Restrictions imposed by the pandemic changed Ramadan for millions of Muslims around the world this year.
Breaking fast with friends and family is an important aspect of the holy month, with the faithful traditionally going out to eat or entertaining large groups of people at home.
Keeping all the safety measures while serving guests can prove to be a bit challenging but manageable if planned correctly
But this changed as authorities limited gatherings and the number that can break their fast together.
However, people can still eat iftar and suhoor in small groups at restaurants that comply with Covid-19 rules.
Buffets may be forbidden, but restaurants have found ways to keep the spirit of Ramadan alive.
“Nothing has been the same since Covid-19 hit,” said Zain Waleef Alzir, the owner of Muncheeze, a fast-food restaurant at Abu Dhabi’s Hudayriyat Beach.
“And, as a business, we had to change our way of thinking and be creative so we can [continue]. For iftar at Muncheeze, it's a bit challenging since self-serving buffets are not allowed.”
But the restaurant came up with an alternative plan for customers: to pick and choose meal options.
“Guests choose set menus out of four categories – starters, soups, main courses and desserts,” Mr Alzir said.
“[Maintaining] the safety measures while serving guests can prove to be a bit challenging, but manageable if planned correctly. We are lucky in this regard because we have an amazing team.”
Opening a restaurant during a pandemic at the very start of Ramadan was not easy for Kingston 21 on Al Raha Beach.
But the Jamaican restaurant has managed to make a success of it as a result of good planning and has regular iftar bookings.
“As a new restaurant, this is our very first Ramadan and we were uncertain of what to expect,” said Kesian Bennett, co-founder and managing director.
“However, even though we have just recently opened to the public, we have had a steady stream of guests visit for iftar. It has been relatively easy for us to cope with the Covid-19 restrictions.
“We implemented social distancing policies and hired a third-party consultant to sanitise the restaurant and advise us on various rules and best practices.”
Mohammed Khairi Taha, brand manager of Al Shader Restaurant and Grill, located at Hudayriyat Beach, said it is possible to follow all precautions while celebrating the holy month.
“Like always, we make sure that all tables and chairs are clean and sanitised each and every day,” he said.
“Our staff always wear masks and gloves for the safety of guests and customers, and social distancing is observed at all times.
“Following these regulations during a season such as this has its challenges, but we do our best to follow the guidelines and enjoy the spirit of togetherness and giving during Ramadan.”
Ramadan 2021 in Dubai - in pictures
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Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
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The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
