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Mayor of London heads to Dubai
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has reiterated just how important it is for the UK to maintain its strong business links with the UAE.Mr Johnson landed in the Gulf on Sunday (April 14th) and he will complete a five-day tour of the Middle East, in which he is scheduled to visit Abu Dhabi and Dubai.He will attend a number of high-profile meetings with political, state and business leaders during his stay and he will also discuss a number of issues with Arabian royalty.The Gulf is already the UK's seventh largest export market and Mr Johnson is keen to cement the countries' positive relationship. It goes without saying that the UAE has emerged as a crucial corporate hub and the nation's gross domestic product is expected to rise over the next few years – strengthening its position even further.During the Dubai leg of the trade mission, Mr Johnson will attempt to forge links between Dubai Internet City – which is the largest technology park in the Middle East – and London's Tech City.Dubai Internet City has grown rapidly in recent years and has managed to attract some of the biggest companies in the world, including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Cisco and LinkedIn.With this in mind, it is no wonder that the London mayor has recognised the importance of the facility.”With strong historic ties in place, we already have fruitful trading partnerships between the Gulf and this city notably in finance, infrastructure, tourism, education and culture,” Mr Johnson remarked.”The Gulf's economy continues to grow fast and we cannot be complacent in what is now a fiercely competitive global economy.”Mr Johnson's visit to the Middle East will be interrupted by the funeral of Baroness Thatcher and he is expected to return to the Gulf on Thursday. The second part of his trip will see him head to Qatar.The fact that the mayor of one of the most influential cities on earth is so keen to maintain a partnership with Dubai is testament to just how far the emirate has come. It is easy to forget that it was just a sleepy little fishing town only a few decades ago. Continue reading
Bill Clinton: Dubai In “Strong Position” To Win Expo 2020 Bid
The former US President says the emirate’s model of “shared prosperity” is an inspiration for the Middle East. Former US President Bill Clinton has said that Dubai is in a “strong position” to win the bid for Expo 2020 thanks to the UAE’s achievements and its cultural diversity. Clinton, who visited the UAE to address the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in Abu Dhabi, told students at the American University in Dubai: “Places that have come back from the tough economic crisis the best and the quickest are the ones which have an operative model which creates cooperation across all sectors of society, races, religions, and ethnic groups, where people find a way to celebrate and are proud of their differences and they work together in shared responsibility. “That’s what Dubai and the UAE represent and I think you are in a strong position to win the bid for Expo 2020 because Dubai’s model of shared prosperity is more important today than ever and an inspiration to many countries in the Middle East.” Dubai is competing against four other candidate cities including Ayutthaya (Thailand), Ekaterinburg (Russia), Izmir (Turkey) and Sao Paulo (Brazil) to host the mega event. Staged one in five years and last held in Shanghai, the event provides a major economic boost as it attracts millions of visitors from around the world. If the emirate succeeds in its bid, this will be the first time the World Expo is held in the Middle East. The winning city will be announced in November 2013 following a vote by the 161 member nations of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). Continue reading
Bill Clinton: Dubai is in a strong position to hold World Expo 2020
Former US president Bill Clinton has hailed the growth of the UAE and he believes that Dubai is in a strong position to host the World Expo 2020.Mr Clinton met with Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – vice-president and prime minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai – and the pair discussed a range of global issues.The ex-leader of the North American country reserved praise for the “cultural boom” that the UAE, and Dubai in particular, has witnessed in recent years.Speaking during an open session at Dubai's American University, he suggested that places that have recovered well from an economic downturn can sometimes get stronger in the long term.This is certainly the case in the UAE, as the country was badly affected by the global financial crisis, but it has turned things around in the last 12 months, with foreigners pouring into the city to secure new investments in property and other sectors.”That's what Dubai and the UAE represent and I think you are in a strong position to win the bid for Expo 2020 because Dubai's model of shared prosperity is more important today than ever and an inspiration to many countries in the Middle East,” Mr Clinton remarked.Government officials in the Gulf are desperate for Dubai to secure the rights to host the prestigious event in seven years' time, as they believe it will really put the emirate on the map.Dubai will go up against Ayutthaya (Thailand), Izmir (Turkey), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Ekaterinburg (Russia) in the race for the World Expo.Organisers of the emirate's bid pointed towards the huge impact that previous gatherings have had on the economy of the host city.They said the 2010 version in Shanghai helped to transform a “heavily-industrialised city centre area into a thriving cultural and commercial district”. The Expos are held once every five years and the next one will take place in Milan in 2015. Continue reading
