Gulf in the News – March 25, 2013

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

GCC on track to become global powerhouse in manufacturing

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The McKinsey report states that over the next 15 years another 1.8 billion people will enter the global consuming class and worldwide consumption will nearly double to $64 trillion. In the GCC region, manufacturing now contributes on average around 10 per cent to 15 per cent of GDP, clearly demonstrating the huge growth potential of the industry. The manufacturing sector’s contribution to the UAE’s overall GDP, in particular, reached Dh141.7 billion in 2011, growing by over 11 per cent from Dh127.6 billion in 2010.

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Gulf in the News – March 22, 2013

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Mariam Klait

Oil, the US and the GCC

Source: Gulf Research Center (Read full story)

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Much will depend on how important security concerns continue to be in the region, relative to other dimensions of international relations. There is little doubt that interdependence between the GCC and other major Asian countries (notably China, India, and South Korea) will grow more intense, not just with respect to trade in hydrocarbons and other merchandise, but also in cross investment, movement of people, and technological and scientific cooperation. Such multidimensional interdependence will have an impact on the functioning of the crude oil markets, and may lead to a degree of regional segmentation, whereby the oil market will be less global and resemble more closely today’s gas market, rather than the other way around.

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Gulf in the News – March 20, 2013

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Mariam Klait

World powers give Iran details of nuclear proposals

Source: The Peninsula (Read full story)

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The six last month offered Iran a softening of non-oil or financial sector-related sanctions in exchange for concessions over Tehran’s sensitive uranium enrichment operations. The offer, reportedly involving easing sanctions on Iran’s gold and precious metals trade and lifting others on some very small banking operations, in return demands a tougher nuclear inspection regime and the interruption of enrichment operations at the Fordo bunker facility where 20-percent enrichment goes on.

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Gulf in the News – 10th Anniversary of Invasion of Iraq

Posted on March 19, 2013 by NCUSAR

March 19, 2013 marks the 10-year anniversary since the United States fired the opening salvo in Operation Iraqi Freedom by bombing the Dora Farms complex southwest of Baghdad. Today the Arabia, the Gulf, and the GCC blog presents a collection of stories that reflect on what has happened in Iraq over the preceding decade.

The human cost of the Iraq war: 112,000 civilians dead in a decade

Source: Al Arabiya (Read full story)

At least 112,000 civilians were killed in the 10 years since the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq that ousted Saddam Hussein, a new report published on Sunday said.

Including combatants on all sides of the decade-long conflict, as well as yet undocumented civilian fatalities, the figure could rise as high as 174,000, according to the Britain-based Iraq Body Count (IBC) group.

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Gulf in the News – March 18, 2013

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

Labor Ministry launches initiatives to bolster Saudization in private sector

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman yesterday commended the Labor Ministry’s efforts to create more job opportunities for Saudis and eradicate the country’s unemployment problem. He received Labor Minister Adel Fakeih who gave the governor a presentation on the ministry’s present and future programs, especially for the Madinah region. “There is a clear instruction from the Saudi leadership to provide good job opportunities for citizens,” the prince said. Meanwhile, speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah daily, Fakeih highlighted his ministry’s efforts to create a secure atmosphere for women to work.

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Gulf in the News – March 15, 2013

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

PDO employs drone technology to monitor flaring

Source: Oman Daily Observer (Read full story)

Underscoring its vigorous embrace of innovation and technology to sustain its business, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) employed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (drone) to undertake its first ever live flare inspection at one of its interior oilfield locations, the majority government owned oil and gas producer has revealed.

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Gulf in the News – March 13, 2013

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

Arab League intervention urged to end massacre

Source: Gulf Today (Read full story)

Israeli President Shimon Peres, delivering an historic address to the European Parliament, on Tuesday called for Arab League intervention in Syria “to stop the massacre.” “The Arab League can and should form a provisional government in Syria to stop the massacre, to prevent Syria from falling to pieces. The United Nations should support the Arab League to build an Arab force in blue helmets,” he said.

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Gulf in the News – March 11, 2013

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Maria Pantelis

UAE rejects extremism: Shaikh Mohammed

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

The UAE adopts an open, moderate and tolerant approach as a state and rejects extremism as being religiously and morally unacceptable, stated His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, while chairing a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The UAE Cabinet adopted a draft law for establishing an ‘International Centre for Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism’ or Hidaya with aims to set up a global platform that catalyses discussion and cooperation among countries of the world to confront extremism.

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