DP WORLD BACKS 2 COMMUNITY PROJECTS IN YEMEN

ADEN, May 11 (Saba)- DP World will support two major Aden-based community initiatives aimed at creating medical capacity and helping match skills to available jobs, Trade Arabia website has reported.

The two projects, the Ras Morbat Clinic and Training Centre, will also received support from DP World IT services supplier Dimension Data and Forbes Lux FZE, manufacturer of water filtration and purification systems, a statement said.

DP World is one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world, with 49 terminals and 12 new developments across 31 countries.

DP World’s contribution to the Ras Morbat Clinic includes underwriting two, two-year training programmes for staff doctors in the area of paediatrics and ophthalmology at the University of Aden, with supplementary four-week annual training at Oasis Hospital in UAE.

Additional DP World funding goes towards construction and operation of the Ras Morbat Institute, training local residents in advanced woodwork and carpentry, along with the skills to run their own businesses.

While port activity contributes heavily to Aden’s economy, there remains significant economic hardship in this port city of 600,000 residents, the statement added.

“The partnership between Ras Morbat staff, DP World employees and suppliers, and Yemeni and UAE medical institutions brings together a wide range of local and international resources and incorporates training and financing mechanisms to make sure the programme will continue well beyond the initial funding,” said Mohammed Sharaf, chief executive officer, DP World.

“This partnership approach and focus on creating sustainable community initiatives is part of our commitment to the communities in which operate,” he added.

Ras Morbat Clinic has been providing medical care to needy people in Aden since 1996, said Arif Bin Adhed, managing director, DP World Aden.

DP World constantly invests in terminal infrastructure, facilities and people, working closely with customers and business partners to provide quality services today and tomorrow, when and where customers need them.

In 2009, DP World handled more than 43.4 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent container units) across its portfolio from the Americas to Asia - a decline of 6% over 2008. With a pipeline of expansion and development projects in key growth markets, including India, China and the Middle East, capacity is expected to rise to around 95 million TEU over the next ten years.