Belarusian law enforcement personnel in a migrant camp on the border with Poland. Reuters
Belarusian law enforcement personnel in a migrant camp on the border with Poland. Reuters
Belarusian law enforcement personnel in a migrant camp on the border with Poland. Reuters
Belarusian law enforcement personnel in a migrant camp on the border with Poland. Reuters


Migrants and sanctions are the weapons of choice in Europe's new proxy war


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November 18, 2021

If the aim of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko is to sow discord within the EU by helping to create a migrant crisis on the Polish border, all the evidence suggests he is succeeding.

In recent weeks thousands of migrants, the majority of them fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, have congregated on Belarus’s border with Poland in the hope of entering the EU to make a better life for themselves.

The EU has accused Mr Lukashenko of being directly responsible for provoking the crisis by allowing migrants from Iraq and Syria to fly to Belarus and then dispatching them to the Polish and Lithuanian borders.

While the Belarusian leader continues to deny any involvement in causing the migrant problem, video footage has emerged which shows the Belarusian military using vehicles to try to take down Polish border posts and wire fencing. Lasers have been directed towards the Polish troops, making it impossible for them to see what is happening, and some migrants have been equipped with stun grenades to throw at the Polish security forces.

The possibility of such a crisis developing on the EU’s borders has been actively discussed in European defence circles. Last spring German intelligence officials produced a 19-page classified document detailing how an adversary might seek to promote border chaos to undermine the EU as part of a “hybrid war”.

And, to judge by the tensions that have arisen among EU states over how best to respond to the crisis, the tactic is having the desired effect.

A migrant crisis caused by people fleeing conflict in the Middle East is not a new phenomenon for European leaders. Tensions between EU member states flared in the summer of 2015 when German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened borders for Syrian refugees fleeing the brutal conflict in their home country to be granted sanctuary in EU states. The initiative met with stiff resistance from many European leaders, causing friction with east European countries such as Hungary, which continue to this day.

Consequently, the appearance of a fresh wave of migrants congregating on the Polish border has created a new crisis for Brussels, one that EU leaders believe has been deliberately instigated by Mr Lukashenko in retaliation for the EU imposing sanctions against his regime.

Relations between Belarus, a former Soviet state that still enjoys close relations with the Kremlin, and the EU hit a new low in the wake of the country’s controversial 2020 elections, which resulted in Mr Lukashenko launching a crackdown against anti-government protesters, with many prominent critics of his regime being forced to flee into exile while others were jailed.

The Belarusian government’s global standing plummeted further after a Ryanair passenger jet was intercepted and forced to land in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, in May to enable the country’s security forces to detain two opposition activists who were passengers on the aircraft.

  • Poland increased security at its border with Belarus, on the EU’s eastern frontier, after a large group of people appeared to congregate on the Belarusian side of a crossing point, officials said on Monday. AP
    Poland increased security at its border with Belarus, on the EU’s eastern frontier, after a large group of people appeared to congregate on the Belarusian side of a crossing point, officials said on Monday. AP
  • People gather at the EU border near Grodno, Belarus. AP
    People gather at the EU border near Grodno, Belarus. AP
  • Between 3,000 and 4,000 migrants are near the Belarusian border with Poland, a Polish government spokesman said on Monday. Reuters
    Between 3,000 and 4,000 migrants are near the Belarusian border with Poland, a Polish government spokesman said on Monday. Reuters
  • Children play in a tree near Grodno. AP
    Children play in a tree near Grodno. AP
  • Polish border guards stand near the barbed wire at the border. AP
    Polish border guards stand near the barbed wire at the border. AP
  • People keep themselves warm with a fire. AP
    People keep themselves warm with a fire. AP
  • Migrants carry someone who has fallen ill. AP
    Migrants carry someone who has fallen ill. AP
  • Polish border guards stand behind the barbed wire. AP
    Polish border guards stand behind the barbed wire. AP

Such conduct has led to the imposition of EU sanctions that directly target the Belarusian leader himself, as well as a number of his key acolytes.

Now the EU has accused Minsk of responding by deliberately creating the migrant crisis in an attempt to have the sanctions eased. There have even been suggestions that Russian officials encouraged their Belarusian allies into making this provocative move, although the Kremlin has strongly rejected the claim, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accusing European leaders of creating the crisis through their involvement in the recent conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

To date, the EU has shown no sign of backing down over its sanctions policy. On Monday, EU foreign ministers held a meeting and agreed to move ahead with imposing more sanctions on Belarus – the fifth round of such restrictions. While the exact details are still to be confirmed, they are likely to include measures against the Belarusian airline Belavia, with the EU ending its leasing contract with the company. Travel agencies are also expected to be sanctioned if they help fly migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere to Minsk.

But while Brussels attempts to present a united front in the crisis, tensions between European leaders are increasing over how best to respond to Belarus’s acts, particularly after eastern countries on the front line accused Germany of side-lining them in the confrontation.

This follows a 50-minute call Mrs Merkel made to Mr Lukashenko earlier this week, the first conversation the Belarusian leader had held with a Western leader since last year’s election. During the call the pair reportedly discussed providing humanitarian aid to the migrants at the border, but the fact the call took place at all had drawn bitter criticism from a number of eastern European states, with Lithuania openly accusing Mrs Merkel of playing into Mr Lukashenko’s hands by giving him further recognition. Belarus media hailed the call as a success of Mr Lukashenko’s policy.

Poland, which is bearing the brunt of the crisis, was particularly aggrieved that it was given just an hour’s notice that Mr Merkel was contacting Mr Lukashenko. The call also succeeded in causing an upset in Latvia, which shares a militarised border with Belarus. “Are we happy with this phone call?,” asked Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics. “No. Are we hysterical about this phone call? Also no.”

And there have been accusations that major European powers such as Germany and France have been protecting their own interests at the expense of their allies in eastern Europe. This follows a phone conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Mr Putin during which the two leaders discussed the Polish border crisis in some detail. The call prompted complaints from Poland that the country was being left out of discussions regarding its own border.

Thus, while the EU attempts to maintain a united front as it seeks to tackle the latest migrant crisis to hit its borders, all indications suggest that attempts to sow discord among European leaders is starting to bear fruit.

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo

Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic

Power: 242bhp

Torque: 370Nm

Price: Dh136,814

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

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.”

Results

2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m

Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).

2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m

Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m

Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m

Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m

Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.

4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m

Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.

5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m

Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.

Name: Colm McLoughlin

Country: Galway, Ireland

Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free

Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah

 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clinicy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Prince%20Mohammed%20Bin%20Abdulrahman%2C%20Abdullah%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%20and%20Saud%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Riyadh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2025%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20More%20than%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Gate%20Capital%2C%20Kafou%20Group%20and%20Fadeed%20Investment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Anna and the Apocalypse

Director: John McPhail

Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Mark Benton

Three stars

Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know
  • Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
  • Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
  • Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
  • Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
  • 27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
  • Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women
Maestro
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBradley%20Cooper%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBradley%20Cooper%2C%20Carey%20Mulligan%2C%20Maya%20Hawke%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go

The flights 

Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.

The trip

The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore  offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.

The hotel

There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.

 

 

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Cofe

Year started: 2018

Based: UAE

Employees: 80-100

Amount raised: $13m

Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group 

Updated: November 18, 2021, 2:30 PM