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Oman opens up with Israel and Vatican in wave of reforms
Oman is opening up its borders and minds for some welcome change, given the developments since yesterday. Thursday proved to be a red-letter day for the EMEA region on two fronts with Oman announcing some changes to the hitherto conventions.
The Vatican and Oman have established diplomatic relations, a joint statement said, three months after a visit by Pope Francis to the Gulf.
Earlier in the day, the nation’s flying restrictions for Israel airlines were removed to free up the air corridor for the latter’s smooth passage to the east.
While Israel has thanked Oman for taking the flight to freedom, the Sultanate has initiated the discourse with the church for its largely expatriate population.
There are currently 12 Catholic priests working in four parishes in Oman and the local population includes a “significant number of foreign workers,” the joint statement said.
Oman’s parishes are part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which is based in Abu Dhabi. Most of the country’s Catholics are foreign workers from elsewhere in the Middle East and the Philippines, India and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Oman’s civil aviation authority said the Sultanate’s airspace will be open for all carriers that meet the authority’s requirements for overflying – effectively ending the ban on El Al, Israir and Arkia, Israel’s three airlines. The move could cut Israeli carriers’ flight times to Asia by up to three hours.
El Al shared a graphic on social media to give an idea on the flight route pre- and post-restrictions over the airspace above Oman.
When the airline was banned from Saudi airspace, El Al flights from Tel Aviv to Mumbai took seven hours 45 minutes. That flight time was then slashed to five hours 15 minutes, before the route was put on hold. As the announcement was made, El Al swiftly posted a map of their old and new routes to Southeast Asia on Instagram.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a day of great news for Israeli aviation” in a statement yesterday.
He added: “The Far East is not so far away and the skies are no longer the limit. We have worked to open the airspace, first over Saudi Arabia, and from 2018 when I visited Oman, to add Oman as well, so that we can fly directly to India and on to Australia. This was achieved today, after considerable effort, including in recent months. Here is good news – Israel is opening up to the east on an unprecedented scale.”
Appreciation for the gesture has started coming in from all parts of the world, including the United States. Earlier this month, El Al announced it is starting a frequent-flier partnership with UAE carrier Etihad Airways. The two had started code-sharing on flights in 2021.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has inaugurated the landmark Dubai Reef project with the launch of the pilot reef modules.
A sustainable initiative by Dubai Can, Dubai Reef is the world’s largest marine reef development project and marks a pioneering step in Dubai’s efforts to promote ecological sustainability. Working around a plan to deploy 20,000 purpose-built reef modules of various sizes over a four-year period, Dubai Reef marks a significant endeavour for the city that will span a staggering 600 square kilometres across Dubai’s waters. The meticulously crafted design of the reef units will see them exceed 400,000 cubic metres in volume.
In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan and The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Reef project is a city-wide collaboration uniting key partners to support the wider strategic goals and ambitions of Dubai and the UAE, including the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), the UAE’s Green Agenda – 2030, and the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategy.
Sheikh Hamdan said: “The landmark Dubai Reef initiative is a testament to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Reef ecosystems are unique life sources and vital components in the protection of marine life. Dubai Can’s Dubai Reef project will inject vitality into our coastal waters and contribute to global conservation efforts. The project’s significant long-term environmental and socio-economic impacts will serve Dubai’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.”
With an initial proof of concept championed by His Excellency Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani and contractors HaejooX in 2021, the first modules have now been activated as part of the Dubai Reef pilot project. Working alongside the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the newly formed Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority (DECCA) will be a critical partner in ensuring successful project delivery. As Director General of DECCA, His Excellency Bin Thani will continue to play a key role in supporting the Dubai Reef project and further strengthen the emirate’s advocacy in the realm of environmental protection and climate action. DP World; Dubai Chambers; Nakheel; the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation; and Emirates join DET as strategic partners in the Dubai Reef project.
His Excellency, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DET, said: “Aligned with the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and guided by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Reef project showcases the emirate’s enduring commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation. This collaboration between public and private sector entities will see each partner bring their expertise to drive Dubai’s sustainable future and contribute towards achieving the ambitious goals set forth in the D33 Agenda.”
His Excellency Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani, Director General of DECCA, said: “The Dubai Reef project will provide diverse environments to attract and stimulate fish and marine life. In 2021, we partnered with leading reef developer HaejooX to launch a two-year proof of concept, analysing the effectiveness of purpose-built reefs in Dubai. The study used advanced technologies and utilised a three-dimensional scanning system to understand the quantities and types of fish present. Preliminary data showed an abundant expansion in marine life.”
The Dubai Reef initiative is a strategic investment set to leave a lasting legacy in terms of protecting marine life and environmental sustainability. The project’s key drivers include enhancing biodiversity, safeguarding Dubai’s coastal and marine habitats, supporting fish populations, and increasing ecosystem resilience. The project will also encourage environmental stewardship, strengthen socio-economic prosperity and ecotourism, and preserve Dubai’s marine heritage.
The project has won over renowned investor Ray Dalio who is involved in various philanthropic initiatives and takes a keen interest in ocean exploration and conservation. “I love this audacious Dubai Reef project because it will be a remarkable contribution to the world’s understanding of the benefits of ocean restoration and as well make the Dubai environment healthier and provide an incredible recreation park. Once again, Dubai is pursuing an ambitiously great project, this time under the visionary guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan. It is an amazing project in an amazing place under amazing leadership,” he said.
All fines for traffic violations committed by motorists during the recent record rains, on April 16, will be waived in Dubai, police announced.
Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, made the announcement on Wednesday.
The decision to waive the traffic violations reflects Dubai Police’s commitment to the community and to ensuring their safety, especially during exceptional circumstances.
Dubai’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan, had earlier approved a series of initiatives and measures to urgently mitigate the impact of the severe weather in the emirate.
After the heaviest rainfall the UAE experienced in 75 years Dubai Airports is making remarkable strides in restoring and normalising operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB).
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said since yesterday, ahead of its recovery schedule, DXB returned to its normal flight schedule and is back to operating around 1,400 flight movements a day.
“With roads in and around the airport 100% clear of water accumulation, our manpower, logistics and facilities are operating as usual again. To have the airport back up and running is no small feat. 2,155 flights were cancelled and 115 were diverted. We had to work closely with our airline partners and service providers to rework schedules, boost manpower and look after all those who had been disrupted.
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“I’m continuously amazed with the unwavering dedication of our Dubai Airports employees, airline partners, government agencies, commercial partners and service partners. It has been the most challenging adverse weather event we’ve had to navigate, and our people and partners worked tirelessly to keep the operation running and to assist our guests.”
31 flights were diverted to Dubai World Central (DWC) and by 19 April, all guests at the airport were successfully supported and continued onwards to complete their travel plans.
Guest welfare remained a key priority throughout the disruption and although there were initial challenges in transporting supplies with road closures around DXB and DWC, over 75,000 food packs were delivered across both airports.
“While certain challenges remain, including processing the baggage backlog, we’re working closely with our service partners but know there’s still more work to be done and once again thank guests for their patience while we work through this,” added Mr. Griffiths.
“We’re deeply saddened by the ongoing impact of the heavy rainfall on affected communities and businesses across the UAE. We’re also supporting our own people who were badly affected by the weather and will continue to support wherever we can.”
As normal operations resume, guests should arrive at their terminal only three hours ahead of their flight departure time to avoid unnecessary congestion and facilitate smoother.
Sheikh Hamdan launches landmark Dubai Reef sustainability project
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