Omani Businessman Suhail Bahwan among World’s Richest Arabs – Forbes : April 2021

Forbes has released its annual World’s Billionaires ranking for 2021, featuring the world’s 2,755 richest people—660 more than there were in 2020, including 493 newcomers that have never featured on the Forbes’ list before.

This year there are 22 Arab billionaires worldwide compared to 21 in 2020. Combined, the cohort has seen their aggregate fortune climb to $53.4 billion in 2021, compared to $47.3 billion a year earlier.

Qatar’s Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani with an estimated wealth of $1.3 billion, and Morocco’s Othman Benjelloun & family, also with $1.3 billion.

Egypt’s Nassef Sawiris is still the wealthiest Arab worldwide, with a net worth of $8.3 billion—$3.3 billion more than last year. His most valuable asset is a nearly 6% stake in sportswear maker Adidas. He also runs OCI, one of the world’s largest nitrogen fertilizer producers, with plants in Texas and Iowa.

Algeria’s only billionaires, Issad Rebrab & family, are the world’s second-richest Arabs, worth $4.8 billion. Rebrab is the founder and CEO of Cevital, Algeria’s largest privately-held company. Cevital owns one of the largest sugar refineries globally, with the capacity to produce two million tons of refined sugar a year.

Oman’s only billionaire, Suhail Bahwan, is valued at $2.3 billion.

Lebanese jeweler Robert Mouawad is the only billionaire living in Bahrain and is valued at $1.4 billion.

Najib and Taha Mikati are the only Lebanese billionaires living in Lebanon and are worth $2.5 billion each. Bahaa, Ayman, and Fahd Hariri—sons of the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri— all now live in Europe and are worth $2 billion, $1.3 billion, and $1.1 billion, respectively.

Forbes has not considered Saudi Arabia for the ranking since 2018.

source/content: timesofoman.com

_________

pix: timesofoman.com

________

OMAN

Dubai – Another Guinness World Records in Energy Sector : March 2021

Dubai project recognized as largest single-site natural gas power facility in the world.

Dubai has chalked up another Guinness World Records entry — and this time it’s for a gas project.

The Jebel Ali complex of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has been recognized as the largest single-site natural gas power generation facility in the world, state news agency WAM reported.

The complex has an electricity generation capacity of 9,547 megawatts.

source/content: arabnews.com

____________

The Jebel Ali complex of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has an electricity generation capacity of 9,547 megawatts. (File/AFP) / pix: arabnews.com

___________________________________________

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

UAE Turns ‘Largest Major Investor’ with $10bn Pledge for Indonesia Wealth Fund: 2021

Indonesia welcomed the UAE’s commitment to invest $10 billion in its recently launched sovereign wealth fund, which a senior official said made the emirates the “largest major investor” in the initiative.

“With this investment, so far the UAE has become the largest major investor in the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA),” Husin Bagis, Indonesia’s ambassador to the UAE, told Arab News.

The UAE helped Indonesia establish the INA through its Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (AIDA) in February this year, with the AIDA serving as one of its advisers.

source/content: arabnews.com

___________

The UAE helped Indonesia establish the INA through its Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (AIDA) in February this year, with the AIDA serving as one of its advisers. (Shuttertstock/File Photo) / arabnews.com

________________________________________________

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

DEWA Wins 2020 Middle East and Africa Renewable Deal of the Year Award

 Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has won the ‘2020 Middle East and Africa Renewables Deal of the Year’ from Project Finance International (PFI) magazine for the photovoltaic 5th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. PFI magazine, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters, focuses on tracking and analysing projects, financial budgets and project deals worldwide.

The solar park is the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned production capacity of 5,000 megawatts by 2030″

The fifth phase is to provide clean energy to 270,000 residences in Dubai. This will reduce 1.18 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The project is due for commissioning in stages starting Q3 of 2021.

source: wam.ae

______________

pix: wam.ae

___________________________________________

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Qatar to Remain World’s Largest LNG Exporter

Currently, Qatar is the largest LNG exporter, and it is working to increase its liquefaction capacity to 126 mtpa (million tonnes per annum) by 2027.

Post-2027, a further 55 mtpa of speculative LNG projects remain to be completed.

It is forecast that Qatar will maintain its position as the top LNG exporter in the world by 2050,” noted the 5th edition of ‘Global Gas Outlook 2050’ by GECF. 

Qatar along with Iran will contribute significantly in the growth of natural gas production in the Middle East, noted a report released by Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) yesterday.  

source: www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

____________

pix: qatargas.com

_________

QATAR

Sarah Al Amiri named in Time’s 2021 List of ‘Next 100 Most Influential People’ : 2021

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, has been named as one of Time’s 2021 list of the Next 100 Most Influential People in the World for successfully leading the UAE’s Hope Probe into Mars’ orbit, in the first-ever Arab interplanetary mission.

In addition to her work in sending the Arab world’s first spacecraft to Mars, Al Amiri is now ahead of bigger missions: to lead ambitious space and technology projects that contribute to the UAE’s bigger goal in establishing a knowledge-based economy. A lunar mission in 2024 and plans to build a human settlement on Mars by 2117 are among the ambitious projects that await the young minister who’s looking to promote research and development to create new industries as part of her role.

She took part in building the UAE’s first two satellites – DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2, and the first entirely Emirati-made KhalifaSat.

She has been holding several responsibilities as the Chairwoman of the Emirates Scientists Council, Chairwoman of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Council and Chairwoman of the Dubai Future Academy Board of Trustees.

In 2017, she became the country’s first Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, a title that later changed in the latest cabinet reshuffle in August 2020 to the Minister of State for Advanced Technology. She was also then named the Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency.

In 2015, the World Economic Forum honoured her as one of its 50 Young Scientists for her contributions to science, technology and engineering.

She was also invited by the World Economic Forum to speak at Davos 2019 and became the first Emirati citizen to speak at an international TED event in 2017.

Mostly recently, she was selected in the BBC’s 100 Women 2020, a documentary that highlighted women leading change and making a difference during last year’s turbulent times.

source: wam.ae

____________

pix: wam.ae

___________________________________

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Agro-Products of Egypt Featuring in Top 10 of the World

Egypt is among the world’s top 10 exporters and producers of certain crops.

Orange

Egypt is the world’s top exporter of orange in terms of volume. In 2019, it exported 1.8 million metric tons of oranges worth $660 million.

Fig

Tthe second largest producer of fig globally for it produces 167,622 tons per annum.

Dried Onion

Egypt ranks third globally in terms of exporting dried onion. In 2019, it exported 13.6 tons of dried onion worth $30.4 million, representing 8.1% of the total global exports of dried onions.

Potatoes

Egypt is the fifth largest exporter of raw potatoes in terms of dollar value worth of the shipments. In 2019, it exported raw potatoes in the value of $259.6 million, which composes 5.4% of the world’s exports.

Prepared/preserved potatoes, Egypt ranks 13th exporting in 2019 shipments worth $31.1 million, representing 0.3% of the world’s global.

Dates

Egypt’s annual production of dates surpasses 1.7 million tons contributing in global production standing at eight million tons by 21 percent. Yet, Egypt’s rank in dates export market is not as high because of the weak value chain starting from the cultivation of palm trees until packaging and distribution.

source: egypttoday.com

________

Fruits and vegetables – Wikimedia Commons

________

EGYPT

World’s First Shipment of Blue Ammonia, Saudi Arabia to Japan : Sep. 27, 2020

The world’s first shipment of blue ammonia was dispatched from Saudi Arabia to Japan on Sep. 27, 2020 for use in a power station for the production of zero-carbon power generation, paving the way for the further use of hydrogen in the energy system.

The Saudi-Japanese collaboration is part of a pilot project, conducted by the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) and oil company Saudi Aramco in partnership with Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC).

“The shipment is considered the first around the world, and it represents a crucial opportunity for Aramco to introduce hydrocarbons as a reliable and affordable source of low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia,” said Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, chief technology officer, Saudi Aramco, according to Saudi media.

source: arabnews.com

__________

A blue ammonia carrier at Jubail terminal in Saudi Arabia. The renewable fuel is being touted as a new opportunity to meet climate change targets and power the future. (Aramco) / pix: arabnews.com

________________

SAUDI ARABIA

Egyptian Ballet Dancer Luca Abdel Nour Wins 2nd Rank at International Ballet Competition Prix de Lausanne, Switzerland : February 2021

Luca Abdel Nour – Ballet Dancer claimed the second rank for classical ballet at the international ballet competition Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland which was held from January 31 to February 6.

Abdel Nour also won the “Best Swiss Candidate” award and the “Audience Favorite” Award.

78 dancers participated in this year’s competition. They were selected based on audition videos. 

source: egypttoday.com

______________

pix: egypttoday.com

________

EGYPT

Etihad Airways – First Airline in World with 100% of Flight Crew Vaccinated : February 2021

 Etihad Airways, the UAE national airline, has become the first airline in the world with all its operating pilots and cabin crew vaccinated to help curb the spread of COVID-19.


In January 2021, Etihad was awarded Diamond status for ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitisation in the inaugural ‘APEX Health Safety, powered by SimpliFlying’ audit.

This achievement was made possible through Etihad’s ‘Protected Together’ employee vaccination initiative which was formally launched in January this year.

Building on the UAE’s “Choose to Vaccinate” campaign, Protected Together is about helping staff take proactive, personal steps towards protecting themselves against COVID-19.

source: www.wam.ae

__________________

pix: wam.ae

________________________________________

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES