Frankly Speaking: Senior EU aid official denies Europe is selective on refugees, says Syrians were treated same as Ukrainians

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Updated 16 May 2022
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Frankly Speaking: Senior EU aid official denies Europe is selective on refugees, says Syrians were treated same as Ukrainians

  • Michael Koehler, deputy director general of ECHO, tells Arab News that Assad regime atrocities ‘have not been forgotten’
  • Claims EU takes principled position on Palestine but explains cuts in EU development assistance to Palestinian Authority
  • Koehler names and shames EU member countries that did not pay their share of promised aid

JEDDAH: Denying that the European Union discriminates between refugees Michael Koehler, the deputy director general of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), has claimed that Syrians were welcomed in the same way as Ukrainians and that the crimes of the Bashar Assad regime will not be forgotten.

In a wide-ranging interview with Arab News, Koehler also reiterated Europe’s commitment to supporting Palestinian humanitarian needs, stating that any cut in EU aid relates solely to financial transfers for development assistance, not humanitarian aid.

Koehler denied that Europe’s treatment of Ukrainians fleeing their country because of the war with Russia and those from the Middle East has revealed racism, double standards and hypocrisy. “The only difference that I see is that refugees from Ukraine have, on the basis of a decision of the European ministers of interior, immediately been granted work permits,” he told the host of Arab News’ “Frankly Speaking” interview show, Katie Jensen. “But apart from that, the treatment is not different from refugees from other parts of the world.”

“Frankly Speaking” features in-depth discussions with leading policymakers and business leaders, diving deep into the biggest news-making headlines across the Middle East and around the world. During his appearance on the show, Koehler spoke on a number of issues, including what the future holds for displaced Ukrainians and whether the EU plans to pull funding from Middle East crisis zones to make up for the humanitarian aid gap. 

Koehler said one needs to look back at the arrival of the Syrians and Iraqis in 2015 and 2016 when slightly more comparable numbers of refugees were pouring into Europe. “The million Syrians that poured into (Germany) were very much welcomed,” he said. “It is not quite fair in a way to compare the welcome that now Ukrainians are receiving two months into the crisis, with the situation of other refugees that have been in Europe for four years, five years, six years or seven years, and where certain problems have arisen.”

“We are absolutely not yet there in the Ukraine crisis, but it’s a very general phenomenon. Structurally, this is a very well-known phenomenon,” he said, pointing to instances where the initial warm welcome given to refugees by the host population gave way to problems that “led sometimes to populist reactions.”

Still, Koehler expressed regret at comments such as those made by Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov (“These are not the refugees we are used to, these people are Europeans, intelligent, educated people”), and the implication that countries have the right to choose refugees based on race, religion or politics.

“No, absolutely not. Absolutely not,” he said. “It is, however, of course, normal that if you are a direct neighbor of a country that is in the situation Ukraine finds itself in, then of course there is perhaps a slightly bigger emotion. There’s a slightly bigger readiness of private persons to help, but we’ve seen the same thing in other scenarios.”

Alluding to the insensitive remarks of European politicians, Koehler said: “We shouldn’t take the statements of this or that individual politician as the kind of policy line of European member states and of the EU. Politicians can voice their personal opinions, but this doesn’t mean that the legal order that settles the way refugees are welcomed, the support they receive and so forth, that this would be changed.”

Koehler disagreed with the notion that with the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis holding the spotlight, the atrocities committed by the Assad regime in Syria, where 6.2 million people remain internally displaced, have been forgotten. “No, they have not been forgotten,” he responded. “In fact, I shared via Twitter part of the ministerial meeting on Syria in the region that we are hosting here at Brussels for the sixth time. This is the annual meeting of the international community.

“The international community has put together a record pledge: €6.4 billion for 2022-2023, which is half a billion more than the equivalent pledge of last year. So, what this tells us is that there is no fatigue in the international community when it comes to assisting Syrians. The donors are there, there is no donor fatigue and the international organizations are mobilized.”

But what about all the complaints of humanitarian agencies that they are running out of money? Koehler says he does not deny there is a problem of “donor insufficiency.”

“If you look at the amount of money that’s mobilized every year for humanitarian aid, you see an increase of money. This is totally outpaced by the needs, because every year we have more crises. The existing crises unfortunately don’t go away and the number of people that are suffering keeps increasing.”

Asked how the humanitarian funding gap could be filled, Koehler said the solution is a mixture of elements, starting with more donors, especially those in the EU. “Look at the clubs of rich countries. There are 38 members of OECD or the G20,” he said. “Not all of these countries have already started to deliver humanitarian aid. Some do, but not very consistently. There may be a year where they may put a lot of money on the table, and in other years they are a bit more (tight-fisted) with their resources.”

Among the many ways the Middle East is exposed to the vagaries of the Ukraine war, Russia has hinted at vetoing the renewing of the mandate that allows the UN to use the Bab Al-Hawa crossing in northern Syria when it expires on July 9. This means that EU aid might have to go through Damascus and thus be under the control of the Assad regime. “If Bab Al-Hawa was closed, there would be a huge supply problem and we have seen what it means already in the northeast of Syria,” Koehler said.

“However, we are also very much in favor of cross-line cooperation, so we have no problem with bringing aid from Damascus to the northeast, for example, or the northwest. Unfortunately, this is happening only on a small scale, which has to do with political but also logistical problems.”

According to Koehler, there is a new system by which aid is always delivered through specialized partners, never through governments, “so delivering aid, for example in the part of Syria that is controlled by the authorities in Damascus, does not mean to give money to the Assad government.

“It is implemented through specialized owned organizations, NGOs, UN agencies and so forth. For that we have monitoring, we have audits, we have independent audits by third parties,” he said. “We have our offices on the ground. ECHO has an office in Damascus that can monitor what’s going on, and as soon as there is some kind of suspicion of diversion of aid, we stop. We stop, we enquire and we only resume aid once we are sufficiently, let’s say, reassured about the way the aid is implemented.”

Koehler said ECHO was using the same modus operandi in Afghanistan. “As I said earlier, we never work through governments. So, we work with the local NGOs. We work with the Red Crescent, we work, for example, with UNICEF and other organizations and we make sure that this money comes to the benefit directly of the population concerned,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that with more restrictions announced by the Taliban, many of them targeted at women, “we are frankly disappointed with the way things are developing in Afghanistan.”

Last April the EU pledged €525 million of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, and according to Koehler, as a consequence of the developments in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of the country last year, the international community, in particular the EU, have stepped up humanitarian funding.

“The Taliban came up with a number of assurances, concerning, for example, girls’ education and women’s rights. However, we now see that many of these assurances have proved questionable or even formally revoked. and this of course creates major problems.”

Moving on to another humanitarian hotspot, Koehler played down fears that humanitarian aid funding will stop despite a UN warning this month that more than five and a half million Palestinian refugees may no longer have access to basic services such as food, education and health care due to a drop in contributions from member states, the EU in particular.

“We support UNRWA and we continue our assistance,” he said, referring to the UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees.

With regard to the EU’s contribution, he said this is “not a cut in funding. This is about negotiating the conditions for the 2021-2022 installments.”

He added: “What has stopped for a short while is not humanitarian aid but direct financial transfers that EU development assistance is making available for the benefit of the Palestinian National Authority. And this is not a stop for good, but this is about agreeing to a certain number of conditions, under which this money would be made available.”

But amid concerns over possible closure of UNRWA, what is the EU’s position on the right of return? “The EU has a principled position in this regard and we stand still behind the two-state solution. We want a negotiated solution between the parties,” Koehler said. “We see the occupation of Palestine as something that has to be brought to an end, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions on the basis of bilateral negotiations that we are ready to incentivize and support as much as possible.”

Koehler concluded by saying that aid agencies and donors must unite and “speak with one voice” for effective humanitarian relief efforts in crisis zones. “Wherever the international community, the donors from the US to the UK, to the EU, to Sweden, to Germany, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, wherever the donors speak with one voice, this one voice has an effect,” he said, citing the example of the failed attempt in 2020 by the Iran-backed Houthi militia to impose a 2 percent tax on humanitarian aid deliveries in Yemen.

“The international community said ‘no way.’ Also, the World Food Programme said ‘no way.’ We said, ‘If that is what you want to do, we will simply discontinue our operations in the territory that you have control over.’”


Wrapped in gratitude: How Saudi women are redefining post-Hajj gift culture

Updated 6 min 14 sec ago
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Wrapped in gratitude: How Saudi women are redefining post-Hajj gift culture

RIYADH: In Saudi Arabia, the end of Hajj doesn’t simply mark the conclusion of a sacred pilgrimage — it opens the door to another cherished tradition.

Gift-giving, known locally as hadiyat al-hajj or “the pilgrim’s gift,” is a gesture that turns a personal journey into a shared blessing. For many, it is an expression of faith, gratitude and love.

While classics like Zamzam water and dates still hold their place, a new generation of Saudi women is redefining this tradition, infusing it with creative spirit, personal stories and intentional detail. From custom packaging to symbolic items and handwritten notes, Hajj gifts today are becoming more than a token — they’re a continuation of the spiritual journey itself.

“I didn’t want to just hand someone a plastic bottle and say, ‘I went’,” said Nawal Al-Subaie, aged 30. “So I put together small bundles with Zamzam water, engraved tasbeeh and handwritten du’a cards for each friend. It was my way of letting them in on the experience.”

The gifts now often carry symbolic meaning — a fragrance that evokes the air of Arafat, prayer cards reflecting moments of silence in Muzdalifah, or a simple stamped tag reading “Hajj Mabroor” in hand-drawn calligraphy. The items are chosen with care, often representing moments that shaped the pilgrim’s heart.

For Dana Al-Hamdan, 26, the most powerful way to preserve the feeling of Hajj was through images. Instead of giving traditional gifts, she printed instant film photographs she took throughout her pilgrimage, labeled with the exact date and time.

“I gave them to my twin sister,” she said. “One was from Arafat just before Maghrib, another from the moment I arrived in Mina. They weren’t staged — they were raw and personal.”

The emotional weight of that gesture lingered far beyond the exchange.

“She kept one photo in her wallet and the other on her desk.” Al-Hamdan said.

This new take on hadiyat al-hajj is trending on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Videos show everything from Hajj-themed gift boxes and laser-cut Qur’anic bookmarks to handmade pouches, scented oils and memory tokens.

But it isn’t about luxury or performance; it’s about thoughtfulness. Many women prepare the gifts in quiet, reflective settings. Some add prayers or verses. Others prepare items based on personal meaning, such as a prayer for healing, a verse for patience, or an object that symbolizes strength.

Latifa Al-Dossari, 27, created sets of prayer beads and placed them inside tiny velvet bags, along with notes describing what that day of Hajj felt like.

“It was like writing someone a letter from Mina,” she said.

What’s happening with these gifts is part of a larger movement, a shift toward a more expressive, emotionally honest form of spirituality. For many Saudi women, especially younger ones, Hajj is not only a rite to fulfill, but a memory to share, a testimony that invites others in.

Some see hadiyat al-hajj as souvenirs, others see them as silent declarations. “I remembered you,” they say. “I carried your name. This was not a journey I took alone.”

The true beauty of this tradition lies in the unspoken energy that surrounds it. These are not mass-produced tokens; they are gifts that hold time, intention, and prayer.

For the women crafting them, the act is a final ritual, a quiet bridge from the pilgrim’s journey back to daily life, but built with du’a, thought and love rather than stone or scripture.

Because, in the end, the real gift isn’t the Zamzam or the photograph or the beads. It’s the sincerity that comes with it — the kind that says: “You were with me, even when I was away.”


State-led startup momentum poised for sustainable growth under Vision 2030

Updated 13 min 50 sec ago
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State-led startup momentum poised for sustainable growth under Vision 2030

RIYADH: Amid a record-breaking surge in venture funding and a wave of regulatory reforms, Saudi Arabia is drawing global attention for its ambitious push to build a vibrant startup economy. 

The Kingdom’s entrepreneurial landscape is being reshaped thanks to the work of Saudi Venture Capital, a subsidiary of the National Development Fund, and incubation support from the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, known as Monsha’at.

With government capital underwriting much of the early momentum, the challenge now lies in translating that support into private-sector-driven sustainability, with some market observers cautioning against confusing rapid growth with long-term sustainability. 

Philip Bahoshy, CEO of MAGNiTT. Supplied

“The long-term sustainability of this support will depend on continued private-sector participation and market-driven investment flows,” Philip Bahoshy, CEO of MAGNiTT, told Arab News in an interview. 

He accepted that sovereign-led investment vehicles have played a foundational part in catalyzing early-stage innovation, saying: “Saudi initiatives like SVC and Monsha’at have played a critical role in expanding access to capital, fostering entrepreneurship, and developing the broader startup ecosystem.” 

Bahoshy cited SVC’s strategy of acting as a fund-of-funds as a key mechanism for increasing market liquidity, alongside new instruments such as venture debt and private equity.

These tools are designed not only to finance startups but to build institutional depth across the capital stack. 

Beyond financial capital, the initiatives have emphasized ecosystem development through mentorship and education. 

“Another key pillar is their focus on education — whether they be in-person events or the content they share through sponsorships like MAGNiTT — to educate the market,” Bahoshy added.

Monsha’at, he added, has expanded its support through physical incubators and SME-focused regulatory facilitation, helping reduce barriers for company formation and early operations. 

Capital drives diversification

For Said Murad, senior partner at Global Ventures, these efforts are not just supportive — they are catalytic. 

“SVC has invested in 54 private capital funds that invested in over 800 startups and SMEs via $3 billion in AUM (assets under management). This has resulted in entrepreneurship growth and economic diversification,” the venture capitalist told Arab News in an interview. 

Said Murad, senior partner at Global Ventures. Supplied

Murad added that this flow of capital has had knock-on effects beyond startups, helping to “drive jobs and economic growth” across sectors and enabling venture firms like his to back “emerging technologies across platforms built by exceptional founders.” 

In assessing sustainability, the venture community is looking for more than just headline investment totals. 

Bahoshy pointed to a broadening of sector focus as a positive indicator. “Indicators of sustainable growth include diversified sector investment, rising follow-on funding rounds, and an increasing number of successful exits,” he said. 

MAGNiTT’s recent report with the National Technology Development Program, he noted, shows Saudi Arabia outperforming the wider Middle East and North Africa region on follow-on investment metrics — evidence of startups moving successfully through the funding pipeline. 

Murad emphasized deal activity and capital market maturation. “Achieving a record number of deals in 2024 (178), which was 31 percent of MENA’s total deal number, reflects positively on activity,” he said. 

He also cited the growing pipeline of exits and public listings, saying: “More than 50 IPO applications are currently under review by the regulator and the exchange, showing further momentum in the Saudi market.” 

The increase in mergers and acquisitions transactions — up 17.4 percent year on year — suggests the market is entering a phase of consolidation and liquidity, which is critical for long-term investor confidence, he stated.  

Still, the pace and scale of state-backed capital injections have prompted some caution. 

“Concerns about government-driven funding inflating valuations remain,” Bahoshy warned. 

He stressed the need to monitor startup profitability, organic market demand, and the inflow of non-government capital to guard against artificial inflation.

In his view, sustainable ecosystems are those where “startups demonstrate strong unit economics” and attract both domestic and international private capital. 

Murad agreed that macroeconomic indicators must be matched with real operational progress. 

“From an investor’s perspective, distinguishing between real market development and an overheated ecosystem requires a mix of macroeconomic signals and sector-specific insight,” he said. 

Those metrics include gross domestic product growth, employment contribution, and non-oil revenue gains. 

At a sectoral level, fintech remains a bellwether. “In fintech, for example, sustained growth in digital payment adoption, rising financial inclusion, and tangible collaboration between fintech and incumbent banks signal structural integration rather than hype,” Murad explained. 

On the structural side, Saudi startups face a different set of challenges as they scale regionally and globally. 

While local capital and infrastructure offer a strong base, market fragmentation across the MENA region presents real operational hurdles. 

“Key challenges include regulatory differences, talent mobility constraints, and fragmented market demand,” Bahoshy said. 

In particular, sectors such as fintech and health tech often require jurisdiction-specific compliance, which can stretch the resources of scaling companies. 

Murad underscored the importance of localization and talent strategy in overcoming those barriers. 

“Startups operating in sectors such as fintech or health tech may find it particularly difficult to navigate differing compliance standards and approval timelines,” he said, adding that hiring local talent is often critical. 

“Our portfolio company Rabbit, a hyperlocal e-commerce platform, has made the recruitment of local employees a key part of its Saudi market entry strategy,” said Murad. 

Despite these headwinds, both Bahoshy and Murad see a strategic shift toward long-term market integration. 

“Saudi startups are increasingly positioning themselves as regional leaders within MENA,” Bahoshy said, with many expanding into the UAE, Egypt, and other Gulf Cooperation Council markets. 

Murad added that founders are building their businesses “with scalability in mind,” and are “leveraging the Kingdom’s strong capital base, infrastructure, and Vision 2030 momentum to compete across borders.” 

Next growth phase

Ultimately, the next phase for Saudi Arabia’s startup ecosystem will depend on how effectively it balances public ambition with private execution. 

While Vision 2030 provides a powerful narrative and institutional backing, sustained impact will be measured by market maturity, depth of innovation, and the ability of startups to solve real problems across borders and sectors. 

As Saudi Arabia’s startup ecosystem transitions from state-backed momentum to market maturity, investors and policymakers are shifting their focus from funding volume to long-term value creation. 

This next phase will test whether startups can scale beyond subsidized growth and become embedded drivers of innovation across sectors and borders. 

“What often matters most is on-the-ground visibility: how embedded startups are in daily life, how their products are solving real problems, and how much institutional trust they’ve earned,” said Murad. 

That visibility — whether in finance, healthcare, or logistics — is increasingly seen as a litmus test for lasting impact. 

Startups that succeed in the Kingdom are now expected to meet regulatory standards, address market needs, and contribute to non-oil GDP. 

Murad pointed to the fintech sector, where startups are not only attracting investment but also becoming integral to the financial system through collaboration with banks and the adoption of digital infrastructure. 

He noted that alignment with national priorities, like those in the Financial Sector Development Programme, helps reinforce sector-wide progress. 

Regional expansion remains an important strategic goal, but the road to cross-border growth is uneven. 

Bahoshy pointed out that as Saudi startups expand into nearby markets, they encounter challenges such as varying regulations, limited movement of skilled talent, and inconsistent consumer demand across the region.

To mitigate these challenges, firms are increasingly investing in local knowledge and partnerships rather than applying one-size-fits-all models.


Pakistan set to hold rates as Israel-Iran conflict overshadows growth push

Updated 17 min 8 sec ago
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Pakistan set to hold rates as Israel-Iran conflict overshadows growth push

  • Several brokerages initially expected a cut but revised their forecasts after Israeli strikes sparked fears of a broader conflict
  • Escalating hostilities triggered a sharp spike in oil prices, a worry for Pakistan given the broader impact on imported inflation

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank is expected to hold its policy rate on Monday, a Reuters poll showed, as many analysts shifted their previous view of a cut in the wake of Israel’s military strike on Iran, citing inflation risks from rising global commodity prices.

Israel said on Friday it targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders in a “preemptive strike” to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.

Several brokerages had initially expected a cut but revised their forecasts after the Israeli strikes sparked fears of a broader conflict. The escalating hostilities triggered a sharp spike in oil prices — a worry for Pakistan given the broader impact on imported inflation from a potentially prolonged conflict and tightening of crude supplies.

Eleven of 14 respondents in a snap poll expected the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to leave the benchmark rate unchanged at 12 percent. Two forecast a 100 basis-point cut and one predicted a 50 bps cut.

“There remains an upside risk of a rise in global commodity prices in light of geopolitical tensions which could mark a return to inflationary pressures,” said Ahmad Mobeen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

“The resultant higher import bill could also threaten external sector performance and bring pressure to the exchange rate.”

Inflation in the South Asian country has been declining for several months after it soared to around 40 percent in May 2023.

Last month, however, inflation picked up to 3.5 percent, above the finance ministry’s projection of up to 2 percent, partly due to the fading of the year-go base effects. The SBP expects average inflation between 5.5 percent and 7.5 percent for the fiscal year ending June.

The central bank paused its easing cycle in March after cumulative cuts of 1,000 basis points from a record high of 22 percent, and resumed it with a 100-basis-point reduction in May.

The policy meeting follows the release a tight annual budget, which saw Pakistan raise defense spending by 20 percent but overall expenditure was reduced by 7 percent, with GDP growth forecast at 4.2 percent.

Pakistan says its $350 billion economy has stabilized under a $7 billion IMF bailout that had helped it staved a default threat.

Some analysts are skeptical of the government’s ability to reach the growth target amid fiscal and external challenges.

Abdul Azeem, head of research at Al Habib Capital Markets, which forecast a 50-bp cut, said a lower rate could “support the GDP target of 4.2 percent and reduce the debt financing burden.”


Mexican citizen dies in US immigration detention center

Updated 46 min 11 sec ago
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Mexican citizen dies in US immigration detention center

  • The man died on June 7 at an ICE facility in the southern state of Georgia
  • US authorities notified the Mexican consulate in Georgia’s capital Atlanta of the death

MEXICO CITY: A Mexican citizen died in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center from undetermined circumstances, Mexico’s foreign ministry has said.

The death comes amid ongoing demonstrations in several US states, most prominently in California, against immigration enforcement raids launched by US President Donald Trump’s administration.

The man died on June 7 at an ICE facility in the southern state of Georgia, where he was being held after he was transferred from a state prison, the foreign ministry said in a statement Thursday.

US authorities notified the Mexican consulate in Georgia’s capital Atlanta of the death.

“Consular staff has established communication with local and ICE authorities, as well as with the individual’s family members, to clarify the facts, confirm the official cause of death, and provide legal advice and support to the family,” the ministry said.

Mexico’s foreign ministry said consular staff had not been notified to interview the detainee while he was in custody, despite regular visits to the facility to assist Mexican nationals.

“The consulate has requested an explanation from the (detention) center’s authorities,” the ministry said.

It also said it was examining legal options and maintaining communication with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the state’s independent investigative body.


Japan ‘strongly condemns’ Israel’s attack on Iran

Updated 13 June 2025
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Japan ‘strongly condemns’ Israel’s attack on Iran

TOKYO: Japan has joined in the condemnation of Israel’s attack on Iran with Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya saying the attack “escalates the situation” in the Middle East, Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported.

“We deeply regret that military force was used despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, including talks between the US and Iran, to achieve a peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue,” Iwaya said. “Our country strongly condemns this action, which escalates the situation.”

Iwaya emphasized that peace and stability in the Middle East are “extremely important” to Japan and urged all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint.

He called for de-escalation of the situation, adding that the Japanese government will spare no effort to protect Japanese nationals residing in the region.

“We will continue to take all necessary measures to prevent further deterioration of the situation,” he said.

• This article also appears on Arab News Japan