirates News Agency

FUJAIRAH, The Court of H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, mourned the death of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who passed away Wednesday morning.

The Fujairah Ruler expressed heartfelt condolences to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and to Al Maktoum’s family, on the death of Sheikh Hamdan, praying to Allah, the Almighty, to rest his soul in Paradise and to grant patience and solace to his family.

Official mourning has also been announced, and the UAE flag will be flown half-mast in the Emirate of Fujairah for three days.

Source: Emirates News Agency