Expo offers platform to explore new partnerships

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday visited the pavilions of Lesotho and Turkey at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Speaking during the tour, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid said global events hosted in the UAE contribute to further strengthening bilateral relation between nations, adding that Expo 2020 Dubai, which brings together 192 nations, offers a platform to explore new partnership opportunities between participating nations.

At the Lesotho Pavilion, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum met with King Letsie III of Lesotho, and explored ways to enhance bilateral ties between the two countries in a range of fields.

The meeting also discussed Lesotho’s participation in Expo 2020, and the opportunities the event offers to promote bilateral relations in diverse spheres.

At the Lesotho Pavilion, Sheikh Mohammed was introduced to the curated visual journey that informs visitors about the nation’s history, culture, ecology, cuisine and arts. The Lesotho Pavilion demonstrates the extent to which the country has made significant strides since independence in 1966, showcasing the initiatives in digital connectivity and energy access that have had a profound impact on people’s lifestyles and the country’s economy. The pavilion narrates the story of its illustrious culture, beautiful Maluti Mountains as well as its friendly and vibrant population.

Sheikh Mohammed  also visited the Turkey Pavilion, located in the Sustainability District. Under the theme ‘Creating the Future from the Origin of Civilisations’, the Turkey Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, was designed to reflect the unique history of Anatolia, as well as to showcase nature the country’s sustainability goals.

Inspired by G?beklitepe (Potbelly Hill), one of the first manifestations of human-made monumental architecture, the pavilion aims to offer a unique experience for visitors, highlighting Turkey’s perspective on the future, and to tell about the country’s nature and its sustainability goals.

Being held for the first time in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, Expo 2020 Dubai houses the pavilions of 192 countries participating in the event as well as those of diverse organisations from across the world. The global show runs until 31st March 2022.

Maldives:  Emirates has reaffirmed its long-standing partnership with the Maldives by extending a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Tourism earlier this week.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, met Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Maldives, at the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The MoU was signed by Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates, and Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism of the Maldives, and Thoyyib Mohamed, CEO and Managing Director, Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation.

Khoory said, “Maldives is a very integral market in Emirates’ network and we are very pleased to be renewing our commitment to the island-nation today. Emirates has proudly served the country for more than 34 years and we look forward to continue strengthening our long-standing partnership, and to boosting the country’s trade and tourism industry.”

For his part, Dr. Mausoom said, “With over 1,000 flights and visits from 170,000 passenger arrivals to the Maldives this year, Emirates Airline continues to be a very important partner in Maldives Tourism success story. Ministry of Tourism is confident that this tri-party MoU between Emirates Airline, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation MMPRC and the Ministry, will connect the Maldives better with UAE and the world, support tourism development and promote tourism.”

Thoyyib Mohamed, CEO and Managing Director, Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation, said: “Our relationship with Emirates Airline is one that spans over three decades. A great deal of the success of the Maldives tourism industry can be attributed to the long-lasting and fruitful relations we have with airlines - and Emirates is no exception.”

The agreement reaffirms the airline’s commitment to the island-nation and outlines key initiatives to continue supporting the country’s tourism recovery. Since January 2021, the airline has operated the highest number of passenger flights to the Maldives, connecting 170,000 passengers to the country, from more than 100 destinations including the top markets, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Germany, United States of America, and Czech Republic.

Meanwhile, under the patronage of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Economy, Ericsson organised the “Together Apart” Hackathon and the time has come to unveil the six winning teams who contributed with unique solutions that are in line with UAE Vision 2021 tackling key topics in the vision including healthcare, sustainable environment, and education.

The “Together Apart” Hackathon aim is to accelerate the journey towards a more connected future and solving global challenges by working with innovators, disruptors, and creative people of the UAE to build technology-based solutions aligned with the UAE Vision 2021. Participants from across the UAE were invited to contribute their innovative solutions, showcasing the power of connectivity and 5G, while taking inspiration from the six broad themes of UAE Vision 2021 - World Class Healthcare, First Rate Education System, Competitive Knowledge and Digital Economy, Sustainable Environment and Infrastructure, Safe Public and Road Safety, and Cohesive Society and Preserved Identity.

The finalists presented their solutions in front of the judging committee which selected six winners. Members of the judging committee consisted of senior representatives from the public and private sector including BecanWellness Solutions, Du, Dubai Future Foundation, Ericsson, Etisalat, Nasdaq and SOMA MATER.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises said: “Innovation is a central pillar in the UAE’s economy, and the progress of the “Together Apart” Hackathon represents the positive impact that public-private partnerships have. These solutions, put forth by the participants, will be sure to benefit the goals of the UAE Vision 2021. We are keen to support initiatives that drive innovation in the country and enhance our position as a preferred hub for global innovation.”

Saeed Al Zarouni , Senior Vice President , Mobile Network Etisalat says: “UAE has always been at the forefront of technology with a focus on creating an ecosystem to stimulate the creation and enable futuristic  innovations. Etisalat has also worked in line with the UAE leadership’s vision by fostering innovation accelerating the adoption of latest technologies by mentoring and collaborating with the next generation of innovators.  The ‘Together Apart’ hackathon  serves as a great platform to witness innovative ideas demonstrating the talent in the country and the immense possibilities of the future. We are happy to have been part of this initiative and  looking forward to seeing the solutions showcased at Expo 2020.”

Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer, du says: “du is aligned with the UAE Vision 2021 to drive technological advancement and accelerate sustainable development. The Together Apart Hackathon serves as a platform to encourage the best minds in the UAE to come forward to develop solutions for the benefit of the nation. We will work with participants to turn their creative ideas that exemplify the core of innovation into reality.”

Wojciech Bajda, Vice President and Head of Gulf Council Countries at Ericsson says: “Ericsson is excited to see these innovative ideas come to life and support the participants in the process. We have challenged them to propose technology solutions for the most vital areas of the UAE’s national agenda. We congratulate the winners and look forward to working with them to turn these concepts into actionable and sustainable change.”

Maya Moukbel, Head of Innovation, Ericsson Middle East and Africa says: “We’re thrilled to be driving this initiative forward through the Ericsson Innovation Hub in the UAE, where we can tap into local talent and contribute to the UAE’s digital landscape. Ericsson’s UAE Innovation Hub continues its commitment to supporting the UAE’s Vision 2021 and providing a platform for the nation’s innovation community as it builds creative and productive partnerships with customers, academia, and startups, accelerating the development of new use cases and business.