Latest news with #UAEdelegation
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
UAE showcases global leadership at UN Sustainable Development Forum, commits to 2026 SDG review
New York, USA: The UAE reiterated its strong commitment to global sustainable development at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development 2025 in New York, emphasizing international partnerships and placing human progress at the center of its vision for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond. The message capped an active UAE presence at the forum, organized at the UN headquarters by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and attended by global leaders and organizations. The UAE delegation comprised senior officials from key ministries, national committees, and leading organizations, including the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Investment, Government Experience Exchange Programme (GEEP), General Secretariat of the National Committee on SDGs, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), Noor Dubai Foundation, and Dubai Chambers. The UAE's Pioneering Model His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, highlighted the UAE's innovative and collaborative approach to international development cooperation. He said: 'We presented models and initiatives that showcase pioneering national development initiatives and reflect the importance of strategic partnerships in accelerating SDG achievement. These included the 2045 XDGs Report that envisions development prospects for the next two decades, and GEEP. We held meetings that focused on continually enhancing multilateral collaborative action to support finding innovative solutions to challenges in health, economic growth, the future of work, biodiversity, and international stability.' He confirmed the start of intensive preparations for the 2026 Voluntary National Review (VNR), to monitor and assess progress toward the 2030 SDGs. This reflects the UAE's unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability, comprehensive analysis of challenges and opportunities, and identifying future development priorities with participation from government, private sector, and civil society to ensure effort integration and vision unification, based on the UAE's ambitious vision for building a sustainable and inclusive future based on innovation, sustainability, and human development. HE Lootah noted that preparations are underway for the UAE's 2026 Voluntary National Review, underlining the nation's commitment to transparency, cross-sector collaboration, and a sustainable, inclusive future. The UAE is also preparing to host the UN Water Conference in December 2026, advancing global water sustainability. Strengthening Global Cooperation and Shaping Tomorrow The UAE reaffirmed its commitment to international cooperation and knowledge exchange, spotlighting initiatives that drive climate action, economic growth, and human development. Through high-profile events – including the 'Shaping Tomorrow: UAE Leadership for a Sustainable Future' exhibition – the delegation showcased innovative models and fostered dialogue with global partners. A special session by GEEP expanded the UAE's partnership network to nearly 50 countries and six international organizations, reinforcing its leadership in collaborative action. The launch of the 2045 XDGs Report, which outlines global development priorities beyond 2030 and builds on the momentum of the SDGs to address emerging challenges and opportunities, along with findings from a global survey, further underscored the UAE's active role in shaping sustainable development with forward-looking recommendations for the next two decades. Driving Innovation and Partnerships for Sustainable Progress The UAE delegation, in partnership with the UAE Consulate General in New York, showcased national leadership in advancing the SDGs through innovation and collaboration. The pivotal role of the Global Councils for SDGs – launched at the World Government Summit – was highlighted as a platform uniting leaders from government, international organizations, academia, and the private sector to accelerate progress through shared expertise. Sessions organized by the General Secretariat of the National Committee on SDGs focused on promoting gender balance and child welfare, addressing the digital gender gap, and strengthening women's leadership as essential drivers of sustainable growth beyond 2030. The UAE also hosted a roundtable on reimagining economic growth for people and the planet, and led discussions on economic diplomacy and integrating social and economic objectives for global stability. Additionally, the Ministry of Interior presented successful cross-border environmental initiatives, such as the Green Shield Operation, which aims to protect biodiversity in the Amazon Basin. Throughout the forum, the UAE strengthened international cooperation by holding 48 bilateral meetings and participating in high-impact Science Day activities. The HLPF on Sustainable Development is the UN's leading platform for SDG review and progress.
Emirates 24/7
18-07-2025
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
Emirates touches down in Damascus to connect travellers with its network once again
Emirates yesterday officially returned to the Syrian capital Damascus, putting the 'City of Jasmine' back on its expansive network of Middle East destinations. The world's largest international airline is ready to reconnect travellers with the city and destinations across six continents. Flight EK913 arrived at 2:30 pm with 286 passengers onboard and was celebrated upon arrival at Damascus International Airport, greeted with a water cannon salute. H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency headed the UAE delegation along with Emirates executives who were onboard the flight and led the ceremony upon arrival, including Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer; Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President International Affairs; Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (Centre); Sami Aqil, Senior Vice President – Emirates Airport Services Outstation and Business Support; Nick Moore, Senior Vice President, Passenger and Hub operations and Ahmad Al Khamis – Vice President, Aeropolitical Affairs. The delegation also included H.E Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director General, UAE General Civil Aviation Authority; H.E Obaid Saif Mohammed Alnuaimi, Executive Director Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Sector, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Hamad Ibrahim Essa Taher, Head of Aviation Security, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and Ahmed Saqer Al Marri, Dubai Group Security, Dubai Police; in addition to UAE media and other distinguished guests. The first flight was welcomed by a VIP delegation including H.E. Hasan Ahmed Al-Shehhi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Syria; Amjad Nakhal, Director of the Chairman's Office, General Authority of Civil Aviation; Anis Fallouh, Director of Damascus International Airport; Colonel Omar Abdel Baqi, Head of Security, Damascus International Airport and Alaa Sallal, Director of PR, General Authority of Civil Aviation; in the presence of other representatives of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Damascus International Airport, as well as media. Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates' Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (Centre) highlighted the significance of the airline's operations to the Syrian capital. He said: 'Today marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the return of Emirates to Damascus. By providing our services and connecting Damascus to the world, we are helping to reunite families, friends, and communities who have long awaited easier access to their loved ones. 'The UAE and Syria have historically enjoyed strong bilateral ties and the country has always been an important market for Emirates, since our first flights to the country in 1988. Through our passenger operations, we aim to serve as a vital facilitator for tourism, trade and investment and, in connecting Syria to almost 150 destinations across our network, we hope to be a valuable enabler of its recovery. We would like to thank the Syrian and UAE authorities and General Authority of Civil Aviation for their cooperation and commitment to making the resumption of services possible.' Senior members of the Syrian delegation, Emirates' leadership and VIPs from Dubai participated in a cake-cutting ceremony and symbolic gift exchange to commemorate the restart of services and long-standing partnership with the country. Alaa Sallal, Director of Public Relations at the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Syria, stated: "The teams from the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority and the United Arab Emirates worked tirelessly, through high-level coordination and a shared vision, to meet all requirements necessary to resume air operations. These fruitful efforts culminated in the successful reinstatement of Emirates' flights to Damascus – a step that reflects the depth of cooperation between both sides and their shared commitment to strengthening fraternal and economic ties." Emirates' services to Damascus will initially operate three times per week, on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, with plans to increase services to four-weekly from 2 August* with an additional flight on Saturday. Emirates will expand its services to Damascus to daily operations effective 26 October*. Emirates customers flying to and from Damascus will also benefit from the airline's codeshare partnership with flydubai, which will complement its flight schedule and network, providing more options and convenience when flying in and out of the Syrian capital. The Emirates Boeing 777-200LR aircraft operating to and from Damascus features 38 Business Class seats alongside 264 seats in Economy Class. Emirates Business Class on the Damascus service will feature a 2-2-2 configuration. Travellers flying to and from Damascus with Emirates can enjoy the best experience in the sky with an unmatched culinary experience, including mezze appetisers followed by local and international dishes to choose from. Emirates' in-flight dining is prepared by a team of chefs from all over the world, including Syrian hands. Emirates' signature mezze is prepared from a diverse spread of quality ingredients, many of which are Syrian products including tahini paste, red pepper paste and olive oil. Customers can also sit back and relax with up to 6,500 channels of carefully curated entertainment, including close to 650 channels of Arabic content, including movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks and more with ice, Emirates' award-winning inflight entertainment system. Passengers travelling on the route can watch from a selection of 41 popular Syrian series and dramas including Nafas, Bi Al Dam, and Tout Al Aswad. Up to 380 Arabic movies are also available to view including 51 new releases.
Zawya
17-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Emirates officially resumes flights to Damascus
Emirates has officially resumed operations to the Syrian capital, Damascus, marking the return of the 'City of Jasmine' to its Middle East network. The airline's comeback reconnects travellers to Syria and onwards across six continents. Flight EK913 landed at Damascus International Airport at 14:30 with 286 passengers onboard and was welcomed with a water cannon salute. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency headed the UAE delegation along with Emirates executives who were onboard the flight and led the ceremony upon arrival, including Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer; Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President International Affairs; Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (Centre); Sami Aqil, Senior Vice President – Emirates Airport Services Outstation and Business Support; Nick Moore, Senior Vice President, Passenger and Hub operations and Ahmad Al Khamis – Vice President, Aeropolitical Affairs. The delegation also included Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director-General, UAE General Civil Aviation Authority; Obaid Saif Mohammed Alnuaimi, Executive Director Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Sector, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Hamad Ibrahim Essa Taher, Head of Aviation Security, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and Ahmed Saqer Al Marri, Dubai Group Security, Dubai Police; in addition to UAE media and other distinguished guests. The first flight was welcomed by a VIP delegation including Hasan Ahmed Al Shehhi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Syria; Amjad Nakhal, Director of the Chairman's Office, General Authority of Civil Aviation; Anis Fallouh, Director of Damascus International Airport; Colonel Omar Abdel Baqi, Head of Security, Damascus International Airport and Alaa Sallal, Director of PR, General Authority of Civil Aviation; in the presence of other representatives of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Damascus International Airport, as well as media. Adil Al Ghaith said, 'Today marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the return of Emirates to Damascus. By connecting Syria to nearly 150 destinations, we aim to facilitate tourism, trade and investment and support the country's recovery. The UAE and Syria share historic ties, and we thank the authorities on both sides for their cooperation in resuming services.' To commemorate the relaunch, Emirates leadership and Syrian officials held a cake-cutting and gift exchange ceremony. Alaa Sallal, Director of Public Relations at Syria's General Authority of Civil Aviation, added, 'Through high-level coordination and shared vision, teams from Syria and the UAE met all requirements to resume air operations, reflecting the strength of bilateral ties and economic cooperation.' Emirates will initially operate three weekly flights to Damascus on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, increasing to four weekly from 2nd August and to daily flights from 26th October. Customers will also benefit from Emirates' codeshare with flydubai for added connectivity. The airline first launched services to Damascus in 1988, and before suspending operations in 2012 had transported over 2.1 million passengers. Emirates currently operates 194 weekly flights to 14 cities in the Middle East and GCC.
Zawya
17-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
UAE President arrives in Serbia on working visit
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived today in Belgrade on a working visit to the Republic of Serbia. His Excellency Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, welcomed His Highness and the accompanying delegation upon their arrival at Nikola Tesla Airport. His Highness is accompanied on the visit by a delegation that includes H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security; Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs; Dr. Ahmed Mubarak Ali Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the President's Office for Strategic Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office; Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant of Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs; Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority; Ahmed Hatem AlMenhali, UAE Ambassador to Serbia; Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eagle Hills; along with several senior officials.
Khaleej Times
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
UAE President reaches Ankara on state visit, received by Turkish President
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived at the Presidential Palace in Ankara as part of his state visit to Turkey. His motorcade was received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. An official reception was held for the UAE President upon his arrival. He was escorted by a procession of riders on horseback to the dais of honour, where both the UAE and Turkish national anthems were played. An honour guard lined up in salute to mark the occasion and welcome His Highness. The Ruler of Abu Dhabi exchanged greetings with ministers and senior Turkish officials who had gathered to welcome him, while President Erdoğan greeted the delegation accompanying His Highness. President @RTErdogan — Presidency of the Republic of Tí¼rkiye (@trpresidency) July 16, 2025 During the visit, Sheikh Mohamed will hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to explore ways of enhancing cooperation in support of both nations' development priorities. The talks will also cover a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest.
