Dr Ebtesam Al Ketbi is the president of the Emirates Policy Centre
April 24, 2024
The recent escalation between Iran and Israel has raised concerns in Gulf countries, particularly their collective desire to defuse regional tensions and their preference for diplomatic solutions over military ones. The recent developments have added even more fuel to the already raging fire that is the tragic war in the Gaza Strip, which has consequences for the Middle East as a whole.
The GCC countries will continue to maintain a two-pronged approach. They believe that positive and constructive engagement with turbulent geopolitical developments and reiterating their call for de-escalation and calm do not conflict with maintaining progress and keeping up with rapid developments in technology, artificial intelligence and economic reconstruction to adapt and prepare for the post-oil era.
President Sheikh Mohamed bids farewell to Sultan Haitham of Oman, at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi. All photos: UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed bids farewell to Sultan Haitham of Oman, at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, bid farewell to Sultan Haitham
Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, await the departure of Sultan Haitham (not shown), at the Presidential Airport
Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed bids farewell to Sultan Haitham
Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, bid farewell to Sultan Haitham
Members of the Omani Delegation await the departure of Sultan Haitham at the Presidential Airport
President Sheikh Mohamed and Sultan Haitham witnessed the signing of agreements aimed at further strengthening relations between the Gulf neighbours
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Sultan Haitham, pray at the tomb of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Sultan Haitham and Sheikh Mansour at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Sultan Haitham signs a guest book during a visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Oma's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad and Commerce Minister Qais Al Yousef at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Sultan Haitham visit to the UAE was aimed at promoting relations on a range of issues
Sultan Haitham and Sheikh Mansour at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
President Sheikh Mohamed hosts a dinner reception for Sultan Haitham at Qasr Al Watan
Sheikh Mansour with Sayyid Shihab Al Said, Oman's Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, at the dinner reception
Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed attend the dinner reception
Sheikh Saif at the dinner reception for Sultan Haitham
Sheikh Khaled in discussion with Oman's Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham
Musicians perform during the dinner reception
Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed and Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of Diwan of the Royal Court of Oman
President Sheikh Mohamed arrives for a dinner reception for Sultan Haitham of Oman
President Sheikh Mohamed and Sultan Haitham
President Sheikh Mohamed receives Sultan Haitham of Oman for a state visit
Sheikh Mansour and Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, National Security Adviser and Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, at the reception for Sultan Haitham
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Adviser for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court, and Mohammed Al Dhaheri, UAE ambassador to Oman, attend the reception at the Presidential Airport
Sheikh Saif and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed attend the reception for Sultan Haitham at the Presidential Airport
Mohammed Al Dhaheri, UAE ambassador to Oman, attends the reception at the Presidential Airport
President Sheikh Mohamed and Sultan Haitham stand for the national anthems during a state visit reception at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Mohamed hosts a state visit reception for Sultan Haitham at Qasr Al Watan
Sheikh Mohamed escorts Sultan Haitham to the state reception at Qasr Al Watan
It is an approach that rejects the idea of waiting to find solutions to the multiple regional geopolitical challenges before embarking on an ambitious economic agenda and large investment initiatives. It is also significant that Sultan Haitham’s UAE visit comes in the wake of extreme weather conditions in both countries in recent days. Such visits enhance a positive approach to managing crises and learning lessons from them without getting trapped in them – and without, figuratively speaking, waiting for the storm to pass.
The Gulf is doing its best to fend off the storm and confront the region’s diverse security challenges, and not allowing them to obstruct its ambitious and strategic goals. Recently, amid turbulent security and environmental conditions, the UAE signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with Colombia and Costa Rica. These partnerships demonstrate that the UAE is committed to its objective of consolidating its status as a global trade hub and a primary gateway for the flow of goods and services to various continents worldwide.
Such visits enhance a positive approach to managing crises and learning lessons from them without getting trapped in them
In this context, Sheikh Tamim’s Asian tour – which includes visits to the Philippines, Bangladesh and Nepal – has paved the way for enhanced co-operation in the fields of energy, infrastructure and agriculture. The highlight of Sultan Haitham’s visit to the Emirates was the announcement of a railway network project between the two countries, with a total investment of $3 billion. This development marks a significant milestone in elevating bilateral relations to a new stage of strategic partnership, fostering vital interdependence and paving the way for a more ambitious shared future.
The UAE-Oman rail network is both a transport project and a strategic initiative that will enhance freight movement efficiency and regional connectivity. It will significantly reduce travel time and eliminate delays due to weather and traffic conditions. Each train will be able to seamlessly transport up to 15,000 tonnes of cargo between five major ports and more than 15 integrated cargo facilities in the two countries. The 303-kilometre route connecting Abu Dhabi with the Omani state of Sohar will adhere to the highest safety and environmental standards.
The passenger train will achieve speeds of up to 200 kilometres an hour, covering the distance between Abu Dhabi and Sohar in 100 minutes and between Al Ain and Sohar in 47 minutes. The cargo train, meanwhile, will operate at 120 kilometres an hour. In line with this promising trajectory, the UAE has formally confirmed its unwavering commitment to fostering co-operation with governments worldwide. It firmly believes that addressing global challenges requires collective action and a shared commitment to crafting unified visions for a safer and more prosperous future.
Ultimately, it is such initiatives that foster positive outlooks and counteract the pessimism fuelled by violent conflicts near and far. They also underscore the growing strategic significance of the Gulf, positioning it as one of the world’s critical regions poised to seize opportunities and assume a central role in shaping the future of international trade, transportation, energy and connectivity across Asia, Africa and Europe.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah 5.10pm: Continous 5.45pm: Raging Torrent 6.20pm: West Acre 7pm: Flood Zone 7.40pm: Straight No Chaser 8.15pm: Romantic Warrior 8.50pm: Calandogan 9.30pm: Forever Young
