Major sporting and cultural events are increasing in size and frequency in Abu Dhabi and elsewhere in the Emirates, and they are produced with a level of professionalism that often rivals anything that the rest of the world can offer.

However, a look behind the scenes reveals that, in some respects at least, not everything runs as smoothly as it could. Few UAE residents, whether attending events or not, will have escaped the traffic queues, parking nightmares, and other irritants that plague many events here. In a minority of cases, corners are being cut when it comes to safety and welfare.

MRL has been looking after safety at events with large crowds in Britain and elsewhere since 1998. It handles tours by artists like Madonna, Kylie Minogue and the Rolling Stones, outdoor festivals and concerts by performers such as V, Bestival and Live 8, and other events that may draw large crowds, like Hogmanay in Edinburgh, the Olympic 2012 handover in London, and so on. MRL also deals with brand protection for corporate clients.

Having successfully managed the safety aspects of the opening ceremony of the Gulf Cup at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2007, MRL has now launched operations in Abu Dhabi in partnership with Ultra Dascam.MRL offers companies in the UAE a range of services related to event safety, including audits of existing safety procedures and documentation, risk management, safety consulting and management, and training. The company recently ran a series of free seminars in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which were well received. Further training courses are now being planned.

For further information, please see www.mrlglobal.com or contact Will Snell, Business Development Manager, on will@mrlglobal.com.

UK Travel Advice criticised
A British parliamentarian has criticised the UK Government’s advice on travelling to the UAE for putting too much emphasis on the risks from terrorism. He said it could stifle links between the two nations.
Colin Breed MP, who is also co-chairman of the Council for the Advancement of Arab and British Understanding, said on a visit to Abu Dhabi that toning down the travel advice could encourage more

UK citizens to visit the UAE.
“We have to be proportionate with these things,” he said. “I go to Iraq quite a bit, where I think there might be some element of need for a warning. Here I think it’s somewhat disproportionate.”

Breed, a member of the opposition Liberal Democrats, said the travel advice meant that insurance premiums for visitors could be “inflated considerably” and could deter organisations from promoting exchanges between Britain and the UAE. “Potentially it will put off worthwhile opportunities,” he said. “The more people that come and visit these places, the better the understanding.

“It’s all very well politicians and businessmen coming, but we want tourists to come and we want them to engage with societies and communities.” (Emirates News Agency, WAM)

Parliamentary visitors
The Speaker of Britain’s House of Commons, Michael Martin MP, paid a visit to the UAE, including Abu Dhabi,in April, during which he held talks with several leading officials, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also met with Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al-Ghurair, Speaker of the Federal National Council, FNC, on the promotion of co-operation between the parliamentary bodies of both countries. The FNC Speaker and a UAE team visited the House of

Commons in January.
Another Parliamentary visit in April saw a team from the Select Committee on Business and Enterprise arrive for talks with leading officials, as part of a tour to study the economies of the UAE and other countries in the region.

Lord Mayor visits
The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Ian Luder, and a delegation of top British businessmen visited Abu Dhabi from 16-18 February.

During his visit he called on the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, the Central Bank, Mubadala, the Department of Planning and Economy and the Chamber of Commerce. He was also hosted to lunch by the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority, and to a dinner hosted by the Ambassador.

Discussions mainly related to the economic crisis and how it was affecting London and the UAE. The Lord Mayor’s message was listened to with a great deal of interest and some sympathy. Better regulation and better governance was the Lord Mayor’s message, rather than more regulation, as well as the prevention of protectionism and the need for a level playing field.

Work on schedule at ADNEC’s London venue
Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has announced that work is proceeding on schedule for the Phase 2 development of its London exhibition complex - ExCeL London.On completion of Phase 2 in Spring 2010, ExCeL London will be significantly larger than any other exhibition centre in the UK capital and will be one of the largest in Europe with a total exhibition floor space of almost 100,000sqm.

ADNEC’s MD, Ali Saeed bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, said: “The acquisition of ExCeL London was designed to directly support the Abu Dhabi Government’s economic diversification strategy. For us to do this we must ensure that ExCeL London can compete with other major European venues in cities such as Paris, Frankfurt and Vienna - ADNEC’s expansion plans for ExCeL make this possible.”
ADNEC acquired ExCeL London in May 2008 as the first stage of developing a worldwide network of state-of-the-art exhibition and conference venues.

BLP open in Abu Dhabi
By John Sipling
Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP (BLP for brevity) is an international law firm with its head quarters in the City of London. The firm has over 730 lawyers, including 190 partners, spread across offices in London, Abu Dhabi, Brussels, Moscow, Paris and Singapore. It has grown rapidly in recent years and repeatedly won the title “Law Firm of the Year” in the UK, as well as other major industry awards. The firm has also established a network of international offices in countries and regions of special strategic importance. The latest addition to the network is Abu Dhabi, which officially opened its doors for business in March 2009.

The Abu Dhabi office is headed by John Sipling, supported by 5 other lawyers, and is firmly focussed on the real estate sector, covering all services required for the development of the built environment, reflecting what it is most famous for in London. The particular areas of specialism covered by the resident staff are hotels, real estate, particularly on the structuring of complex projects, construction, including contract negotiation and dispute resolution, planning/zoning and public law, private wealth management and projects in the health, energy and infrastructure fields. BLP is also well placed to service clients making investments around the world, through its network of overseas offices.

For further information, please see www.blplaw.com or contact John Sipling at John.Sipling@blplaw.com