SHARJAH, 29th May, 2024 (WAM) — The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) hosted the B-CAD Emirates Convention 2024. The event, which was organised in collaboration with the international trade fair B-CAD (Building-Construction Architecture Design), is dedicated to the “future of Sustainable Design and Made in Italy Construction and Architecture Products”.

The Convention aims to showcase the best global practices in the fields of building, architecture, and sustainable design, as well as innovation in city planning, infrastructure, and mobility. It underscores the Sharjah Chamber’s commitment to facilitating events that enhance commercial ties for the private sector and promote sustainability efforts across diverse industries.

Held at SCCI’s headquarters, the Convention was attended by Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI; Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, and Valerio Soldani, Director of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in Dubai.

Also present were Maryam Saif Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General for the Support Services Sector at SCCI; Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Business Sector at SCCI; Ibrahim Rashid Al Jarwan, Director of SCCI’s Economic Relations Department, and Jamal Saeed Bouzanjal, Director of Corporate Communication Department at SCCI.
Esteemed officials taking part in the event also included Marco Luongo, Deputy Trade Commissioner at the Italian Embassy’s Trade Promotion Office, along with representatives from leading Emirati and Italian companies specialising in construction, design, and architecture.

During the event’s plenary sessions, the Italian side put spotlight on the next edition of the International Trade Fair B-CAD (Building-Construction Architecture Design) which is scheduled in Rome from October 31 to November 2, 2024. A formal invitation was extended to the Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber to attend the event.

The sessions delved into exploring potential avenues of bilateral collaboration between the UAE and Italy in the construction and design sectors. Notably, the UAE is a key destination for Italian exports in interior design and furnishings, with exports totaling EUR 300 million in 2023, reflecting a 5.75 percent growth, with expectations for further increase this year.

Highlighting the ever-growing ties between both sides, Abdallah Sultan Al Owais affirmed that relationship between Sharjah’s and Italy’s private sectors now encompasses not only commercial activities but also the exchange of expertise, knowledge, and best practices in various fields, including sustainable design, which was the focal point of the Sharjah Chamber’s convention.

The event served as a platform for UAE businesses to exchange ideas and insights on the latest innovations and technologies in sustainable design and construction, leveraging the Italian experience in this field. This aligns with the ongoing development and progress the UAE’s construction sector is currently witnessing amid the country’s dedication to promote sustainability as a key pillar of growth

Al Owais further noted that the Sharjah Chamber continues to support events that foster investment relations and promote strategic projects across various sectors, including construction.

For his part, Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, emphasised his country’s commitment to enhancing trade and investment relations with Sharjah at private sector level, driving them to the most prosperous heights.

Commending Sharjah’s economic and urban progress, Lorenzo Fanara expressed the Italian Embassy’s readiness and eagerness to collaborate with the Sharjah Chamber across multiple domains. This cooperation aims to strengthen bilateral ties, solidify mutual benefits, and support the business communities of both countries.

Marco Luongo, Deputy Trade Commissioner at the Italian Embassy’s Trade Promotion Office, said that the B-CAD Emirates Convention offers a valuable platform to strengthen collaboration between Sharjah and Italy in the field of innovation and sustainable technology within the real estate sector. It also facilitates the exchange of expertise and the best practices related to sustainable technology which are pivotal in reshaping the construction industry.

He noted that environmental sustainability has become a priority for the Italian building and construction sector. The Italian green construction market is experiencing substantial growth; as it is on track to reach a value of $187.4 billion by 2027, with an annual increase rate of 8.6 percent.

Highlighting Italy’s deep expertise in sustainable construction, Marco Luongo pointed out that Italy ranks ninth among the top 10 leading countries in Energy and Environmental Design, the most widely used green building rating system worldwide, in 2022.
The B-CAD Emirates Convention 2024 is held in partnership with the international fair B-CAD (Building-Construction Architecture Design) and was organised by Social Net Srl of Italy at Expo Centre Sharjah in 2023.

This year’s Convention featured several discussion sessions and presentations, which highlighted the importance of exploring the latest innovations in sustainable design, exploring the latest innovations in sustainable design, in line with the continuous construction development and innovations witnessed in Sharjah and the UAE.

Key topics included environmental sustainability and innovation in building design, fostering the exchange of expertise and best practices in sustainable construction, architecture, and design.

ABU DHABI, 29th May, 2024 (WAM) — The third edition of the Make it in the Emirates (MIITE) Forum and exhibition, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and ADNOC, concluded on Tuesday.

The two-day event in Abu Dhabi was attended by six thousand investors, industrialists, innovators and experts and featured 200 leading companies and financial institutions in the UAE.

The third MIITE Forum witnessed five strategic announcements, including an additional AED 23 billion worth of procurement opportunities for local manufacturing, raising the total value generated by the three editions of the forum to AED 143 billion, comprising more than 2,000 products. This includes AED 20 billion allocated by ADNOC, and AED 3 billion by PureHealth.

During the forum, AED 20 billion worth of new investments in industrial projects were announced, alongside competitive electricity prices for industrial companies in Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Qaiwain, and Fujairah under a partnership between the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Etihad Water and Electricity.

The event a marked the introduction of AED 1 billion in solutions via a co-lending financing between Emirates Development Bank (EDB) and commercial banks to empower industrial companies.

The event also launched the AI Innovation Programme, an initiative designed to support startups on AI integration which is backed by EDB with a AED 370 million fund.

The third MIITE Forum showcased the achievements of local industrial companies, along with the incentives that bolster and attract industrial investments to the country. It highlighted the country’s support for the local manufacturing of essential products and materials.

The exhibition that accompanied the forum showcased 300 products that came as a result from Make it in the Emirates initiative, National ICV-Programme, and import substitution efforts by national and international companies. These included innovative solutions designed to support the development of the industrial sector and boost food security.

The forum underscored the pivotal role of AI as a cornerstone of the country’s strategic direction and in raising efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness.

The forum further cemented the UAE’s position as a key global platform for collaboration among institutions, companies, and financial institutions. The third edition witnessed the signing of 82 MoUs and agreements between government entities and leading industrial companies.

The forum featured the launch of Transform 4.0, a programme aiming to accelerate the adoption of advanced technology in industry through developing a roadmap for 100 industrial companies. This initiative aims to enhance the competitiveness of national industries, elevate productivity, improve operational efficiency, and foster sustainable growth opportunities. Ultimately, it aims to support the digital economy by leveraging knowledge, technology, and innovation.
The Ministry announced the three winner of Make it in the Emirates Start-Up Pitch Competition covering the two categories of additive manufacturing and decarbonisation.

The forum supports sustainable economic development and promotes self-sufficiency, localisation and resilience in value chains, particularly by driving the adoption of advanced technology, Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions and AI applications. Furthermore, the forum serves as a platform for empowering Emirati talent in the industrial sector.

ABU DHABI, 14th May 2024 (WAM) — His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, have sent congratulatory messages to Jeremiah Manele on his election as the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands.

ABU DHABI, 14th May, 2024 (WAM) — The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and M42 have collaborated to launch the Abu Dhabi Biobank, with its first offering being the region’s largest hybrid cord blood bank.

Reinforcing the Emirate’s position as a leading destination for life sciences, the initiative aims to shorten waiting times for treatment, increase therapeutic access for patients, improve survival rates and reduce the economic burden on governments.

Announced at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week 2024 where M42 is participating as the Foundation Partner, the Abu Dhabi Biobank is part of the emirate’s vision of building a unique global biobanking hub delivering invaluable data assets for maximal impact on people’s health.

It will be a key pillar of health transformation and aims to deliver excellence by creating a diverse, foundational, bio-asset that supports therapeutic treatments, life science research for medical innovation, novel drug discovery targets and disease prevention to deliver the highest level of personalised, precise, and preventative healthcare for all.

The service will be introduced across four leading healthcare entities committed to maternal and child health across Abu Dhabi. Prospective parents can avail themselves of this service at Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children, part of the M42 group, Corniche Hospital, Kanad Hospital, and hospitals as part of NMC Healthcare.

Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH, said that the wealth of biological and medical data amassed by the Biobank will catalyse scientific breakthroughs, expediting drug discovery, thus contributing to the Emirate’s ability to find solutions for local and global health challenges. It will significantly impact clinical care and patient outcomes, emphasising cord-derived stem cell therapies and enabling local stem cell therapy delivery.

She added, “The Abu Dhabi Biobank’s ability to link cord blood, tissue, stem cells, and a wide range of normal and pathological human specimens with established large genomic, proteomics and clinical records sets the scene for transformative and cutting-edge initiatives.”

An important advancement for the nation’s health ecosystem, the cord blood bank of Abu Dhabi Biobank will enable better care outcomes, build the nation’s self-sufficiency in meeting the urgent need for cord blood stem cells, and further enhance regional capabilities in research and innovation.

Stem cells work like a ‘bio repair kit’, helping to heal, restore and replenish other cells that can be used to treat certain haematological and immune system disorders, like leukaemia, lymphoma and bone marrow diseases requiring a transplant.

With a capacity to store 100,000 cord blood samples and five million pan-human samples, the Biobank will create a rich, diverse dataset that can provide ready and better-matched hemopoietic stem cells globally. It aims to enhance community well-being through preventive measures and access to advanced, high-quality health services.

Abu Dhabi Biobank’s cord blood bank facility, situated in M42’s Omics Centre of Excellence, is equipped with state-of-the-art automated technology and the best large-capacity biobanking infrastructure. This infrastructure will preserve samples safely and securely, thereby making them viable for research and therapeutic use for 30 years.

Ashish Koshy, Group Chief Operating Officer of M42, said, “The Abu Dhabi Biobank will foster global innovation in therapy development, as it holds huge potential for regenerative medicine, aiding in rare disease treatment, genetic screening, early detection, and scientific research. We’re proud to partner with DoH on this initiative, and we look forward to collaborating with them and other healthcare providers to drive progress in health and reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a global life science hub.”

The cord blood bank locally collects and preserves umbilical cord cells, offering donors the choice of preserving a newborn’s stem cells at birth, for potentially lifesaving treatments at no risk to them or their baby.

Expectant mothers can preserve their baby’s cord blood by opting for a safe, secure, painless, and non-intrusive process that can save lives and help build a healthier nation. They will have the opportunity to preserve the stem cells as part of public or private banking.

ABU DHABI, 14th May, 2024 (WAM) — President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi several health ministers and officials participating in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week (ADGHW).

During the meeting, His Highness extended a warm welcome to the guests, joined by Mansour Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.

He wished them success in their contributions to this global event aimed at achieving outcomes that will form the basis for future strategic planning in the global health sector.

His Highness highlighted the significance of these gatherings for exchanging ideas and insights on the latest trends and technological advances shaping the global healthcare system. He also stressed the importance of developing innovative solutions to address challenges facing the health sector.

His Highness emphasised that the UAE is committed to supporting all efforts and initiatives aimed at advancing the future of healthcare and strengthening global health systems while also promoting investments in healthcare development for the greater good of humanity.

Participants expressed their appreciation to the UAE and the organisers of the Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week, which provides a vital platform for dialogue and the exchange of ideas on future healthcare needs and strategies for advancing healthcare through a proactive and preventive approach.