‫انضمت المملكة العربية السعودية إلى أكثر من 100 دولة في استقبال الزوار الذين تلقوا تطعيماً بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” عقب عمل مكثف من جانب وزارة الصحة في المملكة والصندوق الروسي للاستثمارات المباشرة، بدعم من وزارة الاستثمار السعودية

موسكو, 5 ديسمبر / كانون أول 2021 /PRNewswire/ — يعلن الصندوق الروسي للاستثمارات المباشرة (صندوق الثروة السيادية لروسيا) أن المملكة العربية السعودية منحت الموافقة على دخول الأفراد الذين تلقوا تطعيماً بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” الروسي اعتباراً من 1 يناير من عام 2022.

انضمت المملكة العربية السعودية إلى 101 دولة أخرى وافقت على دخول الأفراد الذين تلقوا تطعيماً بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” عقب التعاون والنقاشات المكثفة بين وزارة الصحة السعودية والصندوق الروسي للاستثمارات المباشرة، بدعم من وزارة الاستثمار في المملكة. وكان منح الموافقة على زيارة المطعمين بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” للمملكة العربية السعودية والخطوات المشتركة التالية في مواجهة الجائحة محور الاجتماع بين وزير الصحة السعودي فهد الجلاجل ووزير الاستثمار السعودي خالد الفالح والرئيس التنفيذي للصندوق الروسي للاستثمارات المباشرة كيريل دميترييف في الرياض في وقت سابق من شهر نوفمبر الجاري.

سيمكن القرار الذي تم التوصل إليه المسلمين من جميع أنحاء العالم الذين تلقوا تطعيماً بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” من المشاركة في أداء مناسك الحج والعمرة.

سيطلب من الأشخاص الذين تلقوا تطعيماً بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” عند دخول البلاد الخضوع لحجر صحي لمدة 48 ساعة وإجراء اختبار PCR.

تظهر الدول التي تفتح حدودها أمام المطعمين بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” العزم على مساعدة قطاع السياحة وأنشطة الأعمال فيها على التعافي بشكل أسرع. ومع فتح المملكة العربية السعودية حدودها أمام الأشخاص الذين تلقوا تطعيماً بلقاح “سبوتنيك V“، سيلعب هذا القرار دوراً مهماً في زيادة التدفقات السياحية وإقامة علاقات جديدة في نطاق الأعمال بين روسيا والمملكة، بما في ذلك من خلال أنشطة المجلس الاقتصادي الروسي السعودي.

يهدف المجلس الذي تم تأسيسه في عام 2019 إلى تطوير العلاقات الاقتصادية والتجارية الثنائية وكذلك الاستثمارات بين روسيا والمملكة العربية السعودية في جميع القطاعات. ويشارك في رئاسة المجلس الرئيس التنفيذي للصندوق الروسي للاستثمارات المباشرة كيريل دميترييف وصاحب السمو الملكي الأمير عبد الله بن بندر بن عبد العزيز وزير الحرس الوطني في المملكة.

وبوجه عام، يعد الفصل بين ترخيص اللقاحات المضادة لفيروس كورونا وشهادات التطعيم خطوة مهمة أخرى لتجنب التمييز ضد اللقاحات ودعم جهود الحكومات في إعادة فتح الحدود بأمان لكل من السكان المحليين والسائحين.

المتطلبات الرئيسة لـ 102 دولة تسمح بالزيارات بعد تلقي التطعيم بلقاح “سبوتنيك V“[1]:

Ø  يمكن للأفراد الذين تلقوا تطعيماً بلقاح “سبوتنيك V” زيارة ما يصل إلى 31 دولة دون الحاجة لأي موافقة إضافية تتعلق بكوفيد -19،

Ø  تطلب 71 دولة أخرى وجود نتيجة سلبية لاختبار PCR أو نتيجة إيجابية لفحص الأجسام المضادة أو لديها متطلبات إضافية عند الدخول.

تطلب 15 دولة فقط لقاحات أخرى لا تشمل اللقاح “سبوتنيك V“. وتعتمد 5 دول منها فقط (تمثل أقل من 9% من رحلات السفر الدولية)، بما في ذلك الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية (تمثل أقل من 3%)، بشكل كامل على قائمة منظمة الصحة العالمية للقاحات المعتمدة والتي من المتوقع أن يدرج اللقاح “سبوتنيك V” ضمنها خلال العام الجاري.

المصادر: وزارات الدول المعنية والمواقع السياحية.                           

[1]من المطلوب توفر تأشيرة و(أو) تصريح دخول آخر، كما يجب على الشخص تلبية المتطلبات الأخرى غير المتعلقة بقيود فيروس كورونا. ويستند تحليل فرص الدخول إلى المتطلبات بالنسبة لسكان معظم الدول، وقد لا يعكس القيود أو التسهيلات المطبقة لدول أو فئات محددة. هناك 27 دولة لا تزال حدودها مغلقة أمام الزوار من معظم البلدان الأخرى.

OFID extends US$80m loan to boost trade in Africa

VIENNA, The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has signed an US$80 million loan agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to finance international trade directly among corporates or through financial intermediaries.

The OPEC Fund’s support will assist in boosting Afreximbank’s liquidity to grow its loan portfolio as it finances exports and imports in critical sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and healthcare. The OPEC Fund’s loan will address trade challenges impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

OPEC Fund Director-General, Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, said, “As a catalyst for economic development and growth, international trade is key to support Africa’s post-COVID-19 recovery. We are pleased to cooperate with Afreximbank and to support their key initiative to make trade finance more accessible to African counterparties across the continent by reducing liquidity constraints.”

Afreximbank is a pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. The bank deploys innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa.

OFID was established in January 1976 by the then 13 member countries of OPEC, including the United Arab Emirates. It is the development finance institution established as an aid channel to developing countries.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Shares in Multiply Group end first day of trading 80% higher than pre-listing valuation

ABU DHABI, Shares in Multiply Group, a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC), reached AED2.00 per share at the end of their first day of trading on 5 December 2021, 80.2% higher than their pre-listing prospectus valuation.

The company was listed on the main board of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) through a direct private placement. Multiply’s prospectus*, published on 29 November 2021, had valued the company at AED 1.11 per share based by various independent firms.

On their ADX debut, Multiply shares attracted strong liquidity, with more than 115 million shares exchanged within two hours of the opening bell. In early trade, Multiply stock reached a high of AED 2.35 per share.

The listing of Multiply Group offers investors exposure to the themes of digitiSation from wellness to marketing technology. The company, which had assets of AED8.16 billion and over 3,240 employees as at end of September, is pursuing a growth strategy focused on acquisitions of digitally innovative companies in a number of sectors, including automotive, wellness, media and communications, and utilities.

Multiply Group has made a series of acquisitions in the UAE and abroad in the last year to build a diversified portfolio of high-return businesses. These strategic investments include stakes in Emirates Driving Company, US-based digital media platform Firefly, and integrated marketing company Viola.

Andre Sayegh, Chairman of Multiply Group, said in his opening remarks: “Multiply Group’s strategy is built on two basic principles. The first is to grow and diversify the Group’s business assets and enhance what makes these businesses unique. The second principle involves identifying the right opportunities to acquire scalable companies with a strong balance sheet.”

During her opening speech Samia Bouazza said: “Today we begin a journey of both fast and sustainable growth, purpose and profitability and boldness and responsibility.” She continued: “On behalf of Multiply Group, I assure you we take this responsibility very seriously.”

The market debut was marked by a bell ringing ceremony at ADX attended by Syed Basar Shueb, CEO & Managing Director and Board Member of IHC, Saeed Hamad Al Dhaheri, CEO of ADX, and Samia Bouazza, CEO of Multiply Group.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Borouge awards EPC contracts to build its fourth US$6.2 billion expansion in Ruwais

ABU DHABI, Borouge, a leading petrochemical company providing innovative, value-creating polyolefin solutions, announced Sunday the award of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts for the world-scale fourth expansion of its manufacturing complex in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi (Borouge 4).

ADNOC and Borealis AG recently signed a strategic partnership that confirms a US$6.2 billion (AED22 billion) investment agreement to build Borouge 4.

The EPC award underscores Borouge’s drive to unlock opportunities in polyolefin manufacturing, enable industrial growth, and maximise the value of every barrel produced in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

With this expansion, Borouge will become the world’s largest single-site polyolefin complex. The facility will also enable the next phase of growth at the Ruwais Industrial Complex by supplying feedstock to the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone.

Borouge undertook a front-end engineering design (FEED) and a competitive tender process; as part of the process leading up to the EPC awards.

The details of the contracts awards are as follows: ? The first package for Early Works, was awarded to Al Asab General Transport and Contracting LLC, a leading Abu Dhabi-based construction company. The Early Works package covers engineering, procurement and construction related to site preparation and early works of the world-scale expansion.

? The second package of Borouge 4 was awarded to French construction giant, Technip Energies, in consortium with Target Engineering, to build the Ethane Cracker. This is Borouge’s fourth cracker with a manufacturing capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of ethylene output per annum.

? The last three packages of Borouge 4 were awarded to Italian industrial engineering company, Tecnimont: ¬ The third package is for polyethylene and 1-hexene units covering the build of Borouge 4’s two new polyethylene manufacturing plants and 1-hexene unit; a component in the production of high-performance polyethylene.

¬ The fourth package is for utilities and offsites, which consists of constructing non-process buildings, roads, infrastructure, internal and external interfaces, tankage systems, flaring systems, utilities and integration of Borouge 4 with the existing facilities.

¬ The fifth package is for building the second cross-linkable-polyethylene (XLPE) plant with a capacity of 100 thousand tonnes per annum.

The value of the contracts will contribute to UAE In-Country Value, with 60 percent of all engineering, procurement, commissioning, and construction activities managed by local companies and locally manufactured products, and materials. The award supports ADNOC’s In-Country Value (ICV) programme and highlights how Borouge and its shareholders continue to focus on ICV as it delivers on its 2030 strategy. As part of Borouge 4’s ICV contribution, the facility will create more job opportunities for UAE nationals in the private sector and promote economic diversification.

Hazeem Sultan Al Suwaidi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Polymers Company (Borouge), said, “Borouge 4 is a key contributor to advancing the UAE’s ambitions for economic diversification, helping boost exports to customers globally. The growth in our world-scale complex will further strengthen Borouge’s international presence and enhances our In-Country Value. We are confident that Borouge 4 will be setting a new precedent that builds on our great successes over the last two decades, and instrumental in realising our 2030 growth strategy and sustainability targets.”

Rainer Hoefling, CEO of Borouge Pte, commented, “Borouge 4 is fundamental to reinforcing our commitment to our global customers and milestone in our story of growth. Our new facility enables us to actively respond to the growing global demand for energy, infrastructure, advanced packaging and agriculture solutions which have a positive impact on society and the environment.”

The scope of the award covers engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities for the polyolefin complex facilities required to facilitate the full production capacity of two new polyethylene plants – each with a capacity of 700,000 tonnes per annum, using the third generation of Borealis Borstar technology. These plants will be supplied by a world-scale ethane cracker with capacity of more than 1.5 million tonnes per annum of ethylene.

Borouge 4 will have an industry-leading focus on sustainability leveraging the capabilities of both shareholders. The facility will utilise Borealis’ proprietary Borstar technology, to produce a product portfolio focused on durable applications for energy, infrastructure, advanced packaging and agriculture sectors. This unique technology, in combination with Hexene co-monomer, will enable the production of advanced packaging grades with up to 50 percent recycled polyethylene content.

Subject to the successful conclusion of a study for a Carbon Capture unit that would reduce CO2 emissions by 80%, the unit could be operational at the start-up of Borouge 4. The facility is also designed to capitalise upon ADNOC’s recent initiatives on clean energy, decarbonising its power supply through access to Abu Dhabi’s clean power sources. These initiatives are aligned with the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.

Borouge 4 will boost the company’s annual polyolefin production to 6.4 million tonnes, representing a fourteenfold increase in the overall production capacity since the first Borouge facility, producing 450,000 tonnes of polyethylene per annum was commissioned in 2001. Borouge’s value-add materials are used to manufacture a diverse range of products including industrial-grade pipes, cables, films and personal protective equipment.

Source: Emirates News Agency

UAE Ambassador meets with Dominican Foreign Minister

ABU DHABI, Bader Abdullah Al Matroshi, UAE Ambassador to Cuba and non-resident Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, has met with Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez of the Dominican Republic.

During their meeting, Al Matroshi and Alvarez discussed their countries’ bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest.

Al Matroshi emphasised the keenness of the UAE’s leadership and government to enhance cooperation between the two countries, along with their mutual ties. He also expressed his desire to make every effort to boost cooperation in all fields, to achieve the aspirations of the two friendly countries and peoples.

The Dominican Foreign Minister also conveyed greetings of President of the Republic of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, to the UAE on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee, and wished further development and prosperity for the UAE’s government and people.

He also confirmed his country’s keenness in developing bilateral relations, given several opportunities to enhance them in various domains for the benefit of the two countries. He additionally stressed the significance of his country’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, as a prominent international event to showcase the Dominican Republic’s achievements in all fields, and brief others on its social, cultural and various potentials.

Source: Emirates News Agency

NYU Abu Dhabi represents UAE in joining the ATLAS Experiment at CERN

ABU DHABI, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will represent the United Arab Emirates (UAE) along with two other universities, the University of Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates University, as a Cluster Institution in the ATLAS experiment, one of the largest collaborative efforts ever realised in science.

ATLAS is a particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear and Particle Physics Research (CERN), one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research.

NYUAD, University of Sharjah, and the United Arab Emirates University will cooperate and build up a coherent effort in The ATLAS experiment – one of the largest collaborative efforts ever attempted in science, a particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.

The MoU signing between CERN, Geneva, the UAE ATLAS Cluster and the University took place during an event hosted by NYUAD’s Science Division. Andreas Hoecker, Elected ATLAS Spokesperson 2021-2023 delivered a keynote speech and co-signed the MoU with NYUAD Vice Chancellor Mariët Westermann and Dean of Science and Professor of Physics at NYUAD, and ATLAS Team Leader Marta Losada, to mark the beginning of the collaboration.

Marta Losada was already part of the wide-scale international ATLAS collaboration that discovered the Higgs boson in 2012, an elementary component in the physics framework that defines everything in the known universe. The observation of the particle was the last hidden component on the journey of solidifying the fundamental model of physics.

Losada commented: “This is such a rewarding and inspiring moment at the same time. ATLAS’ exploration pushes the frontiers of knowledge by seeking answers to fundamental questions and it is such a privilege for us to be part of this quest for the unknown. NYUAD has huge potential, I only had to come here once to recognise it and this collaboration is an unparalleled opportunity for the advancement of science at NYUAD and the development of research capacity in the UAE.”

ATLAS is a collaboration of physicists, engineers, technicians, students, and support staff from around the world, that continues discovering some of the most important innovative developments in technology and physics in the search for the unknown; exploring and discovering new phenomena beyond existing theoretical predictions. ATLAS physicists are studying the fundamental constituents of matter to better understand the rules behind their interactions. Their research has led to ground-breaking discoveries, such as that of the Higgs boson.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ENOC Group to open 14 compact stations in Dubai

DUBAI, ENOC Group, the Official Integrated Energy Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, today announced its partnership with Nakheel to open 14 compact stations across Dubai. The first compact station out of the 14 stations opened at Dragon Mart 2 earlier this month. The compact stations will offer customers accessible and convenient refuelling services.

Dragon Mart’s compact station is designed to cater to residents living across nearby residential communities like International City as well as visitors to Dragon Mart. The compact station is equipped with eight dispensers, allowing for fuelling on both sides of the station, offering Special 95, Super 98 and Diesel, and a vending machine. With a capacity of 90,000L, the compact station will be able to fuel 1,200 vehicles per day.

As part of the partnership with Nakheel, ENOC Group plans to open 14 compact stations across Nakheel’s iconic projects in Dubai. The next compact station to be opened will be in International City with plans to open by Q2 of 2022. By Q3 of 2022, the Group plans to open 5 more compact stations in Dubai with the remaining 7 to be launched across additional locations by 2023.

Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC, said: “As the Official Integrated Energy Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, we are committed to fulfilling the country’s energy needs with smart, sustainable and safe fuelling options which cater to the needs of our customers and the country’s growing population. The latest compact station has witnessed success during the pilot phase and our partnership with Nakheel will enable us to replicate the same concept across Dubai based on residential needs and demands across the Emirate.”

Omar Khoory, Chief Assets Officer, Nakheel said: “We are excited to be forging such a forward-looking partnership with ENOC, as we introduce 14 sustainable, efficient and safe compact stations, with the first launch taking place in Dragon Mart, a key retail attraction and the second due to open in International City, one of the largest residential hubs. At Nakheel, we constantly strive to find new ways to enhance the services that are connected to our malls and the opening of the ENOC station is a testament to our efforts to deliver convenience to both our retailers and customers.”

Dragon Mart’s compact station is equipped with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and will deploy technologies that contribute to enhancing energy efficiency, such as the Vapour Recovery System – a process that enables the recovery of 70 per cent gasoline vapour emissions. The compact station is also designed with a fuel tank set up above the ground, which facilitates the ease of setting up and re-assembly if required. The double wall design and build of the tanks is certified to the highest international UL Listed safety standards.

The compact station deploys a number of best HSE practices to enhance safety measures, such as the installation of overfill prevention valve, audible alarm, pressure vacuum vents, and emergency vents for the inner and outer wall. Customers can use different methods of payment including ENOCPay, ViP, and Dubai Now.

Source: Emirates News Agency