Against the backdrop of a high-profile clash with Iran, a UK institution is making a push to extend its influence in the Middle East.
The British Council works to develop cultural relations and educational opportunities and intends to spend about £30 million (Dh160m) over the next three years in a bid to bridge a "widening gap of trust" in the Middle East, with a large priority in Iraq.
Patrick Brazier knows the council has some work to do. As the Middle East regional director of the council, he acknowledges relationships in the Middle East, have been, at times, difficult.
"There is a deficit of trust and a particular need to build relationships," he said, just weeks after the council publicly withdrew from Iran and at a time when his government is engaged with its allies in two wars in the region.
The council halted operations in Tehran after the Iranian government claimed its staff had been intimidated.
The chief executive, Martin Davidson, said the withdrawal was the culmination of two years of pressure from the authorities.
The closing is the second incident between a traditional British foe and the council, which has faced criticism at home and abroad. In 2007, it was accused by the Russian authorities of operating illegally and violating tax regulations in that country.
Now, the council, which operates in 110 countries, is rolling out programmes in the Middle East after last year announcing plans to cut its presence in Europe in favour of increasing its focus in the Arab and Muslim world.
Mr Davidson said it was time to tackle the "new challenges the world faces" by forging new relationships in the region that would help contribute to Britain's long-term security and prosperity.
Mr Brazier said in an interview that the push into the region aimed to build cultural connections as well as help British residents around the world better understand the areas where they live.
But he acknowledged it is not always going to be easy. The council staff are facing specific challenges, such as operating in Baghdad. "The security environment is incredibly difficult and it creates a very tough operating environment."
The council has previously borne the brunt of anger in the region towards Britain. In March 2006, its offices in Ramallah and the Gaza Strip were attacked after the withdrawal of UK prison inspectors from a Jericho jail.
However, of a recent trip to the Iraqi capital, Mr Brazier said he saw a "significant appetite" from residents to improve their situation. The council has teamed up with Nouri al Maliki's government to run new education initiatives.
The council plans to roll out a raft of initiatives in the Middle East, including teaching English, vocational education, leadership training, performing arts and a self-development programme for women.
Mr Brazier accepts the council gets caught up in wider political disputes and its withdrawal from Iran is an example of it being attacked because of its association to the British government.
"The council is being targeted because it comes from Britain and many in the Iranian regime are suspicious of Britain," said Sir Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to Iran and now an analyst at Chatham House, a British think tank. "They have become very suspicious and hostile."
Mr Dalton added, however, that he believed the incident in Iran was isolated and would not affect the council's Middle East move.
The council, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, was founded after the government became concerned about the need to promote "Britishness" abroad to counter Nazi propaganda. Its modern mission is to create "better informed, more inclusive societies", but it is not without its UK critics.
A British government report in December said senior officials failed to listen to concerns from its 7,300-strong workforce and morale in the organisation was low.
David Blackie, who has worked on contract for the council providing educational services, said because it worked simultaneously as an arm of the government, a charity and also provided revenue-earning services that compete with local companies, it sometimes caused confusion about its role in a country.
Mr Blackie, who writes a blog dedicated to the council, said historically it had been well received, but could face challenges in the Middle East.
"Britain has not earned a lot of friends in the Arab world with its bellicose arrangements with America. The British Council has been targeted by the foreign office to put a band aid over political ill feeling in the Arab world in particular."
Last year, the government's committee on public accounts questioned the council's bosses, with one Labour MP, Austin Mitchell, asking if its premises in Russia were used for spying.
Mr Davidson denied the accusation and said the council was often vilified because they offered access to the outside world in countries that did not always welcome that stance.
Mr Brazier is also quick to laugh over the suggestion of espionage. The spying rumours were a topic of amusement at the council, he said. "If there has been any spying no-one told me about it."
bslabbert@thenational.ae
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THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Sri Lanka squad for tri-nation series
Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
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Range: 400 kilometres
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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On sale: Now
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
RESULTS
6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Lady Snazz, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Arabian Adventures Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm: Emirates Skywards Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Rich And Famous, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Emirates Airline Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Rio Angie, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB) Dh 92,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Kinver Edge, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Read more about the coronavirus
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE