Insight and opinion from The National’s editorial leadership
August 30, 2021
Bad news, as it often does, is drowning out good news in the Middle East, particularly during the past month. The region is bracing itself for new challenges, none more vast than Afghanistan's ongoing crisis.
But Saturday's Baghdad Conference for Co-operation and Partnership, hosted by Iraq, means that August is concluding with a measure of good news. Leaders and senior officials from across the Middle East and beyond participated in the one-day summit, some of whom shared sessions with supposed regional rivals, in a bid to promote dialogue and partnership over hostility.
Like Afghanistan, the meeting's long-term consequences are hard to predict. But this time, there are grounds to hope that they could be significantly positive.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, leads the UAE delegation to the regional summit in Baghdad. Twitter
The conference has been a political success for Iraq, as well as a chance for its leaders to rally global support as the country seeks to stabilise itself after decades of strife. Iraq's Prime Minister, Mustafa Al Kadhimi, emphasised particularly his desire for increased foreign investment in Iraqi cities, in order that they modernise sustainably.
Financial means might be one way of supporting the country, but Mr Al Kadhimi also stressed an even more fundamental one: stabilising the region, because Iraq's domestic security and prosperity is inextricable from regional politics, and vice versa.
Decades of instability in Iraq make this ultimate goal difficult to achieve. But the conference reminded all in attendance that the remedies are obvious: co-operation and building partnerships among countries that have influence over Baghdad.
Far less certain is how to go about realising these ideals. But gathering leaders from the UAE, Egypt, France, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as senior officials from Iran, Turkey, the EU and the GCC, among others, is an important and unprecedented start.
While in its very early stages, the beginning of such a diverse consensus should not be underplayed. Division, often violent, has become dangerously normalised in the Middle East. Today, if Iraq can slowly start to assemble a regional consensus, so can others.
Throughout its history, Baghdad has hosted people from across the region and the world, for better or worse. Cosmopolitanism and diversity during the time of the Abbasids gave us one of mankind's most important intellectual eras. In recent times, the presence of foreign powers has, on the whole, not been to the country's benefit. But the belligerence of recent dynamics is not an excuse for abandoning dialogue, and it is for this reason that French President Emmanuel Macron is right to call Saturday's conference historic. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has said that the meeting marks a revival of Baghdad's “regional and global position”.
The current state of the region is set to become even more complicated in the coming months. Adding to this tragedy is the sense that such a deterioration was not inevitable. But among the many rivalries and mistakes in the Middle East, recent and historic, Baghdad Conference for Co-operation and Partnership at least brings hope that the ideal of diplomacy over hostility still attracts the attention of major powers.
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
