BAGHDAD // Red double-decker buses painted with signs welcomed guests arriving yesterday to the Arab League summit, while scores of security officials and tanks were in place to ensure safety at the event that begins today.
Iraq has spent US$500 million (Dh1.83bn) in preparation for the meeting of the 22-member league, with officials from the Arab world gathering in Baghdad for the first time since Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
"Baghdad's summit is a recognition of a new Iraq that has emerged since 2003," Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq's minister of foreign affairs, said yesterday.
"It has been a monumental task to do it, to finish it, under the most difficult of conditions.
"It really should be called the Arab Spring summit, because we are now entering the season of spring and many of the new leaders will be here in Baghdad," Mr Zebari said, referring to the popular uprisings that ousted rulers in Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen.
On the agenda will be the violent crackdown on protests in Syria by President Bashar Al Assad's regime, which monitors have said has killed more than 9,100 people in the past year.
"I don't think there will be a call for Bashar Al Assad to step aside", Mr Zebari said, but added that there could be a resolution on what action will be taken.
For security reasons, Mr Zebari would not disclose names of those attending but said the UAE was expected to be represented. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, will be attending as an observer.
Several major roads have been closed for days and checkpoint searches have been stepped up, with security officers checking vehicle licence plates against lists of suspected attackers. But despite the tightened measures, ISI was able to carry out a wave of attacks in Iraq last Tuesday in which 50 people were killed and 255 injured.
However, officials said the summit will bring with it recognition that Iraq is increasingly stable, with dramatically less violence than during the country's sectarian war of previous years.
"This is a turning point for Iraq," Mr Zebari said.
"For the last few years, many of these [Arab] countries were ... hesitant, undecided, half-hearted. Now, no," he said. "I think we've made a major, major leap forward."
halsayegh@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Director: Sree Narayan Singh
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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
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort: