• Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Rio de Janeiro. All photos: Abu Dhabi Media Office
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Rio de Janeiro. All photos: Abu Dhabi Media Office
  • Discussions focused on ways to enhance bilateral relations, as agreements in investment and international co-operation fields were signed
    Discussions focused on ways to enhance bilateral relations, as agreements in investment and international co-operation fields were signed
  • Sheikh Khaled will remain in Brazil for the G20 summit this week
    Sheikh Khaled will remain in Brazil for the G20 summit this week
  • Sheikh Khaled is being accompanied by Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation; Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Mohamed Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment; Saif Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Saleh Alsuwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Brazil, and Waleed Al Muhairi, deputy group chief executive at Mubadala
    Sheikh Khaled is being accompanied by Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation; Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Mohamed Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment; Saif Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Saleh Alsuwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Brazil, and Waleed Al Muhairi, deputy group chief executive at Mubadala


Fifty years of UAE-Brazil ties: Few bilateral relationships have run so deep and wide so quickly


Reem Al Hashimy
Reem Al Hashimy
  • English
  • Arabic

November 19, 2024

The Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai proved highly popular with visitors. A vast white canopy hung like a great cloud over a cool expanse of shallow water, representing the rivers, streams, swamps and floodplains of the Amazonian basin.

Under an Arabian Sun and surrounded by the sands of Dubai, visitors could slip off their shoes and feel the entrancing coolness of the water. Watching depictions of mangroves and Amazonian waterlilies, they were transported to the heart of Brazil’s unparalleled natural inheritance: home to the green lungs of our planet and some of its most important freshwater arteries.

Waterways have always united people, spreading ideas and innovation as well as goods. Dubai itself sits at the heart of one of the world’s greatest seafaring and trading routes. During Expo 2020, for a moment, these watercourses overlapped, symbolising the many affinities between Brazil and the UAE and the rising tide in our relationship.

Those tides rose to new heights this week during a visit by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to Brazil, to mark 50 years of our bilateral relationship, to represent the UAE at the G20 Summit, and to usher in a new chapter in our partnership.

Visitors at the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
Visitors at the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

As a dynamic trading nation and one of the most open societies in the world, we Emiratis have always believed that our nation is enriched by diversity. In diplomatic and economic relationships, partner countries benefit from all that makes us different as well as the ways in which we resemble each other.

Brazil-UAE relations are a case in point. Brazil is over 100 times larger than the Emirates, while its population is more than 20 times the size of our own. We differ vastly in climate, geography and history. Yet, like two rivers merging, we share a confluence of interests and complementary strengths. We each retain our distinct identities, but together we generate opportunity for our peoples and work towards a more stable and equitable world.

Few bilateral relationships have run so deep and wide so quickly. Brazil opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi in 1978. The first significant economic agreement between our countries was signed as recently as 1988. Yet today the UAE – with our world-leading financial, legal, transport and infrastructure systems – is the central trading hub for Brazil in Middle Eastern markets, and its second-largest Middle Eastern trading partner.

We exchanged more than $4 billion in non-oil bilateral trade in 2022. Last year, the UAE ranked as the 28th-largest destination for Brazilian products. By the first half of this year, it rocketed to 13th position, buoyed by a 74 per cent increase in Brazilian exports to the Emirati market. At least 40 Brazilian companies now operate in the UAE, and the number of Brazilian visitors to our shores is soaring.

Visitors at the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
Visitors at the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
Both our nations are situated at the crossroads of our regions, and act as gateways of investment, trade and cultural exchange as well as vibrant hubs of tourism

Other links are less easily measured but no less strong, since they live in our respective imaginations. I have a childhood memory of my father, who used to play as goalkeeper in the UAE football team, cheering our national squad to the rafters as it was led to its first World Cup in 1990 by a Brazilian coach – Carlos Alberto Parreira. More recently, Brazil’s national day at Expo was an immersive, colour-drenched celebration of the country’s music, food and dance. Overflowing the pavilion, it brightened every corner of the Expo site, reflecting the warmth of our cultural connection.

For all these reasons and more, when we look to the future, we see a partnership brimming with potential. In many of the areas of the greatest importance to the future of the world, the UAE ranks Brazil as a priority partner, from trade to space exploration and green technology and AI.

Both our nations are situated at the crossroads of our regions, and act as gateways of investment, trade and cultural exchange as well as vibrant hubs of tourism. We are ambitious for the potential of a UAE-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, which holds the potential to eliminate or reduce customs tariffs and other trade barriers while facilitating the flow of investments and services.

At the international level, our countries are committed to multilateralism and development and prosperity for all countries and peoples. We work side by side as members of the Brics, the group of the world’s leading emerging market economies. We are allies, too, in the fight against hunger, poverty and inequality, which Brazil has put at the heart of its important G20 agenda.

A Brazilian indigenous group interacts with guests at Cop28 in Dubai last year. Pawan Singh / The National
A Brazilian indigenous group interacts with guests at Cop28 in Dubai last year. Pawan Singh / The National

Both our peoples have a strong connection to the land and to traditional knowledge and practices. Both believe in the importance of the expertise and values of indigenous peoples in achieving sustainable development and protecting biodiversity. We share a common appreciation of the need for urgent international action against climate change, which our citizens feel directly, whether in Brazil’s drying Amazon rivers or the extreme heatwaves and storms increasingly afflicting the UAE and our neighbours. Accordingly, both our countries advocate climate finance and policies that support local and indigenous communities, women and youth.

When the UAE hosted Cop28 almost exactly a year ago, we were proud that the indigenous peoples of Brazil came to share their wisdom. They were not only part of the largest presence of indigenous peoples in the entire history of the Cops but, as representatives of their peoples and communities, took part in debate and in dialogue with the negotiators. We look forward to participating fully in Cop30 in Belem next year, at the gateway to the Amazon itself.

The stream of eager visitors to the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 – and the flow of travellers and traders moving between our two countries since then – are proof of the new channels that open up when contrasting perspectives, traditions and cultures combine in new ways, as they do in our relationship. As water flows, so minds meet, when there are common interests and opportunities to be seized.

The future of global security and prosperity relies on a shared commitment to achieving stability and development for all, and strong co-operation on the international level. For the UAE, Brazil is, and will remain, one such valuable – and valued – partner.

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

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Co%20Chocolat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Iman%20and%20Luchie%20Suguitan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Food%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241%20million-plus%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fahad%20bin%20Juma%2C%20self-funding%2C%20family%20and%20friends%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus

Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage

Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid 

Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8) 

Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Important questions to consider

1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?

There are different types of travel available for pets:

  • Manifest cargo
  • Excess luggage in the hold
  • Excess luggage in the cabin

Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.

 

2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?

If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.

If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.

 

3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?

As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.

If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty. 

If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport. 

 

4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?

This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.

In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.

 

5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?

Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.

Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.

Source: Pawsome Pets UAE

Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Paltan

Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5

Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face

The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.

The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran. 

Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf. 

"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said. 

Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer. 

The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy. 

 

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars

World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre V6

Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km

Price: Dh179,999-plus

On sale: now 

RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E5pm%3A%20Sheikh%20Mansour%20bin%20Zayed%20Racing%20Festival%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C200m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Suny%20Du%20Loup%2C%20Pat%20Dobbs%20(jockey)%2C%20Hamad%20Al%20Marar%20(trainer)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E5.30pm%3A%20Sheikh%20Mansour%20bin%20Zayed%20Racing%20Festival%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Conditions%20(PA)%20Dh150%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Nadia%20Du%20Loup%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%2C%20Sulaiman%20Al%20Ghunaimi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6pm%3A%20Sheikha%20Fatima%20bint%20Mubarak%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Conditions%20(PA)%20Dh150%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Dareen%2C%20Dane%20O%E2%80%99Neill%2C%20Jean%20de%20Roualle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6.30pm%3A%20Sheikh%20Zayed%20bin%20Sultan%20Al%20Nahyan%20National%20Day%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Group%203%20(PA)%20Dh500%2C000%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20AF%20Alwajel%2C%20Pat%20Dobbs%2C%20Ernst%20Oertel%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.15pm%3A%20Sheikh%20Zayed%20bin%20Sultan%20Al%20Nahyan%20Jewel%20Crown%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(PA)%20Dh5%2C000%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20First%20Classs%2C%20Ronan%20Thomas%2C%20Jean%20De%20Mieulle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8pm%3A%20Sheikh%20Zayed%20bin%20Sultan%20Al%20Nahyan%20National%20Day%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Listed%20(TB)%20Dh380%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20San%20Donato%2C%20Pat%20Dobbs%2C%20Doug%20Watson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8.30pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20AF%20Rasam%2C%20Fernando%20Jara%2C%20Ernst%20Oertel%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

'Skin'

Dir: Guy Nattiv

Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Itcan profile

Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani

Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India

Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce

Size: 70 employees 

Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch

Funding: Self-funded to date

 

HEADLINE HERE
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Updated: November 19, 2024, 11:18 AM