Latest news with #RaisinaMiddleEast
The National
29-01-2025
- Politics
- The National
Carl Bildt: Sweden should help migrants who wish to leave after integration failures
Europe has not integrated its recent immigrant population well enough, former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt told The National. In an interview in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, which took place on the sidelines of the Raisina Middle East forum in Abu Dhabi, Mr Bildt also shared his views on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the growing importance of artificial intelligence in public policymaking and the role of social media in the western political discourse. In Sweden, where the government in September announced it plans to offer more than $34,000 to migrants who want to return to their countries of origin, Mr Bildt says there is a growing 'recognition that [immigration] went somewhat too fast'. 'Integration takes time, and we didn't give it the attention that we should have.' Mr Bildt also attributed a rise in criminality and gangs in Sweden to these policy failures. 'And that has led to a political reaction…You see it in all European countries.' On Sweden's financial offer to incentivise migrants to return, Mr Bildt says 'there are quite a number of people who want to go back' – particularly Syrians, many of whom he says want to return even in spite of Sweden's foreign ministry advising against travel to Syria. "I think it is fair enough that we give them some help," he said. Critics of the plan say it could hinder efforts to encourage integration among immigrants further by sending a message across society that non-native Swedes do not belong. 'The key thing,' Mr Bildt says, is that 'this is a voluntary arrangement'. 'If they don't want [to leave]…then integration is the name of the game.' Throughout Europe, some far-right politicians have mooted ' remigration ', in which governments ought to try to repatriate immigrants to their country of origin, in some cases even after they have acquired European citizenship. The idea has picked up steam in populist circles, including within Germany's right-wing party Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD). While Mr Bildt acknowledged far-right 'tendencies' in Europe, he said he was more worried about trends in American society. 'If you look at opinion polls in the US, you have roughly 70 per cent of people who have been saying consistently for years that the country is moving in the wrong direction,' he said. 'If you put the same question to people in Europe, those figures are much lower. 'There is a distinct difference between what we see in Europe and the intense polarisation of American society.' Last week, American billionaire Elon Musk addressed an AfD campaign event in Germany via video link, where he warned that multiculturalism 'dilutes everything'. 'I'm interested to see how it works out in Germany,' Mr Bildt said. 'Whether Elon Musk's intervention has a positive or negative effect, because there could also be a backlash against it. I mean, Americans coming in and preaching to the German electorate is not necessarily something that is appreciated. Could be. Remains to be seen.'
Times of Oman
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar calls on UAE President
Abu Dhabi: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on the President of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar said the two discussed India and UAE's progress in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Honoured to call on HH Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Conveyed warm greetings of PM Narendra Modi. Discussed the continued progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Value his guidance for its future growth." Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during his official visit to the UAE. Sharing a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Pleased to meet Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan." "Recalled his recent visit to India and discussed further advancement of India-UAE partnership," the post added. Nahyan attended the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January 2024 as the Chief Guest. Jaishankar also met Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the UAE. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Nice to meet Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the President, UAE this morning. Discussed our special partnership and its further progress." The EAM also addressed the inaugural session of Raisina Middle East in Abu Dhabi. Notably, Jaishankar is on an official visit to the UAE from January 27 to 29 with goals to build a closer relationship between India and the Emirates and improve bilateral ties. India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations since they established ties in 1972. The UAE opened its embassy in India in the same year, followed by the opening of the Indian embassy in the UAE in 1973. Over the years, these relations have evolved into a robust and multifaceted partnership.
The National
28-01-2025
- Business
- The National
Raisina Middle East: Region has ‘immense significance' for India, says minister
Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India 's Minister of External Affairs, has outlined a sweeping set of realities evident in the world today during a speech at the Raisina Middle East conference in Abu Dhabi, referring to the 'sharp departure of the United States from a century of Wilsonian foreign policy'. 'We are more interdependent in the very era when the propaganda of a global village stands firmly rejected,' he said in Abu Dhabi. 'The global discourse pits progress against heritage, the future against the past. This has implications for both diplomacy and statecraft.' Dr Jaishankar said the digital world had a 'growing salience', which placed a premium on trust and transparency. He described several other key realities of the modern global order, including the competitive aspect of ties between the US and China and 'the anxiety we all share of overconcentration manufacturing in a limited geography and the resulting search for more reliable and resilient supply chains'. He also referenced 'the frequent weaponisation of market shares, finance and technology' and the 'unfolding insipient reglobalisation that now stresses national interests and identities', as well as the emergence of a global workplace. He said that 'regionalisation of power makes for more complicated decision-making'. 'In this world of change, challenges are best addressed, and opportunities exploited by forging a shared agenda and developing a common purpose,' he said. During his address at the inaugural session of Raisina Middle East, Dr Jaishankar had earlier described the Middle East as a region of 'immense significance' for India and noted that his country and West Asia are 'inextricably linked through commerce and connectivity, ideas and beliefs, traditions and customs' over centuries. He said the Gulf was crucial to India's strategic interests, citing trade levels of more than $160 billion annually. 'An India with wider interests and growing capabilities today contemplates the world with confidence,' he said. 'We certainly recognise the risks, but we are equally cognisant of the opportunities. For us, the Middle East is an extended neighbourhood, which we have reconnected with in full measure.' Dr Jaishankar also met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, today, Wam news agency reported. The pair discussed ties between the two countries and ways of strengthening collaboration. They were also reported to have exchanged views on several international developments. Speaking at the Raisina event, several people in attendance discussed the changing global landscape since the beginning of US President Donald Trump's second term this month. Brian Katulis, senior fellow for US Foreign Policy at the Middle East Institute, told The National that Mr Trump's main approach was to be disruptive and unpredictable.' I think the real risk to global order is that I don't see necessarily that he has a clear plan of what comes next. He wants to be unconventional and gain leverage.' Ana Palacio, Spain's former foreign minister, told The National that the next four years in the US could be characterised by 'instant reward' policies and a continuation of the transactionalism and unpredictability that was evident in some periods of the first administration of Mr Trump. Raisina Middle East continues on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.
