Turks defend nature against Erdogan’s development push

A quarry at Ikizdere in the Rize Province in the Black Sea region. A government-friendly company plans to extract 20 million tons of stone for one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's latest development projects. (AFP)
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Updated 24 June 2021
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Turks defend nature against Erdogan’s development push

  • Up to four million trees were chopped during the construction of Istanbul’s third major bridge, activists say
  • Critics argue that Turkey is sacrificing the environment as it develops

IZIKDERE: Lush, thick woodland and green tea fields coat the slopes of an idyllic valley, a slice of pastoral heaven near the Turkish president’s familial home that will soon be gone.
A government-friendly company plans to extract 20 million tons of stone from a quarry in the northeastern town of Ikizdere for one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest development projects.
The locals are rising up in protest, challenging the government and its priorities in a region dear to the powerful Turkish leader’s heart.
Under the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), in power since 2002, Turkey has seen rapid modernization, with new airports, roads and bridges.
The AKP says robust infrastructure will help transform the nation of 84 million people — still considered an emerging market — from a regional player into a global force.
Critics argue that Turkey is sacrificing the environment as it develops, with forests among natural resources destroyed by companies close to Erdogan for profit.
Residents of Gurdere village in Rize province, the Black Sea home of Erdogan’s family, have protested against the planned quarry in Iskencedere valley since late April.
But in a country where dissent is poorly tolerated, the Rize governor issued two 15-day bans on protests in May and June, after standoffs between security forces and older women in headscarves.
Residents say their livelihoods and nature will be demolished by the quarry, which the company, Cengiz Holding, and Ankara say is needed for a new logistics port nearby.
The gushing sound of freshwater streams reverberate around the valley, a rarity in a country pushing ahead with urbanization at great speed.
Organic tea grows in abundance. Brown bears roam the forests, and villagers produce chestnut honey.
One of those picking tea was Pervin Bas, who was among several detained during the protests.
“We have honey, we have tea, we feed our animals with these forests,” Bas, 50, said after spending the morning picking tea leaves.
“I used to feed my animals there, and now they are stuck in the barn. They’ve even punished my animals,” she said.
Gungor Bas, a relative of Pervin, said he felt pained by the destruction wrought on the place where he spent his childhood.
“Dust coats our houses,” the 58-year-old said.
There are two legal cases against the quarry, lawyer Yakup Okumusoglu said.
Cengiz wants this quarry because it is conveniently close to the planned Iyidere logistics port, he said. But the company told AFP the site was chosen by the transport ministry.
“You say there’s stone below, but above there’s life, a life of so much more value. This belongs to everyone,” villager Asuman Fazlioglu, 60, said.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu last month said “marginal groups” and “outsiders” sought to exploit the protests and that villagers actually backed the quarry.
Erdogan inaugurates hospitals and dams with bombastic speeches appealing to his base craving a stronger Turkey.
The opposition says the tenders given to companies are a way to keep Erdogan’s friends in construction happy rather than serving a real infrastructure need.
Cengiz Holding was among the top 10 contractors worldwide with the most public-private partnership projects between 1990 and 2018, according to the World Bank.
“This government prioritizes money over the environment,” said Ali Oztunc, a main opposition party vice chair responsible for environmental issues.
“They love the green of the dollar more than the green of the trees,” Oztunc said.
Experts say a focus on growth alone can be misguided.
“We cannot call it development when there is no value given to nature, earth, air, water,” said Chamber of Environmental Engineers (CMO) chair Ahmet Dursun Kahraman.
“Development is a yarn. We keep saying we’re developing since the Ottoman Empire. It’s 2021 and we’re still apparently going to develop,” Okumusoglu quipped.
Erdogan proudly points out that Turkey now has 56 airports, up from 26 when he came to power.
One of the airports due to open later this year is in Rize, which was built with stone from another quarry hit by protests four years ago.
Its once-green valley is now covered in black and grey.
The gaping wound is a sore point for some villagers, who say there are daily dynamite explosions while trucks kick up dust as they come and go.
“This was a green area. We had different kinds of trees. Animals lived here, birds lived here. There were gazelles, deers. They’ve all gone,” Mahir Karaca said.
The 42-year-old villager said he was not against having an airport.
“As long as it provides a service, as long as it’s good for the country, no one is against this,” he said.
But in Ikizdere, they remained defiant.
“We haven’t lost,” said Zeynep Bas, 43, who is related to Gungor and Pervin.
For environmentalists, deforestation is a major worry.
Up to four million trees were chopped during the construction of Istanbul’s third major bridge, activists say, while others claim up to 13 million were cut for Istanbul’s newest airport, which opened in 2018.
“The future of forests is now at risk,” said Foresters’ Association vice president Husrev Ozkara. “It’s not just about cutting one tree, what is actually damaged is the forest’s ecosystem.”
Cengiz promised that once the stone was extracted, it would ensure vegetation and trees would be planted to “restore the natural life.”
The CMO’s Kahraman dismissed this as “baseless.”
“It’s deception. You’re going to take rock from there, how will you then plant a tree?” Kahraman asked, adding that the quarry’s impact would be felt across generations.
“This is how we should look at such actions and projects. What are you leaving behind?“


Egypt’s exports to Arab counties surges 8.7% in 2023, Saudi Arabia tops list

Updated 8 sec ago
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Egypt’s exports to Arab counties surges 8.7% in 2023, Saudi Arabia tops list

RIYADH: The value of Egyptian exports to Arab countries surged 8.7 percent year on year to reach $13.6 billion in 2023, according to new data. 

A statement from Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics revealed that Saudi Arabia topped the list of the highest Arab countries importing from nation during the year, with the value of the African country’s exports amounting to $2.7 billion in 2023. 

This falls in line with the significant growth in trade relations, partnerships, joint projects, and development investment between the two countries in recent years.

The statement revealed that the Kingdom was followed by the UAE, with Egyptian exports reaching $2.2 billion, followed by Libya with about $1.8 billion, Sudan with an estimated $984.4 million, and Algeria at $850.3 million.

Regarding the top commodity groups exported to Arab countries during 2023, the agency indicated that vegetables and fruits were exported with a value of $1.3 billion, followed by machinery and electrical appliances with a worth of $1.1 billion. 

Furthermore, Egypt’s exports of pearls, precious stones and jewelry to the Arab countries came next, amounting to $1 billion, while exports of fuel, mineral oils and distillation products stood at $753 million. 

Meanwhile, the country’s exports of plastics and manufactures totaled $712 million.


Saudi Arabia’s holdings in US treasuries rise to $135.9bn

Updated 15 min 57 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s holdings in US treasuries rise to $135.9bn

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s holdings in US treasuries increased for the eighth consecutive month in March, reaching $135.9 billion, a rise of 3.66 percent compared to the previous month. 

According to official data released by Washington, the Kingdom was ranked 17th among the largest investors in such financial instruments in March. 

The report noted that Saudi Arabia’s holdings of US Treasuries were distributed among long-term bonds worth $107.3 billion, representing 79 percent of the total.

On the other hand, the Kingdom’s short-term bonds were worth $28.6 billion in March, accounting for 21 percent of the total value.

In February, the Kingdom’s holdings in US treasuries stood at $131.1 billion, compared to $133.5 billion in January and $132 billion in and December,

The data suggested that Japan was the largest investor in US treasury bonds in March, with holdings totaling $1.18 trillion, representing a rise of 1.16 percent from February. 

China and the UK followed, with portfolios valued at $767.4 billion and $728.1 billion, respectively. 

Luxembourg and Canada were ranked in the fourth and fifth spots, with treasury holdings amounting to $399.3 billion and $359.1 billion, respectively. 

Ireland secured the sixth rank in the list with holdings of $317.8 billion, closely followed by Belgium with portfolios worth $317.1 billion. 

The Cayman Islands came in the eighth position with treasury reserves worth $302.9 billion, followed by France and Switzerland, with assets amounting to $283.1 billion and $262.9 billion, respectively.

Taiwan was ranked eleventh on the list, with treasury holdings worth $259 billion. 

India came in the twelfth spot with assets amounting to $240.6 billion, followed by Brazil and Singapore, which had holdings worth $227.1 billion and $208 billion, respectively. 

Earlier this month, a report released by the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, revealed that international reserve assets declined by 2 percent in April to SR1.66 trillion ($440 billion) compared to the previous month. 

However, the Kingdom’s foreign reserve assets jumped 3 percent in April compared to the same period of the previous year. 


Fintech firm Hala gets SAMA approval to offer debt-based crowdfunding solutions

Updated 33 min 10 sec ago
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Fintech firm Hala gets SAMA approval to offer debt-based crowdfunding solutions

RIYADH: Saudi businesses are set to gain access to new crowdfunding solutions as Hala Payments Co. has received licensing approval from the Kingdom’s central bank to offer debt-based products. 

The Saudi-based fintech platform offers inbound and outbound payment options to small and medium enterprises, with over 50,000 merchants currently using its services, according to its website. 

With this approval, the total number of companies licensed to engage in this activity in the Kingdom has reached 11, while authorized finance companies now stands at 62, stated the Saudi Central Bank in a press release. 

Debt-based crowdfunding provides a pathway for projects or businesses in need of funding. Instead of relying on a single lender, borrowers secure loans from multiple investors. 

This model is particularly advantageous for small businesses or individuals who may face challenges obtaining loans from traditional banks. Essentially, it serves as a dual opportunity: borrowers receive the necessary funding, while investors earn returns by directly lending money. 

In January, SAMA issued a license to Thara, a debt crowdfunding platform, to operate in the Kingdom. The fintech firm specializes in financing real estate development projects, connecting individual and institutional investors with investment opportunities through Murabaha products. 

This decision to issue licenses falls within the framework of the central bank’s efforts to support and empower the finance sector, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and flexibility of transactions, added SAMA. 

It also seeks to foster innovation and promote it, with the objective of enhancing the level of financial inclusion in the Kingdom and extending such services to all segments of society. 

SAMA emphasized the importance of dealing with licensed or authorized financial institutions, which can be verified by visiting its official website. 

The central bank warned that it may take any necessary actions, such as conducting on-site visits, meeting with the company’s executives, and reviewing its regulations, procedures, and records, to verify that the debt-based crowdfunding company has met all its requirements. 

It added that the license can be canceled if the firm requests cancellation, provides false information, violates rules or laws, delays starting activities for six months, or suspends operations for over three months without SAMA’s approval. 


Mawani issues new licenses to strengthen ports sector in Saudi Arabia

Updated 49 min 17 sec ago
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Mawani issues new licenses to strengthen ports sector in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s seaport activities and logistics sector are set to improve, with the Saudi Ports Authority issuing new licenses in multiple areas of operation. 

In a press statement, the authority, also known as Mawani, said that issuing these permits aligns with its goal of developing port business in the Kingdom with high efficiency and quality. 

Mawani revealed that permits have been issued in various areas of operations, including pilotage, maritime support, marine traffic signals, and ship repair and routine maintenance. 

The statement added that licenses were also issued for container handling and port storage services, and maritime consultancy activities. 

The issuance of these new permits is part of Mawani’s broader strategy to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub by the end of this decade. 

Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy seeks to increase the sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product to 10 percent from the current 6 percent by 2030.

In the statement, Mawani further revealed that additional licenses were given to activities like bunkering ships in terminals, waste recycling and ship waste management, as well as, hydrographic surveying, and port work training. 

In January, the authority announced that it established new ship anchorage areas in the Kingdom’s King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu. 

According to a statement, newly established docking zones will help modernize several port logistical services, including delivering ships with supplies and fuels, said Mawani in a statement. 

The body also noted that these new anchorage zones will increase the terminal’s operational performance indicators and reduce ship docking times. 

In December 2023, Mawani garnered 79.01 points in the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to 77.66 points issued in the previous three months. 

Moreover, Saudi Arabia also progressed in container handling, moving from 24th to 16th in the Lloyd’s List One Hundred Ports rankings.

Similarly, the Kingdom climbed 17 places in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, securing the 38th position out of 160 countries.


Oil Updates – prices rise on slower US inflation, strong demand

Updated 16 May 2024
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Oil Updates – prices rise on slower US inflation, strong demand

SINGAPORE: Oil prices extended gains from the previous session on Thursday on signs of stronger demand in the US, where data showed slower inflation than markets expected, bolstering the argument for an interest rate cut that could drive greater consumption, according to Reuters.

Brent futures rose 32 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $83.07 a barrel at 9:20 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 31 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $78.94.

“A more tamed read for US April inflation and a far weaker-than-expected read in US retail sales seem to offer room for the Fed to consider earlier rate cuts, with market expectations leaning more firmly for policy easing to kickstart in September this year,” said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.

“The larger-than-expected drawdown in US crude inventories for last week also offered some calm, while geopolitical tensions continue to rock on in the Middle East.”

US consumer prices rose less than expected in April in a boost to financial market expectations for a September rate cut by the Federal Reserve, which could temper dollar strength and make oil more affordable for holders of other currencies.

Elsewhere, US crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories fell, reflecting a rise in both refining activity and fuel demand, showed data from the Energy Information Administration.

Crude inventories fell 2.5 million barrels to 457 million barrels in the week ended May 10, the EIA said, versus the 543,000 barrel consensus analyst forecast in a Reuters poll.

Signs of slowing inflation and stronger demand were supporting prices, ANZ Research also said in a client note, as is geopolitical risk, which it noted remains elevated.

In the Middle East, Israeli troops battled Hamas militants across Gaza, including Rafah, which had been a civilian refuge.

Ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt are at a stalemate, with Hamas demanding an end to attacks and Israel refusing until the group is annihilated.

Gains were constrained after the IEA trimmed its forecast for 2024 oil demand growth, widening the gap between its view and that of producer group OPEC.

Global oil demand this year will grow by 1.1 million barrels per day, the IEA said, down 140,000 bpd from its previous forecast, largely due to weak demand in developed nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.