LOCAL/GULFARAB TIMES, MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2016

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Al Habtoor Group and Mohammed Bin Rashid company officials during the signing of MoU.

Wives of heads of diplomatic missions pose for a photograph at the Al Waleed Philanthropies office.

Al Habtoor Group signs MoU with SME firmThe Al Habtoor Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Develop-ment at the Al Habtoor Group head office.

The MoU, for a period of one year, constitutes an understand-ing of collaboration between Al Habtoor Group and Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development where the Al Habtoor Group will give priority business

to members of Dubai SME prov-ing they can supply a competitive service.

Dubai SME was established in 2002. It was created as an integrat-ed division of the Department of Economic Development (DED) as a resource for support, information and outreach for the growing small and medium enterprise sector.

Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman, Al Habtoor Group said, “SMEs play an impor-

tant role in the UAE economy. We are happy to support members of the Dubai SME, to help enable their companies to grow. Dubai is the land of opportunity. It offers many advantages to support entrepre-neurs in the journey to success.”

Mohammed Al Habtoor, Vice-Chairman & CEO, Al Habtoor Group signed the MoU with HE Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establish-ment for SME Development.

Better understanding of Alwaleed Philanthropies eyed

AP chief receives wives of diplomatsRIYADH, Dec 25: Alwaleed Phi-lanthropies (AP), chaired by HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Ab-dulaziz Alsaud, received a wom-en’s delegation of the Association of Wives of Permanent Heads of Diplomatic Missions ‘WHOM’ on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2016, at their head-quarters in Riyadh. The delegation’s visit was intended in an effort to gain a better understanding of Alwaleed Philanthropies’ work in women em-powerment both on a local and inter-national scale.

The delegation of ‘WHOM’, which is headed by Mrs Sayeada Gul-e-Arzoo, wife of the Ambas-sador to Bangladesh, consisted of 31delegates from the following diplomatic missions: Bahrain, Iraq, Mali, Gambia, Zambia, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Bangladesh, Kazakh-stan, Japan, Malaysia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, France, Germany, Finland, Greece, Denmark, Czech

Republic, Norway, Switzerland, Ire-land, the US, Canada, and Austra-lia, as well as representatives from World Bank and FAO.

HRH Princess Lamia bint Majed Alsaud, Secretary General of Al-waleed Philanthropies and Member of the Board of Trustees, Ms Amal Al Kathiri, Executive Manager of National Initiatives, and Ms Nauf Al-Rawaf Executive Manager of Global Initiatives received the del-egation.

From the Media & Communica-tion Department, Ms Sara Balg-honaim and Ms Shahad Al Mufti presented an overview of the foun-dation’s work as well as AP’s ef-forts in changing the role of Saudi women both in society, and in the workforce. Following the pre-sentation, HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) and Chairman of Alwaleed Philanthropies wel-

comed the delegation. ‘WHOM’ is the Association of

Wives of Permanent Heads of Dip-lomatic Missions, and is accredited in Saudi Arabia, and consists of 50 members representing embassies from countries around the world as well as United Nations organi-zations. WHOM’s objective is to promote a better understanding and knowledge about the Saudi culture, communities and individuals.

For over 37 years, Alwaleed Phi-lanthropies has supported and initi-ated projects in over 124 countries regardless of gender, race, or reli-gion. We collaborate with a range of philanthropic, government, and educational organizations to com-bat poverty, empower women and youth, develop communities, pro-vide disaster relief and create cultur-al understanding through education. Together, we can build bridges for a more compassionate, tolerant, and accepting world.

Ministry plansfor best serviceto citizen abroadKUWAIT CITY, Dec 25: Assistant Under-secretary for Consular Affairs Sami Al-Hamad revealed keenness of the Ministry of For-eign Affairs to provide the best service to citi-zens while they travel abroad, reports Al-Qa-bas daily.

He added that Minis-try of Foreign Affairs offers the best service to residents in relation to attestation of certifi-cates and other docu-ments.

He pointed out that the Directorate of Consular Affairs has a department for document attesta-tion, and with six centers spread across the country for that purpose.

He noted the centers are located in Hokuma Tower, Jahra, Sabhan, Kuwait Airport, Ja-ber Al-Ali, and Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh to facili-tate the transactions of residents while saving time.

The development is based on directives from the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled and Undersecretary of For-eign Affairs Khaled Al-Jarallah.

Omanis vote to chooseMunicipal Council reps

731 candidates stand in polls

MUSCAT, Dec 25, (KUNA): Voters all over the Sultanate of Oman Sunday head-ed to the ballot boxes to elect members of the municipal councils for the second term (2017-2020).

According to the Ministry of Interior, 623,224 Oma-nis (333,733 males and 289,491 females) have regis-tered to vote.

They will be choosing from among 731 candidates (708 males and 23 females).

Omanis 21 and over will vote Sunday to elect local Municipal Council representatives to a four-year term.

There are 202 seats available across the country for 11 Municipal Councils.

The Ministry of Interior, earlier affirmed that it has completed all preparations and ensured readiness of all committees that regularise the elections at all wilayats.

The elections centres, which will receive voters from 7am to 7pm, have been provided with all equipment and facilities that make the election process go easily and smoothly.

Salim Bin Humaid Al Hajri, Head of the Committee on Preparations for Municipal Council’s second term elec-tions said “the 61 committees in all wilayats are ready to receive voters at the elections day.

The 107 election centres include 18 for males, 18 for females and 71 for both males and females to cast their votes.

There are 11 municipal councils in the Sultanate, one in each governorate.

The Municipal Council works on issues within the wilayat such as roads, hospitals, schools and parking. It works in an advisory role alongside the appointed mu-nicipal bodies.

The Omani voters residing in the GCC countries casted

their votes last Sunday to elect their representatives for the Municipal Council’s second term membership. The voting process took place at the headquarters of the Sul-tanates embassies in the GCC capitals, as well as the Sul-tanates Commercial Representation Office in Dubai.

Voters of the Governorates of Dhofar and Musandam, who work in the Governorate of Muscat, also casted their votes last Sunday at the unified voting centre in the Wilayat of Bausher.

The first phase of Omans first municipal councils elec-tions was held on December 22, 2012 at all Sultanate’s Governorates.

In 1939, the first Municipal council was established in the capital followed by other councils in.

Arab Open University’s branch

Palestine to get new ’varsityKUWAIT CITY, Dec 25: Director of Arab Open Uni-versity Dr Mudhi Al-Humoud announced opening a new branch of the university in Palestine by September 2017, reports Al-Anba daily.

Al-Humoud added the branch in Palestine will be the ninth after opening of the branch in Sudan in 2015. She stressed the university keenness to obtain official recog-nition of international universities to enable graduates secure good jobs while fulfilling the specification of rel-evant companies.

She noted the Arab Open University has already ob-tained the accreditation of British Open University and Professional Engineering University.

Concerning reopening of the College of Education Al-Humoud said discussion is underway at the Private Universi-ties Council in that regard. She expressed optimism on the reopening of the College of Education gaining approval.