UAE

06 Jul 2020 This story first appeared as an MEI Insight A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, Podbean, Audecibel, Patreon and Castbox. Resolving the tug of war in the Middle East will require a backing away from approaches that treat conflicts as zero-sum games, and engagement by all regional and external players. …

Two Israeli defense contractors said on Friday they were partnering with Abu Dhabi-based Group 42 to develop technologies that will help fight the new coronavirus. Israel has no diplomatic relations with Gulf Arab countries, but common concerns over Iran’s regional influence have led to a limited thaw in ties. Last …

By James M. Dorsey   China was quick to aid coronavirus-stricken Sri Lanka. Chinese magnanimity and speed in responding to the Indian Ocean island’s request contrasted starkly with Beijing’s more measured response to Africa’s needs, widely expected to be the pandemic’s next hotspot. Geography was but one reason why China …

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel and the United Arab Emirates would cooperate in the fight against the coronavirus – a possible boost to Israeli efforts to normalise relations with Gulf Arab countries. Netanyahu said a formal announcement on working together with the UAE on confronting the …

Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and southern separatist forces have agreed on a ceasefire and will begin talks in Saudi Arabia on implementing a peace deal, the Saudi-led coalition said on Monday. The government, based in the southern port of Aden, and the separatists are nominal allies in the Saudi-led coalition, which …

By James M. Dorsey     Europe is progressively being sucked into the Middle East and North Africa’s myriad conflicts. As if wars on its doorstep in Libya and Syria were not enough, UAE support for an Eastern Mediterranean pipeline that could hurt Qatar economically — combined with Greek, Cypriot …

The United Arab Emirates can work with Israel on some areas, including fighting the new coronavirus and on technology, while still having political differences with the state, a senior official said on Tuesday. Addressing a conference of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) advocacy group, minister of state for foreign affairs …

Israel cannot expect to normalise relations with the Arab world if it annexes land in the occupied West Bank, a United Arab Emirates envoy wrote in Israel’s top newspaper on Friday. Some Israeli officials have dismissed the notion that applying sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the …

Iraq affirmed its commitment to the OPEC+ oil production cut deal but asked the group to take into consideration the members’ economic situation in sharing the burden of future cuts, Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Allawi said on Sunday. “We are seeking to set new rules in future over sharing burden …

The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations are facing their worst economic crisis in history amid the double shock of plunging oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) said. Overall real gross domestic product (GDP) will contract 4.4% this year, despite some indications that the …

A senior United Arab Emirates official said on Monday that any unilateral move by Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank would be a serious setback for the Middle East peace process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said cabinet discussions would begin on July 1 on his …

In the past four years, the United Arab Emirates has grown a small but rising share of its own organic tomatoes, aiming to shore up food security in an import-dependent desert country. The effort – part of a broader push to produce more home-grown food amid fears climate change could …

By James M. Dorsey | May 22, 2020 The United Arab Emirates and Turkey are locked into a regional power struggle that has fuelled conflict in Libya and could spark renewed fighting in Syria. It is a struggle, like that between Saudi Arabia and Iran, that threatens to keep the …

Turkey accused the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday of bringing chaos to the Middle East through its interventions in Libya and Yemen, allegations which are likely to inflame tensions between the regional rivals. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was responding to criticism of Turkey’s role in the Libyan conflict, where it …

A patent has been granted by the UAE Ministry of Economy for the development of an innovative and promising treatment for COVID-19 infections using stem cells. The treatment was developed by a team of doctors and researchers at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center (ADSCC) and involves extracting stem cells …

It is early days, but first indications are that the global pandemic is entrenching long-drawn Middle Eastern geopolitical, political, ethnic, and sectarian battle lines rather than serving as a vehicle to build bridges and build confidence. By James M. Dorsey The coronavirus crisis is also changing the region’s political landscape …

The UAE government has proposed a new start date for Expo 2020 Dubai. In the proposal the event would begin on October 1, 2021 and run until 31 March, 2022. Roughly 12 months after the initial start of the event. Late March the expo General Director announced the intention to …

Russia never sought a sharp oil price fall or an end to cooperation with Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the Gulf nations are to blame for the crisis on the global oil markets, a senior Russian official said. In early March, Russia and OPEC failed to agree how …

India plans to take advantage of low prices for oil from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to top up its strategic petroleum reserves (SPR), two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. Global oil prices have fallen around 40% in March as the impact of the coronavirus …

The collapse in oil prices will put pressure on government finances in the Gulf, credit rating agency Fitch said on Monday. Fitch’s top Middle East and Africa sovereign analyst Jan Friedrich said a $10 drop in crude prices lowered fiscal revenues in the Gulf by 2-4% of GDP, depending on …

British foreign minister Dominic Raab will on Monday begin his first official visit to the Gulf for talks with leaders in Saudi Arabia and Oman, expected to cover trade, human rights issues and climate change. Raab, appointed foreign minister in July last year by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, will also …

The United Arab Emirates, a major air transit center, is ready for “worst case scenarios” as the coronavirus spreads in the Middle East and has the facilities to quarantine patients and screen new arrivals, a government official said on Wednesday. It was too early to ban public gatherings in the …

Dubai is to take full control of port operator DP World (DPW.DI) in a deal with a $13.9 billion valuation that will help the company at the center of the emirate’s 2009 debt crisis to repay some of its borrowings. DP World, which operates ports around the world from Hong …

The United Arab Emirates has issued an operating license for the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant, a senior official at the nuclear regulator said on Monday, paving the way for it to start production later this year. The multi-billion-dollar Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, which is being …

The coronavirus crisis, which has already battered oil prices, threatens to further undercut Gulf economies battling a downturn and struggling to wean themselves from a decades-old energy addiction. The six Gulf states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates — count China as their main trading …

United Arab Emirate’s minister of state for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said on Tuesday his country supports calls for de-escalation with Iran and to reach a political solution, Al Arabiya TV reported. He added that preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons under the Vienna accord as the sole restriction is …

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, received on Monday, Sergey Naryshkin, Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, and his accompanying delegation. H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, …

The United Arab Emirates has resumed postal services to Qatar nearly three years after they were suspended due to a Gulf Arab political dispute. The move followed a meeting of parties involved in the dispute with the United Nations postal agency. Indirect services began on Feb. 9 with mail transported …

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday Gulf Arab states — some of the world’s richest countries — could see their financial wealth depleted in the next 15 years amid lower hydrocarbon revenues if they don’t step up fiscal reforms. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – whose net …

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, and Jorge Agustin Molina Arambarri, Ambassador of Argentina to the UAE, today tackled ways to develop cooperation in the defence and military areas. During a meeting at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Al Bowardi welcomed the Argentine ambassador …

A Japanese destroyer left for the Gulf of Oman on Sunday amid simmering Middle East tension to guard sea lanes that supply nearly all the oil that powers the world’s third-biggest economy. “Thousands of Japanese ships ply those waters every year including vessels carrying nine tenths of our oil. It …

The United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to Washington said in a statement on Tuesday that the UAE believes Palestinians and Israelis can achieve lasting peace and genuine coexistence with the support of the international community, the UAE Embassy in Washington said on Twitter. Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba also announced the UAE’s …

The Hope Probe will carry with it the UAE Nation Brand’s logo and its accompanying slogan, ‘Make it Happen’, when the spacecraft built by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre takes off for Mars later this year. The brand’s placement on the probe, called ‘Al-Amal’ in Arabic, symbolises the future-forward …

NMC Health Plc (NMC.L) said an independent review committee had appointed former Federal Bureau of Investigation director Louis Freeh to compile a report on allegations by U.S. firm Muddy Waters and third parties. NMC, United Arab Emirates’ largest private healthcare provider, launched an independent review of its finances after short-seller …

Abu Dhabi -The President of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, emphasised that the UAE is a global role model in sustainable development, in light of its significant global efforts in sharing renewable energy solutions across the world. In his remarks to the Emirates News Agency, …

Dubai – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has announced a new district under the name of “Dubai Future District” dedicated to the new economy will take shape in Dubai. According to WAM news agency, Sheikh Mohammed has also announced the launch …

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday Moscow has been urging Gulf countries to consider a common security mechanism for the region. “We have been suggesting to the Gulf countries to think about collective security mechanisms … starting with confidence building measures and inviting each other to military exercises,” …

Saudi Arabia’s Industrialization and Energy Services Company (TAQA) announced today the signing of an agreement with AlMansoori Petroleum Services (AMPS). The announcement was made at the opening of this year’s International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC), taking place for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The agreement establishes …

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, witnessed today the signing of the UAE-Japan Strategic Energy Cooperation Agreement between the Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council, represented by Abu …

Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should work together to de-escalate the tense situation in the Gulf, a Japanese foreign ministry official said on Monday, relaying comments by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The official said Japan’s strong relationship with both the United States and Iran enabled it …

The United Arab Emirates grew its renewable energy portfolio by more than 400% in the last 10 years, and is on track to double that again in the coming decade, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. [ADNOC.UL] chief executive Sultan al-Jaber said on Monday. “We (ADNOC) will increase our carbon capture …

The United States is committed to regional political stability, a US State Department official underscored on Sunday. Francis Fannon, Assistant Secretary at the US State Department’s Bureau of Energy Resources, said that following his visit to the UAE last January, he is visiting the country again to “underscore the United …

Israel’s foreign minister has postponed a visit to Dubai this month due to security concerns, diplomats said on Sunday, linking the decision to Iran-U.S. tensions. Israel Katz, who doubles as intelligence minister, had been scheduled to attend mid-month meetings in the Gulf emirate ahead of its Expo 2020 Dubai but …

The United Arab Emirates energy said on Saturday it was investing heavily to secure its energy resources. “We are in a very good position to secure ourselves and keep securing our customers (needs),” Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei told an energy conference in the capital Abu Dhabi. “We are committed that …