Follow the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai here
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, held high-level talks with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The two leaders met inside the stunning UAE pavilion, one of the jewels of the world's fair site.
Sheikh Mohammed said gatherings at Expo were an opportunity to shape great ideas and build for a brighter future.
“The Expo meetings are the meetings of the future, of the great ideas, and of the great minds to create a more beautiful future, God willing,” he said.
“May God protect the UAE and perpetuate its honour and glory.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid embraces Expo experience
Sheikh Mohammed has been a regular visitor to Expo since it opened on October 1, touring a number of the colourful pavilions taking centrestage during the six-month extravaganza.
The UAE pavilion was one of his first stops on a tour of the world in one place, which has also taken in the likes of the Seychelles and Montenegro.
Sheikh Mohammed described the UAE's impressive offering as an “architectural masterpiece” with “unique cultural value".
The UAE pavilion features a 60-minute tour that narrates the history and future aspirations of the Emirates.
Sheikh Mohammed has not been alone in enjoying the spectacular sights and sounds of the first expo event to be staged in the Middle East.
More than 770,000 visits had been recorded as of October 17.
Visitors from 181 countries have sampled the carnival atmosphere, with a huge array of international pavilions and live events on show.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
