The UAE is working to grow its cultural and creative industries as it seeks to diversify its economy, Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, told Unesco's Mondiacult 2022 conference in Mexico.
Ms Al Kaabi participated in the largest global conference devoted to culture, which took place from September 28 to 30, via video conference.
At a session on the future of the creative economy on September 29, Ms Al Kaabi spoke extensively about the growing importance of the creative economy in a post-pandemic world. She shed light on how the UAE was leveraging the cultural and creative industries to diversify its economy.
“The UAE has recognised the growing power of the cultural and creative industries (CCI) within the wider economy, as well as its vulnerability to unpredictable events,” she said.
“The CCI contributes 3.5 per cent to the UAE’s GDP and is projected to grow to 5 per cent by 2031.
"We moved quickly to adapt our strategy and policy work in this area both on a federal and local level.
"The UAE Culture Agenda 2031 was launched in 2018, as the first nationwide strategy unifying the efforts of the national culture sector."
She said the Covid-19 pandemic was detrimental to the sector, but the UAE was quick to adapt to the situation by appropriate policy intervention.
“We launched the National Creative Relief Fund to mitigate the pandemic’s financial impact by offering relief packages to creative practitioners and SMEs," Ms Al Kaabi said.
"Our cultural operators stepped in to provide economic catalysts, digital activations, and free access to knowledge and content to sustain the creative spirit.
"We also boosted the Golden Visa Scheme to sustain the livelihoods of creative practitioners in the UAE.”
Speaking about strengthening and streamlining the creative economy, she talked about the creative UAE strategy and the framework for culture and arts education presented by the UAE at the 211th session of the executive board of Unesco.
“In 2021, the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, we launched a 10-year National Strategy for the Cultural and Creative Industries, which aims to foster a robust creative ecosystem within the national economy," she said.
"Globally, we were driven to present two resolutions to UNESCO’s Executive Board, one focusing on Culture and Arts Education, and the other on Consolidating Action for the Creative Economy.
“The UAE will continue to develop future-forward policy support, and appropriate funding mechanisms to sustain the CCI sector through institutional collaboration and interdisciplinary knowledge.”
She ended the session by calling on all stakeholders to jointly resolve to design policy and partnerships based on a spirit of collaboration and openness, one that can lift the communities in the present and the future.
A delegation headed by Salem Al Qasimi, permanent delegate of the UAE to Unesco, represented the country at the conference.
The international conference hosted a number of events to mobilise cultural policies to tackle global challenges for a more robust and resilient cultural sector.
Ebtesam Saif Alzaabi, international organisations expert at the United Arab Emirates National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, represented the UAE at a panel discussion titled Libraries Accelerating Education-Culture Linkages: Partnering to Empower the Cultural Sector.
She spoke about the UAE’s network of libraries and how it was a key contributor to building a knowledge-based economy.
Dubai's Al Quoz creative district - in pictures
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
