BUSINESS ESSENTIALS

OMT announced on July 16, 2021, the launch of its Visa Prepaid Card issued by BLOM Bank. The card boasts two balances: US dollars and Lebanese pounds. The USD balance gives cardholders international access by allowing online purchases, instore shopping, and ATM withdrawals everywhere in the world. While with the LBP balance, cardholders can settle payments and withdraw money locally.

CME Offshore, a Lebanese technology firm based in Beirut and operating internationally through five global offices, has been recognized at the INSURETEK Middle East 2021 International Conference and Golden Shield Excellence Awards, claiming “Best IoT/Telematics-based Project of the Year” for “INGO Health” the most comprehensive health engagement platform available today.

Riyada for social innovation,

a Lebanese social enterprise that offers education programs, corporate training, and consulting services to foster social entrepreneurship in the community, virtually launched the “Shabab Lab” platform on June 14, 2021. “Shabab Lab” is the first social innovation e-learning platform in the Arab world. It comes as a result of four years of validating and testing the unique youth social innovation programs across several countries in the MENA region.

Banque BEMO hosted the second annual Industrial Excellence Award 2021 ceremony on July 28, 2021 at Université Saint Joseph to reward excellence and exceptional achievement.

On July 15, 2021, Emirates celebrated its 30th anniversary of service to Beirut. The airline launched its first flight in 1991, and since then, Emirates has carried over 6 million passengers on over 35,000 flights between Dubai and Beirut, supporting the country’s tourism industry, growing trade lanes, and bringing Lebanese culture and traditions to the world.

The United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) signed a memorandum of understanding with Lebanese municipalities to improve solid waste management through its Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) Activity, a five-year, $15 million activity implemented by ECODIT.

The Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute (NKBCI) at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), Faculty of Medicine, held its third Middle East Lung Cancer Congress, the only lung cancer focused conference in the region on June 30, 2021. The conference aimed to raise awareness on the impact of smoking on lung health, and the necessity to establish a lung cancer screening program to help detect lung cancer in its early stages, along with improving patient outcomes and reducing mortality.

In the weeks leading up to World IVF Day, the Lebanese Fertility Society launched a new campaign in collaboration with Merck, a leading science and technology company, to raise awareness around infertility and to remind the public to get started on their fertility journey early.

UNICEF, Terre des Hommes Italy, and CatalyticAction

inaugurated the newly rehabilitated Karantina public garden on Friday June 18, 2021. The rehabilitation of the garden is an initiative to support the families and the communities in Karantina after the Beirut Port explosion. This project was completed in collaboration with the American University of Beirut neighborhood initiative, the Governor and the Municipality of Beirut.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN-Habitat Executive Director, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, completed her first official visit to Lebanon from 10 to 16 June 2021 during which she toured projects implemented by UN-Habitat in Lebanon, including those in response to the Beirut Port explosion.

Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

The

was officially launched in Lebanon on June 11, 2021 with the an

nouncement of six grassroots projects to enhance women’s participation in the Beirut Port Explosion’s response and recovery process, together with the United Nations in Lebanon.

Bayer Middle East announced a donation of € 25,000 to support the German Red Cross program providing humanitarian aid for vulnerable families through public health services in Lebanon in the context of COVID-19, in partnership with the Lebanese Red Cross.

As at July 16, 2021, Lebanon received 129,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca through COVAX.

The United Nations SDG Media Zone launched series of timely conversations on local solutions to global challenges in July, looking into – among other issues – the prospects for long-lasting peace in Lebanon one year after the Beirut Port explosion. Meanwhile, a survey by UNICEF showed children in Lebanon are bearing the brunt of one of the world’s worst economic collapses in recent times.

Lebanese activist and entrepreneur Hikmat A. Abou Zeid signed his new book, “The Institutional Revolution in Lebanon,” at Université Saint Joseph, published by Antoine Publishing house. The book presents his vision for solving the Lebanese administrative system’s problems, as a result of successive crises since the post-Taif era.

Dubai-based Teknoware Middle East FZCO, the regional office for Finnish vehicle and emergency lighting manufacturer, Teknoware Oy, announced plans for the regional launch of the company’s new-generation Seven Series line of centralized emergency lighting control panels, as well as other state-of-the-art luminaire solutions, in September 2021 at Burj Khalifa.

Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Aviation Group, and global supply chain company

EFL Global successfully carried a vital consignment of antiretroviral drugs from India to Brazil on June 23, 2021.

Emirates has re-opened its dedicated First Class Lounge at Dubai International (DXB’s) Concourse B to serve the growing volume of premium customers travelling from and through Emirates’ hub, as more markets around the world ease restrictions and put in place protocols that enable international travel.

CSP Abu Dhabi container terminal,

the first greenfield project of COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited (CSP) operating within Abu Dhabi Ports’ flagship deep-water port Khalifa Port, announced its terminal will be the first in the Middle East to implement an autonomous port truck system.

As part of Abu Dhabi’s economic development and the growth of its industrial ecosystem, the emirate has developed a new transparent classification system for residential accommodations to help companies select tailored housing solutions for their employees more efficiently.

Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi)

On July 26, 2021, the launched the first official public profile for a tourism board on the social media platform Snapchat, giving potential travelers the chance to explore everything that the capital of the UAE has to offer in a new and immersive way.

The Continental Group,

a leading insurance intermediary, and financial services solutions provider in the GCC region, launched a podcast, aimed at creating awareness among those wishing to secure their financial future. ‘The Dollars, Dirhams and Our Two Financial Cents’ podcast series has been designed to share advice and tips on current trends – from experts on wealth creation, planning and preservation – with anyone who wants to be more financially savvy.

GCI Health, a global specialist healthcare and medical communications agency, announced its expansion into the Middle East through Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at a pivotal time when healthcare has become one of the fastest growing sectors in the region.

In July 2021, Microsoft launched its cloud-based business management solution, Dynamics 365 Business Central in