Traditional Games UAE: Popular Emirati Sports and Toys in the United Arab Emirates

Traditional Games UAE reflects the city’s culture and old-school lifestyle. As you may be aware, the UAE’s dry climate results in extensive areas of sand or difficult terrain. As a result, these individuals have developed unique talents to exist in such a hostile environment, which has become an inseparable aspect of their lives throughout time. Nowadays, the UAE has witnessed significant development in many areas, with its harsh deserts tamed to serve as tourist attractions. However, the skills that the desert people needed to perfect for survival were practiced throughout time and evolved into traditional sports in the UAE.

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Traditional Games UAE

Traditional games products and sports, which range from dances to ball games to aquatic sports, are an important element of a country’s culture and history, as well as defining its character. They cross genders, decades, and identities. Popular traditional sports, like music, language, literature, and architecture, are localized as significant parts of a nation’s culture in Dubai UAE, where each child’s story may be found uniquely and interestingly. The UAE’s traditional sports have evolved from the country’s culture and history, telling the story of what came before. They are still practiced today by both UAE locals and people from other parts of the world who are interested in these sports and traditional games in the United Arab Emirates.

Traditional sports, contrary to what the name implies, are not always about competition and exercise. They are much more and represent something greater. Popular games and traditional sports do not require a high level of expertise. Instead, these activities provide an excellent opportunity for everyone to have fun while also engaging in positive social interaction.

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UAE Traditional Sports

UAE Sports are strongly associated with the desert sand, where camels and horses rule the roost. People gather to see a variety of Emirate traditional sports and games in the United Arab Emirates, the most notable of which are Dubai UAE camel racing and different forms of equestrianism. Despite the introduction of modern sports activities such as golf and Formula One, which mostly cater to tourists and the wealthy, the love of these traditional games in UAE and sports remains strong in the hearts of ordinary Arabs.

The UAE government has built sports clubs with cutting-edge facilities so that locals can enjoy and play their preferred sports in their spare time as well as the Arab Emirates National Day Dubai UAE. Traditional sports and games in the United Arab Emirates have been given equal weight and aggressively promoted to preserve their history for future generations. Various sporting events and competitions are held regularly, attracting players from around the world and providing the country with global exposure. Several traditional games of the UAE and sporting activities collaborate to actively promote tourism in the country.

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Traditional Emirati Games

Emirati youngsters devised simple games and traditional toys, using inspiration from their surroundings and environment, to demonstrate the universality of innocence, linking children all over the world through imagination and creativity with traditional toys and games of the UAE.

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The Teela

Teela refers to a little glass ball that is comparable to a marble. It is one of the most popular Emirati traditional games for boys and is regarded as one of the most cooperative. The first player stands on the line and throws the Teela. Then, another player stands on the line and throws his Teela. If his opponent’s Teela is far away, he throws his ball into the closest hole. If it lands within, he attempts to hit his opponent’s Teela and, if successful, steals their ball.

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Al Dusays

Al Dusays translates to ‘hiding’ or ‘disappearing,’ as the Arabic word that implies to hide. This hide-and-seek game is played by three to five people but may accommodate up to twenty, and is enjoyed by both girls and boys up to the age of fifteen.

Habil Al Zaibal

Habil Al Zaibal is a vibrant, vocal game with a lot of variety. The game is played with a two or three-meter-long rope wound around a ground-mounted board or a huge rock.

Al Zubout

Another popular group game is Al Zubout, often known as ‘Whirlpool’. It revolves around a conical piece of wood with an iron tip at the bottom. The player hangs on to a thread attached to the wooden piece with his pinkie and ring fingers. The goal of the game is to spin and weave the longest Zubout.

Al Karabi

This game is played on a large court with two straight parallel lines spaced four to five meters apart. The girls form two lines, one facing the other. One of the girls stands on one leg, bends the other leg back, and holds it in her palm. She then begins hopping towards the opposite line, chanting: “I play Al Karabi and say, I speak Sheikah.” The remaining girls play the role of the opponent, attempting to block the path of the person who is jumping.

If the hopping girl succeeds in passing to the other line and returns to the starting place without falling, she earns a point; otherwise, she is eliminated. Then another female attempts to stop the hopping girl. If she fails, she is eliminated, and a third player takes her place, followed by a fourth, and so on. However, if the other girls fail to stop the player, she will win. Al Karabi, one of the bilateral communal games with two teams, is characterized by cheering, encouragement, and involvement. The game relies on the players’ ability to maintain their balance.

Al Miryhana

Al Miryhana (or Derfana) is a popular pastime among girls and ladies. It is one of the most traditional and engaging activities for ladies in the region, defined by movement and poetic sounds. Al Miryhana is typically performed during the afternoons of Eid. Women used to play this game in the mornings before midday prayer after they had done cooking lunch.

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Al Gaheef

Al Gaheef is a famous traditional Emirati pastime for girls in the UAE and Arabian Gulf. In other countries, this game is called “Al Hejlah.” A grid of rectangles is drawn on the ground, starting from the smallest to the largest, with two adjacent rectangles serving as rest positions. The first player tosses the al Gaheef, typically a stone or clay pellet, and then jumps on one leg until she reaches the rectangle where the stone landed. She then picks up the stone and marks the rectangle with an ‘x’, indicating that it is now hers. The winner is the person who marks the most rectangles.

Adim Allawh

Adim Allawh, as it is known in some areas of Al Ain, Sharjah, and Dubai, is a traditional Emirati game that is typically played on moonlit nights. It needs good sportsmanship and physical condition. ‘Adim Al Sira, tah wendara, le wall ilkum?’ (A secret bone, dropped and lost; is it mine or yours?).

Al Sagala

Al Sagala is a short, enjoyable traditional Emirati game that requires five pebbles. It is played by two to four people and requires manual skill and attentiveness. The game begins with a person throwing five pebbles to the ground, then picking one up and flinging it into the air. While the pebble is in the air, the players pick up another pebble from the ground and catch the one in the air, resulting in two pebbles in their hand, and repeat the process while increasing the number of pebbles. If they grab all four and catch the fifth, they will win the game.

Khoosa Boosa

Khoosa Boosa is a ten-count rhyme-based group game. It is more popular among girls. The players form a circle and place their palms down on the floor between them. One of the girls recites the poem and counts to ten while touching the other girls’ spread-out fingers one by one.

Umm Al Iyal

Umm Al Iyal, also known as Umm Al Awlad (‘Mother of the youngsters’), is a popular tag game, with variations played by youngsters in different countries. The game is accompanied by music and features an attentive mother (played by one of the older or larger children) and the ‘children’. The remaining players form a train and queue up behind the ‘ mother’ for cover. The wily wolf is played by an entirely different actor.

Al-Sadu Weaving

Emirati artists weave remarkable designs rich in geometrical patterns from sheep wool, goat hair, or camel fur, frequently reflecting social identity and the surrounding environment.

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Fish Net Making

Marine artists use simple equipment and nylon threads to produce nets of various sizes.

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Talli Embroidery

Talli is a traditional kind of ornate embroidery done by Emirati women on a ‘Kajooja’ loom with cotton or silk threads.

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Khoos Weaving

Khoos is a traditional Emirati craft in which dry palm fronds are weaved into household items like tablecloths and baskets.

Jumping Game

In this game, two children sit facing one another and stretch their legs so that their feet are linked, while the other children continue to jump on them without touching them.

Khbz Rgag

One child bends down, and the other jumps off him, then bends again, and the other jumps, and so on.

The kook

In a group of children, one should close his or her eyes while the others run and hide until they are discovered by the one who closed his eyes.

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UAE Traditional Games

Traditional games have been passed down through centuries and are firmly ingrained in a specific culture or community. These games frequently have historical and cultural value and are regarded as part of a region’s legacy. Traditional games are usually played with little or no equipment, relying on physical talent, strategy, and luck. These games are fundamental to a community’s cultural identity and serve a variety of functions. They can be used for recreation, socialization, education, physical fitness, or the preservation of cultural values and traditions. Traditional games frequently reflect the attitudes, beliefs, and lifestyles of those who play them, connecting people to their cultural roots.

They can take many different forms, such as physical games, board games, card games, team games, and verbal or storytelling games. They may require physical coordination, strategy, memorization, improvisation, and originality. Many traditional games have rules that have been passed down through generations, and they can foster a strong sense of community and shared identity.

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The Siniya

Siniya is a traditional Emirati game that involves strategy, skill, and agility. It is played on a sandy surface, with a wooden stick used to strike a small, spherical item known as the “Siniya” towards a set target. The target is typically a shallow pit or a defined place in the sand. Players take turns striking the Siniya, hoping to propel it towards the target while avoiding obstacles. The game necessitates accuracy and control, as players must adapt their striking style to account for the sandy ground. Siniya not only improves physical coordination but also generates a sense of healthy competitiveness and friendship among participants.

The Mheibis

Mheibis is a strategy board game that involves mental acuity and problem-solving ability. It is played on a rectangular wooden board with etched lines, with players moving pieces across a grid to collect the opponent’s tokens. The game’s complex rules and strategic moves make it an appealing challenge for participants. Each player takes turns tactically maneuvering their pieces, attempting to outmaneuver and capture their opponent’s tokens. Mheibis not only entertains but also promotes critical thinking and strategic planning because players must anticipate their opponent’s moves and make deliberate decisions. This traditional game demonstrates the Emirati people’s intellectual prowess and passion for strategic endeavors.

Al-Azi

Al-Azi is a traditional Emirati storytelling style that frequently incorporates music and poetry. It features a main narrator, known as the “Nashid,” who tells stories of valor, love, and success. The audience actively participates by clapping, singing, and reacting to the narrator’s directions. The game preserves the country’s oral traditions while also passing on historical events and cultural knowledge from one generation to the next. The stories told during Al-Azi plays frequently reflect Emirati ideals like bravery, honor, and devotion. The beautiful music and rhythmic poetry contribute to the allure of this classic art form.

Al Hosn

Al Hosn, a compelling traditional Emirati game, is frequently referred to as the Emirati equivalent of tug-of-war. This thrilling activity not only emphasizes the importance of strength and teamwork but also provides an intriguing insight into the UAE’s rich cultural past.

In Al Hosn, people gather around a taut rope, eager for the game to begin. Divided into two teams, they position themselves at opposing ends of the rope, bracing for the thrilling task ahead. The goal of the game is for the players to work together to pull the opposing team across a predetermined line utilizing their physical strengths. It’s a stunning demonstration of power, strategy, and drive.

Beyond its physical aspects, Al Hosn has a deeper cultural importance. It represents the Emirati principles of teamwork, cooperation, and unity. The game highlights the need for teamwork and collaboration in all endeavors. Al Hosn teaches people the value of relying on one another, creating a sense of friendship and mutual support.

The Ghahwa

Ghahwa, or “coffee pouring,” is a traditional Emirati hospitality ritual that has grown into a game. It entails pouring coffee from a traditional dallah (coffee pot) into miniature cups with precision and grace. The player must use a steady hand to pour the coffee from a height without dropping a drop. The game honors the importance of hospitality in Emirati culture while also highlighting the host’s talent and grace. Pouring coffee is regarded as an art form, and participants take pride in their skill to create the ideal cup. This game not only entertains, but also emphasizes the importance of coffee in Emirati culture, where it represents friendship, hospitality, and a warm welcome.

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UAE Traditional Games Today

Yes, traditional games are still played in the UAE today, albeit their popularity and predominance vary by location and generation. While modernity and the impact of global popular culture have reduced the importance of traditional games, efforts are underway to preserve and promote these cultural gems. In recent years, there has been a resurgent interest in traditional sports in the UAE, fueled by a rising awareness of the country’s heritage and a desire to reconnect with old traditions. Cultural organizations, museums, and educational institutions have been actively involved in documenting and promoting traditional games, ensuring their preservation over time.

Local communities and families play an important role in preserving traditional games. They pass on the information and abilities associated with these games from one generation to the next, ensuring their continued existence. Furthermore, the UAE government understands the value of conserving its cultural legacy, which includes traditional games. To enhance awareness and encourage participation in traditional games, a variety of activities have been launched, including cultural festivals, community programs, and heritage preservation campaigns.

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Top 10 Traditional Games UAE & Heritage Sports

Traditional Games UAE were previously part of the desert economy and required for success in desert life. Today, the definition of social and economic management has shifted, necessitating new skills and expertise. However, traditional sports in the UAE remained popular and evolved into recreational activities. Here are the famous Top 10 Traditional Games UAE and Sports:

Camel Racing

Camels are desert animals that were once widely used for transportation. Given this, it’s no surprise that camel riding and racing are among the UAE’s most popular traditional sports. They are so popular that even the sound of roaring car engines in modern races has not been able to eliminate these traditional sports from competition. Sudan and Oman are the Arab world’s leading camel breeders, and Omani and Sudan’s camels are the only ones seen on race tracks. Other breeds are not used for racing. Race camels are fed a specialized diet of dates, bran, and oats. Sometimes they are even given cow’s milk.

Racing officials use a camel’s teeth to assess its age. When they reach a particular age, they will be considered for race. Every day, trainers make the camels run significant distances to build stamina and prepare them for the racetrack. Before being registered for competition, animals are given a complete medical examination. Camel racing was previously reserved for wedding celebrations. However, it is now recognized as an official sport in the UAE. There are numerous race tracks around the country, with Nad AlSheba Racecourse in Dubai and Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi being among the most well-known. In addition, several of the country’s desert camping areas provide camel rides.

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Horse Racing

Arabian horses are immediately distinguished by the unique form of their heads and are one of the most desirable breeds in the world. Arabian horses have solid, powerful bones, and their incredible stamina makes them ideal for endurance riding. Horse racing is a popular activity anywhere there are good horses, such as the Arabian.

Horse racing is popular among the people of the UAE and other countries throughout the world, as well as the UAE royal families. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai, and his son, Sheikh Hamdan, the Crown Prince, are both accomplished horseback riders. They have won multiple international riding competitions (for more information on the UAE’s ruling class, see our guide to royal families).

The UAE also organizes several important horse racing championships, including the Dubai World Cup, which is well-known for awarding the greatest monetary rewards to its victors. For example, the reward money for the 2021 winners was $12 million! The country also held the FEI World Endurance Championship. All of the UAE’s emirates have excellent horse racing facilities, demonstrating the importance of horse riding to the Emiratis.

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The Falconry

Falconry is one of the UAE’s oldest and most cherished traditional sports. Food is rare in deserts, thus Arab tribes of old had to devise novel ways to combat hunger. Falconry, a 2,000-year-old sport, began as a way to find food in the desert. Falcons were trained to assist hunters in their pursuit of animals such as hares and houbara, and falconry became an integral part of UAE culture.

Falcon trainers train their trusted hunting partners with tremendous patience, and many regard this as an art rather than a sport. It gained a distinguished reputation when it became the preferred sport of the UAE royal families. The UAE Emirs have also imported falcons from other countries.

Falconry is no longer frequently practiced due to the extinction of these bird species. There are also new limits on the commercial selling and import of falcons. Trainers typically demonstrate their talents during annual festivals and contests such as the International Hunting & Equestrian Exhibition in Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival. The lucky winner of these competitions might receive up to 500,000 Emirati dirhams.

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Dhow Racing

Don’t let the UAE’s dry environment fool you into thinking that the Emiratis aren’t enjoying water sports! Most of the UAE’s world-renowned main towns were previously modest fishing villages whose economies relied heavily on what the sea had to provide. This allowed for the incorporation of a variety of watersports into UAE culture, the most popular of which being traditional boat sailing. Historians believe that the earliest traditional Arabian boats, known as “Dhows,” were employed for fishing and pearl diving, or as commercial vessels transporting fruits and other items. A dhow is a wooden watercraft that typically has one or two masts and a lengthy overhang ahead.

Nowadays, Dhows are employed in traditional boat racing throughout the cooler months of October through April. Every year, a watersport event is held on Mubarraz Island near Abu Dhabi, where spectators can witness energetic contestants sail their Dhows to the finish line. Sir Bu Nair Island is another popular destination for dhow sailing events. While dhows are not just used for racing, the modern version of these traditional boats is well-equipped with the latest amenities for the passengers’ comfort. If you want to enjoy the pleasures of a Dhow sail while admiring the cityscape, head to Dubai Creek and indulge.

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Saluki Racing

Historically, falcons were not the only partners of hunters and trackers. During hunting journeys, hunters were joined by their faithful hunting dogs, the Salukis. Saluki is one of the oldest dog breeds, and desert nomads used to train them to hunt game animals. Arabian Saluki dogs were so quick they could grab a galloping gazelle! They can attain speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour. Many Salukidogs died during WWII, but breeders were able to save the breed, and they are still living today.

Saluki racing is becoming one of the UAE’s most popular and highly appreciated traditional sports. Every year in the UAE, the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC) hosts the Arab Heritage Saluki Race, where Saluki dogs compete at racetracks such as Sweihan near Abu Dhabi and Al Marmoom in Dubai. The victorious canines reward their owners with prizes of up to AED 400k!

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Free Diving

Free diving is another traditional watersport in the UAE, and it used to be a prerequisite for pearl divers who wished to work in the sector. Pearl diving, which dates back to the 12th century, is a key component of the UAE’s economy. This enterprise was not only profitable for most locals, but it also drew daring adventurers and treasure hunters from various parts of the world. The UAE’s two world-renowned metropolises, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, grew out of the region’s wealthy pearling business.

Previously, pearl divers from all over the region and even other nations invested in the best Dubai developments, purchased sophisticated homes in Abu Dhabi and relocated with their families to hunt for treasures deep in the pearling sites of these two cities. The industry failed in the early 1900s once cultivated pearls were developed. However, diving has remained popular as a recreational activity and is one of the UAE’s most competitive traditional sports.

Many people from all around the world participate in the UAE’s free diving championships. For example, the (Fazza Freediving Championship) is one of these major sporting events that draws highly competent divers from all over the world and requires them to stay underwater for up to three minutes at a depth of 30 meters.

The Archery

Archery is one of the Middle East’s oldest disciplines, dating back to Babylonian and Assyrian times. The Middle Eastern people were able to conquer much of Europe and Asia thanks to their superior archery equipment and techniques. The ancient Arabs used bows on foot or from the back of a horse or camel. They utilized many types of arrows. Excavations at the ancient city of Al Dour in the emirate of Umm Al Quwain have yielded trilobite arrowheads dating back 2,000 years. Many of these ancient arrowheads can now be found in UAE museums, including the Al Ain Museum in Abu Dhabi, which is the country’s oldest.

The ancient desert tribes used archery for both hunting and warfare objectives. Archery holds religious significance for Muslims because it was cherished by their prophet Muhammad, and it is currently one of the most popular traditional sports in the UAE. Many camping grounds, resorts, and athletic facilities across the country allow guests to practice archery. If you ever find yourself in Dubai and want to improve your marksmanship, go to the Jebel Ali Shooting Club, which is the ideal spot to practice archery.

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The Shooting

By the time guns arrived in the Middle East, the residents of the UAE had already been practicing archery and boasted about their marksmanship. As a result, they enthusiastically embraced this new method of hunting and fighting, and shooting became ingrained in UAE society. UAE sharpshooters have won numerous Olympic championships, demonstrating the sport’s importance to the nation. Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani and Sheikh Ahmed bin Hasher Al Maktoum are well-known Emirati sharpshooters.

There are numerous world-class shooting ranges in the UAE. For example, if you own a fancy home in Dubai or visit the city as a tourist, you may go to the Jebel Ali Beach resort and use one of the best shooting ranges in the UAE. Jebel Ali Shooting Club, which features both an outdoor and indoor environment, invites gun enthusiasts of all skill levels. Additionally, Abu Dhabi is home to some of the best shooting clubs in the UAE. Al Ain Shooting Club fulfills the International Shooting Sport Federation’s (ISSF) highest standards and provides a wide range of facilities.

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The Bullfighting

Bullfighting, while popular among cattle producers, is a lesser-known custom in the Emirate of Fujairah. Every Friday afternoon, breeders get together and organize battles to see which cattle are stronger. It differs from the fights in Spain and Portugal, and organizers promise that there will be no carnage in the matches and that the focus will be on the animals’ strength and the owners’ dignity. However, animal rights activists consider these fights pointless. Overall, bullfighting is a contentious institution in the UAE, and authorities are still debating whether it should be prohibited or not.

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Traditional Games Emerged from Arabian Culture

Aside from regular sports, several traditional games evolved from Arabian culture and are still quite popular among the people of the UAE, such as:

The Ghommemah

It’s a game of tag in which the tagger is blindfolded. The tagger chases other players as they run around, and when they capture one, they must guess who it is. If the guess is true, the player who was caught becomes the tagger and is blindfolded.

The Carrom

It is an old pool-style board game for two players. Each player has a set of nine black or white disks. There is also a red disk known as the Queen. Using a unique disk known as the striker, players must place all of their disks, followed by the queen, in the four pockets in the corners of the board.

The fashkhah

Two players sit together on the ground, legs straight out. Another player attempts to jump over their legs. When the player performs a successful jump, the other two sit further apart. The game will continue until the player fails to make the jump.

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List of the Top 10 Most Popular UAE Games and Sports

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a rich sports culture that reflects its historic background, contemporary lifestyle, and citizens’ global interests. Sports have a huge impact on the community, encouraging young participation, social integration, and improving health and fitness. Here’s an overview of the top ten most popular sports in the UAE, ranked by popularity and population presence:

1. Football (soccer): National leagues, with significant local and expat participation.
2. Cricket: Large following among South Asian ex-pats and local leagues.
3. Camel Racing: A traditional sport with modern technology, such as robot jockeys.
4. Horse racing: World-class courses and international competitions.
5. Falconry: A heritage sport with profound roots in Emirati culture.
6. Golf: Excellent courses, and worldwide events.
7. Tennis: Popular recreational activity; professional competitions.
8. Formula One: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is a highlight of the F1 season.
9. Jiu-Jitsu: Gaining popularity, aided by government programs.
10. Basketball: Increased participation at the scholastic and amateur levels.

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Traditional Games UAE offers a glimpse into the rich cultural tapestry of the United Arab Emirates. From the captivating traditional Emirati game Al Sagala to the exciting traditional Arab sport of camel racing, these activities highlight the enduring legacy of Emirati traditions. Engaging in the Traditional Games of the UAE is not just about fun; it’s a journey through history, celebrating the most popular UAE pastimes. These games continue to unite communities and preserve the vibrant heritage of the United Arab Emirates.