Ireland will use Expo 2020 Dubai as an opportunity to re-engage with a world that is continuing to slowly emerge from the pandemic.
The event will also be an opportunity to showcase Irish creativity, technology and hospitality, particularly as it looks to get its tourism back on track, Pat Hennessy, Ireland Expo 2020 commissioner general told The National.
“This is the first large scale, in person, global event post-pandemic and I think for the world, for Dubai and for Ireland, it's an occasion of renewal that I think we will all come to it with that very positive spirit, full of enthusiasm and full of ambition. That provides a great backdrop for a successful Expo,” said Mr Hennessy.
The commissioner general will be familiar to Irish residents in the UAE, having spent four years as ambassador before handing over to the incumbent, Aidan Cronin.
Our pavilion is a fusion of Irish and Arab influences
After successive lockdowns, Ireland is starting to slowly unwind its Covid-19 related restrictions, which include opening its borders to visitors from July 17. It marks the start of what the government hopes will be a recovery in its domestic economy.
Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney was in the UAE on Tuesday and met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.
In addition to the high-level talks in Abu Dhabi, Mr Coveney travelled to Dubai to visit the Expo 2020 site, view the pavilion and meet with Irish officials who will oversee the country’s participation in the six-month event.
“For us, as with the world at large, this is a very timely and welcome opportunity to reengage with the world,” Mr Hennessy said.
“So the timing could not be better from our point of view and I suspect that's also true for all of the other participants. [Mr Coveney’s visit] was a very strong message of support for Expo and of the determination of the Irish government to participate actively and fully across the full breadth of activities within Expo.”
Shared experiences
There has been strong growth in the Irish population in the UAE, and the country is now home to more than 10,000 Irish nationals.
The two countries are both set to surpass some significant milestones this year.
The UAE will celebrate its jubilee year on National Day, December 2. Four days later, Ireland will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the State on December 6.
While there’s nothing planned to mark the date at the Irish pavilion at Expo, Mr Hennessy said there’s a shared experience between the countries.
“We're ancient nations with relatively new states so we kind of understand each other in the task of nation building and all of the great things that go into taking your place on the world stage,” he said.
“There's also the fact that next year, and this is quite unique, both Ireland and the UAE will be together on the United Nations Security Council.”
Fusion of Irish and Arab influences
Ireland, Mr Hennessy proudly pointed out, was the first country to complete its Expo pavilion structure, which was inspired by the megalithic Newgrange light box.
Newgrange, a world heritage site, is a prehistoric monument in County Meath, Ireland, 8km west of Drogheda.
The ancient passage tomb, which dates back 5,000 years, is lit up completely once a year at the time of winter solstice when the sun shines through a 'roofbox' and floods the inner chamber.
The Ireland Expo pavilion has a distinctive cone-shaped funnel based on the Newgrange light box.
The sun will enter through the skylight at the top of the cone, lighting up the main exhibition space called Oculus, where the seating is based on basalt columns found at the Giant’s Causeway in Co Antrim – a Unesco heritage site.
“Our pavilion is a fusion of Irish and Arab influences,” said Mr Hennessy.
“We have our Oculus, or our permanent exhibition space, which very much evokes the Newgrange site that’s a reminder of the creativity of our ancestors 5,000 years ago as they attracted the light of the sun.
“It's a living reminder of the genius of those people 5,000 years ago. It links very much to our theme of creativity.
“Alongside that, we have some very fine Arab influences. We have our garden of ideas, which is a cloistered courtyard quite reminiscent of the traditional Arab garden.”
Mr Hennessy said the panels that surround the pavilion reflect the rock art from Knowth, which is another ancient site in Ireland, close to Newgrange.
“In terms of the aesthetics of the pavilion it's imbued very much with both Arab and Irish symbolism,” he said.
“For us, that evokes the very warm relationship there is between Ireland and the Arab world, and we see the Expo and our participation in the Expo, as contributing to strengthening that still further.”
He said visitors to the pavilion will receive “a warm Irish welcome”.
The ‘Garden’ area is a multipurpose event and performance space that will be used for the majority of Ireland’s programme in the pavilion, including regular Irish music events.
The pavilion also includes an ‘Innovation Hub’ that will host most of the pavilion’s schools programme, including the Coder Dojo workshops that teach computer programming to schoolchildren.
On a larger scale, Mr Hennessy said they were working with Expo authorities on events at the adjacent Jubilee Park venue, which has a capacity of 15,000 (pre-Covid).
The planned events are around Halloween, the New Year and St Patrick’s Day, with Irish artists expected to come to Dubai.
“There will be a strong Irish presence on stage and around those periods,” said Mr Hennessy.
Given that St. Patrick’s Day falls within the six months of Expo, he said the celebrations will be extra special.
"It will be a great Irish occasion. We have plans to have an amazing Irish celebration to which the world is invited."
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Read more about the coronavirus
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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One-off T20 International: UAE v Australia
When: Monday, October 22, 2pm start
Where: Abu Dhabi Cricket, Oval 1
Tickets: Admission is free
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle
Andor
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
