PARIS // Consistency, hard work, a strong project and a determined bid combined to make a perfect Dubai victory, said leading UAE ministers and Dubai officials.
The real work begins now, officials said, chalking up tasks that must be undertaken, while others called for a breather and celebrations after a sustained two-year campaign that introduced Dubai’s bid to capital cities across the globe.
“Winning was one phase and now the real work starts,” said Sultan Al Mansoori, the Minister of Economy at a UAE reception in Paris late on Wednesday after Dubai was named the host of the World Expo 2020.
“We are shooting very high in terms of making Expo 2020 in Dubai the most successful ever. To do that will take a lot of effort and planning.
“We need to make sure sectors of the economy are growing and, meanwhile, not create too many waves that will create, for example, inflation. We must make sure we are controlling that [inflation] so whatever we have promised to the world we will deliver.”
Acknowledging heightened tension and nerves during the three rounds of voting, he said: “That is typical because in this kind of situation you are never assured of anything unless you cross the line.”
To the doubters who saw it as an unequal battle of a young country against a powerful Russia which wields clout in the international arena, Mr Mansoori said the win reflected “the trust in the UAE and Dubai”
He added: “It’s a lesson to many nations that if you work together, you deliver and you have a good name in history then the world is willing to give you a chance.”
Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy, agreed that a country’s bilateral ties were significant.
“It’s not about the size of the country, it’s about what we have done,” he said.
“It’s about years of helping nations around the globe and I disagree that we are small. Maybe we are smaller in area and population but we are not small when it comes to delivery. I will describe us as a determined country and winning today showed how special we are to other nations.”
Mr Mazrouei said work had already begun to diversify energy sources by 2020 as part of sustainability goals.
“We will have four nuclear plants delivering 25 per cent of the nation’s consumption of electricity by 2020,” he said. “By 2020 we will have a state-of-art infrastructure built on sustainability.”
Hussain Lootah, director general of the Dubai Municipality, said infrastructure plans would be drawn up for construction and servicing the Dh325billion investment in the proposed Expo site in Jebel Ali.
“We have to plan the infrastructure, the irrigation network, treatment plants, prepare the monitoring, regulation and cover all angles.”
Immediately after the result was announced, flags and scarves with the Rulers’ portraits were pulled out of bags.
UAE supporters showed the victory sign and posed with federal ministers and senior Dubai officials who were in Paris to support the campaign.
Mattar Al Tayer, the executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority, agreed it was time for festivities.
“After all this hard work and effort put in, it is now time for celebration,” he said.
The RTA has already announced plans, including an extension to the Metro’s Red Line to ferry passengers from Jebel Ali to the Expo site and 750 zero-emission ExpoRider buses.
He said more infrastructure announcements were expected.
“We are waiting for instructions from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed on the next phase,” Mr Al Tayer said.
“Regarding infrastructure it will be roads, the Metro, the area around Maktoum airport and transportation for 25 million who will come over six months.”
Sheikha Lubna, the Minister of Development and International Cooperation, said the nation should not forget the countries who supported the UAE bid.
“It proves the value of friends, the value of Emirates’ trust. Seven years is not a long time but people know of Dubai’s achievements like building the Burj Khalifa so we will give the world the best Expo they have ever seen.”
rtalwar@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Everton
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, kick-off 7pm (UAE)
How to watch: Live on BeIN Sports 11HD
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
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ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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RESULTS
Light Flyweight (48kg): Alua Balkibekova (KAZ) beat Gulasal Sultonalieva (UZB) by points 4-1.
Flyweight (51kg): Nazym Kyzaibay (KAZ) beat Mary Kom (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (54kg): Dina Zholaman (KAZ) beat Sitora Shogdarova (UZB) 3-2.
Featherweight (57kg): Sitora Turdibekova (UZB) beat Vladislava Kukhta (KAZ) 5-0.
Lightweight (60kg): Rimma Volossenko (KAZ) beat Huswatun Hasanah (INA) KO round-1.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Milana Safronova (KAZ) beat Lalbuatsaihi (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Valentina Khalzova (KAZ) beat Navbakhor Khamidova (UZB) 5-0
Middleweight (75kg): Pooja Rani (IND) beat Mavluda Movlonova (UZB) 5-0.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Farida Sholtay (KAZ) beat Ruzmetova Sokhiba (UZB) 5-0.
Heavyweight (81 kg): Lazzat Kungeibayeva (KAZ) beat Anupama (IND) 3-2.
Habib El Qalb
Assi Al Hallani
(Rotana)
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)