The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity, an initiative of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, launched today Cohort 2 of the Global Maker Challenge at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 02nd Nov, 2019) The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity, an initiative of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, launched today Cohort 2 of the Global Maker Challenge at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The Initiative announced SAP, the global enterprise software company, as the winner of its inaugural Global Prosperity Award at a special ceremony held in New York, marking the close of the Initiative’s Cohort 1.
The Global Prosperity Award ceremony was organised in collaboration with the UAE Consulate in New York, alongside the United Nations General Assembly, which was held in September, and was attended by leaders from the public and private sector, representatives of UN agencies, heads of accelerators and business incubators and philanthropic associations.
The reception was attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Ambassador to Sweden, Ohoud bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, and Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Hessa Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, Abdalla Shaheen, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in New York, and LI Yong, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
SAP, the German multinational enterprise software company that helps businesses run better, received the trophy from Minister Ohoud Al Roumi, for taking the lead in making corporate social responsibility a top priority.
Commenting on the announcement, Al Roumi said: "The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity mirrors the United Arab Emirates’ mission of seeking solutions to challenges that improve the lives of citizens around the world. The second edition of the initiative will take that mission further, enabling innovators and entrepreneurs from across the world to turn their ideas into reality and theories into solutions that can solve pressing issues that affect the lives of communities all around the world. We are proud to be able to join forces with leaders of industry, UN agencies and truly inspiring innovators so that together we can contribute towards ensuring greater prosperity for people in communities that need it most."
SAP, along with other global organisations, Airbus, Honeywell and the Robotics Hub adopted the four themes of Cohort 1 of the Global Maker Challenge. The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity announced the four winning innovations under each challenge at GMIS 2019 in July in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The Rumie Initiative, from Canada, won the ‘Digital Divide and Digital Literacy’ challenge; TruTrade, from Britain, won the ‘Rural Transformation and Zero Hunger’ challenge; GARV, from India, was selected as the winner of the ‘Sustainable Cities’ challenge; and A2P Energy Solution, also from India, took home the ‘Sustainable Energy’ challenge prize.
Cohort 2 of the Global Maker Challenge Following the success of Cohort 1, Badr Al Olama, Head of the Organising Committee for the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit unveiled Cohort 2 of the Global Maker Challenge, at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries that is being held in the United Arab Emirates. Under the themes, Sustainable & Healthy Food for All, Innovation for Inclusive Trade, Innovation for Peace and Justice, and Climate Change, start-ups and makers will battle it out to win up to US$1 million in prize money and mentorship in the much-coveted Global Maker Challenge.
The announcement was made in the presence of a high-level delegates attending the Ministerial Conference for Least Developed Countries, including Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of Federal Competitiveness and Statistical Authority from the UAE, Nurul Majid Mahmud HUMAYUN, Minister of Industry from Bangladesh; Alimatou Shadiya ASSOUMAN, Ministre de l'Industrie et du Commerce from Benin; Mr. Leonardo BENCINI, Minister Plenipotentiary, Head of the Unit for Strategy from Italy; Mr. Min Ye PAING HEIN, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry from Myanmar; Mr. Christopher B. YALUMA, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry from Zambia.
Badr Al Olama, Head of the Organising Committee for the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, said: "By chartering a path towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development around the world, we can create an ecosystem that thrives on technology, creativity and community. The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to maximise and sustain the positive impact of innovation that empowers communities, improves wellbeing and drives progress globally.
"The first Cohort of the initiative was a tremendous success, unveiling a wealth of truly inspiring innovations from all around the world, setting the bar incredibly high. I am therefore very excited to see how the second Cohort approaches our new set of challenges that tackle key issues such as climate change, sustainable food, inclusive trade, peace and justice. We hope to see their energy and creativity bring new opportunities to those in communities that need it most."
The Global Maker Challenges for 2019 are: 1. Sustainable and Healthy Food for All: How can urban populations increase access to healthy and sustainable foods, despite rapid urbanisation? 2. Innovation for Inclusive Trade: How can rural communities increase their access to new supply chains and markets in order to create better livelihoods for themselves? 3. Innovation for Peace and Justice: How can displaced populations access affordable and quality services that are essential to their safety and wellbeing? 4. Climate Change: How can communities move towards a low-carbon circular economy by eliminating waste and utilising existing resources? With a view to tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues and support in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, the four themes were determined following four challenge design workshops held in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Jordan and Russia. The workshops brought together over 250 global experts from governments, global organisations and private corporations, as well as start-ups, incubators and academic researchers.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity partnered with ten United Nations agencies as well as MIT University’s SOLVE initiative to identify the themes and challenges for cohort 2 of the Global Maker Challenge. These UN agencies included: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development , International Telecommunication Union, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Food Programme, and World Tourism Organisation.
The Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries is UNIDO's flagship event for Least Developed Countries that aims to strategize ways forward for industrialization in LDCs beyond 2020. The Ministerial Conference is being hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates, prior to the eighteenth session of the General Conference of UNIDO, taking place from 3 to 7 November 2019.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity combines the Global Maker Challenge, an online open-innovation platform designed to promote and accelerate global prosperity through product innovation; and the Global Prosperity Award, a prestigious global accolade that recognises and rewards corporate social responsibility that advances resilience, community, harmony and dignity across the world, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
