Egypt will tell Somalia in talks this weekend that it wants the two allies to jointly steer a new African Union mission due to be deployed later this month to the Horn of Africa nation, sources have told The National.
Egypt sees its participation in the new AU mission in Somalia as a significant step in its efforts to broaden its footprint and gain an advantageous position in the strategic region, the sources said.
These efforts are designed largely to counter the influence of Ethiopia, with which Cairo has been locked in a decade-long dispute over a large Nile dam Addis Ababa is building, a project Cairo views as a serious threat to its water security.
Egypt already has access to military facilities in Eritrea and Djibouti, and has in recent years struck military co-operation accords with, besides Somalia, Nile basin states Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – steps taken to bolster Cairo's presence in that part of Africa and pressure Addis Ababa to adopt a flexible position on the row over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Of these accords, the one Egypt and Somalia signed last year is by far the most comprehensive. Under its provisions, Egypt already has a military contingent in Somalia numbering in the low thousands.
Mostly drawn from elite units, the Egyptians are training Somalia's security forces in counterterrorism, securing key state installations and the safety of top government officials. It has also supplied Somalia with arms and is sharing intelligence with its fellow Arab League member.
Egypt has been beefing up its contingent there in anticipation of its participation in the new AU force authorised by the UN Security Council late last month and mandated to fight the Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabab group.
Formally called the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom), the mission will replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis), the mandate of which ended on December 31.
Tensions between landlocked Ethiopia and Somalia flared a year ago after Addis Ababa signed a maritime deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland to gain access to the Red Sea. Somalia, which viewed the deal as a breach of its sovereignty, responded by declaring it did not want Ethiopian troops to serve in Aussom, arguing that they had not effectively reduced the threat posed by Al Shabab.
However, Mogadishu's relations with Addis Ababa have somewhat thawed following a Turkish mediation between the two neighbours, but no concrete steps are known to have been taken to resolve the Somali-Ethiopian dispute since Ankara's intervention was announced.
The size of Aussom and the Egyptian contingent have yet to be announced, although Somali officials say 11,000 men have already been pledged. The sources told The National last month that the Egyptian contingent would make up about 25 per cent of the new mission.
Ali Balcad, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, was quoted by Bloomberg this week saying it remains unclear how many Ethiopian troops will be allowed to operate in Somalia. Addis Ababa is known to have some 10,000 men in Somalia, including several thousand operating under bilateral accords outside Atmis.
The defence ministers of Egypt and Somalia met in Cairo on Thursday, according to a statement by the Egyptian military spokesman. It cited the Somali minister Abdul Qader Mohammed Nour as saying Mogadishu appreciated military co-operation between the two nations and welcomed Egypt's participation in the new AU mission.
The statement did not provide any further details but the sources said the Somali minister had reassured his Egyptian counterpart, Gen Abdel Meguid Saqr, that Cairo's contingent in the AU mission will replace the Ethiopians, whose presence in Somalia would be declared illegal if they refuse to return home when asked by the Somali government.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, meanwhile, will on Saturday meet separately with Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Fiqi and Osman Saleh, his counterpart from Eritrea, a close Egyptian ally and on-and-off enemy of Ethiopia, according to a note sent to the media by Egypt's foreign ministry.
The three ministers will later participate in a meeting of a co-operation council grouping the three nations, said the ministry.
“Egypt will during the talks lay out plans for the new mission, including the deployment of its forces and the command structure,” said one source. “It wants to jointly take the lead with the Somali government in how the mission operates, including the assignment of locations and tasks."
He added: “The military co-operation agreement between Egypt and Somalia gives Cairo an edge over other participating nations in the new mission.”
The dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile's water has driven Cairo in recent years to vigorously pursue closer relations in Africa, where Addis Ababa wields considerable influence, partially due to its control of the source of the Blue Nile, by far the river's largest tributary, and because it is home to the headquarters of the AU.
One of the world's driest nations, the depth of Egypt's tussle with Ethiopia is rooted in the Arab nation's dependence on the Nile for nearly all its freshwater needs. It has repeatedly said its share of the river's water is a matter of national security and that Ethiopia's dam poses an existential threat to its 107 million people.
More than a decade of talks with Ethiopia have failed to produce an agreement. Cairo wants a legally binding deal on the running and filling of the dam. Ethiopia contends that the dam is not a threat to the water security of Egypt and insists the project is vital to its development.
“The River Nile, specifically, is an issue associated with the life and survival of Egyptians,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi recently said. “It is the chief source of life in our nation. Egypt is the gift of the glorious river.”
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
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Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadeera%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERabih%20El%20Chaar%20and%20Reem%20Khattar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECleanTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHope%20Ventures%2C%20Rasameel%20Investments%20and%20support%20from%20accelerator%20programmes%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Honeymoonish
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Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
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Funding stage: Seed investment
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How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
