DUBAI // From war zones to areas devastated by natural disasters, UAE generosity will help hundreds of thousands of people through this holy month.
In the run-up to Ramadan, as well as during the month itself, UAE-based charitable organisations have been helping those in need around the world.
An ambitious campaign by the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation is aiming to provide iftar and suhoor meals to more than 600,000 people in 62 countries this Ramadan. It has handed out one million meals so far in the UAE.
From the Republic of Burundi, in East Africa, to France and Colombia, the project spans the globe and is bringing joy and relief to the most needy.
“It’s wonderful that the UAE is doing this during Ramadan,” said Faisal Akram, a Pakistani who works as an accountant in Dubai.
“The UAE has helped Pakistan over the years, especially when the country has suffered flooding and earthquakes and it’s really appreciated.”
All aid handed out by the foundation has been ordered by President Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
It has provided 135,000 bags of flour in six regions of Pakistan, so far this Ramadan.
Mosques and Islamic institutions in Paris received bags of food that were distributed to the underprivileged in the city.
Almost 1,000 meals and food baskets were sent to needy families in Burundi, with about 400 food baskets and 500 iftar meals given to those in need in the capital, Bujumbura.
Thousands of dates were distributed across the Seychelles by the foundation, which also gave 800 food packs to the needy in Gambia.
A further 5,000 food baskets were distributed by the foundation, Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), Dubai Charity Association and Sharjah Charity Association in Dakar, Senegal.
The aid was distributed to poor, rural areas and parts of the capital, as well as at mosques, orphanages, prisons and schools for people with disabilities.
In Colombia, the UAE Embassy oversaw the setting up of charity banquets for the Iftar Project, implemented at the Abu Bakr and Al Qurtubi mosques in Bogota, as well as Cucuta Mosque in San Andres island.
Closer to home, the Khalifa Foundation together with the ERC supplied at least 1,200 food parcels to more than 6,200 Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian families in Sidon in southern Lebanon.
Food parcels have also been provided to 1,200 families in Tyre and Yarin also in south Lebanon.
The ERC gave Dh50,000 in financial aid to its Malaysian counterpart for an iftar project in the country.
And the Red Crescent has sent more than 830 tonnes of aid and supplies to parts of Yemen affected by the conflict between Houthi rebels and the coalition that includes the UAE.
A number of flights containing medical and food aid were also organised by the Khalifa Foundation to the country. This followed a shipment by the foundation of 400 tonnes of food and 300 barrels of diesel fuel to Yemen’s Socotra island in May.
About 200 Ramadan aid packs were sent to poor families in the Tunisian town of Tuwarif and a further 2,000 food packages are to be distributed to families in the north-west of the country.
The Khalifa Foundation is not alone in providing support during Ramadan. Ten thousand packages containing 20 kilograms each of food rations have been distributed in Egypt by the Al Maktoum Foundation.
It is the second phase of a project to help underprivileged families in the country, and is backed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
More than 300 food parcels will be distributed in Cairo, Beheira, Qina and Giza.
The foundation earlier also sent 60 sewing machines to needy families in the country.
Elsewhere, the Emirati Charity Works Authority office in Palestine launched the Zayed Humanitarian Work Day.
This includes creating Ramadan banquets at Al Aqsa Mosque and the distribution of 10,000 iftar and suhoor meals.
In Gaza, the Khalifa Foundation provided thousands of food baskets to families whose homes have been completely destroyed, while the UAE Suqia Water Aid campaign, which aims to provide clean drinking water to 3,000 orphans, has also been implemented.
Yesterday, Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah praised UAE organisations for helping orphans and poor families in Palestine and said president Mahmoud Abbas also appreciated the efforts made, state news agency Wam reported.
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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.”
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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.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
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Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
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