$622 Million Net Profit for Emaar Malls in 2019

Photo courtesy of Emirates News Agency (WAM)
Photo courtesy of Emirates News Agency (WAM)
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$622 Million Net Profit for Emaar Malls in 2019

Photo courtesy of Emirates News Agency (WAM)
Photo courtesy of Emirates News Agency (WAM)

Emaar Malls, the shopping malls and retail business majority-owned by Emaar Properties, recorded a five percent increase in revenue to AED4.673 billion (US$1.272 billion), compared to AED4.446 billion ($1.210 billion) in 2018.

The company revealed in a press statement that overall net profit in 2019 amounted to AED2.286 billion ($622 million), similar to net profit for 2018 of AED2.230 billion ($607 million).

Revenue grew by four percent to AED1.261 billion ($343 million) during the last quarter of 2019 (October to December) when compared to the same period in 2018, said the statement published by Emirates News Agency (WAM).

Namshi, the regional e-commerce fashion and lifestyle platform was fully acquired in 2019 by Emaar Malls.

Commenting on the 2019 performance, Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar and Board Member of Emaar Malls, said, "2019 was a great year for Emaar Malls with occupancy and visitor levels growing steadily.

"This uptick is a result of our continuous innovation as we refresh the customer journey, diversify our portfolio and invest in opportunities to bring our destinations to life. Examples of this include the recently opened Zabeel Extension at The Dubai Mall and the complete acquisition of Namshi, both of which contributed to our achievements in 2019."

"We expect to see this success continue through 2020, as we focus on loyalty programs to drive repeat visits and open new destinations to welcome inbound tourism driven by Expo 2020," he concluded.



BRICS Leaders Call for Urgent Action on Land Degradation Ahead of UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh

BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)
BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)
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BRICS Leaders Call for Urgent Action on Land Degradation Ahead of UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh

BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)
BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)

BRICS leaders called for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought ahead of a major UN environment conference in Saudi Arabia in December.

In a joint statement, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates emphasized that these environmental challenges "are posing serious threats to the well-being and livelihoods of people and the environment."

While acknowledging ongoing efforts in sustainable land management, they stressed the need for "integrated policies" to tackle these interconnected issues.

The statement comes as Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 16th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) in Riyadh from December 2 to 13, amid growing global concern over land degradation that already affects 40% of the planet and impacts 3.2 billion people, according to UNCCD data.

"Saudi Arabia welcomes the BRICS leaders' statement on the critical issue of land degradation as it reflects the increasing urgency to slow and ultimately reverse the trend of degrading land worldwide," said Dr. Osama Faqeeha, deputy minister for environment at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and advisor to the COP16 Presidency.

He added: "At COP16 in Riyadh, we will work to forge new partnerships that can accelerate land restoration and drought resilience efforts, particularly in vulnerable regions. Land degradation, drought, and desertification impact almost every corner of the planet, exacerbating forced migration and worsening global food and water insecurity. It is imperative that the international community addresses the root causes of these issues at the UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh."

The conference is expected to be the largest UNCCD COP to date and will feature the first-ever Green Zone, creating a dedicated platform for collaboration and innovation, aiming to increase the role of the private sector in land restoration.

It comes as the UNCCD targets the restoration of 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030. According to the UNCCD, every dollar invested in land restoration can yield up to $30 in economic returns.