Dubai is gearing up for the Expo, scheduled to start on October 1. Preparations have been underway since the emirate won the rights to hold the event back in November, 2013. It will be a first for the Middle East.
Few envisaged the circumstances within which the Expo would eventually take place. It will be the first pandemic-era global mega-event to be permit the physical entry of visitors, after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics went ahead without spectators.
Holding Expo during a global pandemic will be no mean feat. Nevertheless, Dubai has been open for tourists since July 2020 and has managed a highly effective vaccination campaign. Restrictions were tightened when cases surged and eased later. The UAE has the highest vaccination rate in the world, with more than 90 per cent of the population having received at least one dose.
From Oct 2020, the UAE opened to host multiple global conferences and sports events, though at a smaller scale than Expo – with other major events on the horizon like the Indian T20 IPL championship matches, T20 Cricket World Cup and Formula 1, among others. Of course, having a well-connected airport will be critical in this regard: two thirds of the world’s population lives within an eight-hour flight from Dubai, and a third lives within four hours.
Expo 2020 is expected to have a greater number of visitors using international travel than any Expo before it. Even though passenger traffic at Dubai’s international airport plummeted from 86.4 million people in 2019 to 25.9 million in 2020, it was ranked the world’s busiest airport for international passengers, and passengers are expected to rise to over 28 million this year.
The travel industry reports a surge in ticket demand following the recent announcement of entry for all World Health Organisation-approved vaccinated persons into the UAE. Nearly one third of the world's borders remain closed, and with “pandemic fatigue” settling in, Expo 2020 might just be the outlet for vaccinated people itching for international travel.
Dubai Airport's passenger traffic is expected to rise to 28 million this year. Reem Mohammed/The National
The UAE has the highest vaccination rate in the world
Hosting such mega-events is typically found to be a drain on country or city budgets. For the recently concluded spectator-free Tokyo Olympics, the official budget by 2019 stood at $12.6 billion (a 2013 estimate predicted it would be $7.5bn), though the audit board places the amount as at least double. In the Expo’s case this year, where visitors are allowed entry, one must also have to account for additional spending given the Covid-19 countermeasures, including testing, adapting to social distancing policies, etc.
However, the economic case for hosting such events is based on a number of elements: the increase in economic activity, such as infrastructure investment and spillovers, job creation, event-related revenues, a rise in tourism and spending. This is supported by enhancement to key tourism infrastructure, for example the extension of the Dubai Metro to the Expo and roads to and from hotels near the Expo. All of this contributes to building the intangible “Dubai brand”, as well as other qualitative and social impacts including the strengthening of trade and business with global counterparts, and the “feel-good” factor – more important during a pandemic when trying to return to “normal”.
Expo 2020 has prioritised health and safety guidelines (including a mask mandate), and plans to dazzle the rest of the world with its AI-assisted queue and crowd controls and roving paramedics. A trial period earlier this year saw these practices being tested as residents previewed the area. While this should put visitors’ minds at ease, we expect that the Expo will benefit from UAE residents’ multiple visits (domestic) in addition to those from major regional and international source countries, such as India, Saudi Arabia, EU, UK and Russia.
Having hosted 2.5 million overnight visitors in the first half of 2021, and 5.51 million persons in 2020, Dubai has already gained sufficient experience to safely secure visitors and manage events during a pandemic. Expo 2020 is just scaling that experience up.
High immunisation rates and the easing of restrictions allowing for tourists’ entry, along with the ability to host global conferences, entertainment and sporting events have already boosted the confidence of consumers and businesses enabling a recovery from Covid-19. Consider the UAE’s non-oil sector PMI: at 54 in July, this was the highest reading since Jul 2019; it has already improved to an average reading of 52.2 in the first half of this year versus 50.2 in the second half of 2020, thanks to the pace of vaccination, policy stimulus to domestic demand and recovery in employment. Tourism numbers and hotel occupancy rates have been picking up, despite having restricted entry from India (during its Covid-19 wave), UK (since UAE was placed on UK’s Red and Amber lists requiring mandatory “quarantine on return”) and direct travel from Saudi Arabia still suspended. Higher frequency indicators like mobility, traffic and money supply growth also indicate a broad-based recovery.
Standing at a few weeks countdown to the launch of the Expo, the 192 pavilions, around 50,000 employed and the related infrastructure are ready to receive the world. A successfully run event will boost Dubai's and the UAE's image as a global frontrunner in safely hosting large-scale events during the pandemic era.
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
How to apply for a drone permit
Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request
What are the regulations?
Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Federer's 19 grand slam titles
Australian Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Marat Safin; 2006 bt Marcos Baghdatis; 2007 bt Fernando Gonzalez; 2010 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Rafael Nadal
French Open (1 title) - 2009 bt Robin Soderling
Wimbledon (8 titles) - 2003 bt Mark Philippoussis; 2004 bt Andy Roddick; 2005 bt Andy Roddick; 2006 bt Rafael Nadal; 2007 bt Rafael Nadal; 2009 bt Andy Roddick; 2012 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Marin Cilic
US Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Lleyton Hewitt; 2005 bt Andre Agassi; 2006 bt Andy Roddick; 2007 bt Novak Djokovic; 2008 bt Andy Murray
