Benjamin Filaferro, Author at LexisNexis Middle East

Bahrain: Minimum Salary for Sponsoring Family Members Increased

12/03/202112/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Bahrain’s Interior Minister has issued a Decision to increase the minimum monthly salary requirement for expatriates looking to sponsor their family members. Previously, the minimum monthly salary requirement was 250 Dinars. It has now been increased to 400 Dinars. To sponsor children who are over 24 or parents, the minimum monthly salary has to be at least 1,000 Dinars. They must also have valid health insurance in Bahrain. The Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs may issue exceptions.

News developments

Abu Dhabi: Law Firm Has to Refund 72,500 Dirhams to Client

12/03/202112/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Abu Dhabi’s Court of First Instance has issued a ruling requiring a law firm to pay their client 72.500 AED after they paid the firm 80,000 AED for filing a case but later found out the legal fees owed on the case are only 7,500 AED. They filed a lawsuit, where they demanded a legal consulting firm be made to repay them 72,500 AED. They had given a power of attorney to the owner of the law firm, to file a lawsuit and the firm assured them the lawsuit fee was 80,000 AED. They later found out the fee was 7,500 AED. The court clarified in its ruling there was evidence that the owner of the defendant company did not attend the session set for the decisive oath and there is evidence the defendant was liable to pay the amount.

Weekly Spotlight

Dubai: Dubai’s Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council has issued Dubai Executive Council Decision No. 5/2021

12/03/202112/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Dubai’s Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council has issued Dubai Executive Council Decision No. 5/2021 issuing the Implementing Regulations to Dubai Law No. 1/2016 on the Financial Regulations of the Government of Dubai.
It specifies the systems, applications and smart financial solutions related to the planning of the Government’s financial resources and requires all Government departments to use the systems, applications and smart financial solutions approved by the Finance Department. All financial operations executed by Government departments through approved systems, applications and smart financial solutions are considered legally enforceable, provided the operations are compliant with applied regulations.
Under the Decision, Government departments can approve their own financial and accounting systems, applications and smart financial solutions provided they comply with the law and regulations issued by the Finance Department, they are compatible with approved systems, applications and smart financial solutions and are pre-approved by the Finance Department and Smart Dubai.
It also regulates the collection and management of public revenue, specifies the authorities and responsibilities of the Director General of the Finance Department in executing the general budget and outlines the authorities and responsibilities of heads of Government entities.
In addition, it states the procedures for Government payments and expenditures, including payments for suppliers and contractors, which should be made within 90 working days from the date of the final handover, or according to the timeframe specified in the contract.
The Director General of the Finance Department will be responsible for issuing all of the decisions and regulations required to ensure the implementation of the Decision. Anything which contradicts or contravenes it will be repealed.
It was published in the Official Gazette on 9 March 2021 and came into force on the same day.

News developments

UAE: National Integrated Energy Model Launched

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

The UAE’s Energy and Infrastructure Ministry has announced it has launched the National Integrated Energy Model. They launched it together with the Khalifa University and the International Renewable Energy Agency. It will support the formulation of the future energy for the UAE and the design of the next 50 years in the energy sector. It will also provide a roadmap for a new phase of energy sector sustainability and provide a common framework which brings together stakeholders in the energy sector. In addition, it will define the contours of the future as part of the UAE’s efforts to maximise the benefits of this sector by developing strategies and foundations for work in it during the next phase in line with the National Energy Strategy 2050. This Strategy aims to obtain safe and sustainable energy for everyone at competitive prices, increase the efficiency of individual and institutional consumption by 40% by 2050 and increase the contribution of clean energy in the total energy mix produced in the country to 50%. An understanding to develop the energy modelling capabilities with Khalifa University and the International Renewable Energy Agency was also reached. In addition, a partnership bringing the three entities together was established. This will develop the UAE energy model to support the UAE’s approach in this sector. It will also benefit from the experience of the Agency and the research capabilities of Khalifa University to establish a programme to support the review of the energy strategy in the UAE and engage strategic partners to continue developing the energy policy in the country.

News developments

UAE: National Integrated Energy Model Launched

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

News developments

Saudi Arabia: Merged Insurance Companies Exempt From Qualification Financial Requirement

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Saudi Arabia’s Cooperative Health Insurance Council has announced it is exempting merged small and medium insurance companies from the financial requirement for qualification. They will be exempt for up to three years in line with new terms and conditions. The aim of the policy is to improve the quality of health services by creating economic entities able to offer high quality services as part of the 2022-2024 health strategy to empower the health insurance sector. The official spokesperson for the Council said they have prepared the initiative and a work plan to support the merging of insurance companies. They have also signed an agreement with the Competition General Authority to encourage companies to merge.

News developments

Oman: New Industrial City Proposed

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Public Establishment for Industrial Estates or Madayn has announced it is proposing building a new Industrial City. It will be built at Al Mudhaibi in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate. It will be one of an increasing network of manufacturing clusters which will help boost jobs generation and GDP growth in the Sultanate. They have invited qualified engineering consultancy firms to bid for its contract to design the infrastructure facilities for the 14 million square metre industrial city. It will be the first industrial park of its kind in the governorate and will provide a manufacturing and processing base for industries focused on commercialising the rich mineral potential of the wider region, among other things. The successful bidder will have to master-plan the development of the new industrial city in several stages and design the basic infrastructure and supervise the overall initial development as well. Construction work on a new industrial city at Ibri in Al Dhahirah Governorate, a first in that part of the country is also about to begin. It will be located on the road leading to the Oman-Saudi Arabia border and will include a variety of industrial, commercial and service activities like light and medium industries, commercial area, administrative offices, industrial workshops and warehouses. They are being built and introduced as part of Oman’s 2040 Vision.

News developments

Kuwait: Public Sector Employees Can Transfer to Private Sector

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower has issued an administrative decision allowing employees working in the public sector to transfer to the private sector. It includes transfers in areas which were previously banned. These are industry, agriculture, herding, fishing, cooperative societies and unions.

News developments

Bahrain: Visa Fees to be Paid When Visas Issued

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Bahrain’s Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs has announced that from 7 March 2021, the entry visa approval fee will have to be paid when the approval of the application is made instead of collecting it from the traveller at the port on arrival. The fee is five Dinars. The aim is to save time and facilitate the procedures for entering the country. It will not apply to visa issued before 7 March 2021.

Weekly Spotlight

Qatar: Artificial Intelligence Committee to be Established

05/03/202105/03/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Qatar’s Cabinet has approved a draft Cabinet Decision to establish an Artificial Intelligence Committee. Under the Decision, the Committee will report to the Transport and Telecommunication Ministry. It will have three members from the Ministry and a representative from the Qatar Computing Sciences College, a representative from the Interior Ministry, Education and Higher Education Ministry, the Commerce and Industry Ministry, Qatar Science & Technology Park, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar National Research Fund and Qatar Development Bank. It will be responsible for setting workflows to follow up on and implement Qatar’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy and supervise the programmes and initiatives related to this area as well as give recommendations on the planning and programmes for training human resources in this area. In addition, it will support start-ups in this area as well as scientific research.