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SHEIKH KHALIFA AWARD INSTITUTED
The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) announced yesterday the institution of the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award as part of efforts to develop the economy of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Second Deputy Chairman of ADCCI and Head of the Award Committee Khalil Foulazi told a Press conference that the establishment of the award was intended to strengthen the emirate's economy and enable it to cope with developments on the global front as well as introduce the concept of total quality management. "The award will act as an effective vehicle to enable companies to develop their systems, services and resources and sharpen their competitive edge for sustainable development and higher profits," he said. The award, he added, would also help to increase awareness about the concept of total quality management, encourage fair competition among domestic companies and set standards for excellence in production and service sectors. Companies with 51 per cent national ownership and an annual turnover of between Dhs.10 million and Dhs.50 million will be eligible for the award. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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UAE, QATAR SIGN SCIENCE, EDUCATION ACCORD
The UAE and Qatar have signed a three-year agreement to promote cultural and scientific studies. The accord took effect yesterday when it was signed by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and his Qatari counterpart, Dr.Mohammed Abdul Rahim Kafoud. The second executive programme of the Joint UAE-Qatari Higher Education Committee, signed at Abu Dhabi Men's College of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), calls for cooperation in higher education based on a similar accord signed in Doha in 1981. Sheikh Nahyan said the agreement gave new impetus to relations between the two ministries. "Today's meeting and the agreement will enhance cooperation in scientific studies to benefit the two countries. It will encourage more exchanges of visits and expertise." The Qatari minister said he was impressed by the HCT's teaching methods and technology. "The UAE has made great strides in the scientific educational fields and in the economy. This agreement will help Qatar to benefit from the UAE's experiences. Scientific education is the key to Qatar's social and industrial development, particularly in oil and gas." The agreement urges greater cooperation in science and culture and the exchange of expertise and scientific and educational research studies. It also encourages coordination between universities and educational institutes. The two sides agreed to hold joint symposiums and conferences to improve scientific and cultural studies. (The 'Gulf News')
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UAE, VIETNAM SIGN FIVE-YEAR TRADE ACCORD
Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan received in Abu Dhabi yesterday his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Cong Tan, currently on a visit to the country as part of a Gulf tour. Mr Tan is leading a high-ranking delegation. The meeting discussed ways of enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of commerce, trade and investment. It also reviewed political developments in regional and international arenas, the Middle East peace process, and the importance of achieving a just and comprehensive peace as well as the return of the occupied lands to their rightful owners. Later, a five-year agreement on bilateral cooperation in economic, trade and scientific fields was concluded between the UAE and Vietnam. It was signed by Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguein Nang Gen. A joint committee will be set up for the purpose. The meeting was attended by Sheikh Fahim and members of the Vietnamese delegation. Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) Rahma Mohammed Al Masoud called on the Vietnamese government to step up trade and other business relations with the UAE. He was speaking during a meeting between the Vietnamese delegation and ADCCI officials. Mr Al Masoud told Mr Tan that Vietnam should take more steps to increase trade and investment with the UAE since laws of the country were simple and the country had an open economy. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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CANCER THIRD BIG KILLER IN UAE, SAYS MINISTER
Cancer caused 421 deaths in the UAE last year representing the third main killer after heart and cardiovascular diseases and accidents in the country, according to Health Minister Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Midfa. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the second AGCC Cancer Registration Seminar in Abu Dhabi yesterday. He stressed that cancer became a fast spreading diseases worldwide due to rapid changes in life styles and behaviours. Mr Al Midfa said in his speech, which was read on his behalf by Dr Abdul Rahim Jaafar, the Ministry of Health's Under-Secretary, that cancer in the digestive system caused 15 per cent of the deaths, followed by breast cancer causing 11 per cent and lung cancer caused six per cent. "Some 40 per cent of the total cases end with death so cancer became the third main cause of death in the country," he said, adding that the UAE had established a leading Cancer Therapy Centre at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain to offer treatment for different kinds of cancer. Dr Abdul Rahman Al Suwailam, director of the executive bureau of the AGCC Health Ministers' Council, sent a message to the seminar stressing the importance of the AGCC Central Cancer Registration Centre to collect information about the incidence of cancer in the region which would play a major role in setting up preventive programmes. The Cancer Centre at Tawam Hospital, meanwhile, presented a study on cancer in the UAE to the three-day seminar announcing that it had registered 910 cases of cancer in 1998 - 25 per cent of them nationals and the rest expatriates. (The 'Khaleej Times')
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MORE NATIONALS NEEDED IN MEDIA: ABDULLAH
Minister of Information and Culture Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan yesterday said that the identity of the country's media could be described as 'foggy', adding that encouraging more nationals to join media institutions would take time. In an interview with Al Ittihad, Sheikh Abdullah called for a legislation which will oblige media institutions to recruit nationals, a certain percentage of their staff. "The identity of our media is somewhat foggy because of absence of nationals. We need time to achieve total emiratisation of jobs in media, but in the meantime we are trying to upgrade the quality of what is being reflected by the media," he said. Sheikh Abdullah also announced plans to reduce workforce of the Ministry of Information and Culture by 40 per cent in order to cut expenditure. "I am not speaking here of distinction between nationals and non-nationals. The programme is intended to target inefficiency. In order to improve our performance, we shall have to take bold decisions". The minister, however, added that he believed that consideration should be given to the transformation of the ministry into a ministry of culture only "that would deal with information from the cultural perspective". Commenting on the issue of censorship, Sheikh Abdullah said that material that was damaging to national identity, beliefs and culture would never be permitted to enter the country. "We accept criticism, but we will never let it pass if it is coupled with insults and mockery," the minister said. He noted, however, that the ministry's policy on censorship had already become much more flexible. The minister stressed that the media should play a positive role in development and should focus on problems of the community, and make suggestions for solving the problems. "On the topic of Press freedom," the minister said "there have been both successes and failures, but our media is now experimenting with this. We hope that in time both the media and government officials would be inclined to accept an expansion of this". (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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DHS. 5.4M PRIZES IN 'DUBAI -- THE CITY THAT CARES'
Under the directives of Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the second "Dubai -- the City that Cares" event will be held alongside the spring celebrations for 46 days, from Dec. 7 to Jan. 21 with the focus on charity and humanitarian issues along with promoting the economic activities in the emirate. A total of Dhs.5.4 million has been earmarked for prizes to be given out during the events, as against Dhs.4.7 million last year when the festival lasted for 36 days. Twenty per cent of the prize money is to be donated to both locally based and international charity organisations in co-ordination with the Dubai Charity Forum. With the event coinciding with the Holy Month of Ramadan, it will seek to enhance co-operation between government and public charity programmes, "highlighting the humanitarian principles of Islam in preaching and practice," said Abdul Rahman G Al Mutaiwee, director general of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), at a press conference on Saturday. The DCCI has raised the budget of the event from Dhs.10 million last year to Dhs.14.5 million this year. A large group of entertainers will be participating in various programmes (to be announced later) to create an ideal atmosphere suited for families during the period, said Mutaiwee. The weekly prize will carry a prize of Dhs.250,000 while the bumper draw prize will be worth Dhs.1.5 million. Twenty per cent of all prize money will be reserved for charity before being handed over, said the officials. (The 'Gulf Today')