Latest news with #Gulf
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Are migrant workers the real glue cementing Asean-GCC ties?
The second Asean -Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Summit, held in Malaysia from May 26 to 27, marked a significant step towards deepening ties between Southeast Asia and the Gulf. Advertisement While interregional cooperation is often framed in terms of energy, trade and investment, the bedrock of this relationship is increasingly shaped by people-to-people connectivity, anchored in labour migration, religious devotion and growing financial linkages. As fast-growing regions, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the GCC are forming bonds as much through daily human interaction as through strategic interests. In 2022, the combined workforce of the six GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – was estimated at 32 million. Of these, Gulf nationals accounted for just 5.8 million, or 18 per cent, while more than 26 million were foreign workers. Although comprehensive and up-to-date data on the total number of Asean citizens working in the GCC is limited, available figures highlight the Gulf's significance as a destination for Asean labour migrants and a key source of remittances. 01:47 Chinese Premier Li Qiang hails first-ever three-way talks with SE Asia, Gulf nations Chinese Premier Li Qiang hails first-ever three-way talks with SE Asia, Gulf nations Saudi Arabia , the largest country in the GCC, employed about 726,000 Filipinos, 175,000 Indonesians and 164,000 Myanmar nationals, according to its 2022 census. The UAE , the second largest country in the region, hosted about 780,000 Filipinos last year. Kuwait, though smaller in size, is still a popular destination for migrant workers, with more than 223,000 Filipinos living there as of 2024. Most of these migrant workers are employed in sectors such as domestic work, healthcare and construction. Recognising the structural importance of these labour flows, Asean and GCC member states have increasingly sought to institutionalise protection mechanisms through bilateral agreements. For example, the 2017 labour agreement between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines set standards for recruitment and employment practices to ensure the rights and welfare of Filipino workers. Advertisement Indonesia , which imposed a moratorium in 2015 on sending workers to Saudi Arabia amid frequent cases of abuse, is now preparing to lift the ban by the end of this month. This development follows a renewed agreement to strengthen worker protection, including a minimum wage, health and life insurance, and digital integration of recruitment data to monitor irregular practices and improve oversight. These moves point to a clear trend: labour governance is becoming central to Asean-GCC cooperation. Both sides are shifting from ad hoc arrangements to a more structured approach focused on rights, protections and shared responsibility – a sign of a more mature and balanced partnership.
The National
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Dave Chappelle roasts Trump, Israel-Iran conflict and DJ Khaled's silence: 'This isn't how it works, champ'
Dave Chappelle roasted Donald Trump's handling of the Israel-Iran conflict during his show in Abu Dhabi on Friday night. Travelling to the Gulf days after a ceasefire went into effect, the American comedian made light of the US President's unpredictability during his performance at a sold-out Etihad Arena as part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Season. 'Trump – I don't know about this guy. I can't tell if he's going to do good or not,' Chapelle said, adding: 'What a week you guys must have had over here in the Middle East.' The 51-year-old entertainer also brought up the US President's Saturday Truth Social post announcing the air strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. 'Trump wrote that 'we did a meticulously perfect attack. We have disabled their nuclear facility.' And then at the end of the post he said, 'and now is the time for peace!' Word? I don't think that's how this works, champ,' Chappelle said. The comedian also made reference to the March security scandal surrounding US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who shared attack plans on the Houthis through his Signal account. 'Trump bombed Iran, in an attack that was carefully planned on WhatsApp,' Chapelle said. Chappelle made light of growing concerns in the US regarding the ongoing regional conflict, saying: 'Everybody in America is scared. It's not good when Bible places are in the news. That means it might be the end of times. And if it is, you know what? I had a good run.' When an audience member yelled out the name of Palestinian-American musician DJ Khaled, the comedian questioned why the DJ has remained silent on the ongoing war in Gaza. 'DJ Khaled, let me tell you something. For a Palestinian, this man is awfully quiet right now. And as a Palestinian, how could you be that quiet right now? And why are you so fat? People are starving. He's the only fat Palestinian on earth right now,' Chappelle joked. Chappelle has been outspoken about the suffering of Palestinians ever since the Israel-Gaza war began. Last year, during his show in Abu Dhabi, he described Israel's actions in Gaza as ' genocide ' to cheers from the audience. He's tempered his criticism of Trump since his re-election, urging the American leader to have empathy for the people of Palestine during his January appearance on Saturday Night Live. And while he did not comment directly on Palestine in his latest UAE performance, he did end by making his stance on the matter clear. 'Now that I'm a big powerful voice in America, I've learnt that I have to be careful. I can get in some kind of trouble and they'll try to extort me and put words in my mouth so that I come out here and lie to you,' Chappelle said. 'So if that ever happens, we need a phrase. It has to be something that I would never say. So that if I say it, you know not to listen to anything I say after that. You ready? The phrase is: I stand with Israel.' Abu Dhabi Comedy Season 2025 is set to conclude next month with US comedian Bill Burr's performance on July 12.
The National
8 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Beyond the Bottom Line: How UAE Companies Can Turn Tax Compliance into Competitive Advantage
This column focuses on different treatments of tax law. If you are in a certain industry, what is the correct timing when invoicing? What information is mandatory on supplier invoices? You can continue to ask questions of this nature up to and including internal document management and compulsory filing with external parties. By way of consequences, inevitably it is the stick, not the carrot, that delivers the greatest response. It is important to understand what penalties can be applied and the sum value of interest on those. This is because it is typically at a later time that problems are discovered. Focusing on the carrot, let us reframe this as a positive business proposition. It is a useful exercise to revisit, line by line, component by component, your profit-and-loss statement to see if contributing elements are optimised. One part often overlooked is tax. Not just corporate tax, but VAT – and depending on your business activities – excise and customs duties. You can tell a lot about a chief executive's leadership by what draws their attention first. 'Sales is vanity, profit is sanity and cash flow is reality.' In uncertain times this adage is never more true. Let's start with sales. From an organisational viewpoint, the location of sales should cause you to consider having a separate entity for non-Gulf business. Depending on what and where you do it, this business might be exempt from corporate tax. At the very least, you can elect to sit outside the UAE's VAT system having satisfied the relevant authorities that you comply with their conditions. What would be lost in reclaimable VAT would be counterbalanced by not having to comply with rules of treatment for client and supplier invoices. Add to that reporting and the potential for disruptive external audits to normal internal operations. Let us add another layer. As more rules are introduced to a tax regime, it requires more effort to manage the increased difficulty. Several regimes that are adding new or amending existing rules, often tugging operational practices in different directions, require an alternative management approach. The worst outcome is when the rules of one tax regime are permitted to dictate the actions of another and do so incorrectly. For example, I've worked with people who, for years, thought that VAT did not apply to their revenue. These businesses will discover that the people to whom they are filing their annual corporate tax return, detailing their revenue, are the same as those they are not reporting their VAT related revenue to. If this is the position you find yourself in, admit the error. The relevant authorities will work with you to correct matters. Yes, with penalties, but having dealt with and settled your dues, the issue is considered resolved and everyone moves on. The above are examples of what you might find when you review your sales processes. It's not a comprehensive list. Let us move on to cost of goods and services. Does your business track the profitability of each piece of work it does at a consolidated level? For a corporate tax perspective, you are interested in whether any of your suppliers are related or connected parties. This means understanding the different parties that make up your supply chain. While you are looking at that, take a look at your margins. While we are talking about transfer pricing, what happens when a related party is not a direct supplier, but instead supplies one who is. Do the same rules of proving that transactions are being carried out at arm's length apply? I do not know. It's possible that a business might be unaware that it's happening. Given ignorance is no defence in law, that might not be sufficient, should it be discovered. Would the value of such business matter? A one-off transaction of value verses multiple micro transactions. Given the breadth of what constitutes a related party in the UAE, it might be easier than you think to find your organisation in this position.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi passports department's expired visa extension initiative
RIYADH: The Saudi General Directorate of Passports has launched an initiative to extend expired visit visas for a final exit. The initiative provides a 30-day window for extension, contingent upon the payment of prescribed fees and penalties in accordance with regulations. The directorate said that applicants may submit requests through the Tawasul Service on the Ministry of Interior's Absher portal during the specified period. It urged all eligible individuals to benefit from the initiative before the deadline.
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Trump's $30B pitch to get Iran back in negotiations after ‘demolition' of nuclear sites: report
President Donald Trump's administration has discussed a plan to lure Iran back to the negotiating table after conducting strikes on its nuclear facilities last weekend, CNN reported. Two sources told CNN administration officials discussed plans for negotiations with Iran. But in exchange, the administration wants zero enrichment of its uranium. Trump's special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and partners in the Gulf on the Friday before Operation Midnight Hammer, wherein the administration conducted strikes at the nuclear facilities in Fordow, Ishfahan and Natanz. Among the potential offers, the administration has discussed investing $20-30 billion in a non-enrichment nuclear program for Iran for energy purposes, CNN reported. The United States would not pay for the program, but rather Arab nations would contribute the money. 'The US is willing to lead these talks,' one Trump administration official told CNN. 'And someone is going to need to pay for the nuclear program to be built, but we will not make that commitment.' The administration has also allowing Iran to access $6 billion sitting in foreign bank accounts that it current cannot access, as well as lifting some foreign sanctions. Two sources said that the Trump administration has also suggested replacing the Fordow facility that US forces hit on Saturday. But it's not clear if Iran couild use the site. 'There are a lot of ideas being thrown around by different people and a lot of them are trying to be creative,' one source told CNN. But another source familiar with the first five rounds of discussions between the United States and Iran said 'I think it is entirely uncertain what will happen here.' Trump said on Wednesday that the United States and Iran would sit down next week. But the spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry said he did not know any talks would take place. Despite this, Trump said 'I don't care if I have an agreement or not' when it comes to Iran's nuclear program. The Trump administration has hoped that the strikes that it conducted could force Iran to accept US conditions and stop taking steps toward obtaining a nuclear weapon. But the Iranian parliament voted on Wednesday to fast-track a proposal to effectively stop cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear oversight agency. The United States had initially planned to conduct a sixth round of negotiations before Israel struck Iran. Ahead of the Trump administration conducting its strikes on Saturday, it notified Iran through intermediaries that the strikes would be limited to notify the regime that strikes would be limited and that the United States would not accept any uranium enrichment. At the same time, the president has been cagey about the potential for a deal. 'I could get a statement that they're not going to go nuclear, we're probably going to ask for that,' Trump said during the NATO summit this week.
