UK has ‘unique opportunity’ to bolster Gulf relations, forum told

UK has ‘unique opportunity’ to bolster Gulf relations, forum told
The forum on evolving dynamics between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council was held at the House of Lords in London on Dec. 11. (Shutterstock/File)
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Updated 12 December 2024
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UK has ‘unique opportunity’ to bolster Gulf relations, forum told

UK has ‘unique opportunity’ to bolster Gulf relations, forum told
  • House of Lords hosts high-level Emirati delegation
  • Former UK minister Liam Fox: ‘I think we have a unique historic opportunity … to help shape this part of the world’

LONDON: Top business leaders, researchers and politicians have called on the UK to bolster business and cultural ties with the Gulf.

The appeal came during a high-level discussion on evolving dynamics between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council at the House of Lords in London on Dec. 11.

An Emirati delegation led by Dr. Mohammed Al-Ali, CEO of Trends Advisory, discussed politics, counter-extremism and security within the UAE and wider Gulf.

The forum was moderated by Lady Olga Maitland, security expert and former MP, and featured comments from Al-Ali; Liam Fox, former UK defense minister; Syrian journalist Ghassan Ibrahim; former Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski; Conservative Middle East Council Director Charlotte Leslie; and David Abrahams, former vice president of the Royal United Services Institute, among others.

Trade between the UK and the GCC has been valued at about $78 billion, according to this year’s figures. The two sides have held talks on a free trade agreement for a number of years.

Fox described Britain’s relationship with the Gulf bloc as “one of the most important trading relationships.”

He said: “I think there are reasons to be optimistic in the region. I think there are reasons to look at the building blocks that are there, to look at the quality of the leadership in the region and say, if we’ve ever had a chance to do something different, if we’ve ever had a chance to break away and not be prisoners of our history, that’s where we are now.”

But, Fox added: “History is littered with examples of when windows of opportunity opened and then closed before anyone had the willingness, the courage and the leadership to do it.

“I think we have a unique historic opportunity in maybe just the coming months, but the coming period, to help shape this part of the world, in a way that’s not impossible, and that’s the real challenge.”

Al-Ali hailed the “widespread presence” of Anglophone culture in the UAE and wider Gulf, including British educational institutions.

These “foster strong cultural ties and strengthen connections,” he added.

The Trends Advisory CEO called for the launch of a strategic council to push through the long-awaited UK-GCC free trade agreement.

Leslie hailed the Gulf’s experience in “bringing people together” in a world that is “ever more polarized.”

The UK could draw on Gulf experience developing counter-extremist organizations, she said.

Kawczynski, who took nine delegations to Riyadh during his time as an MP, singled out Saudi Arabia for particular praise.

“I’m very pleased that Keir Starmer, the prime minister, has been to Saudi Arabia this week … and I’m very pleased that parliamentarians across all political parties are starting to realize the importance of Saudi and the GCC,” he said.

The former MP added that he was “blown away” by the “sheer scale of Emirati investment” in London, and highlighted the importance of building economic interdependence between the UK and the Gulf.

Ibrahim, who heads the Global Arab Network, hailed Al-Ali’s visit as a “testament to the strength and importance of relations between the UAE and UK, as well as the rest of the GCC.”


Saudi Arabia’s transformation attracting rising number of students in India

Saudi Arabia’s transformation attracting rising number of students in India
Updated 16 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s transformation attracting rising number of students in India

Saudi Arabia’s transformation attracting rising number of students in India
  • India’s Education Ministry sponsored a university program on the Kingdom’s development programs
  • Sessions in New Delhi also garnered interest from students in other parts of India, coordinator says

NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia’s transformation programs and Vision 2030 are gaining interest among university students in India, as one of the country’s most prestigious educational institutions hosts a special course on the topic this week.

The five-day course — organized by Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi in cooperation with the Ministry of Education — is part of the Indian government’s Global Initiative of Academic Networks program aimed at encouraging exchanges with the world’s top faculty members and scientists.

The special course that will conclude on Friday has been led by Prof. Joseph Albert Kechichian, senior fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, who specializes in West Asian politics and foreign policy, especially of the Gulf region.

The sessions have attracted students from different parts of India, said Prof. Sameena Hameed from the JNU’s Centre for West Asian Studies, who coordinates the course.

“It’s a very niche course focused on one country and a specific region but to our surprise it has gained traction,” Hameed told Arab News, adding that the number of registered participants was double the initial expectation of 50 students.

“I’m still receiving the request from students … down south in Kerala and other states as well, so it means these kind of subjects are gaining traction because it moves in tandem with India’s increasing bilateral interest and relations in the region.”

The rising interest among Indian students was also evident for Kechichian, who was visiting India for a third time after previous speaking engagements at JNU in 2006 and 2016.

“In 2025, I’m beginning to notice sharp improvements, sharp interests in terms of young scholars who are looking at Saudi Arabia in very different eyes; no longer looking at it only as the mere oil producer, but also as a dynamic society with which Indian communities must come to terms (with), and that’s a positive development,” Kechichian told Arab News on the sidelines of the sessions on Tuesday.

The course, which was also livestreamed to registered participants, aims to provide people with “a comprehensive understanding of the changes that are taking place in the Kingdom,” he added.

“Saudi Arabia is is a young country; the majority of the population is relatively young and they are in the process of acquiring new skills, opening new opportunities in terms of entrepreneurship and others, and, obviously, all of these young people need to have contacts with the rest of the world, among whom India, of course, plays an important role as well.”

Saudi-Indian ties have steadily gained prominence over the past three decades, and reached a new level of engagement in 2019, following Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to New Delhi and the establishment of the Strategic Partnership Council.

These aspects set the stage for further collaboration, which gained momentum when Saudi Arabia presided over the Group of 20 largest economies in 2020, followed by India’s presidency of the bloc in 2023.

The evolving relationship has not only deepened strategic ties, but also fostered cooperation in trade, security, new technologies and regional stability.

Amid “tremendous interest” to improve ties between Saudi and Indian business communities, Kechichian said that such courses will help both sides to get to know each other better and pave the way for future cooperation.

“All indications are, in fact, that both sides are trying to encourage business leaders to create entrepreneurship and to do as much as possible to benefit both sides,” he said.

For Aarya R. Sardesai, a political science student at the Janki Devi Memorial College in the University of Delhi, understanding Saudi Arabia better was integral to her education.

“Obviously, it will benefit me to know in terms of how my country and Saudi Arabia can have better relations and stronger ties in future,” Sardesai told Arab News.

“I think Saudi Arabia is trying to set a new trend; it is trying to incline itself with the fast-paced globalized world and the attempts that they are making to bring these shifts … are quite commendable.”

The changes happening in Saudi Arabia were a point of attraction for many of the participants.

“This is more about the future parts of Gulf countries and how they are going to go about diversifying their economies … it is very close to my research,” said Ph.D. student Deepika Matangi.

Kelvin Benny, a Ph.D. candidate at JNU, said that he took part in the course because of Saudi Arabia’s importance in India’s Act West Policy, a government strategy aimed at strengthening relations with Arab countries.

“So, for our academic input we need deep research on Saudi, and especially Saudi is a country undergoing a huge transformation from a typical oil-based economy to a modern economy,” Benny told Arab News. “So, in this context, Saudi is very essential.”


UK delaying reversal on Israeli arms export ban: Report

UK delaying reversal on Israeli arms export ban: Report
Updated 23 January 2025
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UK delaying reversal on Israeli arms export ban: Report

UK delaying reversal on Israeli arms export ban: Report
  • British PM expects ‘sustained’ aid deliveries to Gaza before reversing partial weapons freeze
  • Israeli counterpart raised the matter during phone call on Tuesday

LONDON: The UK is delaying lifting its partial ban on arms exports to Israel until “sustained” humanitarian aid shipments arrive in Gaza, The Times reported.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who spoke to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu by telephone on Tuesday, is believed to be resisting pressure from Tel Aviv on the matter.

Starmer is expected to wait for formal legal advice that Israel’s policy on aid deliveries has improved before reversing the ban.

A source told The Times: “There are signs that the trucks are getting through. But we have told the Israelis we need that to be sustained and to see numbers increased.”

Last September, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy suspended 30 of 350 export licenses to Israel due to fears that the weapons could be used to commit violations of international law, implicating Britain in the process. Licenses are reviewed every six weeks as per government policy.

The government’s existing legal position on the banned export licenses cites credible claims of Israeli mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners of war, as well as insufficient aid deliveries to Gaza. Israel could “reasonably do more to facilitate humanitarian access and distribution,” it says.

During Tuesday’s phone call, Netanyahu “raised the issue of the weapons export licenses to Israel that have been frozen in the UK,” according to an Israeli government report.

There are concerns that an Israeli law set to take effect next week designating the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees as a terrorist group could prevent it from helping with urgent aid deliveries.

UNRWA is the largest aid organization in Gaza, with about 13,000 staff in the Palestinian enclave.


Daesh claims responsibility for killing Chinese national in Afghanistan

Daesh claims responsibility for killing Chinese national in Afghanistan
Updated 23 January 2025
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Daesh claims responsibility for killing Chinese national in Afghanistan

Daesh claims responsibility for killing Chinese national in Afghanistan
  • Daesh said it had targeted a vehicle carrying the Chinese citizen, which led to his death and damage to his vehicle
  • China said it was “deeply shocked” by the attack and demanded the Afghan side thoroughly investigate the incident

KABUL: Daesh (Islamic State) has claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese national in Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province, it said in a post on its Telegram channel late on Wednesday.

Afghan police in the province had said on Wednesday that a Chinese citizen was murdered and a preliminary investigation had been launched, but it was not clear who was behind the attack.

Daesh said it had targeted a vehicle carrying the Chinese citizen, which led to his death and damage to his vehicle.

China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it was “deeply shocked” by the attack and had demanded that the Afghan side thoroughly investigate the incident and severely punish the perpetrators.

“We urge the Afghan interim government to take resolute and effective measures to ensure the security of Chinese civil institutions and projects in Afghanistan,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing.

China was the first country to appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan under the Taliban and has said it wants to boost trade and investment ties.

The Taliban took over in 2021, vowing to restore security to the war-torn nation.

Attacks have continued, including an assault in 2022 on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese investors. Daesh has claimed responsibility for many of them.


NATO allies must pay ‘fair share’ before adding members: US envoy

NATO allies must pay ‘fair share’ before adding members: US envoy
Updated 23 January 2025
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NATO allies must pay ‘fair share’ before adding members: US envoy

NATO allies must pay ‘fair share’ before adding members: US envoy
  • NATO allies must pay their “fair share” on defense before considering enlarging the alliance, a US presidential envoy said Thursday, as NATO’s chief said members will need to ramp up defense spending

DAVOS: NATO allies must pay their “fair share” on defense before considering enlarging the alliance, a US presidential envoy said Thursday, as NATO’s chief said members will need to ramp up defense spending.
“You cannot ask the American people to expand the umbrella of NATO when the current members aren’t paying their fair share, and that includes the Dutch who need to step up,” US envoy Richard Grenell said by video link at an event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in response to NATO chief Mark Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister.
“We have collectively to move up and we will decide on the exact number later this year, but it will be considerably more than two (percent),” Rutte said, referring to the alliance’s target of defense spending of two percent of GDP.


Balkan air pollution crisis threatens public health, EU membership goals

Balkan air pollution crisis threatens public health, EU membership goals
Updated 23 January 2025
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Balkan air pollution crisis threatens public health, EU membership goals

Balkan air pollution crisis threatens public health, EU membership goals
  • Old coal plants, cars keep Balkan pollution high
  • Economic hardship hinders progress toward reducing emissions

OBILIC: For 30 years, Shemsi Gara operated a giant digger in a Kosovo coal mine, churning up toxic dust that covered his face and got into his airways. Home life wasn’t much better: the power plants that the mine supplies constantly spew fumes over his village.
Gara died on Sunday aged 55 after three years of treatment failed to contain his lung cancer. In his final days, unable to walk, he lay on a couch at home, gaunt and in pain, as a machine pumped oxygen into his dying body.
“I kept telling him I wanted to help, but I couldn’t,” said his wife Xhejlane, who mourned in her living room with friends on Wednesday. “He would say ‘Only God knows the pain I have’.”
As much of the world moves to reduce the use of fossil fuels, pollution in Western Balkan countries remains stubbornly high due to household heating, outdated coal plants, old cars, and a lack of money to tackle the problem.
Relatively small cities such as Serbia’s capital Belgrade and Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo have frequently topped daily global pollution charts, according to websites that track air quality worldwide.
This has costly health impacts, and could also jeopardize such countries’ prospects of joining the European Union, which has stricter emissions standards.
“There are no resources in the region for the reduction of air pollution,” said Mirko Popovic, a director with the Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute think-tank in Belgrade.
In the EU, net greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by about 40 percent since 1990, driven by the embrace of renewable energy, a European Commission report said in November.
Western Balkan nations have pledged to reduce carbon emissions but economic hardship has slowed progress.
Kosovo, one of Europe’s poorest countries, generates more than 90 percent of its power from coal. The World Bank estimates that a transition to a coal-free economy will cost 4.5 billion euros.

SMOG
The impact of pollution is clear across the region, especially in winter.
Smog has cloaked Belgrade this week, while Sarajevo sits in a valley that acts as a pollution trap. The Bosnian capital’s air quality was classed as “hazardous” on Tuesday, the worst in the world, according to IQAir, which tracks pollution levels.
In North Macedonia’s capital Skopje, mask-wearing locals often lose sight of nearby snow-capped mountains for days.
The rate of deaths attributable to ambient pollution is relatively high — 114 per 100,000 people in Bosnia and around 100 in Serbia and Montenegro, World Health Organization data show, compared with just 45 in Germany and 29 in France.
Gara was buried on Monday in a cemetery in Obilic, outside Kosovo’s capital Pristina. From the graveside, mourners could hear the chug of a nearby conveyor belt transporting coal from the mine to the power plants.
Gara’s doctor, Haki Jashari, blamed Gara’s cancer on his years at the coal mine, and on the polluting power plants.
Cancer rates more than doubled in Obilic over the last two years, Jashari said — the result, he added, of a generation of exposure to pollutants. He expects it will get worse.
Kosovo’s energy ministry told Reuters it was committed to reducing emissions and was investing in renewable energy projects and upgrading existing plants.
Jashari only wishes more could have been done sooner.
“They would have shut the plants down if we were part of the EU. It is unacceptable.”