After many months of uncertainty, Covid-19 vaccines are helping countries plot a route out of the pandemic. Their equitable distribution is a challenge, but for those nations with high vaccination rates, a return to normality is tangible.
Securing the health of a population is one thing – economic convalescence is another. The difficulty that task poses for governments will last a great deal longer.
With the second-highest vaccination rate globally, the UAE is one of the leading countries that can start planning for a future beyond the pandemic. On Sunday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, met Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, to continue discussions on that topic.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are set to hold a number of major international in-person gatherings. EPA
Covid-19 has familiarised people with ambitious policymaking
The UAE has been opening up for some time. Hotels in the country are recording a surge in occupancy rates. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have hosted major international events, including defence exhibition IDEX and a gathering of hospitality industry leaders at Gulfoods, respectively. Both occasions appear to have resulted in no significant rise in infections. Over the coming months, Dubai will be holding yet more meetings, one being the International Astronautical Congress. Abu Dhabi will host ADIPEC later this year, as well as a number of other high level in-person events
A true recovery will not just be about returning to pre-pandemic openness at the border, however. Covid-19 has familiarised people around the world with particularly ambitious government policymaking; reviving economies after well over a year of unprecedented disruption will require yet more. In a recent flurry of major projects, the UAE has launched a new centre for food technology, billed as a "global destination" for innovation. Food Tech Valley will allow the country to tap into the financially promising field of agricultural technology, the value of which is expected to rise from from $13.5 billion to $22bn over the next four years.
Food Tech Valley will work on researching ways in which our planet can feed its inhabitants, something that is a particularly pressing concern for the Middle East, a part of the world that is threatened by over-reliance on food imports, a water crisis and a rapidly growing population. Innovations such as vertical farming are an early focus of the project and a heavy academic presence will be on hand to turn research into worldwide solutions.
After a virus response that has been better than most, the GCC region can afford to place itself at the head of global economic recovery. A particularly effective one will not just prioritise a return to normal, but also plan for the many other risks that may lie ahead. If the pandemic has taught the world anything, it is that readiness matters above all else.
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model) Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD Power 249hp at 5,500rpm Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm Gearbox Nine-speed auto Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Anfield, Liverpool Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
