March 20, 2019
DEWA is ‘Sustainability Partner’ of Arab Media Forum 2019
Dubai Press Club, organiser of the Arab Media Forum (AMF), today announced that the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is the Sustainability Partner of the 18th edition of the event. The Forum, which is the region’s leading annual event for the media industry, will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai from March 27-28 at the Dubai World Trade Center.
Themed ‘Arab Media: From Now to the Future’, AMF 2019 is anticipated to draw the participation of over 3,000 regional and international journalists, as well as influential decision makers, opinion leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators.
DEWA has supported previous editions of AMF as a Sustainability Partner and the continued support for the event forms part of its social responsibility programmes and the DEWA 2021 Strategy developed in line with the objectives of UAE Centennial 2071, UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021.
On this occasion, His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said DEWA’s sponsorship of the Arab Media Forum, which has become an important platform to debate the current state and future of media, supports the close ties between DEWA and Dubai Press Club.
“We recognise the influential role of the media in driving the economy as well as spreading awareness in society about the various issues and topics that affect the lives of its members. The media also highlights sustainability and its role in promoting social, economic, and environmental development. The Forum is an important opportunity to connect with Arab and international media organisations and provides an interactive platform with media professionals to spread meaningful messages that address sustainability, which is of great importance to our wise leadership,” said Al Tayer.
Al Tayer emphasised the importance of the media in supporting DEWA’s vision and strategy in light of global developments and growing interest in clean and renewable energy. He noted that DEWA considers the media as an important partner in spreading a culture of sustainability and sound environmental practices, and the need to conserve natural resources. This is done by creating awareness among society members of responsible and sustainable consumption of resources, and the best eco-friendly practices to make conservation an essential part of people’s daily lives.
Her Excellency Mona Al Marri, President of Dubai Press Club (DPC) and Chairperson of AMF’s Organising Committee, hailed the longstanding partnership between DPC and DEWA, a leading national entity which continues to play a key role in implementing Dubai and UAE’s vision for a sustainable future.
“We are pleased to have the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority support the Forum as a Sustainability Partner this year. DEWA plays a central role in implementing the UAE’s strategy and plans in the field of environmental conservation, protecting natural resources and the development and application of clean and renewable energy solutions,” Al Marri said. She added that DEWA has been able to implement quality projects that ensure Dubai and the UAE remain pioneers in this field, in addition to being able to provide a global model of sustainability development.
Al Marri also underlined the media’s responsibility in promoting sustainability. “The media plays a big role in enhancing the awareness of societies about the importance of sustainability and supporting plans taken by governments to ensure conservation, a clean and safe environment and rationalisation of consumption.
Khawla Al Mehairi, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Government Communications at DEWA, said that the Arab Media Forum is a bridge to communicate with Arab and international media, providing a platform to meet media personnel. She noted that DEWA, through its stand at the accompanying exhibition, will highlight its efforts and initiatives in sustainability, clean energy, protecting the environment, promoting environmental awareness, protecting natural resources, and reducing its carbon footprint.
DEWA has played a key role in boosting the UAE’s sustainability and green energy rankings. The World Bank’s Doing Business 2018 report ranked the UAE, represented by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the first in the world in getting electricity.
In the last few years, DEWA has significantly raised the efficiency of energy production using the latest technologies and innovations. It reduced losses from electricity transmission and distribution networks to 3.3% compared to 6-7% in the US and Europe. Water network losses were reduced to 8% compared to 15% in North America. DEWA also recorded 3.28 customer minutes lost per year compared to 15 minutes in Europe. DEWA is investing a total of AED 81 billion over the next five years to meet growing demand for electricity and water in the Emirate. The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 aims to provide 7% of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2020. This will increase to 25% by 2030, and 75% by 2050.
