The headquarters of Dubai Chamber. The emirate has established three chambers to develop various economic sectors. Photo: Dubai Chamber
The headquarters of Dubai Chamber. The emirate has established three chambers to develop various economic sectors. Photo: Dubai Chamber
The headquarters of Dubai Chamber. The emirate has established three chambers to develop various economic sectors. Photo: Dubai Chamber
The headquarters of Dubai Chamber. The emirate has established three chambers to develop various economic sectors. Photo: Dubai Chamber

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid issues decrees for Dubai Chambers and appoints boards


Sarmad Khan
  • English
  • Arabic

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has issued several decrees approving a new legal framework for Dubai Chambers and their boards of directors.

The new legislation is intended to help trade bodies to achieve their strategic objectives, support the business community in the emirate and reinforce Dubai’s position as a global economic hub, state news agency Wam said on Monday.

The laws include a decree establishing Dubai Chambers as a new entity that will replace Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and appoints Juma Al Majid as its honorary chairman.

Another decree establishes the board of Dubai Chambers, appointing Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair as its chairman.

Three specialist chambers will “cater to new requirements resulting from the emergence of new economic sectors”, the statement said.

It said the move would help create the “fundamental structural changes necessary for Dubai Chambers to operate effectively in an evolving environment, going beyond traditional models”.

Other decrees establish separate boards for Dubai Chamber of Trade, to be led by Mr Al Ghurair; Dubai Chamber of International Trade with Sultan bin Sulayem as its chairman; and the board for Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy with Omar Al Olama as its chairman.

Under Mr Al Olama’s chairmanship, the board of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy will include Ahmad bin Byat, Hamad Al Mansoori, Khalid Al Tayer, Rashid Al Ghurair; Fadi Ghandour, Mona Ataya, Hend Siddiqui, Rashid Al Abbar, Mansoor bin Habtoor, Ronaldo Mashhour, Muddathir Shaikha, Elissa Freiha and Dany Farha.

The new legal framework will give Dubai Chambers more powers and enable them to create more roles, increasing their effectiveness and strengthening their role in developing sectors such as digital economy and international trade.

The board of Dubai Chambers will be led by Mr Al Ghurair. It includes Faisal Belhoul, Khalid Al Majid Al Muhairi, Omar Al Olama, Omar Al Futtaim, Sultan bin Sulayem; Helal Al Marri, Buti Al Ghandi, Raja Al Gurg, Amina Al Rostamani, Tariq Khansaheb; Raji Chalhoub and Ghassan Al Kibsi.

Dubai Chamber of Trade members include Faisal Belhoul, Khalid Al Majid Al Muhairi, Omar Al Futtaim, Majid Al Shamsi, Mohammed Hussain, Buti Al Ghand; Tariq Khansaheb; Raja Al Gurg, Amina Al Rostamani, Hind bin Kharbash, Raji Chalhoub, Shehab Gargash, Saeed Al Ghurair and Hisham Al Shirawi.

The legislation will enhance Dubai Chambers’ ability to “contribute to the emirate’s strategic economic objectives” and keep pace with changes in the digital economy and international trade, Mr Al Ghurair said.

Dubai has been streamlining its trade and free zones to broaden its economic horizons, boost trade and develop new sectors of the economy.

Last month, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, approved the organisation’s new structure, which is intended to enhance free zone integration.

The emirate’s economy is forecast to expand 3.1 per cent in 2021, helped by effective policy measures that minimised the impact of Covid-19. Its hosting of the six-month Expo 2020 Dubai also spurred economic activity last year and laid foundations for even faster growth momentum this year, according to data released by the Department of Economic Development in September.

The emirate’s gross domestic product is expected to expand by 3.4 per cent this year.

Sheikh Mohammed has appointed Mr bin Sulayem to lead the Dubai Chamber of International Trade board.

Its members include Helal Al Marri, Habib Mulla, Ahmed Al Khalafi, Nabil Habaye; Ghassan Al Kibsi, Mohammed Al Haffar, Rani Raad, Stephen Moss, Mark Willis, Remi Agil, Sanjiv Bhavani, Elissar Antonios, Julia Thomas, May Nasrallah-Merville, Rola Abu Manneh, Anuj Ranjan and Shukri Ali Shukri Eid.

The chamber will “meet the aspirations of the emirate’s business community, realise Dubai’s strategic vision, support the interests of companies, [its] businessmen and investors”, Mr bin Sulayem said.

The decrees seek to develop new generations of trained and qualified businessmen and entrepreneurs who can support the national economy in expanding its global horizons and contribute to achieving Dubai’s ambitious economic vision
Dubai government

The decrees reflect Dubai’s “clear strategic economic vision and the emirate’s keenness to keep pace with developments in the digital economy”, Mr Al Olama said.

The new legislation will create a “supportive legislative framework and an attractive environment for specialised entities and the development of advanced logistical capabilities”, he said.

The framework is aimed at boosting all traditional and emerging business sectors in the emirate and underpins Dubai’s commitment to supporting “national and family corporations by providing a fertile ground for their growth and development into competitive global companies”, the statement said.

“The decrees also seek to develop new generations of trained and qualified businessmen and entrepreneurs who can support the national economy in expanding its global horizons and contribute to achieving Dubai’s ambitious economic vision,” it said.

Businesses and foreign investors will also have opportunities to contribute to the development of trade policies, regulations and legislation under the new framework, strengthening the public-private partnership that has underpinned Dubai’s growth.

“Acknowledging the vital role played by SMEs and entrepreneurs in the national economy, the decrees also seek to provide them tools to develop their business and opportunities to tap local and global markets,” the statement said.

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Tonight's Chat on The National

Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.

Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.

Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

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How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

THE DETAILS

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Dir: Ron Howard

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson

3/5

If you go:

 

Getting there:

Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.

 

Getting around:

Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com

The specs

BMW M8 Competition Coupe

Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8

Power 625hp at 6,000rpm

Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm

Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto

Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec

Top speed 305kph

Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km

Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)

On sale Jan/Feb 2020
 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

Company name: Farmin

Date started: March 2019

Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi 

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: AgriTech

Initial investment: None to date

Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs 

Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press

Getting%20there%20
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THE DEALS

Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m

Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m

Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m

Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m

Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m

TOTAL $485m

SPECS
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

List of alleged parties
  • May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
  • 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
  • Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 
  • Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
  • Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters 
  • Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
  • Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 
Updated: January 10, 2022, 4:21 AM