20011119,UAE urges US to intervene in Middle East peace
Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, today reaffirmed the UAE's full support for the international coalition against terrorism. During a meeting with Condoleezza Rice, US National Security Advisor, Sheikh Hamdan also emphasised the need to extend support and assistance to the Pakistani government in appreciation of the great efforts it provided to the international coalition against terrorism.
Sheikh Hamdan also urged the US administration to engage itself forcefully in reactivating the Middle East peace process in line with UN resolutions. He affirmed that the US was the major power that was capable of influencing the trend and destiny of the peace process. For her part, Rice expressed the appreciation of US President George Bush of the cooperation provided by President H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan to the coalition against terrorism. Present at the meeting was Saeed Ahmed al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Washington. Sheikh Hamdan arrived here yesterday on a visit during which he will meet with a number of US officials to review with them latest international developments and the international campaign against terrorism. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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Anti-money laundering panel to be set up
The UAE's anti-money laundering law, likely to come into effect soon, imposes stringent penalties for violators including imprisonment and fines. A National Anti-Money Laundering Committee will also be formed under the chairmanship of the Central Bank governor. Stringent penalties await not only individuals who violate the law, but also financial institutions and establishments.
Additionally, those knowing of money laundering offences but failing to report will attract punishment. According to the draft anti-money laundering law made available to Gulf News, persons who violate the law "shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, or by a fine not exceeding Dh300,000, or by both penalties, in addition to confiscation of proceeds or the equivalent thereof, if such proceeds were wholly or partially converted into, or mixed up with other property derived from lawful sources". As per article 14 of the law, financial institutions and other commercial and economic establishments operating in the country violating the law shall be punished by a fine not less than Dh300,000 and not exceeding Dh1million, in addition to confiscation of proceeds, or property of value equivalent thereto, or the equivalent of those proceeds if the latter were wholly or partially converted into, or mixed up with other property derived from lawful sources.
Chairmen, directors, managers and employees of financial institutions or other financial, commercial and economic establishments who know of, yet fail to report to the Financial Information Unit (FIU) any act that occurred and was related to the money laundering offence, shall be punished by imprisonment or by fine not exceeding Dh100,000 or by both penalties. Also, whoever informs any person that his transactions are being scrutinised for possible involvement in suspicious operations, or that security authorities or other competent authorities are investigating his possible involvement in suspicious operations, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or by fine not exceeding Dh50,000 or by both penalties.
As per the law, property will mean those derived from offences such as narcotics and psychotropic substances, kidnapping, piracy and terrorism, offences committed in violation of the environment law, illicit dealing in firearms and ammunition, bribery, embezzlement and damage to public property, fraud, breach of trust and related offences, and any others stated in international conventions to which the state is party. The law also bestows the authority on the Central Bank to order freezing of suspected property and the public prosecution may order seizure of suspected property, proceeds or instrumentalities and the competent court may order attachment on property.
The National Anti-Money Laundering Committee will propose anti-money laundering rules and procedures, facilitate exchange of information and co-ordination between agencies, represent the state in international anti-money laundering forums, propose organisational regulations and handle other matters referred to it by competent authorities. As per article 6 of the law, the Central Bank will set a ceiling for the amount that may be brought into the country in cash without the need for declaration. (The Gulf News)
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Final draft of UAE anti-money laundering law
Following is the updated final version draft of the proposed anti-money laundering law which is formally being called Criminalisation of Laundering of Property Derived from Unlawful Activity. The law is yet to be issued.
We, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, having perused: The Constitution and, Federal Law No (1) of 1972, regarding jurisdictions of the ministries and powers of the ministers, and amending laws thereof, and, Union Law No (10) of 1980, regarding the Central Bank, the monetary system and organisation of banking and amending laws thereof, and, The Penal Code promulgated by Union Law No (3) of 1987, and, The Penal Code Procedures promulgated by Federal Law No (35) of 1992, and, Federal Law No (14) of 1995 regarding Fighting Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, and, Federal Decree No (55) of 1990, regarding approval to join the 1988 United Nation's Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, and, In accordance with presentations by the Minister of Finance and Industry, approval of the Cabinet, and ratification of the Supreme Union Council, Promulgate the following law Article 1 In the application of this law, and unless the context otherwise indicates, the following words and expressions shall bear the meanings cited against each:
The State: The United Arab Emirates The Minister: The Minister of Finance & Industry The Central Bank: The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates The Governor: The Governor of the Central Bank The Committee: The National Anti-Money Laundering Committee
Property: Assets of every kind, whether corporeal or incorporeal, moveable or immovable, and legal documents or instruments evidencing title to those assets or any rights related thereto. Money Laundering: Any act involving transfer, conversion or deposit of property, or concealment or disguise of their true nature, knowing that such property is derived from any of the offences stated in paragraph (2) of Article (2) herein. Proceeds: Any property derived from or, directly or indirectly obtained through the commission of any of the offences stated paragraph (2) of Article (2) herein. Freezing or Seizure: Temporarily prohibiting the transfer, conversion or disposition of or movement of property on the basis of an order issued by the competent authority. Confiscation: Permanent deprivation of property by order of a competent court. Instrumentalities: Any item in any way used or intended for use in commission of any of the offences stated in paragraph (2) of Article (2) herein. Financial Institutions: Any bank, finance company, money exchange house, financial or monetary intermediary or any other establishment licensed by the Central Bank, whether publicly or privately owned. Other Financial, Commercial and Economic Establishments: Establishments licensed and regulated by agencies other than the Central Bank, such as insurance companies, stock exchanges and others.
Article 2 1- Where a person intentionally commits any of the following acts in respect of property derived from any of the offences stated in item (2) of this article, such person shall be considered a perpetrator of the money laundering offence:
a. The conversion or transference of proceeds, for the purpose of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of such proceeds.
b. The concealment or disguise of the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights with respect to or ownership of proceeds.
c. The acquisition, possession or use of such proceeds.
2- For the purposes of this law, property shall mean those derived from the following offences:
a. Narcotics and psychotropic substances
b. Kidnapping, piracy and terrorism
c. Offences committed in violation of the environment law
d. Illicit dealing in firearms and ammunition
e. Bribery, embezzlement, and damage to public property
f. Fraud, breach of trust and related offences
g. Any other related offences stated in international conventions to which the State is party.
Article 3 Without prejudice to administrative penalties stated in the law, financial institutions and other financial, commercial and economic establishments operating in the country shall be criminally liable for the offence of money laundering if committed in their respective names or for their respective accounts.
Article 4 The Central Bank may, in accordance hereof, order the freezing of suspected property with financial institutions, and for a period not exceeding seven (7) days. The Public Prosecution may order seizure of suspected property, proceeds or instrumentalities, in accordance with its established procedures. The competent court may order provisional attachment, for undetermined periods, on property, proceeds or instrumentalities, if such property, proceeds or instrumentalities have resulted from, or were associated with a money laundering offence.
Article 5 1- Without prejudice to provisions of Article (4) herein, the Attorney General shall have the exclusive authority to initiate criminal action against a perpetrator of any of the offences stated herein. 2- Orders for seizure of or provisional attachment on property with financial institutions shall only be executed through the Central Bank.
Article 6 The Central Bank shall set a ceiling for the amount that may be brought into the country in cash without the need for declaration, and any amount in excess thereof shall be subject to the declaration system as established by the Central Bank.
Article 7 There shall be established, within the Central Bank, a unit named 'The Financial Information Unit' to deal with money laundering and suspicious cases, and to which reports of suspicious transactions shall be sent from all financial institutions and other financial, commercial and economic establishments. The Committee shall determine the format for reporting suspicious transactions and methods of communicating reports to the said unit. The said unit shall render the information available with it at the disposal of law enforcement agencies to facilitate their investigations. The said unit may exchange information on suspicious transactions with their counterparts in other countries in accordance with international conventions to which the State is party, or on basis of reciprocity.
Article 8 1- Following study of cases reported to it, the unit stated in Article (6) herein should notify the Attorney General to take necessary action.
2- If a money laundering case was directly reported to the Public Prosecution, the latter shall proceed with necessary action following consultations with the said Unit on contents of the report.
Article 9 An anti-money laundering committee named 'The National Anti-Money Laundering Committee' shall be formed under the chairmanship of the Governor of the Central Bank, consisting of representatives of the following agencies, as per their respective nominations:
The Central Bank, The Ministry of Interior, The Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf; The Ministry of Finance and Industry, The Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Municipalities, economic departments or other agencies concerned with issuing trade licenses, The UAE Customs Council.
Article 10 The terms of reference for the said committee shall be as follows:
Propose anti-money laundering rules and procedures in the State
Facilitate exchange of information and co-ordination between agencies represented therein
Represent the State in international anti-money laundering forums
Propose organisational regulation's regarding works of the committee
Any other matters referred to it by competent authorities The Board of Directors of the Central Bank shall determine remuneration for the committee's members, and the organisational regulations shall determine the timings and manner of discharge of the committee's tasks.
Article 11 Agencies concerned with licensing and supervision of financial institutions or other financial, commercial and economic establishments are required to establish appropriate mechanisms to ensure compliance of those institutions with anti-money laundering rules and regulations in the State. This should include reporting of suspicious cases, upon detection thereof, to the Unit stated in Article (6) herein.
Article 12 All concerned agencies must treat the information made available to them in respect of the criminal offences established herein, as confidential, and must refrain from breaching their confidentiality except to the extent required for use in investigations, legal actions, or lawsuits relating to violations to the provisions of this law.
Article 13 Whoever commits any of the acts stated in item (l) of Article (2) of this law, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, or by a fine not exceeding Dh300,000, or by both penalties, in addition to confiscation of proceeds, or the equivalent thereof, if such proceeds were wholly or partially converted into, or mixed up with, other property derived from lawful sources.
Article 14 Whoever violates the provisions of Article (3) of this law shall be punished by a fine not less than Dh300,000, and not exceeding Dh1,000,000, in addition to confiscation of proceeds, or property of value equivalent thereto, or the equivalent of those proceeds if the latter were wholly or partially converted into, or mixed up with other property derived from lawful sources.
Article 15 Chairmen, directors, managers and employees of financial institutions or other financial, commercial and economic establishments who know of, yet fail to report to the Unit any act that occurred and was related to the money laundering offence, shall be punished by imprisonment or by fine not exceeding Dh100,000 or by both penalties.
Article 16 Whoever informs any person that his transactions are being scrutinised for possible involvement in suspicious operations, or that security authorities or other competent authorities are investigating his possible involvement in suspicious operations, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding Dh50,000 or by both penalties.
Article 17 The false notification penalty shall be inflicted on whoever notifies the competent authorities, in bad faith, of the commission of the money laundering offence, with intent to cause damage to another person.
Article 18 Whoever violates provisions of Article (6) herein shall be punished by a fine not less than Dh2,000 and not exceeding Dh10,000. Amounts subject of the violation shall be attached, and unless proven to be associated with another offence, shall be released by a Public Prosecution order.
Article 19 Whoever violates any of the other provisions herein or the regulations and decisions issued in implementation thereof shall be punished by a fine not less than Dh100,000.
Article 20 Financial institutions and other financial, commercial and economic establishments, as well as their directors, employees and authorised representatives shall be immune to any criminal, civil or administrative liability, which may result from providing required information, or breaking a restriction imposed, for safeguarding confidentiality, by a legislative, contractual, regulatory or administrative provision, unless such reporting was proved to have been done in bad faith.
Article 21 The competent judicial authority may, as per request of a judicial authority in another country to which the State is bound by an approved treaty and provided the act is established as a criminal offence in the State, or on condition of reciprocity, order the pursuit, freezing or provisional attachment of property or proceeds derived from or instrumentalities used in a money laundering offence.
Article 22 Any ruling or judicial order providing for the confiscation of property, proceeds or instrumentalities relating to money laundering offences, issued by a court or a competent judicial authority in a country to which the State is bound by a ratified treaty.
Article 23The Council of Ministers shall, upon proposal by the Committee and presentations by the Minister, issue the executive regulations for the provisions of this law.
Article 24 Any provision contrary to or contravenes the provisions of this law shall be repealed.
Article 25 This law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force as from date of publication thereof.
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UAE to weather global economic storm
The UAE is putting up a tough fight against turmoil in the global economy and oil markets following the September attacks in the U.S., counting on its strengthening private sector and enormous overseas cash reserves. A sharp retreat in oil prices over the past few weeks is set to push down UAE's crude oil and gas sector by at least 20 per cent - but bankers expect this to be offset by growth in private business and the non-oil sectors. Although the consolidated budget, which includes federal spending and the budget of each emirate, will likely suffer from a deficit this year, it will be easily shored up through returns from investments abroad. The current account could also be upset after it recorded one of its highest surpluses last year - at US$9.1 billion - but the UAE remains one of the biggest net capital exporters in the Arab world.
Bankers estimate the UAE controls nearly US$60 billion in overseas cash reserves, including around US$33 billion in foreign assets for local banks. The country's official reserves with the IMF are estimated at around US$14 billion while the rest are controlled by the Central Bank. Such reserves do not include the massive foreign investments managed by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Official figures showed UAE's expenditure in the consolidated budget at around Dh350 billion (USUS$95 billion) over the past five years while revenues did not exceed USUS$75 billion. The cumulative deficit of around US$20 billion was covered through returns from investments abroad rather than borrowing.
Figures by the Planning Ministry showed the UAE enjoyed high domestic liquidity which enables banks to finance private business and contribute to growth. The 47 commercial banks had nearly Dh132 billion in liquidity by end 2000. High liquidity and sharp increase in deposits allowed banks to boost loans by more than Dh50 billion over the past five years to around Dh155 billion by end 2000. Nearly 76 per cent was channelled to the private sector. Independent estimates show the private sector accounting for over 45 per cent of the economy compared to 30 per cent ten years ago. The expanded contribution has enabled it to partially offset the impact of fluctuating oil prices. In real terms, UAE's GDP grew 6.5 per cent last year while in nominal terms it leapt 15 per cent because of the surge in oil prices. Officials and experts expect real growth to be around one per cent this year, although nominally there will be a decline because of a projected drop of more than USUS$4 a barrel in oil prices. Such a drop will push UAE's crude export earnings from a record USUS$21 billion last year to nearly USUS$16 billion this year, according to forecasts by the London-based Centre for Global Energy Studies. (The Gulf News)
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Dubai E-government Department signs agreement
A cooperation agreement was signed here today at the Dubai Ruler's Court between the Dubai E-government Department and the Indian Webro Limited Company, a specialised Information Technology firm. Dr. Khalifa Mohammed Ahmed, Director of the Dubai Ruler's Court, signed for the Department while Azim Bramji, Chairman of the Indian Company signed for his company. The signing of the six-month agreement, which cost a little over USUS$800,000, came just after the inauguration of a Dubai E-government centre at the Dubai Internet City, to ensure the provision of government services in a sustainable and very peaceful environment. Based on the agreement, Webro Limited will see to the services of the administrative operations of the data centre to ensure the development of those services. The firm will also administer and supervise the data centre's infrastructure. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
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Ajman port likely to add berths
Ajman port is in for an expansion. Emirates Port Services (EPS), which has bagged a 10-year contract to manage the port, has appointed Dubai-based Halcrow to carry out a study on expansion prospects. Hameed Ibrahim, director of EPS, said Ajman port was planning to increase the number of berths from 14 to 16, subject to the proposals from Halcrow, expected to be ready within two months. Dredging to a draft of 10.5 metres from 8 metres is also on the cards, as are warehouse and building constructions in the port premises. Initially, EPS might spend some Dh25 million.
EPS is a joint venture between Emirates Trading Agency (ETA) and Ras Al Khaimah-based Union Group. Ajman port was managed by Ajman Port Services (APS), part of the Momentum Group, until EPS won the contract recently through bidding, in which Momentum also participated, apart from other two companies. Khorfakkan is the only other port in the country being managed by a private company, Gulftainer Co Ltd, for the last 14 years. Though Jebel Ali port was initially managed by SeaLand, which has now merged with Maersk to become the largest shipping company in the world, it is now being managed by Dubai Ports Authority. EPS, which employs more than 240 people, planned to increase the volume of cargo handling, he added, and hoped that by the second year it would be in a position to handle 50 per cent more cargo.
The port, which had a depth of five metres when it was first built, has been developed into an 8-metre-deep port. It now expects to convert into a 10.5 metre-deep port, enabling visits by 40,000-50,000 DWT ships of length up to 175 metres. In the Middle East, Halcrow provides transport, water, property, development, environmental and energy consultancy services across North Africa to Dubai. It has permanent offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah besides Doha in Qatar, currently employing more than 250 staff in the Middle East. (The Gulf News)
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RAK considers building new city
The Ras Al Khaimah Department of Lands and the emirate's Municipality are considering building a new city next to the old city of Ras Al Khaimah to accommodate the increasing population, said a senior official. The old city of Ras Al Khaimah had been planned to accommodate about 20,000 people but now accommodates more than 80,000. The most recent statistics show that the total population of Ras Al Khaimah emirate is 171,000.
Experts are currently working on choosing the site for the new city, and added that even after the place is chosen, many studies will be conducted to make sure that it is the best location. Once the location for the new city is decided, the Municipality will not issue any more construction licences in the old city and all efforts will be concentrated on the new. (The Gulf News)
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Dam project to be completed soon
The Dh 21 million dam and three breakers being built in Safad and Thaib, in Al Qurayyah village, are expected to be complete next month. The project is expected to help collect more rainwater, irrigate more farms and support underground water storage in the region. The dam and three breakers are part of a project covering more than 22 dams which are being built in Fujairah and the East Coast. The construction was ordered by the Private Department of President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to help trap rain and flood water from the mountainous areas of the East Coast and to improve the underground water system.
When complete, the main Safad dam will be able to retain around 260,000 cubic metres of rain water while the three breakers, Safad 12A, Safad 12C and Thaib 12D will hold 4,000 cubic metres, 56,000 cubic metres and 15,000 cubic metres of rain water respectively. The dam is very important to the area. It will protect Al Qurayyah, which was hit by a very strong flood in 1995. The dam will provide farmers in the area with a continuous source of water to irrigate their farms during summer. The breakers will also protect houses in Al Qurayyah village from being swept away by raging torrents of rainwater. Under the dam building project, two dams are being built in Shouka in Ras Al Khaimah, and some others along with breakers are being constructed in Murbeh, Qidfa, Al Hail, Ham, Dalum, Al Rakbi and Al Bithnah. They are being built by other companies. (The Gulf News)
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Dubai Ports transactions rise 23% to 68,364
Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation processed a total of 68,364 transactions weighing 339,450 tonnes in the last nine months at its Land Transport Customs Centre. A report issued by the Centre said that its transaction achievement percentage was up by 23 per cent during the last nine months compared to the same period last year. It also reported an increase of 18 per cent in the total weight of goods exported and imported and 19 per cent in the number of vehicles and trucks that left Dubai. A total of 24,087 vehicles left Dubai in the last nine months.
The transactions processed at the Land Transport Customs Centres in Al Hamriya and Jebel Ali includes transaction of cargo permits, inspection reports and vehicles that have already left. According to Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, it is keen to continue supporting the land transport sector in the interest of the betterment of the trade and economic sector in the emirate. According to the Corporation, total transactions for goods transported by land including export, re-export and transit reached 24,623 weighing 308 tonnes in the last nine months. Out of this, 11,935 transactions weighing 164 tonnes were for export followed by 10,842 re-export transactions weighing 123 tonnes and 1846 transit transactions weighting 21 tonnes. More than 654 transactions for imported cars weighing 1,949 tonnes have been processed in the last nine months, a Corporation press release said.
Of the 654 transactions, 639 were for imported cars registered in the country weighing 1,929 tonnes and 15 transactions for imported cars registered and exempted from customs fees and weighing 20 tonnes.According to figures provided by Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, 24,087 cars and vehicles left Dubai for various Arab countries in the last nine months. Of these, 7,864 cars were destined for Oman followed by 6,299 for Saudi Arabia and 2,888 for Qatar. In addition cars from Dubai also left for Jordan, Kuwait, Turkey, Yemen, Egypt, Lebanon, Bahrain, Syria, Bulgaria, Libya, Romania, Tunisia, Russia, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and several other countries.
Cars and vehicles that left Dubai in the last nine months were mainly from Turkey, Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Libya and Romania. The UAE was on top of the car re-export list with 7,331 cars leaving Dubai followed by Oman with 7,065 cars and Saudi Arabia with 2,748. The list also included cars from Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Yemen and Bahrain. (The Gulf Today)
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ADNOC expects 2 per cent rise in sales
ADNOC Distribution Western Region Department has forecast an increase of two per cent sales for petrol products during the current year, according to a top official of the company. Direct sales for the region in 2000 reached 23.7 million gallons of major products (diesel and petrol), 162,000 gallons of lubes and 1,367,000 gallons of gas.
According to an article published in the ADNOC Distribution Magazine, the company was established in 1973, the western region of Abu Dhabi emirate had only three stations supplying fuel to vehicles: two in Tarif and one in Jebel Dhana in addition to a manual station to service residents of Dalma Island. The number of current stations is now 21, four of them in Liwa and two in Zayed City, Tarif, Marfa, Ruwais, Sila and Dalma Island. There is one station in Giathi, Jebel Dhana, Bida Matawa, Al Hamraa and Ghwuafat, and 222 workers work in these stations.
Regarding future plans, the company intends to build eight more stations in the region from 2001-2004. The plan calls for modernising all existing stations and establishing two large station/rest facilities on the sides of Abu Dhabi-Silaa road. The stations will be the largest in the area and would offer auto workshops, restaurants, a motel and children playground. The two facilities represent a qualitative leap in ADNOC Distribution's services and sales level. (The Gulf Today)
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Dubai's potential highlighted to German travel trade
A group of 19 senior decision makers representing Germany's leading travel trade firms ITS Reisen and Jahn Reisen, were given a comprehensive presentation on Dubai's attractions, safety and the potential for developing further tourism at the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing's (DTCM) Head Office in Dubai yesterday (November 20th). 'We emphasize that there can be no better starting point for a first time travel trade visitor to Dubai, than a meeting and presentation on Dubai and its attractions at the department's Head Office,' said DTCM Manager Missions, Hamad bin Mejren. 'Safety is an important consideration in planning a holiday and one of UAE's great tourist attractions is its safe environment, remarked Mr. Mejren. 'The UAE has been voted as the safest destination in the world on several occasions in the recent past by readers of the German consumer travel publication Globo,' he stressed.
This visit of senior travel trade Executives from Germany is jointly hosted by Emirates airline and SNTTA Emirates Tours and organized in association with ITS & LTU Touristik GmbH Germany is designed to stimulate business for the coming months. 'Our primary objective is to underline the image of the destination Dubai in view of the current situation following the events in September and showcase Dubai and the UAE as a safe and cosmopolitan destination,' said Jyoti Panchmattia, General Manager SNTTA Emirates Tours. She added that the Agents Tour has twin roles. Apart from the Agents educating themselves on the destination, they will also issue a joint statement to the German media and travel trade, endorsing the safety and the traditional hospitality of the people as well as about its attractions. Their report is expected to produce far-reaching effects on inbound tourism to Dubai from the German market.
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DTCM's training solutions gets Cambridge accreditation
Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing's Tourism and Hospitality Training Solutions has been granted full centre accreditation by the UK's prestigious University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate according to a press release issued by the department. The accreditation was awarded subsequent to a quality audit of the division and now permits the DTCM to offer an International career award in travel and tourism. DTCM Director General, Khalid A. bin Sulayem said, 'Training Solutions in a very short span of time has established itself to better ensure that Dubai's tourism and hospitality sectors are equipped to consistently deliver world-class levels of service.
The division with this major accreditation will be recognized as the leading centre for travel industry training and will match the industry-focused base that embraces the very core of Dubai.' Commenting on this major achievement, DTCM Senior Manager Tourism Affairs, Gary Mason remarked, 'This accreditation provides a unique opportunity for those interested in a career in travel and tourism to gain a widely acknowledged, international qualification while developing practical skills in a range of travel and tourism related work roles. The DTCM had earlier achieved external accreditation for a number of its courses through the United Kingdoms' Business and Technology Educational Council (BTEC), part of Edexcel Foundation, one of the world's largest vocational and academic educational bodies. Providing industry specific training forms part of the DTCM's drive to raise overall standards of service in the industry.
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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
