| ....2000 08 05 : Saturday |
ACCESSION DAY FEATURES
UAE - A GREEN OASIS - Accession Day Feature
The UAE has made substantial progress and major strides in developing the agricultural sector in a drive to green its desert area as part of efforts to expand the farming sector and diversify its economy. The world bears witness to efforts of President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in agriculture, afforestation and fighting desertification. It is no wonder that many international organisations, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, have crowned his efforts by awarding him a number of honours and prizes in recognition of his unique achievements. Due to the determination of President H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the desert has been transformed into a green land. The President has led the UAE to achieve a tremendous record in agricultural development, despite the harsh desert climate and annual rainfall which rarely exceeds 120MM a year. Despite such disadvantages, the country has been able to secure a large portion of its food requirements through the production of a wide range of agricultural product, overcoming all obstacles to increase production, by fighting desertification and bringing more land under cultivation. The Abu Dhabi Municipality and Town Planning Department has played a significant role in spreading the green belt, setting up farms to increase agricultural production. In line with the instructions of Sheikh Zayed, the Abu Dhabi Municipality has adopted advanced methods in the field of agriculture and afforestation. It has implemented a number of projects for the beautification of cities and provided them with several public parks. In order to protect cities from sandstorms, the Municipality has also set up green belts around them. A glance at the vast cultivated areas in the Abu Dhabi Emirate, which reached 94,000 hectares, proves that efforts to overcome the harsh climate has been very successful. A total of 39 public parks, occupying an area of 374,4 hectares, were established across the Abu Dhabi Emirate for the purpose of leisure and entertainment. Some of these parks were established specially for women and children such as Al Khalidiya Park, Al Mushrif Park and the Women's Beach. The Municipality has also cultivated a large area of around 2700 hectares of green land and flowers in the internal roads and highways. In Abu Dhabi, the Municipality has planted more than2,500 hectares with palm trees like in Ras Al Akhdar and Al Gaf Park. In order to produce saplings of forest and decorative trees, a number of special nurseries were set up. These nurseries help produce various kinds of decorative flowers and environmental trees. Total annual production of tree saplings reached 1.5 million, while production of flower saplings totalled 20 million. The Municipality has promoted cultivating decorative plants and produces more than 30,000 plants annually. In the past few years, the Municipality has built 154 kinds of fountains in different parts of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. As for developing animal wealth, the Municipality has implemented projects to produce animal feed, with highly advanced irrigation techniques. In view of the agricultural development in the country, around 1,000 farms are being established in Al Ajban area. These will also be distributed to nationals. The total number of farms distributed among nationals so far totals 12,021, covering an area of 27,704 hectares. The total amount allocated for the owners touched Dh1.4 billion. Adoption of modern agricultural techniques, including greenhouses and advanced irrigation methods have resulted in self-sufficiency in various farm produce with surpluses being exported abroad. Farmers are also encouraged by the country's concerned authorities to use modern methods of irrigation and today over 83 per cent of the country's agricultural lands are irrigated. The country's plan for developing water resources is based on building dams, using modern irrigation methods and encouraging greenhouse agriculture. As far as the agricultural development indices in the various agricultural sectors are concerned, date palms constitute the largest segment among fruit trees, due to the country's encouragement to farmers to grow them. Another factor is the importance attached to them by the President and his support in marketing the produce. This is reflected in the number of date palms in the country, which is now over 25 million of various species amounting to some 20 per cent of the world's total. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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WATER AND ELECTRICITY - A DISTINCT SERVICE - Accession Day Feature
President H.H Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is pursuing a sound and balanced policy to provide citizens with the best services, has devoted a lot of attention to Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority, ADWEA. During the last three years, ADWEA has carried out a number of projects that has contributed in providing distinct services in electricity and water sectors. ADWEA has been established as public corporation, fully owned by the Abu-Dhabi Government, and has financial and administrative independence as a corporate entity. ADWEA was established according to Law No. 2 in 1998. It is run by a nine-member board of directors, under the chairmanship of Sheikh Dhiyab bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Director of the Presidential Court, who has focused on administrative structure and has established it on modern lines. ADWEA has followed scientific methods in job description for its intake of manpower and taking into consideration the qualifications of UAE nationals for the jobs. ADWEA's aim is to organise and develop all the issues that are related to the water and electricity sectors, including the privatisation of the sectors, convening agreements, especially agreements on the operation and maintenance of its utilities. Eight companies have been established as per the law, each functioning according to its specialisation. These are the power companies of Taweela, Baynouna, Mirfa, Umm Al Nar, the Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water company, the Abu Dhabi Transmission and Control company, Abu-Dhabi Distribution Company and Al Ain Distribution Company. ADWEA seeks to buy the production of power and water from authorised firms such as Taweela Energy and Baynouna Energy, Mirfa Energy and Umm Al Nar. It also tries to ensure the availability of such capacity to serve the needs of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Transmission and Control company develops and runs an economical and secure network for electricity and water transport and links facilities for water desalination, water storage, electricity generating utilities or distribution networks. Abu-Dhabi and Al Ain distribution companies shoulder the development and amendments of electricity and water distribution rules. ADWEA carried out a number of important projects in the field of production, transport and distribution of water and electricity. The expansion of the Taweelah power and water desalination plant was taken up by using a new technology, with a total capacity of 308 megawatts and daily production of 23.1 million gallons of water. It consists of two gas units, each with an output of 100 mega watts, and 143 MWs steamer. ADEWA also executed the 400kv transmission line between Al Shahama and Mirfa plant, which is considered to be the backbone of the network linking Abu Dhabi with the Western region. ADWEA supplied and installed transformers and compact units with a total output of 33 and 11 kilowatts respectively, at Al Ain and its suburbs, in order to avoid pressure on the main distribution networks during summer. The total cost of the project was Dh158 million. ADWEA developed a very sophisticated laboratory to control water quality in accordance with international standards, based on rules issued by Word Health Organisation (WHO). The authority also established a laboratory equipped with modern technology that carries out chemical analysis. ADWEA has worked hard and made great strides in privatising this sector, by carrying out many projects such as the Taweela project A-2 project, which is considered the first and most critical step towards privatisation. Emirates Energy Company was established as a public share holding company to represent ADWEA in the foreign partnership. ADWEA also sought help from globally acclaimed consultants in the financial, technical and legal fields, so that it could pursue its communication with foreign investors to enter into partnerships in order to build and operate the plant. The 710 MW/50 m gallon desalinator Taweela A-2 project is an independent project for water and electricity production. More than 20 international companies and consortiums including Bechtel enterprises, Enron International, National Power and Total SA offered bids to win the project. CMS Energy was awarded the contract to build the plant at a total cost of Dh2.7 billion. The British magazine Project Finance International termed the Taweelah A-2 power project as one of most important projects under the privatisation programme in the Middle East. These independent projects represent the very serious and crucial steps taken as part of the policy pursued by ADWEA, which is seeking to privatise according to scientific principles, in order to obtain the best results and also provide employment opportunities for its citizens. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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MINA ZAYED: PROMINENT ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOREIGN TRADE - Accession Day Feature
The long-standing role of the UAE as a regional trading centre has always been founded largely on its location at an important international crossroad. In just a short period of time, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has become an international renowned industrial and commercial centre with ports set to enjoy the same success. That boom came only after the accession of UAE president H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to power as ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966. Mina Zayed, called the capital port of the UAE has played a prominent role in contributing to the development of foreign trade in the UAE in general and Abu Dhabi in particular. With modern equipment to achieve world class safety in handling cargoes, the fastest vessel turnover and good storage facilities, Mina Zayed is assured of achieving its aim of becoming the essential trade link between the Gulf region and the rest of the world. With over two decades of remarkable progress, Port Zayed is among the region's leading ports providing the most modern and comprehensive facilities and services. Operated by the Abu Dhabi Seaport Authority, Port Zayed is the primary reason for Abu Dhabi's attraction as an ideal base for manufacturers and trading companies. Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi seaports Authority has said that Mina Zayed had achieved a significant growth of 47 per cent during the passing years. Performance and productivity rates have exceeded all expectations of the master development plan which was launched in 1993. The plan has begun to pay off, Sheikh Saeed said. Sheikh Saeed said that the facility had played a vital role in strengthening Abu Dhabi's foreign trade during the last few years. Mina Zayed handled 4.7 million tonnes of general cargo in 1999, an increase of eight per cent over 1998, Sheikh Saeed added. He went on to say that Abu Dhabi's non-oil foreign trade via Mina Zayed rose to Dh20.9 billion in 1998 from Dh17.8 billion in 1992. Mina Zayed has recorded a major growth in container movement. Containerised commodities jumped from 1.1 million tonnes in 1997 to around three million tonnes in 1999. The number of ships which used the port also increased by 459 ships from 2,154 in 1997 to 2,613 in 1999. Sheikh Saeed disclosed that the authority is currently undertaking a long-term plan for expansion and modernisation of the port to international standards, pointing out that a sizeable budget had been allocated for the two-phase project which will be completed by 2013. It will include the modernisation of quays, the construction of new container units. The capacity of the cold storage will be increased to reach 20,000 tonnes and six gantry cranes will be added to bring the total to 11 by 2006, Sheikh Saeed said. New expansions, he explained, will include a new container terminal, deepening of the channel, establishing of new industrial ports in Sadar and Mussafah and building new storage areas. Sheikh Saeed said that Port Zayed had managed, in record time, to keep pace with international developments in navigation and sea transport. Port Zayed provides total storage facilities for customers to plan and execute their regional distribution strategies using the storage complex as a base for operation. These facilities are in an area adjacent to the terminal and were developed in the mid 1980''s for the purpose of activating the cargo throughput and to encourage businessmen to avail of the world-class facilities offered by Port Zayed. The storage facilities allow for rapid response to market and consumer demands, at the same time enabling traders to keep overheads at competitive levels and shipping cost to a minimum. When businessmen needing specific storage or office facilities inform Port Zayed, they are provided with tailor-made warehouses or additional services. The plots adjacent to the terminal area of various sizes such as 50 ft x 200 ft, 100 ft x 200 ft, and 200 ft x 200 ft. These plots are leased for 15 years and are renewable. Construction on the plots is in the account of the leased tenant as per specifications provided by the Abu Dhabi Seaport Authority in conjunction with the Municipality. Special facilities where the wholesale merchants can display their wares, such as carpets and building material, are also offered by the Port. The warehouse operations have been completely computerised, so that customers can have access to the cargo data which is useful for short term as well as long term planning, especially in times of fluctuating market demand. The vast area inside and outside the warehouse allow fast and efficient stripping and stacking of goods. Scientific and carefully planned lighting and ventilation ensures guaranteed safety of goods. The utilisation fees charged are nominal as an incentive to the customers to increase their competitiveness and profitability. Over and above these facilities, plenty of space is available for breakbulk cargo, timber, building material, machinery and vehicles. A unique facility for customers is the allotment of land on affordable lease within the port area to build their own godown facilities. Companies seeking a distribution base to serve the region's market will find it hard to turn down the tailor-made warehousing and other facilities offered by Port Zayed. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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ABU DHABI FREE ZONE - Accession Day Feature
August 6, 1966, the day President H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan acceded the throne of the Abu Dhabi emirate, marked the beginning of successive achievements in various fields for this country. Since his accession to the rule of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed has exerted much effort to steer the emirate and the entire country toward modernisation. In the cause of doing this, Sheikh Zayed led a race against time to execute a number of significant projects, which turned the emirate of Abu Dhabi into a modern one, making the city of Abu Dhabi stand at par with any modern city in the world. The Saadiyat Market, built on the Saadiyat island, came to crown Sheikh Zayed's efforts of seeing the emirate gaining an enviable position on the world economic map, through the diversification of the emirate's source of revenue, developing trade and economic activities, boosting the integration of the country's economic units, activating the role of the private sector in economic development and transferring advanced technology to the country's various sectors. Undoubtedly, the active beginning of the Saadiyat Financial Market at its temporary premises in Abu Dhabi, and the large responses the market is enjoying at the local, regional and international levels, is a clear evidence of Sheikh Zayed's great vision. The Saadiyat Financial market is therefore part of the economic development projects designed by Sheikh Zayed with the aim of ushering safely the country's economy into the new world order by transforming the national economy from the conventional type to the digital one which depend on advanced technological and electronic environment to help create a generation of national cadres who will be capable of contributing towards the country's progress. Based on these ambitions, the Saadiyat project enjoyed the keen interest of the international financial, banking and investment circles since its announcement in June 1996 when law no.6 of 1996 was issued to establish the Saadiyat Free Zone Authority. This was followed by amendment in 1998 of the law on Federal companies, which exempt free zones in the country from that law. In 1999, the basic system of the Authority was issued. Comprising 26 articles, the system stipulated the duties of the Authority, its objective and activities, the incentives it has power to give to investors and the financial and administrative principles to abide by. In June the same year announcement was made on the establishment of the Emirates International Financial Company Ltd. to develop Saadiyat. This was followed by a number of agreements signed between the Authority and the Company. These developments were later crowned with the issuing of licences by the Abu Dhabi Free Zone Authority to a various national companies to begin their activities at the Saadiyat Market, marking the official operation of the Saadiyat Financial market at its temporary premises in Abu Dhabi. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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EMI - A NEW MEDIA GIANT - Accession Day Feature
Amid stiff competition between different television stations in the Arab world to attract viewers, came the Emirates Media Incorporated, EMI to fulfil the wishes of Arab masses and to operate in accordance with the latest concepts and up to date technology, putting the telecommunications revolution into its best practice. Under the instructions of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Information and Culture and Chairman of the EMI, Emirates Media, began in January 1999 its confident strides to create a free information policy conversant with the modern times and bearing in mind the unique cultural and social identity of the UAE. The exceptional coverage provided by the EMI through its different channels has won the admiration of all Arab viewers since its main objective was clearly made as to extend and reach every Arab household and not only to be limited to the UAE. The EMI has established an affiliate office in London to monitor all events in Europe, as well as a regional office in Baghdad in order to bridge gaps between Arab brethren and in a bid to end media marginalisation of certain Arab countries. The EMI was also awarded three citations for its coverage of struggle to liberate South Lebanon from the Israeli occupation. The EMI also launched the Abu Dhabi sports channel which succeeded in acquiring rights to live broadcast of the Italian first division soccer league, as well as other events such as the last European Nations Cup Championship and matches of the French and Portuguese leagues. Last year, three new studios were built and equipped with the latest technology, including five digital cameras to bring to six the total number of studios operating by the EMI to cater for Arab viewers. The EMI's Radio service includes six radio stations including the Holy Quran Radio, Emirates FM and News. The EMI also publish Al Ittihad daily and Majid and Zahrat Al Khaleej weekly magazines. The Emirates Media web site www.emi.ae, has attracted during the first two months of its launching, more that three million visitors who were impressed by the useful links being displayed there. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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SHEIKH ZAYED'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT DRAW HIGH PRAISE Accession Day Feature
The efforts of President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
in protecting the environment was praised by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman of Environmental
Research and Wildlife Development Agency, ERWDA. Speaking on the occasion
of Accession Day, Sheikh Hamdan said that the PresidentÕs efforts
came as a result of this comprehensive understanding and clear vision of
the right of the future generations to live in a clean environment. He
said, Ò For his efforts in protecting the environment and developing
terrestrial and marine wildlife, Sheikh Zayed has earned numerous international
awards. Protecting the environment has always been a primary goal in the
agenda of the UAE. The Emirates has had great success in greening the desert
and maintaining an environment balance. Reviewing ERWDAÕs achievements
in the recent past he said the agency has realised the importance of putting
in place a comprehensive strategy, plans and work priorities to serve Abu
Dhabi emirateÕs requirements and ensure the success of the work.
A five-year environmental strategy for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi 200-2004
was in place by the end of 1999 after discussion with all parties concerned
with the environment and wildlife in a workshop in December. The Abu Dhabi
Falcon Hospital is yet another achievement. The hospital provides veterinary
care to falconry community in the UAE and neighbouring countries and boasts
a falconry awareness museum and provides support to the development of
programmes for the Arab falconry sport. Other ERWDA achievements included
upgrading the marine environment laboratory, by providing sensitive equipments
that can detect pollution in marine environment, and construction of new
aviaries to breed houbara bustard. In order to preserve a protected area,
a comprehensive plan is being worked out to develop Al Wathba Lake to include
visitors centre, and exhibition area, and bird hides. The agency is also
putting in place a detailed plan for developing Al Zaafran garden in Abu
Dhabi into botanical garden to preserve the UAE plant heritage and display
it to future generations in a scientific way. On the marine environment
front, the agency recently started analysing the available information
on fisheries in addition to establishing a fisheries laboratory. On the
international scene, ERWDA gained membership in the IUCN and it works closely
with a number of international institutions. ERWDA also signed a number
of agreements and memorandums of understandings with a number of countries
aiming at co-operation and conservation of environment and wildlife. (The
Gulf Today)
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Department External Information Ministry of Information and Culture P.O. Box 17, Abu Dhabi E-Mail: mininfex@emirates.net.ae Tel: 009712-4452922 Fax: >009712-4450458
PLEASE NOTE: The items covered in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect the official view of the UAE Government. Rather, they form a UAE-related digest of reports from the local press and publication