Supporting SCAD’s Strategy with Smart Solutions Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi Signs a Partnership Agreement with SAS Middle East

Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi (SCAD) and SAS Middle East signed a partnership
agreement, under which SAS will provide analytical intelligence (AI) software
and services to SCAD for the collection, compilation, storage, analysis and
dissemination of accurate results by the Centre. The partnership supports the
further development of SCAD's IT strategy, which is one of the most important
initiatives of the Center. SAS solutions will assist SCAD to meet its mission
of releasing timely and accurate results of social, demographic, economic,
environmental, and cultural data.

The agreement was signed by H.E. Butti bin Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Director of
Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi; and Mr Shukri Dabaghi, General Manager, SAS
Middle East, at SCAD's headquarters in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of senior
officials from both sides.

After the signing ceremony, H.E. Al Qubaisi emphasised that the Centre's desire
to achieve the highest levels of automation across the organisation, in order
to better serve SCAD's vision of supporting Abu Dhabi's development plans in
economic, social, environmental, and infrastructure areas by providing the latest
and most accurate databases based on the highest global statistical standards,
in order to meet the needs of decision makers, the business sectors, researchers
and the various other segments of society.

The partnership agreement includes the main license agreement, according to
which SAS has authorized its products of IT software for SCAD; and the Service
agreement, under which SAS will provide consultancy, services and technical
support on the software authorized by the company, referred to as ‘interactive
services’, in addition to technical implementation, design and engineering
services, also known as ‘preliminary services’.

Both sides also agreed that SAS will assign a co-director from its side to
work as a strategic consultant for software users at SCAD, providing the
so called ‘sharing service’, which includes regular meetings with SCAD's

administration team to help in formulating its strategies regarding the usage
of SAS's software in the Centre's current and future projects. The co-director
will also. Further, SAS will also train SCAD’s staff and transfer technological
knowledge skills, while the co-director will help in analyzing the work reports
of the Centre, recommend plans and provide periodic report about latest
developments and situations concerning work software and products at the
Centre.

SCAD is hopeful that this agreement will be of great benefit in terms of
developing a reliable statistical system in Abu Dhabi, underscoring SCAD's
strategic role in support of overall development across all sectors in the emirate.

SCAD is the authorized official body responsible for the collection, compilation,
storage, analysis and dissemination of official statistics, and the release of the
results of social, demographic, economic, environmental and cultural rights
questionnaires and research studies in Abu Dhabi.

The Centre reiterated its commitment to work in cooperation with local
government agencies in conducting statistical research in order to develop a
comprehensive statistical system for Abu Dhabi that would ensures the accuracy
and confidentiality of data, using mainly electronic methods in its transfer.

SCAD is keen to achieve improvements in the analysis of data, and in the data
collection mechanisms, as well as in recording the appropriate metadata of
any type of information that can help in the process of searching, interpreting
or processing of the data itself. This includes metadata in population statistics,
geographical coverage, sampling, classifications, standards, time references,
methodologies, questionnaires, backgrounds, scope of work beside others, in
line with the goals of Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.

About Statistical Center-Abu Dhabi (SCAD)

Statistics center-Abu Dhabi (SCAD) was established in 2008 in accordance
with Law No. (7), to develop and organize statistical work in the Emirate of Abu
Dhabi in particular and the United Arab Emirates in general. SCAD’s purpose is
to produce statistical information that is consistent with the emirate’s orientation
towards sustainable development and strategic plans under the supervision and
with full support of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Being the of the official statistical data collection agency in the Emirate of Abu
Dhabi, the center assumes the functions of preparing the statistical plans and
programs that serve the emirate’s wider development programs, conducting
statistical surveys across the emirate. SCAD is also responsible for the
collection, classification, storage, analysis and dissemination of official statistics
and the release of the results of social, demographic, economic, environmental
and cultural surveys.

The activities of the Center will encompass all areas relating to social conditions
in accordance with relevant international standards and ethics, such as
independence, professionalism, impartiality, objectivity, confidentiality, cost
effectiveness and quality of statistics.

DM gears up to celebrate National Day 39

As part of the 39th UAE National Day celebrations Dubai Municipality has organized

a wide variety of events to be held in an environment dominated by feelings of

patriotism and sense of belonging and loyalty.

The events have been organized to mark the importance of the occasion in the

march of the Union and the overall boom witnessed by the UAE under the wise

leadership that has led the UAE to achieve the historic success.

Eng. Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality had directed

to launch an internal campaign to popularise the UAE National Anthem among the

Municipality employees. It comes from the Municipality's keenness to strengthen

national identity among the staff and develop a sense of national belonging and

promotion of patriotism among them.



Lootah said this celebration of the Municipality is only a small part of the big festivals

and euphoria that pervades the country from east to west not and the joy does not

confine to citizens only, but would be shared by all residents of various nationalities.



He added that the celebration is not limited to the main building of the Municipality,

but it will also take place in all centers and facilities of the civic body, including the

parks, resorts and the Children's City.



Khalid Mohammed Badri, Director of Corporate Marketing and Relations

Department said that the Municipality has formed a special team to run the activities

of the Municipality.



"The national anthem saved on CDs will be distributed among the employees during

the occasion of the National Day," he said.



Municipality employees will celebrate the National Day on Wednesday 1st December,

and a variety of programmes have been prepared in this regard, which will involve

school students, who will present some cultural shows about the National Day.

In addition, the employees of Architectural Heritage Department will display the

Department's products such as wooden doors and works in plaster to the public. The

Municipality premises will be decorated with tents, Poetry House and some women

will prepare popular local food items.



All Municipality buildings have been specially decorated, and balloons with the

colours of the national flag will be launched, in addition to holding many traditional

programmes, exhibition of old photographs titled "Pictures of my Country" and

calligraphy display with the participation of Municipality employees. Live stage

shows such as traditional songs, folk dances and cultural events will also take place.



The Public Parks and Horticulture Department has arranged a range of events and

various activities to be held in all the public parks of Dubai such as Mamzar, Creek

and Mushrif, Safa, Zaabeel and Jumeirah.

Activities will start on Wednesday, 1 December and will continue until December 7.

These events include National Day Carnival on Wednesday at Al Mamzar Park, which

will also host from 1-7 December different games and other regular park activities.

The Zaabeel Park will host from 1 to 7 December Long Live Union Show, in addition

to organizing special games and regular family activities.

During the same period Creek Park will host a number of shows and performances

including that of a Ukrainian Show and other regular family entertainment.

The Children's City has also lined up a variety of events in the city on Thursday,

December 2, 2010 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm, which

include art workshops and handicraft, and fun activities with clowns, traditional

food, face painting, photo exhibition on the life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al

Nahyan and the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, in addition to organizing a

play on patriotism, and other activities.

At the Jumeirah Beach Park a variety of events will be organized during the period

from December 1 to 7 along the shores in addition to the swimming events.

The activities of Al Safa Park include games market of used items and other regular

family activities. Mushrif Park will also organize various activities during the same

period.

Municipality activities are also being publicized on the home page on the civic body's

website.

Al Gurg Inaugurates New Unilever Office in Dubai

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 29^th November 2010.  H.E. Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Chairman, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group inaugurated today the new Sales and Distribution office for Unilever. The new office will play a key role in supporting the growth ambitions for Unilever in the region.

“The partnership between Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group and Unilever has been a success story spanning for over 50 years and we are proud of what we have achieved together to date,” explains H.E. Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Chairman, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group.

The initial agreement between Al Gurg and Unilever dates back to the 1^st of March 1965. The agreement was later terminated and a new partnership agreement was signed on the 1^st of January 1986.

Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman, Unilever North Africa & Middle East states, “We are delighted with the opening of our new office, this will help us connect better with our key customers and better meet the needs of our consumers”.

The facilities in the new office include a gym, a lounge, an entertainment zone, prayer rooms in addition to other interactive facilities. “Our new office promotes new ways of working driven by our agile working principles”, explains Mehta.  Agile working principles have been established to allow employees to work more flexibly as long as business needs are being met. It is an approach that puts the employee in greater control over how, when and where he or she works. Performance is determined by results rather than factors such as time and attendance.

“Employee engagement levels within Unilever North Africa and Middle East are also relatively high when compared to any external benchmarks and we are proud of this accomplishment,” adds Mehta.

Al Gurg Unilever’s office and warehouse was previously located in the Al Aweer area in Dubai. While the office staff will now be relocating to the new base, Unilever’s warehouse will remain located in Al Aweer.  

Unilever’s regional head quarters for the North Africa and Middle East region is located in Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai. This is also where Unilever’s second largest Lipton tea manufacturing facility is based. Unilever is the largest tea producer in the world today and owns 264 manufacturing sites worldwide.

Unilever employs 163,000 employees in approaching 100 countries, and generated annual sales of €40 billion in 2009.

About Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group

The Chairman, H.E Easa Saleh Al Gurg, KCVO, CBE, who was the Ambassador of U.A.E. to the court of St. James (UK) and the Republic of Ireland, founded the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group in 1960 after gaining extensive experience in banking and finance. The first business was the Grundig sole distributorship followed by the British American Tobacco Agency. During the last  five decades several other prime agencies, real estate and manufacturing units were added, resulting in the present 23 companies in the Group, which together handle more than 200 agencies and manufacture a diversified range products.

The products marketed by the Group include cigarettes, tyres, electrical and electronic items, personal care products, detergents, beverages, household appliances, stationery, batteries, branded garments, cables, chemicals, furniture, building materials and steel. Some of the Group's principals include British American Tobacco, Unilever, Benetton, Siemens, Osram, Armitage Shanks, Stanton, Catnic, Yorkshire Copper Tubes, Dunlop, Heuga, Projects, Interface, Broyhill, Electrolux, Siematic Kitchens, Smeg  and many more.

About Unilever

Unilever works to create a better future every day.  We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.

We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more than 100 countries.  Our portfolio includes some of the world’s best known and most loved brands including eleven €1 billion brands, and global leadership in many categories in which we operate.  The portfolio features iconic brands such as Knorr, Lipton, Flora, Dove, Axe, Lux, Sunsilk, Vaseline, Omo & Comfort.

We have around 163,000 employees in approaching 100 countries, and generated annual sales of €40 billion in 2009.  For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com. 

Homes r Us opens its ninth store in the UAE in the Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai

Dubai, October 3, 2010: Homes r Us, one of the fastest growing home furniture and furnishings brand in the Middle East, adds to its kitty its latest store in the UAE. The furniture brand today launched its ninth store located at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. The prestigious new Homes r Us store was inaugurated by Mr. Ali Rashid Ahmed Lootah, Chairman of Nakheel PJSC, in the presence of senior management of Lals Group and Nakheel.

The Homes r Us store at Ibn Battuta Mall is all set to be one of the flagship stores at the mall. Located at the India Court, it will have access both from inside the mall and outside where there is ample parking space close to the entrance.  Ibn Battuta Mall is also served by a Dubai Metro station just outside, which makes it very convenient for customers from all over Dubai to visit the place.

Commenting on the new store, Mr. Viraf Raimalwala, COO, Homes r Us, said, “We are happy to announce the opening of our store at the Ibn Battuta Mall which is a prestigious and landmark mall located on Sheikh Zayed Road. This store is our ninth in the UAE, marking a major milestone in our expansion strategy for the region.  Driven by our highly popular product offering and affordable pricing, we have been able to expand rapidly and make our presence felt everywhere. This is our fourth store in Dubai and is aimed at meeting the rising demand for our products in the Emirate.”

“With this latest addition, we now have two stores on Sheikh Zayed Road, one at each end, catering to a wide cross section of customers who live in the surrounding areas. The new store will cater to customers from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, especially to those residing in the new developments on both sides of Sheikh Zayed Road and Jebel Ali areas,” he further added.

With clearly segregated departments for each part of home furnishing, Homes r Us aims to offer an easy and delightful shopping experience with every visit. The brand has established a strong presence in the UAE as a one-stop-shop for every home interior need.

The new Homes r Us store will house a wide-ranging collection of modern and eclectic home interior furnishings to suit every lifestyle need. Housed in a modern, purpose-built store with the latest modular Italian fittings, the store will cater to the varied needs of the modern-day homemaker. There will be a vast collection of sofa sets and bedroom sets in ethnic, classic and modern designs to suit the tastes of the multi-faceted populace of Dubai.

Apart from high quality furniture, Homes r Us also provides a wide range of home accessories, from elegant lamps to artistic rugs, fine bed and bath linen and classy dinner sets. Enough to fulfill the dream of any aspiring homemaker!

With an extensive assortment of stylishly crafted, top quality ensembles and accessories, Homes r Us offers the perfect blend of functionality and fashionable living. The brand is popular for its chic designs that are a mélange of the classic and the contemporary.

Since the launch of its first outlet in 2003, Homes r Us soon established itself as one of the leading home furniture and furnishings brand in the Middle East. In fact, the brand has become so much a part of homemakers' lives across the region that it is perhaps the first name that occurs to them when they think of home furnishing.

Think Home, Think Homes r Us

About Homes r Us

Established in 2003, Homes r Us is a complete source for home furniture, furnishings and lifestyle offerings, blending functionality and fashionable living. New collections and styles grace the store on a regular basis, thus ensuring that each visit to the store is an exciting and refreshing experience.

Finding a place in the hearts and homes of people, Homes r Us has impressive showrooms in the Middle East - UAE, Qatar and Bahrain (known as The Home Store). The fastest growing home furniture and furnishings brand in the Middle East, Homes r Us is a brand that’s synonymous with quality and elegance.

Homes r Us Showrooms in the UAE:

­               Dubai

·         Ibn Battuta Mall, Tel: 04 4469820

·         Mazaya Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Tel: 04 3213444

·         Arabian Center, Al Khawaneej Road - Mirdiff, Tel: 04 2845736

·         Hamriya Shopping Centre, Union Coop, Hor Al Anz, Tel: 04 2698030

­               Abu Dhabi - Madinat Zayed Gold Centre, Tel: 02 6312020

­               Sharjah - Al Qasimia Street, Tel: 06 5671678

­               Al Ain

                ●    Near Jebel R/A, Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road, Tel: 03 7559770

                ●    Bawadi Mall, Tel: 03 7840494

­               Fujairah – Mohd. Bin Mattar Road, Tel: 09 2242893

UAE’s hospitality and healthcare industry welcomes new CrocsTM Work footwear

September 2010; Dubai, UAE  A global leader in innovative casual footwear for men, women and children, Crocs launches another major innovation with Crocs^TM Work, a specialized collection made with the work place in mind.

Catering especially to those who spend a considerable amount of time on their feet, Crocs^TM Work shoes bring flexibility, durability and supreme comfort to tired feet.

This range of shoes is also equipped with special technologies to meet the challenges of differing work environments. The Crocs Lock^TM shoe models are equipped with the slip-resistant Crocs Lock^TM  tread which renders the select Crocs^TM Work footwear a reliable companion under certain wet, greasy, and other unfavorable work conditions*.

Powered by Crocs Lock^TM tread, the Bistro with slip-resistant capacity that exceeds industry standard on oil, water, soap and a wide variety of slippery surfaces* is ideal for those in the food and beverage industry thanks to the unique nature of the Croslite™ material which means they are easy to clean with soap and water.  

The Bistro shoe is already proving to be widely popular with chefs due to the fact that it is very light providing all day comfort. It has a unique built-in massaging feature and is also odor-resistant, making it a hygienic option for kitchen workers. It is also available in a ventilated version.

The healthcare industry will welcome the Specialist Work shoe. With its closed heel and toe design and enhanced construction in the arch, heel and metatarsal area, the Specialist Work footwear readily meets the stringent workplace standards that are specific to the healthcare industry. The Mercy Work model is equipped with Crocs Lock^TM tread and is available in white.

 Crocs^TM Work shoes, like all Crocs footwear, are made with the proprietary closed-cell resin Croslite™, a substantial innovation in footwear producing soft, comfortable, lightweight, non-marking and odor-resistant shoes that conform snugly to your feet.

Crocs^TM Work shoes are now available in the Middle East, and the styles are shown on www.crocs.ae 

Emirates Launches Best Price in the UAE

DUBAI, U.A.E., 11th May 2009: Emirates has recently launched ‘Best Price’ in the UAE, guaranteeing all customers who make a booking through emirates.com/ae that they will not find a better Emirates fare elsewhere on the web.

Wherever customers see the Best Price symbol they can confidently book their Emirates flight, with the assurance that they are receiving the best possible Emirates fare. The easily identifiable Best Price symbol guarantees the best online fares through www.emirates.com/ae.

“Best Price is a new and exciting customer service pledge and we are delighted that the UAE has been selected as one of the first countries globally to initiate this service,” said Khalid bel Jaflah – Vice President Commercial Operations, UAE Emirates.

“Emirates is one of very few airlines in the world offering its customers this guarantee, further establishing our dedication to putting the needs of our valued customers first.”

Best Price has been launched to further optimize the strong consumer proposition offered by Emirates.com, strengthening customer relations and providing added value to Emirates’ loyal customers.

If a customer finds a better Emirates fare for the same itinerary on another website, with the same flight at least USD 20 cheaper, Emirates will refund the difference.

To further promote the launch of Best Price, Emirates has developed some exciting special online fares, opening up the globe to UAE travellers. Covering six continents fares start from; AED 4,295 to Los Angeles, AED 2,365 to Munich, AED 1,645 to Cairo and 1,125 to Karachi.

Customers can easily identify Emirates Best Price by logging on to www.emirates.com/ae and clicking on the Best Price symbol.

Emirates currently operates over 1000 weekly flights from Dubai.

MFNCA highlights performance indicators

Dubai, 2 May 2009: Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Federal National Council Affairs, chaired a meeting to discuss the performance indicators of the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA) for 2008 and the first quarter of 2009. The Ministry has recorded an average of 91%, according to results for the federal ministries in the UAE.

Dr Gargash stressed the importance of considering the recommendations of the Cabinet office report regarding the Ministry’s performance, in order to achieve better results. He also highlighted the need to enhance human resources skills and improve administration systems at the Ministry.

“It is vital to invest in promoting teamwork and enhancing the culture of improvement for strengthening institutional performance,” Dr Gargash said.

Tariq Lootah, Director General of the Ministry, presented the performance indicators and highlighted the steps taken to enhance performance levels, the effect of which was felt in the first quarter of 2009.

Lootah explained the Ministry’s efforts in developing practical mechanisms to achieve its objectives that complement the goals of the federal government. The Ministry has launched a comprehensive executive plan for 2009, which is realistic and flexible and ensures benefiting from available resources efficiently to achieve the targets of the Ministry.

He also showcased some samples related to Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Programme and the Ministry’s plan for institutional excellence.

The meeting was held in line with the Ministry’s programme to bring in best practices to measure performance and follow up on operational plans.

Dr Saeed Al Ghufli, Executive Director, and Sami Bin Adai, Executive Director for Institutional Affairs and Back-up, and directors of various departments at the Ministry attended the meeting.

Emirates Doubles Number of UAE National Cadet Pilot Graduates

DUBAI, U.A.E., 16th April 2009 – A total of 35 UAE Nationals have today graduated from the Emirates airline National Cadet Pilot Programme, an increase of 100 per cent on last year’s graduate figures.

During the graduation ceremony, held at the Emirates Group Headquarters, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group and Captain Abdulla Al Hammadi, National Cadet Pilot Manager, Emirates, presented trophies and certificates to the 35 high-fliers who have successfully completed the two-and-a-half-year pilot training programme.

“I am delighted that we have doubled our UAE National graduates in less than 12 months. This is an incredible achievement and further highlights Emirates’ drive towards increasing and maintaining UAE Nationals within our workforce,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

“Today’s graduates have shown an incredible ability to succeed in their goals and I applaud them for the dedication and determination they have displayed in completing this challenging training programme. These bright, young and professional Emiratis will help shape the future of Emirates and will play an integral role in servicing over 100 destinations across our global network.”

Emirates invests over AED 1.2 million in training each National Cadet Pilot and in the last five years has invested more than AED 100 million in the programme. Throughout their careers with Emirates these National Cadet Pilots will also receive ongoing on-the-job training in line with continual changes to aircraft technologies.

With Emirates announcing two new routes into Africa, Durban and Luanda, as well as a continued push to strengthen existing routes through increased frequency, the National Cadet Pilot Training Programme will continue to remain an important part of Emirates operations in helping to secure and train UAE National flight deck professionals for the future.

“The National Cadet Pilot Training Programme has been running successfully since 1993 and I am confident that we will continue to attract talented young Emiratis who are looking for a fulfilling, interesting and long-lasting career with Emirates,” he concluded.

Today’s ceremony was attended by the graduate’s families as well as Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline and Group, Gary Chapman, President Group Services and Dnata and Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.

At present, Emirates’ flight deck crew includes 133 Emirati Captains and First Officers. In addition, 185 ab-initio pilots from the UAE are undergoing training with the multiple award-winning airline.

Launched in 1993, Emirates’ National Cadet Pilot Programme comprises a Foundation Course in English and Aviation Science conducted in Dubai, over about twelve months. Cadets then spend a year at Flight Training Adelaide at Parafield Airport, Australia, to gain a Commercial Pilot’s License with a Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (CPL/Multi IR). In the third phase of the programme, spread over six months, the cadets train on flight simulators at the Emirates Training College in Dubai.

UAE delegation returns from 21st Ship for World Youth programme

An eight-member UAE team that included two employees of Dubai Municipality recently participated in the 21st Ship for World Youth programme organized by the Japanese government in cooperation with the General Authority for Youth Welfare and Sports in the UAE. The voyage that started on 14th January and ended on 3rd March was joined by 264 participants from 15 countries.

The youngsters were sent by the General Authority for Youth Welfare and Sports in the UAE, after selecting them through its department of youth and cultural activities.

The Authority was keen to support the youth, qualifying them and providing them opportunities for becoming young leaders. The trip was also an opportunity for networking and making contacts with the youth of the world in order to build a personality for the youth of the UAE and transfer the civilized image of the youth of the country in all international forums.

The main objective of the Ship for World Youth journey was to engage young people and motivate them for leadership work in an excellent international environment promoting co-existence, interaction, widening mutual understanding and friendship between the youth of the world, in addition to the development of the spirit of cooperation through the establishment of many programmes that promote cultural and social exchange among young people in Japan and the rest of the world. The delegates were selected as per special criteria; the most important among them were general culture, leadership personality and the ability to highlight the positive image of the country.

During the trip to Japan, the UAE youths met with the Japanese Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Japan. After that they left for the Ship for World Youth trip that started its journey from Japan to the Pacific states such as the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand, during which a number of visits were made to tourist sites such as schools, museums, television stations and other places.

It is worth mention that a number of countries around the world including Egypt, Tonga, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Yemen, Norway, Peru, Venezuela, Fiji Islands, Canada and Japan participated in this programme, in addition to the youths from the UAE.

The 8-member UAE delegation, headed by Rashid Abdullah Al Maftool, included Khalid Zainal Al Zarouni, Ahmad Abdullah Al Emadi, Salim Omar Salim Bajbeer, Mohammed Abdul Hamid Al Askar, Taleb Ali Hassan Al Dhohoori, Omar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Hamad Jassem Al Raisi and Sultan Hassan Al Obaidali.

Etisalat offers the fastest broadband Internet for home users in the UAE with Al-Shamil 8 &16 Mbps packages

Abu Dhabi, 3rd March 2009: In yet another pioneering accomplishment, Etisalat introduced the fastest home internet in the UAE by announcing two new fixed broadband packages - 16 and 8 Mbps as part of Al Shamil Broadband offering. Based on the Fibre to the Home (FTTH) technology, the new packages will significantly boost the current speed of Internet, and encourage new avenues for internet surfing like online gaming, audio and video streaming. Etisalat has already connected 300,000 homes in the UAE on FTTH (Fibre to the Home) network; that can now benefit from the fastest internet speeds. Etisalat aims to connect the UAE households through FTTH network by 2011, which will yet become another milestone in its own right.

Available in the FTTH connected areas and priced at AED 499/month for 8 Mbps ‎ ‎ and AED 549/month for 16 Mbps‎, the new packages are also available for existing customers in the coverage area, keen on upgrading their account. Customers can gain from four times faster speed by just paying AED 100 more and also benefit from the additional offers that include free installation, one month rental waiver, 5 free email IDs in the .EIM domain with 3GB capacity, along with 8 hours per month free access into 300+ Etisalat hotspots. In addition, that they will also get free eSupport software and Norton Internet Security software.
Commenting on the new packages, Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat said, "Etisalat is delighted to announce the launch of the fastest internet packages in the UAE. Like many of our pioneering initiatives, this service also reinforces our commitment to provide the best value and a variety of options for our customers to choose from.

"Customers today require higher internet speeds for applications like audio and video streaming, online gaming etc, which propagated Etisalat to introduce the two new packages. These packages will further strengthen Etisalat's bouquet of services in the Al Shamil offerings and provide a wider choice of speed to our customers – from 256 kbps to 16 Mbps ‎ depending on their internet surfing requirements."

Customers can subscribe/upgrade to one of the new internet packages and verify if their home is connected via FTTH, by visiting the nearest Etisalat business center. For further information on the service , customers can visit www.etisalat.ae/alshamil

Air Arabia records annual net profit of AED 510 million, up 35.6 per cent

Sharjah, February 15, 2009: Air Arabia (PJSC), the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), announced today its financial results for the year 2008.

The company achieved a net profit of AED 510 million for the financial year ending December 31, 2008, compared to a net profit of AED 376 million in 2007, an increase of 35.6 per cent.

The carrier posted a turnover of AED 2.066 billion in 2008, up 61 per cent compared to AED 1.283 billion in 2007. Passenger average load factor – passengers carried as a proportion of available seats – stood at 85 per cent.

Overall, a total of 3.6 million discerning passengers chose to fly with Air Arabia in 2008. This is an increase of 33 per cent compared to 2.7 million passengers in 2007.

For the fourth quarter of 2008, Air Arabia posted a net profit of AED 136 million, up 45.4 per cent compared to AED 93.49 million during the fourth quarter of 2007. For the fourth quarter of 2008, the carrier posted a turnover of AED 571 million, up 53.3 per cent compared to AED 372.37 million in same period of 2007. During the fourth quarter of 2008, the airline served 959,067 passengers, an increase of 29 per cent compared to 745,000 passengers during the same period in 2007.

Commenting on the results, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia, said: “2008 was a landmark year for Air Arabia, and this is reflected in our robust financial results. Air Arabia has managed to sustain growth and announce record profits in 2008. Therefore, the Board of Directors has proposed distributing a 10 per cent cash dividend to the company’s shareholders, which allows them to share in Air Arabia’s success while maintaining sufficient capital to ensure the implementation of the carrier’s long-term growth strategy.”

He added: “2009 will see serious challenges to the worldwide aviation industry, driven by the impact of the global financial crisis and lower levels of consumer confidence. This uncertainty about the future will place additional pressure on the bottom lines and earnings expectations of airlines across the globe.

“At Air Arabia, we remain focused on our core objectives and the implementation of our successful business model, building upon our expansion strategy and offering compelling value propositions to our customers. Now more than ever, low-cost carriers are an attractive option for travellers seeking value for money.”

In 2008, Air Arabia introduced seven new destinations, and now serves 44 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The carrier also announced its new hub in Morocco that is set to commence operations by the end of first quarter of 2009. Air Arabia also announced the launch of a 300-room budget hotel, and introduced new services such as its early check-in procedure and seat selection.

The company’s exceptional performance in 2008 was recognised through several industry awards. Air Arabia was named “Low-Cost Carrier of the Year” for the second consecutive year at the Aviation Business Awards 2008. In addition, Air Arabia won the coveted AVEX award for Best Regional Airline at the prestigious AVEX award ceremony in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

The carrier won the World Travel Award for Best Low-Cost Carrier in MENA, hailed as the Oscars of the travel industry. Air Arabia was named Best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East and Africa at the prestigious Budgie Awards, part of the World Low-Cost Airlines Congress, held in London, UK. In May 2008, Air Arabia received the gold award in the best airline category at the MENA Travel Awards 2008.

About Air Arabia: Air Arabia (PJSC), listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is the Middle East and North Africa’s leading low-cost carrier (LCC). Air Arabia commenced operations in October 2003 and currently operates a fleet of 16 new Airbus A320 aircraft, serving 43 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and Central Asia through its main hub in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Air Arabia is modeled after leading American and European low-cost airlines, and its business model is customised to accommodate local preferences. Its main focus is to make air travel more convenient through Internet bookings and offering the lowest fares in the market along with the highest levels of safety and service standards. For further information, please visit: http://www.airarabia.com/

UAE prepares camel milk specifications

Dubai Municipality, along with the Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority (ESMA), participated in the Codex Alimentarius Commission Middle East regional meeting held recently in Tunis, where the UAE presented a project on specifications for camel milk.
This was a first of its kind specifications prepared by the UAE to participate in a regional or international meeting, said Khalid Sharif, Director of Food Control Department, who participated in the meeting representing the Municipality along with Maha Suwaikat Al Hajiri, Head of Food and Environment Laboratory Section in the Dubai Central Laboratory Department.
The meeting was attended by a number of food safety officials from the near east countries.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission was created in 1963 by FAO and WHO to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
"The specifications for camel milk were prepared by Dubai Municipality in cooperation with ESMA, Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai. The significance of these specifications comes as an embodiment of the care given by the nation, represented by its leaders, to camels that form the cultural legacy of the GCC nations," said Sharif.
He said the camel milk products are distinct with many excellent characteristics that have made it a rich product, developed after extensive scientific research.
"These specifications are considered to be unique in the country in protecting products with cultural imprints," Sharif said, adding that the country has manufacturers of camel milk in Dubai and Al Ain.
"The UAE has taken up the task of preparing specifications for camel milk through ESMA and other bodies specialized in approving international specifications," said Sharif.
The Codex Middle East regional meeting gave approval to these specifications on camel milk.
The meeting also discussed some of the issues related to the strategic plan of Codex, a number of suggested specifications, the joint activities between the FAO and WHO such as holding workshops in food safety and approving advanced food control systems and their adoption by some countries that need to enhance their food safety competency.

Emcredit receives prestigious ISO 27001 information security certification

Dubai, January 31, 2009: Emcredit, the country’s leading credit information services company, announced today that it has secured the ISO 27001 certification, which is the world’s highest accreditation for information protection and security. Emcredit is now of a few companies in the UAE and among a small number of credit bureaus in the world to receive this endorsement.

Emcredit was certified by TUV NORD Middle East, a division of TUV NORD CERT GmBH providing comprehensive inspection, testing and certification services, based on national and international regulations and standards.

Ali Ibrahim, Managing Director, Emcredit, said: “Personal and credit information forms the backbone of our business and ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and security of our data assets is paramount to our success. Our latest ISO 27001 certification is testament to our focus on safeguarding information privacy and represents a strong vote of confidence for our members and data-sharing partners.

“Above all, we believe that an individual has the right to privacy, of which data protection is an integral element. This is further fortified through our ISO certification and our ongoing efforts to follow international best practices in line with superior industry standards.”

Ibrahim added that a vast amount of credit and personal information from financial institutions and government departments is transferred to Emcredit’s systems and updated on a real-time basis. A growing number of clients and members are accessing this information online and in real time to support their business decisions. Even as the company expands its information coverage and reporting solutions to different sectors of the economy, information security will continue to remain central to Emcredit’s operational efficiency and professionalism.

ISO/IEC 27001, part of the growing ISO/IEC 27000 series of standards, is an information security management system (ISMS) standard published in October 2005 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The ISO27k standards provide generally accepted good practice guidance on Information Security Management Systems designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the information content and systems.

Mr. Markus Lechtermann, Vice President, TUV NORD Middle East, said: “We are pleased to certify Emcredit with the prestigious ISO 27001 information security certification. Operating in a business of credit assessment, credit information services and other decision support tools, Emcredit has established systems required as per the standards in an excellent manner. The company’s data centre was found secure with the redundancy and business continuity management and the data was well maintained.”

e-junior gets a new look with a fresh and vibrant image

Dubai, January 18, 2009: e-junior, the exclusive U.A.E kids channel from E-Vision, announced the launch of its new brand image to maintain its distinctive position as the only TV channel catering to kids from the UAE. The new brand image marks the 8th year anniversary for e-junior and represents a fresh and trendy look for the channel in terms of its image as well as content.

e-junior channel shared the launch of its new look with 50 kids, winners of the 8th birthday contest. The get together was held and sponsored by Ski Dubai, were kids enjoyed a full day at the Snow Park and enjoyed the new fresh and trendy look of their favorite channel.

The new brand image uses four mascots as a graphic element to signify the different content streams which will be offered to kids with the green denoting animation, the blue for pre-school, the orange for live action and red for movies. The already existing slogan "Be Cool, Think Bright”, will create along with the new look a trendy and informative resource for kids from the age group of 0-16 years in addition to educating them on different aspects of their lives.

The new appearance of the channel also comes with a lot of fun programs as well. e-junior will be unveiling brand new programming on a exclusive basis ranging from “Are We There Yet? World Adventure”: a unique kids' global adventure from National Geographic, a brand new season of “Oggy and the Cockroaches” (a very popular comedy animation) in addition to many other shows. e-junior Town season II programming will also return with more interactivity, fun and education after a phenomenal response from UAE kids to the local flavour of the show.

According to Fatiha Bensalem, Channel Manager/ e-junior, “The new e-junior has a new look, new features, and more specific categories. It represents an exciting new direction for the channel to stay close to the kids with a fresh and trendy blend of content which is more comprehensive and interactive in nature. “

She added, “The channel has also new content base which has been tailor-made specifically for our kids in the country. The new fresh look also brings more exciting new content for kids from 0-16yrs.”

The new brand image will also encompass a complete re-branding of the e-junior website in addition to the launch of the e-junior portal where kids will have a chance to watch all e-junior local productions in addition to some other shows in the future, any time they want, on-line.

The new logo has been internally developed and the animations were handled by the MoonScoop Group, one of the leading worldwide brand management and entertainment companies engaged in the production, distribution, licensing, merchandising, marketing and distributing of animated creations.

E-Vision is the leading regional source to offer over 260 TV channels, in 21 different languages, ranging from sports to movies, from documentaries to music and kid's channels. E-Vision's product line-up includes 15 premium packages from all the major TV providers like Showtime, Orbit, ART, Pehla, Firstnet, TFC, Pinoy Plus and many more, in addition to the E-Vision Basic package.

i2 extends partnership with UNICEF

Dubai, September 2, 2008- To celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, i2 extends its partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and will be running a charity campaign starting today to support UNICEF’s continuous humanitarian initiatives. For a period of six months, i2 commits to donate US$ 1 to UNICEF from the sale of each mobile phone at i2 retail outlets in eight selected markets.

The campaign will run in KSA, UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Tunisia, Iraq and Sudan. The money raised will be used to help underprivileged children in the Middle East and Africa with emphasis on Egypt, Sudan and Iraq; by providing basic health needs crucial to their survival.

“We are happy to be partnering with UNICEF for the second year in a row, this time extending the program to six months. UNICEF works tirelessly to provide the necessary assistance to children around the world and to ensure all children's rights are fulfilled, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and i2 is honored to be part of this grand endeavor” said Abdul Hameed Al Sunaid. CEO, I2

This endeavor follows the success of i2’s partnership with UNICEF during the holy month of Ramadan last year which raised $100,000. This year, i2 is hoping to raise a significant amount by the end of the campaign to generate maximum awareness by helping deprived children in the Middle East and Africa with the necessary medications, vaccines, clean water and food.

“Every year, millions of children die from totally preventable causes and these innocent lives can be saved by cost-effective interventions. We are grateful for the continuous support of a dedicated partner like i2 and we look forward to build on last year’s success, said Dr. Ayman Abu Laban, UNICEF Representative in the Gulf.

Founded in 1993 in Saudi Arabia, i2 is the region’s largest and most diverse mobile phone provider. Over 2676 employees across 340 stores in 22 countries are dedicated to providing i2 customers with technological solutions and services that enhance their lifestyles and shopping experience. i2 stores offer the widest range of mobile phones, PDAs, wireless technology, software; value added services and mobile accessories in the region. It is the first mobile phone provider to offer its customers a life-time warranty and a comprehensive after sales maintenance program on all products purchased in store or online. To better serve their customers, i2 has expanded its reach to include i2 magazine, i2 club, i2 café and other innovative support programs. For more information about i2 products and services please visit http://www.i2-mobile.com/ . i2 operates in: Andorra, Angola, Bahrain, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, KSA, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Reunion, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and UAE.


UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.