• Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, shared images of children receiving the vaccine to mark World Polio Day. All photos: Abu Dhabi Media
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, shared images of children receiving the vaccine to mark World Polio Day. All photos: Abu Dhabi Media
  • World Polio Day was added to the calendar more than a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
    World Polio Day was added to the calendar more than a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
  • Sheikh Mohamed paid tribute to health workers helping to eradicate polio by sharing pictures of children being vaccinated.
    Sheikh Mohamed paid tribute to health workers helping to eradicate polio by sharing pictures of children being vaccinated.
  • The UAE has helped to vaccinate more than 102 million children against polio in Pakistan in the past eight years.
    The UAE has helped to vaccinate more than 102 million children against polio in Pakistan in the past eight years.

UAE

World Polio Day 2021: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed reaffirms commitment to eradicating disease

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince praises healthcare workers for remarkable progress

Sarah Forster
Sarah Forster

October 24, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to wiping out polio.

He was speaking during World Polio Day, on Sunday.

Posting pictures of children being given the polio vaccine, Sheikh Mohamed expressed his gratitude to those helping to eradicate the disease.

"Thanks to the dedication of many, including frontline health workers, remarkable progress has been made in the global effort to end polio," he said.

"Today on #WorldPolioDay, together with our partners, we reaffirm our commitment to working towards a safer, healthier future free from polio."

World Polio Day was added to the calendar more than a decade ago to raise awareness of the disease. The date chosen, October 24, was the birthday of Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine against poliomyelitis.

Today, five out of six World Health Organisation regions are certified free of wild polio, including the WHO European Region, which was declared polio-free in 2002.

Only two countries in the world have endemic circulation of wild poliovirus. In addition, two of the three types of wild poliovirus have been eradicated.

The Emirates has helped to vaccinate more than 102 million children against polio in Pakistan in the past eight years, the UAE Pakistan Assistance Programme announced on Saturday.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, also praised the work of the UAE vaccination campaign in Pakistan.

In a phone call with the campaign’s team, Sheikh Abdullah said that "due to the commitment and courage of the UAE Polio Vaccination Campaign, we are now closer than ever before to achieving the objective of having a world free from polio".

More than 583 million doses of polio vaccine were administered from 2014 to the end of September this year as part of the UAE campaign.

Since 2011, Sheikh Mohamed has donated $250 million to humanitarian and charity efforts aimed at providing vaccines and funding polio eradication campaigns.

Young Afghans receive polio vaccine: in pictures

  • A child receives polio vaccine drops in the western Afghan city of Herat after the UN children's fund said the Taliban agreed to allow the UN to carry out a nationwide campaign. Photo: AFP
    A child receives polio vaccine drops in the western Afghan city of Herat after the UN children's fund said the Taliban agreed to allow the UN to carry out a nationwide campaign. Photo: AFP
  • Health workers will go door to door to administer the vaccine drops. Photo: EPA
    Health workers will go door to door to administer the vaccine drops. Photo: EPA
  • A third of the 10 million children in Afghanistan under the age of 5 have not had access to vaccines in recent years owing to violence and a Taliban ban in areas under their control. Photo: AFP
    A third of the 10 million children in Afghanistan under the age of 5 have not had access to vaccines in recent years owing to violence and a Taliban ban in areas under their control. Photo: AFP
  • Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where polio is still endemic. Photo: AFP
    Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where polio is still endemic. Photo: AFP
  • Men carry the body of a female polio vaccine worker killed by gunmen in Jalalabad, eastern Afghanistan. Photo: AFP
    Men carry the body of a female polio vaccine worker killed by gunmen in Jalalabad, eastern Afghanistan. Photo: AFP
  • An Afghan mourns the death of his brother, who was one of the health workers shot and killed in Jalalabad. Photo: Reuters
    An Afghan mourns the death of his brother, who was one of the health workers shot and killed in Jalalabad. Photo: Reuters
  • A health worker marks thumb of a child who received the polio vaccine in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. Photo: EPA
    A health worker marks thumb of a child who received the polio vaccine in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. Photo: EPA
  • A Pakistani health worker gives the polio vaccine to an Afghan refugee as part of a campaign in Lahore. Photo: AFP
    A Pakistani health worker gives the polio vaccine to an Afghan refugee as part of a campaign in Lahore. Photo: AFP
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

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

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The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE

Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)

Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder

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Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km

Updated: October 24, 2021, 1:30 PM
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed