Keralamonitor.com September 22, 2007 Home Indian Public Sector firms increasing stake in Myanmar Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural will be leaving on a two day visit to Myanmar, tomorrow. He would be accompanied by Petroleum Secretary Shri M. S. Srinivasan and MD ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) Shri R S Butola. After his arrival at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on 23rd September, Shri Deora will meet his counterpart Brigadier General Lun Thi, Minister of Energy, Myanmar to discuss possibilities of enhancing bilateral cooperation in hydrocarbon sector. Shri Deora will also attend the signing of Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for 3 Deep Water exploration Blocks between OVL, and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), a Govt of Myanmar enterprise.
OVL succeeded in acquiring 100% participating interests in these 3 Deep Water Blocks AD-2, AD-3 and AD-9 in Myanmar Offshore. The aerial extent of the blocks AD-2, AD-3 and AD-9 is 8,100sq. km, 9,900sq.km, and 7,800sq.km respectively. Water depth in the block areas ranges from 1500m up to 3000m off the Rakhine coast of Myanmar.
Prior to these three blocks, Oil PSUs OVL and GAIl have participated in the exploration activities in A-1 and A-3 blocks in Myanmar. In Block A-1 OVL and GAIL have 20% and 10% Participating Interests respectively. Gas discovery was made in 2004 and 2005 from Shwe and Shwe Phyu in block A1 which is estimated at 3.34 and 0.5 tcf respectively. In Block A-3 also OVL and GAIL have Participating Interests of 20% and 10% respectively. Gas discovery was made in this block in January 2006 and the Consortium has established a gas reserve of 1.52 tcf in the Mya Gas field. The total recoverable reserves of gas from A1 and A3 blocks are estimated to be about 4tcf (final study is in progress). The first gas is anticipated in early part of 2011.
Attempts are being made to acquire oil and gas assets in Myanmar. Currently, total oil and gas production of Myanmar is about 10,000 barrel oil per day (bopd) and 820 Million Standard Cubic Feet Per Day (MMSCFD) respectively. The total oil and gas reserves are estimated at 50 Million Barrel (MMBL) and 10 trillion cubic feet (tcf) respectively. Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, the National Enterprise produces about 10,000bopd and 120 MMSCFD gas from onshore oil and gas fields.In order to enhance energy security of the country, India is pursuing the option of acquiring equity in oil & gas assets overseas apart from developing our indigenous production. Oil Sector PSU’s and joint ventures have acquired blocks/participating interest in Vietnam, Iraq, Russia, Myanmar, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, Egypt, Qatar, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, Ivory Cost, Gabon, Yemen and Oman. (keralamonitor.com)
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Sheikh Mohammed's Dubai Care Campaign to help millions of illiterates of Developing Countries
Dubai: 19 September, 2007 – His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today launched the ‘Dubai Cares’ campaign, a charity drive during the Holy Month of Ramadan to raise funds for primary education for needy children in poor countries around the world. The announcement was made at the Madinat Arena in Madinat Jumeirah.
In his opening to the audience, His Highness had the following words: “Let me congratulate you on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan. I pray that God will give us the strength to come together to fulfill our duties during this month and instill in us its values and the integrity to ensure these values are reflected in our deeds."
In his speech, His Highness described how the campaign will help over 1 million children and assist countries achieve their U.N. Millennium Development Goals for providing Children’s Primary Education to every child by 2015.
The campaign recognizes education as the best long-term solution to alleviating poverty in the developing world, reinforcing the call of experts that educating children, especially girls, is the key to ending the global ‘cycle of poverty’. More importantly, it is also one of the most powerful instruments for laying the basis for sustained economic growth, sound governance and effective institutions.
"Dubai Cares seeks to shine the light of knowledge and dispel the darkness of ignorance by giving the children of poor countries hope for the future and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty that threatens to entrap them and consign their families to a life with no real future,” said His Highness. "Only through education can they assume their rightful position as positive contributors in the prosperity of their communities and countries."
He added: "Education is the most effective way to turn good intentions into concrete actions that change the lives of people immeasurably and for the better. The satisfaction of helping the needy or curbing injustice can be immense. Now, imagine how much stronger that satisfaction is if that act helps to free generation after generation from grinding poverty."
Global statistics significantly add to the urgency of this campaign: 120 million school-age children are not enrolled in primary education; one in every three children in developing countries does not complete five years of primary education, the minimum required for achieving basic literacy. Of the children who do not attend school, 58% – more than half – are girls. This gender gap in education is a major obstacle to alleviating poverty.
His Highness said: "Eight years ago, the international community set the millennium development goals countries pledged to fulfil, one of which is to guarantee every child receives a basic education by the end of 2015. It is unlikely this goal will be met on time unless we take urgent to see them through."
Events and promotions will be organised over a 6-week period and will tap into the spirit of giving and the tradition of philanthropy deeply rooted in the Emirati community – elements that will be key to achieve the campaign’s objectives.
Among the campaign’s goals is social cohesion which is in line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s commitment to enhance a collective sense of belonging among all communities in Dubai. ‘Dubai Cares’ will bring different communities in Dubai’s multicultural population together by binding them for a common cause to contribute to a greater purpose.
Another important goal is instilling the spirit of proactive fundraising for a global cause, which stems from HH Sheikh Mohammed’s focus on global citizenship and broadening the scope of Dubai’s philanthropic obligations to a global level.
His Highness added: "I expect both Emiratis and expatriates to compete in charity and to participate in every way you find suitable. I expect the private sector to make a substantial contribution, including the international corporations and their offices in the UAE. In our country, we added to our Arab and Islamic values a bright international horizon with a diverse mixture of companies, cultures and nationalities from all over the world."
The recipient countries will include those who lack resources for education and face major impediments to growth and stability. The campaign reflects HH Sheikh Mohammed’s belief in education as a key component to help children achieve their potential and refine their skills to successfully overcome challenges they may face on their path of personal growth and development.
His Highness and his sons and daughters, all of whom are making personal commitments to the cause, are offering their direct support – both financial and moral - in order to achieve the campaign’s objectives. These efforts run parallel to the call from His Highness to all of Dubai’s multi-cultural residents to contribute to and participate in this global initiative.
"Joined by my sons and daughters, I will participate actively to ensure the success of this campaign and invite everyone to participate personally and motivate your family members to contribute as well, so we can all fulfill our duty in what pleases our Creator and our own conscience,” said His Highness. “We need to implant the culture of donation in our society and give our children a heritage that incorporates the noble values we inherited from our ancestors and which have now become one of the highest universal values.”
The campaign will additionally create the necessary conditions for students to excel and take their rightful positions as positive contributors to their societies. Specifically, the campaign sets out to build new school facilities; renovate/rehabilitate existing abandoned and/or damaged school premises; distribute school supply materials; award student scholarships; coordinate a feeding programme at schools; an annual medical check-up for students and teachers; and provide training and workshops to benefit teachers.
By promoting education in other countries, HH Sheikh Mohammed’s is reinforcing the principle that education – as a vehicle for development in regional countries – guarantees stability, prosperity and progress and brings about positive change throughout the world.
"The importance of education has increased tremendously in the information age, making the promotion of education and the promise of support a prerequisite for global development. Those who are deprived of education will inevitably fall behind and will never know the true essence of their religion nor learn its valuable teachings. They will always be dependent on others and face the prospect of becoming burdens on themselves, their societies and the whole world.”
"Dubai Cares" joins a list of international initiatives launched in Dubai that express Dubai’s will to play an effective role contributing to achieving the world’s mission to secure a better tomorrow for future generations - a huge responsibility given Dubai has chosen to assume yet another initiative with the welfare of the person as its focal point.
Sharjah Tatweer Forum launches interactive workshop on responsible citizenship
September 20, 2007 Sharjah Tatweer Forum, the Emirate of Sharjah's ambitious initiative for building UAE nationals' skills, has recently announced that it has successfully hosted an interactive workshop for its members as part of its activities to support knowledge management and share of best practices. The workshop was held at the Sharjah Shooting and Golf Club from September 17-19, 2007, and was aimed at expanding the channels of communication between the Forum and its members."This program was developed to deepen the interaction between the Forum and its members, while boosting our array of social projects that are designed to contribute to the socio-economic development of Sharjah. The Sharjah Tatweer Forum is also pleased to have one of its talented members, Mr. Ibrahim Al Dabal, share his expertise during the workshop," said Hussain Al Mahmoudi, Chairman of Sharjah Tatweer Forum.
Open to all members of Sharjah Tatweer Forum, the three-day workshop, which incorporated sessions from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., gathered around 25 participants. All workshop delegates were given certificates of participation during a ceremony at the conclusion of the program, and also received a CD containing the whole program's sessions and materials.Among the topics covered by the workshop included introduction to responsible citizenship and volunteer work, sustainable development, team building and management, leadership and motivation, design and management of social projects, communication and marketing, and fund raising skills.
"We are confident that by holding workshops with carefully selected discussion points, we can achieve our goal of enhancing the cooperation between the Forum and its members, and also develop programs and activities that promote the role of social responsibility towards society. Additionally, the workshop also aimed at providing specialized programs to increase the team and project management skills of Forum members, and to involve all members in the development process of the Forum," concluded Al Mahmoudi. The facilitator for the program, Ibrahim Jassim Al Dabal, is a Tatweer Forum member who volunteered to conduct the training. He is an expert with the United Nations and has done numerous training courses throughout the Middle East."I'm pleased to share my experience with my colleagues at Sharjah Tatweer Forum. The training is a chance for Tatweer members to understand what it takes to put together a social program and work as part of a team to implement it," Al Dabal said.
Formed under a decree issued by H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and the Honorary Chairman of Sharjah Tatweer Forum, the Forum aims to develop the skills and competencies of emerging young leaders in Sharjah, by forging effective collaboration between the private and public sectors, and encouraging entrepreneurship, innovation and excellence in business and administration.
Sheikh Mohammed rated “coolest celebrity” by young men in the GCC
Young males in the GCC rank Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as the “coolest celebrity,” according to a recent survey published in Communicate magazine. The UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai ranked first among males and fourth overall in the survey, which asked young people living in the Gulf region and hailing from across the Arab world to name the “coolest” and “least cool” celebrities.The survey, commissioned by Communicate and carried out in August by Out of Bounds, a Dubai-based youth marketing agency, asked 500 GCC residents, spread evenly between the ages of 15 and 24, to name their coolest, second coolest, least cool, and second least cool celebrities. The overall “coolest” ranking placed three American actors at the top: Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, and George Clooney.More
UAE’s first Maritime Museum Planned
September 20, 2007 - Dubai Maritime City (DMC), the world’s first purpose-built maritime centre, has announced plans to construct and operate the UAE’s first specialized maritime museum, in a move that will see the creation of one of the most comprehensive maritime exhibits in the Middle East. The Museum will be located in the Academic Quarter of the Maritime City, and will play a key role in contributing to the development and preservation of the UAE’s rich cultural and maritime heritage.
Preliminary plans reveal that the 4,000 square metre museum will provide graphic displays, artefacts, multi-media tools and emonstrations, and contain exhibits such as marine life, history of the region, boating and pearling records, Arab navigation technologies, and other major marine-related industries.
“The museum will be a celebration, not only of the region’s rich maritime heritage, but also of the current and future technological developments related to the maritime sector in which Dubai plays such a key part. On completion, this Museum will be one of the largest Maritime Museums in the Middle East, and will become a must see attraction for anyone residing in, or visiting, Dubai and the surrounding emirates,” said Ali Al-Daboos, Chief Operating Officer, DMC.
“It is our goal to add more value to the global maritime community by creating a prestigious, and integrated, state-of-the-art development that will provide complete infrastructure, services and regulations for the international maritime industry. By including the Museum in our plans, we are demonstrating that we are not only providing the infrastructure, but we are also trying to put a soul into the city,” Al-Daboos added.
On completion, the museum will form an essential link between the industrial, residential and commercial users of Dubai Maritime City, with the more casual visitors, whether international tourists or local residents. It is only one of the planned educational facilities to be incorporated in the City, as the dedicated Academic Quarter will also feature an academy that will provide maritime training and research. Other quarters within the Maritime City will include the Harbour Offices, Harbour Residences, the Maritime Centre, a Marina District, and the industrial quarter – operated by Jadaf Dubai.
The museum is the latest in a string of announcements for the multi-purpose maritime centre, as a number of other developments in the project progress ahead of schedule. The six-lane causeway connecting the mega project to Dubai is now fully complete, while around 50 per cent of the planned industrial precinct in the City is now complete and operational. “We are proud to build a museum that will certainly join the ranks of distinguished maritime museums all around the world.
Empa restructuring
Empa Middle East, a leading IT distributor in the Middle East and North Africa region, has announced that its recent front office restructuring is expected to significantly boost profitability and increase territory and customer penetration. The move is in line with the company’s strategy to adopt a ‘go to market’ model and to capitalise on the growing opportunities in the regional IT distribution business.
The restructuring has also resulted in trifurcation of Empa’s sales territory, which will facilitate increased focus on smaller markets such as Bahrain, Qatar and certain North African countries, while adding resources to Empa’s main market – the UAE. Following the realignment, a dedicated customer service department having a customer relationship management (CRM) system has been set up, which is expected to attract and retain more resellers.
“Assigning the right people for the right job is fundamental to any organisation, and this formed the basis for Empa’s front office restructuring,” said Shahood Khan, Director, Sales and Marketing, Empa Middle East. “Further, this restructuring will help our vendors realise their market share goals and help us expand our vendor portfolio, as the structure is designed to accommodate new vendors.”
“By being closer to the customer and aligning with vendors, we are better positioned to deal with market threats and capitalise on opportunities. The restructuring also enables us to increase our credit line for existing customers and add new resellers to cater to our fast-growing customer base. Moreover, the realignment helps us achieve the right balance of product and territory focus, which will positively reflect on our profitability,” added Khan.Empa recently opened its new office in South Zone, Jebel Ali Free Zone, in line with its objective of enhancing infrastructure facilities and aligning with its rapid growth. The office is built on an 84,000 square feet plot, which also houses a warehouse.
