HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS STRENGTHENS MIDDLE EAST PRESENCE

DUBAI, 24th January, 2009: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding Co. will further strengthen the Holiday Inn Express brand in the Gulf in 2009 with two new properties in the UAE and Bahrain.

Due to open in the summer in Dubai’s Al Garhoud district, Holiday Inn Express Dubai Airport will offer 381 rooms. It will be the fourth Holiday Inn Express in the Emirate.

Holiday Inn Express Manama will be the brand’s first venture in the Middle East outside Dubai. The 249-room property is expected to open in the third quarter of 2010.

IHG & Ishraq sees healthy demand for limited service hotels as high real estate prices and growing competition for travellers encourage the region’s hospitality sector to diversify. The third Holiday Inn Express hotel – the Holiday Inn Express Dubai Jumeirah – opened last September.

John Bamsey, Chief Operating Officer, IHG, Middle East and Africa (MEA), said: “Delivering on our promise of Great Hotels Guests Love is about offering a diversity of choice to meet different customer expectations. Holiday Inn Express brings reliability and quality to the limited service sector – and the confidence that comes with one of world’s best-known hotel names, Holiday Inn.”

Bamsey said: “Globally, Holiday Inn Express is one of the fastest growing brands, opening an average of two hotels a week, with 1889 hotels and a further 728 hotels in the pipeline, worldwide. We see great potential for the chain in the Middle East.”


Both Holiday Inn Express properties will be operated by Ishraq Hospitality Management, a subsidiary of Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding Co., the exclusive developer of Holiday Inn Express hotels in the GCC, excluding Saudi Arabia.

Sami Al Ansari, Chief Executive Officer, Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding BSC, said: “We’re confident Holiday Inn Express Airport Dubai will continue the successful trend started by our three other properties in Dubai – and we’re excited by the opportunities in Bahrain.

“We’re fully committed to developing more than 20 Holiday Inn Express properties over the next five years in the region.”

IHG announced in 2007 the worldwide relaunch of the Holiday Inn brand family (comprising Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express and Express by Holiday Inn). The US$1 billion relaunch is bringing improved consistency and service levels, as well as a more contemporary brand image and identity, to almost 3,200 hotels worldwide. The global relaunch is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

Dubai tops ‘Middle East Cities of the Future’ ranking by fDi magazine

Dubai, January 21, 2009: Dubai is top of the league in the Middle East Cities of the Future ranking by fDi magazine, scoring highest points for economic potential, business friendliness, infrastructure and quality of life. Dubai scored 471 amongst 20 cities in the region evaluated, with Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Manama, Riyadh and Ras Al Khaimah in the next five places, respectively.

Produced by the Financial Times group, fDi is the premier publication for the business of globalisation, and is regarded as the single most trusted source of information for companies involved with international expansion.

The Middle East Cities of the Future were ranked according to 76 criteria listed under Economic Potential, Business Friendliness, Tax & Other Costs, Human Resources, Quality of Life, Infrastructure and Foreign Direct Investment. Dubai ranked highest in four of these categories.

HE Mr Sami Al Qamzi, Director-General of the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED), said: “The top score of Dubai in the Middle East Cities of the Future ranking is a testimony to the concerted approach of DED, under the guidance and leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to create a high-growth environment and boost the economy by implementing strategies to attract foreign investment to the emirate. The result for Dubai is based on an evaluation of 76 parameters that, in essence, cover the entire aspects of the economy.”

He added: “One of the focal areas of DED is to create a robust and business friendly destination with utmost ease in setting up and managing businesses. The success of our approach has been reiterated by the high scores achieved in the fDi ranking. DED‘s foreign investment office headed by Mr Fahad Al Gergawi is dedicated to attracting regional & international foreign investment in Dubai, and one of the key objectives is to develop closer co-operation with key international investment partners.”

Mr Al Gergawi said: "This top-ranking highlights the opportunities that exist in Dubai for investors when evaluating the potential for international expansion. Dubai is very investor-friendly and enjoys a strategic location. The recognition as a leading destination by fDi magazine reinforces our commitment to ensure that our international partners realise and experience the competitive advantages offered by the Emirate.”

The Economic Potential category, in which Dubai topped the list, evaluated parameters such as 2009 GDP growth forecast, National GDP, economic initiatives, inflation, cash surplus, high-tech exports, industrial production growth and growth of urban population. “Winning this award and ranking high in many of the categories reflect Dubai's success in diversifying our economy, and the potential for growth that the Emirate offers despite the challenges that the state of the global economy brings at this point in time,” explained Mr Al Qamzi.

DM resumes Traditional Friday Market

Dubai Municipality has resumed the activities of the Friday Market at the courtyard of Hamriya Central Market in Abu Hail area starting from the first week of January. The market, which will continue until June 31, will be open from 3pm to 11pm only on Fridays of the week.

Khalifa Hareb, Director of Assets Management Department said the Municipality has started receiving national as well as expatriate traders who are returning once again to the market with their commodities and traditional food varieties. The market had stopped its activities in summer after the temperature and humidity level had gone up, he said.

Hareb said the reopening will give the traders great opportunity to benefit from the market, in addition to promoting the Hamriya Central Market as it is also considered to be an effective support for it during the Dubai Shopping Festival 2009 in spite of the high cost and to gauge the customer satisfaction with the market.

He said that a big number of individuals, establishments and companies are participating in the Friday Market this year.

Hareb said that the Friday Market is holding three main activities. "The first activity is local, Gulf, Arab and Indian traditional food items. The second is trading of different commodities sold on competitive prices and the third activity is sale of souvenirs and handicraft items," he said.

Hareb said some heritage organizations are displaying their products, plants, birds, coins and currencies, computer tools and programmes, books, magazines and Quran copies.

He said that Dubai Municipality monitors the products sold in the market, especially the food items, to ensure whether it is safe for consumers and also to avoid price increasing or cheating.

A part of the market area is set aside for selling fruits and vegetables in order to fill up the gap created when the old Hamriya Vegetable Market was shifted. In addition, places are also allotted for sale of toys.

Hareb said that anybody can participate in the market. "If you want to do trade in the market for a week or two, you can go to the Municipality or the administration of Hamriya Central Market before Friday to register. You will be allotted a place in the market, which is divided into 450 small stalls," he said.

Hareb said traders will be charged Dhs50 for one Friday, whereas individuals will be charged Dhs10 and the registration can be renewed through simple procedures.

"Each stall measures 2X1 metres area, where one person can conduct trade. Individuals can sell anything they wish such as tools, toys, foodstuff, even used items," he said.

Hareb pointed out that participants should erect umbrellas as a protection from sun and rain and also take care of the Hamriya Central Market in general.

He said that there may be big rush of visitors and tourists as it is the Dubai Shopping Festival time.

DM confirms "Laban Up" is free from contamination

The Food Control Department at Dubai Municipality has confirmed that the product "Laban Up," a brand of Gulf & Safa Dairy LLC, is free from any yeast and mould contamination as it was proved from the tests conducted in the DM's Food and Environment Laboratory, in addition to three other laboratories of the country.

However, Khalid Mohammed Sharif Al Awadhi, Director of Dubai Municipality Food Control Department said that this is not contradicting the result of the test conducted on the product in one of the labs in the country as the specimen taken for that test represents the specimen itself, not all the products.

"There are other aspects that affect the result of the test such as the condition of the surroundings from where the specimen is taken, the temperature level in which the specimen is stored, the condition in which the specimen is transported to the lab, the way the test was conducted, and many other aspects," he pointed out.

Al Awadhi added that on getting the result of a test on a food sample from a food control lab in the country the result will be circulated by the Secretariat of UAE Municipalities to coordinate among the municipalities to conduct confirmation tests on specimens of the same product in order to ward off any doubt or mistake.

"This is also to avoid consequent incorrect measures that may affect the consumer as well as the foodstuff establishment. It is an example of good coordination between the food control bodies in the country for the public welfare," he said.

Al Awadhi said that these kinds of messages are taken up on a routine basis among the testing bodies in the country and there are committees and joint action teams between food control bodies that cooperate among themselves in the health and safety service of the society.

As regards the finding of contamination on the specimen taken for analysis by the lab, he said, it is assumed that the conditions in which the specimen is taken and its transportation to the lab might be unsuitable for storage.

Al Awadhi explained that any increase in bacteria can happen in conditions without air inside the food cans, which may lead to occurrence of the container getting open.

"It may not be noticed by the consumer while buying it. The scientifically known fact is that the enzymes influence the quality of the product, not its safety, in other words, it does not cause food poisoning incidents," he said.

Al Awadhi confirmed that the Food Control Department in Dubai Municipality has not received any complaint about the product in question and reassured the public on the safety of the product.

He also appealed not to spread any messages related to food products before contacting the specialists in the Food Control Department or any other food control authorities in the country for confirming the significance and the extent of credibility of these messages.

DM honours collaborators in catching environment polluters

The Environment Department in Dubai Municipality honoured 24 people among the public who cooperated with the civic body in catching environment polluters among the drivers of tankers that transport sewage water violating the environmental protection rules in Dubai during the past months.
Eng. Hamdan Al Shaer, Director of Environment Department handed over cash rewards announced by the Municipality earlier to those who cooperated with it in reporting the violations in this field. Those who cooperated with the Municipality included people of different nationalities.
Al Shaer said the Municipality had formed a field action team to catch these violators. The team, led by Khalid Suleten, during the past period, with the cooperation of people from the public and the patrolling department of Dubai Police caught 208 tankers that emptied sewage water in open areas or storm water openings. Each of them were imposed with a fine of Dhs100,000.
Some violations were caught from labour accommodations as some owners were extending plastic pipes from the sewage water gathered in its storage tanks and were flowing it out outside the accommodation in the sand or open areas.
Al Shaer appealed nationals and expatriates in the emirate to cooperate with the Municipality in reporting this practice of violation by calling on the toll-free number 800900.
He also stressed the importance of increased efforts to face this uncivilized phenomenon that does not suit the name and fame of the city of Dubai and its clean environment.
The Municipality has announced that it will give Dhs2,000 cash reward for those who inform the violations.

MASDAR SET TO CAPITALISE ON INTERNATIONAL

Abu Dhabi, January 19, 2009 — Masdar chief executive Dr. Sultan Al Jaber announced today that Masdar, a multi-faceted future energy initiative wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company, is well-positioned to capitalize on the “undeniable momentum and long term viability” of renewable energy technology in his keynote speech at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Al Jaber acknowledged the recent global economic downturn in his opening ceremony address, but said that the renewable energy sector continues to grow and pointed to recent global commitments that call for increasing investment and deployment of renewable energy technologies.

The Government of Abu Dhabi has indicated its own commitment to the adoption of renewable energy, and will soon publish a comprehensive energy policy that includes a pledge that by 2020, renewable energy sources will account for at least 7 percent of the Emirate’s total power generation capacity. Masdar estimates this commitment will create a renewable energy market valued at US$6-8 billion in the Emirate, creating business opportunities for local and international companies.

“Masdar will be at the forefront of the research, development and deployment of solutions that will enable governments around the world, including our own, to meet the targets they are setting for the adoption of renewable energy,” said Dr. Al Jaber, speaking at the summit.

In the past 12 months, Masdar has made significant advancements across the full spectrum of renewable energy solutions to help build a renewable energy sector in Abu Dhabi and to accelerate the deployment of clean technologies globally.

· Breaking ground on the development of Masdar City – the world’s first carbon-neutral city
· Building a solar manufacturing plant in Germany, creating green-jobs and technical know-how to transfer to Abu Dhabi
· Enrolling a pre-class of students at the Masdar Institute – the world’s first graduate institution dedicated to future energy solutions
· Investing in leading renewable technologies, forming joint ventures, and R&D partnerships to apply scale and capital to accelerate technology deployment and commercialization

In addition, international evidence of the widespread adoption of renewable energy includes recent commitments by the Governments of Australia and the United States to make significant investments in renewable energy technologies, a commitment by the European Parliament to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020, and international efforts led by the Governments of Germany, Denmark and Spain to establish an International Renewable Energy Agency, dedicated to the widespread adoption of renewable energy on a global scale.

“Looking at recent local and international commitments, it is our view that the world has reached a tipping point in the acceptance of renewable energy,” he said. “We have a long, challenging journey ahead of us, but we are heading in the right direction and the progress we are making is irreversible.”

“It is a testament to the will of our leadership, HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, under their guidance Masdar will provide a comprehensive solution to the world’s energy challenges and maintain Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading supplier of energy to the world,” he added.

Masdar is host of the World Future Energy Summit, which commenced today and attracted more than 15,000 delegates, 300 exhibitors and 20 government delegations to discuss the global response to future energy challenges.

Committee formed to implement Green Roofs System in Dubai

Dubai Municipality has formed a temporary committee to oversee the implementation of Green Roofs System in the buildings of Dubai emirate as per the directives of the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The move is aimed at applying green buildings standards in the emirate as the green roofs will protect the buildings from the environment and climate angle as well as rationalize the use of power.
Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, who issued an Administrative Decision in this regard, said the decision comes at a time when the concept of green buildings gains momentum all over the world.
He said green buildings are considered to be environmentally friendly and provide healthier places to live as well as encourage productivity in work places.
The committee is chaired by Eng. Essa Al Maidour, Assistant Director General for Planning and Buildings Affairs with Ahmed Mohammed AbdulKarim, Director of Public Parks and Horticulture Department, Mohammed Noor Mashroom, Director of General Projects Department, Mohamed Ahmed Saleh, Building Expert in the Buildings Department and Fatima Essa Al Mehairi, Head of Gardening and Landscaping Unit in the General Projects Department as members.
As per the Administrative Decision, the committee can take the help of anybody it finds appropriate with expertise from within the Municipality or outside in implementing the system. It can also appoint a secretary from among the Municipality employees.
The committee shall conduct technical studies for the Green Roofs System for buildings in the emirate of Dubai and define the engineering, building, environmental and horticultural specifications as well as the irrigation and water disposal systems as per the best practices in the world.
The committee shall gradually make implementation of the Green Roofs System compulsory in all buildings in the emirate, whether it is private or government, residential, commercial or industrial as per a time schedule, which will be fulfilled in coordination with the Buildings Department in the Municipality.
An awareness campaign will also be organized through various media to introduce the system. Seminars, lectures and meetings involving different bodies concerned in the construction industry would also be conducted.
The project comes as an implementation and follow up of the Green Buildings project. It also caters to the huge urban expansion witnessed by the city of Dubai, which enhances the heat level of the region. Green roofs are considered to be one of the environment friendly solutions taken up by Dubai Municipality to face the project expansions.
The Municipality has conducted an extensive study that confirmed the success of this project in other countries. Hence, the Municipality decided to apply this excellent concept in protecting the environment and reducing the heat level and cleansing the air from other pollutants.
The Green Buildings project becomes important as it reduces carbon emission and enhances indoor environment and air. It also enhanced the health of the society and increases life expectancy of the buildings as well as protects the eco system.