Live updates: Follow the latest on Syria
About 2.5 million Syrians living in Turkey are expected to return to Syria if the right conditions are met, a Turkish MP has said.
Thousands of Syrian refugees in the country have already gathered on the Turkish border eager to go home, after the collapse of Bashar Al Assad’s regime days ago.
Many have been motivated to do so since the fall of Aleppo last week, where a large portion of those refugees came from.
It's probably to the best of to the benefit of everyone for these refugees to be returned in an orderly and timely manner
Dogan Demir
Kani Torun, who is deputy chairman of the Turkish government’s foreign affairs committee, said that while it was still too early to confirm the numbers, he expects the majority of the 3.5 million-plus Syrian refugees in Turkey to go back to Syria.
However, their return will depend on Syria’s transition, and Mr Torun urged the international community to support the creation of an “inclusive government” and to help finance resettlement.
“It is too early to say how many people will go back. If there is a peaceful transition many people are likely to go back,” he said.
“The international community should help set up an inclusive government. That’s the reason the international community should be involved and finance this resettlement issue,” he said.
Growing anti-migrant sentiment in Turkey
The UK and other European countries had stopped processing asylum applications for Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that the UK had “paused asylum decisions on cases from Syria while the Home Office reviews and monitors the current situation”.
This also has implications for Turkey, where the vast majority of Syrian asylum seekers are based.
In Turkey, there is growing resentment against Syrian refugees and a growth in its far-right running on anti-immigration rhetoric in recent elections.
Turkish mayors from the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), had launched a campaign aimed at helping refugees return after the collapse of the regime, with promises to pay their transport and relocation costs.
Dogan Demir, a former member of the CHP and now a Future Party MP, called for Syrian refugees to be returned “in an orderly and timely manner”.
“What's happened to the Syrian people, what they've suffered is a tragedy,” he said on Monday.
“But ultimately the refugee influx has had numerous economic and sociological negative effects on Turkey, and it's probably to the benefit of everyone for these refugees to be returned in an orderly and timely manner,” he said.
“Within Turkey, there are a lot of eyes fixed on Syria, and the country's future revolves around the peaceful solution,” he said.
No partition of Syria
Although the future in Syria was uncertain, Mr Togun remained optimistic.
The conflict between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the north-east of the country was a point of concern.
The SNA’s goal was to “clear the west of the Euphrates river”. “There could be some Kurdish enclaves in the north-east, and in Latakia some Allawi enclaves, the resit is the new government,” he said.
Nonetheless, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the Islamist force that toppled the Assad regime has since taken control of Damascus, has shown “positive developments” in its formation of a new government.
Aleppo’s Bishop Hanna Jaalouf was appointed as head of the governorate, and Hayat Tahrir was now talking to the Alawis in Latakia to set up a local government.
The country should be governed by a coalition of groups, rather than Hayat Tahrir having full control, and the international community should work to ensure the country remains unified.
“The country should be governed by a coalition of forces, not just HTS. The new government should be more inclusive and, of course, democratic. Hopefully not just Turkey, also the other international forces will work in this way and, integrate the country,” he said.
The risks of partition meant the situation was “dangerous”. “Partition is not the solution in Syria,” he said.
Mr Demir also warned against partition, which would be “bad for the country and those around it.”
“I'm very worried about the future of Kurds and Alevis in the region,” he said.
The UK and western governments could play a role in diplomacy and providing humanitarian aid – but he urged them not to get involved militarily. “No military please,” he said.
“Humanitarian aid, rebuilding the country, financing, and diplomatic help,” he said.
He also called for new actors to lead a peace process, in a new grouping that would involve Turkey, Qatar and the US.
“Russia and Iran are out, and there should be new actors involved,” he told The National.
“The Arab League should be involved, and also Qatar, because they have money and is an Arab nation. Turkey because of its influence on the rebel movement, and the US of course. Hopefully, they will work together,” he said.
Russia’s involvement would be as a member of the P5, but he did not expect it to be “an obstacle for peace” in Syria, owing to its current involvement in Ukraine.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Jetour T1 specs
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
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On sale: now
