An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants in the English Channel. Reuters
An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants in the English Channel. Reuters
An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants in the English Channel. Reuters
An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants in the English Channel. Reuters

Iraq’s Al Sudani to discuss illegal migration returns deal on UK visit


Tariq Tahir
  • English
  • Arabic

An Iraq-UK pact to deport illegal migrants from the UK to their homeland will be on the table when Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani visits Britain on Tuesday.

Mr Al Sudani visits Downing Street at the start of a three-day trip for talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has pledged to “smash the gangs” of people smugglers bringing migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Iraqi Kurds have made up a substantial part of the people smuggling business in recent years and now make up most of the criminal gangs who operate in northern France. The UK has already signed the first agreement for its law enforcement officers to work in the region.

But Iraqis also make up a substantial proportion of those who cross in small boats, with the latest figures showing about 2,500 made the journey in 2023 and 958 in the first half of 2024. The UK has agreements with several countries, which allow for the speedier return of migrants whose asylum claims have failed or have no right to stay in the UK, and wants to add Iraq to that list.

Mr Starmer said “secure borders are a vital foundation” of his Labour government’s plans, “so I am also very pleased get started on talks for a bespoke returns agreement between our countries”.

“The deal will help dismantle the people smugglers’ business model by sending the clear message that if you come here illegally, you cannot expect to stay,” he said. Detection equipment worth £66.5 million ($81.2 million) is to be sent to Iraq to assist in the fight against smuggling gangs.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani will meet Keir Starmer at Downing Street. Reuters
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani will meet Keir Starmer at Downing Street. Reuters

The government has said it has already deported 16,400 people with no right to be in the UK, the highest rate of worldwide removals since 2018. People smugglers and companies who supply them with boats to take migrants across the English Channel will be hit with the “full arsenal” of sanctions, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced recently. Mr Al Sudani’s visit includes discussions about implementing what Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has described as “our world-first security agreement with Iraq”.

"When I signed the landmark deal with Iraq in November, it was a clear signal of our commitment to dismantle the criminal smuggling gangs together,” she said. The Home Secretary added that the visit of Mr Al Sudani was “the next step in ensuring this important partnership with Iraq goes from strength to strength”.

Tony Smith, former head of the UK’s Border Force and now a border security consultant, told The National that the funding promised for working with Iraq "is pretty light and there’s nothing concrete here about a returns agreement – other than that work will continue on it".

"We get a lot of asylum applications from Iraqi Kurds who claim to be persecuted there," said Mr Smith, managing director of Fortinus Global. "Something from the Iraqi government which gives assurances that they will be protected would be helpful. Plus an agreement to accept returns without passports would also be helpful."

The two leaders are also set to announce a £12.3 billion export package, worth about 10 times last year’s trade between the UK and Iraq. The visit was initially scheduled for last year, but was delayed because of developments in the region, particularly the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

The 'Jungle' migrant camp in Calais - in pictures

  • A Banksy mural at the entrance to the 'Jungle' migrant camp in Calais, France, fades as nature reclaims the area in 2018, two years after more than 1,000 migrants were evicted. All photos: Getty Images
    A Banksy mural at the entrance to the 'Jungle' migrant camp in Calais, France, fades as nature reclaims the area in 2018, two years after more than 1,000 migrants were evicted. All photos: Getty Images
  • Sand dunes at the former site of Calais 'Jungle' migrant camp, which is now a nature reserve
    Sand dunes at the former site of Calais 'Jungle' migrant camp, which is now a nature reserve
  • The last remaining migrants at the camp wait for transport outside the site in October 2016
    The last remaining migrants at the camp wait for transport outside the site in October 2016
  • Bedding and food left inside a shack in the nearly deserted camp in 2016
    Bedding and food left inside a shack in the nearly deserted camp in 2016
  • French police clearing the main entrance to the camp
    French police clearing the main entrance to the camp
  • Contractors clearing the site
    Contractors clearing the site
  • Police stop a migrant from returning
    Police stop a migrant from returning
  • Volunteers and migrants tackle a blaze in the camp during the demolition
    Volunteers and migrants tackle a blaze in the camp during the demolition
  • A gas canister explodes in the camp as fires rage in October 2016
    A gas canister explodes in the camp as fires rage in October 2016
  • Sudanese migrants queue in the cold weather for buses to leave the camp
    Sudanese migrants queue in the cold weather for buses to leave the camp
  • Migrants return a smoke grenade as they clash with French riot police in October 2016
    Migrants return a smoke grenade as they clash with French riot police in October 2016
  • French business owners and locals blockade the main road into the Port of Calais, demanding the removal of the 'Jungle' camp in September 2016
    French business owners and locals blockade the main road into the Port of Calais, demanding the removal of the 'Jungle' camp in September 2016
  • Migrant children watch a movie inside the Jungle Books Cafe in the camp
    Migrant children watch a movie inside the Jungle Books Cafe in the camp
  • Migrants from Afghanistan play cricket on a makeshift wicket in May 2016
    Migrants from Afghanistan play cricket on a makeshift wicket in May 2016
  • A migrant walks alongside a fence separating new accommodation from the jungle camp in February 2016
    A migrant walks alongside a fence separating new accommodation from the jungle camp in February 2016
  • A hut burns as police officers clear part of the camp in February 2016
    A hut burns as police officers clear part of the camp in February 2016
  • Actors from Shakespeare's Globe perform Hamlet to migrants at the Good Chance Theatre Tent in the camp in February 2016
    Actors from Shakespeare's Globe perform Hamlet to migrants at the Good Chance Theatre Tent in the camp in February 2016
  • An Iranian man peers out from his shelter in the camp in January 2016
    An Iranian man peers out from his shelter in the camp in January 2016
  • A boy looks out from a camper van as migrants contend with cold weather in December 2015
    A boy looks out from a camper van as migrants contend with cold weather in December 2015
  • A view of the camp in June 2015
    A view of the camp in June 2015

It comes just days after Mr Al Sudani’s one-day visit to Iran, where he met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. There, Mr Al Sudani discussed the developments in Syria where rebels led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham toppled former president Bashar Al Assad's regime, as well as bilateral ties.

Mr Al Sudani will hold a series of meetings with UK figures including King Charles III and Mr Starmer, as well as other senior British government officials. Talks are also scheduled with representatives of companies and business sectors, alongside seminars and dialogues with specialised research centres.

The Iraqi Prime Minister will lead a high-level delegation, comprising ministers, MPs, the Governor of Basra, advisers, representatives from the private sector and business leaders and industrialists from various economic sectors, his office said.

MEYDAN RESULTS

6.30pm Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh125,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer).          

7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner  Galaxy Road, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.

7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner  Al Modayar, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh170,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner  Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 (D)1,200m

Winner  Lady Parma, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar

10pm Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner Zaajer, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

MATCH INFO

Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)

TV: Abu Dhabi Sports

Greatest Royal Rumble results

John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match

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Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus

Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal

Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos

Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe

AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out

The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match

Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Huddersfield Town permanent signings:

  • Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
  • Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
  • Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
  • Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
  • Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
  • Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
  • Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
  • Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer

IF YOU GO
 
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
 
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info

 Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.

Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

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.”

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: N2 Technology

Founded: 2018

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Startups

Size: 14

Funding: $1.7m from HNIs

Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica

Best Agent: Jorge Mendes

Best Club : Liverpool   

 Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)  

 Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

 Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

 Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

 Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)

 Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs

Updated: January 14, 2025, 4:38 AM