It took three years to put together but the UN's response to the migration crisis of 2015 is at risk of being nobbled by the United States and other countries who oppose the agreement and will stay away from a major event in Morocco next week where the international plan is to be signed.
America renewed its criticism of The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration on Friday in a extraordinary and lengthy statement that outlined its objections .
Although the UN document is non-binding and guarantees that nation states retain sovereignty over migration, the plan's aims have drawn fire in a political climate where anti-immigration policies are being advanced by the Trump administration and several European governments.
“The United States proclaims and reaffirms its belief that decisions about how to secure its borders, and whom to admit for legal residency or to grant citizenship, are among the most important sovereign decisions a State can make, and are not subject to negotiation, or review, in international instruments, or forums,” the US mission to the United Nations said in its latest statement.
The UN document has also been fiercely contested in numerous European states, including Belgium, where the government is on the brink of collapse because a right-wing coalition partner is opposed to the pact.
“It is way too pro-migration. It does not have the nuance that it needs to have to also comfort European citizens,” Theo Francken, Belgium's migration minister said on Thursday. “It's not legally binding, but it's not without legal risks,” he added.
Most of the UN's 193 members will send delegates to the event on Monday and Tuesday in Marrakech. Besides the US, Australia and Israel have rejected the agreement, as has the far-right government of Viktor Orban in Hungary.
Italy, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic have also refused to recognise it, a step that will undermine the pact's effectiveness given that recent years of increased migration in all of those countries. Slovakia and Bulgaria have also suggested that they may not sign up.
Denmark and the Netherlands, meanwhile, have struggled to rally political support for the compact and it has also divided politicians in Germany, where Angela Merkel's open door policy led to her losing support among voters.
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The 34-page non-binding compact, agreed in July, aims to support safe and orderly migration, reduce people trafficking and ensure basic human rights for all migrants. It is the first intergovernment negotiated agreement to cover all dimensions of international migration. It does not, however, cover refugees whose affairs are already addressed by global agreements including the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees.
The Marrakesh event will see countries debate migration topics before formally endorsing the plan which grew out of a UN resolution adopted in October 2016, a year after Europe was tackling its worst migration crisis since the Second World War with around one million people having headed there.
Despite the Marrakech forum being seen as a rubber stamp for the compact, Susan Fratzke, a policy analyst at Migration Policy Institute, a Washington-based think tank, said the forum will likely be the beginning rather than the end of efforts for a global strategy on how to handle the movement of people between borders, given how contentious and divisive the issue has become.
“This has become political for some governments,” she said of the US and other withdrawals.
“It's a low cost measure they can take for their supporters, to try and keep them. But the compact will go forward, regardless, whether one, three, five or eight countries decide not to participate.
“The compact creates the potential for dialogue.”
According to the UN there are 258 million migrants worldwide who are living outside their country of birth. The figure is expected to continue to grow because of increased connectedness, globalisation, conflict and labour flows.
At least 60,000 people have died since 2000, while crossing the sea, travelling through inhospitable territories or while being held in custody as a result of their migration.
Countries signing up to the compact have committed to 23 objectives, which include “providing basic services for migrants” and using “detention only as a measure of last resort.”
Nations should also cooperate in “facilitating safe and dignified return and readmission” for those deemed able to return to their home countries, the compact says. It would forbid the collective expulsion of migrants who face a “real and foreseeable risk of death, torture, and other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment.”
The lack of infrastructure in host countries handling arrivals – a major complaint among anti-immigration activists – and the deaths of people undertaking long journeys are also addressed.
The UN maintains that the compact is essential as the global nature of migration means governments need to agree on at least some universal standards and safeguards.
The US in December 2017 was the first country to announce it would not sign the migration compact. The Trump administration has since taken an increasingly hostile view toward cross-border migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, recently sending troops to its border with Mexico to deter a caravan of Hondurans heading north.
But America and other opposed nations will only harm themselves in the long term by shunning the new agreement, according to Louise Arbour, the UN's special representative for international migration.
“It's for them and for their citizens to ask themselves where it leaves them as international players on difficult complex global issues,” she said of countres who have opted out.
“The text specifically says that national authorities are at full liberty to have policies that distinguish between regular and irregular migrants.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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The five pillars of Islam
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Indika
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The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 592bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Price: Dh980,000
On sale: now
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
