ABU DHABI // A former Kuwaiti minister called today for a Marshall plan set up by the GCC that would help Egypt recover from the economic impact of its revolution.
The Gulf must have "a leading role in rebuilding Egypt", showing the region's commitment to the country, regardless of who was ruling it, said Saad al Ajmi, the former Kuwaiti minister of information.
He also called for a unified GCC army that would ease the burden on Gulf states with vast arms expenditures and reduce corruption associated with arms deals in the region.
Mr al Ajmi also said Gulf citizens were not eager for radical political reform or the overthrow of existing regimes, which he said are not democratic but are also not oppressive dictatorships.
Instead, he said, Gulf citizens are eager for a greater role in public life, and would like to see empowered legislative bodies that can hold their governments accountable.
Mr al Ajmi was speaking on the last day of a conference at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research.
kshaheen@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
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BIG SPENDERS
Premier League clubs spent £230 million (Dh1.15 billion) on January transfers, the second-highest total for the mid-season window, the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said in a report.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
