More than 5,000 trees are being planted across the war-torn Iraqi city of Mosul as part of a climate initiative that began with a single tweet.
Cypress and pines, lemon and orange trees will be planted in 12 zones across the northern city, including on sites of importance to Christian, Muslim and Yazidi communities in an effort to bring people together and create a healthier environment.
The initiative was started by the Mosul Eye, an online blog founded by Omar Mohammed when his city was occupied by ISIS in June 2014. The three-year occupation destroyed swathes of the city and led thousands to flee their homes. Some are only now returning.
“It’s time to put Mosul on the world map,” said Mr Mohammed. “We need to move beyond humanitarian projects. We can’t just be a postwar city.”
He said the project would bring the city into the global discussion about how to tackle climate change.
Historically, the city was referred to by its residents as Green Mosul, Mr Mohammed told The National.
But long-term conflict and climate-change induced problems including pollution, desertification and flash flooding took a toll.
Mr Mohammed said when he realised how far the city had fallen from its traditional splendour, “I knew I had to do something”.
After a successful initiative to gather books for the University of Mosul Library, Mr Mohammed decided to try the same approach for sourcing trees to beautify the rubble-strewn streets.
In July 2020 he tweeted a request for help. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Crisis and Support Centre offered their support. Trees have also been donated by private Mosul and international donors.
Members of the Green Mosul team, along with the university faculty and students, activists, government officials and international guests began planting the trees after a short ceremony to mark the occasion on Wednesday. It will take until February 2022 to plant the 5,000 donated trees.
Locations for planting include the University of Mosul, Telskuf village and the Sinjar Academy office. Heritage sites including the Mosul Museum and Al Nouri Mosque complex will also have new trees. The sites are currently under reconstruction by Unesco after they were destroyed by ISIS as they left in 2017.
The trees will be watered by a sustainable irrigation system, using recycled water, the project’s founders say.
“The planting will improve the environmental situation especially in terms of air quality as these trees produce thick vegetation,” said project director Anas Al Tayea. “The choice of sites will also contribute to our having a direct environmental impact, as we’ll plant at many populated locations.”
A tribute to Pope Francis
A special tree will be planted for Pope Francis, in Hosh Al Bieaa, the Church Square.
“It will honour the message of his pilgrimage to Old Mosul in March earlier this year,” the Mosul Eye team said. “A message of hope, that, a city so deeply scarred by war and terrorism, can recover anew.”
In addition to its environmental benefits, the Green Mosul initiative is hoped to have a long-lasting positive social impact.
Volunteers from organisations across the city will take part in planting the trees.
Mr Mohammed hopes the planting will also be a part of a brighter future for Iraq’s young population. “Those who grow up with these trees will see a different life,” he said.
“Don’t give up on Mosul and our people. We will not always be just a stronghold of ISIS. I want to change the headlines of my city.”
TYPES%20OF%20ONLINE%20GIG%20WORK
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDesign%2C%20multimedia%20and%20creative%20work%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELogo%20design%2C%20website%20design%2C%20visualisations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20and%20professional%20management%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELegal%20or%20management%20consulting%2C%20architecture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20and%20professional%20support%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EResearch%20support%2C%20proofreading%2C%20bookkeeping%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESales%20and%20marketing%20support%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESearch%20engine%20optimisation%2C%20social%20media%20marketing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EData%20entry%2C%20administrative%2C%20and%20clerical%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EData%20entry%20tasks%2C%20virtual%20assistants%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIT%2C%20software%20development%20and%20tech%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EData%20analyst%2C%20back-end%20or%20front-end%20developers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWriting%20and%20translation%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EContent%20writing%2C%20ghost%20writing%2C%20translation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOnline%20microtasks%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EImage%20tagging%2C%20surveys%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20World%20Bank%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence