CPH Post United Arab Emirates Supplement 2019

UNITED ARAB

EMIRATES BRINGING THE WORLD TOGETHER

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AMBASSADOR’S MESSAGE

H.E. FATEMA KHAMIS ALMAZROUEI, AMBASSADOR OF UAE IN DENMARK It has been another remarkable and fruitful year for the United Arab Emirates’ Embassy to Denmark and indeed for the relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Denmark.

With each passing year, our two countries find more common ground and more areas in which we can co-operate and exchange ideas.

Danish-Emirati trade continues to grow, and an increasing number of Danish companies settle in the UAE to expand and grow their businesses. Over the past year, the UAE and Denmark have been brought closer together.

An amazing year Some of the milestones in the growth of the mutual relationship this year are: • It was in Abu Dhabi the newly-elected Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities, Dan Jørgensen, first had the opportunity to present Denmark’s bold and audacious plans to reduce CO2 emissions and fight for a better climate and global sustainability. The UAE is also taking part in the struggle to save the planet from the disastrous effects of climate change. And we work closely together with Danish businesses and policy makers to invent and implement new innovative ways of combating climate change and producing energy in a clean and sustainable way.

• The Dubai-based company DP World last invested in one of Denmark’s biggest companies, Unifeeder, and that endeavour has proven to be successful in 2019.

• Danish tourists travel to the UAE for unique experiences and Dubai remains one of the most popular non-European destinations for Danish tourists. Meanwhile, Emirati delegations travel to Denmark for new ideas and solutions. The exchange of culture and ideas has never been more frequent.

• Danish athletes won an impressive 52 medals at the Special Olympics World Games 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Denmark was represented by more athletes than ever before: 89 plus 27 coaches and staff!

Special times ahead 2020 will be a special year for the United Arab Emirates. In October in Dubai, the first World Expo ever in the Middle East, Africa or South Asia region is welcoming more than 200 participants and 25 million visitors for 173 days of food, music, technology, art, science, culture, diversity and international co-operation.

It will be the world’s greatest show of human brilliance and achievement, and I am proud to be leading the work to make

sure Denmark and Danish ideas and visions receive the attention they deserve at the Expo 2020.

Tolerance together For the Embassy, the year 2019 has been an eventful and busy year– and also a year of reflection and tolerance.

Throughout the United Arab Emirates, The Year of Tolerance has been celebrated by promoting understanding and respect between cultures and people. Pope Francis’ historic three-day visit to Abu Dhabi in February was a good example.

The UAE Embassy in Copenhagen also launched an array of activities and events throughout 2019 in the name of The Year of Tolerance. I visited Copenhagen’s synagogue in Krystalgade and the Embassy arranged a symposium on religious tolerance featuring different religious leaders in Denmark.

As an Ambassador it is my job to aid understanding, friendship and co-operation between countries, and I am proud and honoured to be doing that in Denmark on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.

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YEAR OF TOLERANCE:

ROBUST ROOTS

This year has proved culturally fruitful for the United Arab Emirates. When His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, proclaimed 2019 to be ‘The Year of Tolerance’, it expanded the scope and opportunities for communication, and dialogue soon became a mission for the entire country.

WITH A PAPAL VISIT, WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION AND THE SYMBOL OF TOLERANCE Following the theme of tolerance, the SPECIAL OLYMPICS, THE UAE Emirates’ national symbol of the Ghaf tree has naturally become the symbol HAS SURPASSED CULTURAL of the year. Why? Because it’s possibly the sturdiest plant of the desert environMILESTONES ENTERING INTO ment, evergreen, and well-known for its THE FINAL STRETCH OF ITS tolerance. It can be seen growing on low sand dunes in the emirates of Abu Dha‘ANNUS MAGNANIMITY’. JUST bi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.

LIKE THE SEEDS OF THE GHAF These trees are a source of stability, genand sustainability. The abilities of TREE, ALL OF ITS PROJECTS AND erosity this extraordinary plant, then, are easSOLUTIONS WILL SPREAD AND ily associated with progressive vision of the UAE. BLOSSOM INTO FRUIT 4

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PAPAL VISIT

The UAE turned into a global capital for tolerance and peace during the visit of Pope Francis in February this year. It was a joyous reunion between the Church and the UAE as, three years prior, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met the Pope in Rome.

During his visit, Pope Francis visited the Founder’s Memorial and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, where for the first time a Pope met the Muslim Council of Elders. Together with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s most prestigious seat of learning, he signed the ‘Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together’.

As the Emirates is home to nearly a million Catholics, the Papal mass was the most-awaited event of the visit. And more than 100,000 people had the honour of attending it.

HOSTING THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS The Special Olympic World Summer Games took place in Abu Dhabi in March. It was the first time that the games have been held in the Middle East. It was indeed a diverse gathering with 7,000 participants representing 190 countries, as more than 500,000 spectators gathered to witness their strength and persistence, unique deep-rooted values, and intercultural acceptance on the international scene.

The UAE Ambassador to Denmark, Fatema Khamis Al Mazrouei, emphasised: “The Special Olympics was an ideal opportunity to create a space for inclusion and community, where everyone involved is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability. In this way, the Games empower people with intellectual disabilities, and reduces discrimination, through participation in sports.�

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CHAMPIONING WOMEN’S RIGHTS

This year also marked the UAE’s progressive step towards promoting women’s rights and leadership. It was decreed by the UAE president that women are to fill at least 50 percent of the elected seats on the Federal National Council (FNC).

As a result the Abu Dhabi Committee witnessed a significant turnout from empowered Emirati women.

Among the 555 applications, more than 180 were submitted from women. It is a meaningful increase since 2015, when 78 female candidates were willing to try for a seat on the UAE’s legislative body.

FNC Election Day also saw a record turnout among UAE citizens. Across the seven emirates, 39 voting centres had to remain open for an additional hour to ensure those still in line could have their say at the ballot box.

FIRST HINDU TEMPLE

The Hindu residents of Abu Dhabi will no longer have to travel out of the region to offer their prayers, as it was officially decided that the first BAPS Hindu Mandir temple will be located just 30 minutes outside of the UAE capital.

The ritual of shilanyas – the laying of the foundation stones ceremony – gathered more than 2,500 people from different parts of the world in April. The first phase of construction – including community centres, halls and exhibition spaces in the sprawling complex – will be carried out by next year.

Work on the hand-crafted marble and sandstone shrine is expected to be completed by 2022, by which point the symbolic house, bringing human beings and gods together, will be set to welcome worshippers.

FUTURE OF OPENNESS

This year’s legacy has left an incredible number of achievements in its wake. All of its projects and solutions, just like the seeds of the Ghaf tree, will spread and blossom into fruit.

The UAE perfectly exemplifies a country that has managed to attract more than 9 million people from more than 200 nationalities around the world.

Moreover, the country has managed to build a peaceful and open society that will inspire the rest of the world to promote inclusive institutions and open discourse.

Ambassador Al Mazrouei summed up her country’s progress when she said: “The spirit of tolerance and respect with which the UAE treats all faiths and cultures is a fundamental aspect of its public policies.

This has been a central part of the country’s vision right from the beginning.”

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LIKE FATHER, LIKE NATION

H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei visited the Jewish Synagogue in Copenhagen where she met with Rabbi Jair Melchio

UAE EMBASSY ENSURING ITS YEAR OF TOLERANCE IS INSPIRING DANES WIDE AND FAR The UAE Embassy’s Year of Tolerance could have just as well taken place in 1972, the country’s first complete year as a nation, such was the welcoming nature of its founding Father, H.H. Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

His was a strong belief that the UAE should welcome all nationalities and religions in order to strengthen the nation’s role of encouraging stability and prosperity in the region.

During its 2019 Year of Tolerance, the country has enjoyed a historic papal visit, hosted the Special Olympics, permitted the building of a Hindu temple in its domain, and tirelessly promoted diversity and gender equality – to the extent that half its Parliament’s politicians are female.

H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei visited Nørre Fælled School

EMBASSY EFFORTS

The Year of Tolerance has not been restricted to the borders of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, as embassies around the World and in Copenhagen have been busy marking the year with a host of events and special visits.

The efforts of the UAE Ambassador to Denmark, Fatema Khamis Almazrouei, to raise awareness of the year have not so much been about promoting but sharing, as they have put her into contact with all walks of Danish life, from its children to senior religious figures, to increase cultural understanding and positive integration between the UAE and Denmark.

Almazrouei is simply following the founding father’s example:

“History and the principles and values of Sheikh Zayed have contributed to making Emirati society renowned for its inherent heritage of tolerance, peace, multiculturalism, openness and coexistence with others.”

H.H. Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

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H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei visited Centerbørnehaven Kindergarten

H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei held an iftar as a part of the Year of Tolerance

H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei was the special guest at the 1st race at Klampenborg Galopbane on September 1

Ambassador Almazrouei met 89 Danish athletes from Parasport Denmark in Vejen in southern Jutland on January 26 ahead of their departure to the Special Olympic World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi

In the company of a number of prominent figures from many religions, H.E Fatema Khamis Almazrouei promoted UAE as a role model for tolerance H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei met with Denmark´s Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod

H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei held an Iftar feast, which was attended by the accredited Heads of Arabic and Islamic missions in Denmark

H.E. Fatema Khamis Almazrouei met with Henrik Dam Kristensen, the speaker of the Danish Parliament UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

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SAADIYAT ISLAND’S CULTURAL DISTRICT IN ABU DHABI IS FULFILLING ITS AMBITION TO ASSEMBLE THE WORLD’S MOST DISTINGUISHED ARTS CLUSTER

ALL EYES ON ABU DHABI The honeymooning couple spent the afternoon admiring the work of Magritte, Monet and Matisse at La Louvre, along with the genius of Gauguin, Van Gogh and Da Vinci.

You’d be forgiven for thinking they were in Paris.

But then it is revealed that the lovebirds visited the Guggenheim on the same day. Paris to New York?

Now, Concorde is fast, but didn’t they decommission it?

Photo: Freepik

The answer is none of the above, as the couple were visiting Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District in Abu Dhabi, a 27 billion dollar art hub with plans to house the largest single cluster of world-class cultural assets on the planets.

BRIDGING THE GAP

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi contemporary arts museum hasn’t opened yet, but the Louvre Abu Dhabi has. Also in the pipeline is the Zayed National Museum, which will be designed in adherence to the standards of Lord Norman Foster.

Inaugurated in 2017, the government has spared no expense

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Photo: Wikiemirati

in its pursuit of excellence, spending around 600 million dollars on the construction of the 24,000 sqm Louvre AD, 500 million on acquiring the name and 750 million on consultancy fees and acquisitions.

La Louvre AD’s aim is to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western art, which the late French President Jacques Chirac describes as a “vocation to reach out to the world, to the essence of mankind, through the contemplation of works of art”.

OPERA AND ORIGINATION

La Louvre AD isn’t the only museum making waves in the UAE. Scheduled to open later this year is the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

As well as being a museum of innovation and design, the centre will serve as an inventions hotspot as part of the country’s mission to be a global innovation engine.

And the culture doesn’t stop with the museums. Next year will see the premiere of ‘Al Wasl’, the nation’s first ever opera, which is a key component of Expo 2020 Dubai’s cultural programming.

FIRMLY ON DENMARK’S RADAR

UAE Embassy in Denmark

The United Arab Emirates may be a young country with a modest population of just under 10 million people, but the seven emirates that formed it in 1971 have a long and successful history of trade built on a strong international outlook and adapting to challenges.

In less than 50 years, the UAE has built one of the world’s strongest economies and become one of the world’s foremost commercial and touristic hubs.

Its purchasing power is great, and the country’s geographical position is an ideal location for re-exports, as the regional market surrounding the UAE provides access to almost 2 billion people in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

POISED TO CAPITALISE

Danish businesses have already caught on to this and, as the word spreads, more and more are becoming interested in working in the UAE. Small Danish businesses like the Dubaibased lifestyle brand Privilee have taken the leap, while the Aarhus-based architecture firm CEBRA has established an office in Abu Dhabi.

As the word spreads, more and more Danish businesses become interested in working in the UAE. Small Danish businesses like the Dubai-based lifestyle brand Privilee have taken the leap, while

Photo: © News Øresund - Johan Wessman

LEADING DANISH COMPANIES SUCH AS NOVO NORDISK ARE TAKING A KEEN INTEREST IN THE POTENTIAL OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE UAE the Aarhus-based architecture firm CEBRA has established an office in Abu Dhabi. Denmark’s biggest companies, of course, are also taking advantage of UAE’s many business opportunities. Novo Nordisk is one of them.

IDEAL CONDITIONS

Novo Nordisk Pharma Gulf was established in the UAE in 2004. In 2015, Novo Nordisk UAE became an independent affiliate.

Over the years, Novo Nordisk has enjoyed annual growth of 20 percent to become the eighth largest pharma company in the UAE. From its regional office in Dubai, Novo manages activities in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, bringing it one step closer to the rest of the world.

• Almost 1,500 Danish trademarks have been registered in the UAE. Additionally, more than 100 Danish companies have established themselves in the UAE. • Trade between Denmark and UAE continues to increase, with the total trade volume reaching approximately 13 billion kroner a year.

• The goods that Denmark exports to the UAE are classic Danish export strongholds such as pharmaceuticals, food, agriculture, sustainability and renewable energy.

WELL LOCATED

“The whole society has been built around attracting foreigners. This means that it is a country that is very easy to move to and live in for an expat,” enthuses Frederik Kier, Novo’s Senior Vice President for Africa, Asia, Middle East & Oceania. Some 80 percent of the population are foreign-born, according to Kier.

According to Kier, Novo Nordisk UAE is not only a great place to work – it was recently awarded a ‘Best Place to Work’ award by Best Companies – but it is ideally located as well.

“You find a lot of international schools and we also have a large Danish community where people meet at Christmas, Easter etc. And you also find a qualified and diverse workforce with people from all over the world.”

“The country also offers free zones where it is easier and cheaper for companies to register. When companies can work freely and easily in a market, they can focus on improving work conditions for their employees.”

“Dubai is a regional hub for many companies as you have flight connections to all over the world,” he contends.

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SURPRISING MANY PEOPLE

The opportunities for Danish companies have caught the attention of Dansk Industri, which in the spring of 2018 organised a delegation led by the Environment and Food Ministry, which included 35 Danish companies.

“Dubai is a fast growing economy. At the same time, Dubai is also a cultural melting pot,” observed DI executive Leif Nielsen.

As the second biggest importer of Danish goods in the Middle East and “an increasing demand for Danish solutions”, he added, the UAE already is on the lips of Danish business leaders.

A GULF APART

Nielsen’s colleague Peter Thagesen, the Director of International Market Policy, agrees.

“They are transforming their economy, and to many people’s surprise they focus especially on sustainability,” he told DI’s own magazine DI Business.

BIG FOCUS NEXT YEAR

Businesses in Denmark and around the world will be able to see the UAE’s efforts to promote sustainability next year at the Expo 2020 in Dubai.

One of the main themes of the Expo in Dubai will be sustainability. Actually, Expo 2020 aspires to be the most sustainable in history, with clearly defined goals for reduced water consumption, clean energy resources, waste reduction, and the smallest carbon footprint possible.

Welcoming 25 million visitors from over 192 countries to the world’s greatest show over a period of six months, and doing so sustainably and responsibly, is an enormous task and a huge challenge.

But the UAE is determined to rise to that challenge – not bad for a country that is only 48 years old.

Known for its hydrocarbon economy, the UAE is the biggest contributor to renewable energy in the Gulf region.

As a signatory of the Paris agreement, participant at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York and host of a UN Climate Meeting this summer in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates stands tall among nations in its commitment to action against climate change.

Since fully embracing the economic opportunities in global collaborative investment in climate action, the UAE has implemented forward-thinking policies.

The impressive Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Plant, along with the plans underway for an even bigger plant, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park, have been a significant milestone in the UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050, which will aim to reduce the carbon footprint from its power generation by 70 percent, whilst raising the contribution of clean energy to above 50 percent.

SIGNIFICANT CLIMATE SUMMIT

The two-day UN climate meeting held in Abu Dhabi from 30 June to 1 July this year drew attention to the critical dangers of global warming, whilst forming an agenda for the subsequent UN Climate Summit in New York with the purpose of increasing efforts to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement.

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HOW THE UAE IS STEALING A MARCH ON ITS NEIGHBOURS IN THE REGION IN THE FIELDS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AND FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE

NOOR ABU DHABI SOLAR PLANT

In an eight square km site in the Abu Dhabi desert close to the small town of Sweihan are 32 million solar panels.

The Noor Solar Plant, the world’s largest single site has been powering 90,000 homes since June 2019.

Furthermore, in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change, the plant reduces CO2 emissions by 1 million metric tonnes a year – the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road.

The 872 million US dollar project has advanced the country by 10 years, according to Jorge Perea, executive managing director of Noor Abu Dhabi.

A simple curved design maximises the sunlight exposure of the panels at a given time. As a commercial venture, it receives no subsidies. The focus of the solar plant is maximum efficiency while maintaining a tight budget. The customers in turn pay a record low amount of just 2.42 US cents per kilowatt hour.

The next solar plant planned for Al Dhafra will be even bigger, and it will help the UAE achieve its 50 percent clean energy target by 2050.

MOHAMMED BIN RASHID SOLAR PARK Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN Secretary General’s special envoy for the UN Summit in September, said the UN Abu Dhabi climate conference had laid the groundwork for the summit, whilst working towards the 2020 goal for countries to pledge their specific action plan to cut greenhouse emissions by 45 percent by 2030.

It was concluded at the climate meeting that action would be taken in the UAE to reduce the emissions released by the energy, transport and industry sectors, most notably by phasing out coal power in a few years.

Funding will be provided to developing countries to fight climate change. In this regard, from 2020 some 100 billion US dollars will be raised every year from public and private sources.

Furthermore, the importance of youth leaders was stressed in its effort to convince the older, more sceptical generation about the importance of fighting climate change, as

well as the need to focus on health aspects in light of medical and humanitarian costs.

STRONG SUPPORT FOR IRENA

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) was a key participant among the global leaders at the September UN Climate Action Summit in New York – and part of its funding originates from the UAE. In unison with heads of states, leaders of business and civil society, Director-General Francesco La Camera, reiterated IRENA’s support of the world’s most vulnerable nations, including small island developing states (SIDS). Lighthouse initiatives by SIDS are to receive new financial support from Denmark, Germany, Norway and the UAE. La Camera also recently launched the Climate Investment Platform to ready financial resources for the change, thus supporting SIDS and other developing countries to access capital when faced with climate change disasters.

Dubai is on track to produce 7 percent of its electricity from solar power by 2020 and to hit its target of meeting 75 percent of its needs from solar and other renewable sources by 2050, whilst adhering to the UAE’s clean energy strategy.

The 900 MW Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park will be the fifth phase of a spreading solar plant in Dubai. It will have 5 gigawatts of installed capacity by 2030.

To date the contractor has been selected based on its record low bid, according to Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park, but he did not divulge the contractor’s name.

The Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) required offers of less than 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour, with the tender coming in at 1.7 cents per kilowatt hour.

Once completed, the UAE will be the biggest renewable energy contributor in the Gulf region according to IRENA.

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EXPO 2020:

WORLDWIDE

CELEBRATION UAE SETS THE STANDARD FOR AN ACHIEVABLE, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE — LEADING BY THE FLOURISHING EXAMPLE OF DUBAI The first World Expo was organised by British consort Prince Albert at the Crystal Place in Hyde Park in London in 1851. But despite its almost 170-year history, the global event had never been hosted by a country in the Middle East before, or even an Arab state.

But all that will change when the UAE opens its doors on October 20 for Expo 2020 Dubai, an event running to April 10 that will incorporate 192 countries and welcome 25 million visitors.

ULTIMATE INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM

Expo 2020 Dubai is the 105th Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) World Expo – a fleeting miniature world created to interact with other countries and establish economic opportunities.

Historically, each Expo has chosen themes and invites countries and international organisations to stimulate a dynamic and progressive development within the host city.

As an international platform, an Expo encourages discussion to find solutions to humanity challenges, seeks ideas, and exchanges best practices. Expos play a big role in public diplomacy by enabling co-operation and mutual learning through various intellectual and cultural events.

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OPPORTUNITY, MOBILITY, SUSTAINABILITY

Under the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, three sub-themes prop up the Expo’s focus on futuristic innovation: opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Hundreds of pavilions, offering interactive exhibits to live entertainment, constitute the three sub-themes, with countries choosing to set up their own pavilions under these three districts.

The Opportunity Pavilion aims to inspire visitors with motivation and ways to shape a better future. Visitors will be placed in a simulation-game environment where they have to ponder basic needs like water, food and energy to change their own communities. The pavilion is built from organic materials such as timber, 2,500 tonnes of stone and 111 km of woven rope.

The Expo’s venue District 2020 is nearly complete. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified gold buildings have been strategically built to be smart and sustainable, covering more than 200,000 sqm and placed alongside a 45,000 sqm greenfield area.

The Sustainability Pavilion highlights a balanced lifestyle and alternative sources for food, water and renewable energy.

Canada, for example, will feature a 360-degree theatre, while the Netherlands will showcase a cone-shaped innovative vertical farm, where water, food and energy are harvested.

The Expo’s buildings, which are located between the crosspoints of five large airports and seaports, are accessible to vehicles via four major highways. The Dubai Metro stop is also connected to the Expo.

MOST SUSTAINABLE EVER

To accomplish the Dubai Plan 2021, the UAE Vision 2021 and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Expo has produced explicit and innovative strategies on creating a sustainable exhibition.

Clean energy from renewable resources will be produced, while moisture in the air will be converted into the water to minimise portable water consumption.

The Expo site itself was built with sustainable building materials, minimising the exploitation of natural resources.

Throughout its duration, the Expo will reuse and recycle waste into fertiliser or souvenir t-shirts.

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VENUE AND MASCOTS

The Mobility Pavilion aspires to facilitate a smarter movement of data, ideas and goods. Within this district, countries present novel techniques and ideas such as solar-powered art (France), wooden gorges (Finland) and the world’s best fries (Belgium).

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The building will become a residential and commercial neighbourhood as well as a workplace and community after the Expo.

In District 2020, Expo mascots will greet visitors. Rashid, a nine-year-old astronomy enthusiast, and Rashid, an eightyear-old referred to as the next Einstein will represent the fight against climate change.

The wise ghaf tree Salama, whose branches have witnessed the formation of the UAE, will pass on knowledge to Rashid and Latifa.

Meanwhile, Alif, Opti and Terra are the guardians of the pavilions, where they will help the visitors to optimise their experience at the Expo.

THE EMBASSY’S EFFORTS The UAE Embassy in Copenhagen hosted an event where the Ambassador, Danish Consul General Jens Alsbirk, representatives from the EXPO2020, Dubai-based head of the Danish Business Pavilion Businessman Jens Lund, and around 50 Danish business leaders came together to discuss Denmark’s participation in the Expo. The UAE embassy has put in a lot of effort in trying to ensure the biggest Danish participation possible.

PROMOTING LONG-TERM GROWTH

According to a report by Ernst & Young Middle East (Dubai Branch), the Expo is a long-term investment for the UAE that stimulates the job market directly and indirectly.

The report assesses its investment and potential impact by three time periods: pre-Expo (201320), during-Expo (2020-21) and legacy (2021-31).

While 40.1 billion UAE dirham (UAED) is required to establish the infrastructure for the Expo, most of the infrastructure is expected to remain in Dubai for future use. The economy will be boosted to the tune of 122.6 billion dirham between 2018 and 2031, and around 905,200 full-time jobs will be generated, contributing 1.5 percent to the UAE GDP over a year’s time.

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FIRST EMIRATI IN SPACE HAZZAA ALMANSOORI LAST MONTH RETURNED FROM HIS ISS MISSION TO A HERO’S WELCOME IN ABU DHABI The Soviet Union got the ball rolling in 1961 when Yuri Gagarin became the first man to leave Earth’s atmosphere, and it didn’t take the USA long to follow suit.

However, while the Soviet missions took astronauts from a further ten countries into space over the following decades, the Western nations were made to wait until 1983 until the US offered space on one of theirs to a West German spaceman.

Denmark became number 39 in 2015, and Kazakhstan a close 40th, as both countries achieved the milestone on the same day – and now the UAE has joined the party at number 41st, placing it in select company among a fifth of the world’s nations.

HISTORIC MILESTONE

On 25 September 2019, astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori became the first Emirati to enter space, and in doing so the UAE became only the third member of the Arab League to accomplish the feat.

To celebrate the event, pictures of the launch were projected onto the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world.

In space, AlMansoori’s mission took him to the International Space Station, and while he worked on his tasks (which included 16 experiments) he made 128 orbits around the Earth, covering a distance of 4.9 million km.

He then returned to Star City, Moscow, for medical tests before returning to his homeland.

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HERO’S WELCOME

When AlMansoori touched down at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi on October 12, he was given a hero’s welcome by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, countless other dignitaries and his own family.

“Hazzaa has reflected the bright image of the UAE and its people to the entire world and reaffirmed our country’s leadership and determination to participate in advancing the human development,” proclaimed Sheikh Mohammed.

“The Emirati team has worked hand in hand and in one spirit to bring about one goal: to bring glory to the UAE in the international arena.”

The UAE Space Programme harbours ambitions to one day send a mission to Mars.

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