LOCAL/GULFARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017

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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum

Sheikh Mohammed to lead Q&A sessionon reviving development in Arab World

The event will take place during World Government Summit

DUBAI, Feb 7: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Monday announced he will be leading a Q&A Session to examine re-viving the development process in the Arab World. The session will take place during the fi fth edition of the World Govern-ment Summit (WGS) 2017.

During the session, Sheikh Mohammed will share his leadership experience and also present his views on the Arab region, its current conditions, future and the po-tential for development in the Arab World. He will take questions, feedback and input

from the general public across the Arab World, harnessed through a social media campaign inviting public participation.

The highly-anticipated discussion will focus on the Arab region at a time when it is facing substantial challenges on all fronts. Sheikh Mohammed will present his ap-proach toward development and the poten-tial future of the Arab World.

Announcing the panel discussion in a se-ries of tweets from his offi cial Twitter ac-count, Sheikh Mohammed stressed the im-portance of a dialogue on the future of the region. He emphasised that the goal behind the hashtag Arab Future was to spark a truly pan-Arab dialogue on development, inviting wide-ranging public participation.

One of his tweets posed the question whether there is hope for development in the Arab World and whether it is possible to shape a new future for the region.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin

Rashid Al Maktoum tweeted: “My personal experience in Dubai and the UAE leads me to believe in the potential of this region and its people”

As one of the world’s most prominent leaders in embracing technology to enhance public service and good governance, Sheikh Mohammed is renowned for integrating mo-dernity with tradition, embracing innovation and technological advancement while re-specting heritage and national identity in his leadership style. He has successfully merged the scientifi c and humanitarian aspects of development together with promoting inclu-siveness and tolerance, evident in the mix of some 200 nationalities living and work-ing in harmony in Dubai under a legislative umbrella that promotes equality and respect among diverse cultures and faiths.

The discussion Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum engaged in with the people of the UAE during the fi rst World

Government Summit in 2013 was a fi rst-of-its-kind step taken by an Arab leader with such transparency and access.

The discussion was considered a gateway to building a comprehensive national cur-riculum of development for all segments of society, as well as for government, sci-entifi c, and economic institutions that laid the foundations of excellence. It also linked innovation with progress, and examined the relationship between the government and its people as the future of a country.

That dialogue led to the publication of the best selling book based on the discussion, ‘Flashes of Thought’.

His Highness emphasised that authority is for the people, not above them, and that the mission of government is to lead its people to a happier and more stable future. Such a mission requires cooperation between so-ciety, public and private organisations, and government institutions.

Well-known Konkani activist

‘Voice of Mangalore’co-founder Louis diesKUWAIT CITY, Feb 7: Louis Rodrigues, the co-founder of the hugely popular ‘Gulf Voice of Manga-lore’ Konkani singing reality show, passed away on Tuesday, Feb 7. He was 62.

A well-known Konkani activist in Kuwait, Louis Rodrigues together with Lawrence Pinto co-founded Gulf Voice of Mangalore in 2008. Since then, the re-ality show bringing together top singing talents from

across the GCC countries has gone on to become Konkani world’s big-gest show.

Louis Rodrigues was known for his organizing skills, having been the man behind several Konkani shows in Kuwait. A humble man who strove to popularise Konkani language and culture in the Gulf, he was the fi rst organizer of ‘India Day’ in Kuwait in 1997.

During the 80s, as a head of ‘Mangalorean Artists’, he brought

many talents to focus through musical nites and dra-mas. He was the one who brought Konkani’s legend-ary singer Wilfy and Meena Rebimbus to Kuwait for the fi rst time. He also brought Claud D’Souza and Wilson Olivera to Kuwait.

The Mangalorean Catholic Centre of the Parish (MCCP) of Muscat had felicitated Louis along with Lawrence Pinto for their contribution towards Konka-ni on the occasion of completion of glorious 20 years. Louis Rodrigues along with wife Rita Rodrigues had also sung songs in the 80s.

Al-Mansoori meets Simsek

GCC-Turkey ‘partnership’vital for development: UAEANKARA, Feb 7, (KUNA): UAE Minister of Economy Sultan Al-Mansoori stressed on the importance of the part-nership between the Gulf countries and Turkey to boost eco-nomic development in the region.

In a joint conference with Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minis-ter Mehmet Simsek on Tuesday, Al-Mansoori noted that the GCC countries were a prominent economic power, sharing a joint market and a customs union.

He added that the Gulf States have signed several free trade agreements with many countries and economic groups.

Meanwhile, the minister said that his country aimed to further boost cooperation with Turkey in the fi eld, adding that the UAE aimed to attract more Turkish investments.

Al-Mansoori said the UAE is eager to create economic diversity, noting that the country used to rely on oil by 90 percent in 1970, while the percentage dropped to less than 30 by now.

He hoped Turkey and the UAE would also achieve part-nership in education, research, health, renewable energy and space studies.

On his part, Simsek noted that the two sides were eager to boost cooperation between their private and public sectors on all levels.

He thanked the UAE for allowing Turkish companies to execute 107 projects worth $10 billion.

Al-Mansoori has arrived in Ankara yesterday to head the Emirati delegation in the ninth session of the UAE-Turkey joint economic committee.

Amir condoles Afghan prez: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable of condolences on Tuesday to Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, expressing his deepest sympathies over the loss of life due to heavy snowfall in Afghanistan.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables to the Afghan President. (KUNA)

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Amir congrats New Zealand: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent Tuesday a congratulatory cable to Governor-General of New Zealand Jerry Mateparae on the country’s National Day.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent Mateparae two similar cables. (KUNA)

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Kayak trio arrives in Muscat: Three Kayakers from Kuwait have arrived to Muscat, Oman, in an adventure to raise awareness of the need for greater marine environment protection and joint conservation efforts across the GCC.

The Kayak4Kuwait trio – Bashar Al-Huneidi, Mansour Al-Safran and Colin Wong – have left Ku-wait more than two months ago.

Founder of the team, Al-Huneidi, told KUNA, Tues-day, that the trip aims at raising awareness of pollution in the Arabian Gulf coastline. Their trip have covered Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Oman. Kuwait Environment Public Authority (EPA) has given support to the trio’s coastline adventure. (KUNA)

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Poultry banned: Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) has issued three decisions banning the import of all poultry and egg from Slovenia, Spain and Montana, reports Al-Shahid daily.

The ban on import of poultry and egg in the aforesaid countries is based on the recommendation of World Or-ganization for Animal Health due to avian fl u outbreak.

News in Brief

Rodrigues