The Middle East has a “historic opportunity” to establish a co-operation forum during its current period of relative harmony, a think tank paper has argued.
To avoid political difficulties, the group could initially address the three mutually beneficial issues of climate change, energy security and disaster relief, the Chatham House authors suggested.
They argued that politicians in the Middle East and North Africa should “capitalise on the current wave of regional de-escalation” to launch an official co-operation group potentially called the Mena Forum, or MEF.
De-escalation of some political issues had set the stage for a “new era of regional co-operation”, said the report, Seizing Mena’s Moment.
It cited the restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as the normalisation of relations with Israel as examples on how the region was able to find its “own mechanisms to reduce conflict”.
The London think tank argued that “this moment of detente” was a key time to build support and that policymakers should “capitalise on this moment before it passes”.
Working on the initial three proposed areas could “prompt wider co-operation in others in the future”.
The paper suggested the MEF’s launch summit should be held in a neutral capital attended by foreign ministers who would outline a founding declaration of co-operation.
The initial countries could include the six Gulf Co-operation Council members, plus Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey, then bringing in the entire Mena region over time.
The vision for a more co-operative future would be “in the interest of every nation in the Mena region” as well as the international community, said the Chatham House authors Dalia Dassa Kaye and Sanam Vakil.
“We hope to demonstrate why the political will necessary to implement these ideas is so critical and why the time for regional leaders to meet this moment is now,” they said.
While the forum would have to be Mena-led, though high-level international backing would be critical, preferably from the EU and Asia.
“This is to avoid the possibility of the platform becoming, or being perceived to be, a venue for competition between the United States and China,” the report said.
But both those powers, as well the UN, should play supporting roles and be “mutually accepting of the other’s role in the initiative”, rather than the MEF becoming “a platform for global competition”.
The MEF’s charter would commit the parties to regular meetings in areas of common concern but would need high-level political support for a successful launch.
On the difficult subject of including Iran and Israel, the authors said it would be impossible to extend participation to both countries simultaneously.
“A more feasible pathway forward would be to build co-operation around a group of countries that participate in other co-operative forums with Iran, Israel or both … to set the stage for the participation of these adversarial states in the future,” they concluded.
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
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 Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Zombieland: Double Tap
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone
Four out of five stars
Florida: The critical Sunshine State
Though mostly conservative, Florida is usually always “close” in presidential elections. In most elections, the candidate that wins the Sunshine State almost always wins the election, as evidenced in 2016 when Trump took Florida, a state which has not had a democratic governor since 1991.
Joe Biden’s campaign has spent $100 million there to turn things around, understandable given the state’s crucial 29 electoral votes.
In 2016, Mr Trump’s democratic rival Hillary Clinton paid frequent visits to Florida though analysts concluded that she failed to appeal towards middle-class voters, whom Barack Obama won over in the previous election.
Who is Allegra Stratton?
- Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
- Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
- In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
- The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
- Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
- She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
- Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
More on animal trafficking
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
RIDE%20ON
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The%20specs
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
THREE
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