The Gulf Cooperation Council has reportedly offered to host a comprehensive peace talks between rival factions in Yemen, including the Iran-backed Houthi militias, in Riyadh, media reported…reports Asian Lite News
The talks are expected to begin on March 27 and would continue for at least one week, according to Arab News report.
A senior government official told Arab News that GCC will invite all Yemeni components, both supporters and oppositions, and “the putschist Houthis would have some seats in the talks.”
Former Yemeni government ministers and outspoken politicians such as Ahmed Al-Maysari, Saleh Al-Jabwani and Abdul Aziz Al-Jubari would be invited, it was reported.
Meanwhile, forces of the Saudi-led coalition have repelled advances by the Houthi militia on two fronts in Yemen’s oil-rich province of Marib, a military source said.
Coalition airstrikes targeted the Houthi combatants in the western district of Sirwah and southern district of Al-Jubah, just a few miles away from the government-controlled central city of Marib and adjacent Safer oil fields, the source told Xinhua news agency.
“The strikes killed dozens and destroying several of their vehicles, forcing them (Houthis) to retreat,” he added.
Meanwhile, the coalition said it launched 12 airstrikes on the Houthi militia in Marib in the past 24 hours, destroying eight vehicles and inflicting heavy casualties on the militia group, Riyadh’s Al-Arabiya TV reported.
Houthi media also reported the coalition airstrikes in Marib but did not provide details.
The Houthi rebels have recently lost several strategic districts in the oil-rich central-south province of Shabwa and the central province of Marib.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government army of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.
Last week, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that 10,200 children were killed or injured since the conflict escalated in Yemen nearly seven years ago.
“The actual number is likely much higher,” UNICEF Representative to Yemen Philippe Duamelle said in a statement.
“Following the intensification of the conflict in 2021, violence has continued to escalate this year and as always children are the first and most to suffer,” Duamelle said.
Just over the first two months of this year, 47 children were reportedly killed or maimed in several locations across Yemen, he added.
The statement noted that “violence, misery and grief have been commonplace in Yemen with severe consequences on millions of children and families. It is high time that a sustainable political solution is reached for people and their children to finally live in the peace they so well deserve. (with inputs from ANI/Xinhua)
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Nayef Al-Hajraf ink deal on political consultations mechanism…reports Asian Lite News
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Nayef Al-Hajraf have signed a memo of understanding on the mechanism of political consultations between the two sides, Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez tweeted.
Earlier, Shoukry and Al-Hajraf on Thursday discussed means of boosting relations between Egypt and the Gulf countries, as well as tackling a number of important regional and international issues, Hafez added.
In December 2021, Egypt and the GCC launched for the first time the political consultation mechanism, when Al-Hajraf said that “Egypt-Gulf relations are pillars for regional security and stability,” Xinhua news agency reported.
Goyal tantalised his audience in Mumbai with the prospect of commercially engaging India with combined nominal GDP of US$1.6 trillion of the GCC countries…writes Krishnan Nayar
Encouraged by the successful conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the UAE and India last week, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, has said the next step is to conclude a similar agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Encouraged by the record speed with which the CEPA was negotiated and finalised, Goyal told a meeting in Mumbai that the Indian government “looks forward to conclude a similar economic partnership agreement with the GCC during this year itself”.
Goyal tantalised his audience in Mumbai with the prospect of commercially engaging India with combined nominal GDP of US$1.6 trillion of the GCC countries. “We are also confident of our negotiating ability, we have conducted negotiations in a rapid manner with UAE, and we believe that can be replicated with the GCC.”
Nayef Falah Mubarak Al Hajraf, Secretary-General of the GCC, had met Goyal in November last year to discuss commercial relations between the GCC and India.
The UK is hoping to conclude a free trade agreement with the six countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council this year as part of its post-Brexit vision of becoming a major trading nation, reports Asian Lite news
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, have discussed a number of matters including a new UK-GCC trade deal.
Johnson has reiterated the strength of bilateral relationship between both countries and committed to further boost investment ties, energy cooperation and people-to-people links, Downing Street said in a statement.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the UK’s partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council and intention to agree a new UK-GCC trade deal. The UK is hoping to conclude a free trade agreement with the six countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council this year as part of its post-Brexit vision of becoming a major trading nation.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
They welcomed defence and security collaboration between the UK and Saudi Arabia, noting ongoing regional challenges in Iran and Yemen. The Prime Minister and Crown Prince looked forward to meeting in person at the earliest opportunity.
The talks comes after Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched an attack over Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport, which resulted in the injuries of 12 civilians caused by shrapnel. Saudi Arabia’s air force shot has down the drone.
Houthi rebels had also called on Saudi citizens to avoid possible scenes of conflict, including Abha’s airport, which they called a military target, as reported by the Yemeni broadcaster Al Masirah on Thursday.
The average spend of Russian travellers is expected to grow significantly between 2021 and 2026, increasing by US$85 to reach approximately US$1,280 per person during this period…reports Asian Lite News
Russia has grown to become the second-largest source market for Dubai’s travel and tourism sector in 2021, climbing from eighth place in last year’s rankings, according to data released ahead of the next edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 9th to 12th May 2022.
Commissioned by Reed Exhibitions (RX), the organisers of ATM 2022, the Colliers report concluded that the UAE is also likely to retain its status as the preferred GCC destination for Russian visitors over the longer term, accounting for more than 90 percent of inbound arrivals in 2026.
In addition to the volume of inbound visitors to the UAE, the average spend of Russian travellers is expected to grow significantly between 2021 and 2026, increasing by US$85 to reach approximately US$1,280 per person during this period. Consequently, the Russian market is on course to surpass US$1 billion for the Emirates within the next four years.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME – Arabian Travel Market, said, “The latest figures from Colliers demonstrate that visitors from Russia are playing – and will continue to play – an important role for our region’s travel sector, especially when it comes to the UAE.
“The fact that Dubai was among the first destinations to open its borders to Russian travellers without the need to quarantine has no doubt been a significant factor in the sustained levels of visitation, with 296,000 inbound arrivals to the emirate in 2020.
“Encouragingly, 2021 numbers look set to surpass that figure, with Dubai having welcomed 256,000 visitors from Russia as of the third quarter of the year.”
The Russian market’s average length of stay (ALoS) saw a year-on-year uptick of 74.5 percent in Q4 2020, growing to 8.2 nights from the 4.7 nights recorded during the corresponding period of the previous year.
Despite ALoS expected to decline gradually in the future as new regional destinations continue to emerge, Colliers researchers predict that drivers such as Expo 2020 Dubai and spillover demand from FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will boost inbound arrivals from Russia by 170 percent in the short term.
“In light of this forecast, the Russian travel and tourism market will be of great interest to ATM 2022 attendees. As such, we will have a dedicated seminar on the Russian market, which will tackle key content on this lucrative market, as well as focusing on attracting leading buyers through our hosted buyer programme,” added Curtis.
The session is organised by Destination of the World News and focuses on the luxury end of the market.
Now in its 29th year and working in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), ATM show highlights in 2022 will include, among others, destination summits focused on the key source markets of Saudi Arabia, Russia and India.
Travel Forward, the leading global event for travel technology, will shine a spotlight on next-generation innovations for tourism and hospitality. ATM buyer forums and speed networking events will take place during the four days of the show.
GCC Secretary-General to visit Brussels to strengthen GCC-EU ties
The Secretary-General expressed his hope that his visit will further strengthen the Gulf-European relations…reports Asian Lite News
Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al Hajraf, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has stressed the importance of the GCC-EU relations and the need to further develop them to achieve common interests, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Dr. Al-Hajraf made these remarks ahead his official visit that will start tomorrow, Monday, to the headquarters of the European Union in the Belgian capital, Brussels. During the visit, he will meet a number of senior officials of the European Union, said the SPA report on Sunday.
The Secretary-General expressed his hope that his visit will further strengthen the Gulf-European relations, as it is important for both the GCC and the EU to enhance the regional and international security and stability, especially in the light of a number of global challenges.
Dr. Nayef Al Hajraf said that the visit will include a discussion on potential cooperation in areas of mutual interest, exchanging views regarding regional issues and political developments. The two sides will also discuss the importance of strengthening and developing economic and investment relations, said the SPA report.
Modi has made a point to visit the Gulf countries including Oman, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestine and Israel even though some of these countries have certain competing redlines….writes Amb Anil Trigunayat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit abroad in 2022 was supposed to be to the UAE and Kuwait. It had to be postponed due to the spiralling Omicron Covid virus both in India and the Middle East.
However, the relations with the West Asian countries and particularly with the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries have acquired a truly strategic dimension during the past decade or so. For years it remained a transactional buyer -seller relationship mainly driven by oil, diaspora interests and remittances.
After Indira Gandhi’s visits in the 1980s and until 2008, we did not have any high-level visit from India to the most important and historically connected region, barely located 2-3 hours away, which is so strategically important for our own wellbeing. Inexplicable indeed! Especially as these countries are so critical to our energy security, maritime security, food security and of course the diaspora welfare which remain the major planks of our strengthening relationship.
But it has changed qualitatively in recent years. Both sides have become re-engaged with a near euphoria and realistic appreciation of mutual concerns, aspirations and bilateral mutually beneficial opportunities as well as limitations. No wonder then this would have been PM Modi’s 4th visit to UAE alone even though the first one to Kuwait that clearly underscores the strategic importance India attaches to the region.
UAE most popular destination for Indian tourists
Modi has made a point to visit the Gulf countries including Oman, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestine and Israel even though some of these countries have certain competing redlines.
He became the first Indian PM to visit many countries like Bahrain, Israel and Palestine. However, India’s de-hyphenation policy and treating individual country relationship on a bilateral standalone basis with broader regional positivity has held it on a good wicket.
Modi has been conferred with the highest state honours by many of the countries in acknowledgment of the surging relations. India has expanded the collaborative matrix as new challenges in the region have become quite pronounced.
It is also evident from the fact that India has entered strategic partnerships that encompasses maritime cooperation and use of assets , conducting joint military exercises and exchanges and overall defence cooperation, piracy, counter-terrorism, repatriation of wanted criminals and fugitives, cyber security, trade and investment, new and sunrise sectors like space, nuclear and renewal energy and technological collaboration which will also define our future specialised engagement with the major countries in the region.
For years our relations were seen and conducted and held hostage by the shadow of their relationship with Pakistan and Islamic connect. Even that has changed. Both Saudi Arabia and UAE and others have recognised Islamabad’s hand-in-glove approach with globally denounced and sanctioned terrorist groups. This was evident during their reactions to India’s abrogation of Article 370 in J&K and action with regard to Uri , Pulwama terror attacks and retaliatory Balakot strikes.
It was a significant diplomatic achievement. Besides, the UAE Foreign Minister invited her Indian counterpart late Sushma Swaraj to address the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) meet much to the chagrin and objection of the Pakistani Foreign Minister who considered it as its home turf.
India also welcomed the Abraham Accords between some Arab countries and Israel and reconciliation and rapprochement among various regional powers like Saudi Arabia and Iran including the lifting of the Qatar blockade since any conflict in the region has direct consequences for India’s own security and welfare. It has actively begun to find opportunities to join hands in trilateral or quadrilateral formats wherever feasible–be it in the region or in Africa.
Recently, India became part of a new trade and technology quartet with UAE, US and Israel to harness mutual competencies for economic growth and development.
Iran and the GCC put together to provide an important pivot to India’s historic and economic ties with the individual countries. They have also acquired a new heft even in the context of Afghanistan.
Qatar and Iran play a pivotal role for India’s outreach to the new regime via Doha and central Asian connectivity via Tehran (Chabahar and INSTC) despite US sanctions. On the other hand, GCC countries are critical to India’s energy security as it receives over 70% of oil and 90% of gas from them. For the first time, Indian consortium was able to secure stakes in oil exploration in UAE as its Farzad B field in Iran became a casualty of geo-politics.
Moreover, UAE and Saudi Arabia have become India’s 3rd and 4th largest trading partners and Dubai an entrepot and transit, trade and export hub for India as thousands of Indian companies operate in UAE’s special economic zones across the whole spectrum of techno-economic engagement.
New Delhi and Abu Dhabi are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership/Free Trade Agreement, which should be finalised soon as per Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal. Meanwhile, having faith in Indian opportunities many of these countries have committed to huge investments in India and despite the pandemic they have gone ahead with their intended projects and investments in India.
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had agreed to invest $100bn in Indian infrastructure, refineries, real estate and strategic petroleum reserves as they are hoping to attract Indian investments and expertise to fulfil their 2030 Vision. Similarly, UAE has committed to $75 bn in quality and strategic investments. Qatar is also another one scouting for investable opportunities. Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain are not far behind.
Indian workforce both blue and white-collar has played a very significant role in the growth story of the Gulf countries. The 9 million diaspora continues to be the preferred workforce in the region which has played an important role in India’s P2P connectivity between the countries of their residence and country of their origin by sending more than $50 bn in remittances annually that has been a critical addition for India’s foreign exchange reserves.
UAE PM Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Dubai
But as we have seen during the pandemic the low oil prices or economic downturn could create an unforeseen challenge due to job losses, localisation of jobs, retrenchments and redundancies due to changing skill requirements. Hence, India had to evacuate a large number of Indians who would be returning back in due course to the GCC countries.
But for that it is imperative that we retrain and reskill them for the needs of the jobs and times as rich Gulf countries are moving faster towards AI-driven services and manufacturing processes. This will remain a challenge in the medium term.
The Gulf countries are part of our extended neighbourhood and our destinies are interlinked. Happily, the relations are at their best, but we shall have to innovate new dimensions of our mutually beneficial engagement.
While bilateral relations are doing well New Delhi needs to also adopt a regional approach and be a stakeholder out of the comfort zone as most countries in the region look up to India as a trusted and objective interlocutor. There might be costs in exercising power so be it lest we leave that space to China which is already very well entrenched in the Middle East. We can’t allow Pakistan yet again.
(The author is a former Indian Ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta and a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation; views expressed are his own.)
The UAE is one of the most attractive Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for GCC citizens to work in, as per 2021 statistics announced by the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA)…reports Asian Lite News
They amount to 6,903 out of 19,808 GCC employees working outside their countries.
Hanan Al-Sahlawi, Executive Director of the Pensions Sector and Chairman of the Technical Committee
Hanan Al-Sahlawi, Executive Director of the Pensions Sector and Chairman of the Technical Committee, representing the UAE in the meetings of the Permanent Technical Committee for Civil Retirement and Social Security Apparatus in the GCC countries, stressed that the insurance protection extension system offered to the GCC citizens has created further unity and employment transfer opportunities within their countries. “Social, economic and political ties between the GCC countries have resulted in encouraging employees to easily transfer from one GCC country to the other, offering them the right to enjoy insurance protection as if they were working in their own home country.”
Al-Sahlawi explained that GPSSA plays the mediator role between the insured and his/her pension authority in their home country and that is to ensure that they are registered and to follow the contribution settlements and finally their end of service when applicable.
“I urge GCC citizens working in the region to make sure their employers register and pay contributions to the pension authority in the employees’ home country. It is extremely important that employers commit to paying contributions according to employees’ actual salaries to ensure that contributions and end of service benefits are made on time. The monthly contribution rates for insured individuals covered by the system differ in each country.”
In the UAE, the insured is expected to pay 5 percent, public entities 15 percent and private entities 12.5 percent, and the rest of the 2.5 percent covered by the government as a means of support and encouragement for Emirati employees working in the private sector.”
Insured individuals in Kuwait who work in either public or private entities contribute 7.5 percent, while the employer bears 11 percent. In Saudi Arabia, the employer in the public and private sector bears 9 percent, and the insured bears the same percentage. In Qatar, the insured bears 5 percent and the employer 10 percent.
In Oman, the insured in the public sector contributes 7 percent, and the employer bears 15 percent, while in the private sector, the insured contributes 7 percent. In comparison, the employer pays 10.5 percent of the value of these contributions. In Bahrain, the insured working in either the public or private sector bears 6 percent and the employer in the public sector 15 percent, while in the private sector employers pay 9 percent.
Al-Sahlawi stressed the importance of the employer’s commitment to pay GCC citizens the end-of-service gratuity prior to applying the protection extension system during their duration of employment. It should not prejudice any other rights or benefits that are established under the regulations that the employers are bound by with their employees.
Any service period before the date of application of this system with the current employer may be merged with the employees’ previous service period under the conditions of accumulating the service periods in each country.
The UK and GCC are working towards a new Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with negotiations expected to commence next year, which will boost links in areas like investment and services…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
UK and Gulf Foreign Ministers on Monday agreed to strengthen security and economic ties, setting the stage for an era of closer cooperation in areas including trade, cyber security and green infrastructure investment into low and middle-income countries.
GCC, UK vow to boost economic, security ties
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Trusss convened the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait, the UAE Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General at Chevening House on Monday.
The group agreed to work together to boost clean, reliable, honest infrastructure financing into the developing world, using their collective expertise to maximise the impact of investments. The Gulf visitors also welcomed the relaunched British International Investment (BII) body, which will increase investments in infrastructure, tech and clean energy projects across Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.
In October, BII, then called CDC, announced a new deal with Dubai’s DP World to modernise 3 ports in Senegal, Somaliland and Egypt. This is part of a wider programme to boost African trade around the world.
Foreign Ministers also welcomed work to increase trade between the UK and the GCC, which is worth more than £30 billion per year. The UK and GCC are working towards a new Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with negotiations expected to commence next year, which will boost links in areas like investment and services.
Liz Truss stressed in her first major speech as Foreign Secretary at Chatham House earlier this month that Britain and its partners needed to “be on the front foot” because “the battle for economic influence is already in full flow”. The Foreign Secretary sees closer economic and security with the Gulf as key to standing up to malign actors.
“Closer economic and security ties with our Gulf partners will deliver jobs and opportunities for the British people and help make us all safer,” Truss said. “Co-investing with the Gulf in infrastructure will help low-and middle-income countries being strategically dependent on any one provider, while also boosting clean growth and encouraging enterprise and innovation to flourish.”
“It is a win-win for all parties. I want us to have much deeper links in key areas like trade, investment, development and cybersecurity with a part of the world that is important to Britain’s long-term interests,” she added.
The GCC is one of the world’s most important networks for key regional and security issues. The meeting was also used to discuss the conflict in Yemen, Iran’s destabilising regional activity, and the Afghanistan crisis. The UK has worked closely with Gulf allies on these issues, providing urgent humanitarian assistance and working together on evacuations in Afghanistan.
As one of the first countries to publicly welcome the Abraham Accords, which normalised Israel’s relations with the UAE, Bahrain and others in the region, the UK remains positive that this historic step can promote shared regional prosperity and security. The UK will support Israel and its partners in the Gulf to achieve this, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Last week, the UK welcomed the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said to London for talks with Her Majesty The Queen, His Highness The Prince of Wales, the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary. They discussed key issues, including regional security, investments and trade.
Abdullah bin Zayed and GCC Secretary discusses advancing joint GCC action
The GCC secretary-general congratulated Sheikh Abdullah on the selection of the UAE to host the COP28 climate conference in 2023…reports Asian Lite News
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and visiting Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf, discussed ways of advancing the joint GCC action in a way that realises aspirations of the GCC leaders and brings about welfare and prosperity for the GCC peoples.
Abdullah bin Zayed and GCC Secretary discusses advancing joint GCC action
The two parties also took stock of an array of issues of mutual interest.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed commended Al-Hajraf’s efforts to push the joint GCC action forward.
