BAGHDAD: Fatima Ali was in her final year studying to become a medical analysis specialist when Iraq imposed a full lockdown in March. Forced by a raging pandemic to stay home, she spent her days on social media, looking for something to do with her time.
Then an idea came to her: Six years ago, visiting America on a young leaders exchange program, she and other students toured a Vermont cheese factory where aged cheese platters were displayed on wooden boards so inviting they looked like paintings.
“I liked it … I said to myself, why not be the first to do it in Baghdad?” She took a free online business course and researched cheeses and wooden plates available in the Iraqi capital.
Months later, 22-year-old Ali is successfully marketing her cheese boards, making a small but steady income and garnering over 2,000 Instagram followers.
A growing number of Iraqi women are using pandemic restrictions to establish home-based businesses. It’s a way to bypass discrimination and harassment that often come with working in Iraq’s male-dominated, conservative society — and bring in extra income as the economy worsens.
On a recent day in her kitchen, Ali cut up and arranged cheeses, dried fruit and nuts as she talked about her further dreams. She wants to go to culinary school abroad and one day open a school in Iraq for those “who have passion for cooking, like me.”
“This is just the beginning. I’m still developing myself,” she said. The slogan on her purple T-shirt declared, “You Have to Love Yourself.”
Rawan Al-Zubaidi, a business partner at an Iraqi NGO that supports start-ups and young entrepreneurs, said there’s been a noticeable increase in home-based businesses since the pandemic’s start, including women making food deliveries, sweets, accessories, crocheting and embroidering.
“It represents a solution to obstacles that Iraqi women face when trying to find a job,” she said, citing women whose husbands or fathers won’t let them work, unsupportive male colleagues, discrimination and lack of career growth opportunities.
“Some Iraqi women can’t find a job because conservative families or husbands consider that women talking directly with other men on the job will bring shame on them,” Rawan said.
Women’s labor force participation in Iraq is particularly low. As of 2018, only 12.3% of women of working age were employed or looking for work, according to the United Nations.
Tamara Amir, who manages a Facebook page to educate Iraqi women about their rights, said she receives dozens of calls each day from women facing sexual harassment at work. Often, they report feeling they have to give their male boss “something in return” to get a job or advancement.
Ali’s parents have been supportive of her home-based business, which she says is more secure and means she does not have to go outside and mix with people. Her mother helps her prepare her products, and Ali teamed up with a popular delivery app.
At first, she received two orders a week maximum. Now she can barely keep up with the multiple orders she gets every day.
Mariam Khzarjian, a 31-year-old Iraqi-Armenian, worked as an executive assistant in an engineering company for seven years. She quit in late 2018, feeling her career was going nowhere, and started her own home business selling handmade accessories inspired by her ancestors, who used to work as carpenters.
She called her business Khzar — Armenian for the art of cutting metals and woods — with the slogan “wear a story,” since Khzar designs are based on telling stories and building emotional communication with the clients.
She got off to a slow start. Distractions got in the way. But the pandemic forced her to focus, working on new designs and techniques during curfews. The move toward online shopping helped her business take off in a way she could not have imagined.
“Online became the only way to reach clients, and they in turn became more loyal and more confident about my art, because they are buying something without trying it,” Khzarjian said.
“Corona is terrible, but for those able to take advantage of the Internet and build connections with customers, it had its positive side,” she said.
Sara Al-Nedawi, 23, studied business administration and has tried to find a job for months.
“One day I sent my CV to a company, and they texted me to ask if I was pretty and whether I wear the hijab or not,” she said, referring to the headscarf worn by some Muslim women. Someone from another company she applied to called her to get more information, then told her she has a lovely voice and asked for a photo.
Now she is trying to start a home-based food-catering business but lacks the capital.
“I need to work first to collect enough money,” she said.
Pandemic restrictions a business boon for some Iraqi women
https://arab.news/c4bbn
Pandemic restrictions a business boon for some Iraqi women
- A growing number of Iraqi women are using pandemic restrictions to establish home-based businesses
NEOM board of directors announces leadership change
- Head of Public Investment Fund’s Local Real Estate Division since 2018, Al-Mudaifer has a deep and strategic understanding of NEOM and its projects
NEOM: The NEOM Board of Directors on Tuesday announced the appointment of Aiman Al-Mudaifer as acting CEO of the company. Al-Mudaifer assumes leadership of NEOM, following Nadhmi Al-Nasr’s departure.
As NEOM enters a new phase of delivery, this new leadership will ensure operational continuity, agility and efficiency to match the overall vision and objectives of the project.
Al-Mudaifer takes the helm of the organization with the support of a strong leadership team across NEOM’s regions, sectors and departments.
Head of Public Investment Fund’s Local Real Estate Division since 2018, Al-Mudaifer has a deep and strategic understanding of NEOM and its projects.
In his role at PIF, Al-Mudaifer oversees all local real estate investments and infrastructure projects. He is also a board member of multiple prominent companies within the Kingdom.
NEOM is a fundamental pillar of Saudi Vision 2030 and progress continues on all operations as planned, as we deliver the next phase of our vast portfolio of projects including THE LINE, Oxagon, Trojena, Magna and The Islands of NEOM.
Through these projects, NEOM seeks to achieve harmony between livability, business and nature, and to create a better future for current and future generations.
Maldives, Bulgaria push for greater climate action, financing
RIYADH: Insufficient financing continues to be a significant barrier preventing many countries, especially underdeveloped nations, from meeting their climate goals, according to the President of the Maldives.
Speaking on the second day of COP29, held in Azerbaijan from Nov. 11-22, Mohamed Muizzu emphasized that small island developing states require trillions, not billions, of dollars in climate finance.
“It is the lack of finance that inhibits our ambitions, which is why this COP, the finance COP, we need to deliver the new climate finance goal. This must reflect the true scale of the climate crisis. The need is in trillions, not billions,” Muizzu said.
He added, “It must consider the special circumstances of small island developing states — it must include adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage.”
Muizzu also reiterated the importance of the environment for his country, stating: “You have called for stronger climate action. Our call has not changed. Our cause has not strayed because, for us, the environment and the ocean are more than resources. They are our cultural identity.”
In a similar vein, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev addressed the global impact of climate-related disasters, emphasizing that no region is immune to the deadly and costly consequences of climate change.
“Bulgaria is committed not only to being part of regional and energy cooperation initiatives across Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Black Sea region but also beyond, by strengthening the links between the European Union and non-EU countries who share our priorities on climate neutrality, just energy transition, energy security, and low-carbon technological innovation,” Radev said.
He further called for broader action, stating, “All parties should undertake greater efforts to integrate climate change adaptation and resilience into all policies and strategies.”
Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to 12,048
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index fell on Tuesday, losing 58.74 points to close at 12,047.67.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR5.75 billion ($1.53 billion), with 70 stocks advancing and 152 declining.
Saudi Arabia’s parallel market saw a drop, losing 50.59 points to close at 29,110.41. The MSCI Tadawul Index also declined, shedding 5.06 points to end at 1,516.14.
The best-performing stock on the main market was Al Jouf Cement Co., with a 4.75 percent increase to SR10.58. Other top gainers included Malath Cooperative Insurance Co. and Elm Co., with shares rising by 4.40 percent to SR15.66 and 3.87 percent to SR1,101.1, respectively.
The worst performer on the main index was Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co., whose share price dropped by 4.42 percent to SR12.12.
National Environmental Recycling Co., also known as Tadweer, announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Re Sustainability Middle East Co. to explore the potential for establishing smelters and recycling units in the Kingdom. According to a statement on Tadawul, the deal is valid for one year and carries no immediate financial impact.
The company’s share price declined by 0.45 percent to SR13.4.
Purity for Information Technology Co. announced it has secured a contract valued at SR10.7 million from Saudi Comprehensive Technical and Security Control Co. to supply technology equipment. The company stated that the financial impact of the contract will be reflected in the first quarter of next year.
Its share price dropped by 0.73 percent to SR8.33.
Red Sea International Co. reported a narrowed net loss of SR2.18 million for the first nine months of this year, compared to a SR54.7 million loss in the same period in 2023. According to a statement on Tadawul, the improvement was driven by a 515.78 percent year-on-year increase in sales revenue. However, Red Sea International’s share price declined by 4.05 percent to SR71.
Lazurde Co. for Jewelry reported a 42.98 percent decline in net profit for the first nine months, totaling SR24.8 million, compared to the same period last year. The company attributed this drop to a 6.61 percent year-on-year decrease in operating profit over the nine-month period. Lazurde’s share price dropped by 2.05 percent to SR13.36.
UN climate chief urges aggressive action as emissions hit GDP
- UN official warned that worsening climate impacts will ‘put inflation on steroids’ unless every country takes bolder climate action
- Simon Stiell called on governments to leave COP29 with a clear global climate finance plan
RIYADH: The global climate crisis is rapidly evolving into an economic threat, with the impact of emissions reducing the gross domestic product of several countries by up to 5 percent, a UN official said.
Speaking at the high-level segment for heads of state and government at the COP29 in Baku, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, emphasized the urgent need for more aggressive climate actions to address economic challenges, including rising inflation.
“We used to talk about climate action as being mostly about saving future generations. But there has been a seismic shift in the global climate crisis, as the climate crisis is fast becoming an economy killer,” said Stiell.
He added, “In this political cycle, climate impacts are curving up to 5 percent off GDP in many countries. The climate crisis is a cost-of-living crisis, as climate disasters are driving up costs for households and businesses.”
Stiell’s comments came shortly after a report by finance consultancy Oxera, which revealed that climate-related extreme weather events have cost the global economy more than $2 trillion over the past decade, with the US being the most affected.
The UN official warned that worsening climate impacts will “put inflation on steroids” unless every country takes bolder climate action.
Stiell urged the world to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the economic suffering caused by slow and ineffective collective action on supply chain issues.
Describing climate finance as “global inflation insurance,” he warned that failing to address the economic toll of climate change would lead to disaster.
“Letting this issue languish halfway down cabinet agendas is a recipe for disaster,” he said.
However, Stiell remained optimistic, asserting that effective climate action could save economies and create new economic opportunities. He pointed to the growth of renewable energy as a potential driver of stronger financial states for nations.
“This isn’t just about saving your economies and people,” he said. “Bolder climate action can drive economic opportunity. Cheap, clean energy can be the bedrock of your economies. It means more jobs, growth, less pollution choking cities, healthier citizens, and stronger businesses.”
Stiell called on governments to leave COP29 with a clear global climate finance plan and urged international cooperation as the key to combating global warming and ensuring humanity’s survival.
“We need your direct engagement on new national climate targets and plans — NDCs — so that all of you can benefit from the boom in clean energy and climate resilience,” said Stiell.
He added: “These are not easy times, but despair is not a strategy, nor is it warranted. Our process is strong, and it will endure. After all, international cooperation is the only way humanity can survive global warming.”
OPEC revises down global oil demand growth forecasts for 2024, 2025
- OPEC revised its 2024 global oil demand growth estimate to 1.82 million barrels per day, down from 1.93 million bpd forecast last month
LONDON: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has again downgraded its global oil demand growth projections for both 2024 and 2025, marking the fourth consecutive reduction.
The revision, announced on Tuesday, underscores weaker demand expectations for key regions such as China, India, and other parts of the world.
The updated forecast highlights the ongoing challenges faced by OPEC+, the broader alliance that includes OPEC members and partners like Russia. Earlier this month, OPEC+ delayed plans to increase oil output starting in December, citing concerns over falling oil prices.
In its latest monthly report, OPEC revised its 2024 global oil demand growth estimate to 1.82 million barrels per day, down from 1.93 million bpd forecast last month. This marks the first revision to the outlook since it was initially set in July 2023.
China was the primary driver of the downward revision. OPEC reduced its forecast for Chinese oil demand growth to 450,000 bpd, down from 580,000 bpd, noting that diesel consumption in September dropped year on year for the seventh consecutive month. OPEC attributed this decline to a slowdown in construction and weak manufacturing activity, as well as the rising use of LNG-fueled trucks in China.
The weaker outlook weighed on oil prices, with Brent crude trading below $73 per barrel following the release of the report.
The demand outlook for 2024 remains uncertain, with significant differences among forecasters regarding the strength of global demand growth, particularly concerning China’s recovery and the pace at which the world transitions to cleaner fuels.
In addition to the 2024 revision, OPEC also lowered its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2025 to 1.54 million bpd, down from the previous estimate of 1.64 million bpd.
