Local News

Dubai / WAM Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai Tourism, reported record growth in overnight visitors from Japan, crossing the 100,000 mark for the first time at the end of 2018. Reflecting a 15.3 percent year-on-year increase, the emirate welcomed 104,843 overnight visitors, with the robust growth underscoring efforts to further showcase the breadth of the city’s ever-expanding ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), announced a 95 percent compliance rate regarding the disclosure of the annual financial statements 2018 of its listed public joint stock companies within the deadline of 90 days from the end of the financial period. According to a statement, 62 out of 65, local and foreign, public listed companies disclosed their ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The gross domestic product (GDP), at current prices, for Abu Dhabi, increased by 12.9% in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2018 compared with the same period in 2017, according to estimates released by Abu Dhabi Statistics Centre (SCAD). In 2018, SCAD estimated the GDP, at current prices, grew by 14.5% to AED931.2 billion from AED813.6 billion ...

ABU DHABI / WAM Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, has hinted at the UAE’s model of tolerance becoming a “global movement” for good, saying that the model has the potential to transcend national borders. He believes that the UAE provides the perfect breeding ground for the cultivation of tolerance, adding that the ‘Year of Tolerance’ will ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM As part of its strategic objective to support to the cinema and film industry in the UAE, the National Media Council (NMC), launched the National Programme for Supporting Emirati films. The programme was launched during a ceremony the NMC hosted on Tuesday at the Etihad Museum in Dubai to sign a set of agreements with the film ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM Khidmah announced its obtaining seven new contracts spanning the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Umm Al Qaiwain. According to a press statement by the Abu Dhabi-based facilities management company, the scope of the contracts will apply Khidmah’s customised “customer centric approach” to facilities management delivery. Commenting on the announcement, Khidmah Executive Director Stephen Fenn said, ...

Dubai / WAM Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) showcased the authority’s most important development projects and strategic initiatives to a visiting high-level delegation from leading Dutch energy and water companies, in Dubai. He welcomed the delegation headed by Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam in The Netherlands, and Hans Sandee, Consul-General ...

Dubai / WAM A World Food Programme (WFP), official has praised the UAE’s contributions and emergency response assistance to humanitarian crises across the world. In an interview with the Emirates News Agency, (WAM), Mageed Yahia, WFP Country Director and GCC Region Representative, said that the UAE Government readily supports the WFP with necessary assistance and logistics to support individuals affected ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), have kicked-off workshops as part of the upcoming Blockchain Aviation Summit and Exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The inaugural summit, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM The Federal Tax Authority (FTA), has begun implementing the Value Added Tax (VAT), refunds for business visitors while noting that a dedicated application form for the procedure is available on its website. In a press statement issued on Tuesday, the FTA explained all the procedures with regard to the refund of VAT to business visitors. The ...