February 16, 2022

30,165 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered during past 24 hours: MoHAP

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has announced that 30,165 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given in the past 24 hours.

The total number of doses provided up to today stands at 23,937,141 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 242.02 doses per 100 people.

This is in line with the Ministry’s plan to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to all members of society and efforts to reach acquired immunity resulting from the vaccination, which will help reduce the number of cases and control the virus.

Source: Emirates News Agency

February 16, 2022

ADU Offers The Opportunity to Obtain Master’s Degree From Trinity College Dublin

4+1 Pathway Program encouraging ADU’s engineering students enrolled in its ABET-accredited BSc Civil Engineering school to earn a Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree from Trinity College Dublin • Trinity College Dublin is ranked number one in Ireland and 101 globally

In a continuous bid to elevate the student experience, Abu Dhabi University (ADU)’s College of Engineering (CoE) joins forces with Ireland’s leading university, Trinity College Dublin through the launch of an exchange program tailored for Civil Engineering students, enabling them to earn a postgraduate degree in one year. ADU continues to collaborate with leading local and global academic institutes such as Trinity College to provide students with an ingenious educational journey.

Through this partnership, ADU and Trinity College Dublin seek to establish a student exchange program based on knowledge sharing and collaboration. Famed for research postgraduate opportunities, Trinity College Dublin welcome ADU’s qualified Civil Engineering students to enroll in a full-time one-year Masters of Science in Civil Engineering Program through the mutual 4+1 pathway. Trinity College Dublin is ranked number one in Ireland, 101 globally by the QS World University Ranking in 2022 and 92nd in the world of Graduate Employability.

Commenting on the partnership, Professor Waqar Ahmad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University said: “At ADU, we are committed to providing students with world-class education and high-caliber teaching resources. We are proud to collaborate once again with a leading university such as Trinity College Dublin that shares our vision in providing students an exemplary educational journey. This partnership, in addition to others, will encourage our students to tackle new experiences and gain a greater understanding of their field. This is yet another step we take towards ensuring we best prepare our students for the career market.”

Professor Emma Stokes, Vice President for Global Engagement, Trinity College, said: “We are delighted to welcome students from Abu Dhabi University to Trinity’s School of Engineering – an opportunity made possible by this partnership which is a first for the School in the region. Trinity is committed to its global engagement and to diversifying our student body and our wider community. This partnership creates many possibilities for collaboration in teaching, learning, research and cultural understanding. It also forms the basis for widening the partnership across a number of Schools in Trinity. We are particularly delighted to be. signed this partnership agreement in person – the first time since the start of the pandemic.”

ADU’s CoE is the largest engineering college in the UAE. Its state-of-the-art curriculum and advanced facilities offer a strong range of engineering programs that successfully prepare students to tackle the market’s ever-changing needs.

Founded in 1592, Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s top-ranked university. Situated in the center of Ireland’s vibrant capital city, Trinity’s stunning campus is home to a community of scholars at the cutting edge of research and teaching. Combining historic traditions with world-renowned centers of research excellence, Trinity College Dublin offers a unique opportunity to blend a rigorous academic program with an unparalleled array of cultural, social and professional experiences.

Trinity College Dublin will assist ADU students in arranging accommodation and providing assistance in matters of health, language and any other local custom that may rise.

Source: Abu Dhabi University

February 16, 2022

EU ambassadors, HCHF discuss cooperation to advance Human Fraternity Document values

ABU DHABI, European Union ambassadors and representatives in the United Arab Emirates have met with the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, (HCHF) Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi to learn more about the Document on Human Fraternity and the HCHF’s mission, and to discuss cooperation to advance human fraternity on a global scale, particularly in the UAE and Europe.

The EU and HCHF discussed tackling short and long-term challenges to global human fraternity including the climate crisis and the disruption of educational and employment opportunities for youth, following two years of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The EU’s initiatives this year prioritise combating the climate crisis and empowering youth through the European Green Deal and the declaration of 2022 as the European Year of Youth, said Andrea Matteo Fontana, EU Ambassador to the UAE.

Judge Abdelsalam said human fraternity initiatives – the upcoming Human Fraternity Youth Summit and the Human Fraternity Youth Majilis – focus on youth and aim to engage participants from EU member states and align perfectly with the European Year of Youth’s objectives.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam said: “It is clear that the HCHF and the European Union share a commitment in engaging, mobilising, and bringing together young people to better our common future and the HCHF looks forward to encouraging and empowering youth alongside the EU.”

Fontana added: “We welcome the opportunity to hear more about human fraternity and explore opportunities of cooperation in the initiatives based on the Document on Human Fraternity, to spread fraternity and coexistence in Europe along with the EU’s activities during the Year of Youth 2022. Many of the ideas contained in the Document on Human Fraternity are reflected in the work that the EU does together with its member states in Europe and across the world. These efforts include human rights, women and children rights, rights of people with disabilities, education, tolerance and interfaith dialogue as well as promoting peace and stability. These global issues can only be solved if we reconnect with our humanity and work together for a better future.”

The meeting between the HCHF Secretary-General and EU ambassadors came two weeks after the HCHF, the European Union, and the UAE Federal Youth Authority co-hosted the Human Fraternity Youth Majilis at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The event featured keynote speeches by Judge Abdelsalam; Andrea Matteo Fontana, the EU Ambassador to the UAE; and Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs.

Source: Emirates News Agency

February 16, 2022

FOURTH QUARTER SURGE AT ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL BOOSTS PASSENGER TRAFFIC TO 5.26 MILLION IN 2021

Abu Dhabi Airports released its 2021 passenger traffic results today which confirm Abu Dhabi International Airport welcomed 5.26 million guests in 2021 thanks to a fourth quarter surge that saw 2.43 million, which equates to 46% of the full year’s passenger numbers, pass through the UAE capital’s hub.

Full year figures reveal that 5,262,376 passengers were served compared to 5,570,176 in 2020 representing a drop of 5.5% as the airport and the industry continued to experience dampened demand due to travel restrictions and eroded consumer confidence brought on by the global pandemic. The airport recorded 74,176 flights during the year compared to 61,034 in 2020, an increase of 21.5%.

“The sharp rise in passenger traffic during the last three months of the year is a clear indication that the recovery is underway and gaining momentum,” said Shareef Al Hashmi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Airports. “While the Omicron variant may have a temporary effect on demand during the early part of 2022, we expect traffic to double at Abu Dhabi International this year to reach 10.7 million as vaccination programmes progress, government restrictions in markets around the world ease and consumer confidence rebounds.”

Abu Dhabi International’s network also expanded significantly during 2021 with 103 destinations now being served compared to 75 destinations in 2020.

The top five countries in terms of passenger volumes in 2021 were India (932,949), Pakistan (550,728), Egypt (446,883), United States (254,201) and KSA (244,954).

The busiest destinations being served by AUH included Cairo (372,456), Islamabad (209,280), Delhi (197,012), Lahore (184,315) and Dhaka (182,983).

Service Enhancements

Notable during 2021 were the robust service scores recorded at Abu Dhabi International across a number of metrics including airport cleanliness (95%), feeling safe and secure (95%), happiness index (94%) and passenger health & wellness (92.9%). The overall satisfaction score as measured by Airports Council International was 92%. * Baggage service was similarly impressive as a total of 5,377,208 bags were processed through the airport’s baggage system in 2021, including 3,878,132 departure bags that had a delivery success rate of 99.8%.

“Our focus on health, safety and the wellbeing of AUH travellers significantly enhanced our passenger experience during the year as we launched a fully equipped PCR facility, touchless technology, self-baggage drop systems and smart queuing technology to prevent crowding during peak operations,” said Al Hashmi.

Cargo volumes up 31.8%

Abu Dhabi Airports also released its 2021 cargo traffic results today which confirm Abu Dhabi International Airport handled 711,715 tonnes of freight in 2021 an increase of 31.8% compared to the 540,144 tonnes handled in 2020.

The surge in volumes was largely attributed to increases in shipments of general cargo and special products including express, temperature-controlled, vulnerable cargo and pharmaceuticals.

Mail volumes were also on the rise in 2021 with 8,767 tonnes moving through Abu Dhabi International’s cargo facility, an increase of 13.1% compared to the 7,749 tonnes handled in 2020.

Source: Abu Dhabi Airport

February 16, 2022

Noura Al Kaabi visits Cambodia, Cuba Pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai

ABU DHABI, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, has visited the Cambodia and Cuba Pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Cambodia Pavilion is located in the Sustainability District and depicts the Angkor Wat temples complex. It also displays life-size models of the historical temple guards, with a brief about their legendary lives, and the eternal war between demons and gods, according to ancient beliefs.

The Cambodian team took Minister Al Kaabi on a tour of the three sections of the Cambodia Pavilion. The first section of the pavilion takes the visitors on a historical tour of the temples of Cambodia.

The second section is a virtual walkway to one of Cambodia’s most famous beaches, supported by the roaring of the waves that hit the feet. It uses the Expo 2020 Dubai to attract tourists wishing to enjoy nature and go on a journey of leisure and meditation. The pavilion recreates the sights and sounds of the tourist attractions of Cambodia to give a glimpse of the beautiful country to the Expo visitors.

The third section features a hall with Cambodian heritage, and displays tools used in agriculture and cooking. Visitors can also see a robe made of silk and gold threads, worth US$10,000. The handmade robe made for the kings, their wives and wealthy people in the olden days in Cambodia is kept inside a glass box for safekeeping.

Al Kaabi also visited the Pavilion of the Republic of Cuba, which is located in the Sustainability District. She walked through the pavilion that recreates the vibrant and colourful Cuban streets and listened to a description of some of the specialities on display.

The Cuba Pavilion also showcases the key industries of the South American nation, focusing on sugarcane, a raw material used in many industries.

Source: Emirates News Agency