Category: General

ABU DHABI, Sara Ghazi Al-Mahri, Chargé d’Affaires at the UAE Embassy in Madrid, participated in the celebration of the National Day of the Kingdom of Spain at the invitation of His Majesty King Felipe VI and Her Majesty Queen Letizia.

The celebration was held at the Royal Palace in the presence of Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Meritxell Batet Lamaña, President of the Congress of Deputies; and Ander Gil García, President of the Senate.

Al-Mahri conveyed the greetings and congratulations of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to His Majesty King Felipe VI and their wishes for his country and people to achieve further progress and prosperity.

For his part, His Majesty the King of Spain conveyed his greetings and best wishes to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. His Majesty expressed his sincere appreciation for the participation of the UAE in Spain’s National Day, wishing the country continued growth and prosperity.

His Majesty praised the strong relations between the two countries and constructive cooperation at all levels, noting that many opportunities exist to further enhance ties in various fields.

For her part, Al-Mahri underscored the depth of UAE-Spain relations and the UAE’s keenness to expand cooperation to achieve the common interests of the two countries and peoples.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Abdel Fattah El Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of UAE-Egypt ties will kick off in Cairo on Wednesday 26th October, 2022.

The event comes to highlight the UAE-Egypt strong historical ties, and strengthens the solid and strategic partnership between both countries over 50 years, in various vital fields and sectors.

Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, highlighted that the event reflects the strength of the UAE-Egypt bonds, affirming that the celebrations marks a qualitative step towards strengthening cooperation between the two countries in all fields.

“Thanks to the wise vision of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his brother, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the distinguished relations between the two countries are led to a new stage of partnership and cooperation.

“More than 20 sessions bringing together ministers and officials from the UAE and Egypt, and senior officials, businessmen, intellectuals, creators, media professionals and public figures, to celebrate five decades of UAE-Egypt distinguished relations, and enhance developing new ways and prospects for cooperation between the two countries,” he said.

The event’s agenda will kick off with an opening speech by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, followed by a speech by Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Arab League Secretary-General, will also participate in the first day of the event, in addition to a number of sessions presenting a series of successful stories of Emirati and Egyptian companies.

Under the title “UAE-Egypt relations… An Integrated Economic Partnership”, Hala Al Saeed, Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development; Abdulla bin Touq, UAE Minister of Economy; Ahmed Samir, Egypt’s Minister of Industry and Trade; and Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, will discuss the depth of the bilateral relations between the two countries in all sectors, including the economic and industrial sectors.

The agenda will include a number of sessions in which a group of ministers, officials, businessmen, culture and media personalities will participate in the framework of strengthen relations between the two brotherly countries.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World, will be discussing Ain Sokhna port project, and the future investments of DP World in the Egyptian market.

Additionally, a special concert titled “Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi” will be organised during the first day of the agenda.

The second day’s agenda will start with a speech by Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, discussing the UAE-Egypt political relation and its role in building Arab strategic depth.

Furthermore, the second day will include a main session for Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth, and Nevin Al Kilani, Egypt’s Minister of Culture. The session will discuss cultural exchange between the two countries.

The forum culture will also witness sessions of each of Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, and Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library (MBRL) Foundation.

The cultural forum will highlight the most important milestones in the UAE-Egypt relationship in the field of media, culture, arts, and the common history, in addition to a series of sessions on sports, media and cultural topics, as well as a number of dialogues and discussions with Emirati and Egyptian diplomats, and a group of media professionals from the government and private sectors in the two countries.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The Diplomacy Lab announced ‘UAE Africa Connect’ at the Culture Summit at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, in a speech by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, from the Office of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

In his remarks, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan emphasised the depth of relations between the UAE and African countries, as well as the importance of developing these ties in various sectors, including the cultural field. He expressed that these partnerships are a testament to the UAE’s keen interest in bolstering its relations with Africa based on mutual respect and common interests.

The UAE Africa Connect platform aims to strengthen the UAE’s partnership with Sub-Saharan African countries and build bridges of communication and cultural, knowledge, and economic exchange in various sectors such as education, health, energy, sustainability, science, arts, heritage, literature, and economic development. It will also support projects and initiatives that serve common interests, promote talent development, and empower youth and women.

Moreover, UAE Africa Connect will work with partner countries to celebrate cultural heritage by conducting joint research and organising major events and exhibitions.

Dr. Mohammed Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director-General of Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, said, “The launch of UAE Africa Connect is an extension of the solid relations and long history between the UAE and Africa. The platform will strengthen cooperation and create joint cultural projects.”

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The UAE Banks Federation organised a webinar on digital banking and financial technology in collaboration with RFI Global, which specialises in financial intelligence research and solutions.

The webinar, themed “Accelerating Digital Banking and Fintech in UAE 2022”, comes as part of the UAE Banks Federation’s efforts to promote and accelerate the digital transformation and consolidate the banking sector’s leadership in developing digital solutions that contribute to enhancing the customer experience and keeping pace with developments in financial technology.

The webinar also provided an opportunity to discuss techniques to promote the adoption of financial technology applications and approaches in order to meet the growing requirements and expectations of customers and take advantage of the tremendous opportunities of digital transformation for the development of the financial and banking sector.

It also discussed the importance of investing in the development of digital capabilities and identifying best practices for securing financial transactions, such as electronic identity verification, and facilitating access to digital banking services for different segments of society.

Attended by a number of member bank representatives, the webinar provided a comprehensive overview of global trends in digitalisation and financial technology, the preferred channels for customers and ways to get the best return on investment in digital transformation, as well as improving the customer experience and digital payments.

The webinar also looked at the experiences of the financial and banking sector in the UAE in adopting and applying financial technology and innovation to meet growing customer expectations, accelerating digital transformation and investing in digital capability development, particularly in terms of upskilling appropriate cadres, improving marketing and customer service methods, and building comprehensive and user-friendly digital platforms.\

A panel of experts discussed changing customer behaviour and the increasing shift to e-commerce.

The second part of the webinar presented the marketing performance indicator for various banking products of prominent banking institutions, followed by a panel discussion on the best manner to use this process to provide seamless services to customers, retain them and achieve profitability.

It also compared the state of marketing of various banking products in the country with the rest of the developed countries in the world while highlighting the importance of digital experience in improving marketing.

Jamal Saleh, Director-General of the UAE Banks Federation, said, “The UAE banking sector is adopting and innovating the latest technologies to accelerate digital transformation and enhance the customer experience. Under the direct supervision of the Central Bank of the UAE, the Federation is committed to creating the conditions for this development. As an industry, we welcome innovation and recognise that this progress requires keeping up with the latest trends in the financial sector to create solutions that meet customers’ needs, which is why we are organising and launching more events and initiatives that contribute to the exchange of knowledge, expertise and skills.”

“Digitalisation is currently one of the most important pillars of the global economy and organising a workshop on digital banking and technology is part of our continuous efforts to ensure the consolidation of the banking and finance sector’s leadership through a proactive approach of studying and analysing global market trends. Thus, we provide platforms for discussion and sharing of opinions, knowledge and experiences to find the best solutions and processes to provide the best services to customers in a secure and seamless environment,” he added.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The Higher Organising Committee for Global Media Congress (GMC), which is organised by ADNEC Group in strategic partnership with the Emirates News Agency (WAM), has announced the launch of ‘Global Programme for the Empowerment of Young Media Persons,’ the largest training programme of its kind, which will be conducted during the inaugural GMC, slated to take place during 15th-17th November, 2022.

The UAE’s official news agency will invite 300 young journalists from around the world to attend various workshops.

The more than two dozen workshops at the Congress will provide in-depth training for young scribes in a wide range of skills and professions, such as digital and solution journalism, AI and Neuroscience technology in the media, fact-checking, metaverse, script writing, combating misinformation, audio content creation and a host of other vital subjects.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, the event will host an exhibition and a specialised conference focusing on the latest developments and the future of the media sector.

Speaking about his organisation’s decision to fly in a large number of young journalists with three to five years of professional experience to attend the event, Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of WAM and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee for GMC, said that it was aimed at imparting knowledge to the next generation of media professionals on the latest technological and innovative advancements in the field of media.

“We do not look at it as a one-time initiative. Our objective is to sponsor similar participation in the subsequent editions of the Global Media Congress. We have lined up around 30 workshops whose attendees will learn the most important techniques and skills required in young people looking for a bright future in the media industry,” he elaborated.

Explaining the reason for bringing in journalists from a diverse range of countries and continents, Al Rayssi added that in a globalised world, equitable dissemination of knowledge and expertise is crucial to creating a level playing field.

“We consider it our moral duty that we provide rich exposure to the young men and women who will land in Abu Dhabi at our invitation. Our hope is that they will return to their respective countries with the feeling that they have had a fruitful learning experience, which they can put to good use in their workplaces, thereby contributing to the growth of the media sector in their countries. The UAE has always accorded the highest priority to its role as a global citizen in diverse domains. We are emulating the same model in the field of media. We look forward to interacting with such a big group of young journalists representing multiple platforms, countries, continents and cultural and linguistic backgrounds,” he concluded.

The conference provides opportunities for various media institutions to discuss partnerships and collaborative ventures that will bolster the development of the media sector, ensuring its long-term sustainability and the continued provision of solid, reliable, and highly credible content. A number of media figures from across the globe will speak at the event on a range of issues concerning the media industry’s future.

With over 150 brands specialised in the media and production industry participating, the Congress is a world-class stage where buyers and sellers can meet, learn, network, do business, and explore new products, solutions, and technologies, providing an unmissable opportunity to take a great leap forward in the region’s and the globe’s media sector.

As part of the event’s agenda, the Global Media Congress will host a conference, which is the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East, under the theme “Shaping the Future of the Media Industry”. The three-day conference aims to unite the entire media sector to exchange groundbreaking ideas and cutting-edge solutions shaping the future of the industry. It will also provide a unique platform to highlight the position of mass media in the Middle East whilst engaging a global audience and driving innovative visions and collaborations that will advance the sector.

Source: Emirates News Agency