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President Sheikh Mohamed holds talks with South Korean leader Yoon on state visit

The two leaders met at changdeokgung palace and emphasised their dedication to strengthening the bonds between their nations.

President Sheikh Mohamed with leaders of the Korean business community, during a state visit to the Republic of Korea. Mohamed Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court

President Sheikh Mohamed held talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday after arriving in Seoul for the start of a two-day state visit.

The two leaders emphasised their commitment to further bolstering ties between their nations at Changdeokgung Palace.

Mr Yoon, accompanied by first lady Kim Keon Hee, expressed his pleasure at meeting Sheikh Mohamed, who was joined by Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects.

Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikha Mariam enjoyed a traditional Korean tea ceremony, featuring a flute performance by a local musician.

Sheikh Mohamed also attended a special banquet hosted in his honour by Mr Yoon and the first lady at the Blue House, a former presidential residence.

Sheikh Mohamed expressed his gratitude for the show of hospitality and praised the Korean people's dedication to preserving their rich heritage and culture.

He stressed the crucial role of culture and the arts in forging connections and building greater understanding.

The banquet was attended by Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, adviser for special affairs at the Presidential Court, and other members of the UAE delegation.

The presidential flight was earlier escorted by military aircraft as it entered South Korean airspace on Tuesday morning.

“Today, I arrived in Seoul, where I will join President Yoon Suk Yeol in discussing ways to advance the Special Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Republic of Korea,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X.

“Through economic partnership and close people-to-people ties, our nations are determined to achieve further progress that benefits all.”

On Wednesday, the second day of his two-day visit, an official reception was held for Sheikh Mohamed at the Office of the President in Seoul.

It featured several displays by Korean aircraft, a 21-gun salute and an honour guard formation as the national anthems of both countries played.

Groups of children performed an Emirati song while others waved the flags of both nations, and Seoul's streets were adorned with UAE flags as the city's landmarks were illuminated in its colours.

Boosting business

Sheikh Mohamed said deals made during his state visit to South Korea will help to herald a new era in economic relations between the UAE and the Asian nation.

The President met business delegations representing major Korean companies and entrepreneurs.

Sheikh Mohamed hailed the growing economic, investment and trade ties between the countries during the talks in Seoul, state news agency Wam reported.

He stressed that the Emirates was keen to attract further investment by cultivating a supportive environment built on robust infrastructure and favourable regulations.

He added the UAE's geographical location made it a commercial gateway to the Middle East.

Business leaders and executives involved in the meeting told of their interest in investing and working in the UAE.

They highlighted the significance of Sheikh Mohamed's visit for future partnerships between the friendly countries.

Sheikh Mohamed led a high-level Emirati delegation which included Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Mohamed Al Suwaidi, Minister of Investment, and Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade.

Deep-rooted ties

In January last year, Mr Yoon was welcomed by Sheikh Mohamed in Abu Dhabi at the start of a four-day visit to the Emirates.

Mr Yoon was accompanied by his wife and, together, they attended an official reception ceremony at Qasr Al Watan.

Discussions during his trip centred on nuclear energy, climate change, health, smart agriculture, the space sector and culture.

The UAE and South Korea forged diplomatic ties in 1980, with relations flourishing in the decades since.

South Korea played a leading role in the construction of the UAE's Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the first in the Arab world.

The countries have also joined forces in the space sector, combining expertise to develop and launch satellites.

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Ukraine's Zelenskiy thanks Marcos for Philippine participation in peace summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked his Philippine counterpart on Monday for Manila's participation in a high-level peace summit later this month, describing it as a "very strong signal" towards achieving peace in the war-torn nation.

One person died and two were injured in an overnight Russian attack on Kharkiv, the governor of the eastern Ukrainian region said on Monday.

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UAE president arrives in South Korea to talk defense, energy, business ties

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for a two-day visit that will seek to boost economic and defense ties between the two nations. 

The visit marked by a high-level reception saw MBZ's presidential flight escorted by military aircraft as it entered South Korean airspace “in a gesture of respect and welcome,” the official Emirati state news agency said.

The president is accompanied a large delegation of ministers and officials from Emirati business entities. He is scheduled to meet with his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk Yeoin.on Wednesday for talks on defense industry cooperation, business and investment as well as energy initiatives.

“Today I arrived in Seoul, where I will join Yoon Suk Yeol in discussing ways to advance the Special Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Republic of Korea,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on X on Tuesday. “Through economic partnership and close people-to-people ties, our nations are determined to achieve further progress that benefits all.”

Prior to his meeting with the South Korean president, Sheikh Mohammed met upon his arrival in Seoul on Tuesday, with heads of South Korea’s top business groups, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group and SK Group, to discuss ways to boost cooperation in the fields of advanced technology, defense and energy.

“We continue to look for ways to collaborate in the field of ship building, including general merchant ships, construction machinery and green energy,” HD Hyundai vice chairman Chung Ki-sun told reporters before the meeting.

According to local Korean reports, around 200 businessmen and government officials from both countries, including South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, attended a forum hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the UAE Embassy in Seoul.

The participants agreed on the need to boost cooperation in clean energy as well as information and communications technology.

“The cooperation between our countries has evolved from developing plants and oil fields into that of a special strategic partnership, exemplified by the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant,” Cheong said in a speech. “We will provide support so that the seeds of cooperation can grow.”

In 2009, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation awarded a South Korean consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation a $20 billion contract to build a nuclear power plant in the UAE, South Korea's first overseas nuclear project. The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi is the Emirates' first nuclear power station.

Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1980, the UAE and South Korea have deepened their relations in various other sectors.

According to the Emirati government media office, the UAE is South Korea's second-largest Arab trading partner and 14th globally, with the volume of Emirati non-oil foreign trade with the Asian country reaching 19.4 billion dirhams ($5.28 billion) in 2023. South Korea’s direct investments in the UAE amounted to 8 billion dirhams ($2.17 billion) in 2023.

During Yoon’s visit to Abu Dhabi in January 2023, the two countries inked 13 memorandas of understanding in the fields of energy, arms and climate change, among others. Sheikh Mohammed also pledged to invest $30 billion in the nuclear power, arms and energy sectors in South Korea.

The UAE’s direct investments in South Korea reached 2 billion dirhams ($544 million) in 2023, according to the same data provided by the Emirati government media office.

Sheikh Mohammed’s visit to Seoul is his first since he came to power in May 2022. The Emirati president will then head to China , where he is expected to take part in the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

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Yoon to visit UAE, Switzerland from Jan. 14-19

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol will visit the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland starting later this week, his office said Tuesday.

Yoon will pay a state visit to the UAE at the invitation of President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan from Saturday to Tuesday, and then travel to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 18-19, national security adviser Kim Sung-han said during a press briefing.

Yoon will be the first leader of either South Korea or the UAE to pay a state visit to the other country since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations in 1980, according to Kim.

During the visit, Yoon will hold a summit with his UAE counterpart; visit the Akh unit, a South Korean military contingent; and the Barakah nuclear power plant built by South Korea.

On Jan. 17, Yoon will travel to Zurich, Switzerland, for a meeting with South Korean residents in the city before heading to Davos for a meeting the next day with CEOs of major global companies and to promote South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo.

On Jan. 19, the president will give a special address at the World Economic Forum on ways the international community can work together to overcome the global economic crisis.

He will also visit the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich to meet with scholars and discuss cooperation in science and technology.

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a policy briefing by the welfare ministry, labor ministry, gender equality ministry, food and drug safety ministry, and the disease control and prevention agency at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Jan. 9, 2023. (Yonhap)

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Yoon's dinner with UAE president

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan pose for a photo after dinner at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on May 28, 2024, in this photo provided by the presidential office. Mohamed came to Seoul earlier in the day for a two-day state visit. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

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South Korea president, in UAE, backs return to nuclear power

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the podium after his speech during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week’s opening ceremony in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol talks during the UAE-Korea Business Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives to the UAE-Korea Business Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol talks during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week’s opening ceremony in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, right, looks on during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week’s opening ceremony, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, middle, listens during the UAE-Korea Business Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Monday that his nation’s efforts to be carbon neutral by 2050 would rely in part on returning to nuclear power, even though his predecessor had tried to move away from atomic power.

Yoon’s comments at a summit in the United Arab Emirates, made in front of the country’s leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, served to underline Seoul’s commitment to nuclear power as it works to finish the Arabian Peninsula’s first atomic power plant. That could see South Korea in line for lucrative maintenance contracts and future projects in the UAE, which Seoul has grown closer to over recent years.

“Korea has … declared its 2050 carbon neutrality goal,” Yoon said in an address at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. “To achieve this goal, we are working to rapidly restore the nuclear power system, which supplies carbon-free electricity.”

“If our two countries join efforts in clean energy development … it will not only enhance our two countries energy security but also will contribute to global energy market stability,” Yoon added.

Yoon’s predecessor, President Moon Jae-in, sought to move South Korea away from nuclear power amid safety and graft scandals and Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster . But the renewed global focus on climate change — and the surge in fossil fuel prices after the lockdowns of the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s war on Ukraine — has some reconsidering nuclear power.

The UAE also promises to be carbon neutral by 2050 — a target that remains difficult to assess and one that the Emirates still has not fully explained how it will reach. The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant, Seoul’s first attempt to build atomic reactors abroad, will one day account for nearly a quarter of all of the Emirates’ power needs.

Yoon traveled later Monday to the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi’s far western desert near Saudi Arabia with Sheikh Mohammed before a planned business summit back in the capital.

On his arrival back, Yoon told the summit that, using the Barakah plant as an example, he hoped the Emirates and South Korea could expand this “new model of cooperation” to include nuclear fuel, small reactors and other joint advances to third countries.

“Through the construction of the Barakah nuclear power plant, we were able to develop relations that are now genuinely like brothers,” Yoon said.

Yoon’s embrace of nuclear power also provides a guarantee of sorts that South Korea remains invested in servicing the Barakah plant. France, also home to nuclear power plants and another Emirati business and military ally, has sought contracts here as well.

Already, Yoon’s four-day trip the UAE has seen a promise from Sheikh Mohammed to invest some $30 billion in the country . Heavyweight business leaders from Hyundai, Samsung and other companies also are taking part in the state visit.

On Sunday, Yoon also visited South Korean special forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates, a murky deployment that grew out of Seoul’s deal over the nuclear power plant. The Akh unit is comprised of some 150 troops.

“The UAE is our brother nation. … This isn’t a foreign country called the UAE — this right here, is your country,” a hawkish Yoon told the gathered forces. Both he and his wife, who accompanied him on the trip, wore desert fatigues.

“The security of our brother nation is our security. The enemy of the UAE, its most-threatening nation, is Iran, and our enemy is North Korea. … We are in a very similar situation with the UAE,” he said.

Yoon’s comments comes as the Emiratis have been trying to hedge in its relationship with Iran, a major business partner. The UAE also is home to around 3,500 American troops at Al Dhafra Air Base, a naval outpost in Fujairah and other locations.

Already, the Emiratis have paid $3.5 billion for the Cheongung II, or “Heaven’s Bow,” surface-to-air missile system from South Korea to protect itself against aerial threats. Emirati officials have grown increasingly concerned about protecting their airspace after being targeted in long-range drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels — drones likely built by or with Tehran’s help.

South Korea has found itself squeezed by the tensions over Iran’s collapsed nuclear deal with world powers. Billions of dollars in Iranian funds remain in Seoul, frozen by American sanctions. Iran held a South Korean oil tanker for months in 2021 amid the dispute .

On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said Tehran was “investigating” Yoon’s “interfering statements.”

Yoon’s wife Kim Keon Hee, meanwhile, had a different question for the troops. She asked if the soldiers had seen foxes in the Emirati desert.

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP .

Jon Gambrell, Associated Press Jon Gambrell, Associated Press

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/south-koreas-president-travels-to-uae-seeks-expansion-of-strategic-partnership

South Korea’s president travels to UAE, seeks expansion of strategic partnership

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol received an honor guard welcome Sunday on a trip to the United Arab Emirates as he hopes to expand his country’s military sales here.

Yoon’s visit comes as South Korea conducts business deals worth billions of dollars and stations special forces troops to defend the UAE, an arrangement that drew criticism under his liberal predecessor. Now, however, it appears the conservative leader wants to double down on those military links even as tensions with neighboring Iran have already seen  Tehran seize a South Korean oil tanker  in 2021.

“I think that the situation in the Middle East is changing very rapidly when it comes to geopolitics,” said June Park, a fellow with the International Strategy Forum at Schmidt Futures. “So Korea wants to make sure some of the strategic partnerships and the components … with the UAE” remain strong.

Yoon arrived at Qasr Al Watan palace in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. He was greeted by  Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who took office in May  after serving as the country’s de facto ruler for years.

An honor guard of traditionally dressed Emiratis greeted Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee. They twirled model Lee-Enfield rifles alongside troops on camelback and horseback. Inside, a military band played the South Korean and Emirati national anthems.

After the ceremony, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted Sheikh Mohammed as saying the UAE planned to invest $30 billion in South Korea. “We decided to make the investment with confidence in the Republic of Korea that keeps its promises under all circumstances,” he said.

The report did not elaborate.

While energy-hungry South Korea does rely on the Emirates for just under 10 percent of its crude oil supply, Seoul has struck a series of deals far beyond oil with this nation of seven sheikhdoms that closely tie the nation to Abu Dhabi. South Korea’s trade with the UAE is into the billions of dollars worth of cars, material and other goods.

The importance of the trip for Seoul could be seen in the South Korean business leaders attending a camel meat luncheon at the palace. They included Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won.

Before Yoon’s trip, officials described the visit as seeking to solidify the ties between the two countries.

“This visit will strengthen strategic cooperation with our brother country UAE in the four core cooperative sectors of nuclear power, energy, investment and defense,” said Kim Sung-han, director of national security in Yoon’s government.

On Saturday, Yonhap quoted an anonymous presidency official as also saying that an arms deal was planned.

“The atmosphere is extremely ripe for security or military cooperation between South Korea and the UAE involving the arms industry,” the official said,  according to Yonhap .

Already, South Korea reached a $3.5 billion deal with the UAE in 2022 to sell the M-SAM, an advanced air defense system designed to intercept missiles at altitudes below 40 kilometers (25 miles). Emirati officials have grown increasingly concerned about protecting their airspace after being targeted in long-range drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

READ MORE: U.S. approves massive arms sale to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates to counter Iran

While U.S. forces fired Patriot missiles for the first time in combat since the 2003 Iraq invasion to defend Abu Dhabi during those attacks, the Emiratis have been hedging their reliance on American military support since  America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan .

But South Korea’s biggest project remains the Barakah nuclear power plant, Seoul’s first attempt to build atomic reactors abroad. The $20 billion facility, which ultimately will have four reactors, is in the UAE’s western deserts near the Saudi border and one day will account for nearly a quarter of all of the Emirates’ power needs.

It’s also key to the UAE’s plans to go carbon neutral by 2050, a pledge that takes on special importance as it prepares to host the United Nations COP28 climate negotiations beginning in November in Dubai.

Yoon likely wants to assure the Emiratis that South Korea wants to be in the running for lucrative maintenance contracts after his predecessor, President Moon Jae-in, had said Seoul wanted to move away from nuclear energy.

“The energy policy took on a 180 degree shift” after the election, said Park, the analyst. “So Korea is now for nuclear and I guess that the Yoon administration wants to make sure to the Emiratis that there is no concern regarding policy shifts or anything like that.”

Then there’s also the nuclear tensions with North Korea.  Yoon, a former top prosecutor, became president in May on a promise to take a harder line on  Pyongyang. Up until recent years, hundreds of North Korean laborers were believed to be working in the UAE and elsewhere in the Gulf Arab states, offering a cash stream to Pyongyang as it seeks to evade mounting sanctions over its nuclear program.

However, a crackdown has seen their numbers drastically drop as nations stopped renewing their visas. A recent U.N. expert report noted that high-end camera gear bought in the UAE ended up in North Korea, while another mentioned a North Korean national living in Dubai obtaining foreign currency through an online app by lying about his nationality.

The U.N. also said as recently as 2021 it had information about North Korean diplomats in Iran flying on Dubai-based long-haul carrier Emirates smuggling gold with them.

Jon Gambrell, the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press, has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006.

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SOUTH KOREA: Pres. Yoon To Host UAE Leader For 1st State Visit 28-29 May

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will make the first state visit by a leader of the United Arab Emirates to South Korea from 28-29 May. The trip reciprocates that made by President Yoon Suk-yeol to the UAE in January 2023, with Yoon's office saying the two leaders would 'discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including economic investment, energy and the defense industry'. The visit comes months after the two countries signed off on a bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) in October 2023, which was further boosted by South Korea entering into an FTA with the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Dec 2023. 

• The Korea Economic Daily reports that " The United Arab Emirates is set to invest a maximum of $1 billion in South Korean startups via a joint venture, as a part of its mid- to long-term plan to spread $30 billion across strategic sectors including nuclear power, defense and clean energy ". 
• The involvement in South Korea's defence sector could come in the form of interest in becoming a member of the KAI KF-21 Boramae fighter jet development programme. The Financial News reported in September 2023 that the UAE could even look to pay for Indonesia's as-yet-unpaid share of the project totalling KRW990bn (USD475mn). 
• As Forbes notes , " Abu Dhabi would undoubtedly be interested in co-producing the fighter since it would help further develop its domestic defense industry through substantive technology transfers, which Seoul has repeatedly proven generous with providing its clients ."

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Eid Al Adha 2024: Is Montenegro visa on arrival for UAE residents?

Living in uae.

European adventure: Find out the conditions, required documents for UAE residents

Dubai: Thinking of a European Mediterranean escape during the upcoming Eid Al Adha or summer holidays? UAE expatriates can get visa on arrival to Montenegro, the small but vibrant European nation located on the Adriatic sea.

This captivating Balkan nation boasts stunning riviera landscapes, pristine sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, primeval forests and ancient architecture.

So, if this sounds like the perfect vacation for you, there are a few conditions and requirements UAE residents need to meet before they book their tickets to Montenegro.

For how long is the visa on arrival is valid?

“The visa on arrival scheme is only for a specific period which is from May 1 to September 7, 2024 . After that, the tourist visa is issued on a case by case basis,” Eva Kanani, an operations manager at Vas Tourism LLC, a UAE-based destination management company (DMC) that specialises in Balkan tours, told Gulf News

According to the government of Montenegro’s website - www.gov.me, UAE residents can stay in the country for up to 10 days on this visa.

The visa on arrival scheme is only for a specific period which is from May 1 to September 7, 2024. After that, the tourist visa is issued on a case by case basis. - Eva Kanani, operations manager at Vas Tourism LLC.

What are the conditions for visa on arrival, for Montenegro, for UAE residents?

Kanani explained that UAE residents are eligible for visa on arrival but they have to meet specific conditions first.

“UAE expatriates who have a valid residency permit continuously for three years before travelling to the country are allowed visa on arrival. It is also important to note that some UAE residents with specific nationalities are not allowed visa on arrival. They can apply for tourist visa through the Montenegro Embassy in Abu Dhabi,” she said.

The government of Montenegro’s website - www.gov.me, states that the visa on arrival decision does not apply to nationals of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan, Somalia and India.

She added that a direct return ticket to Dubai is also a requirement for getting the visa on arrival.

“As of now, the Montenegro government is allowing passengers flying with flydubai to be eligible for visa on arrival. The flydubai flights for Montenegro will start from June 14 . Flydubai is the only airline in the UAE that offers direct flights to Tivat but it is a seasonal route,” Kanani said.

According to the flydubai website, their summer season flights between Dubai and Tivat will operate from June 14, 2024 to September 7, 2024 .

“Another condition is to have proof of a paid tourist arrangement. This basically means that your trip should be organised by a travel agency. You will be asked to provide a receipt or document of the tourist arrangement. You must also have proof of accommodation,” she added.

She also clarified that sometimes visa rules and requirements can change, so it’s always best to check with the Montenegro embassy directly.

“However, travel insurance or proof of financial support is not necessary for UAE residents. We would suggest asking the embassy of Montenegro directly for specific information because rules can change,” Kanani said.

How to apply for a Montenegro tourist visa from the UAE?

If you are not eligible for visa on arrival, you can still go ahead and apply for a tourist visa.

“Montenegro is a popular destination for UAE residents because it’s a European country that is not in the Schengen zone, so the visa process is a little easier,” Husham Kattingeri, an outbound travel supervisor at Regal Tours Worldwide, told Gulf News.

Montenegro is a popular destination for UAE residents because it’s a European country that is not in the Schengen zone, so the visa process is a little easier - Husham Kattingeri, an outbound travel supervisor at Regal Tours Worldwide

Kattingeri explained that you can apply for a tourist visa through a travel agent or go to the Montenegro embassy to fill out the visa application form.

“It’s important to note that your personal appearance in the embassy in Abu Dhabi is required if the visa is processed and approved, and only then will they stamp the visa in the passport, which will be returned on the same day,” he said.

Required documents:

As per Kattingeri, these are required documents for the tourist visa:

• Passport copy and UAE residence visa copy. • Passport-sized coloured photo (35x45 mm in JPEG format). • Proof of accommodation. • Bank account statement for the last three months. • Return flight ticket. • Travel health insurance valid in Montenegro for the duration of stay. • Employment certificate mentioning monthly salary.

How long does it take to receive the visa?

According to Kattingeri, it takes 29 working days for the visa to be processed.

What is the validity of the tourist visa?

“There is no standard duration or validity for the tourist visa, it is decided by the embassy,” he said.

Cost – “The embassy fee for the visa application is Dh160 and the travel agency fee to complete the process can vary from Dh500 to Dh800 ,” Kattingeri said.

UAE citizens with a valid passport can stay in Montenegro for up to 90 days without a visa.

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I went to a ‘fitness hotel’ in Dubai, where execs shell out thousands for grueling workouts, luxe recovery sessions, and Michelin-starred feasts

Go on vacation. Come back ripped. 

That’s the enticing pitch—to be an all-expenses-paid guinea pig for a new kind of luxe fitness hotel, Dubai’s SIRO One Za’abeel. What better way to celebrate the big 5-0 than by calling in some reinforcements for my midlife battle with the bulge? I book it, dreaming of my shiny new six-pack and feeling fitter already.

Only as I board my flight to Dubai do I wonder: What exactly have I signed up for? Kerzner International Resorts’ fresh-out-of-the-box concept promises an experience “engineered to power your performance.” Is that code for “fat camp in the desert”? Have I enrolled to be the plaything of some sadistic ex–Army drill sergeant? Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. 

In SIRO One Za’abeel ’s unorthodox lobby, an athletic meeter-and-greeter hands me an espresso, activating my parasympathetic nervous system to calm me down. 

It becomes clear where I’ve landed: a boot camp for modern-day Masters of the Universe. The urban resort boasts six floors of state-of-the-art fitness and recovery “laboratories,” spacious “performance-optimized” rooms with en suite fitness areas, and access to 11 top-notch restaurants, each offering mesmerizing views of Dubai’s vertiginous skyline.

If you believe the 40-foot real-estate-company billboards at the airport of this science-fictional city, Dubai is the “future of the future.” And indeed, the tiny, oil-rich nation of the United Arab Emirates—a federation of sheikhdoms with more than $1.5 trillion in its various sovereign wealth funds—seems to have a finger in every global enterprise, from artificial intelligence to sports. Dubai, with its glistening skyscrapers, has become a gilded playground for Russian oligarchs, European aristocrats, American tech gurus, Indian tycoons, and Chinese asset managers.

Kerzner—owned by the Investment Corp. of Dubai—runs an empire of opulent hotels, including the 2,400-room Atlantis complex on Dubai’s artificial archipelago, the Palm—the haunt of countless influencers, as well as A-listers such as Beyoncé and J.Lo. 

SIRO deviates somewhat from that tried-and-tested hedonic path: There are no endless buffets, waterslides, or frolics with captive dolphins here. With 229 rooms ranging from $435 to $1,765 for suites that come with punching bags and treadmills, and packages promising to “biohack your well-being with precision,” the resort instead offers a launchpad for the world’s corporate overlords—a place to lift weights alongside professional soccer players and prep for Paleo-powered pitches to the prince.

Our global obsession with getting and staying in shape is expected to power massive growth in wellness-focused travel. A March report from the Global Wellness Institute estimates that the global wellness-tourism market has grown 50% faster than the overall tourism industry in recent years. That’s why hoteliers are testing concepts that combine the accoutrements of spas, health clubs, and ultra-high-end hotels—including the luxe Equinox Hotel in New York.

At SIRO, I sip an immunity-boosting shot as I go over my eating habits with Heeral Shivnani, SIRO Hotels’ in-house nutritionist. She benchmarks my weight and my fat-to-muscle ratio before issuing an eating plan for the next three days.

The resort’s formula relies upon the yin and yang of hard workouts balanced with luxe recovery and dining. The fitness lab offers cycling, CrossFit, and weight training. A spiral staircase sweeps you elegantly up to the hotel’s recovery lab, with an immaculate yoga studio, ice-plunge baths, a cryotherapy chamber, a sauna, a Pilates area, and zen zones to escape your phone.

Ruling over these labs are SIRO’s master trainers, including my personal trainer, the South African Runet Van Heerden, who is charged with supersizing me in the next 48 hours. My jet lag buys me something of a pass in my first workout: A low-key weights session clears away some of the cobwebs from the flight. As Runet puts me through my paces, I look around and try to establish the pecking order. I’m happy to see that there’s one guy who’s plainly in worse shape than I am—a corporate executive type who probably spends more time with spreadsheets and pitch decks than kettlebells. 

It becomes clear where I’ve landed: a boot camp for modern-day masters of the universe.

But before my smugness has a chance to settle in, I’m told that the testing group includes soccer legend and SIRO brand ambassador Zlatan Ibrahimovic (a hero of mine, and the model for the character Zava on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso ). Zlatan’s former club, AC Milan (which he now advises), helped shape a training and recovery protocol for SIRO, modeled on the team’s.

I keep an eye out for Zlatan as I head to the recovery lab where Mark, my masseur, irons the contours of an airplane seat out of my back. He then ups the detox stakes with an ultraviolet treatment, before sending me into a meditative trance with a vibroacoustic therapy session. Feeling rejuvenated, I head to my suite to change into something casual for a Thai dinner.

In the elevator, I bump into the ridiculously handsome British travel entrepreneur Jeremy Jauncey, who’s here with his wife, Pia Wurtzbach, a former Miss Universe. Mr. Universe and I chat about his preparations for Hyrox, the World Series of fitness training. Bronzed, ripped, and perfectly groomed— Instagram was invented for this man. 

“Have you tried the compression therapy?” he asks me. “It’s amazing.” 

Jauncey’s fat-free form leaves me doubting dinner, but the friendly waitress refuses to follow Heeral’s dietary instructions, instead plying me with turmeric-spiced cauliflower and caramel-crusted venison. 

Day two follows a similar cycle of workout, well-being, and culinary indulgence. I wonder, in my fugue state: Have I enrolled myself in some kind of experiment in which I’m stuffed with food, then stuck on a treadmill to marble my meat like a side of human Wagyu?

After an emotional breath-work session with Slovenian yogi Petra Nemethova, I finally catch a glimpse of a tall, ponytailed Swede in a Gucci tracksuit. Zlatan!  I dash out to slide between him and his car and interview the notoriously taciturn football legend. “SIRO’s great,” he tells me. “Dubai’s great.” Zlatan’s great , he does not say. But it’s true, and we both know it.

Feeling like Ted Lasso after signing Zava for Richmond AFC, I’m pumped. My second session with Runet is a HIIT bruiser, but I power through and then fire up my mitochondria with five minutes of subzero temperatures in SIRO’s cryotherapy chamber.

By day three, I can feel the endorphins taking over. I put the pedal to the metal with some AC Milan–designed core conditioning. Lunch is an actual Wagyu steak, and I even sneak in an extra boxing session in my suite.

I don’t have that six-pack after just three days, but I’m feeling fantastic. I raid the healthiest minibar in the world for kombucha, trail mix, and SIRO’s addictive cacao-coconut protein balls for the flight, and pop in on Heeral to say thank-you and goodbye. 

She puts me on her high-tech scales to see how I’ve fared in this wicked experiment: Even after gorging for four days, I’ve lost fat and gained muscle. 

“See?” she says. “This is the place to be. No pain, all gain.” 

This article appeared in the June/July 2024 issue of Fortune with the headline “Blurring the lines of fitness and luxury amid the sci-fi glitz of Dubai.”

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https://www.barrons.com/news/iata-sees-rise-in-sustainable-aviation-fuel-production-in-2024-67be7f0e

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IATA Sees Rise In Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production In 2024

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The International Air Transport Association said Sunday the production in 2024 of sustainable aviation fuel will be triple that of last year as airlines look to cut carbon dioxide emissions.

"Projections for a tripling of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) production in 2024 to 1.9 billion litres (1.5 million tonnes) are on track," the world aviation body said in a statement.

However, despite the projected increase, the amount of SAF used by airlines "would account for 0.53 percent of aviation's fuel need in 2024", it added in the statement at its 80th annual general meeting at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

SAF production is still in its early stages, but is rising quickly: in 2019 it was only 25 million litres, said IATA, which brings together 320 companies claiming 83 percent of global air traffic.

The sector currently contributes around 3 percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally, but is aiming for net zero emissions by 2050.

"SAF will provide about 65 percent of the mitigation needed for airlines to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050," IATA chief Willie Walsh said.

The balance would come from through new technology, optimising airline operations both on the ground and in the air, and through carbon offsets.

SAFs are seen as the main tool for decarbonising the aviation sector, but apart from the expense, the technology is also still in its infancy.

To make large quantities of renewable fuel available will require a massive increase in production capacity.

According to IATA calculations, aviation would consume 450 billion litres of SAF a year by the middle of the century.

"The interest in SAF is growing and there is plenty of potential," Walsh said.

But governments "now need to implement policies to ensure that airlines can actually purchase SAF in the required quantities".

Europe has adopted the need to incorporate SAF in airline operations, and in the United States, its production is heavily subsidised by President Joe Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

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