World

Earthquake aid becomes political pawn as powers clash over Syria access

Aid deliveries to tens of thousands of Syrians caught up in this week’s earthquake are being hampered by wrangling between rival powers in the country’s more than decade-long war.

“The devastation from the earthquake is unimaginable,” United Nations’ Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen tweeted after a meeting of the Syria Humanitarian Task Force on Thursday, as he appealed to countries not to politicize the response. “This is about putting people first,” he said.

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While supplies have flowed into heavily damaged regions of neighboring Turkey, in Syria the areas hit are mainly controlled by anti-government forces that President Bashar al Assad has been battling since 2011.

That has raised tensions over aid provision that have embroiled Turkey, Russia and the US and Europe amid longstanding international sanctions on Assad and his government for atrocities committed since the start of the conflict, leaving quake victims as pawns in the wider struggle over the Middle East state.

US and European representatives clashed with their Russian counterpart over the sanctions at the closed-door talks in Geneva, according to a Middle East-based senior European diplomat who received the meeting’s minutes. A spokesperson for Pedersen’s office declined to comment.

The US and its allies should immediately lift sanctions because their “politicized approach hinders the provision of aid to earthquake victims,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing Friday in Moscow. “We emphasize the need for urgent international assistance to Damascus in close coordination with the Syrian government.”

The risk is Syria and Russia seek to spin the crisis in their favor as part of a disinformation campaign that’s distracting from the rescue efforts. Syrian government channels are spreading the message that US and European sanctions are impeding relief work, claims echoed in media outlets in Iran and Russia which both backed Assad in the conflict.

‘Lift Sanctions’

“All we want from Europe and the US now is to lift sanctions,” Assad’s adviser Bouthaina Shaaban told Sky News on Wednesday. “It is the sanctions that are making life here impossible and causing the death of people under the rubble.”

Aid workers and diplomats involved in the response reject this and accuse the government in Damascus of exploiting the situation for its own gain, saying most Syrian aid funded by Europe and the US goes through UN agencies and their local partners based in the capital. They pointed to Syria routinely blocking international aid to rebel-held areas in the north and siphoning supplies for the rest of the country.

With the death toll in Turkey and Syria together exceeding 23,000 and with tens of thousands still trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, rescue workers say there’s an urgent need for medical supplies and shelters to help survivors of the disaster.

The first convoy of humanitarian aid provided by the UN was only able to cross into northwest Syria from Turkey’s Cilvegozu border post on Thursday, but the shipment is small relative to the scale of devastation there. Turkey is trying to get agreement from Russia for new border crossings to be opened to deliver aid, according to Turkish officials.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov didn’t respond to a request to comment.

“Russia won’t be against this, providing it’s agreed with Damascus,” said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East analyst.

Turkey and Russia are on opposing sides in northern Syria, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened in November to begin a long-delayed offensive against US-backed Kurdish forces that Ankara regards as controlled by terrorists. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who sent his military to back Assad’s troops in 2015, wants Damascus to regain control of all the country’s territory from rebel forces.

While Russia last month supported a UN resolution to extend the use of the Cilvegozu, or Bab al-Hawa, border crossing as the sole point of entry for international aid shipments into Syria, it has opposed opening other checkpoints allowing material to flow to rebel-held territory.

Meanwhile, nearly 50 aircraft laden with humanitarian aid and medical supplies and equipment have flown into Damascus and Aleppo since Monday, according to the Syrian Ministry of Transportation. The United Arab Emirates alone, which restored diplomatic ties with Damascus in 2019, has airlifted 640 tons of relief to both Syria and Turkey, according to the country’s news agency WAM.

“The ball is in the Americans’ court,” said Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, who runs the UAE-based Emirates Policy Center. “The UAE has been open to Syria and bringing Syria back into the Arab fold but without removing the sanctions, no one can get help with reconstruction.”

Western powers say the main reason for the sanctions is to compel Assad to agree to meaningful political reforms, something he has refused to do.

Still, the US on Thursday said it was easing restrictions on money transfers to Syria until early August to facilitate earthquake relief. It also announced $85 million in humanitarian assistance to Turkey and Syria.

The European Union has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism which allows for aid to flow directly to government-controlled areas of Syria as well.

For thousands of Syrians whose lives have been shattered by the disaster and who urgently need assistance, the political maneuvering seems very distant from their concerns.

“People are dying slowly,” said Ikram Habboush, a physician in Idlib, one of the worst hit areas, by phone. “We need help now however you bring it to us.”

Six-year-old among three rescued in Syria’s Jindayris four days after quake

White Helmets slam UN earthquake response in opposition areas of Syria

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM