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The spread of tensions among the coalition forces

in DEFENCE/MIDLE EAST by

A group of separatists in southern Yemen, backed by the United Arab Emirates, has declared a state of emergency in the port city of Aden and confirmed the intention to overthrow the country’s internationally recognised government, led by Mr Hadi, within the next week. The leader of the separatist group, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, speaking at a meeting on Sunday, accused Hadi’s government of “rampant corruption” and of “waging a misinformation campaign against the southern leaders using state funds”. The new force, which has clashed with forces loyal to Hadi for control of the strategic areas including Aden airport, will “become the core of a new force that will rebuild South Yemen’s security and military institutions” as they added in a statement. The announcement shows the masked tensions between the set of forces allied to fight against the Houthi rebels.  President Hadi and its government is supported by Saudi Arabia while the separatists are backed by the United Arab Emirates. Indeed, The UAE entered Yemen’s war in March 2015 as part of a Saudi-led coalition after Houthi rebels, traditionally based in the northwest of the country, overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014. However, the involvement in the war is slightly changing, nearly three years on, Saudi Arabia has said it “wants out” of the war, while the UAE has become more involved in the conflict, indicating a division in the two countries’ agendas. The UAE has been financing and training armed groups in the south of the country who answer to al-Zubaidi, a 50-year-old militia leader who emerged from relative obscurity in late 2015 after helping purge the Houthis from Aden. At this point, the separation within the forces opposed to the Houthi rebels are enhancing the chaos in the region.

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IMF’s last report

in ECONOMY/MIDLE EAST by

The economic reforms held by the heir prince Bin Salman, are in line with the economic provisions set this Monday by the International Monetary Fund. It is making growth provision throughout the middle east. However, the dependence to the oil market, which in this particular moment is favouring the exporting countries, is in the end perceived as a weakness that the prince is trying directly to face. The International Monetary Fund has raised its growth projection for the deficit-hit Saudi economy on the back of higher oil prices but retained its estimates for the region. In its World Economic Outlook update, the IMF said the Saudi economy — which shrank 0.7 percent last year — is expected to grow by 1.6 percent in 2018, up 0.5 percent on its October estimates. The Saudi economy is also projected to grow by 2.2 percent next year, up 0.6 percent on the previous estimate, it said. However, the IMF maintained its October projections for growth in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAP) region at 3.6 percent and 3.5 percent for this year and 2019, respectively. IMF’s representatives stated that: “While stronger oil prices are helping a recovery in domestic demand in oil exporters, including Saudi Arabia, the fiscal adjustment that is still needed is projected to weigh on growth prospects”. It said oil prices rose 20 percent between August and October of last year. The Saudi economy, the largest in the region, contracted last year for the first time since 2009 when it dove into negative territory due to the global financial crisis. The kingdom has posted budget deficits in the past four fiscal years since oil prices began to plunge. It is projected to remain in the red until 2023. Thus, Riyadh has introduced a series of austerity measures to boost non-oil income, raising the prices of fuel and power, imposing fees and charges on expatriate labor and introducing a value-added tax (VAT) of five percent.

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Iran and Saudi Arabia: an endless rivalry

in DEFENCE/MIDLE EAST/POLITICS by

The regional rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia is consumed not only indirectly by supporting opposite sides on the battlefields throughout the most critical areas in the middles Est. Indeed, public declarations perfectly show the rivalry between these two key actors. After the Saudis condemnation for supporting Houthi rebels and terrorist groups, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Saudi Kingdom of betraying Muslim world due to the political alignment with the United States and Israel.  The Iranian leader made the remark at a conference held in Tehran on Tuesday, attended by parliamentary representatives from Islamic countries. Khamenei also accused Saudi Arabia of helping the United States and the “Zionists”. This political support has to be marked as a betrayal of the Islamic Ummah and the Muslim World, as he added bitterly. Furthermore, Khamenei affirmed that Iran is ready to help “and act brotherly even with those among the Muslim who were once openly hostile to Iran”. He cried for the unity among Islam Ummah, which must create a great power within the world. Conflicts and wars among Muslim countries must be stopped while political leaders throughout the Middle East “should not allow that a safe haven could be created for the Zionist regime”.

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Saudi’s financial aid to Yemen

in ECONOMY/MIDLE EAST by

In order to “alleviate the suffering” of Yemeni people, Saudi King Salman has issued a directive to transfer $2 billions to Yemen’s Central Bank. This action would help Yemen’s economic and financial situation by bolstering the Yemeni riyal. The transfer, that brings the total amount of Saudi financial aid to the Yemen’s central Bank to $3 billion, is directed to ameliorate the living condition of the civil population. By official statement, this contribution will help the country to “cope with economic burdens resulting from the crimes and violations committed by Iranian-backed Houthi militias”. Indeed, Houthi rebels are accused of looting the state, taking control of government revenues, including those generated from oil and its derivatives. Their actions throughout the country are the vector of misery and destruction, thus damaging the lives of Yemenis for several years ahead.   Doing so, Saudi Arabia has also reaffirmed the support for the Yemeni Government and stated that the Kingdom will continue to assist Yemen in its efforts to restore security and stability. Meanwhile Yemen’s president Hadi extended his thanks to Saudi Arabia’s King for the generous gesture to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

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Saudi Arabia turn to nuclear power

in ENERGY/MIDLE EAST by

In the perspective of diversifying its energy supply, Saudi Arabia turns to nuclear power. The world’s top oil exporter wants nuclear power to eventually enable the kingdom to export more crude rather than burning it to generate electricity. It plans to build 17.6 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2032, the equivalent of around 16 reactors, surprisingly making it one of the biggest prospects for an industry struggling after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan. By the month of April or May, Saudi Arabia plans to prequalify for bidding firms from two to three countries for the first nuclear plans. A joint venture between the Saudi government and the winning developers would be signed in 2019, after the shortlisting by the end of 2018. Commissioning of the first plant, which will have two reactors, is expected in 2027.

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Saudi Arabia: advanced weapons and international aid: a war pendulum

in MIDLE EAST/TECHNOLOGY by

The coalition spokesman Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, as presented on Wednesday the latest reports on the war against Yemenite Houthi rebels. Firstly, Al-Maliki refers to high-tech and advanced weaponry in the hand of Houthi militias. For the coalition forces this technological and advanced weapons could only be offered to militias by Iran. Several ports have been closed in order to stop the arms trafficking in the region. However, and it is the second point reported by Al-Maliki, several ports have been reopened for facilitating the international aid. These include the ports of Hodeidah, Aden, Mukala and Al-Mokha, where, at least four aid ships have already gain the access. In addition, Al-Maliki underlined the Houthis’ commitment to war. Indeed, even if a peaceful political solution is the best way to step forward the end of the conflict, the reality is far from this solution.

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Saudi support to Palestinian cause

in MIDLE EAST/POLITICS by

King Salman has expressed his support to Palestinian’s cause to establish an independent and openly recognized state. Trump’s declaration and operative recognition of Jerusalem as the unique Jewish capital, has mobilized Middle East countries in their support to Palestinian people. The king, in a phone conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, stressed the kingdom’s firm position on the legitimate rights of Palestinians and their wish to have Jerusalem as their capital.

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Yemen: the empty port in a starving country

in ECONOMY/MIDLE EAST by

After the international pressing orchestrated by international organisations over Saudi Arabia, to lift the blockade on Yemenite ports in order to stop the ongoing humanitarian disaster, it seems that nothing has changed. Surprisingly, there is no indication of aid or commerce coming into Yemen through the key port of Hodeidah, in spite of the Saudi pledge to stop the blockade for a month from the 20th of December. Two weeks after the announcements, the port remains empty. No merchants or reliefs vessels bringing first-necessity supplies were seen anchored at its harbour. The port manager declares that the blockade is still in effect. It is useful to underline that Yemen depends on imports, about  90% of its needs are from imports. Yemen, the poorer country of the Middle East, is struck by one of the world worst humanitarian disaster.  Over 75% of Yemenite’s 27 million population, including 11.3 million children, are in dire need of humanitarian aid, as the UN said ten days after Saudis had supposedly lifted the blockade. It is estimated that over 60% of Yemenis are on the brink of starvation.  The representatives of humanitarian and relief agencies emphasized the importance of lifting the blockade immediately. For them, in order to really demonstrate the willingness to put an end to the humanitarian disaster, the port of Hodeidah must be open all-year long to commercial and reliefs shipments, without conditions or timeline to that.

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Iraq, Saudi Arabia sign 18 energy memorandums in Basra

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

During the inauguration of the seventh edition of the Basra oil and gas exhibition in Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia have signed 18 memorandums of understanding in the energy field. 22 Saudi companies took part in the exhibition which purpose was to reinforce the “strategic partnership” between the two countries. Saudi Energy Minister Khaled al-Faleh said that improved relations and energy cooperation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia will help bring stability to the international oil market, with both being prominent OPEC members. Over the past two years because of Saudi Arabia’s opposition to the involvement of Iraqi Shia paramilitary forces in the fight against Islamic State, relations between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and the Shia-dominated Iraqi government have been tensional. But in the past months there was a rapprochement between both countries: top-level officials exchanged visits and expressed eagerness to boost political, security and economic cooperation. In July, both countries established a joint coordination council to boost ties on all levels, while in October, more than 60 Saudi companies attended the Baghdad International Exhibition.

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Saudi Arabia reasserts oil market leadership role with deal in Vienna

in PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Saudi Arabia has reasserted its leadership of the oil market on Thursday after brokering its desired extension of output cuts with OPEC and non-OPEC partners through to the end of 2018. The deal – agreed after nearly nine hours of negotiations in Vienna – kept its new ally Russia onside and prevented a sell-off that many analysts had feared, according to Platts. With consensus very much in doubt entering OPEC’s closely watched meeting, Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih emerged from the talks with deal in hand, pledging a firm commitment to completing the rebalancing of the market and promising to keep a close eye on his OPEC counterparts, many of whom have been lax in compliance with their quotas. That had many commentators proclaiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin – and by extension Novak – had effectively wrested control of OPEC from Saudi Arabia, without even being a member of the organization.

 

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