Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered an aid flight to carry much-needed cholera kits to help 20,000 patients in Bangladesh.
The mission involved more than 50 tonnes of medical aid, which was provided by the World Health Organisation from the International Humanitarian City aid warehouses in Dubai.
Sheikh Mohammed directed the IHC to charter an Emirates SkyCargo plane to fly to the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Monday.
Bangladesh is facing an increasing cholera outbreak, said Dr Bardan Jung Rana, a WHO representative there.
“We should not overlook infectious diseases such as cholera at this time when essential health services are overwhelmed by Covid-19,” Dr Rana said.
“Millions of people in Bangladesh continue to be at risk of this endemic disease and our mitigation efforts to control cholera outbreaks should continue.”
A health crisis within a crisis
Giuseppe Saba, chief executive of the IHC, said: “This urgent aid flight to Bangladesh amidst the Covid-19 pandemic situation around the world reflects the generosity of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and confirms Dubai’s commitment to taking international humanitarian action to help communities most in need.
“We are very proud of the extraordinary efforts of the humanitarian community in Dubai to assist those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, natural disasters and other emergencies.”
Children aged 1 to 5 have the highest incidence of cholera, and are 10 times more likely than adults to die of the disease, which is caused by contaminated food and water.
Not all carriers of cholera experience symptoms, but anyone who is infected can spread the disease, which causes severe diarrhoea and can kill the patient within hours if untreated.
“The cholera supplies WHO is sending today to Bangladesh are valued at $131,000 and will reach 20,000 patients,” said Robert Blanchard from the WHO logistics team in Dubai.
“Responding to health emergencies within a health emergency, the government of the UAE, IHC and Emirates SkyCargo have once again answered the call to support the World Health Organisation’s global medical supply operations.
“The rapid deployment of these life-saving medicines and medical supplies is vital to WHO’s ongoing health emergency response efforts, particularly as we simultaneously respond to the tremendous demands associated with a global pandemic.”
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
Mobile phone packages comparison
The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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
