At a two-day retreat, the country's government formulated a new edition of the National Agenda, part of a framework to shape the development of the Emirates for the next half-century. In outer space, building on the UAE's successful Hope Probe to Mars, students from one of the nation's leading universities saw their satellite, DhabiSat, arrive at the International Space Station, where it will now gather data and high-resolution images for research.
Idex, Abu Dhabi's world-famous biennial international defence exhibition, brought together industry experts from across the globe. It is one of the largest forums of its kind in the world, and a key chance to secure some of the most valuable investment deals for the arms industry. Idex ends with the UAE Armed Forces signing deals worth $5.7 billion. Capital inflow at this level shows how the Emirati defence sector is already a mainstay of the national economic diversification strategy.
At the same time, Dubai hosted Gulfood, an international gathering of 2,500 culinary sector exhibitors. It is a rare bit of good news for the hospitality and food sectors, which have both had a particularly difficult time as a result of the restrictions imposed around the world during the coronavirus pandemic. At Gulfood, firms from 85 countries were in attendance.
Gulfood is the world’s first in-person food and beverages industry event in the past year. AFP
The UAE has shown that it is possible to host mass gatherings safely
Arguably, the most significant thing about both Idex and Gulfood is that they were in-person events. This would have been the norm before the pandemic, especially during the UAE's winter months. Nowadays, they are a novelty that only the most prepared and strategic organisers are capable of pulling off.
At Idex, strict measures were applied across the 35,000 square metres of exhibition space. To allow global participation, international attendees were exempt from Abu Dhabi's usual mandatory 10-day quarantine. However, they had to take a PCR test every 48 hours, and daily testing was encouraged. Tasting products is an integral part of any food fair, so Gulfood created kiosks in which removing masks to eat was permitted, as well as implementing one-way walking systems and deploying safety officers. At both events, attendance was reduced and carefully monitored.
People are hungry for in-person business gatherings. The UAE has shown that it is possible to host them safely, with maximum planning and precaution. But we are a long way off seeing pre-pandemic numbers of international meetings. Few countries will have the resources to pull them off. But for those that can, the benefits are tangible. Events of this kind showcase nations with the potential to become global hubs. The Emirates is among the first to do so because it has the infrastructure in place to limit the spread and severity of Covid-19. On Thursday, an event focused on innovation, dubbed "UAE Innovates", put a further spotlight on the country's ability to plan for the future.
After so long apart, people will remember fondly the time they were finally able to rekindle the personal relationships they missed, and the places that allowed them to do so.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
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.
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
