Sweida evacuations and Turkey to cancel Iraqi Kurdistan oil deal
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The National
8 hours ago
- The National
Syria's Kurdish fighters say laying down arms 'impossible'
Kurdish fighters in Syria have said it is 'impossible' to lay down their arms amid a flurry of sectarian violence in the country. The Syrian Democratic Forces, a mostly Kurdish militia, made a deal with President Ahmad Al Shara in March to merge with Syria's state institutions. The deal was part of Mr Al Shara's efforts to unify the country after years of civil war in Syria, in which various armed groups held sway in parts of the country. The SDF peace process has not gone smoothly though, with the authorities in Damascus accusing the US -backed militia of dragging its feet. An outbreak of fierce fighting in the south of Syria, with troops sent to quell unrest involving Bedouin tribes and the Druze minority, has cast further doubt on Mr Al Shara's efforts to hold Syria together. And under pressure from Washington, Syria has mounted raids against members of ISIS as the extremist group threatens to stage a resurgence. 'In light of the ongoing tensions in Syria, the escalating violence, and the threat of ISIS, it is impossible for our forces to surrender their weapons,' Kurdish media quoted SDF spokesman Abjar Daoud as saying on Tuesday. 'The SDF can join the Syrian army through a constitutional agreement that recognises the uniqueness of the Kurdish component,' he said. He added that the SDF 'is not in favour of war' but would 'defend its people' if necessary. Turkey, which opposes Kurdish autonomy, warned on Tuesday that it could intervene to stop any attempt to break up Syria. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's comments appeared to be aimed at Israel, which last week bombed Damascus on behalf of the Druze minority. Turkey has condemned the Israeli strikes as an attempt to sabotage Syria's efforts to establish peace. Mr Fidan said Israel wanted a divided Syria to make the country unstable, weaker and a liability to the region, and added that Kurdish YPG militants were looking to take advantage of the chaos. 'God willing, we will prevent this policy from being realised,' he said. In an apparent reference to the YPG, he said groups in Syria should not see such chaos as a tactical opportunity to achieve autonomy or independence within Syria and that they faced 'a big strategic catastrophe'. 'This leads nowhere,' he said.
Zawya
10 hours ago
- Zawya
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat Discusses with World Bank Regional Director Advancing Multilateral Cooperation to Enhance Economic Development in Egypt
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, held a meeting with Mr. Stephane Guimbert, Regional Director of the World Bank for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti, to discuss avenues to strengthen joint cooperation to achieve economic development in Egypt. The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation discussed with the World Bank Regional Director the joint efforts to enhance economic development by leveraging the World Bank's international expertise and capabilities, emphasizing the importance of the partnership with the World Bank Group as a knowledge partner to the Egyptian government. Where joint work is underway to develop a comprehensive implementation plan to achieve economic development in cooperation with ministries and national entities, aiming to support macroeconomic stability, provide development financing, promote industrial development and trade, mobilize foreign direct investment (FDI), and increase investment in human capital. H.E. also highlighted the Ministry's efforts to implement the national narrative for economic development, which includes several pillars such as the preparation of the National Strategy for Industrial Development, which aims to increase exports, and enhance the value-added of manufacturing industries, and expand the contribution of the green economy to the GDP, as well as on enhancing integration and coherence between the FDI strategy and industrial development, supporting the labor market strategy focused on skills, and promote investment in human capital. She pointed out that this document comes within the framework of the effort to formulate a unified development discourse that reflects the state's priorities, enhances the consistency of macroeconomic policies, and serves as a common reference for the government, international institutions, and development partners. The meeting also discussed updates regarding the World Bank's portfolio, including the Universal Health Insurance Project, the Sustainable Rural Sanitation Services Program, and the Takaful and Karama Program. Discussions also covered the latest developments in the Upper Egypt Local Development Program and the Cairo-Alexandria Trade Logistics Development Project, which is being implemented in cooperation with the National Railways Authority of Egypt (NRA). For his part, Mr. Stephane Guimbert, Regional Director of the World Bank for Egypt, presented an overview of a new global health initiative led by the World Bank, which aims to expand basic health coverage to an additional 1.5 billion people worldwide, focusing on middle- and low-income countries. The idea of Egypt joining as a key participant in this initiative was raised in light of its significant progress in health sector reforms, particularly through the implementation of the Universal Health Insurance system, which is considered one of the largest social protection projects in the region. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation - Egypt.
Zawya
11 hours ago
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia allows special travel permits for business visits to Syria
RIYADH — The Saudi Embassy in Damascus has announced the introduction of special travel permits for businesspeople and investors from both Saudi Arabia and Syria, paving the way for renewed economic engagement and investment exploration between the two countries. The move marks a notable shift in bilateral economic relations, following Saudi Arabia's 2015 decision to ban travel to Syria due to deteriorating security and political conditions at the time. This latest development coincides with the visit of a Saudi business delegation to Syria over the past two days, where they met with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shar' and other senior officials. The permits are expected to facilitate broader investment cooperation amid warming diplomatic ties and the ongoing normalization of official relations between Riyadh and Damascus. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
