Spanish/ Emirati collaboration to flourish until Expo 2020 and beyond
Spanish/Emirati relations are due to flourish — in business industries, educational sector, etc. — until Expo 2020 and even beyond, in collaboration with the Spanish Business Council, according to speakers at an event at AUD last week.
“Spanish is a language of business, and the idea was to promote Spanish on campus specifically, as we have promoted Spanish through other events such as concerts, movies, exhibitions, etc.,” said Ioannis Ramos, the organizer of the event, and Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies at AUD. “However, this is the first time that we promote it through talks by renowned businessmen in the region.”
“We work mainly for ADNOC, the petroleum company, and in the region, we have executed projects for more than $35 billion in the last few years,” said Guillermo Cobelo, Country Manager of Tecnicas Reunidas in the U.A.E. In 2010, they started with engineering works in Abu Dhabi, and the company is now working on the development of the Bu Hasa onshore oil field, which is expected to be completed by 2030, he said.
Another Spanish company, Acciona, is also working on large-scale projects in the U.A.E., including the extension of the Dubai metro.
“By April 2020, the future metro line will be the extension that goes to the discovery gardens, Ibn Battuta mall area, and all the way to Jumeirah Golf estates which will connect the city to the Expo 2020 site,” said Jesús Sancho, the Regional Director of Acciona, and the Middle East Managing Director of the Spanish Business Council. The metro stations will be underground, and are currently 75% complete, he said.
Acciona is also working on “the world’s largest photovoltaic plant in Dubai along with two other big leading companies: Ghella and Gransolar,” he said.
Sancho explained that the project will be located at Al Qudra road, about 15 kilometers from Bab- Al Shams hotel. The project is called the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park,” and its main objective is preventing the outflow of about 1.4 million tons of carbon dioxide every year. The plant will cover approximately 17.8 km² to produce the maximum amount of clean energy.
The commercial attaché of the Spanish embassy attended the talk to promote and encourage Spanish businesses in the U.A.E.
Acciona is a global business company that develops their projects based on sustainability. Their main objective is to target the society’s needs by the use of their services, infrastructure, water, and renewable energy. Tecnicas Reunidas is an international engineering and construction company in the oil and gas, refining, petrochemical and power generation sectors.
