This week was meant to be a week when Iraq, and especially the Kurdistan region of Iraq, showcased the economic opportunities in the region and country at the World Economic Forum.
For the first time in years, Iraq has a strong showing at Davos, and the Kurdistan region even has “Kurdish House” on the main street. Yet, on the eve of the annual meeting, many of those plans were up in the air when ballistics missiles launched from Iran struck Erbil, the Kurdistan regional capital, on Monday night.
Yesterday, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan region Masrour Barzani said Erbil was “not party to the conflict” in the region but was being pulled in. The difficult case for investing in Iraq just got harder. The military role of Iran not only in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen but also in the provision of drones to Russia was raised during sessions yesterday.
That will be one of the issues expected to be raised to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian when he takes the stage today. The wars in Gaza and Ukraine dominated geopolitical discussions.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in a packed session called “Securing an Insecure World”.
Responding to questions on the Red Sea attacks, the main concern raised in economic circles, he said: “We are incredibly concerned for regional security in general – priority needs to be de-escalation not only in the Red Sea but in the entire region.”
It was a sentiment echoed throughout the day.
The 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos - in pictures
Prince Faisal said that while the attacks were “clearly connected to war in Gaza – we need to focus on the war in Gaza not because of the Red Sea but because of war itself and the situation there with close to 30,000 civilians killed”.
“I frankly don’t see any strategic objectives Israel has claimed is coming any closer,” he said.
“We need a ceasefire immediately – continuing as we are now will lead to continuing cycles of escalation.”
He added: “Our emphasis is finding a path of de-escalation.”
The German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, called for a “sustainable ceasefire”, highlighting the division in views, yet she acknowledged “this is a total disaster, for Israel, for civilians in Gaza, for the whole world”.
“A spark can burn the whole region [and] not just the region. We feel the consequences in Ukraine [with] Russian attacks highest since the invasion,” she said.
The packed hall had illustrious attendees, including the king and queen of Belgium, UN envoys to Syria and Yemen and leading global chief executives – all of whom were looking for answers.
While the session addressed the war in detail, it was short in solutions. Ms Baerbock’s statement that “we are stuck in a vicious cycle” rang strongest.
Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh held a separate session and warned that some actions by Israel could be war crimes.
However, he stressed: “Comprehensive peace remains [the] strategic objective. [We] are firmly committed to the peace accords.”
How the peace can be reached remained unclear.
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
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
%3Cp%3EFirst%20ODI%20-%20Sunday%2C%20June%204%20%0D%3Cbr%3ESecond%20ODI%20-%20Tuesday%2C%20June%206%20%0D%3Cbr%3EThird%20ODI%20-%20Friday%2C%20June%209%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMatches%20at%20Sharjah%20Cricket%20Stadium.%20All%20games%20start%20at%204.30pm%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMuhammad%20Waseem%20(captain)%2C%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20Adithya%20Shetty%2C%20Ali%20Naseer%2C%20Ansh%20Tandon%2C%20Aryansh%20Sharma%2C%20Asif%20Khan%2C%20Basil%20Hameed%2C%20Ethan%20D%E2%80%99Souza%2C%20Fahad%20Nawaz%2C%20Jonathan%20Figy%2C%20Junaid%20Siddique%2C%20Karthik%20Meiyappan%2C%20Lovepreet%20Singh%2C%20Matiullah%2C%20Mohammed%20Faraazuddin%2C%20Muhammad%20Jawadullah%2C%20Rameez%20Shahzad%2C%20Rohan%20Mustafa%2C%20Sanchit%20Sharma%2C%20Vriitya%20Aravind%2C%20Zahoor%20Khan%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
Chatham House Rule
A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”.
The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.
The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events.
Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.
That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.
This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.
These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.
Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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Price: From Dh117,059
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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