Arab countries will sign an agreement in Cairo next week to pave the way for power trading between the GCC and the broader Middle East and North Africa region.
One of the most important agenda items at an Arab ministerial meeting in the Egyptian capital will be the signing of the pan-Arab electricity market agreement, “which will set in motion the possibility of trading between the GCC and [other] Arab countries”, Ahmed Al Ebrahim, chief executive of the GCC Interconnection Authority, told The National during the RAK Energy Summit in Ras Al Khaimah.
Mr Al Ebrahim also said an electricity interconnection project linking Iraq with the GCC grid is expected to start operations in 2025.
“We're planning to start exporting electricity to Iraq next year. We are having our discussions with the Iraqi side on all the agreements and all the details,” he said.
“That will be a good start for the GCC countries now with the energy transition, on how to utilise the excess capacity coming from renewables to sell to other regions who are in need.”
The GCC, comprising Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman, commissioned a study in 1986 on the idea of connecting electricity grids across the Middle East.
Subsequent studies laid out a road map and in 2001, the GCCIA was formed. By 2011, all GCC countries were connected, with the exception of Oman, which was linked up the following year.
A project to connect Saudi Arabia with Egypt undertaken by the Saudi Electricity Company is in an “advanced stage” and may be completed next year or in 2026, Mr Al Ebrahim said. It would allow for 3,000 megawatts of electricity to be exchanged between the two countries.
Asked if the GCC would be the main power supplier to a pan-Arab grid, Mr Al Ebrahim said it would depend on availability and pricing. "It's not always one side selling to the other side but it's dynamic, depending on the potential in the market," he said.
"We in the GCC have very similar peak times [and] connecting with other regions like Egypt ... will [result in] a window of opportunity to export and maybe sometimes import."
By connecting a number of grids, a failure in one region can be mitigated by drawing power from others, reducing the likelihood of widespread blackouts.
Countries such as Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq have been facing severe and prolonged power cuts due to ageing infrastructure, fuel shortages and surging demand during the summer.
The agreement will be signed against the backdrop of soaring geopolitical tension in the Middle East, which have severely affected some economies and raised questions about the feasibility of certain long-term infrastructure projects involving countries from the region.
However, there is a strong "political will" in the GCC to establish an interconnected power grid, Mr Al Ebrahim said.
"We have all the support we need from the GCC and the Arab world," he added. "Most of the Arab countries are also supporting it, especially Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and some of the others."
The long-term vision is to have an interconnected global power grid, which will enable electricity to be generated in any region, such as Asia, Africa or Europe, and then transmitted to areas of high demand, the official said.
For instance, India and the UAE are in "serious discussions" to link their electricity grids, Mr Al Ebrahim said, without providing further details.
Last year, Indian media reported that the world's most populous country was considering linking its power grid to those of Saudi Arabia and the Emirates through undersea cables.
Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Read more about the coronavirus
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
