Ahmed visits UAE pavilion at Expo 2015

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Supreme National Committee for Dubai Expo 2020 has participated in the opening ceremony of Expo Milano 2015, hosted in the Italian city of Milan.

During the ceremony, the Supreme Committee, chaired by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, visited the Emirates Airways wing, accompanied by Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Transport Department and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State, and Board Representative of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director-General of His Highness the Ruler's Court of Dubai, and member of Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee, as well as other members of the committee, including Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, Mohamed Alabbar, Emaar Properties Chairman, Major-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director-General of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre.

The chairman and members of the committee also visited other participating departments with Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water (Dewa) and  Saqr Nasser Al Raisi, UAE Ambassador to the Italian Republic and Nora Abdul Hamid, Consul-General of the UAE in Milan.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and the Al Tayer delegation were briefed about the authority's participation in the exhibition, which is part of the UAE's official participation in the international business, tourism and cultural event, which attracted 126 countries from around the world.

Guests were given a presentation on Dubai's energy plan in the field of renewable energy up to 2030, a plan that was launched by the Supreme Council of Energy in an effort to diversify energy sources in Dubai and reduce energy demand by 30 per cent by 2030.

The authority and Dubai's Supreme Council of Energy also presented their initiatives and successes in the energy sector, notably the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project, which is being implemented by Dewa and is one of the biggest new strategic projects in the world that will reach production capacity of 1000 MW by 2020 and 3000 MW by 2030.

In its dedicated wing, Dewa presented its sustainable building sited in the Al Quoz area of Dubai, which is the first government building in the world to get the green LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum Rating for buildings.

In the Dubai Municipality Pavilion, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Municipality, showcased the municipal experience in the field of food sustainability as part of the Expo Milan slogan, 'Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,' and gave a presentation on the camel milk chocolate factory being supervised by the municipality, which he explained is the first of its kind in the world and is much sought after by consumers and investors alike from around the world.

Other UAE participants in the Expo include the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, Etisalat and Etihad Airways.

During the event, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan and the CEO of Alitalia, opened the joint Etihad Airways and Alitalia wing, where the two companies showcased their partnership agreement and the privileges it provides passengers on board its aircrafts.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, along with Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan and his accompanying delegation, also toured the expo and visited the Kuwaiti Pavilion, where the delegation was received by Kuwait's Minister of Information, Sheikh Salman Al Hmoud Al Sabah, and guests were briefed on the Kuwaiti participation, which reflects its past and present through national Kuwaiti products.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed praised the Arab participation in the exhibition, especially the countries of the GCC, saying that such an international event is a platform to build humanitarian bridges, and cultural interaction between the peoples and cultures of the world.

Sheikh Ahmed also praised the efforts made by the National Media Council, who oversaw the organisation of the UAE pavilion in Expo Milan, taking on the responsibility to supervise and portray the country's achievements to the international community with honourable results built on an area of  more than 300 sqm, one of the largest pavilions at Expo Milano 2015.

Sheikh Ahmed said, "We in the UAE under the guidance of our wise leadership are keen to be present in all kinds of international exhibitions and events to build relations of friendship and cooperation with various countries and peoples of the world, and help demolish the geographical, cultural and economic barriers between people in order for peace to prevail, and for love and convergence to take root among them."

He pointed out that the participation of a high-ranking delegation from the UAE, and a number of official UAE bodies in Expo Milan, is also to promote Dubai Expo 2020 and present preparations, which are in full swing, to host the global event, which he said is being awaited by "our people and people in the region with satisfaction and hope for the future."

Sheikh Ahmed said that this participation reflects the policies of coexistence, cooperation and openness pursued by the UAE under the guidance of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his brotherHis Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, , Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, stressing that the Supreme National Committee delegation to Dubai Expo 2020 will take into account all the positives and negatives in the Milan experience and will benefit from it in the preparation and organisation of the Dubai Expo 2020, praising the wonderful organisation of the Milan Expo and the large number of participants it attracted.

On the sidelines of the Expo, Sheikh Ahmed also met with the Mayor of Milan, Giuliano Pisapia, at the municipality where he discussed preparations for hosting Dubai Expo 2020 and the possibility of setting up a ‘twinning’ between the cities of Dubai and Milan in the framework of the relations of friendship and cooperation existing between the UAE and Italy on more than one level, and in various fields.

Sheikh Ahmed signed the guestbook expressing his delight in visiting the ancient city of Milan, praising the results of his meeting with the mayor, and for building a twinning relationship with Dubai.

The meeting was attended by the Director-General of Dubai Municipality, the Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, the UAE Ambassador to Italy, and the Italian Ambassador to the UAE.




 

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