Dr Ebtesam Al Ketbi is the president of the Emirates Policy Centre
July 12, 2022
US President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East this week is undoubtedly a precious opportunity for the region to express its belief in strengthening its friendships and long-standing strategic partnerships with the world’s most powerful country. This is an historic visit that should be welcomed warmly, and America’s regional allies – particularly in the UAE – will know that it can contribute toward bringing Washington’s relationships in the region to a new level. A more robust foundation for US alliances here would better reflect mutual interests and consolidate regional security. In light of continuing shifts in the regional and global strategic environments, this is more important now than ever before.
As per Mr Biden’s previous statements, his visit, which comes before the upcoming US mid-term elections, will focus on the potential and promising opportunities emerging from the Middle East’s new dynamics. The Abraham Accords are a prime example. They have generated an unprecedented level of co-operation between Arab countries and Israel. It is likely, therefore, that a major focus of the US President’s tour will be on developing new understandings and regional partnerships. This includes not only security but also other areas, like clean energy and food and water security.
Hopefully, the visit will solidify the US strategy for burden-sharing, which is essential to creating more efficient and credible tools to safeguard Washington and its allies’ interests. There is in this visit a great opportunity, for instance, to consolidate the Negev Forum as an annual summit that can bring more Middle East countries together in areas that go beyond their immediate economic and security needs and create a more sustainable modus vivendi for the region’s people. The first Negev Forum took place in Israel in March of last year, and brought together the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Israel, Morocco and the UAE, as well as the US Secretary of State. It was a watershed event, establishing a new framework for regional co-operation. The participants agreed to form six working groups, on clean energy, education and co-existence, food and water security, health, regional security and tourism. That work should continue.
Strengthening regional co-operation between Arab countries and Israel seems a promising development, and it comes with great expectations. But it is also essential not to lose sight of other issues.
One is the critical challenge of meeting the demands of a political settlement for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, reducing tensions and escalations, and involving the Palestinians in current and future regional co-operation efforts. Without this, a comprehensive and sustainable regional peace will remain elusive.
Another challenge is Iran’s regional behaviour. The members of the GCC and other Arab countries still advocate a diplomatic approach with Iran, including economic diplomacy rather than the use of military options. At the same time, GCC countries need to be assured about the peaceful nature of Tehran’s nuclear programme. The same goes for its ballistic missile programme and harmful regional policies.
Iran's weapons programmes remain a concern for Arab states. AP
GCC countries need to be assured about the peaceful nature of Tehran’s nuclear programme
It is the hope of many here that Mr Biden’s visit will strengthen UAE and GCC security and defence capabilities against missiles, drones and other emerging threats, and enhance US-GCC ties. Many also want to see the visit earmark a new approach to regional security – one that combines deterrence with containment, de-escalation policies and consolidated economic solutions. This would be a prelude to promoting security and expanding co-operation between Arab countries, including Palestinians, but also with Turkey and Israel.
It is important to clearly outline the benchmarks for a successful visit by Mr Biden. Two, in particular, stand out.
The first is whether it results in the creation of a solid approach to addressing Iranian threats while also maintaining diplomatic engagement with Tehran and preventing regional conflict. If the US uses its influence to contain Iranian threats and integrate Iran into the diplomatic path, the US burden-sharing strategy will receive a strong push from Washington’s Middle Eastern allies.
The second benchmark is whether or not it will clarify contours of US policy concerning China and Russia that take into account the interests of Arab states. The desires of GCC countries as well as other allies of the US to maintain strategic balancing in their policies will depend to a great extent on the nature of US commitment towards the security and interests of those partners and broader regional stability.
The Middle East has made great strides in regional co-operation and co-existence recently. Many of the building blocks for peace are there. But the US still has a very large role to play in strengthening the fundamentals of this evolving peace, and it can do so by showing that its commitment to its allies is both unwavering and in touch with their needs and concerns. Mr Biden’s visit provides a much-needed opportunity to achieve this.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
RESULTS
1.45pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,400m Winners: Hyde Park, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
2.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
2.45pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m Winner: Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Shadwell Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 (TB) Dh575,000 (D) 1,600m Winner: Blown by Wind, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year
2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
Day 2, stumps
Pakistan 482
Australia 30/0 (13 ov)
Australia trail by 452 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the innings
Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.
The tour
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
No_One Ever Really Dies
N*E*R*D
(I Am Other/Columbia)
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours. The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
The 100 Best Novels in Translation
Boyd Tonkin, Galileo Press
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
