Beijing                                                                                                                                                                                                   30 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                       (Xinhua news)

A current roadmap for China-Africa cooperation in the new era is one eagerly awaited outcome of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will begin on Sept 3.

Themed "China and Africa: Toward an Even Stronger Community with a Shared Future through Win-Win Cooperation," the summit will be a significant diplomatic event hosted by China this year and attended by the largest number of foreign leaders to date.

Here's what to expect from the summit:

XI JINPING'S SPEECH

Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the summit, attend and deliver a speech during the opening ceremony of the High-Level Dialogue of China-Africa Leaders and Business Representatives, and the 6th China-Africa Business Forum.

He is expected to propose new ideas to strengthen relations with Africa and announce new measures for pragmatic cooperation.

Xi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will both chair a roundtable discussion, where Chinese and African leaders will discuss China-Africa relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

There will also be bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

"President Xi attaches great importance to the China-Africa relationship. These activities will help promote political mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa," said Zhou Yuxiao, China's ambassador for FOCAC affairs.

REUNION

This year is the third time the summit has convened, following the inaugural 2006 summit in Beijing and the 2015 summit in Johannesburg, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

African leaders and the chairman of the African Union (AU) will be in attendance, and the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General will be the esteemed guest, joined by 27 international and African groups as observers.

The interest in the forum is a result of China's growing influence on the African continent and proves the FOCAC has been pragmatic and efficient, analysts said.

"Established 18 years ago, FOCAC has led international cooperation with Africa and has become a significant marker of South-South cooperation," said Li Dan, director of Africa Studies Center of China Foreign Affairs University.

TWO DOCUMENTS

The summit will conclude with the signing of a declaration and an action plan, providing guidelines for China-Africa cooperation for the next three years.

The documents are expected to build on the outcomes of the Johannesburg summit, during which Xi announced 10 major cooperation plans to promote industrialization and agricultural modernization in Africa. Most of the plans have been implemented.

"For three years, cooperation between China and Africa has deepened and political mutual trust promoted," said Li Dan. "It is expected that the Beijing summit will offer a more comprehensive plan that reflects the new situation."

"The fundamental goal of China-Africa cooperation is building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future. This will be a priority in the next phase of cooperation," Zhou Yuxiao said.

FUTURE COOPERATION

The summit aims to build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future, further dovetail China's Belt and Road Initiative with African development, set a new path for a higher level of China-Africa cooperation and deepen people-to-people exchanges.

Li Dan said cooperation would not only be enhanced in traditional areas but also expanded to the environment, peace and security. By promoting innovation, coordination and sub-regional cooperation, all members will benefit from the outcomes of the summit.

The summit will link the Belt and Road Initiative with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union's Agenda 2063 and individual countries' development plans to explore new territory for Africa's revival.

"African countries have been positive about the Belt and Road Initiative," Li Dan said. "Clearer answers as to how and where they can participate are also expected from the summit."

FOCAC is a proven, effective platform for pragmatic China-Africa cooperation, and the Belt and Road Initiative is an important public good China is offering to the world. Combining the two will help the China-Africa relationship take a major leap forward and elevate cooperation, Zhou Yuxiao said.

"Given the complex and changing international situation and the development of individual countries, China-Africa wisdom and solutions that can be helpful to global governance are expected from the summit," Li Dan said.

Ankara                                                                                                                                                                                                  30 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                        (Anadolu News)

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on Wednesday criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for his remarks targeting Turkey and its EU membership process.

"We want to hear a commonsense statement from Macron on Turkey and we would also like to remind Macron how inconvenient it is to mix Islam and terror," said party spokesman Omer Celik, speaking at a news conference following the AK Party's central executive board meeting.

During the Ambassadors Conference in Paris on Monday, Macron said “to fight Islamist terrorism, we created a new law in France”.

He also questioned Turkey's EU membership.

"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a pan-Islamic project that is contrary to our European values.”

Macron said there was a need to build a strategic partnership with Turkey instead of granting it EU membership.

"We need to build a strategic partnership with Russia and Turkey because they are two important powers for our collective security; they must be tied to Europe," he said.

"President Erdogan's Turkey is not President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's Turkey anymore," he added.

Referring to a plan by Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon competition, Celik said "such provocative attacks cause these racists and fascists to gain a place in European politics”.

"Europe’s ‘Daesh’ are its far-right parties…There is no difference between the leaders of the Daesh terrorist group and fascists like Dutch far-right leader Wilders.

"Therefore, if they are taking measures against Daesh, they must take such measures against these racists. This is not something to be evaluated in the context of freedom of thought," he said.

Wilders' anti-Islam Party for Freedom had previously called for the Quran to be banned.

Hague                                                                                                                                                                                                    30 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                        (Anadolu News)

An anti-Islam cartoon contest depicting Prophet Mohammad to be held by a Dutch lawmaker was cancelled on Thursday.

Geert Wilders, leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, in a statement said the contest which was expected to take place in the Dutch Parliament was cancelled due to “security reasons”.

He claimed that not only his own life but the lives of all people of the Netherlands was in danger.

He added: “However, the safety and security of my fellow countrymen comes first.”

Wilders also said his fight against Islam would continue and no threat could stop him.

Wilders, known for his anti-Islam stance, announced in June a contest to draw cartoons of Prophet Mohammad.

The decision raised criticism across Muslim states as physical depictions of God or Prophet Mohammad are forbidden in Islam.

Islamabad                                                                                                                                                                                             30 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                       (Express Tribune)

The Supreme Court of Pakistan displeased with the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) attempts to extradite former envoy to the United States Husain Haqqani, directed the country’s accountability body to make efforts for his extradition.

The bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, expressed its desire to have the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) assist in the Memogate case. Amicus curiae on the case, Ahmed Bilal Soofi, said NAB can repatriate Haqqani from the US.

Lamenting that such issues are caused by the lack of extradition treaties and mutual agreements with other countries, said:  “We should focus on NAB’s agreement with the United Nations Security Council about repatriation of culprits”.k’s time and adjourned the hearing till then.

SC orders govt to take necessary steps for Haqqani’s repatriation

Recommending that the Parliament should draft legislation for the repatriation of culprits, Justice Nisar said, “”Parliament should introduce legislation regarding foreign agreements in one month”.

In July, the SC directed the federal government to take necessary steps to bring Haqqani back. During the hearing of the Memogate case, the three-judge bench had passed the instructions in regards to the former US envoy.

Soofi had recommended that relevant rules should be framed to enable direct access for the FIA to approach US authorities regarding Haqqani’s repatriation.

Lahore                                                                                                                                                                                                   30 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                       (Daily Express Tribune)

Talks between Pakistan and India were in a state of deadlock on Thursday as the visiting delegation snubbed their Pakistani counterparts for raising objections over treaty violations.

Indian Commissioner PK Saxena’s delegation maintained that Pakistan has not built a single major dam after Mangla and Tarbela as Pakistan objected to the construction of two Indian dams on Chenab river. Indian dignitaries also claimed that the changing climate has led to severe lack of water supply in India’s rivers.

On Wednesday, Pakistani authorities apprised the Saxena-led Indian delegation to reduce the freeboard height of the Indian hydro-power project Pakal Dul which will have an installed capacity of 1,000 megawatts.

Pak-India water talks commence in Lahore

Following a Supreme Court judgment on July 4 regarding construction of the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar kick-started the initiative by donating Rs1 million for the cause and urged all institutions and individuals to play their due role in their construction to defeat water scarcity in the country.

Previously in 2012, Pakistan objected over Pakal Dul’s design for violating the Sindh Taas Agreement.

 

New York                                                                                                                                                                                              30 August 2018                                                                                                                                                                                    (MOFA)

The State of Qatar reiterated its commitment to mediation to settle conflicts and disputes by peaceful means, affirming that its interest in mediation lies at the heart of the priority it attaches to the maintenance of peace and security and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

The State of Qatar also underlined its keenness on enhancing and supporting the sustainability of peace, as it contributed to the preparation for the UN General Assembly High-level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace in April.

In a statement at the debate held by the Security Council on "Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Mediation and the Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts", Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Said Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations said that the State of Qatar has committed itself to being a partner of the international community in the face of common challenges and has not defied its approach at the regional and international levels, adding that despite the unjust siege and illegal unilateral measures imposed on the State of Qatar since June 5, 2017, it continues its policy consistent with its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and international law and working to settle disputes and conflicts by peaceful means.

Sheikha Alya Al-Thani also renewed the appreciation of the State of Qatar for the mediation led by Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to resolve the Gulf crisis and contribute to enhancing the security and stability of the region and international peace and security.

In her statement, Sheikha Alya said that mediation has always been an essential part of diplomacy, conflict resolution, negotiation, arbitration and reconciliation as the first choice in dealing with disputes. This importance is reflected in the Charter of the United Nations, in particular chapter VI.

She noted that mediation is not a substitute for other tools to prevent conflicts, but is rather integrated with such tools within the framework of a comprehensive strategy for the prevention, resolution and management of conflicts. She stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of conflicts while recognizing the link between peace, security, development and human rights.

In recent years, the international community has become increasingly aware of these realities and of the importance of giving priority to preventive diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes, including through mediation, HE Sheikha Alya said, noting that the UN General Assembly adopts every two years a resolution on mediation submitted by Turkey and Finland and supported by a large number of States, including the State of Qatar.

She pointing to the report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations which stressed the importance that the mandates of peace processes must focus on the need to achieve political solutions to crises.

Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United National Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Said Al-Thani expressed satisfaction at the evolution of mediation arrangements and tools at various levels, stressing that it was necessary to keep pace with the changes in the nature of conflicts and threats to peace and security.

She praised the increasing number of mediation players at various levels, noting that the mediation agenda had witnessed progress and practical achievements at the United Nations level, particularly since the establishment of the High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation at the General Assembly to support mediation efforts around the world.

Sheikha Alya stressed the important role of the civil society and the private sector, noting that the success of mediation strategies in many cases depended on the identification and involvement of appropriate stakeholders. She also noted the importance of involving both women and young people in peacemaking and mediation efforts to ensure effectiveness and sustainability of those efforts.

Sheikha Alya reviewed the experience of the State of Qatar in the field of mediation, especially in the Arab and Islamic region, which resulted in many successes in the resolution and settlement of disputes or avoiding further escalation. These efforts have been recognized and supported by the UN Security Council.

She stressed importance of integrity, honesty and inclusiveness for the success of mediation, affirming that the purpose of mediation is the success of dialogue, reconciliation and settlement. She noted the need to take into account the various aspects of the conflict and to recognize the specificity of each case.

She explained that the primary responsibility for the settlement of disputes lay with the parties to the conflict, stressing the importance of their participation and their full commitment to settlement, and the realization of the common interest of achieving reconciliation.

The State of Qatar looks forward to continued Security Council support to mediation actors and stakeholders for the peaceful settlement of disputes in order to settle and prevent disputes and to spare future generations the dangers and resulting consequences, Qatar envoy to United Nations concluded.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                       28 Aug. 2018

Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading communications company announced today on Tuesday that Qatar is leading global 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) innovation, delivering new levels of business success and transforming citizen and customer experiences.

The IoT era is seeing computers integrated into billions of everyday objects, which collect data and communicate real-time insights over ultra-high-speed 5G networks. Qatar is staking an early 5G lead, with Ooredoo being the world's first communications company to launch commercially ready 5G, and is preparing 1,200 network stations to become 5G-ready.

Presently, Ooredoo is leveraging 5G to drive IoT innovation with two key technology elements: network traffic prioritization based on the priority of the industry vertical, and lower latency for critical applications such as smart and connected transportation, retail, energy, healthcare, education, and entertainment.

Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi, COO, Ooredoo Qatar, said, “5G and IoT present the biggest business opportunity of our lifetime in transforming Qatar’s economy, society, and environment. Our industry-leading 5G and IoT solutions, and channel partner ecosystem, are guiding Qatar’s organisations in their digital transformation journeys to seize market share transform daily lives across the country.”

Ooredoo expects the ultra-fast 5G networks to serve as the foundation for the IoT to make a major impact in the following verticals:

Transportation– Autonomous vehicles can use 5G’s broadband and low latency to navigate complex city streets, and for ambulances to coordinate on green light signalling. Connected metros and trams can leverage 5G broadband and GPS technology for real-time tracking that can reduce headways, enhance safety, and provide real-time passenger information.

Smart and Connected Retail – With Qatar’s connected malls growing, smart retailers can move beyond 4G geolocation-based services, to a 5G world with augmented and virtual reality providing immersive experiences from virtually trying on clothes to gyms with simulated races.

Connected Energy Transmission – Smart grids can combine with 5G networks to monitor and predict rapid increases in demand, enable smart street lighting with LED lamps, and overall provide real-time and dynamic utilities pricing to enhance costs, efficiency, and safety.

Smart Healthcare – In the era beyond digital patient records and self-care apps, 5G’s fast speeds and low latency could enable robotic surgery, new levels of monitoring wearable devices such as heart monitors, and Big Data analytics that could analyse massive patient data sets for predicting treatments and identifying regional or global healthcare trends. 

Education – In schools and universities, 5G combined with mobile devices, from tablets to wearables, can transform the learning experience. Students, educators, and administrators can foster enhanced digital collaboration, immersive virtual reality fieldtrips, and new levels of automated campus safety and security.

Entertainment – Theme parks, concerts, and video games are being transformed by 5G and IoT. By connecting sensors on people with mobile devices, customers can design bespoke itineraries, experience virtual reality concerts, and gain new levels of immersive gameplay.

Supporting Qatar’s organisations, Ooredoo is seeing strong demand for the IoT connect solution, which allows tracking and management of networked devices, tools, and products.

Business customers can leverage the Ooredoo Advantage, making Ooredoo “Best for Business”, thanks to its breadth and depth of talent, best fixed and mobile networks, broadest portfolio of ICT services and solutions, and trusted partner for 60 years.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                       28 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                       (QNA)

Barwa Bank and International Bank of Qatar (ibq) announced signing a final agreement regarding the merger of the two banks to create a leading Sharia compliant financial institution with a solid financial position and robust liquidity to support Qatars economic growth and finance development initiatives in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.

According to joint statement issued by the two banks on Tuesday, the merger will create a combined entity with total assets of QAR 80 billion and a shareholder equity base of over QAR 12 billion, supporting the economic development of the State of Qatar by creating a strategic partner for the government and the public sector while assisting the growth of private sector.

According to this merger agreement, the two banks will work to complete the necessary steps to consummate the merger, obtain the required approvals from the regulatory authorities and obtain shareholders approvals before the end of 2018. The two entities will be consolidated and operate as one bank subsequent to their respective general assemblies and the adoption of their final financial results for the fiscal year ending in December 2018.

Qatar, with population of 2.5 million people, has about 20 local and international banks competing for business. Qatar National Bank (QNB) is the Middle East’s largest lender with about $232 billion of assets, and a market capitalization of about $41 billion.

Washington DC                                                                                                                                                                             IHS Jane's Defence Weekly                                                                                                                                                             (23 Aug. 2018)

Additional US legislation banning further Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) deliveries to Turkey over the Russian S-400 air defence system advanced on 23 August, with the Senate passing the fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019) defence appropriations bill.

The bill contains a provision authored by Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen that prohibits spending Pentagon funds to transfer or facilitate the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey. That is until the defence secretary in consultation with the secretary of state certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that Turkey is not purchasing the S-400 and will not accept delivery, according to the Van Hollen statement.

Whether Van Hollen’s amendment will become law is uncertain as the House-approved FY 2019 defence appropriations bill does not contain a similar provision. This means the amendment could be stripped during conference negotiations as lawmakers from both chambers hash out one bill to present to the House and Senate for approval. Once both chambers pass the same bill, the legislation arrives on the desk of President Donald Trump for approval into law or veto.

Defence officials are concerned that Turkey operating the S-400 in the vicinity of the F-35 would compromise the aircraft’s security, including its stealth capabilities, and represent a strategic threat to the United States. Jane’s believes that because the S-400 can map the F-35 as it flies around Turkish airspace, Russia can modify radar systems to better locate, track, and engage the aircraft. The close proximity of the two systems could also enable Russian personnel to physically inspect the aircraft.

Jakarta                                                                                                                                                                                                  28 August 2018

Qatar clinched the fourth gold medal at the 18th Asian Games, which is currently held in Indonesia, after Sherif Younis and Ahmad Tejan secured a win in the beach volleyball competition.

The Qatari duo defeated Indonesian Ade Candra and Mohammad Ashfiya 2-0 in the final of the competition to finish 26/24 and 21/17 in 46 minutes.

This medal is Qatar's eight medal so far, after Abderrahman Samba's 400m hurdles gold medal, Abdalelah Haroun's 400m gold medal, Ashraf Saifi's gold medal in the hammer-throwing competition, Yesir Salem Mubarak's three silvers in the 3000m race, Tosin Ogunode's silver in the 100m race, Fares Hassouna's silver in weightlifting (94kg), and Hammad al-Marri's bronze medal in shooting (Double Trap). (