The UAE's 50th National Day celebrations. Entrepreneurs can learn valuable lessons from the Emirates' vision and strategy. EPA
The UAE's 50th National Day celebrations. Entrepreneurs can learn valuable lessons from the Emirates' vision and strategy. EPA
The UAE's 50th National Day celebrations. Entrepreneurs can learn valuable lessons from the Emirates' vision and strategy. EPA
The UAE's 50th National Day celebrations. Entrepreneurs can learn valuable lessons from the Emirates' vision and strategy. EPA

Key lessons from the UAE that inspired my entrepreneurship journey


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  • Arabic

This week, we will be celebrating the UAE’s 51st National Day. Over the past decades, the country developed on many fronts and today, it serves as a leading example for numerous nations to follow.

I have been an entrepreneur for more than a decade now. While my journey is shaped and inspired by the people I meet and the experiences I go through, I have learnt valuable lessons from the UAE’s vision and strategy.

In a way, the country is my go-to business guru.

Watch: the world's biggest flag to be unfurled on UAE National Day

No dream is too big

I was raised by parents who did not believe in the word impossible.

Whenever I had my doubts, they shook me and reminded me that if others were able to realise their dreams, then so can I.

What also helped me was growing up in a country that defied the impossible, and shattered naysayers every single day.

How far it has come in the past 51 years is testimony that great leadership, vision and strong will can get you far in life — and literally have you shoot for the moon and beyond.

We rise by lifting others

As the UAE developed on various fronts, it did not forget those in need.

The UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, once said: “Foreign aid and assistance is one of the basic pillars of our foreign policy. For we believe that there is no true benefit for us from the wealth that we have unless it does not also reach those in need, wherever they may be, and regardless of their nationality or beliefs.”

Since its founding, the UAE has been a major contributor of emergency relief to regions and nations affected by disasters, poverty and conflict.

The country continues to rank among the largest suppliers of official development assistance (ODA) relative to national income worldwide, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

This should reflect in the way we conduct our business. Once our business develops, we should always remember to help budding entrepreneurs to climb up the entrepreneurial ladder.

Flag Day 2022 — in pictures

This could take different forms, such as funding their business, providing mentorship and guidance, or simply by working with them as suppliers and service providers.

We shouldn’t forget that we are all working towards a common goal and that when small and medium enterprises and freelancers prosper, so will our economy and our overall livelihood.

Embrace change as part of your overall plan

One of the key lessons I learnt as an entrepreneur is that the only thing constant in business is change.

If things are static, then something isn’t right. Your business should be continuously developing. Great leaders know how to turn challenges to valuable opportunities.

One of the key lessons I learnt as an entrepreneur is that the only thing constant in business is change
Manar Al Hinai

When change and challenges are thrown our way, the UAE pivots and demonstrates that as much as we may feel hesitant about change, it is not always a bad thing.

The Covid pandemic brought with it disruptions to manufacturers and logistics.

This year, Abu Dhabi unveiled the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy, which will provide increased access to financing and attract more foreign investment.

The government will invest Dh10 billion ($2.72 billion) in six industrial programmes to double the size of Abu Dhabi’s manufacturing sector to Dh172 billion by 2031.

Learning is part of an entrepreneur’s journey. As we celebrate the UAE’s 51st National Day this week, I invite you to seek valuable business lessons from the UAE’s success story.

Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications consultant based in Abu Dhabi

Third Test

Result: India won by 203 runs

Series: England lead five-match series 2-1

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Five expert hiking tips
    Always check the weather forecast before setting off Make sure you have plenty of water Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon Wear appropriate clothing and footwear Take your litter home with you
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Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

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Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm

Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km

Price: From Dh796,600

On sale: now

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

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Updated: May 29, 2023, 1:29 PM`