In addition to the many trade and business deals, and the significant political announcements made during Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf, the trip itself marks an important shift in the geopolitical landscape.
First, for a US president to undertake a multi-day trip to the Middle East – especially as his first official overseas visit of this term – and not to include Israel, is largely unprecedented and indicates that the President sees the Gulf countries as America’s main centre of interest and partnership in the region. Israel remains, of course, a close US ally and partner, but its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, must be left questioning where Israel lies in Mr Trump’s mind-map of interests and priorities.
Second, it’s no secret that Mr Trump does not have many warm relationships in Western Europe and has complained about US economic and security partnerships there. For Mr Trump to make the Gulf his first official foreign visit again in his second term also indicates that he sees the Gulf countries and economies as main geopolitical and geoeconomic players in many ways surpassing the states and economies of Western Europe. The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE now appear to hold more influence with the US President than do some of the leaders of America’s traditional Nato allies.
Third, Mr Trump in his second term is confirming the shift that he is leading in the principles of US foreign policy: from a foreign policy built on Cold War-style political and power alliances built in seemingly permanent confrontation or counterbalancing against semi-permanent adversaries, to a non-ideological, business-friendly, long-war-hostile, transactional foreign policy that shuns large alliance and confrontation systems, and looks after strictly defined US interests – primarily of the economic kind.
This should be read clearly in Tehran and Moscow – neither capital can claim that Mr Trump has a deep-seated ideological or long-term hostility to their governments. It also enables him to be close to Mr Netanyahu while also embracing President Ahmad Al Shara of Syria and hurling olive branches at the supreme leader in Iran.
At the geoeconomic level, the main shift that this visit underlines is the deep alignment of GCC states alongside the US in the latter’s bid to build out its AI capacities ahead of China over the coming years and decades. AI will define the global power landscape of the 21st century, and AI processing centres require huge amounts of energy. The US does not have the capacity to ramp up its energy resources enough to meet the escalating demands of an ambitious US AI sector; the Gulf countries have the available energy and the ample cash reserves to meet a significant portion of this need.
At the geopolitical level, the most striking outcome of the visit is the US decision to lift sanctions on Syria. This decision, followed by a warm meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Al Shara, marks a sea change in the Levant. For the past six decades, Syria had been an adversary of the US and most of the Gulf states, first as a long-time ally of the Soviet Union, then as an ally – and eventually a client – of Iran. If Mr Al Shara can leverage this newfound support to lift his country from civil war and economic collapse, he will be realigning it alongside the Gulf and the US and reversing decades of recent Middle Eastern history.
The decision on Syria also has major and positive implications for Lebanon. Lebanon has paid the price of a hostile – and problematically aligned – Syria ever since the Baath Party took over Damascus in 1963. If Mr Al Shara succeeds in building a more inclusive and stable Syrian state and economy, and one that is not ideologically hostile to an independent Lebanon and aligned with the main Arab countries and the West, Lebanon’s path to regaining sovereignty and building a vibrant economy – already under way with a new president, prime minister and government – will have a solid and sustainable path forward.
The geopolitical move that is closest to Mr Trump’s heart and key to his vision of the region – the expansion of the Abraham Accords – did not make visible progress during this visit. He talked about it during his address in Riyadh and mentioned it as a desired end goal of the opening to Syria, but he is also aware that the conditions for moving forward are not currently available.
Saudi Arabia is the key country in any expansion of the Abraham Accords to other Arab or Muslim-majority countries, and Riyadh made clear once again that it requires an end to the war in Gaza and a solid pathway to a Palestinian state. Mr Trump is increasingly aware that Mr Netanyahu is neither willing nor able to move in that direction. The rift between Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu is growing; whether it will boil over into the open and lead to public clashes like Mr Trump has had with other formerly friendly world leaders is – like everything with Mr Trump – impossible to predict.
For a US president to undertake a multi-day trip to the Middle East – especially as his first official overseas visit of this term – and not to include Israel, is largely unprecedented
Although the visit was not about the US-Iran talks, it did provide positive momentum for them. The US President spent several days with Gulf leaders, all of whom now have cordial relations with Tehran and are counselling a negotiated solution over any talk of war. And Mr Trump has made clear that he is looking for a win-win solution and is not an ideological foe. Of course, it helps that Iran’s proxy network has been devastated by Israeli and American military action, and that its economy is on its knees, made even more desperate by the recent decline in oil prices.
Mr Trump’s two geopolitical ambitions for the region – expanding the Abraham Accords and striking a lasting deal between the US and Iran – would be truly transformative if he can achieve them. A nuclear deal between the US and Iran is looking increasingly likely; expanding the Abraham Accords is ripe for the picking, but requires new leadership in Israel. In the meantime, Mr Trump has cemented globally significant political and economic ties with the key states of the Gulf. The region’s leaders can be effective partners with the US in achieving the breakthroughs that are still needed to create a truly peaceful, integrated and prosperous Middle East.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 5 (Lenglet 2', Vidal 29', Messi 34', 75', Suarez 77')
Valladolid 1 (Kiko 15')
WTL%20SCHEDULE
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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Super Saturday results
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, Brett Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Old Persian, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Brief scores:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Background: Chemical Weapons
LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
