Emirati volunteers at the UAE pavilion at the Milan Expo. Deepthi Unnikrishnan / The National
Emirati volunteers at the UAE pavilion at the Milan Expo. Deepthi Unnikrishnan / The National
Emirati volunteers at the UAE pavilion at the Milan Expo. Deepthi Unnikrishnan / The National
Emirati volunteers at the UAE pavilion at the Milan Expo. Deepthi Unnikrishnan / The National

Relationships generated from world fair will have long-term benefits for the UAE


Ramola Talwar Badam
  • English
  • Arabic

DUBAI // Expo 2020 will boost economic growth, attract multinational companies and drive employment in the UAE just as it has in Milan, predicts Giuliano Pisapia, mayor of the city.

Following a six-month run, Expo Milan is set to close on October 31 in the northern Italian city. About 20 million people are estimated to have to visited its pavilions and exhibition areas.

“The expo has been a driver for economic growth, also by attracting foreign investments and companies such as Huawei, Vanke and Samsung to Milan,” Mr Pisapia said.

“Not only are the expo site and Milan experiencing job increases, but also the territory of greater Milan, too. Milan will hand over the baton to Dubai. There is a natural link between the two expo themes. We wish Expo Milan 2015 to represent a driver for cooperation between Italy and the UAE.”

The Milan administration anticipates that sustained employment will be the economic legacy of the world’s fair as companies are established and start-ups foster growth.

About 200,000 jobs have been created and the impact on the tourism sector equals €10 billion (Dh41bn), according to research by Bocconi University for the Milan Chamber of Commerce and Expo Milan 2015.

In the UAE, over the next five years, more than 275,000 jobs are forecast to be created to service the expo in tourism, aviation, construction, engineering, infrastructure, logistics, hospitality and retail.

Security was as critical challenge, Mr Pisapia said.

“Milan has enhanced surveillance and emergency response capacity. A city command centre has been set up to ensure a fast and effective response within the city and the expo site.”

In the UAE too, plans have been outlined of security screenings at pick-up points at hotels, metro stations and bus stops for ExpoRider bus passengers before they reach the site.

Officials said there were strong links between Milan’s theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life, and Dubai Expo’s Connecting minds, Creating the Future.

The UAE is keen to share experiences of feeding an increasing population, dealing with scarce resources and learning from the country’s heritage.

“The UAE is committed to sharing knowledge and resources to help others tackle similar problems,” said Salem Al Ameri, the UAE’s Expo 2015 commissioner general.

The world fairs are key to forging closer links, said Luigi Scordamaglia, president of the Italian Food and Drink Industry Federation

“This is a unique opportunity, important for Italy and the UAE. I see the field of agri products with huge potential to develop together locally and also abroad.”

A business hub set up within the UAE pavilion at Milan aims to attract companies.

Future Business UAE is managed by Dubai World Trade Centre on behalf of the National Media Council NMC).

“It provides a unique opportunity for UAE companies to engage with private and public sectors in Italy,” said Mr Al Ameri, the NMC deputy director.

This is the first time the UAE pavilion has launched a permanent six-month corporate exhibition to benefit from the expo’s global visitor reach.

“Unlike normal trade shows, this is not so much about selling as forging lasting connections and creating new partnerships,” Mr Al Ameri said.

rtalwar@thenational.ae

All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia

What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix

When Saturday

Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia

What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.

Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.

Salah in numbers

€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of 39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.

13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.

57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.

7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.

3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.

40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.

30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.

8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.

Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3EFly%20with%20Etihad%20Airways%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20New%20York%E2%80%99s%20JFK.%20There's%2011%20flights%20a%20week%20and%20economy%20fares%20start%20at%20around%20Dh5%2C000.%3Cbr%3EStay%20at%20The%20Mark%20Hotel%20on%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20Upper%20East%20Side.%20Overnight%20stays%20start%20from%20%241395%20per%20night.%3Cbr%3EVisit%20NYC%20Go%2C%20the%20official%20destination%20resource%20for%20New%20York%20City%20for%20all%20the%20latest%20events%2C%20activites%20and%20openings.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed

Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.

Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.

The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.

One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.

That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Race results:

1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min

2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec

3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries