BEIJING: Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi met Friday with President Xi Jinping on a visit to friendly neighbor China as international criticism over her country’s persecution of Rohingya Muslims continues to grow.
China has studiously avoided criticizing the crisis and the official Xinhua News Agency did not say whether the issue came up in the meeting. China is also expected to push for Myanmar to restart a dam project suspended after overwhelming local opposition.
Suu Kyi is in Beijing to attend a gathering of delegates from more than 200 political parties from around the world hosted by China’s ruling Communist Party, which last month reappointed Xi to a second five-year term as its leader.
Xi also delivered a speech to the gathering’s opening ceremony and met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Xinhua said.
China was a longstanding friend of Myanmar during the Southeast Asian country’s isolation from the West, and has been helping shield it from criticism over the crisis that has seen more than 620,000 Rohingya flee Myanmar over the last few months.
Myanmar’s military has conducted a scorched earth campaign against the Rohingya that the UN and US describe as “ethnic cleansing.” Refugees living in squalid conditions in camps in Bangladesh have described indiscriminate attacks by Myanmar security forces and Buddhist mobs, including killings, rapes and the torching of entire villages.
Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest during the nation’s long era of military rule, has come under widespread criticism for not speaking out against the violence, with some calling for her Nobel prize to be revoked. While Myanmar elected a new civilian government in 2015 led by Suu Kyi, the military continues to wield ultimate power.
China’s interests in Myanmar include the security along its southern border and access to natural resources.
A recently opened pipeline running through Myanmar carries oil from the Middle East and the Caucuses to China’s landlocked Yunnan province, allowing it to bypass the Malacca Strait. The pipeline starts at the Bay of Bengal in Rakhine state in western Myanmar, the epicenter of the anti-Rohingya violence.
Chinese projects have been blamed for uprooting villagers and harming the environment, factors that led Myanmar in 2011 to suspend the $3.6 billion Myitsone dam primarily funded by Chinese energy interests. The suspension remains a sore point and China is eager to see resumption of work on the project.
Although Suu Kyi’s delegation includes the country’s minister of electricity and energy, real progress on the dam issue is unlikely, said prominent Myanmar political analyst Yan Myo Thein.
“There is only a small possibility that this particular dam project will be implemented under a Suu Kyi-led government because it’s a controversial national project,” Thein said.
Instead, the two sides may discuss alternative projects such as a road serving the Kuming-Mandalay-Yangon-Kyaukphyu economic platform, he said.
On the Rohingya issue, China’s main interest is stability, which means China has leverage, Thein said.
“Myanmar has leaned toward China because of international criticism and condemnation on Myanmar over the crisis,” he said.
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi meets China’s Xi as Rohingya censure grows
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi meets China’s Xi as Rohingya censure grows
‘The extraordinary has become the ordinary in Saudi Arabia,’ says Middle East expert
- Appearing on “Frankly Speaking,” Norman Roule called for more robust media narrative to communicate the Kingdom’s ambition
- Lauded the role of Ambassadors Michael Ratney and Princess Reema bin Bandar in strengthening bilateral relationship
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s transformation, showcased by world-class entertainment events, AI and green energy investments, and giga-projects, continues to redefine its global image and influence, but according to Middle East expert Norman Roule, more can be done to explain the Kingdom’s ambitions to the world.
On the diplomatic front, the former CIA operations officer believes Saudi-US relations will continue to thrive regardless of the administration in Washington and despite the temporary pause caused by the Gaza war.
“Truth be told, I see so much that is extraordinary in Saudi Arabia that the extraordinary has become the ordinary,” he said on the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” referring to the star-studded “1001 Seasons of Elie Saab” fashion show on Nov. 14 as part of Riyadh Season 2024, which has drawn over 6 million visitors and turned the Saudi capital into a cultural and entertainment hub.
“Saudi Arabia must have what it needs to achieve its vision as a global node of progress, stability, interfaith relationships,” Roule said, noting that the Kingdom “is located in the center of so many pathways of global commerce and social exchange between India and Africa, between Europe and Asia.”
Calling for a more robust narrative strategy to dispel misconceptions and showcase Saudi Arabia’s impact, he underscored the importance of investing in media programs similar to “Frankly Speaking” to communicate the Kingdom’s vision “in English to the international community.”
“The world needs more of it, not just to understand what the Kingdom is doing in and of itself, but how those ambitions will shape the global society and the global economy. Understanding Saudi Arabia’s investments in green energy, along with those of the United Arab Emirates. It’s critical to the future of the planet for developing countries — for the Global North and the Global South,” Roule told Katie Jensen, the host of “Frankly Speaking.”
“Understanding how entertainment connects Europe to Asia, how it’s going to shape how people move in the world. That can only be done with more information being put out.”
Roule spoke of Saudi Arabia’s influence on critical issues, such as women’s empowerment and cultural exchange, stating that it can reach well beyond its borders, shaping developments across the region and even other continents. “The role of protecting women’s rights is not just a Saudi issue,” he said, “but I’d like to see Saudi Arabia’s influence touch Afghanistan and Africa.”
Roule also offered an enthusiastic assessment of NEOM — a key part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative to diversify its economy beyond oil — describing it as a game-changer for Saudi Arabia’s future. The $500 billion futuristic city on the Red Sea is designed to address challenges like population growth and sustainability while leveraging the Kingdom’s strategic location near the Red Sea.
“NEOM is 90 minutes from Athens and about 60 kilometers from the Suez Canal,” he said, and noted that its vision includes carbon-neutral technologies, transformative trade hubs like Oxagon, and revolutionary urban designs such as The Line.
“So much of this has never been done before anywhere in the world. It will be amazing,” Roule said.
“When people talk about The Line, which is often how NEOM is described in the West, I tell them, first, NEOM is the size of Belgium or Massachusetts,” he said. “Only 5 percent of the territory can be developed. And I think they’ve mapped that about 4 percent.”
Looking ahead, he said: “I have no doubt it’s going to succeed — it will be amazing — but it may not succeed on the schedule that some might hope.”
Roule laud the work done by the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and the US in their respective capitals to strengthen bilateral relations. “Michael Ratney is not only experienced, a superb Arabist, but he’s someone who has a deep knowledge and understanding and respect for the region,” he said. “He’s exactly the sort of ambassador the United States would hope to have in a position as consequential as this.
“At the same time, you have Saudi Ambassador Reema bint Bandar in Washington, who is extremely capable. She is a national treasure for both of our countries as we look to understand and work together.”
Roule praised the two ambassadors for encouraging American executives to visit Saudi Arabia, saying: “I have been with such executives at some of these meetings. If they’re fresh to the Kingdom, they’re delighted and amazed; if they don’t come often, they’re delighted and amazed.”
Ultimately, he said, “the success that we all hope to achieve is not a business deal; it’s a partnership on the broader ambitions of the Kingdom and the United States for regional stability and progress.”
Bangladesh prepares to send trained nurses to Saudi Arabia in 2025
- Authorities are preparing to fulfill a Saudi request for 150 Bangladeshi nurses
- Migration of skilled Bangladeshi workers has been on the rise this year, government data shows
DHAKA: Bangladesh is preparing to send the first batch of trained nurses to Saudi Arabia by early next year, the country’s state-owned recruiting agency told Arab News on Sunday.
Bangladeshi nationals make up the largest group of expatriates in Saudi Arabia, with nearly 3 million working and residing in the Kingdom. But only a few dozen clinicians are among the group, according to Bangladesh Medical Association data.
In 2022, the two countries signed an agreement on the recruitment of health workers, targeting the large numbers of certified doctors, nurses and medics from Bangladesh’s more than 100 medical colleges.
Bangladeshi authorities are now preparing a batch of over 100 nurses to send to Saudi Arabia, said the Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Ltd., a recruitment agency under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
“We got a request to send 150 nurses to the Kingdom … If everything goes alright, we can expect the first batch to (fly out) to the Kingdom early next year,” BOESL Executive Director Shawkat Ali said.
In Saudi Arabia, nurses must undergo the Saudi Prometric Exam in order to practice in the Kingdom. Though Bangladesh has many nursing school graduates, most do not have the required Prometric certifications, he added.
“Our nurses are very skilled and industrious … We have received huge queries for the nurses. But here they need to have the Prometric certification. If we can prepare them in line with the Saudi requirements, it will open new opportunities for our nurses.”
Only around 2 percent of Bangladeshi workers in the Kingdom are skilled professionals, but the number has been on the rise since the beginning of the year, according to data from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.
Though most Bangladeshi migrant workers are seeking employment in Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects under its Vision 2030 transformation plan, there has also been a growing demand for health workers from the South Asian nation.
“For our economy, exporting trained nurses to the Kingdom is a big opportunity. We are mostly an import-dependent country, so we need huge amounts of dollars to meet the import bills,” Ali said.
“If we can export a significant number of trained medical staffers, they would be able to send back more remittances.”
QatarEnergy strengthens global footprint with offshore expansion in Namibia
RIYADH: QatarEnergy has expanded its portfolio through a new agreement with TotalEnergies to increase its ownership stakes in two offshore blocks in Namibia’s Orange Basin.
According to a press release, the state-owned energy firm will acquire an additional 5.25 percent interest in block 2913B and an additional 4.7 percent interest in block 2912 under the new deal, subject to customary approvals.
Once finalized, QatarEnergy’s share in these licenses will rise to 35.25 percent in block 2913B and 33.025 percent in block 2912.
Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s minister of state for energy affairs and CEO of QatarEnergy, said: “We are pleased to expand QatarEnergy’s footprint in Namibia’s upstream sector. This agreement marks another important step in working collaboratively with our partners toward the development of the Venus discovery located on block 2913B.”
TotalEnergies, the operator of both blocks, will retain 45.25 percent in block 2913B and 42.475 percent in block 2912. Other partners include Impact Oil & Gas, which holds 9.5 percent in both blocks and the National Petroleum Corp. of Namibia, which owns 10 percent in block 2913B and 15 percent in block 2912.
Located about 300 km off the coast of the African country, in water depths ranging from 2,600 to 3,800 meters, these blocks host the promising Venus discovery. The Venus field has attracted considerable attention as a significant find that could impact Namibia’s energy future.
This offshore acquisition complements QatarEnergy’s recent ventures into renewable energy. In October, the company announced a 50 percent stake in TotalEnergies’ 1.25-gigawatt solar project in Iraq.
The initiative, part of Iraq’s $27 billion Gas Growth Integrated Project, aims to enhance Iraq’s energy self-sufficiency by addressing its reliance on electricity imports and reducing environmental impacts.
The solar project, set to deploy 2 million bifacial solar panels, will generate up to 1.25 GW of renewable energy at peak capacity, supplying electricity to approximately 350,000 homes in Iraq’s Basra region.
QatarEnergy will share equal ownership of the project with TotalEnergies, which retains the remaining 50 percent.
The firm’s dual focus on traditional and renewable energy highlights its strategic approach to meeting global demands while addressing sustainability concerns.
Its involvement in Namibia’s offshore blocks and Iraq’s shift toward renewable energy highlights a well-rounded portfolio that includes fossil fuels and clean energy investments.
Ukraine shows fragments of new Russian missile after ‘Oreshnik’ strike
- Russia on Thursday carried out a strike on the city of Dnipro last week
- Use of IRBM in response to Ukraine’s firing US ATACMS and UK Storm Shadow missiles
Russia on Thursday carried out a strike on the city which President Vladimir Putin said was a test of its new Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
Ukraine’s SBU security service displayed metal fragments, ranging from bulky to tiny, on fake grass in front of camouflage netting at an undisclosed location Sunday, AFP journalists saw.
The SBU did not name the missile used but said it was a type they had not seen before.
Oleg, one of its investigators, told journalists that “this is the first time the debris of such a missile has been found on the territory of Ukraine.
“This item had not been documented by security investigators before,” he added.
Oleg said that investigators are examining the fragments and will later “provide answers” on the characteristics of the missile.
He said that the missile was ballistic and had caused damage to civilian and “other infrastructure” in Dnipro.
In a televised address Thursday, Putin said Russia used the IRBM in response to Ukraine’s firing US ATACMS and UK Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territory, after the Kyiv allies lifted a ban on it using long-range weaponry to fire into Russia.
Putin said the missile flies at 10 times the speed of sound and cannot be intercepted by air defenses.
The president said it hit a defense industry production facility in Dnipro “which still produces missile equipment and other weapons.”
A Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman was heard answering a phone call about a strike on Yuzhmash during a press briefing. Yuzhmash is the Russian name of an aerospace manufacturer in Dnipro now called Pivdenmash.
Neither Kyiv nor Moscow has confirmed whether this was the target.
Putin has promised more combat testing of the Oreshnik missile and said it will go into serial production.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called the strike “the latest bout of Russian madness” and appealed for updated air-defense systems to meet the new threat.
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence has said Kyiv knew several prototypes of the missile had been produced before it was fired.
GCC lending growth hits 3.1% in Q3, Saudi Arabia leads: report
RIYADH: Listed banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council achieved their highest lending growth in 13 quarters, with loans rising 3.1 percent to $2.12 trillion in the third quarter.
According to a report by Kamco Invest, Saudi Arabia led the surge with a 3.7 percent quarter-on-quarter increase in gross loans, marking its fastest growth in nine quarters.
Qatar followed with a 1.9 percent rise, while Bahrain recorded a 1.2 percent increase.
This growth aligns with the International Monetary Fund’s projection of 3.5 percent nominal gross domestic product growth for GCC nations in 2024, driven by the strong performance of non-oil sectors in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
The region’s commitment to diversification and long-term infrastructure development continues to drive its financial sector.
Despite record lending levels, aggregate net income for GCC-listed banks increased marginally by 0.4 percent to $14.9 billion.
While total revenues grew 4.1 percent, supported by a 2.8 percent rise in net interest income and a 6.9 percent increase in non-interest income, higher expenses and impairments weighed on profitability.
Loan impairments rose to a three-quarter high of $2.5 billion, with increases in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain partially offset by declines in Qatar and Kuwait.
Customer deposits across GCC-listed banks reached a nine-quarter high, rising 3.2 percent to $2.5 trillion.
Saudi Arabia led with a 4.6 percent increase, while the UAE maintained its position as the largest deposit market at $828 billion.
Deposits in Oman and Qatar also saw solid growth, contributing to the region’s overall resilience.
The aggregate loan-to-deposit ratio remained stable at 81.4 percent, with Saudi Arabia reporting the highest ratio of 92.8 percent and the UAE the lowest at 69.3 percent, reflecting its strong liquidity position.
The GCC banking sector’s resilience is further demonstrated by its consistent focus on operational efficiency. The cost-to-income ratio declined slightly to 39.9 percent, highlighting the sector’s ability to manage expenses effectively despite rising costs.
As the region continues to diversify its economy, the banking sector remains a critical enabler of growth, funding large-scale projects and fostering financial innovation.
While rising funding costs and potential interest rate cuts may pose challenges, the sector’s robust fundamentals and strategic focus on non-oil growth position it for sustainable expansion.
The commitment to balancing economic diversification with financial innovation is expected to drive the sector’s continued success, reinforcing its pivotal role in the GCC’s broader economic landscape.
