Mohammed receives Dubai's Middle East City of the Future award

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has received the Middle East City of the Future award, as awarded by fDi Magazine, to Dubai which retained the title for the third year in a row and remains by far the top destination in the Middle East for investors thanks to its business-friendly environment, infrastructure and high competitiveness. fDi Magazine is the flagship publication for the fDi Intelligence portfolio and is published by The Financial Times Ltd. Sheikh Mohammed received the award from the Director-General of Dubai's Department of Economic Development (DED), Sami Al Qamzi, who was accompanied by the CEO of DED's Foreign Investment Office, Fahad Al Gergawi. He congratulated the DED team on the achievement which reflects the interest of the international media, financial and trade institutions in the achievements made by the country. He emphasised that "international and regional awards and certificates won by Dubai as the city of felicity and successful investment reflect international interest in our civilised achievements. We are pleased by this international interest, welcome it and are proud of our state, our people and the potentials of our creative youth." In presence were Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group. Later, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid hosted a lunch banquet for sheikhs, ministers, dignitaries and heads of government and economic departments. Mohammed bin Rashid receives Bill Gates His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has received at his Palace at Zabeel Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill '&' Melinda Gates Foundation and chairman of Microsoft Corporation. Also present was Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State and Chairperson of Dubai Cares Foundation, Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director of General Protocol '&' Hospitability Department and members of the delegation accompanying Bill Gates attended the meeting. They discussed relations and partnership between Dubai Cares and Bill '&' Melinda Gates Foundation in charitable fields and securing health care in poor countries, especially for children and school students. Sheikh Mohammed hailed Bill Gates' humanitarian and charitable foundation initiatives and his support to alleviate the suffering of people, children and school students in the poor areas. The Vice-President, addressing Bill Gates said, “We welcome you in the UAE as a great humanitarian and we have great respect for you since you are the man of generosity in the field of supporting the needy, sick people and the students in the various poor regions." Bill Gates expressed thanks and gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for his humanitarian and charitable stances, giving support for the children and elderly people in various regions of the third world through the contributions of Dubai Cares as well as providing medical treatment to patients. He also pointed to the existing cooperation between Bill '&' Melinda Gates Foundation and Dubai Cares, which resulted in signing bilateral agreements between the two parties in 2008 in addition to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2009 pertaining the coordination between the two humanitarian foundations in the water supply, sanitation projects, food, health care in schools fields at schools in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ethiopia and Gaza in Palestine and Angola.