Crown Prince: Gulf-US summit reflects collective action to strengthen relations, expand partnership
This summit reflects our commitment to collective action to strengthen our relationship and expand and develop our strategic partnership to meet the aspirations of our countries and peoples, he added.
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Al Arabiya
12 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump administration not in a rush to replace Powell: Treasury chief Bessent
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that the Trump administration was not in a rush to nominate a new Federal Reserve Chair to replace Jerome Powell. 'We are getting the process underway. Obviously it's going to be President Trump's decision, and we're not in a rush,' Bessent told Bloomberg TV in an interview. Powell's term as chair ends in May 2026, although he is due to stay on as a Fed governor through January 2028. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for Powell to resign but has said he would not fire him. In a separate interview aired on Tuesday, Bessent said there was no need for Powell to resign right now. When asked if Fed Governor Michelle Bowman was under consideration, Bessent said: 'I'm not going to name names, but there are candidates, as I said, on the board, several female regional bank presidents and there are fantastic women outside the Fed.' Bessent said he continued to have regular meetings with Powell and that Powell had not told him whether he would leave his board seat before 2028. 'My belief is that he will. And I think that it would be very good for the institution for him to do it and I think it'd be very good for him personally to do it,' Bessent said.
Arab News
12 minutes ago
- Arab News
Afghanistan to send 700 workers to Qatar in first labor deal under Taliban
KABUL: Afghanistan is set to send 700 workers to Qatar under a new agreement marking the first formal deployment abroad since the Taliban takeover in 2021. The Afghan Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs said on Monday that the agreement was reached between a joint public-sector company from Qatar and private employment firms in Afghanistan and the placement process will be supervised by the Afghan government. 'Based on this agreement, an initial 700 job opportunities have been allocated for Afghan workers,' it said. 'The core objective is the legal, safe, and dignified deployment of Afghan workers abroad, with the necessary future support to uphold their rights.' Samiullah Ebrahimi, the ministry's spokesman, told Arab News on Wednesday that the 'registration process will start very soon' and that the government 'will identify in which sectors Qatar needs laborers.' As Afghanistan faces very high unemployment, with many daily wage earners struggling to find work or earn a living inside the country, sending labor abroad could provide immediate economic relief. 'This agreement will bring continued and sustainable income to Afghan families. A major factor is that our economy is currently based on remittance. With more labor going abroad, the volume of remittance gets increased, helping the economy stabilize,' Abdul Hameed Jalili, former refugee affairs attache to Pakistan, told Arab News. The new agreement will not only provide jobs but also help elevate Afghanistan's standing in the international labor market, potentially opening doors for more Afghan workers abroad. 'Afghanistan is home to a skilled and talented workforce and enabling these individuals to work overseas can showcase the strength and professionalism of our labor force. This, in turn, could enhance the country's reputation and encourage other nations to consider recruiting Afghan workers,' Jalili said. Remittances have played a vital role in supporting both Afghan households and the national economy and used to contribute 4 percent to GDP, according to data from the Assessment Capacities Project, a non-governmental organization hosted by the Norwegian Refugee Council, which provides humanitarian analysis. They dropped in 2021, when Afghanistan was hit with sanctions after US-led forces left the country and its Western-backed administration collapsed as the Taliban took control. While since 2022 they have been on the rise, they are still below the pre-2021 level, according to ACAPS, also due to the reliance on unofficial hawala transfers, which are difficult to track. Many households are reliant on these transfers as job opportunities in Afghanistan have shrunk. It is unclear how high the unemployment rate currently is, but various reports suggest it has skyrocketed over the past four years with the withdrawal of foreign projects and aid. The UN Development Program warned in May that 75 percent of the Afghan population was subsistence-insecure, lacking access to adequate housing, health care, and essential goods. With no job prospects at home and no labor deals between the Taliban administration and foreign governments, many Afghans have illegally traveled abroad in search of employment, often taking dangerous routes. According to the International Organization for Migration, over 1.6 million Afghans left the country between 2021 and 2023. Agreements like the one signed with Qatar could pave the way for essential protections of those working abroad. 'Expanding official labor agreements with additional countries could help slow the migration trend that followed the collapse of the former government by offering safe and legal pathways for work abroad,' Jalili said. 'This would also reduce the risks associated with human trafficking and irregular migration, allowing Afghans to pursue opportunities overseas through regulated and secure channels.'
Arab News
12 minutes ago
- Arab News
Damascus between the Druze, Alawites and Kurds
It is true that Bashar Assad left the palace on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 7, and that Ahmad Al-Sharaa entered it the next day without a single shot being fired in the capital. This is a rare occurrence in history. Even so, the road ahead for the new leadership is neither paved nor smooth. The road to change from Idlib to Damascus was open because most Syrians — as well as regional and global actors — truly wanted change. But the actual uprooting of the Assad regime was a long and bloody process — perhaps one of the most complex transitions in the region. From this standpoint, we must interpret the current events within this context, rather than as a mere 'moment of victory.' Optimism, enthusiasm and widespread support did not prevent political unrest: confrontations on the coast with Alawites, the bombing of a Christian church in Damascus and disputes with the Druze of Sweida and with the Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqa. The crises that have already occurred — and those that may still come — are expected. The domestic consensus to remove Assad means the alternative system will need time to build trust. There is also a troubled regional environment, with actors harmed by the transition who will need time to test the waters, accept the new reality and choose to cooperate. Amid these local confrontations, two dangerous factions threaten the new order. The first includes actors that are overtly hostile — such as remnants of the old regime, forces in Iran and local gangs like drug cartels. The domestic consensus to remove Assad means the alternative system will need time to build trust Abdulrahman Al-Rashed These groups will repeatedly try to create a confrontational climate that escalates over time. They aim to shrink Syria, entangle Damascus in a prolonged battle and encourage the emergence of independent regions. The second faction comes from within the system — or considers itself part of it — and plays a role in fueling crises. It has its own views on how the country should be governed and how it should engage with the world. Though loyal, this faction is no less dangerous than the hostile one, because it ignites conflicts and deepens divisions. Its threat lies in dragging the Syrian authority into a confrontation with the regional order and inviting foreign powers to invest in a local civil war. These traps require wisdom in handling so that they do not distract the government from its most difficult task: building a new state that most Syrians are waiting for — one that improves living standards and transitions into a modern nation. Al-Sharaa has domestic popularity that he must strengthen, lest it erode under the weight of looming challenges — most notably, bread shortages, inflation, low wages and delays in foreign aid. These are challenges unrelated to Iran or the regime's remnants. They are compounded by the need to extinguish growing social strife, which risks becoming a civil war. Those engaged in this strife — whether in the name of freedoms or defending (or opposing) the regime — are stoking tensions among Syria's deeply anxious and mistrustful communities. The international community wants a civil state that manages a disciplined security and military apparatus. The new Damascus government needs time to organize itself and win over Syria's diverse groups. Let us remember that Hafez Assad, while presenting himself as a protector of minorities, placed Abdul Halim Khaddam and Mustafa Tlass at his right and left. There are also forces in the region that have failed to establish extremist regimes — and now want Syria to become another Gaza or Afghanistan. The new Damascus government needs time to organize itself and win over Syria's diverse groups Abdulrahman Al-Rashed Upon entering the capital, Al-Sharaa immediately announced his openness to all, stressing that his concern is Syrian — not international. He displayed a moderation that surprised many and he has managed his relationships pragmatically, consistent with his promises. That is why Syria will not follow the Iranian model — which is now nearing its end — nor should it fight on behalf of others, whether against Israel or Iran. Nor should it allow others to bring their wars onto Syrian soil. Amid these ethnic, sectarian and regional tensions, the road will remain difficult. The government has inherited a devastated country violated by both domestic and foreign forces. Fixing it will require political skill — not brute force — and a sixth sense that can anticipate crises and contain them.
