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DUBAI PANEL FOR DATA MANAGEMENT
General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, has ordered the formation of a higher committee for consolidating the data system for planning and management of government finances. The seven member committee will function under the supervision of Dr. Khalifa Mohammed Ahmed, Director of the Dubai Rulerıs Court. The move is designed to upgrade the performance and efficiency of government departments and organisations. The six article order seeks to make optimum use of available resources and focus on the central role of information technology systems in achieving these objectives, particularly in improving work methods, planning tools and decision making and speeding up inter-departmental dealings as well as dealings with the Dubai Rulerıs Court. Article one calls for the unification of data systems for planning and administering government resources in all departments of the Dubai government. These include finance, purchase, contracts, stores, human resources, maintenance administration, post services and electronic archives. Article two calls for setting up a government information network using e-mail for communication between government departments and organisations. Necessary security measures will be taken to prevent any breach of the system. The consolidated data on planning and management of government resources will be stored in central computers at the Dubai Rulerıs Court. This facility will benefit all government departments, but they will have access to only such information as falls within their jurisdiction. A department for planning and management of government information resources will be set up at the Rulerıs Court under the supervision of the director of the Court, according to Article four. Under Article six, a higher committee will be established under the direct supervision of the Director of the Rulerıs Court. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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The UAE economy is distinguished by its capacity to adapt to the fluctuations in the foreign economic situation, particularly, fluctuations of oil prices. This is considered an indication of flexibility that has distinguished the UAE economy in comparison with the economies of the other regional countries, the Ministry of Planning said in a report. The UAE economy faced many challenges in 1999, including the collapse of oil prices in 1998 and the first quarter of 1999. The budget deficit is considered a common phenomenon in the budgets of the Gulf States, but the UAE was able to handle this fluctuation which was associated with oil revenues, the report said. The report said that the fixed investment which has been allotted at the Federal level over the last five years, amounted to Dh5. 8 billion, with an annual average of Dh1.2 billion. Regarding the assigned allocations and the additional percentage over the years from 1995 to 1999, it is evident that the average allocations in the last five years has witnessed a remarkable increase from Dh1 billion in 1995, the report said. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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THURAYA CONCLUDES 32 ROAMING AGREEMENTS
Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company has successfully concluded 32 roaming agreements with GSM operators worldwide and many others are in various stages of negotiation, according to the company's magazine Thuraya News. Presenting an update on the roaming agreements concluded by the company, the bulletin said the agreements have helped it to progress successfully towards the creation of a roaming network, that will serve its operation from its service start date of September, 2000. ³The rapid progress towards finalisation underscores the importance of roaming networks for GSM operators, as such agreements help expand the geographical service coverage reach of GSM services and facilitate greater flexibility of movement for GSM subscribers travelling across borders,² the report said. Thuraya's subscribers have the freedom to roam within their respective GSM operators networks, while also enjoying service access with Thuraya's roaming partners around the world. To access the Thuraya network and roam, GSM subscribers need only to insert their SIM card into a Thuraya handset. Among the features of Thuraya roaming are its coverage area of 99 countries, the competitive pricing of satellite network usage, the advantages of location determination, as well as high penetration alert and simple dial up facilities, the report added. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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UAE, UK TO STAGE JOINT NAVAL EXCERCISE
The UAE navy is planning to hold its first joint exercise with the British Royal Navy at the end of the month, it was announced last Sunday. The exercise dominated the talks between Britain's highest ranking naval officer, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, who was visiting Abu Dhabi, and senior officers of the UAE Navy and Armed Forces. The talks came within the framework of the Defence Co-operation Accord signed in November 1996. Although signed in November 1996, the UK-UAE Defence Cooperation Accord only came into effect in March 1998. It provides for consultations between the two countries' armed forces, joint training, exercises and exchanges of personnel. Royal Navy ships also pay regular visits to UAE ports. ( The Gulf News)
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More than 350 construction and engineering contractors from around the world gathered at a World Trade Centre Qatar seminar today to hear details of the opportunities that the Dolphin initiative will create for their business over the next seven years. Dolphin is the largest energy-related programme ever undertaken in the Middle East region. The seminar was opened by Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiah, Qatari Minister of Energy, Industry and Water and Electricity. The Dolphin partners -- the UAE Offset Group and energy majors TotalFinaElf of France and Enron of the U.S. -- are now planning the implementation of the first phase of the Dolphin programme which will take up to three billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from Qatar's giant North Field by pipeline to markets in the UAE and Oman. A senior Dolphin team member identified three main activity areas in Qatar targeted by Dolphin for investment, namely, petrochemicals, basic industries and power generation. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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EMMAR MEETING TO DISCUSS EXPATS STAKE
EMMAR Properties board of directors announced yesterday an extraordinary meeting of its General Assembly in June to discuss amending its articles of incorporation to allow expatriates to acquire a limited stake in its shares. A company official said that the motion, adopted by the board following detailed research, allows foreign ownership of a maximum of 20 per cent of the companyıs shares, adding that this required amending the companyıs articles of incorporation in line with the terms of the Federal Companies Law and its amendments. The law allows non-UAE citizens to acquire up to 49 per cent of the shares of companies incorporated in the UAE. The law also sets the legal quorum for the extraordinary meetings of General Assemblies at 75 per cent of capital shares of companies incorporated in the UAE. If the quorum is not available at the first session, a second one should be held during the 30 days following the date of the first one, with the quorum represented by 50 per cent of capital shares. EMAARıs move, backed by the government of Dubai, which owns over 32 per cent of its shares, is in line with the official drive to increase investment into the UAE, given fast paced regional and international developments. The move is predicted to help reduce the amount of money transferred abroad. The motion comes two weeks after EMAARıs board of directors announced at its April 30 Annual General Assembly that it had adopted a resolution calling for the expansion of its shareholder base to include expatriates. (The Khaleej Times)
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DH65.76M DEAL FOR PETROLEUM TRAINING INSTITUTE IN ABU
DHABI
The UAE government has signed an agreement with Scottish Knowledge, the online distance learning group, for Dh65.76 million contract to set up the countryıs first petroleum education, training and research institute in Abu Dhabi, the Online Scotsman magazine reported. According to the report, the Petroleum Institute will offer internet-based training across markets in the UAE, the Middle East, the Gulf and Asia. The institute expects to enrol its first students by September with numbers expected to reach 3.000 students a year within five years. UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan stressed that the primary purpose of the institute would be to graduate UAE nationals with specialised skills in petroleum studies and research. As part of the deal, the article said, Scottish Knowledge will project-manage the design and construction of a Petroleum Institute building in Abu Dhabi, which will link the countryıs 11 colleges and five universities to Scotland. The institute would offer for the first time masters and PhD degrees in petroleum research and legal studies relevant to the petroleum sector, petroleum economic studies, project and investment management, risk management, environmental studies and safety systems. (The Gulf Today)
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TOUCH-SCREENS TO HELP AIRPORT GAUGE PASSENGER OPINIONS
Touch-screen interactive machines for gathering and responding to passengers' suggestions will soon be set up in the airport's new Sheikh Rashid Terminal. Four touch-screen machines would be set up in the next 16 months to support the "Dubai Airport Cares" programme. Dubai Airport will be the first airport in the region to provide this and it will operate in both English and Arabic. Passengers now make comments by filling in cards and putting them in suggestion boxes. Then the DCA responds in 24 to 48 hours. Passengers are asked about facilities such as check-in, customs, information, transport and parking, restaurants, baggage delivery, visa desks and meeting service. The programme was introduced in 1998 and got as many as 600 suggestions a day, a number that tapered off to 300 per day as the airport responded to passenger demands. All suggestions are registered and the individual is informed of action taken. An award is given quarterly to the person who makes the best suggestion to improve airport services. (The Gulf News)