Abu Dhabi will host the UN Conference on Trade and Development's eighth World Investment Forum in October as the UAE capital continues to attract global business events.
The forum will take place from October 16 to October 20 under the theme “Investing in sustainable development”, Unctad said on Thursday.
The event will gather global company chief executives and investment stakeholders to tackle the key challenges stemming from several crises, including the need to invest in food security, energy, health, supply-chain resilience, infrastructure and manufacturing in the least-developed countries, the UN body said.
“The World Investment Forum aims to bring them all together to make a positive contribution to addressing today’s most pressing issues, including through climate finance and investment,” said Unctad's secretary general Rebeca Grynspan.
The UAE has made a major push into energy transition — including being the first in the region to develop nuclear power and to set a net-zero target — making it well-placed as a host for the sustainability-themed event.
The country is also hosting Cop28 at Dubai Expo City over 13 days in November.
The five-day Unctad forum will take place a few weeks before the annual climate summit Cop28 in the country.
The forum will help policymakers and other stakeholders to find solutions and reach consensus on priority issues, and its outcomes will feed into Cop28 negotiations, Unctad said.
“At a time when much of the world is struggling with contracting markets and a post-Covid recovery that has yet to fully take hold, Unctad's eighth World Investment Forum is an important opportunity to take a long-term perspective,” Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi said.
Global challenges covering systemic issues such as climate change, inequality and food security, as well as the pandemic’s impact on trade, investment and supply chain resilience require unity of purpose and action on an unprecedented scale, he said.
“It is fitting that the event takes place in the UAE, where we are continuously reinventing and remodelling our economy to anticipate future changes,” Dr Al Zeyoudi said.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Last-16 Europa League fixtures
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
