Every year Abu Dhabi's Ataya exhibition – a medley of food, clothing and jewellery shops – raises funds for domestic and international aid organisations. Managed by the Emirates Red Crescent charity, it is part of the extensive efforts that have helped make the UAE the world's 10th largest aid donor. This year, Ataya revenues will fund a series of health and education initiatives in Mauritania, shining a much-needed spotlight on the UAE's growing aid and investment interests in Africa. It coincides this month with a visit to the continent by the UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed met officials from Ethiopia, Mali, Rwanda and Senegal, inaugurating embassies in the latter two and discussing bilateral relations in the fields of education, security and investment.
Although China dominates investment in Africa – and therefore the headlines – the UAE's presence is not new. In terms of capital expenditure, the country was the world's second largest investor in Africa in 2016, to the tune of $11 billion. (That year overall Middle Eastern investment was $15.6bn.) Since 2002, Dubai's non-oil trade with the continent has grown by 700 per cent. As The National reported this week, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has allocated Dh64.2 million towards renewable energy projects in the Seychelles, bringing total investment in the East African island nation to Dh399m. India and the UAE are planning to investigate joint export opportunities on the continent, while this country is contributing to a West African force to battle Islamic militants in the troubled Sahel region. From investment in African aviation and manufacturing to humanitarian assistance, the UAE is ahead of much of the world.
And with good reason. Africa is changing fast; in the last few months, entrenched leaders have fallen in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola and Ethiopia. And as change sweeps the continent, huge growth will inevitably accompany it. The continent’s hungry young population and underdeveloped infrastructure make it an attractive proposition. Poor governance and rampant corruption – which have consistently spooked investors – are increasingly a thing of the past. What begins with aid will ultimately feed into huge business opportunities on the continent. As it transitions away from oil dependence in the coming decades, the UAE is positioning itself to participate in the African growth story. The opportunities for mutual benefit are immense.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Long Shot
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogan
Four stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
ZIMBABWE V UAE, ODI SERIES
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday - Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
Pakistanis%20at%20the%20ILT20%20
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Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills