Security related key developments and trends to follow

Key developments and trends to follow in the GCC area.

Israel-Hamas conflict:

Efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas will continue over the coming month(s).  An agreement on a temporary truce is increasingly likely. However, a roadmap towards a ceasefire remains highly uncertain, as Israel will continue to oppose any deal that envisions a temporary truce leading to a permanent ceasefire.

Qatar will continue to lead negotiations based on the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Red Sea and Yemen situation:

Sudden changes in the security situation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has led to merchant ships diverting their routes to longer ones increasing the shipping prices as wells as cancellations on insurances.

Yemen’s Houthi rebel movement will continue its sporadic attacks against commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden over the coming month. US airstrikes against Houthi offensive assets will continue and, although they will have some impact, but they will ultimately not deter the group’s efforts. If the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict is not being agreed in February, the Houthi attacks will persist.

UN trade and development body, UNCTAD stated: “Attacks against shipping in the Red Sea by Houthis are devastating for global trade and supply chains. The attacks are not only adding to geopolitical tensions but also raising costs and leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Container ship transits are down 67 per cent compared to a year ago.”

UAE and the ongoing conflicts

-          Palestine: Significant humanitarian operation launched by the UAE to support the Palestinian people.

-          Yemen: The UAE joined the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen in support for the Hadi Government of Yemen. The UN brokered peace negations are still ongoing and in the case of long term peace agreement; the UAE possibly has its own agenda in this process as well.

-          Ukraine: the UAE is committed to continue efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the Russia - Ukraine conflict. UAE is also taking significant part on prisoner exchanges in between the warring parties.

Jani Hardén

Area Security Manager

Wärtsilä Middle East and Asia

How to improve your negotiation skills

We had a full house on February 1st when Amar Lazazi, Head of Procurement at Nokia Middle East and Africa gave a talk on “How to Improve your negotiation skills”!


Amar highlighted the importance preparation has in a success negotiation. Equally important is to understand the decision-making process and identify the “wants and needs” of the other party by active listening and building relationships. Additionally, emotional intelligence and cultural aspects are crucial in negotation. During the talk Amar discussed with the audience how being flexible, embracing a win-win mindset and continuously developing your skill set has great worth of significance.
The future of negotiation was also touched upon during the presentation where it will be shaped by technological advancements.

Amars Book recommendations this evening:

“Getting to Yes” by Roger Fisher and Willian Ury.

“Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss.

The Nordic Mentorship Program Meet Up

Three months into our Mentorship Program, we celebrated a milestone in the Nordic Mentorship Program 2023-2024. This month, we had a mid-program event where mentees and mentors gathered for an engaging evening. We shared stories, tips, and celebrated progress, highlighting the positive impact of mentorship.

The Nordic Mentorship Program is more than just sharing experiences; it's about fostering growth and making lasting connections. Our program benefits both mentees and mentors, creating a two-way learning street.

A big thank you to Electrolux Group and General Manager Electrolux MENCA, Mohit Bhatia, for hosting us at your JLT offices.

If you're a member and want to join the program, stay tuned for updates in the autumn.

Click here to meet all the Mentors and Mentees.

Nordic Sundowner - Water - The Liquid Gold of our Future

On the 27th of September FBC hosted the first Nordic Sundowner of the season under the theme - Water- The Liquid Gold of our Future. As we are celebrating the year of sustainability in the UAE, we wanted to highlight the fact that water is increasingly becoming the most precious resource in the modern era, and clean water is something we can no longer take for granted.

Thanks to our fantastic panelists we all got to enjoy an interactive and inspiring panel discussion and learn about water conservation from different perspectives. We found out about the impact of fast fashion on water pollution, as well as the efforts of companies such as Lamor and Nokia in promoting water sustainability and conservation. All followed by networking and drinks with the Nordic business community. A huge thank you to everyone who came and to our sponsors Nokia and Clever Travel.

Thank you to our speakers:

Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Goumbook

Araceli Gallego, Goshopia

Mika Puustinen, Lamor

Danial Masoof, Nokia


Kick off event with the Young Professionals

On the 6th of September six European Business Councils teamed up to organise a Kick off event for the Young Professionals at Surf Club Dubai. We had a record-breaking attendance with more than 130 guests. Thanks for a great evening everyone! (Photo credit Taika Digital)

FBC goes COP28 - What is COP28?

What is COP28?

 2023 will be another historic year for the UAE. The country is going to host the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) from November 30 to December 12. Dubai Expo City will serve as the main venue for both delegates and exhibitors.

 COP is the apex decision making body of UNFCCC, established after the first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 to deal with the growing threat of climate change. The Presidency and venue of the annual Summit rotate among the five recognised UN regions. 

 COP has achieved some significant outcomes since its first conference in 1995.

 Wat has been achieved so far?

 Some key outcomes from recent COPs include:

  • Defined work programmes on how all countries will adapt to climate change. For examples, see Finland’s Plan here and Dubai’s here.

  • Creation of funds to help low income and developing countries with their climate change adaptation efforts. COP27 in Egypt specifically committing to setting up a Loss and Damage Agreement.

  •  Acceleration of renewable energy deployment to ensure reduction in emission levels.

  •  Finalisation of guidelines for the implementation of the Paris Agreement*, including development of carbon markets that ensure fair competition and continued negotiations on Enhanced Transparency Framework to enhance trust in carbon reporting. Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change that legally binds all parties in its goal of limiting global warming below 1.5 degrees ℃. It was adopted during COP21 in 2015.

 What will be on COP28 agenda?

 Key agenda items for COP28 are likely to include:

  • Operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund. The $100 billion adaptation funding goal set at COP15 is yet to be fulfilled by high-income countries. Although there is an estimated daily loss of more than $200 million due to adverse climate, COP27 failed to take a stand on adaptation finance. The funding issue will no doubt feature prominently on the COP28 agenda.

  •   UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres launched a plan at COP27 that allows all residents of the Earth to be covered by a multi-hazard early warning system over the next five years. At COP28 three follow-ups are likely to be prioritised – identifying gaps in the current systems; analysing the capabilities of people to handle the early warning system; moving ahead with implementation while making sure that funding is scaled up.

  •  A food and agricultural security plan was created at COP27. However, the plan overlooked important aspects such as nutrition, dietary shifts and existing mitigation and adaptation plans. An improved plan is likely to surface at COP28, supported by related initiatives such as the Agriculture Innovation Mission led by the US And UAE. AIM’s key aim is to increase the $8 billion funding for innovation in climate-smart agriculture to $10 billion by COP28.

  •  Beyond agriculture, oceans and oceanic life are likely to feature highly. As part of UAE’s Net-Zero 2050 strategy, the country has already made efforts to restore and enhance ecosystems like seagrasses, mangroves and salt marshes.

    What is UAE’s focus

  • UAE’s Presidency clearly reflects the government’s desire to proactively contribute to the global energy transition from carbon economies to ones fuelled by clean and renewable sources supported by technological advancements and climate-smart solutions. There is no doubt that the conference will focus heavily on the economic case for inclusive and just climate transition – and on the urgent need to find transformative solutions to the crises.

  •  It is clear that the oil and gas sector will continue to play an important role in the UAE and global economy for quite some time. Transition from hydrocarbons will take time and parallel efforts are required to ensure that global emissions will not exceed the critical 1.5 ℃ Paris Agreement threshold.

  •  Some of these parallel initiatives driven by the UAE’s commitment to become caron neutral by 2050  include:

  •  The AIM agricultural programme referred to earlier, with UAE’s $1 billion pledge.

  •  $17 billion has been spent so far to help small island nations cope with climate change impacts, and a further $400 million has been invested  to help developing countries transition to renewables.

  •  A Leadership Roadmap has been created with the aim to establish UAE as one of the leading producers and exporters of hydrogen.

  •  A first of its kind large scale carbon capture facility has been established.

  •  A plan to plant 100 million mangrove trees by the end of the decade is in place.

  •  In April 2022, the Barakah Nuclear Plant started its operations. Once fully operational, the greenhouse gas emissions of UAE’s power sector are expected to reduce considerably.

  •  A key renewables actor, Masdar, aims to generate 100 gigawatts of renewable power by the end of the decade, a goal that exceeds those set by some of the largest European nations, making UAE’s per capita renewable energy generation one of the highest in the world.

  •  Going by global reports and media coverage, significant expectations are being placed on COP28 – decisive, transformative and practical solutions are being expected and sought to the escalating climate crises that is now our reality. As Sultan Al Jaber, the President Designate of COP28 recently underscored,  “this year’s Summit must be a COP of action, one that moves the world from talking about goals to getting the job done”.

 We at FBC wish that you will join this globally significant  event with us!   

 Maria Sillanpaa

FBC Board / Founding Director Sustainability Advisory

 

FBC Christmas Party

After two years of Covid break the FBC Christmas party finally returned on the 9th of December! The party was fully booked and gathered Finns and friends of Finland for a festive evening at Dubai Hills Golf Club.

Oliver Ferrell and Rebekka Pentti entertained us with music and mentalist and magician James Fabulous made sure we got to take part of some Christmas magic with his amazing performance!

A huge thank you to our main sponsors Lamor, Wärtsilä and Liana Technologies as well as to our amazing raffle sponsors (please see below). With your contribution the evening was a success and everyone had a good time! Check out this reel for some pictures.

FBC Golf Championships 12th edition

On the 9th of December the 12th edition of the FBC Golf Championships took place at Dubai Hills Golf Club. 32 players teed up for the win and everyone was in good spirits. Smörrebröd, Dubai made sure to keep energy levels high with giving all players freshly baked cinnamon buns.

These were the results:

The FBC Golf Champion 2022 is Alexandre Eykerman (Stroke play)

In the Stableford category it was Riitta Saarinen who came in first place, second place went to Petri Pentti and third place to Mikael Vainio.

Longest drive for men was won by Jarmo Kuljunlahti and Riitta Saarinen hit the longest drive for women. Petri Moilanen came closest to pin.

A big thank you to our main sponsors Lamor, Wärtsilä and Liana Technologies and to our price sponsors Hintsa Performance, Garmin, Golf Gamebook and Dubai hills Golf Club.

Congratulations to everyone, well done and see you next time!

For more pictures check out this reel