Businesses have started to relocate in droves to Dubai’s Expo City – the legacy site of the world’s fair – with around 3,000 employees from local and global organizations expected to be working on-site by September.
Before the world fair closed last year, Expo 2020 announced plans to transform the vast site into UAE’s first ‘15-minute city’ – meaning it will be possible to walk or cycle throughout the sprawling site without the need of a car.
Last year, Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid also said the site would become a “hub of economic activity” and home to major companies and their headquarters, served by the nearby Dubai World Central airport and the metro link to the city center.
And businesses have taken note.
International businesses, organizations and educational institutions, with around 3,000 employees, will have established offices at Expo City Dubai by September, to make the site their new home.
Manal al-Bayat, chief engagement officer at Expo City Dubai, said: “Organizations of all sizes, across a myriad of sectors and from all around the world are crucial to Expo City’s legacy plans and take forward Expo 2020 Dubai’s purpose to connect minds and create the future. We’re honored to welcome such a diverse group of partners, and strive to connect and inspire these businesses, enabling them to thrive, and supporting their growth aspirations.”
Anchor tenants and new businesses setting up their operations include DP World, Emirates Airline, Siemens Energy, Siemens Industrial, Terminus Group, Engie and Gratiya Consultancy, while former country pavilions from Expo 2020 Dubai will find new purpose, with the University of Wollongong Data Science, Discovery and Innovation Centre in the Australia Pavilion, FinGulf LLC in the Finland Pavilion and the China Pavilion continuing to support China-UAE relations and business development.
Sir Tim Clark, president of Dubai’s Emirates Airline, said the airline was “proud to contribute to Expo’s legacy at Expo City Dubai” by transforming its dedicated Emirates Pavilion which featured in the world fair into a bespoke space for the Emirates Group Innovation and Emerging Technologies Centre.
“This will serve as a base for our innovation team, a venue for events, and also a space for global partners to collaborate with us on projects that will propel our vision for aviation and travel.”
Expo City aims to connect Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs and SMEs, as well as government, academia and research institutions, to drive the growth of Expo City and enhance Dubai’s position as a global center of trade.
The developments, which include apartments, townhouses, and villas, offer residents a unique opportunity to be part of the long-term vision of an incredible World Expo and to live in the heart of its legacy city – an integral hub in the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.
As well as office and residential space, the legacy site will have 10km of cycling tracks, a 5km running track, children’s playgrounds and 45,000 square meters of parks and gardens.
Last month, a report from EY predicted that Expo 2020 Dubai and its legacy are expected to contribute $42.2 billion of gross value added (GVA) to the UAE’s economy from 2013 to 2042.
The World Expo, which welcomed 24.1 million visits during its six-month run, is also expected to support approximately 1,039,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) job-years, equal to more than 35,000 FTE jobs per annum in the UAE over the same period.
The sectors contributing most to GVA – a measure of economic productivity – are events organization and business services ($20.6 billion), construction ($8.7 billion), and restaurants and hotels ($6.3 billion). The pre-event phase contributed around one quarter of GVA, the event itself added almost 13 per cent, while the lion’s share of economic benefits – 62 percent – will be felt in the legacy phase through to 2042.
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies
H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.
During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.
He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.
The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.
At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books
As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”
Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.
Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.
Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.
Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.
Automation
The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.
Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.
US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79
US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.
In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.
He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.
President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.