Expat News

Unique 600kg-floral Onam Tribute Honours UAE's Spirit of Generosity

In a heartfelt tribute to the UAE's values and the spirit of the harvest festival of Onam, healthcare workers at a hospital in Abu Dhabi have created a special Pookkalam, a traditional Malayali floral carpet, with 600 kg of flowers flown in from India. This year's floral display at Abu Dhabi's Burjeel Medical City (BMC) has been arranged by over 100 healthcare workers in the atrium of BMC. The Onam celebration symbolises the UAE's focus on tolerance, generosity, peace, sustainability and innovation. It is a festival known for its message of togetherness. "Onam is more than just a festival for us; it is a time to reflect on the values of togetherness and community. This year, we wanted our floral carpet to not only symbolise Onam but also reflect the values that the UAE stands for," said Dr Sanjay Kumar, Chief Human Resources Officer, BMC.

Top 10 Least and Most Expensive Countries for Expats in 2024

At some point in our lives, many of us consider starting fresh in a new country. As per the United Nations, more than 232 million people relocate in search of a better life. For expats, relocating their lives and moving to a completely different city for work is not always an easy decision. Living in a new city can present significant challenges, with many factors to consider. In its 2024 Expat Survey, InterNations ranked countries in different categories. The cost of living or affordability is a crucial criterion, as it determines one’s financial situation, standard of living, and overall quality of life. About 53 countries with at least 50 respondents were included in the survey. Notably, Asia remains home to many of the best destinations in terms of affordability for expats, with one exception. Six of the top 10 countries are located in Asia: Vietnam (1st), Indonesia (3rd), the Philippines (5th), India (6th), Thailand (8th), and China (10th). They all excel across the three factors of the index.

However, breaking the trend in Asia, Singapore made it to the bottom, ranked 48, with 75% of the expats surveyed rating the cost of living negatively. Interestingly, Brazil (ranked 17th) edged out Malaysia (ranked 5th in 2023) as the 10th most affordable destination for expats, a new addition to the top 10 list, thus shifting the rank of Malaysia to 11th. India is ranked sixth in terms of affordability, while Canada took the last position, with expats citing concerns about inflation affecting food prices, rent and mortgages.

GCC Strengthens Ties with Russia, India, Brazil at Riyadh Summit

The 161st Ministerial Council meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, chaired by Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and attended by GCC ministers of foreign affairs, was held in Riyadh last week. On the sidelines of the meeting, the GCC held three separate ministerial meetings with Russia, India and Brazil to open new horizons for cooperation.

The seventh GCC-Russia strategic dialogue ministerial meeting was held with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the GCC-India meeting with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and the GCC-Brazil meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji attended all the meetings. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi underlined that the joint ministerial meetings' aim to strengthen strategic relations with countries and organizations.

India and the UAE Sign New Agreements 

India and the UAE discussed ways to develop new areas of cooperation, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed in New Delhi last week. Sheikh Khaled was on his first official visit to India, leading a delegation of ministers and business leaders. "The two leaders discussed the multifaceted India-UAE relations and avenues to broaden the comprehensive strategic partnership to new and emerging areas," India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

India and the UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022, which has become a template for similar trade pacts the UAE has since signed with other nations. The pact reduced tariffs on about 80% of all goods and provided zero-duty access to 90% of Indian exports and has since significantly advanced bilateral exchanges. As part of Sheikh Khaled’s visit, the two countries also signed a number of agreements within their CEPA, including a memorandum of understanding in nuclear energy cooperation.