MOGADISHU, Somalia: The Horn of African country of Djibouti went to the polls peacefully on Friday as President Ismail Omar Guelleh seeks a fifth term in the small but strategically important nation home to military bases for the United States, China and others.
The 73-year-old Guelleh faces just one challenger, the independent candidate and businessman Zakaria Ismail Farah, who halted campaigning early while asserting that he could not do so in safety. In protest, he appeared with his mouth taped shut.
The other opposition boycotted the vote. Final results are expected on Saturday. There was a heavy police presence around the polls.
Critics call the president a heavy-handed dictator, but others in Djibouti see him as a driving force in the country’s development and relative stability. The country is located on the Red Sea along one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
Guelleh has been in power since 1999 after the death of his predecessor, Hassan Guled Aptidon, the country’s first president. Djibouti won independence from France in 1977.
The president is widely expected to win another team that should be his last, according the constitution, which limits the presidency to those under the age of 75.
Guelleh told reporters days ago that he was no longer interested in power but was merely responding to the will of the people.
“It is my people, the Djiboutians, who asked me to run again and not leave them for the sake of the prosperity of the nation,” he said.
After voting, the president said, “May God be praised, it happened in a peaceful way and thank God, the people have participated in a very good way.”
More than 205,000 people are registered to vote in Djibouti, which has a population of over 600,000. The country is a mix of ethnic Somali, Afar and Arab.
“In a beautiful way we’re appreciating the voting, every vote and every five years, and today it happened in a beautiful way,” said one person at the polls, Naima Yusuf Kahin.
Djibouti votes as president Guelleh seeks a 5th term
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Djibouti votes as president Guelleh seeks a 5th term
- Critics call the president a heavy-handed dictator, but others in Djibouti see him as a driving force in the country’s development and relative stability
- More than 205,000 people are registered to vote in Djibouti, which has a population of over 600,000 — the country is a mix of ethnic Somali, Afar and Arab
China to host 2025 Saudi Super Cup, attracting global football stars
- Despite strong bids from Doha and Abu Dhabi, the Chinese proposal emerged as the frontrunner
- Qualification for the upcoming Super Cup has been secured by Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr
Riyadh: In a significant move for Saudi football, China is set to host the Saudi Super Cup 2025 tournament from Aug. 14 -17, according to the sports daily Arriyadiyah, a sister publication of Arab News.
Reports suggest that the decision to award China the hosting rights came after intense competition, particularly from Emirati and Qatari contenders. Despite strong bids from Doha and Abu Dhabi, the Chinese proposal emerged as the frontrunner. Additionally, Saudi officials are keen to relocate the tournament away from the Gulf region, aiming to engage a broader global audience and promote Saudi football.
One of the driving factors behind China’s successful bid is the presence of renowned international football stars in Saudi teams, contributing to their widespread popularity. Leading figures like Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr, Neymar Jr. representing Al-Hilal, Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad, and Firmino, captain of Al-Ahli, add considerable allure to the competition.
The previous edition, held in Abu Dhabi, saw Al-Hilal clinch victory over their rivals Al-Nassr with a 2-1 scoreline.
Qualification for the upcoming Super Cup has been secured by Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, based on their performance in the Saudi Pro League, known as the Roshn Saudi League. However, the participants from the King’s Cup, as well as its runner-up, are yet to be determined.
In recent Roshn League action, the Yellow Team, Al-Nassr, secured their place in the Super Cup by defeating hosts Al-Khaleej with a solitary goal. This victory propelled them to 71 points, firmly securing their second-place standing, a position out of reach for Al-Ahli, currently in third with 52 points and six matches remaining. Even with a perfect score, Al-Ahli would fall short of overtaking Al-Nassr, who, despite potential losses in their remaining fixtures, maintain a comfortable lead.
The Blue Team, Al-Hilal, who still need seven points to conclude their league campaign, have also booked their spot in the Super Cup. The tournament’s semifinals will feature clashes between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, as well as Al-Nassr against Al-Khaleej.
Both Al-Khaleej and Al-Ittihad will vie for a spot in the final, eyeing the opportunity to secure one of the two coveted slots in the Super Cup.
In the event that both teams fail to progress and the finalists emerge from the capital’s rivalry — Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr — Super Cup regulations dictate that the available slots will be awarded to the third and fourth-placed teams in the Roshn League standings.
Should only one of the capital’s teams advance to the cup final, they will automatically claim their Super Cup berth, either as champions or runners-up, with the remaining slot going to the third-placed team in the league.
Egypt ‘hopeful’ of new Israel-Hamas truce: foreign minister
- A Hamas delegation was due in Egypt on Monday, where it is expected to respond to Israel’s latest proposal for a truce in Gaza
Riyadh: Egypt’s foreign minister said he was “hopeful” about a new proposal for a truce in Gaza as a Hamas delegation was due in Cairo for talks on Monday.
“There is a proposal on the table (and it’s) up to the two sides to consider and accept,” Sameh Shoukry said in Riyadh at the World Economic Forum.
“We are hopeful,” he added, explaining that “the proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides and has tried to extract moderation.”
“We are waiting to have a final decision. There are factors that will have an impact on both side’s decisions, but I hope that all will rise to the occasion.”
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push toward halting the fighting.
A Hamas delegation was due in Egypt on Monday, where it is expected to respond to Israel’s latest proposal for a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages after almost seven months of war.
A senior Hamas official said on Sunday that the Palestinian group had no “major issues” with the most recent truce plan.
“The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles,” the official told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss the negotiations.
Pakistan says over 65,000 Hajj pilgrims to utilize Makkah Route Initiative this year
- Pakistani officials confirmed last week Saudi Arabia had extended Makkah Route Initiative to Karachi as well
- Pakistan’s religious affairs secretary says government has reduced Hajj expenses by $358.76 this year
ISLAMABAD: Over 65,000 Pakistani pilgrims are set to avail Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route Initiative during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, Pakistan’s religious affairs secretary said on Monday, compared to the 26,000 pilgrims who availed the facility from Pakistan’s capital in 2023.
Pakistani officials confirmed last week that Saudi authorities have approved the Makkah Route Initiative’s expansion to the airport in Karachi, the country’s largest city by population. Launched in 2019, the initiative was initially only extended to the airport in Islamabad. The Makkah Route Initiative allows for the completion of immigration procedures at the pilgrims’ country of departure, making it possible to bypass long immigration and customs checks upon reaching Saudi Arabia. The facility significantly reduces the waiting time and makes the entry process smoother and faster.
Islamabad had been requesting the Saudi authorities to extend the facility to other airports in the country as well.
“A total of 65,000 Hajj pilgrims will utilize the Route to Makkah facility at Karachi and Islamabad airports this year,” Dr. Syed Atta ur Rehman, Pakistan’s religious affairs secretary told reporters in a media briefing. Breaking down the numbers, Rehman said 41,000 of the 65,000 pilgrims will avail the facility under the government’s Hajj scheme while the remaining 24,000 will use private tour operators.
“Specifically 29,500 pilgrims will use this facility from Islamabad while 35,500 will do so from Karachi airport,” Rehman explained, thanking the Saudi government for expanding the initiative to Karachi.
Saudi Arabia last year restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims and abolished the upper age limit of 65 years. More than 81,000 Pakistani pilgrims performed Hajj under the government scheme in 2023 while the rest used private tour operators.
Pakistan will commence the Hajj 2024 operations from May 9 in eight airports across the country till June 9. This year’s pilgrimage is expected to take place from June 14 to June 19.
Providing details of the Hajj operations this year, the official said a total of 69,000 pilgrims will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme. Of these, 64,000 pilgrims will perform under the general scheme while over 5,000 will perform the pilgrimage under the sponsorship scheme.
The sponsorship Hajj scheme was introduced by the government last year, allowing overseas Pakistanis to apply for the pilgrimage or sponsor someone in Pakistan for the journey by paying in US dollars. In return, applicants would not have to participate in the balloting process for the pilgrimage.
Rehman said the remaining number of pilgrims will perform Hajj on the private scheme. However, he added their exact number is yet to be determined as bookings for the pilgrimage are still underway.
This year, he said, preparations for the Hajj commenced earlier as per the Saudi government’s requirements. This helped the government secure favorable accommodations for Pakistani pilgrims in the holy cities of Makkah, Madinah, and Mina, Rehman said.
Despite the surge in inflation globally, Rehman said the Pakistani government has reduced Hajj expenses by Rs100,000 ($358.76) compared to last year.
“Last year, the government charged Rs1,155,000 ($4,143) from the south zone and Rs1,175,000 ($4,215) from the north zone, whereas this year it is Rs1,055,000 ($3,784) and Rs1,075,000 ($3,856), respectively,” he said. He added the government has reduced the cost of plane tickets from last year, bringing it down to between Rs15,000-35,000 [$53.81-$125.57].
Under the government Hajj scheme this year, the secretary said pilgrims can opt for a shorter Hajj pilgrimage but will need to pay an extra fee of up to Rs60,000 [$215.26] for it.
“In addition to the usual 38 to 42-day Hajj duration, we have introduced the option of Hajj for 20 to 25 days,” Rehman explained, adding that pilgrims can also choose exclusive options such as staying in a single room with family members or fewer people by paying an additional amount.
Saudi Aramco is looking at investment in new energies outside of the Kingdom, CEO says
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s state-oil giant Aramco is looking at investments right now in new energies outside of the Kingdom, CEO Amin Nasser said on Monday at the sidelines of a World Economic Forum special meeting held in Riyadh.
Malaysia targeting Gulf trade and tech ties at WEF, minister says
- Malaysia is also exploring investment and technology-sharing deals in artificial intelligence and the digital economy
RIYADH: Malaysia is looking to partner with Gulf-based companies on renewable energy, the country’s minister of investment has said.
Speaking to Arab News at the two-day World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Tengku Zafrul Aziz said that about 50 Malaysian companies are in discussions to invest in renewable energy and share technologies.
“There is a lot of demand now for green renewable energy. We want partners who can not only go by funding, as we have funding capabilities, but also more in terms of technology and know-how,” he said.
“Many GCC companies who have already invested in this area are willing to share technology pools and invest with our funds, our companies, and our sovereign wealth fund.”
Malaysia is also exploring investment and technology-sharing deals in artificial intelligence and the digital economy.
“We also got interest from GCC companies on that matter and they have invested a lot in this technology. Now we want to learn and partner, so that the infrastructure that we build using digital platforms can be applied using applications that some of these companies already have.”
The World Economic Forum meeting in the Saudi capital is focusing on global collaboration, growth and energy for development — themes that the Malaysian minister said were “apt” given the geopolitical challenges in the region.
“This is a platform where we can share ideas about how we can improve the standards of living for all and not just focus on issues that may benefit a few,” he added.
“We want to see growth, especially in terms of trade and economy, and that must be beneficial to all. We want to see growth that is sustainable and equitable — growth that is inclusive. This is an opportunity to strengthen trade and investment linkages between the GCC and Southeast Asia.
“We need to strike the right balance when we talk about the quantity of the growth vs. the quality of that growth.”
Aziz said that parties are also exploring new multilateral trade agreements between the ASEAN union and the GCC, in an effort to launch a more comprehensive economic partnership agreement.
“This will deepen the relationship between countries in terms of economy, which will bring about peace. Malaysia is an open economy,” he said.
“While we continue to engage China as Malaysia’s largest trade partner, we are looking to engage other countries in constructive ways.”
