World

Aid agencies in Sudan struggle with looting, bureaucracy to deliver relief

Aid workers in Sudan say fierce fighting, rampant looting and reams of red tape are hampering efforts to deliver vital humanitarian supplies to the millions of people who now rely on a relief effort since a conflict erupted in mid-April.

The United Nations estimates 25 million people, or more than half the population, now need help, up from 16 million before the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began fighting.

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“Often we cannot move because the warehouse is being looted or because it’s unsafe for our staff to move, or because for the transporter it’s unsafe to go,” said Jean-Nicolas Armstrong Dangelser, emergency coordinator for medical aid group MSF.

Truck drivers have sometimes been detained and supplies seized, he said.

The most intense fighting has been in the Khartoum area, one of Africa’s biggest urban sprawls with 5 million or more people, but it has spread beyond that, including to Darfur, a region in the far west already racked by years of conflict.

At least eight aid workers are among the hundreds of people killed in nearly seven weeks of fighting. Several ceasefires have been agreed, but they have been routinely violated and talks in Saudi Arabia between the combatants have collapsed.

At least 1.2 million people have been displaced inside Sudan and another 400,000 have fled to neighboring states.

“It’s not just the fighting … it’s also the lootings, the general state of lawlessness which makes things extremely complicated,” said Alyona Synenko, a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

At least 162 vehicles have been stolen from aid organizations, while 61 offices and 57 warehouses have been looted, an official from UN humanitarian agency OCHA said.

“It’s almost impossible to get anything from outside Darfur into Darfur at the moment,” said MSF’s Dangelser.

Aid workers say communications have broken down, hindering both the coordination of aid and payments to staff, which rely on mobile apps after the regular banking system largely ceased to function.

Port Sudan, the army-controlled port on the Red Sea in the east, has become a hub for aid deliveries, as well as a center for government officials and diplomats fleeing the capital, 820 kms (510 miles) away by road.

But OCHA said only 129 of the 168 truck deliveries that were ready to deliver aid since May 24 had reached their destinations around Sudan.

Aid teams in limbo

Aid agencies also say they have struggled to secure visas to Sudan or travel permits to deliver relief inside the country.

“On a national level, it seems from a bureaucratic perspective, the situation is getting worse and increasingly securitized,” said one senior representative of a non-governmental organization, asking not to be named to avoid jeopardizing sensitive negotiations about access.

The OCHA official said that, as of May 27, at least 40 visa applications were pending at Sudanese embassies, and some people had not applied because the process was unclear.

MSF said it had teams stranded for more than two weeks in Port Sudan without being allowed to move to other states.

General Mohamed Othman Mohamed, the military head of Red Sea State, said there had only been small delays for dealing with security procedures. “There are no obstacles to the distribution of this aid,” he told Reuters.

An army official said the foreign ministry was handling visas for aid workers and a national committee was coordinating aid distribution with Red Cross/Red Crescent officials.

The ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

The United Nations, which says it needs $2.6 billion to meet Sudan’s aid needs this year, said the number of people going hungry would exceed 19 million in coming months.

“We’re looking at about 40 percent of the population that will not know where their next meal would come from,” said Leni Kinzli from the UN World Food Program, which suspended work for two weeks after several staff were killed early in the conflict.

The WFP said on Thursday food for 4.4 million people was now at risk due to an attack on its warehouses in El Obeid, a city southwest of Khartoum and home to one of the WFP’s largest logistics bases in Africa.

The UN agency said it had already lost supplies in Sudan worth $60 million during the conflict.

“As much as we can respond we are responding and we are providing support, but it’s extremely challenging to meet all the needs and reach everyone,” said Kinzli.

US imposes sanctions against those perpetuating violence in Sudan

More than 100, 000 Sudanese refugees flee to Chad since start of conflict: UN

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