Tel Aviv City Hall honours the signing of the Abraham Accord between the UAE and Israel. The states are strengthening ties in security co-operation, science and commerce. AP
Tel Aviv City Hall honours the signing of the Abraham Accord between the UAE and Israel. The states are strengthening ties in security co-operation, science and commerce. AP
Tel Aviv City Hall honours the signing of the Abraham Accord between the UAE and Israel. The states are strengthening ties in security co-operation, science and commerce. AP
The Abraham Accord, an agreement officially signed between the UAE and Israel at the White House on September 15, 2020, arguably represents a key strategic shift and a fundamental change in the values of conflict.
Of course, there is not yet consensus in the Middle East on this step. Thus far, the Palestinian leadership has rejected it, and the views of others vary. But it is likely that the Accord will have important implications, not only for ties between the parties, but for the Middle East and the international arena as well.
Although no one claims that it has solved the Palestinian-Israeli issue, the Abraham Accord has been dubbed as an “historic moment” or a “breakthrough” because it is the first peace Accord between an Arab country and Israel in more than 25 years. It is also a practical manifestation of the new thinking adopted by the Emirati leadership to tackle regional problems and challenges.
The Abraham Accord was brokered by the United States and initially included the UAE and Israel, though Bahrain has since joined. Bloomberg
The Middle East has seen a real and tectonic shift over the past decade. The paradigm dominant since the end of the Second World War no longer exists. The region has also seen a shift from the states at its geographic centre to the ones on the periphery – a shift in leadership within the Arab world, as well as in visions, interests, priorities and threats.
The Arab world, in particular, has also witnessed the emergence of competing schemes and geopolitical strategies from non-Arab countries. The Gulf states have emerged as the party that shoulders the responsibility of interacting with these challenges and takes rational, realistic and practical decisions to preserve the stability of the region.
This has not been an easy task. The experience of grappling with it has seen many mistakes, entangled agendas and increasing polarisation. Huge resources were drained, and no one can say for sure that what has happened has been perfect.
The Abraham Accord arose in this geopolitical context. Its consequences may go beyond the relationship between Israel and the Gulf and include the possibility of ties between Israel and some other Arab countries. They may even impact other regions, such as South Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The ultimate implications of the Accord include new arrangements in the region based on enhancing stability, development and prosperity. It represents a project for co-operation based on the vital interests of local populations, such as economy, technology, education, medicine, water, energy and agriculture.
The first and immediate benefit of the Accord was the freezing of a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex one third of the land in Palestine’s West Bank and the Jordan Valley. Beyond that, however, and contrary to what some analysts think, the Accord also represents a new area of leverage for the Palestinians within the broader context of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, speaks to Donald Trump, US president at the time, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office in September 2020. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state at the time. Wam
Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Pompeo in Washington. Wam
Sheikh Abdullah visits Washington in September last year. Wam
Sheikh Abdullah, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, US President Donald Trump, centre, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sign the Abraham Accord at the White House South Lawn. MOFAIC
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at the White House. MOFAIC
Sheikh Abdullah, Mr Al Zayani and Mr Netanyahu at the White House during the Abraham Accord signing ceremony. MOFAIC
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Netanyahu, Mr Trump and Mr Al Zayani wave from the Truman Balcony at the White House. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump sign the Abraham Accord. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump after the signing ceremony. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump after the signing ceremony. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah speaks from the Truman Balcony at the White House during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accord. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah speaks as Mr Trump looks on before the signing of Abraham Accord on the South Lawn of the White House. AP
Sheikh Abdullah looks on from the White House as Mr Trump speaks at the Abraham Accord signing ceremony, also attended by Mr Al Zayani and Mr Netanyahu. AP
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani stand on the Blue Room Balcony during the signing ceremony. AP
Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Al Zayani shortly before participating in the signing of the Abraham Accord. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah, with Mr Netanyahu, left, and Mr Al Zayani at the signing of the Abraham Accord on the South Lawn of the White House. AFP
US President Donald Trump speaks from the Truman Balcony at the White House during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accord. AFP
President Donald Trump walks to the Abraham Accord signing ceremony at the White House with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. AP
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives at the White House to attend the Abraham Accord signing ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump. EPA
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House before the signing of Abraham Accord. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, in the Oval Office. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah with Mr Trump in the Oval Office. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, with by President Donald Trump at the White House. Mustafa Alrawi / The National
The UAE delegation led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Mustafa Alrawi / The National
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, is welcomed to the White House by US President Donald Trump. EPA
Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Trump outside the White House. AFP
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed speaks to Mr Trump after arriving at the White House. Reuters
White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner walks away following a television interview on the North Lawn at the White House in Washington. Reuters
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcome the arrival of Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington DC. AFP
A delegation of senior UAE officials led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, prepares to depart for the White House to sign the Abraham Accord. MOFAIC
US President Donald Trump welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. AFP
Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani arrives at the White House in Washington DC. AFP
US President Donald Trump welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP
Preparations at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord.
Preparations under way at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord.
Preparations under way at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord.
Preparation at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord. The National
The Abraham Accord may even impact other regions, such as South Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean
As we all know, much of the Palestinian negotiating position was contained within the dynamics of American-Israeli and the American-Arab relations. But the UAE brings a new political weight to the table, providing Abu Dhabi with more leverage in the Palestinian-Israeli issue in a way that directly serves the Palestinian interests.
More importantly, the creation of an atmosphere of peace, co-operation and stability in the Middle East would help bring about a shift in Israeli public opinion. People in Israel may eventually realise that they win more when there is peace with Arabs – including Palestinians – and that it is in the best interests of their country to make more concessions. This alone would provide a new kind of leverage for Palestinians, thus generating momentum on both sides to reconsider the conflict’s narratives and enhance a culture of tolerance and justice in the region.
Iran and Turkey were critical of the Accord because their governments realise that such an agreement will help strengthen what historically has been known as the "axis of moderation and stability" in the region. The Accord would be a serious roadblock to Iran’s goal of regional hegemony. It will counter Iran’s destabilising policies, which threaten Arab nation-states through proxies and non-state actors. The same can be said for Turkey’s expansionist policies in Libya, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.
As a so-called “revolutionary” state, Iran is bound to continue its strategy of regional destabilisation, and therefore feel anxious about the Accord. However, some UAE officials stressed that the country’s agreement with Israel is not a hostile message directed at Iran, but rather a step to enhance the development and collective security of the region as a whole.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (R) welcomes Iraqi foreign minister Fouad Hussein (L) in Tehran, Iran, on September 26, 2020. Iran is making considerable efforts to influence the course of Iraqi politics. EPA
Common sense says that this peace agreement can even create an opportunity for the UAE to provide a bridge for dialogue and de-escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel. Moreover, the emergent regional context will create an important opportunity for Iran, whether there is a new US administration next year or President Donald Trump is re-elected. Mr Trump has already stated that he can reach a deal with the Iranians in the first month of his second term – if he is re-elected, of course. Therefore, we may see a new pattern of relations between regional actors that can support a path to stability in the Middle East.
As for Turkey, it viewed the signing of the Accord as a seismic change in the local geopolitical theatre. Before Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party came to power in 2002, Turkey’s own co-operative relationship with Israel was one of the Middle East’s key alliances. Now, however, Turkey’s regional position seems to have become weaker, with the country adopting confused, provocative and hostile policies towards its neighbours in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Still, the Accord provides an important lesson to Turkish policymakers that the strategic benefits of dialogue and understanding surpass the short-term gains of coercion, threats and muscle flexing. If Turkey understands this lesson, it will create positive effects for its relationship with the EU, too. If that happens, the chances are the Abraham Accord will constitute a “game-changer” for de-escalation of conflicts and tensions in a way that goes well beyond Israel and the Arab states.
The UAE decision to sign a peace agreement with Israel is a rational strategy to establish real co-operation that serves both countries and their people. As the leader of this new approach in the Middle East, the UAE is confident that the outcomes and dividends – especially in terms of stability and quality of life – offered by the Abraham Accord will encourage other Arab countries to get on the “peace train”. This would make it possible for the Middle East to catch up with other regions of the world that have already succeeded in developing their countries through dialogue and understanding.
Dr Ebtesam Al Ketbi is a founder and head of the Emirates Policy Centre
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
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.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened. He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia. Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”. Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Thursday, September 21
Al Dahfra v Sharjah (kick-off 5.35pm)
Al Wasl v Emirates (8.30pm)
Friday, September 22
Dibba v Al Jazira (5.25pm)
Al Nasr v Al Wahda (8.30pm)
Saturday, September 23
Hatta v Al Ain (5.25pm)
Ajman v Shabab Al Ahli (8.30pm)
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
Riders must be 14-years-old or over
Wear a protective helmet
Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
