Afghanistan's ambassador to the UAE paid tribute to six Emiratis killed in a terrorist attack in Kandahar in 2017.
Javid Ahmad said the tragic events of January 10 served only to strengthen both countries' resolve against terrorism.
Speaking on Tuesday to mark the four-year anniversary of the blast, Mr Ahmad said the attack had failed in its attempt to deter Emirati solidarity with his country.
Five Emirati diplomats were in Afghanistan to carry out humanitarian work when a bomb went off as Kandahar's governor was meeting a UAE delegation at his guesthouse.
The UAE's ambassador to Afghanistan at the time, Juma Al Kaabi, was among the injured and died of his wounds later. The attack triggered international condemnation and flags flew at half staff in the UAE for three days.
Afghanistan will place a permanent memorial in the heart of Kandahar in memory of the late ambassador
"Afghanistan deeply appreciates and fondly remembers the ultimate sacrifices paid by our UAE brothers," Mr Ahmad told The National.
“Afghanistan will place a permanent memorial in the heart of Kandahar in memory of the late ambassador.
“The attack on that fateful day didn’t weaken the resolve of our UAE partners against the multilayered threat of terrorism. In fact, it has solidified our joint commitment to stand against all types of extremism."
In a wide-ranging interview with The National, Mr Ahmad said the attacks were an attempt to stop crucial humanitarian work but the terrorists failed.
“Development and humanitarian efforts by our Emirati and other partners have continued undeterred,” he said.
During an Afghanistan pledging conference in Geneva on November 23, the UAE was among the many countries to support Afghanistan with more than $12 billion over the next four years.
This “sends a clear message to the Taliban that the world stands with Afghanistan”, the ambassador said.
The UAE and Afghanistan established diplomatic relations in 1973. The Emirates has supported Afghanistan with substantial financial aid and humanitarian assistance throughout some difficult years. Scores of infrastructure projects in the country were financed by the UAE.
Mr Ahmad touched on growing trade, security and aviation ties. Trade between the two countries was estimated at $1.8bn before the coronavirus pandemic.
Afghanistan's four international airports are managed by UAE companies – Abu Dhabi Airports Company, G42 and Afroport.
"They are doing an excellent job," Mr Ahmad said. "They brought the UAE's competitive and comparative advantages."
Afghanistan has also signed a deal with Siemens Energy in the UAE to develop its “energy hub and electric grid system”.
“And down the road we will be investing in renewable energy and we are in discussion with our UAE partners [regarding that]."
Plans for co-operation in the mining sector are gathering pace with six agreements already signed. Afghanistan is rich in mineral resources, and Mr Ahmad pointed to its supplies of lithium – crucial for batteries that power smartphones and electric cars – as one area of co-operation.
The partnership with the UAE will be exclusive in the mining sector, he said.
“In general, we have a huge lithium supply but we also have gold, copper and hydrocarbon, among other rare earth minerals.
"A suite of other long-term programmes is under discussion, involving energy, mining, agriculture and digital governance,” he said.
“I am happy to say that the appetite and potential for this partnership to expand is vast.”
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The years Ramadan fell in May
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.
Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.
The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
More from UAE Human Development Report:
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
The five pillars of Islam
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
The years Ramadan fell in May
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
