Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meets with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed stressed that Syria is a fundamental pillar of Arab security, and that the UAE is keen to strengthen bilateral cooperation, reports Asian Lite News
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday met with both Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid received President Al-Assad, at Al Marmoom Rest House, Dubai. President Bashar Al-Assad arrived in the country earlier on Friday, where he was received at the Dubai International Airport by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
During the meeting, Sheikh Mohammed expressed his wishes for peace, security, stability and prosperity to prevail in Syria and the entire region, The meeting dealt with the overall relations between the two countries and the prospects of expanding cooperation in a way to achieve their comprehensive development goals, and enhances the chances of peace and stability in Syria and the region.
The two sides also reviewed the current situation in Syria, as well as various developments on the Arab and international scene, and all topics of common interest.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meets with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid affirmed the UAE’s keenness to discover new paths of constructive cooperation with Syria, and to monitor opportunities to advance this cooperation for the common interests of the two brotherly peoples.
The meeting was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, along with other officials.
The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the Syrian President, including Dr. Faisal Mekdad, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
Meanwhile, at Qasr Al-Shati’ Palace in Abu Dhabi, Assad met Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and briefed him on the latest developments in Syria.
According to an official, statement, the two sides reviewed the fraternal relations between the two nations, and the prospects of fostering cooperation and joint coordination to achieve their common interests and contribute to the consolidation of security, stability and peace in the Arab region and the Middle East.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed a number of issues of interest, and emphasised on preserving the territorial integrity of Syria and the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country, in addition to providing political and humanitarian support for Syria and its people to reach a peaceful solution to all the besetting challenges, it added.
Sheikh Mohamed stressed that Syria is a fundamental pillar of Arab security, and that the UAE is keen to strengthen cooperation with it to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people towards stability and development.
They reviewed the two countries’ position on all regional and international issues and developments of common interest.
Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs attended the meeting.
Day one kicks off with the 1st Education Leaders Networking Reception, reports Asian Lite News
Global Education & Training Exhibition (GETEX), Middle East’s leading education exhibition and a student recruitment event, kicked off in Dubai on Thursday.
UAE Minister of State for General Education Jameela Salem Al Muhairi led the inauguration at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.
The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Abdulla Al Karam Director General of Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), other dignitaries and heads of several universities and schools in UAE.
GETEX 2022’s first day witnessed the attendance of hundreds of students in uniform from several schools across UAE. The afternoon session saw families and professionals of all age groups and nationalities engage with region and international institutions on the show floor.
This year’s edition paved the way for the 1st Education Leaders Networking Reception, where heads of universities discussed and engaged with leaders of K-12 schools for opportunities and potential collaborations moving forward.
The newly introduced K-12 education segment brought together 30 regional and international schools from the UAE, USA, Canada, the UK, and India to present and tackle opportunities and academic options for learners aged 3 to 18. The inclusion of young learners is to provide parents the chance to build a solid educational foundation starting with their children’s early academic years.
This exhibition, which will run until February 26, serves as a platform for learning institutions to achieve enrolment quotas while giving students and parents a wide array of options in their pursuit of quality education. It provides schools a chance to present themselves to a willing audience who are looking for education options Additionally, students can leverage the expertise and services of career guidance counselors present at the event.
Participants also joined the 8th edition of the GETEX Counsellors Forum, designed as a professional development platform for counselors. Titled ‘Fostering Resilience in Students,’ the session highlighted new learning methodology and the emotional and psychological impacts of the pandemic on educators.
Other interactive seminars include Changing Landscape of International Education; Use of Digital Audio Feedback; Online Schooling vs Traditional Schooling; How to Enroll in an Ivy League and Tier One University; UWC-High School at University; Preparing Youth for the Fourth Industrial Revolution; and Boarding Students Success in University.
To offer students further insights on studying overseas, GETEX also hosted the following seminars: Get to know Bahrain School & Dorm, Introduction to US Boarding School, Applying to an Art and Design College in the USA and Study in Germany.
Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), the organizer of GETEX, said: “The Middle East has one of the fast-growing student populations in the world, recording double-digit growth rate annually. We have to ensure that the younger generations have access to quality education to better prepare them for competitive job markets in the future. GETEX is the ideal platform to present learners options and opportunities so they can decide which educational program suits them well and which school would best help them unlock their potentials.”
The annual GETEX exhibition is aligned with the UAE’s education agenda of making quality education accessible to local and international students in the region while giving educational institutions an efficient and consistent wide-scale platform for their recruitment objectives.
Experts believe that the visits of Foreign Ministers might prove to be a symbiotic relationship where both China and the Middle East can develop mutual cooperation….reports Asian Lite News
Finding it a “great opportunity”, China is seeking to strengthen its strategic tie-ups in the Middle East in the fields of energy, technology, and infrastructure, as the United States is uprooting itself from the whole middle eastern region after investing heavily in the region.
In January this year alone, senior representatives from Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey, have visited China to discuss investments in security technology, infrastructure and energy resources including oil, a Canada-based think tank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS) said on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia’s Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud was the first foreign minister who came come to China, as per IFFRAS.
A meeting between Faisal Al Saud and Wang Yi, Foreign Minister and State Councillor was held in Wuxi, Jiangsu province of East China on January 10 where the two nations expressed their great interest in each other’s Marquee schemes such as “Vision 2030” and “Green Middle East” of Saudi Arabia and “Belt and Road Initiative” of China.
While other foreign Ministers who visited China last month were Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Oman’s Sayyid BadrAlbusaidi and Bahrain’s Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, IFFRAS reported adding that analysts believe that these meetings may pave the way for a China-GCC FTA (Free Trade Agreements).
Experts believe that these visits of Foreign Ministers might prove to be a symbiotic relationship where both China and the Middle East can develop mutual cooperation. Apart from physical visits, there have been many virtual meetings as well between the Arab nations and China.
To boost its relationship with the Middle East, China has also contributed greatly in COVID-19 pandemic times. China’s pharmaceutical juggernaut, Sinopharm has developed a local COVID vaccine manufacturing plant in the KIZAD zone of UAE, according to IFFRAS.
Meanwhile, there have also been talks among China and Iran to revive the 2015 Iranian Nuclear Deal.
In a report by New York Times, analysts claim that in a larger picture, China’s reluctance in engaging in regional politics unlike the US could prove to be deleterious for Sino-Arab relations. (ANI)
Amid rising accusations against China for trapping countries in massive debts with larger infrastructure plans, Syria has joined Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative which Beijing says will open broad horizons of cooperation for the Middle-East country…reports Asian Lite News
The ceremony of Syria’s admission into the initiative took place at the Planning and International Cooperation Commission in the capital Damascus and was attended by Fadi Khalil, the head of the commission, and Feng Biao, China’s ambassador to Syria, during which both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Syria joining the BRI, reported Xinhua.
The admission of Syria into the initiative revives the old role of Syria on the ancient Silk Road, said Khalil, adding it will help in boosting bilateral cooperation with China and multilateral cooperation with other countries, which are desirous of cooperating with Syria.
He also said that Syria had been one of the main countries on the ancient Silk Road particularly the cities of Aleppo and Palmyra.
With regard to the BRI, Chinese envoy Feng said that the cooperation between Beijing-Syria provides the greatest contribution to the economic reconstruction and social development in Syria and it also enhances the harmonization between the BRI and the eastward strategy proposed by Syria.
China proposed BRI in 2013, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Beijing said that it aims to build a trade, investment, and infrastructure network connecting Asia with other parts of the world along the ancient Silk Road trade routes and beyond.
Meanwhile, several countries have criticised the BRI project as they said that the project has become synonymous with wasteful spending, ecological destruction and massive debt burdens and aims to make profits for the participating country’s leaders and Chinese companies at the cost of the nation’s natural resources or people, said the InsideOver in a report earlier.
In 2018, a study found that 270 out of 1,814 BRI-related projects had problems related to debt sustainability, labour and environmental standards, national security, transparency, and corruption. A McKinsey survey in 2017 revealed that 60 per cent to 80 per cent of the Chinese companies in Africa admitted to paying bribes for bagging contracts. Further, Chinese firms scored second to last in one of the latest Transparency International Bribe Payers Index in the Continent, added the InsideOver.
Power Crisis
The US will allow Lebanon to import natural gas and electricity from Egypt and Jordan through Syria, without being subject to restrictions imposed by the US Caesar Act which prohibits cooperation with Syria, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib has said.
Lebanon and IMF to resume talks for int’l support
The US authorities have informed Egyptian officials about Lebanon’s capability of importing energy through Syria, Bou Habib said on Thursday during his meeting at Baabda Palace with President Michel Aoun to inform him about his recent visit to the US.
The Energy and Oil Ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon had agreed last September to supply Lebanon with electricity from Jordan and natural gas from Egypt through the Arab Gas pipeline to solve the electricity crisis in Lebanon, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Lebanese Foreign Minister also noted that US officials expressed keenness to resume the process of demarcating the southern maritime border between Lebanon and Israel, and the US mediator Amos Hochstein will come to Lebanon within the next few days to resume his efforts with the aim of moving forward in this regard.
Lebanon has been going through an unprecedented financial crisis due to the failing policies adopted by successive governments which resulted in a public debt hovering over $96 billion.
Lebanese held a nationwide protest against soaring prices and deteriorating living conditions caused by the long-term economic crisis.
Drivers and citizens took to the streets on Thursday in the capital Beirut, Tripoli, Khalde and other cities and towns, parking their cars in the middle of the streets and burning dust bins to blockade main roads, Xinhua news agency reported.
Fadi Abou Chakra, Spokesman for Lebanon’s fuel stations union, told Xinhua that the collapse of the Lebanese currency has impacted every aspect of life in the country.
“People can no longer afford their most basic needs, let alone to fill their cars with petrol which has increased in price following the hike in the price of US dollar while people’s salaries have remained the same,” he said.
Ali Bazzi, a taxi driver, said he can no longer afford fuel for his car but still cannot charge his clients more as they have already become too poor to take a taxi.
Lebanon has been suffering from an unprecedented financial crisis amid shortage of US dollars which has caused a collapse in the local currency, plunging over 78 per cent of the population into poverty. The cabinet formed in September 2021 has not met for three months, as political rivals have been differing on the issues of investigation into the 2020 Beirut port blast.
The sides discussed the group’s efforts to support the implementation of the Abraham Accords in the region, and promote tolerance and coexistence…reports Asian Lite News
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received a high-level delegation from the UK Abraham Accords Group, a non-profit organisation that aims to support the implementation of the historic Abraham Accords in the Middle East.
Sheikh Abdullah met with the Rt Hon Dr. Liam Fox MP, former UK Secretary of State for Defense and Chair of the Group, along with the delegation members and several British MPs, including Mark Garnier MP, Vice Chair of the International Trade Select Committee, Stephen Crabb, Parliamentary Chairman of Conservative Friends of Israel, and Dr. Lisa Cameron MP, Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Foreign Affairs.
Sheikh Abdullah
During the meeting, the sides discussed the group’s efforts to support the implementation of the Abraham Accords in the region, and promote tolerance and coexistence.
The meeting also explored enhancing strategic ties between the UAE and the UK and their cooperation and coordination to promote security and stability in the region.
Sheikh Abdullah welcomed the delegation’s visit, lauding their positive and tangible contributions to supporting the peace accords in the Middle East.
He also commended the group’s work, which led to the signing of a cooperation agreement with Sharaka, a non-profit organisation founded by youth from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Israel.
He stressed that peace contributes to building bridges of tolerance and coexistence among peoples and meets their aspirations for development, progress and prosperity.
Capitalising on the Abraham Accords will help improve security in the region, establish stable communities and ensure a brighter future, Sheikh Abdullah added.
During the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah underscored the longstanding historic relations between the UAE and the UK and their keenness to enhance ties and cooperation in all areas.
The meeting was attended by Mansour Abdullah Khalfan Belhoul, UAE Ambassador to the UK.
The UK Abraham Accords Group and Sharaka agreed to mutually promote the economic and cultural ties among the Abraham Accords countries and identify and pursue ways to build upon the Accords in the Middle East…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Leaders of the UK Abraham Accords Group and Sharaka, have signed a cooperation agreement (MoU) at a private event at the Crossroads of Civilisations Museum in Dubai, UAE.
Signing on behalf of the UK Abraham Accords Group were Rt Hon Dr. Liam Fox MP, former UK Secretary of State for Defense and former UK Secretary of State for International Trade, and the Group’s Executive Director, Laura Roberts.
Dr. Fox is leading a delegation of British MPs to see first-hand the impact Abraham Accords is making on trade and industry, religious and cultural cooperation.
Signing on behalf of Sharaka were Amit Deri, Israeli Co-Founder and CEO, and Dr. Majid Al Sarrah, its Emirati Co-Founder and UAE CEO. Dr. Fox and Dr. Al Sarrah, as well as Ahmed Al Mansoori, Founder of the museum offered remarks.
Mansour Abdullah Khalfan Belhoul, UAE Ambassador to the UK, along with the UK delegation, senior members and activists from Sharaka, including Global Affairs Director, Dan Feferman, US CEO Omar Al Busaidy and Media and Academic Advisor, Dr. Najat Al Saeed, were in attendance.
The Rt Hon Dr. Liam Fox MP said, “The UK Abraham Accords Group is pleased to work with Sharaka. Both of our organisations are committed to furthering the goals of the Abraham Accords, and promote peace and prosperity in the Middle East. We hope that through this new partnership we will make an impact beyond borders and spread the message of peace to all.”
Majid Al Sarrah added, “The Abraham Accords continue to prosper and prove that they offer a sustainable and successful peace model. Sharaka took the lead among non-governmental groups to bring people together in the name of peace and the desire to build a bright future. To see Sharaka signing significant agreements with such an important and influential group from the UK (and previously from the US), will result in helping bolster the peace model and push it forward.”
Amit Deri said, “We are honoured to be signing this agreement to promote the common purpose of further promoting the Abraham Accords and the new model for peace and partnership in the Middle East. We are glad to see the UK encouraging support of the international community, and look forward to working with the UK Abraham Accords Group and Dr. Liam Fox MP, a long-time supporter of peace and moderation in the region. This approach proves that dialogue and cooperation are the way forward.”
The UK Abraham Accords Group and Sharaka agreed to mutually promote the economic and cultural ties among the Abraham Accords countries and identify and pursue ways to build upon the Accords in the Middle East. Furthermore, these organisations will work to expand awareness of the Accords and their positive impact in the UK.
Together, both parties will work to identify influencers from the Abraham Accords countries in the media, society, academia, business, and other fields and bring them on mutual visits – Israelis to the Arab world, people from the Arab world to Israel, and joint delegations to the UK. They will follow up by seeking areas for regional cooperation in a variety of fields to create a meaningful and positive impact.
They will work to measure the impact of the new cooperation between Israel and the Abraham Accords countries; identify and pursue areas of cooperation between the countries; work to build multi-lateral forums in the region on issues of shared importance; help communicate the importance and benefits of the accords to a broader audience regionally and in the UK; and participate in each other’s events to help continue promoting the accords and their expansion in the Middle East.
The UK Abraham Accords Group is a non-partisan, non-profit UK organisation dedicated to supporting the implementation and expansion of the historic peace agreements in the Middle East, known as the Abraham Accords. The Rt Hon Dr. Fox MP was appointed to his position by the UAE, Bahrain and Israeli ambassadors to the UK.
Sharaka, which means ‘partnership’, is a non-profit, non-partisan organisation founded by young leaders from Israel and the Gulf to turn the vision of people-to-people peace into a reality and encourage citizen diplomacy.
Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh said that the country is facing unprecedented water poverty…reports Asian Lite News
When addressing the lower house of the country’s Parliament, he said the annual per capita share of water in Jordan is nearly 90 cubic metres, while the global water poverty line is 500 cubic metres, Xinhua news agency reported citing state media.
“If the situation continues to deteriorate, the annual per capita share will drop to 60 cubic metres by 2040,” he said, citing scientific reports.
PM Bisher Al-Khasawneh
The Prime Minister said the kingdom has discussed the feasibility of a joint water-energy project with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel, which would supply Jordan with 200 million cubic metres of water annually.
He also said Jordan would accelerate the implementation of the national water carrier project that conveys desalinated seawater from the Gulf of Aqaba to other regions across the kingdom.
According to the UN, Jordan is the second most water scarce country in the world.
Jordan’s annual renewable water resources are less than 100 cubic metres per person, significantly below the threshold of 500 cubic metres per person which defines severe water scarcity.
While more than 98 per cent of the population has access to an improved water source, only 93 per cent access a safely-managed source and 86 per cent to a piped network.
The project is being implemented in partnership with several international companies working in the space field…reports Asian Lite News
The Ministry of Economy is keen to enhance promising global partnerships with leading private institutions in vital future and sustainable economic sectors, said Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, , Minister of Economy during a meeting with Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Blue Origin, the aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight service company.
The meeting was also attended by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, the representatives of AzurX, a Dubai-based technology and strategic sectors investment company, Strategic Advisor to Blue Origin in the Middle East.
Bin Touq said this will help achieve the strategic objectives in terms of driving transformation towards a sustainable and resilient economic model to keep pace with future trends across the various sectors, while focusing on the pillars of knowledge, innovation, high-tech and advanced digital technologies, along with new economy sectors including space economy.
The two sides discussed promoting collaboration to explore new investment opportunities in space economy and space tourism services, expanding the scope of R&D in space to develop the emerging space technology in UAE. These efforts will focus on enhancing partnerships with the private sector by supporting the applications of Industry 4.0 and space innovation in a bid to boost the enablers of the UAE’s future economic development.
“In line with the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071, the national economic vision for the coming era focuses on enhancing the role of enablers in new economy sectors, and bolstering space as one of their drivers. The Ministry is working with its partners to establish an open economic ecosystem that attracts investments to target sectors and stimulate innovative companies to support sustainable development and create an advanced investment environment,” Bin Touq said.
“Through this collaboration, we look forward to leveraging Blue Origin’s leading expertise in space manufacturing and space and low Earth orbit flight services to support the UAE’s plans. We are also keen to expand the scope of our partnerships with Blue Origin to build and develop space tourism and enhance the national efforts in this respect,” Bin Touq added
The minister highlighted the UAE’s main achievements in space as it became the region’s first country to develop an integrated space ecosystem and advanced infrastructure and corporate frameworks in this regard, and launch missions to explore the space such as the Hope Probe.
“Today, the UAE is home to several major space companies, offering excellent opportunities to start-ups in capitalizing on the potential of operating outside the Earth’s orbit. We will move forward with our efforts to attract the companies operating in this field to become partners in driving growth and advancement of UAE’s space economy,” he noted.
Bin Touq further reviewed the indicators reflecting the UAE’s pioneering position in this vital sector, having successfully joined the global space race. The space sector’s added value in the UAE has reached approximately AED3 billion, and the country’s investments in this sector have amounted to AED22 billion to date.
The sector provides more than 3,200 jobs, and over 57 space companies and entities are currently operating in the UAE, including international and start-ups, and 5 space science research centers. Throughout the recent years, the UAE’s total foreign trade of aerospace vehicles and their parts has reached AED190 billion.
Meanwhile, Al Falasi explained that the UAE is strengthening its position as a destination for innovation and pilot projects from all over the world. He pointed out that the country has the knowledge and institutional environment, vast experiences, stimulating policies, infrastructure, and advanced technology to be a regional and global hub that attracts companies operating in future sectors, including space, which opens many economic opportunities during the next phase, especially for SMEs and startups based on innovation and technology.
He highlighted the importance of partnership with the private sector in enhancing activities and business in this sector, including the cooperation with Blue Origin and its partners in the field of space flights and related technology, and enhancing the UAE’s position to be a destination for space tourism.
The two sides agreed on developing a cooperation plan through which Blue Origin contributes to supporting and accelerating the strategies and plans of the Ministry of Economy in these ambitious future areas. The plan also focuses on developing the space economy environment in the country, defining new paths to create investment opportunities in the field of space and space tourism in the country. It will contribute to the development of a future methodology and strategy to enhance the contribution of this sector as a key pillar within the new economic model in the country and to raise its future competitiveness at the regional and global levels.
During the meeting, Blue Origin highlighted the most prominent economic and industrial opportunities related to space tourism and space activities related to low Earth orbit. The company shed light on its pilot project ‘Orbital Reef’, which was launched during its participation in the International Space Conference 2021 in Dubai.
The project is being implemented in partnership with several international companies working in the space field. Orbital Reef project includes the development of launch stations for commercial and tourist space flights, which will provide access to space for interested visitors and contribute to promoting the growth of markets in space research, manufacturing, media, entertainment, and tourism.
UAE explores mechanisms to boost space economy, investment, tourism
In addition, Blue Origin expressed its interest to establish such stations in other regions around the world other than its station based in Texas, USA. The Minister of Economy affirmed the readiness of the UAE to set up any infrastructure and take all necessary measures to establish the station in the UAE’s territory and launch space flights from here, in a manner that enhances the country’s position as a new global destination for space tourism. Both sides discussed opportunities for collaboration between Blue Origin’s foundation Club for the Future to engage and inspire the UAE’s next generation of space professionals.
Brent Sherwood said, “The space activities associated with low Earth orbit provide significant and promising opportunities for visionary countries and companies around the world. The Orbital Reef project’s mission aligns with the vision of the UAE to develop the infrastructure for the economy of future, enhancing cooperation opportunities, and bringing the world around through trade and development partnerships.’ Anna Hazlett, CEO of AzurX, said, “The AzurX team is proud to assist Blue Origin in exploring Orbital Reef and space tourism in the UAE. We look forward to developing this exciting program with Blue Origin and the Ministry of Economy, and bringing opportunities to the UAE, Emirati visionaries, entrepreneurs, and businesses.”
Blue Origin, founded in 2000, is one of the world’s leading companies in the aerospace industries and space and orbital flight services. The company supports the development of technology to facilitate access to space to make these flights more possible with significantly lower costs. Blue Origin has taken a gradual approach, from suborbital space flights to orbital flights, as it has developed several diverse technologies to serve this goal.
Donald Armin Blome, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, is currently the US ambassador to Tunisia….reports Asian Lite News
United States President Joe Biden is nominating Donald Armin Blome, an expert on Middle East affairs, as the new Ambassador to Pakistan, Dawn reported.
Donald Armin Blome, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service belonging to the class of minister-counsellor, is currently the US ambassador to Tunisia.
Prior to that, Ambassador Blome was chargé d’affaires at the Libya External Office in Tunisia, consul general at the US Consulate in Jerusalem, and director of the Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the US Department of State.
He has also served as political counsellor at the US Embassy in Kabul and minister-counsellor for economic and political affairs at the US Embassy in Cairo. Earlier in his career, Ambassador Blome served as the civilian co-director at the Multinational Force Strategic Engagement Cell, Baghdad, political counsellor at the US Embassy Kuwait, and as Israel desk officer, deputy director and acting director at the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs.
His nomination follows the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, which caused the collapse of the US-backed government in Kabul and forced Washington to move its diplomatic mission to Doha, Qatar.
The US embassy in Islamabad is also expected to play a major role in limiting China’s rapidly growing political and economic influence in Pakistan, the report said.
All ambassadorial positions in the US require Senate confirmation.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland told the Security Council that no progress has been made towards the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…reports Asian Lite News
Political stagnation is “fueling tensions, instability and a deepening sense of hopelessness,” Wennesland said on Tuesday. “We should have no illusions about the current state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” describing a situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) that continues to deteriorate, with no progress towards the two-state solution, Xinhua news agency reported.
He painted a picture of a situation that is “increasingly desperate” defined by extremists and unilateral actions on all sides, which heightens risks for Palestinians, Israelis, and the region at large.
Tor Wennesland
“Israeli and Palestinian civilians are suffering and paying a steep price for the persistence of the conflict, including the protracted occupation,” said Wennesland.
In the meantime, settlement activity, evictions, Palestinian property seizures, and movement restrictions are “further feeding the cycle of violence” as Israeli civilians are killed and injured in Palestinian attacks.
In his report, the UN envoy described “nightly clashes” between Israelis and Palestinians, and stressed the importance of holding all perpetrators of violence accountable and swiftly bringing them to justice.
Wennesland highlighted Israeli plans for construction in E1, located adjacent to and northeast of East Jerusalem, saying that these units would “sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank, significantly undermining the chances for establishing a viable and contiguous Palestinian state as part of a negotiated two-state solution.”
“I reiterate that all settlements are illegal under international law and remain a substantial obstacle to peace,” he insisted.
In “a welcome development,” the special coordinator said that Israeli and Palestinian officials had announced that some 4,000 undocumented Palestinians in the West Bank would be registered in the Palestinian population registry and receive identity documents.
Meanwhile, as expenditures exceed revenues and donor support, Palestine’s economic decline continues, with bank loan options “exhausted.”
He voiced concern that “these negative trends are occurring simultaneously across the West Bank and Gaza” and should not be left unaddressed.
“We can no longer lurch from crisis to crisis… incident by incident, on a short-term day-to-day basis as stand-alone issues,” he said, calling for a “broader package of parallel steps” by Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the international community that addresses the “key political, security and economic challenges” that are barring progress.
