Visitors at the Expo 2020 Dubai. Kamal Kassim, Gulf Today

The Republic of Gabon on Monday agreed a landmark agreement at Expo 2020 Dubai to promote trade, investments and economic cooperation between African state and the Republic of India.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the investment authorities of the two countries at a special ceremony held at the Gabon Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, also committed to facilitate foreign direct investment  between the two states by providing practical information on investments to companies, establishing a practical framework to promote bilateral investment, and ensuring the exchange of experiences and relevant information to their respective investors.

Both states said that their objective of the agreement was to foster large-scale investment between the two states, with the potential for the enhanced communication secured by the agreement subsequently unlocking a number of large-scale projects in the Republic of Gabon by Indian investors.

The deals came on the day Gabon celebrated its National Day at the six-month long event that started 1st October.

The Expo is being held under 3 sub-themes: Opportunity, Sustainability and Mobility. Gabon is participating under the “Sustainability” theme, with Gabon’s Expo theme of ‘Creating a Sustainable Future’. Ghislain Moandza Mboma, Director-General of National Agency for Investment Promotion (ANPI-Gabon), said: “Gabon is a country with which to do business. It’s good to have a link between Gabon and India to facilitate and promote all investors. I am sure what we are doing today will increase the transactions between India and Gabon. We look forward to welcoming the first investors from India in the near future.” Deepak Bagla, CEO and MD of Invest India, said: “Today is a very special day. You are attracting a lot of attention from investors. Our own investors speak very highly of the support they have had in Gabon. The time has come for our two countries to work closer. There is a lot for us to do together and today is a very important step.”

#TogetherLimitless: To mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities on the 3rd of December, employees of determination and partners of Emirates NBD’s inclusion advocacy platform #TogetherLimitless were invited to open the gates of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Sustainability Portal.

Emirates NBD Group is a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Turkey) region, and a Premier Partner and the Official Banking Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai. The initiative was part of Emirates NBD’s ongoing and long-term commitment to the social, workplace and financial inclusion of People of Determination (People with Disabilities), under #TogetherLimitless.

Among the representatives were determined employees as well as senior management representatives of Tanfeeth, an Emirates NBD Group company providing support services to the bank. Tanfeeth has hired 35 people with disabilities since 2015. Moadh Bukhash, Chief Marketing Officer at Emirates NBD said “It is a great privilege to be given this opportunity to open the gates to such a historic event, and we are delighted to be able to share this occasion with colleagues and partners from our #TogetherLimitless inclusion initiative. As a socially responsible organisation, Emirates NBD Group has always advocated for people of determination and will continue to do so in the future to help foster a truly inclusive society”.

Emirates NBD’s #TogetherLimitless Careers Network Programme, facilitates the hiring and onboarding of people with disabilities in various organisations, including its own, working with partners like Manzil and the Community Development Authority.

The Citizens Foundation at Expo: The Citizens Foundation (TCF), perhaps the largest network of independently run schools in the world, is set to be featured at the Expo 2020 Dubai’s Global Best Practices Programme in December 2021. This month as UAE celebrates its 50th National Day and we congratulate them on achieving this milestone. TCF is grateful to have a presence here and have the opportunity to partner with organisations like Dubai Cares, which shares a similar vision in providing quality education to the less privileged.

As educationists from around the world converge at Expo 2020 Dubai during the Knowledge and Learning Week, we will see many organizations such as TCF highlighting best practices in education to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

The Citizen’s Foundation is a leading non-profit working to provide quality education in Pakistan’s most neglected rural and slum communities where we find children, especially girls, out of school. TCF runs 1,687 schools in 62 districts across Pakistan. Currently it has an enrollment of 275,000 students, of which nearly 50% are girls.

“When we started TCF we wanted to ensure that girls received an equal opportunity to study. That is why we make sure that all TCF schools are within walking distance to communities. We also hire only female teachers to encourage parents to send their daughters to school,” said Ateed Riaz, Co-founder and Chairman of The Citizens Foundation. Hiring only female teachers has made TCF one of the largest private employers of women in Pakistan with a faculty of 12,950 women. TCF not only provides transportation to these teachers to and from the schools but also conducts a rigorous training of over 120 hours annually to develop their capabilities and ensure quality education in its classrooms. “Ensuring that we make a lasting impact in the lives of our students, we decided to provide support beyond just school years,” said TCF UAE’s Executive Advisor Shahab Haider.

“TCF provides ongoing support to its Alumni through scholarships and its Alumni Development Programme where it helps students obtain admissions in universities.”

Dazzling display : Nissan celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the legendary Patrol and the regional debut of the all-new 2022 Pathfinder, marking a new chapter in its SUV dominance across the Middle East. Held at the spectacular Al Wasl Plaza – the beating heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, the open-to-public event was inaugurated by Ashwani Gupta, Chief Operating Officer at Nissan Motor Company, who commenced the celebrations with a keynote address, which was followed by a sensational visual journey through time with a display that fused tradition with modernity, commemorating Patrol’s heritage in the region and worldwide.

Highlighting Nissan’s popularity in a region steeped in tradition yet steered by the future, the event was attended by key Expo and global Nissan executives, partners and employees, VIPs, customers, regional media and visitors to Expo , and was the latest yet largest in a year-long celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the legendary Nissan Patrol. Making its world premiere, the 2022 Patrol 70th Anniversary model channels the SUV’s rich heritage with a commemorative badge and enhanced design and technology elements. The Nissan celebration event also saw the regional premiere of the all-new 2022 Pathfinder which has been redesigned from the ground-up, making a bold statement and offering drivers a long heritage of rugged capability and an innovative take on practicality, safety, advanced connectivity, and purpose.

Speaking at the event, Ashwani Gupta, Chief Operating Officer at Nissan Motor Company, said: “For drivers across generations, the Nissan Patrol has been more than just a vehicle; it offers its customers reliability, power and luxury while taking on any terrain in absolute comfort. Today marks a historic moment for our company as we celebrate Nissan’s longest-running nameplate. This is an important milestone for us – as we look back at the success of the last 70 years, we are firmly focused on the future. Combining the tried and trusted with the new, Nissan is moving to the next chapter of its legacy, redefining possibilities and shaping the future, today.” Thierry Sabbagh, Managing Director at Nissan Middle East, said: “For decades, Nissan’s extensive SUV line-up has deepened our connection to the region, each model expertly catering to the evolving needs of our customers and enriching their lives.

Today we made history as two of our beloved nameplates take center stage at eXPO 2020 Dubai, celebrating our heritage in the region and looking forward to the future. Serving as a beacon for the next 70 years, the 2022 Patrol continues to offer our customers regal luxury and connectivity, while the all-new Pathfinder boasts ruggedness and advance tech in equal measure. We look forward to seeing both models play an important role as we continue our success story in the Middle East, with the support of our trusted partners, local stakeholders, and valuable customers.”