This year, the UAE celebrates two remarkable milestones: the 10th Emirati Women’s Day and 50 years since the founding of the General Women’s Union – a cornerstone in advancing women’s roles across our nation.
Fifty years ago, the idea of Emirati women becoming astronauts, ministers or innovators might have seemed unimaginable. Today, it is our reality. August 28 is more than a date on the calendar; it is a celebration of vision, determination and transformative progress.
The story of Emirati women is one of ambition, resilience and enduring contribution to the nation. These milestones celebrate past achievements but also send a clear message: Emirati women will continue to stand at the forefront of our nation’s story, as equal partners in every success.
Women have always been central to the UAE’s progress. As an Emirati woman, mother and diplomat, I understand the breadth of roles we carry and the responsibilities they entail.
Emirati Women’s Day is an opportunity to honour those who laid the foundation, most importantly the leadership of President Sheikh Mohamed who carries forward the legacy of our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, by championing gender equality and women’s empowerment. The inspirational guidance of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, president of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and supreme chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, has nurtured a culture where Emirati daughters are encouraged not only to dream but to lead.
The past five decades have witnessed transformative change. Women now lead as the majority of Stem graduates, driving the UAE’s progress in science, technology, business, diplomacy and a wide range of key sectors. They are innovators, decision-makers and trailblazers, challenging outdated norms while inspiring others to dream boldly and act decisively.
This progress is especially evident in diplomacy, where understanding and dialogue are increasingly essential. Our female diplomats embody this mission.
This year alone, we witnessed many inspiring examples of Emirati women’s leadership. The publication of the autobiography of Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, titled When Ground Shifts, reflects her pioneering leadership of Expo 2020 Dubai, one of the 21st century’s most remarkable international events. The election of Shaikha Al Nowais as secretary general of UN Tourism – the first woman to hold this position since its founding in 1975. And the appointment of Sana Suhail as Minister of Family in the newly established Ministry of Family, which underscores the UAE’s commitment to family as the cornerstone of societal strength, national values and the nation’s long-term development vision.
Fifty years ago, the idea of Emirati women becoming astronauts, ministers or innovators might have seemed unimaginable. Today, it is our reality
These achievements are just the beginning. I am privileged to lead a team largely composed of talented young Emirati women whose dedication and vision embody the future of our diplomacy. Emirati women across business, academia, science and government continue to break barriers and build on the foundations laid by pioneers before them.
Next month, as world leaders gather at the UN General Assembly, Emirati women will take a leading role in critical global dialogues – from tackling climate change and advancing peacebuilding to championing sustainable development. Their voices and vision are essential in shaping a prosperous and equitable future. They embody not only the aspirations of our nation but also the hopes of women worldwide striving for equality and respect.
These inspiring women have the steadfast support of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, whose leadership reinforces the UAE’s commitment to advancing women’s meaningful roles in diplomacy and governance.
As we look ahead, the path before us is clear. Emirati women have moved beyond reaching for the stars – they are charting the course by which our nation will continue to shine with inclusivity, innovation and opportunity. Backed by the unwavering commitment of our leadership, women will remain at the heart of our nation’s success, carrying the UAE’s story of progress onto the global stage.
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
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What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)
Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15
Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)
Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49
