Migrant workers in Dubai are often employed at wages that are low by Western standards and housed in dormitory-style housing on the outskirts of Dubai, a regional business and tourism hub.

A sub-contractor confirmed the stoppage, saying he had to call back his workers from one Dubai work site after Arabtec laborers failed to show up on Sunday. An Arabtec spokesperson declared, “We are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, alongside the Ministry of Labor and the Police Authority.”

Sources state that a team of the UAE Labor Ministry’s Labor Crisis Management Committee was “closely following the work stoppage by a number of Arabtec workers”.

Employees said the strike started on Saturday and the workers were determined not to stop it without a pay rise. An employee alleged that workers at his site were paid between $160 and $190 a month. He added that the workers were upset at the low wages and about not being paid for overtime work. “The protest started in Abu Dhabi on Saturday and on Sunday, workers in Dubai also joined,” he said.

According to Arabtec, the company has been paying the workers according to contracts it had signed with the workers and their accommodation is in compliance with labor regulations. The laborers receive meals and have free transportation, housing and health insurance, services that are at least equal to their salaries.

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Al Shamsi said, “The new campus of the University of Dubai will be ready by June 2015 and when ready it will be more than capable of meeting the requirements of the future and will be equal to the best and most modern academic establishments in the region, fitted with technologically advanced equipment so that students are provided with a rich learning experience.”

Al Shamsi also announced that UD will offer a Masters in Law (LLM) next year as part of its mission to provide the most excellent and up to date courses. The new programme is unique in the Gulf, concentrating on legal matters of business, economy and finance. The university will also begin offering a PhD programme in Business Administration in 2014.

UD was established by the Dubai Chamber to provide a preeminent learning environment for young people by means of current market data and experienced faculty.

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The company spent money on feasibility studies, design and management contracts up until 2010, until Libya cancelled the deal. A revolt in 2011 ultimately led to Gaddaffi’s death and his government’s collapse later that year.  The Kharafi group claimed it had lost 90 years worth of revenue in the Libyan deal and used a joint investment protection agreement from the Arab League for the case.

Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons Company (MAK Group) is a private Kuwaiti based group with diverse interests and activities worldwide. Established as a trading company more than 100 years ago, it has since developed into a large multinational company.

Following on from 1956 and with the advent of the construction boom in the Gulf, caused by the build-up of oil wealth in the region, Kharafi’s Construction Division quickly assumed a dominant role and expanded in response to the demands of a rapidly developing nation.

With an annual turnover exceeding US$5 Billion the M.A. Kharafi Group now operates in more than 25 countries around the world and has more than 120,000 employees.

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Al-Rasheed, who was giving a status update of the KAEC said, “We have signed more than 50 contracts with local and international companies, some of which are already operational while others are in the stage of constructing their commercial and manufacturing facilities.”

He added, “The huge influx of investments in business enterprises and industrial projects have resulted in a surge in demand on residential accommodation for employees and workers, which KAEC is meeting by offering a wide range of housing solutions that are suitably priced for different income levels, some of which are operational.”

Amongst the most important industrial companies: Mars Saudi Arabia, Greif; a world leader in textile and plastic packaging products and services, Pfizer Saudi Arabia and Sanofi Aventis; global pharmaceutical giants, Tamer Group; Saudi company specializing in healthcare, Total; one of the world’s largest lubricants companies, Saudi Airlines Catering and Saudi Smart Technology Hub, Petra; Engineering Industries and Al-Salem Johnson Controls; two leading manufacturers of air conditioning and refrigeration, Almarai, and Panda, along with many others have signed up.

Investors have the advantage of the city’s proximity to King Abdullah Port which is expected to begin its pilot operation during the last quarter of this year, with a capacity to receive 1.3 million containers per year.

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Abdulla Hassan Al-Mehshadi, Chief Executive Officer at Msheireb Properties, “Awarding the construction contract for Phase 3 symbolizes our commitment to the implementation of this project and is testament to the swift progress we are making in its construction.”

He added, “Joining a local company with an international contractor in a joint venture like this helps Qatari companies to further enhance their skills and capabilities and encourages the transfer of knowledge and expertise.”

Mr. Kotaro Nonaka, Executive Officer of Obayashi Corporation, speaking on behalf of Obayashi-HBK joint venture said: “We are honored to be appointed as contractors for this crucial part of the development and to be part of the Msheireb Downtown Doha construction team. We look forward to working closely with Msheireb Properties and we thank them for giving us this exciting opportunity to be involved in the development of this world-class regeneration project.”

Phase 3 involves the construction of a built-up area of approximately 310,000 square meters comprising 14 buildings that are up to 22 stories in height as well as 4 basement levels offering 2,200 parking spaces. It will comprise two office buildings, 350 residential units spread across 11 buildings, four communal swimming pools in addition to a mosque, retail, hotel, and hospitality and community facilities. The 20,000 square-meter retail offering will comprise 84 units, a 187-key hotel will also be built on an area of 30,500 square meters.

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The expansion of Rashid Hospital, which specializes in emergency, trauma, critical and ambulatory care, will increase the current capacity from 599 beds to 900, expanding the current trauma centre to 160 beds, out-patient facility to 160 treatment rooms, and establishing new centers for heart, cancer, kidney and cosmetic surgeries, in addition to six new specialized centers.

Another project is extension of the emirate’s only centre for the elderly, the Community Centre for the Elderly in Al Mamzar which aims to help patients lead a fully functioning life and increase life expectancy. The centre currently has 30 in-patients and 50 out-patients.

Sheikh Mohammad launched a forum during his visit that will create an atmosphere of integration between families and the elderly. He also initiated a website for measuring customer satisfaction.

Future projects comprise construction of three hospitals, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Hospital on Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed road, Al Maktoum Hospital in Jebel Ali’s Al Maktoum Airport area, and Al Khawaneej Hospital. The expansion project is in line with the DHA’s 2013-2025 strategy to manage current and future health-care demands from nationals and residents as well as medical tourists.

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The tower will be 10 meters higher than 828-meter Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower in Dubai, UAE. The construction plan calls for it to be built from pre-fabricated units constructed on site in an unprecedentedly short period of 90 days. BSB’s plan is to assemble 95% of the building in its factory before any excavation takes place at the build site.

According to the plan, the building, across 220 stories, will have: a hotel accommodating 1000 guests, a hospital, 5 schools and offices. Of the total space available, nearly 83% will be for residential purposes, housing up to 17,000 people. 5% will be for the hotel housing 1000, while 3% each will be dedicated to schools, hospitals, offices and shops. There will be 10 fire escape routes, which will evacuate everybody in a given floor within 15 minutes; the building will be fire-resistant for up to three hours. It will also have 17 helipads. People will use 104 electricity-saving auto-power generated lifts in the 220 story high-rise.

The project will consume 270,000 tons of steel. The projected cost is 4 billion Yuan (AED2.35 billion) and will be able to house 31,400 people. On May 14, 2013, TreeHugger reported that the project have received governmental approval and is set to break ground in June 2013.

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According to the Zaha Hadid Architects website, “The metro station will be placed amid a tangle of pathways, sky bridges and metro lines, all of which have been mapped and structured to clearly delineate the pedestrian routes within the building, optimize internal circulation and avoid congestion.”

Hadid, an Iraqi-British architect, is the founding partner of London-based Zaha Hadid Architects.
She directs a staff of 350 architects, lead designers and associates. She was the first Muslim and woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004, which is the architecture version of the Nobel Price. In 2010 and 2011, she won the Stirling Price.

She designed the Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park in Seoul, South Korea. Among her other projects are the BMW Central Building in Leipzig, Germany, the Guangzhou Opera House and the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center in Riyadh. The firm also designed Aquatics Center for the London 2012 Olympic Games and high-speed train stations in Naples.

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Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid, Chairman of Al Khozama Management Company stated, “Al Khozama is proud to be associated with Saudi Oger and Kerzner International. We are excited about this new development and its expected contribution to the continued growth of Jeddah in particular and that of the country’s hospitality sector in general.”

Alan Leibman, CEO of Kerzner International said, “I am thrilled we are able to partner with Al Khozama Management Company and Saudi Oger to develop this world-class destination. Jeddah is the perfect location for the first One&Only experience in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The beachfront location is remarkable and I am very confident the resort will be well received by our many loyal One&Only guests and new guests alike.”

The property will be strategically located in Obhur, north of Jeddah and will boast extensive meeting facilities, creating a new epicenter for business in the city. The 95,000 sq. m resort is located less than 30 minutes from King Abdul Aziz International Airport and will command an enviable 230 meters of beachfront.

This will be One&Only’s first resort in the Kingdom. One&Only has also announced plans to develop a resort in Sanya, China, as well as One&Only Montenegro, the first property for the collection in Europe.

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Firefly Solar founder & CEO Andy Mead said: “Traditional diesel generators have long been the natural choice for temporary and remote power, but as with the introduction of hybrid fuel systems in cars, our technology will deliver improved efficiency, fuel savings and a reduced carbon footprint. With this new product we have dramatically increased battery storage, which means longer run times without the need to use a diesel generator. What’s more the Cygnus HPG will integrate seamlessly with renewable power sources such as solar – providing a fully stand-alone power solution. So, whether you’re shooting a film, running a festival, on a building site or working remotely in disaster relief, it’s now easy to reduce your dependence on diesel and move towards a more sustainable source of power.”

Running at low load, a typical 100 kVA will consume up to 10 liters of diesel per hour. But when integrated with a Cygnus HPG, which uses a built-in intelligent load management system, the generator is automatically switched off and no diesel is required.

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