Category: General

DUBAI: H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Development and Citizens Affairs, today reviewed the progress of a housing project being developed for citizens in Al Khawaneej 2.

During the visit, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said that ensuring the familial stability of citizens, providing them with decent living conditions and enhancing their well-being are among the top priorities of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. ‘The housing programme for citizens is under my direct supervision, and we aim to establish unique residential communities designed to bring comfort and happiness to Emirati families,’ His Highness said.

Richly adorned with vast green spaces and open expanses, the project ensures residents can move around safely and conveniently without relying on vehicles. The area’s design features visu
ally appealing entrances, shaded pathways adorned with trees, and a variety of public amenities to enrich community life. Furthermore, the project seeks to enhance surrounding roads, intersections, and pedestrian crossings, promoting seamless traffic flow and improving accessibility to neighbouring districts.

Model of Residential Villas

On his arrival at the site of the project in Al Khawaneej 2, H.H. was welcomed by Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner General for Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Well-Being Pillar, and Omar Bu Shehab, CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment.

During the tour, H.H. was briefed on the project’s development, currently at 47% completion, with full completion expected by December this year. The project features 1,050 diverse residential units, including 128 single villas, 410 duplex villas, and 512 townhouse villas. The project also features a commercial and service centre, dedicated pedestrian and cycling paths, playgrounds, a park, and a nursery.

H.H. inspected three
residential villa models, which stood out for their efficient use of space, seamlessly integrating interior and exterior layouts to cater to the requirements of Emirati families. The single villas span an area of 7,000 square feet with a built-up area of 5,080 square feet, featuring five bedrooms. The duplex villas sit on 5,000 square feet of land, with a construction area of 4,490 square feet, also housing five bedrooms. Meanwhile, the area of townhouse villas varies between 4,000 to 5,000 square feet, with a built-up area of 3,943 square feet, comprising four bedrooms. His Highness also toured the facilities of the housing project and was briefed about the distribution of the residential villas, amenities, services, and more.

Citizens’ Well-Being

Omar Bu Shehab said: ‘Al Khawaneej 2 housing project reflects our leadership’s commitment to enhancing the well-being of citizens and developing an all-inclusive residential environment that fulfils all their needs and ensures their comfort and safety.’

‘The pro
ject is part of a series of initiatives undertaken by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment to address the projected housing needs of citizens. It is being designed according to the highest urban planning standards, reflecting our commitment to improving the quality of life and ensuring the comfort of citizens for the next 20 years,’ Bu Shehab added.

Projects Underway

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment is in the process of delivering five key housing projects that address the immediate and long-term requirements of citizens. With a completion timeline set for 2025, these projects are set to benefit over 2,200 Emirati families. In addition to the project in Al Khawaneej 2, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment is rolling out a housing project in Hatta featuring 100 units, and is undertaking further developments in Al Aweer, Wadi Al Amardi, and Oud Al Muteena.

Land Stock Sustainability

In line with the objectives of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, the citizens’ housing strategy
aims to meet the housing demands for the next 20 years. This approach involves careful allocation and planning of the emirate’s available land to ensure the sustainability of the land stock in accordance with set guidelines and criteria. Additionally, the strategy includes diversifying residential unit options and upgrading living conditions in housing areas for citizens by incorporating green areas, shopping centres, and leisure facilities.

Comprehensive Vision

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s strategic vision for citizen housing focuses on sustainable development and prioritises well-being and living standards. Aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, this initiative aims to enhance Dubai’s position as a global leader in the housing sector. His Highness had launched a substantial housing initiative, allocating an unprecedented AED65 billion over the next 20 years to enhance the living standards of Dubai’s citizens.

Al Warqa Project

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment complete
d the Al Warqa 4 Housing Development Project in 2023. The project included 136 residential villas spread across 728,510 square feet. The villas were designed to seamlessly integrate indoor and outdoor living spaces, customised to accommodate the unique requirements of Emirati families. They were crafted in diverse architectural styles to cater to the diverse preferences of citizens.

The residential villas in Al Warqa 4 feature diverse external facades. Each villa comprises two floors – ground and first – with paved and landscaped outdoor areas. The ground floor of each villa includes a family lounge and a majlis with a separate entrance, along with a kitchen, maid’s room, laundry room, and a guest room. The first floor consists of four bedrooms, each with its own facilities.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Since 2019, the MED TEST III project has aimed to address resource challenges and promote a circular economy perspective relevant to the situation for industries in Lebanon.

Implemented under the lead of UNIDO, the MED TEST III project in Lebanon, held in partnership with the Ministry of Industry (MoI) and the Ministry of Environment (MoE), and in collaboration with the Association of the Lebanese Industrialists and the Association of North Metn Industrialists, has unveiled remarkable results from pilot projects that promoted the uptake of resource-efficient production practices. The project emphasized the importance of integrating circular economy principles into industrial operations.

The project has targeted sectors vital to Lebanon’s economy, namely the food and beverages and chemicals sectors and covered complementing sectors from the value chain like the plastic, and printing sectors. The project conducted industry demonstrations to identify and implement resource efficiency measures. These measures,
ranging from water and energy savings to material efficiency, hold the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact while yielding considerable economic benefits, including annual savings in production costs of around pound 3.4 million.

‘The SwitchMed program in Lebanon has supported industries from various sectors, identifying over 250 resource efficient and cleaner production measures that, when implemented, will enable the companies to achieve economic savings of approximately 5 million euros with a payback period of about 1.4 years’.

‘UNIDO, with our partners, will continue to support the resilience of the industrial sector and contribute to Lebanon’s economic recovery through such initiatives that will further mainstream sustainable and circular business models, to create a more sustainable and inclusive development’ Mr. Emmanuel Kalenzi, UNIDO Representative to Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.

‘Our project has been instrumental in promoting resource efficiency and cleaner production, as a str
ategy for companies to reduce consumption of energy, water, and raw materials, ultimately aiming to achieve more, with less. Indeed, the capacity to make better use of limited resources, including financial resources, is key for achieving long-term resilience within the industry.

The European Union reaffirms its commitment to promoting sustainability principles. However, our support can only achieve its intended objectives if it is backed by the implementation of economic reforms and the proper enforcement of existing environmental legislation by the Government and local authorities.’ EU Representative, Ms. Alessia Squarcella, Deputy Head of Cooperation at EU Delegation to Lebanon

‘The Association of Industrialists always seeks what benefits the industry, especially and the Lebanese economy in general, through participation in such programs and companies with international organizations. Here, we extend our gratitude to the European Union for funding this program and several others that contribute to the de
velopment of the industry and the promotion of the green economy.” – Mr. Ibrahim Mallah, Lebanese Industrialists Association

‘The MED TEST project is one of the international projects that has contributed to raising awareness among industrialists and environmental experts about the importance of clean and eco-friendly industries through practical experiments, especially in terms of reducing operating costs, reducing the quantity of raw materials used, and improving the production process. This project is what industrialists currently need in light of the economic crisis facing the country.’ Mr. Bassam Sabbagh, Representing H.E. the Minister of Environment

“Leading the SwitchMed program, and its subsequent expansion through the 2Circular project funded by the European Union, are priorities of the Ministry of Industry as they support sustainable industrial development and enhance the competitive capacity and resilience of a key industrial sector by promoting the adoption of resource-efficient practices and cl
eaner production in industrial companies, thus promoting the transition of the industry to circular business models in Lebanon.” – Mrs. Chantal Akel, Acting Director-General of the Ministry of Industry

In addition, the MED TEST III project has catalyzed innovative solutions in the dairy sector through a whey valorization initiative. This initiative collaborated with industry partners and academia, resulting in the development of three new whey-based products that offer cost-effective alternatives for Lebanese dairy companies. The success of these initiatives fosters sustainability within the industry and stimulates market innovation and competitiveness.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

The Union for the Mediterranean and the Union of Arab Banks marked International Women’s Day by co-hosting Closing gender gaps in the MENA financial sector: towards women-led business development, a 2-day conference in the Egyptian capital aimed at reducing the high levels of entrepreneurial inequality between men and women. The first joint event since the signing of a cooperation agreement a month prior, the institutions worked hand in hand to bring together 100 public and private sector participants, highlighting initiatives and best practices that encourage female entrepreneurship and therefore promote more equitable regional growth.

Senior bankers, entrepreneurs, and other attendees took part in six panel discussions and roundtable talks on gender disparities in access to finance for business creation and development, the role of financial institutions and banks in promoting gender equality, the MENA female angel investment scene as well as on the role of fintech in bridging the gender gap, innovative pr
actices to boost women’s financial inclusion, and accelerating the role of women in international trade.

The OECD’s Middle East and Africa Division took advantage of the event to present a pound 5m programme for the financial and digital inclusion of MENA women entrepreneurs, helping them overcome unfair lending practices, a lack of collateral, and insufficient financial knowledge. Meanwhile, the UfM, UAB and DG- NEAR announced the new Gender Lens in Fintech Award to showcase and support gender-sensitive initiatives in the fintech sector, with a first-ever ceremony set for the end of this year.

Mona Fattouh from Conyworld (Egypt) scooped the $1000 first-place award for innovative startups as part of a pitching contest organised by the MENA Women Business Club, an initiative launched by the UfM and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in 2021 that facilitates members’ access to an extensive ecosystem of entrepreneurs, lawyers, consultants, executives, and investors. Guadaluna Chaer
from LUXEED Robotics (Lebanon) came in second, winning $750, while third-place winner Fella Bouti from Ecotashira (Algeria) earned $500. All three women will have the chance to benefit from Plug and Play incubation and acceleration programmes in either Egypt or Morocco. The MENA Women Business Club also chaired a matchmaking session for women-led startups and investors on the second day, bringing the conference to a close.

‘Our gathering in Cairo is not a celebration, but rather a call to action. The gender gaps in the MENA financial sector are stark as less than 5% of businesses are women-led, far below the global average of 23% to 26%, while the losses incurred due to the lack of female economic participation amount to $575 billion annually. These facts alone demonstrate the urgent need to further include women in the labour market, an issue that is at the heart of the UfM’s mission,’ Union for the Mediterranean Secretary General Nasser Kamel said.

‘In collaboration with UfM, we proudly lead the organisat
ion of this event, showcasing our joint commitment to narrowing the gender gap in the MENA financial sector. Our shared goal is to foster an empowering environment for women, propelling them towards successful business development. I am genuinely excited about the potential impact of this event, anticipating positive transformations in our industry and beyond,’ said Union of Arab Banks Secretary General Fattouh Wissam. ‘I eagerly anticipate the collaborative strides we will take towards a future that champions equality and empowerment for women in the financial sector.’

Promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality is one of the UfM’s main priorities, in line with the 2022 UfM Ministerial Declaration in Madrid on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society. Beyond initiatives such as the MENA Women Business Club, the UfM is also behind the launch of the first-ever Intergovernmental Monitoring Mechanism on Gender Equality. The next biennial High-Level UfM Conference on Women for regional stakeholders will
take place in Nicosia, Cyprus this May.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

RAMALLAH: Spain has joined France, Britain, Canada, and the United States in imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank due to acts of terrorism against Palestinians. Meanwhile, discussions are underway within the European Union to make similar decisions in the near future.

On February 2, the U.S. administration imposed sanctions on four Israeli settlers, followed by Canada imposing sanctions on another four, and two weeks later, Britain imposed sanctions on four more settlers. Subsequently, France barred 28 settlers from entering its territory. Last Thursday, Spain announced sanctions on 12 Israeli settlers in the first batch due to their attacks on Palestinians.

Observers consider these sanctions a precedent, the first of its kind, coming after a remarkable rise in settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. However, questions have arisen about the impact of these measures on the settlers’ behavior and whether they will deter their assaults.

To the east of the city of Nablus, in the Al
-Atmawiya area of the Central Jordan Valley, it seems that the echo of these sanctions has not reached settler Moshe Sharvit yet. His name was included among the four settlers on the British sanctions list for threatening, harassing, and attacking Palestinian shepherds and their families in the Jordan Valley.

In October 2023, Sharvit forced a community of 20 Palestinian families to evacuate after assaulting them and giving them a 5-hour ultimatum to leave, according to the British Foreign Ministry.

Yacob Abu Kabash, one of the 60 Palestinians living in the community, tells WAFA that Sharvit, whose attacks were limited to expelling shepherds and assaulting them before the sanctions, has escalated his attacks noticeably and criminally.

“Today, we cannot reach pastures just 20 meters away from our tents. Sharvit closed all pastures to us. Every day, he and his gangs enter the gathering with hilltop youth riding horses from 9 am to noon, engaging in violence against the residents,” adds Abu Kabash.

He points
out that over the past week, Sharvit’s attacks and his colonial gangs against the community’s residents have escalated. Not a single night passes without their raids on the gathering and directly launching illumination bombs towards the tented homes with the intention of burning them.

Abu Kabash emphasizes, “We can’t do anything. For seventy years, we’ve been living in this community, and what’s happening in the Jordan Valley is very dangerous, a confiscation of lands and closure of pastures. The goal is to force us to leave and look for other places. There must be urgent international and local action to stop what is happening in the Jordan Valley.”

Sharvit, listed for sanctions, established a farming center named Moshav Moshe in 2020 in the Central Jordan Valley. He faced charges of committing two attacks against Bedouin communities in the region, preventing Palestinian shepherds from herding their livestock, according to the settlement affairs official in Tubas and the Northern Jordan Valley, Mutaz Bisha
rat.

Daniella Weiss, a veteran settler leader, holds an Israeli flag during a scouting mission to find new hilltops to settle near the Israeli settlement of Kokhav Hashahar, in the occupied West Bank (6 November 2022)

Sharvit and his associates from the settlers of Moshav Moshe are accused of carrying out stone-throwing operations, threatening with stabbing, beating, and burning, threatening with dogs, driving vehicles into herds, nightly raids on shepherd communities, and carrying out attacks against human rights activists accompanying the shepherds.

Bisharat says that settler Sharvit erected tents with his family in the colonial center when it was established, gradually turning the tents into ready-made rooms. He expanded after joining hilltop youth gangs and the Regavim organization, with unlimited support from the settlers’ council and members of the Knesset and the far-right government. Eventually, he took control of 12,000 dunums, preventing Palestinians from entering and grazing their livestock.

He
notes that four citizens were injured in Sharvit’s attacks on Palestinian shepherds, three of them after the war on Gaza. Also, 13 sheep were attacked.

Sharvit and his gangs carry out 4-5 attacks on Palestinian farmers in the area daily, ranging from attacks on shepherds to nighttime invasions of citizens’ homes,” confirms Bisharat.

He points out that the attacks intensified after the British sanctions were imposed on Sharvit. Since October 7th, 138 attacks have been carried out, including 46 attacks after sanctions were imposed, especially after receiving support from members of the Israeli Knesset and the head of the settlers’ council. They openly expressed that the sanctions were insignificant and would not affect their plans. They encouraged him to continue his attacks.

In the northern Jordan Valley, settlers from the colonial gangs, numbering about 300 settlers aged between 15-21, established six new centers. They committed severe violations and attacks against Palestinian residents, closed the area t
o Palestinians, estimated at 85,000 dunams, took control of most springs, renovated and fenced them, turning them into tourist parks off-limits to Palestinians.

An article by independent journalist Zack Beauchamp in The Guardian describes the imposition of U.S., British, French, and Spanish sanctions on over 30 Israeli settlers for committing violence and incitement against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank as a historic step.

However, the writer believes that these sanctions on a few settlers will not solve the fundamental problem, as they are part of a long-term systematic policy of the Israeli government aiming to expel Palestinians from their lands to expand settlements. He describes it as a flawed policy that only produces corrupt individuals.

Amir Dawood, the documentation director at the Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority, believes that the American, British, French, and Spanish positions imposing sanctions on settlers are important and unprecedented. He sees potential for accumulation an
d future investment in these decisions, confirming that this is the first time such resolutions have been taken.

He explains that the sanctions targeted 47 settlers involved in serious attacks and violations against Palestinians. Although a small number, he considers this a decision that can be invested in. However, the authority estimates that more than 20,000 settlers have committed crimes against Palestinian communities.

Dawood confirms that settler attacks, especially those subjected to sanctions, have escalated after their imposition. This is a clear challenge to the world under an extreme right-wing government protective of colonial projects and settlers. It also emphasizes to the world that sanctions will not deter the audacity of the settlers.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA

Gaza: The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported 9 massacres perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against families in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours alone. The attacks have claimed the lives of 83 individuals, leaving 142 others injured.

According to the Ministry’s daily statistical report documenting the human loss from the ongoing Israeli aggression, which marks its 153rd day on the Gaza Strip, there are still numerous bodies trapped under rubble and on roads. The occupation forces continue to obstruct ambulance and civil defense crews from reaching these bodies.

The Ministry’s data further reveals that the overall toll of Israeli aggression has now reached a staggering 30,800 fatalities, with an additional 72,298 individuals wounded since October 7th.

Source: Jordan News Agency