“Thoughts and Memories” by Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa, hosted by the Cultural and Scientific Association

14-02-2024

The Cultural and Scientific Association organized a dialogue session entitled “Thoughts and Memories”, with Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa, businessman and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Belhasa Group, in the presence of Bilal Al-Badour, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Symposium, and Dr. Salah Al-Qasim, Administrative Director, Jamal Al-Khayyat, Financial Director, Aisha Sultan, Head of the Cultural Committee, and Dr. Muhammad Murad Abdullah, Advisor to the Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai, and Dr. Abdul Khaleq Abdullah, Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Executive Director of the Al Owais Foundation, journalist Muhammad Al-Joker, athlete Muhammad Al-Kous, and a group of interested people and attendees.

The session was moderated by Ali Obaid Al Hameli, Vice Chairman of the symposium’s Board of Directors, who confirmed that Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa is an exceptional personality who combined economics, science, culture, sports, and national and social work in a balanced manner. During this, Bilal Al-Badour intervened, pointing out the role played by Dr. Ahmed Belhasa in his personal cultural career, as he advised him to become a cultural attaché at the UAE Embassy in the Arab Republic of Egypt, at the beginning of his career. Then Al Hameli confirmed that Dr. Ahmed Belhasa is one of the unique self-made figures in the business world. Since his early childhood, he has worked in several fields, and he started in 1968, with the establishment of Belhasa Company.

Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa recalled the first stages of his life and professional career, which began since his childhood in the Nad Muhammad area in Deira, Dubai, where he was born, explaining how circumstances at the time forced him to work when he was still ten years old, after the death of his father, and he was forced to leave his studies, he worked in several fields.

Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa explained the difficulties he encountered in the beginning, whether in the field of transportation and renting cars to transport passengers to the Sultanate of Oman, or otherwise, indicating what the nature of the roads was like, and said that despite the difficulties, a person must bear responsibility. He mentioned that he named one of his first companies “Al-Ittihad Commercial Company” in 1968, due to his strong sense of patriotism, his great hope that this wish would be fulfilled, and the expectation of the birth of the union in the Emirates, which is what happened in 1971, with the announcement of the union of the UAE. He talked about his career with government work in 1972, where he worked as director of the Central Purchasing Department at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, and continued to work until 1977, after which he devoted himself full-time to work. Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa said that government work provides greater human and social relations, but self-employment also provides greater space for creativity and the pursuit of development, both of which establish rich knowledge, relationships and experiences. He pointed out that study, especially graduate studies, benefited him more in his professional career, and helped him choose his work with a scientific methodology, and the ability to complete feasibility studies that would consolidate the work he seeks to establish. Regarding his experience in the Dubai Municipal Council in 1980, and in the Federal National Council in 1981, he mentioned that they were rich experiences, and pointed out that he raised the issue of establishing laboratories at the UAE University for students of practical colleges, and this proposal was responded to.

Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa remembers that he was forced to leave his studies, as a result of the need to work, and he returned to his studies after his work stability and marriage, and he was able to combine study and work, as he and his children began the study process again, and he finished his bachelor’s degree with one of his children at the same time, and completed his graduate studies in the master’s degree, and obtained two degrees. PhD from Egypt and Britain. Dr. spoke. Dr. Ahmed Saif Belhasa for the public work he held, including the presidency of: the World Organization of Construction Officials of the United Nations (WOPO), the Confederation of International Contractors’ Confederations (CICA), the Arab Contractors Federation, and the UAE Contractors Association. And the deep and extended experience in the field

The athlete remembered his passion for football, and the beginning of playing on dirt fields, and there was one ball that everyone played with. He talked about his experience with establishing the Al-Shabab Club, with Ghanem Ghobash, Jumaa Ghareeb, Ahmed Al-Khatibi, Abdul Rahman bin Faris, and a group of the first generation, but he moved away from Sports is a time to be busy with work. He stated that at the present time, he left his work to his children, to complete the journey of work and success, and that they consult him and turn to him constantly, and he discusses with them and offers them solutions. He stressed that the UAE is a role model in terms of development, construction and scientific progress. Dr. concluded. Ahmed Saif Belhasa said that crises and turning points strengthen a person, enrich his experience, and motivate him to succeed and achieve his goals.