Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Wednesday that he looked forward to “new horizons” in relations between Gulf Co-operation Council states and the bloc of Central Asian countries informally known as the C5, comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Speaking at the inaugural GCC and C5 summit that took place in Jeddah on Wednesday, Prince Mohammed said he hoped the event would be a “promising start based on what we possess in historic legacy, human resources, capabilities and economic growth”.
Prince Mohammed added he hoped “new horizons” would open for work in areas of mutual co-operation.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday afternoon with the UAE delegation to the summit, state news agency Wam reported.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim, Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad, and Omani Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Co-operation Affairs Sayyid Asa'ad bin Tariq Al Said were also in attendance.
The summit established a "promising start based on our historical heritage, capabilities, human resources and economic growth … and we look forward to working together to open new horizons," Prince Mohammed said in a statement shared by Saudi state media on Wednesday evening.
"Let us push our relations towards more close co-operation."
He praised a four-year joint action plan to advance dialogue between the GCC and Central Asian states in various fields.
Bahrain's King Hamad delegated Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad, the King's Representative for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs, to attend on his behalf.
Saudi King Salman this week sent invitations to leaders of all countries in the two blocs to attend the summit in Jeddah.
The meeting in Jeddah coincides with the 18th consultative meeting of the GCC.
“The convening of the Gulf Summit with the [C5] countries in the kingdom reflects the participating countries' appreciation of the kingdom's position at the Gulf, Islamic and international levels, and their commitment to establishing an ambitious future strategic partnership between their countries, through a joint action plan in the areas of political and security dialogue, and economic and investment co-operation,” Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said.
After foreign ministerial meetings in Jeddah, the GCC and C5 bloc agreed to sign a joint action plan for strategic dialogue and co-operation between the two blocs for 2023-2027.
The joint action plan will include several trade and other agreements, to be signed once all delegations arrive later on Wednesday afternoon.
Foreign ministers from the GCC met their counterparts from the C5 bloc in Riyadh in September, when they launched the GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue.
“The GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue [is] a new arrangement to launch co-operation in all areas of mutual interest, including political and security dialogues, trade and investment co-operation, and cultural engagement,” the ministers said in a joint statement at the time.
According to the GCC secretary general, the volume of trade between the two blocs amounted to about $3.1 billion in 2021, or about 0.27 per cent of the total volume of merchandise trade from the GCC countries combined.
The value of exports from the GCC to the countries of the C5 bloc amounted to nearly $2.06 billion in 2021, compared with imports of about $1.03 billion.
“The joint co-operation between the Gulf Co-operation Council countries with the five Central Asian countries has come at the right time as the two blocs look towards the long-term future of strategic global alliances,” Kuwaiti political analyst Essa Al Amiri told Al Ekhbariyah news channel.
“The C5 countries are also known for their natural resources and it is strategic for the Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, to look to diversifying its trade agreements away from its reliance on oil exports."
Although the five central Asian countries are not yet a formal bloc, they have come to be known as the C5 and have been increasing engagement with regional neighbours such as Russia and China.
In September, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and met Russian President Vladimir Putin on his first foreign trip since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in early 2020.
In May, the presidents of the C5 countries visited the starting point of ancient China’s Silk Road and attended the China-Central Asia Summit.
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE%20FIXTURES
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Premier League results
Saturday
Crystal Palace 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 2
Cardiff City 2 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Bournemouth 2
Leicester City 3 Fulham 1
Newcastle United 3 Everton 2
Southampton 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Manchester City 3 Watford 1
Sunday
Liverpool 4 Burnley 2
Chelsea 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
Arsenal 2 Manchester United 0
Tour de France
When: July 7-29
UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland
WITHIN%20SAND
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The%20specs
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Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Grubtech
Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi
Launched: October 2019
Employees: 50
Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
UAE Rugby finals day
Games being played at The Sevens, Dubai
2pm, UAE Conference final
Dubai Tigers v Al Ain Amblers
4pm, UAE Premiership final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons
The years Ramadan fell in May
