OQYANA World First, the first fully master-planned elite island community of the prestigious 'The World' development off the shore of Dubai, has today (Wednesday, May 07, 2008) showcased the luxury islands project, which is the first within The World to adopt its own fully independent utility services island strategically located away from the development, next to the breakwater.

The designated utility island - one of the 22 islands comprising the Australasian continent - will house a power generation plant, reverse osmosis desalination plant, cooling facility, condenser cooling plant, sewage treatment plant, potable water tank, refuel station, maintenance workshops, fire station, admin offices and various accommodations for workers.

Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, Dr. Wadad AlSuwayeh, CEO of OQYANA World First, said: “OQYANA has been meticulously master-planned in all aspects, and we are very pleased to announce our plans for this state-of-the-art utility island, which makes us completely independent and self-sufficient.”

"We have carefully studied the project for three years and have made substantial investments in design, technology, manpower and time to ensure independency and self-sufficiency of OQYANA," added AlSuwayeh.

Epson has announced that it has been recently awarded two of Europe’s most celebrated photo and imaging awards, the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Awards. Epson’s Stylus R1900 professional A3 photo printer was named ‘Best expert photo printer in Europe 2008’, and its flagship wide-format photo printer, the Stylus Pro 11880, was named ‘Best large format printer in Europe 2008’.

TIPA currently has 31 member magazines from twelve countries, making it the largest and most influential photo and imaging press association in Europe. Once a year the highly regarded industry experts of the TIPA panel meet to vote for the best digital imaging products in Europe. The two accolades follow a tradition of success for Epson at the annual TIPA awards.

Khalil El Dalu, General Manager, Epson Middle East, commented: “Epson’s double win at the TIPA awards provides us with another reason to celebrate in 2008. Epson has a heritage of groundbreaking imaging products, and these awards prove that the company remains at the forefront of meeting customer needs and developing landmark products. Epson is delighted to receive these awards and we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of image-making technology in the future.”

Epson was awarded the accolade of ‘Best expert photo printer’ for the second consecutive year and TIPA judges highlighted a number of key features that separate the winning Epson Stylus Photo R1900 from its competition. These include the printer’s seven separate colours, its capability to produce prints up to 13 inches wide on a broad variety of media types from gloss papers to a range of fine art textured media and the 1440 nozzle print head that enables a print resolution of 5760x1440 dpi.

Arabian Gulf Gate (AGG), an Oman-based property developer, has announced its
plans to develop 'Ryad Al Sawadi', an OMR 44 million (AED 420 million)
project, located in the coastal plains of Barkaa state in Oman, which is
expected to attract more regional and global investors to acquire high
quality but competitively-priced properties in the country. With aims of
highlighting the excellent investment opportunities amidst the rapidly
growing economy in the Sultanate,

Enveloped within the coastal countryside 40 kilometres from Muscat, 'Ryad Al
Sawadi' will consist of 190 three- and four-bedroom villas with an average
built-up area of 3,000 sq.ft., in addition to a service block, which is set
to offer 90 furnished apartments, a retail area, a gym and health spa,
various restaurants, and spacious garden and parks amidst the area's natural
valleys. Each of the luxurious villa units, which are currently in the
pre-construction phase, is being offered at a starting price of OMR 130,000,
which will vary according to the size and features of the residential units.
In addition to the developer's commitment to complete the project within 20
months from the start of construction, a convenient payment scheme has also
been devised to ensure investors and end-users are able to purchase the
villa of their choice.

"Our partnership with Arabian Gulf Gate to manage the sales of 'Ryad Al
Sawadi' is part of our aggressive expansion strategy to leverage the booming
property market in Oman," said Ali Al Rahma, CEO, Eqarat.com. "We believe
that the outstanding quality of the project will be the main driver of its
sales, which we intend to further push by highlighting the excellent returns
to high potential customers. By combining the strength of our team of real
estate experts, widespread investor base, planned marketing activities and
professional sales execution, we are optimistic of the results we can
generate for this project."

The 13th edition of AUTOMECH AKHBAR EL YOM, the leading Arab and African trade fair for vehicles, buses, motorcar workshops, service station equipment, automobile spare parts, accessories and feeding industries - being held at the Cairo International Fair Ground, Egypt, from June 5-9, 2008 - is set to attract more than 450,000 trade visitors from Egypt, Sudan, Libya, North Africa, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and the GCC countries. 

 
AUTOMECH, an established business-to-business and business-to-consumer fair, is an important platform for the automotive industry in the region as it presents the latest products, services, technologies and trends for trade markets. Like the previous editions, AUTOMECH 2008 will feature an extensive showcase of cars, buses and trucks, in addition to a wide array of spare parts and vehicle accessories.

The MENA region is a fast-growing market for the automobile industry. Automobiles, automotive spare parts, accessories and components represent a multi million-dollar trade in MENA countries, which have the highest car-per-household ration in the world. The automotive aftermarket segment in the region is valued at over USD 11 billion per year. There are more than 58 million vehicles in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the number is rising at an average rate of 10 per cent as per the latest official figures.

Rabab Ahmed, International Sales Manager, ACG-ITF, organisers of AUTOMECH, said, “The phenomenal growth of the regional automobile industry in recent years has boosted the significance of specialised trade shows like AUTOMECH. With regional governments extensively adopting strategies to diversify their economies, the automobile sector has received substantial support in the form of favourable policies and incentives, which has prompted industry players to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technological developments in the sector. AUTOMECH 2008 will provide an opportunity for participants to be familiar with the very best the regional automobile industry has to offer.”

to offer bespoke retirement and other employee benefit solutions to GCC companies with global aspirations. Daniel O’Riordan, joint CEO of Chesterman-Globaleye Ltd, was the architect of the recently implemented Retirement Plan for the luxury hotel chain Jumeirah Group, a member of Dubai Holding.  O’Riordan said Gulf companies with international ambitions need to upgrade their employee benefits if they want to attract and retain quality staff in increasingly competitive global markets.

“Labour laws in the GCC were drawn up in the 1970s when circumstances were very different; expatriates came here for a few years and then returned home with their gratuities,” said O’Riordan.

“Now that people are buying homes and settling here and will soon be retiring they need to feel they have financial security. Employee benefits schemes play an increasingly-important role in attracting and retaining the right people, especially for organisations looking to expand internationally where such schemes are taken for granted.”

Chesterman has 25 years of experience in international financial management and currently works with blue chip international clients such as InterContinental Hotels Group, British Airways and Raffles/Swissotels, while Globaleye brings 14 years expertise of the GCC market.

Registered in Dubai, Chesterman-Globaleye has all the licences necessary to provide comprehensive financial services and consultancy from retirement and savings plans to health and life insurance. Retirement Plans are tailor-made to suit each company’s unique corporate requirements, while leaving flexibility for individual employees to suit their lifestyle preferences and personal circumstances.

Chesterman-Globaleye is an independent company and has no allegiance to any of the large financial companies it works with.

Arab Business Angels Network (ABAN), a pioneering seed capital fund in the Middle East and a member of Dubai International Capital (DIC), has announced today (Monday, May 5, 2008) during a ceremony at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), that it has launched its first three investments in the Middle East, in a move that seeks to fill the existing equity gap faced by promising entrepreneurs and investors.

The launch of the new investments was concurrently held alongside the 'ABAN Workshop for Entrepreneurs and Investors' and the 'ABAN 2nd Matchmaking Event', which were held from May 4-5, 2008, also at DIFC. The workshop and matchmaking event were initiated by ABAN to enhance the business know-how of budding investors and entrepreneurs, and to significantly improve their chances of obtaining substantial seed funding.

"Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the economy. They help sustain the country's revenues and play a significant role in generating new sources of income, which is essentially what we need in order to move the regional economy forward. ABAN has been leveraging its global partnerships and high-profile connections, particularly as we are a member of Dubai International Capital, to optimise our investments and reach out to more promising entrepreneurs.  As such, we have intensified our drive to encourage new investor members to join our Angels network," said Walid Hanna, CEO, Arab Business Angels Network.

ABAN, which was established by the Young Arab Leaders during the Clinton Global Initiative in September 2005, with DIC as its founder and lead institutional investor, invests through two main investment vehicles: a USD 10 million seed capital fund and USD 5 million fund for women-led ventures targeting regional start-up companies; and through ABAN's network of investor members, who invest with ABAN's assistance in high-potential early stage ventures.

The three early-stage ventures that have secured seed funding commitments from ABAN are HAYATI, which shall provide consumer finance for the healthcare industry in the UAE and KSA; I-level, which offers unique shopper marketing consultancy and solutions in the GCC and Levant; and PinPay, which will develop, deploy and operate an array of wireless payment services out of Lebanon and Egypt. Two of the three start-ups secured ABAN's approval after a successful presentation during the first ABAN Matchmaking Event in February 2008.

The UAE Ministry of Economy, led by Minister H.E. Eng. Sultan Bin Saeed Al
Mansouri, met with Japanese Government and private sector representatives
today (Sunday, May 04, 2008) at the Ministry's Abu Dhabi office to discuss
mutual collaboration in information and communications technology (ICT).

Bilateral trade between the UAE and Japan reached AED 69 billion in the
first half of 2007, with Japan importing more than 30 per cent of its
mineral fuels from the UAE during the same period. The group agreed that
this productive relationship should be further expanded into growth areas
such as ICT; they also exchanged views on the ICT-related policies of their
respective countries and the important role of ICT technologies and services
in societal development.

"IT services spending in the UAE rose 23 per cent to AED 1.86 billion in
2007 and is expected to grow by 15 per cent this year; we thus welcome our
Japanese partners' offer of further expanding this growth industry. Japanese
ICT technologies will also perfectly complement federal efforts to enhance
inter-agency communications and develop the country's ICT infrastructure to
meet burgeoning consumer demand," said H.E. Al Mansouri.

"Our productive relations with Japan reflect our broader commitment to
actively interacting with the global business community. Our efforts were
recently recognized when we were cited as the 30th top trading nation by the
World Trade Organization on account of our impressive AED 1 trillion share
in global trade in 2007. We shall continue to engage in similar activities
which both strengthen our economy and improve the lives of our people,"
concluded H.E. Al Mansouri.

The Swiss Business Council Dubai has recently hosted a joint business
luncheon for local and European members of the Swiss Business Council and
representatives from the Austrian Trade Commission at the Shangri-La Hotel
in Dubai. During the event, H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of
Foreign Trade (MoFT), delivered a speech outlining the UAE's strategic
vision and plan, with H.E. Abdulla Bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary -
MoFT, calling for sustained cooperation between all parties.

The European delegates from Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark,
and the Netherlands discussed the strengthening of ties among their
respective countries with Switzerland and the UAE, and also affirmed their
commitment to the goals of the Swiss British Council. H.E. Al Qasimi
commended the domestic Councils for their important contributions towards
the country's goal of sustained economic growth.

"Our government's vision of progress will further enhance our business
environment and strengthen our external trade. The UAE was able to boost its
share in global trade by AED 150.4 billion to AED 1 trillion in 2007, thus
placing it in the global top 30. I would like to cite the Swiss Business
Councils in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in particular for being instrumental in
promoting business opportunities in the country. These non-profit,
independently managed branches have been aggressively promoting the
interests and activities of companies and individuals with interests between
the UAE and Switzerland," said H.E. Sheikha Lubna.

"As the UAE's newly-appointed Minister of Foreign Trade, I would like to
assure you all of my full commitment to further strengthening our economic
relations. I am currently focusing on key regulatory reforms and intensified
enforcement of trade policies that will improve the UAE's trading
environment. My Ministry is also collaborating with regional leaders to
enhance inter-Gulf trade and thus make this region an even more attractive
international investment and business destination. During my term as
Minister of Economy, I was able to lead the country to double-digit foreign
direct investment growth; I look forward to attaining the same level of
success as we partner for more progress for our respective nations," added
H.E. Sheikha Lubna.

Tanmia, the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority, has announced that it has recently facilitated the employment of 12 UAE professionals with Lloyds TSB, one of the world’s largest banking groups. The employment of the UAE nationals was finalised following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lloyds TSB for the training and employment of UAE nationals.

Abdul Rahman Saqr, Head of Emiratisation at Lloyds TSB said: “This signing illustrates a tangible commitment from both Lloyds TSB and Tanmia to create a number of mutually beneficial opportunities for UAE nationals.  As can be seen from our recent award wins, Emiratisation is a top priority for Lloyds TSB, we understand and appreciate the need to support local talent within an international company.”   

Tanmia's collaboration with Lloyds TSB was one of the highlights of Tanmia's participation at the recently concluded UAE Careers 2008 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where Tanmia signed various MoUs with governmental and private organisations for specialised and advanced training programs as well as employment initiatives for UAE job seekers.

"The strategic plan of the authority is in line with the Federal Government plan that focuses greatly on nationalisation initiatives. We are pleased to strengthen our partnership with Lloyds TSB, which ratified this MoU with the aim of recruiting nationals and providing work opportunities for them," said Feddah Lootah, Acting General Manager, Tanmia.

"This collaboration manifests the commitment of Lloyds TSB in helping the government fulfil its Emiratisation program. We are grateful to Lloyds TSB for signing the MoU as this will contribute to the development of the capabilities and skills of the national human capital. Tanmia also seeks to consolidate the efforts of all institutions in providing the right opportunities to nationals and subsequently supporting Tanmia's nationalisation agenda," added Lootah. 

Tanmia, the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority,
has announced that it is participating in the 7th Career Fair 2008, which
started yesterday (Tuesday, April 29, 2008) at the University of Sharjah.
Tanmia will provide students with the latest developments and trends in the
job market and help them secure relevant resources that will improve their
proficiency and competency in their chosen fields of academic training.

Aside from students, participants at the event also include parents,
National jobseekers, HR managers, training providers, ministry and public
sector personnel and university officials. Tanmia will offer student
participants advice and guidance in their pursuit of appropriate higher
education qualifications, while there are also job matching activities for
UAE national jobseekers and prospective employers.

Feddah Lootah, Acting General Manager, Tanmia, said, "The 7th Career Fair
2008 provides an excellent platform for Tanmia to help students optimise
their career development potential. This activity also contributes
significantly to our Emiratisation program by creating a suitable venue for
us to facilitate the employment of national job seekers according to job
profiles that best suit their skills and qualifications."

The UAE Transport Authority (NTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Maritime City Authority, the world’s first purpose-built maritime centre and a member of the Dubai World Group of companies, to open licensing and registration bureaus for commercial ships, yachts and leisure boats, adding to the City’s goal of promoting the Emirate as a centre of the maritime industry.

The landmark MOU, which was signed by Amer Ali, CEO of Dubai Maritime City; and Dr. Naser Sayf Al Mansori, NTA General Manager, is expected to help streamline the NTA’s ability to monitor and manage marine vessel registration, licensing and other services through Dubai Maritime City’s new bureaus.

Dr. Naser Sayf Al Mansori commented: “We are excited about our partnership with this innovative project, the first-of-its-kind in the region and the world, which has taken on such a significant responsibility. As the UAE’s National Transport Authority, we will do our utmost to support Dubai Maritime City Authority in growing the maritime industry both locally and on a regional level.”

He further added: “Our partnership with Dubai Maritime City Authority will enable us to establish a series of licensing and registration bureaus for ships and leisure boats, which will appeal to a broader segment of the global maritime industry, thus strengthening the UAE’s position as an important port of call in this rapidly growing sector. It will also help us rationalise our overall national transportation strategy, which will positively reflect on the businesses society of the UAE.”

On his part, Amer Ali said: “This MoU will help unify the region’s strong yet still generally segmented maritime sector by establishing world-class standards and marine transportation policies and combine the requirements of boat owners all in one location.”

Dubai eGovernment has announced that the Dubai Department of Islamic Affairs
and Charitable Activities (DICD) has become the 16th government department
to join the AskDubai service, an initiative that facilitates interaction
between the government and its public through a single point of contact.
Through the AskDubai call centre, the public can initially enquire about
prayer timings for any day or month, and in future will also be able to
enquire about various services offered by DICD.   

 
AskDubai is a unified, bilingual (Arabic/English) contact centre connecting
to government departments in Dubai through multi channels including a call
centre, internet chat, e-mail and fax. It integrates key features of
Customer Relationship Management, which has become a crucial component in
many IT-enabled customer care services. AskDubai utilizes industry-leading
technologies that ensure each call gets immediate attention from an agent or
an automated voice response system.
   
Salem Al Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment, said, "With DICD
joining the AskDubai service, the public can have round-the-clock access to
prayer timings for the day. We will extend our total support to DICD through
our well-trained call centre agents who will efficiently respond to queries
of callers."
"The increasing adoption of the AskDubai service by government departments
in Dubai is a reflection of the quality of our services and our relentless
commitment to ease the lives of residents and businesses in the emirate," he
added.
Dr. Hamad Al Shaibani, General Director of Dubai Islamic Affairs and
Charitable Activities Department, said, "We are keen on leveraging the
robust platform of the AskDubai channel to benefit the people of Dubai who
are seeking information on prayer timings and other Islam related topics.
Although initially only the prayer timing service will be available through
AskDubai, in the near future we will be offering a host of Islamic
affairs-related services via this channel, which is known for the efficiency
with which it handles customer queries."