Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, tracked the progress of the UAE's fast-developing national rail project during a site visit in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Mr Al Mazrouei boarded an inspection train to review construction work on the vast network being developed by Etihad Rail.
The minister, accompanied by Hassan Al Mansouri, under secretary for Infrastructure and Transport Affairs at the ministry, was welcomed by Shadi Malak, chief executive of Etihad Rail, and other representatives of the company.
The transport initiative is rapidly taking shape, with construction of the railway line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai completed this month.
The segment of line – which stretches 256 kilometres – forms a vital part of the network that will carry passengers and freight between the emirates and, eventually, across the country.
The minister inspected the main operations and maintenance hub, heralded as the nerve centre of the project.
Mr Al Mazrouei was briefed on the project, legislation and commercial development, in addition to contracts and partnerships recently signed by Etihad Rail, including the agreement with First Abu Dhabi Bank for financing the passenger transport services project valued at Dh1.99 billion, where FAB will be the Certified Lead Arranger for the loan.
He voiced his appreciation of the progress made and the efforts of the Etihad Rail team.
Etihad Rail has completed 70 per cent of stage two of the mega project.
Stage one – a freight service linking the gasfields at Shah and Habshan to Ruwais – opened in 2016, while stage two joins Ghuweifat on the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah on the east coast in a line running for about 1,200km.
The passenger and freight service will run on the stage two line and it is expected to carry more than 36 million passengers a year by 2030. Additions to the route are expected.
PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
2 Liverpool 25 17 6 2 64 20 57
3 Chelsea 25 14 8 3 49 18 50
4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
----------------------------------------
5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
----------------------------------------
6 Arsenal 23 13 3 7 36 26 42
7 Wolves 24 12 4 8 23 18 40
8 Tottenham 23 12 4 8 31 31 39
What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
