The UAE has pledged US$50 million (Dh180m) to help stabilise the eastern Syrian city of Raqqa and other areas that were under control of ISIS.
The contribution was announced by Mohammed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence, at a meeting of the global coalition to defeat ISIS at Nato’s new $1.45 billion headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.
“We are closely coordinating with the alliance to improve living conditions in affected areas,” Mr Al Bowardi told the meeting, according to Wam news agency.
He stressed the importance of co-operation in the fight to eradicate terrorism, be it through its origins or through the funding of terrorist acts. The meeting focused on progess in the fight against ISIS and improving security in the areas liberated from the extremist group.
The coalition did not respond to a request for comment. It remains unclear what other areas of Syria the funds would go to.
ISIS launched a multi-pronged insurgency from 2014 onwards that allowed the militant group to seize large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq. The two largest cities it captured were Raqqa and Mosul, Iraq’s second-biggest city.
The militant group carried out a series of publicised executions, killed thousands, many of whom they left in mass graves, and carried out the mass rape and massacre of the Yazidi minority in northern Iraq.
The coalition to defeat ISIS, led by the US and helped on the ground by local forces including Kurds, Sunni Arabs and predominantly Shiite Iraqi forces, liberated all of the cities under ISIS control last year.
Now, the international effort is focused on securing and rebuilding the population centres devastated by the years-long ISIS occupation and the fierce fighting to rout the militants, including an intense coalition bombing campaign.
The UAE is also funding the rebuilding of the historic Al Nuri Mosque in Mosul’s old city after announcing its support for the initiative in April. Abu Dhabi contributed $50.4 million to the five-year project.
Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura Al Kaabi said on Monday that the reconstuction of the mosque was "an initiative that defeats extremism in all its facets. We don't want to allow the destruction of the past and the present".
Plans to rebuild the mosque and its famous “hunchback” Al Hadba minaret have already begun. The distinctive sloping minaret will be replaced with a replica, although its base will be preserved.
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
