Tag Archives: construction
Egypt names Mehlib as new premier ahead of key election
Egypt names Mehlib as new premier ahead of key election (AP) / 26 February 2014 New prime minister says his cabinet members will be “holy warriors” in the service of Egyptians. Egypt’s interim president chose the outgoing housing minister, a construction magnate from the era of ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak, as his new prime minister on Tuesday, some two months ahead of key presidential elections. The switch from veteran economist Hazem Al Beblawi to Ibrahim Mehlib, who successfully led Egypt’s biggest construction company for a decade, appeared orchestrated to give Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the country’s military chief, a window for a quieter street after a spike in labor strikes with the potential of triggering wider unrest. Al Sisi overthrew President Mohammed Mursi in July and backed Al Beblawi’s government through tumultuous times, including a heavy crackdown on Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, and a nationwide referendum that adopted a new constitution while militant insurgency and terror attacks surged. With his presidential bid almost certain, Al Sisi must leave the military to run for president. However, a senior government official said the 59-year-old soldier will retain his defence minister’s post in the next Cabinet. “There is a need for a fresh face to deal with the strikes,” said Mohammed Aboul Ghar, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic party, from which el-Beblawi hails. “Al Beblawi was supposed to stay for two more months but the strikes propelled a speed-up in pushing through the changes.” A change of government before the presidential vote would also spare Al Sisi the disruption associated with forming a new one if he becomes president, a near certainty given his sweeping popularity and the relative weakness of his rivals — likely a leftist politician and a retired general. Minutes after news broke that he had been chosen prime minister, Mehlib told reporters his cabinet members will be “holy warriors” in the service of Egyptians. He said that his top priority is to improve living standards, combat terrorism and restore security. This, he said, would pave the way for presidential elections. “God willing, the presidential elections will pass and will take place in proper conditions of safety, security, transparency,” he said, adding, “the priority is to work day and night … anyone in the cabinet will be a holy warrior to achieve the goals of the people.” When asked about the strikes, Mehlib said that excessive labour demands can “topple the state.” Labour official and activist Kamal Abbas saw a positive sign in the resignation of Al Beblawi’s government “in response to the strikes,” but added that workers will wait and see what the new one will bring. “This is an example of failed response to the strikes. Instead of sending the buses, why don’t you talk to the workers and when negotiations fail, talk again until we reach a solution,” said Abbas. The military, meanwhile, sought to head off a backlash over the strike by public transport workers, sending its own buses to ferry passengers across the capital. “This is to lighten the suffering of citizens and the harm caused by the strikes,” said a statement posted on the Facebook page of military spokesman Col. Ahmed Mohammed Ali. Mehlib, the prime minister-designate, has a reputation for being a hard worker and a successful chief executive of several large companies. Born in 1949, he is a graduate of Cairo University’s school of engineering. He rose through the ranks of the construction conglomerate Arab Contractors to become its chief executive for 11 years before resigning in 2012. He worked in Saudi Arabia for one year before he returned to become housing minister under Al Beblawi. In a separate development, courts on Tuesday sentenced 220 mostly Mursi supporters to up to seven years imprisonment for instigating violence and holding protests without a permit. Three courts in the port city of Alexandria issued the verdicts in separate cases, all related to street protests. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Dubai airports are ready to see more growth: Ahmed
Dubai airports are ready to see more growth: Ahmed Patrick Michael / 12 February 2014 Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, wears many hats with effortless ease. Even as airline and airport operators in other global markets struggle with uncertainty, he is leading the continuing growth of Dubai’s aviation sector, an unprecedented record in times of sectoral volatility. Under his supervision, the senior team of Emirates airline has proven to be reactive, consistently innovative and ahead of the global game. Having learnt the lessons of the global financial crisis, Shaikh Ahmed is adept at using the aviation sector’s significant footprint on gross domestic production (GDP) to steer Dubai’s economy along the right track. Beyond the immediate economy — and aviation-sector related strategies — he is also in charge of ushering in a greener Dubai, serving as chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. Across all these roles, his functioning style is characterised by a thoroughly hands-on approach. More recently, he has been formulating economic, investment and fiscal policies and strategies in support of the emirate’s overarching vision. In a freewheeling interview, Shaikh Ahmed talks about Dubai’s aviation sector, Emirates’ challenges and opportunities and dismisses fears of another Dubai bubble. Excerpts from the interview: Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum with Jonathan Chen Chwen-Jing Ph.D, Political Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transportation (left), and Wan-Lee Lee, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Administration (right), during a Press conference to celebrate the launch of Emirates’ non-stop daily service between Taipei and Dubai. — Supplied photo Dubai went through a very difficult phase between 2009 and 2011. As the person who led the financial advisory council, what are the key lessons you learnt from the crisis? Is Dubai ready for another bubble? Shaikh Ahmed: There is no real bubble in Dubai and there’s nothing to indicate it is leading up to one. The countries that were crippled by the 2009 economic crisis have learnt their lessons well and most of them are now almost back on track, and so is Dubai. The real estate bubble that everyone seems obsessed with is really not there. The creation of regulatory bodies to oversee developers, brokers and financiers, besides others safeguards that have been put in place will ensure there will not be a repeat of the 2009 crisis. Dubai has surpassed the targeted GDP growth and achieved 4.9 per cent growth in 2013. Its property market will continue to grow even as its economy continues to climb. Remember, Dubai’s fundamentals as a regional hub of shipping, services, people, trade and capital have not changed. If one considers the construction sector, a corporate diversification yielded high returns for five years, which helped (install) new infrastructure and fund the acquisition of new talent. What is the direct contribution of the aviation sector to the economy’s growth? What is the indirect jobs creation impact of Emirates in the UAE? Emirates is one of the major contributors to Dubai’s economy and we support the emirate’s overarching vision. We now support 28 per cent of Dubai’s GDP growth and will continue to do so as we move towards our target of 20 million passengers by the time Expo 2020 opens. Emirates has created thousands of jobs, both direct and indirect, and as we continue to expand these numbers will continue to grow. Dubai follows a three-pronged model for its aviation sector growth: Investing in airports, investing in aircraft, and addition of new destinations. Several other cities in the Arab world are following the same pattern. How much regional competition can be sustained in this industry? Is the growing competition a cause for worry? Are there openings for strategic collaborations? There’s absolutely no cause for worry. Everyone wants a slice of the cake and taste success and the cake is big enough for all who want to enter the industry and take a slice of it. It would be up to us to see how much of that slice we can take. I’ve always maintained, there is room for all. Over the years, there have been many new players like Qatar Airways, flydubai and Etihad, and all of us (are) doing well with enough of the cake left for those still eyeing a piece. As far as strategic collaborations go, we have an open mind. We already have code-sharing deals which are working to both parties’ benefit and we will continue to look at and study any and all collaborations that come our way, since these will vary from country to country. Shaikh Ahmed meets Taiwan President Staff Report Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, met the President of Taiwan Ma Ying-jeou in Taipei on Tuesday. Shaikh Ahmed was in Taiwan to celebrate the launch of Emirates’ daily non-stop flights between Dubai and Taipei, which will open new opportunities both for business and for tourism, inbound and outbound. Shaikh Ahmed was joined at his meeting by Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Emirates’ executive vice-president — Chairman’s Office, Facilities/Projects Management and Procurement & Logistics, and Mohammad Al Ghaith. Later, Shaikh Ahmed along with Jonathan Chen Chwen-Jing Ph.D, Political Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transportation and Wan-Lee Lee, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Administration, held a Press briefing with over 70 Taiwan-based journalists and also media that had travelled from the UAE and the GCC on Monday’s inaugural flight. “Emirates has been working hard to promote Taipei across our global network and we will continue to do so. We are known as a connector of people, places and passions, and we look forward to connecting Taipei with our network,” said Shaikh Ahmed. Minister Chen extended his congratulations to Emirates, “Emirates is well known for its premium and quality service worldwide. Emirates’ Taipei-Dubai direct flight service offers Taiwanese passengers a more connected network and diversified options, and more importantly, help promote Taiwan tourism to the world. We expect more frequent interactions between both sides, and more people could learn about Taiwan.” “Emirates has been awarded Skytrax World’s Best Airline 2013, and we are happy to welcome another world-class airline to enter Taiwan. In recent years more and more Taiwanese value their pastime and choose travelling abroad to experience different cultures. Emirates non-stop service between Taipei and Dubai enables more Taiwanese to visit the Middle East, and vice versa,”said Lee. Is there possibility of overcapacity post-Expo 2020? Dubai is investing significantly in new aircraft and airport expansion in preparation to host World Expo 2020 and I can see no threat of overcapacity. Dubai is now the world’s fourth busiest airport for international passenger and cargo traffic and I expect to see more growth and recognition for Dubai. Expo 2020 is not for just two or three weeks. It’s for six whole months. This will allow us to spread our wings further and sustain the (airline’s) growth and profitability long after the expo is over. We will continue to expand and connect to more destinations. Many countries continue to approach us because of the airline’s high standards. The Dubai International Airport is set to undertake runway repair work later this year. What are the measures taken to ensure the shift does not affect international airlines’ operations? While the shifting is not simple, I am confident it will be a smooth one. We have picked the months when air traffic into Dubai is not so high. Some of the airlines will operate from Al Maktoum International Airport while most will continue to land at the Dubai International Airport. We expect no problems in the operations. The repair work will be undertaken between May and July and I don’t foresee any major disruption in traffic. Does Dubai have the capacity for two airport hubs? Al Maktoum International Airport is set to become a hub by 2020, especially as infrastructure in the vicinity gains traction. Dubai has always been about growth. The core business model of Dubai remains sound. With or without a booming real estate sector, Dubai is a commercial and tourism hub for a region that encompasses the markets of emerging Africa, South Asia, Russia, Central Asia and of course, the Gulf region. So yes, I am confident Dubai has the capacity for two airport hubs. Even as airline connectivity gains ground, one of the key concerns in the region is the choking air traffic congestion over the regional airspace. Will that affect Dubai’s expansion plans? We are not worried. We are in talks with other GCC aviation industry officials about air traffic congestion fears, but this will not in any way stop our expansion. At a time when airlines globally are yet to make robust returns, how does Emirates sustain its profitability? I have no doubts that Emirates will continue to be a profitable airline. Our strategies are in place and we will continue to expand and connect with more destinations even as we order new aircraft. The Boeing 777X is one of the largest orders we have placed and we hope to see this aircraft take to the skies by 2019. The new aircraft we have ordered will also have something even more pleasing and exciting for our passengers. The design is being worked on but right now that is a secret that will be revealed only when the time is right. Why the new flight to Taipei? Taipei has been an important market for Emirates since we launched our freighter services to the city in 2003. We have continued our commitment to Taiwan and due to the demand, we felt now was the right time to launch non-stop daily services between Taipei and Dubai. The service will bring Taiwanese consumers much closer to the UAE and the Middle East and we are very optimistic about this route. Through Dubai, Emirates offers passengers from Taipei a one-stop connection to 80 countries across the world. We are confident that this new route will open up new trade opportunities across the Emirates network as well as supporting business and tourism travel to Taipei. Etihad is expanding its footprint significantly through new alliances and equity participation. Will Emirates look at such participation in markets such as India, where the aviation sector is opening up? India has always been an important market for us and will continue to be so. Its sheer size and population dictate this and a big percentage of our profits comes from this market. But as far as the first part of your question goes, we have an open mind. Nothing is ruled out. What are Emirates’ plans for Africa? Which are the growth markets you see on the continent? Africa is another big market for us. It is a growth market and we will be looking at it very closely though I cannot tell you right now which market we will be connecting to next. — patrick@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
12-lane Al Ittihad Bridge to replace Floating Bridge
12-lane Al Ittihad Bridge to replace Floating Bridge Staff Reporter / 9 February 2014 Contract for Etihad Bridge that will allow bulky ships to pass underneath to be awarded by year-end, says RTA An artist’s impression of the Etihad Bridge. -Supplied photo The Floating Bridge will be replaced with a 12-lane Etihad Bridge that will allow bulky ships to pass underneath, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on Saturday. By the end of this year, the RTA will award a contract for constructing Etihad Bridge near the Dubai Creek Park and Dubai Courts on the Bur Dubai side, and near Deira City Centre and the Dubai Golf Club in Deira. The Dubai Tram project, which has a track extending 11km along Al Sufouh Street, could see its initial phase opened in November this year. Etihad Bridge, which will replace the existing Floating Bridge, comprises 12 lanes (six in each direction) in addition to a footpath in each direction. It measures 61.6 metres in width and has an arch that rises 100 metres. The bridge is set to provide free traffic movement in both directions and will allow free navigation round the clock as it rises 15 metres above the creek water level and has a 400 metre-wide navigation line, enabling the passage of bulky ships underneath. “The RTA will complete the construction of internal road projects in residential areas in accordance with the five-year plan (2012-2016) where a budget of Dh234 million is allocated for constructing internal roads in a number of residential communities in Dubai,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director, RTA. “It will also work on the Parallel Roads Project supporting Shaikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road for which a budget of Dh398 million is being allocated. The portfolio of projects funded also include the Jumeirah Corniche Project at a cost of Dh70 million, widening of Al Qudra Road Project at a cost of Dh49 million, and the construction of the Union Gallery as well as the rehabilitation of the Union House at a total cost of Dh201 million.” He also said that the total expenditure budget approved for the RTA in 2014 was Dh7.036 billion, comprising operational budget of Dh3.156 billion and capital and projects budget estimated as Dh3.88 billion. “The aggregate anticipated revenues for this year is Dh5 billion, marking a 17 per cent increase over last year’s budget. The approved projects budget is estimated at Dh3.62 billion, which will be allocated for constructing around 99 projects; comprising 50 new projects to be undertaken in roads, marine transport and public transport sector, and 49 projects currently under way,” explained Al Tayer. He said: “Traffic and Roads Agency will get 36 per cent of the budget, 33 per cent will go to the Rail Agency, 13 per cent to the Public Transport Agency, 17 per cent to be shared between the Licensing Agency, Administrative Support Services Sector, and Technical Support Services Sector, and one per cent to the remaining agencies.” news@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
