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Arabic music divas : a timeless legacy
In the mid-20th century, Arab music experienced what is often described as its golden age. It was a period of cultural prosperity that saw the emergence of visionary artists who captivated audiences with their extraordinary musical talents.
Among them, Oum Kalthoum stands out as one of the most powerful and influential voices of the era, her ability to convey deep emotions through her songs making her a true legend.
Oum Kalthoum : the immortal
No list of Arab divas is reliable without mentioning the legendary Oum Kalthoum. Hailing from Egypt, her powerful voice and masterful interpretation have captivated audiences for decades. Oum Kalthoum transcended national boundaries to become a global icon of Arabic music, drawing huge crowds to her live performances.
She was a major political and feminist figure, making the place of women in Egyptian society one of her main concerns. Her ability to convey complex emotions through her music was unparalleled.
Epic songs such as "Enta Omri" and "Al Atlal" have remained etched in our memories, evoking love, loss and nostalgia in a deeply poetic way.Even decades after her death in 1975, Oum Kalthoum remains a source of inspiration for singers around the world.
Warda : the Algerian rose
Warda_El_Djazairia.jpeg)
Born in France to Algerian parents, Warda has conquered the hearts of the Arab world with her
with her melodious voice. Known as "La Rose Algérienne", she has brought a touch of elegance and grace to the Algerian music scene.
Her prolific career has spanned several decades, and her iconic songs such as "Batwanes Beek" and
"Harramt Ahibbak" continue to inspire future generations.
In addition to her extraordinary vocal talent, Warda was also a style icon, who captivated audiences with her stage presence and natural charm. Her legacy lives on through her timeless music and lasting influence on Arab musical culture.
Fayrouz: The Star of Lebanon
Fayrouz, also known as "Najat Al Huda" (Star of Guidance), is a living legend in Lebanese music.
Lebanese music legend. Her crystal clear voice and diverse repertoire have made her an emblematic figure on the Arab music scene since the 1950s.
With songs such as 'Kifak Inta' and 'Bhebbak Ya Lebnan', she embodied the spirit and soul of Lebanon, capturing the hopes and dreams of an entire people.
Beyond her musical career, Fayrouz was also a voice of unity and resilience during tumultuous times in Lebanese history. Her commitment to her country and her music has earned Fayrouz a special place in the hearts of fans around the world. "These poetic lyrics explore the great themes of love, separation, attachment to the land and freedom in a happy homeland.
Asmahan : The Syrian Mystic
Born in Syria, Asmahan has captivated audiences with her haunting voice and mystical aura. Her
Her unique style, blending elements of traditional Arabic music with Western influences, has created an innovative sound that has captured the imagination of many listeners.
Songs such as 'Ya Habibi Ta'ala' and 'Layali El Ouns Fi Vienna' still resonate today with their timeless charm.
Despite her tragically short life, Asmahan has left an indelible legacy in the world of Arabic music. Her precocious talent and fascinating personality continue to inspire music lovers around the world.
Dalida : a multifaceted icon
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Dalida was born in Egypt and is of Italian descent. However, she deserves a place among the divas of Arab music because of her significant impact on the Middle Eastern music scene.
With hits such as 'Helwa Ya Baladi' and 'Salma Ya Salama', she has captured the hearts of millions of Arab fans around the world.
Her ability to sing in several languages, including Arabic, has helped broaden her international appeal. Dalida was able to fuse different musical styles to create a unique sound that transcended cultural boundaries.
Together, these divas of Arabic music form an unforgettable legacy, symbolising the power of music to unite people and transcend differences. Their influence continues to inspire future generations to experience the richness of Arab culture through music.
https://www.rtbf.be/article/les-divas-du-monde-arabe-doum-kalthoum-a-dalida-10782956
https://leclaireur.fnac.com/article/275689-la-folle-histoire-doum-kalthoum-la-diva-du-
monde-arabe/
https://afriquemagazine.com/oum-kalthoumjamais-la-diva
https://divas-arabes.imarabe.org/les-voix-d-or/warda/un-style-sans-cesse-renouvele
https://divas-arabes.imarabe.org/les-voix-d-or/asmahan/l-enfant-prodige-de-la-musique-arabe
Lezzoo: The startup that pioneered Iraq’s digital transformation
Lezzoo's journey began with a simple yet powerful vision: to bring convenience to the fingertips of Iraqis. Yadgar Merani, a visionary with a deep understanding of the local market's needs and challenges, sought to address the gaps in accessibility to essential goods and services. Leveraging the growing penetration of smart devices, Lezzoo set out to create a seamless digital platform that could cater to a wide array of demands, from food delivery to grocery shopping and beyond.
The platform and services
Lezzoo's platform is a comprehensive on-demand delivery service that connects users with a network of local businesses. Lezzoo has a unique value proposition both for the business it is working with, and its end customers.
The app provide a platform for restaurant deliveries, purchase groceries, repair services, pharmaceuticals and solutions for e-commerce websites. By integrating multiple services into one platform, Lezzoo has become a one-stop-shop for urban convenience.
Overcoming challenges
Operating in Iraq and Kurdistan presents unique challenges, from logistical hurdles to economic and political instability. The startup has invested heavily in building a robust delivery infrastructure, including a fleet of delivery vehicles and a network of trained delivery personnel. Additionally, Lezzoo has established partnerships with local businesses to ensure a steady supply of goods and services.
One of the most significant challenges has been building trust in a market where digital transactions are still relatively new. Lezzoo has addressed this by implementing secure payment gateways and ensuring that customer service is a top priority.
Impact on the local economy
Lezzoo's impact extends beyond just convenience for consumers. The startup has created numerous job opportunities, from delivery drivers to support staff, contributing to the local economy. By partnering with local businesses, Lezzoo also supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), providing them with a digital platform to reach a broader audience and exposure.
Its success story is a testament to the potential of Iraqi startups to drive digital transformation and economic growth. By addressing local needs with innovative solutions, Lezzoo has set a benchmark for other entrepreneurs in the region.
As the startup ecosystem in Iraq continues to evolve, Lezzoo is poised to remain at the forefront, leading the way towards a more connected and convenient future for all Iraqis.
The Iraqi startup ecosystem is still burgeoning, driven by young and ambitious entrepreneurs. Other key sectors include fintech, e-commerce, health-tech, and edtech. Local incubators and accelerators like ‘The Station’, KAPITA and Iraq Tech Ventures provide vital support.
Despite challenges such as political instability, limited funding, and infrastructural issues, the ecosystem shows promise with rising international investments, innovative solutions, and a growing number of initiatives by the Iraqi government to promote entrepreneurship and tech startups
Sources :
https://kurdistanchronicle.com/babat/2605
https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lezzoo
https://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2024/06/25/iraqi-govt-to-launch-tech-incubators-in-universities/
https://kapita.iq/content/issue/mapping-iraqi-entrepreneurial-ecosystem
Rain at all costs : Rain-seeding in the Middle East
Re-greening deserts through technology : this is the aim of the many cloud seeding programs that are being developed in the Middle East.
Over the past decade, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has identified more than eighty cloud seeding projects around the world, notably in Asia, Africa and now in the Fertile Crescent.
Preserving this fertile status is indeed a major concern. While agriculture alone accounts for 80% of water consumption in the MENA region, according to the World Bank, water is running out.
In Saudi Arabia, long-term rainfall is less than one hundred millimetres, one of the lowest rates in the world. In the United Arab Emirates, the thermometer regularly registers the scorching heat of 113°F, justifying the inhabitants' unquenchable thirst.
The average Emirati consumes around 500 liters of water a day, three time more than the global average.
A scientific miracle : the invention of artificial rain and its entry into the MENA region
In the beginning was the war. The first instances of artificial rain were to be found in the military context of the Vietnam War, during Operation Popeye in 1962.
The United States was at the origin of this breakthrough, and later began reinvesting in this method for agricultural purposes: irrigating Western lands in California and Nevada. From the 1960s onwards, Israel in turn ventured into this Promethean enterprise. Like its near and far neighbors in the MENA GCC region, the Hebrew state is prone to drought.
After initial trials in northern Israel, new experiments were carried out in the Arabah desert, stretching from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern Jordanian border. Although time-limited, the cloud-seeding missions have made a significant contribution to transforming this arid area into a climatic wonderland. Despite the scorching heat, agriculture is now flourishing in the Arabah. According to Noa Zer, Director of Resource Development for the Central Arabah Regional Council, more than 50% of the country's fresh produce is grown here.
Far from having its head in the clouds, Saudi Arabia has also embraced artificial rainfall. Saudi Arabia's significant agricultural export potential is worth noting. With 427,492 acres of arable land - by contrast with France's 66,718 acres - the Saudi Kingdom is well positioned to invest more in the rural sector. After the failure of a food self-sufficiency plan due to a lack of water resources, the government decided to launch a rain-fed seeding program.
At present, the process has been initiated on the outskirts of Riyadh as well as over the rocky Nejd highland, which national aircraft fly over to release silver iodide.
Dr Ayman Bin Ghulam, President of the National Meteorological Center, was keen to point out that the program should continue over the next five years and increase rainfall by up to 20%. Portrayed as a viable and environmentally-friendly option, artificial precipitation seems to align well with the precepts of Prince MBS's Vision 2030, in that it contributes to intensifying Saudi Arabia's vegetation cover as well as securing new streams of water.
“Whoever sows the rain, reaps the whirlwind”: is rain seeding risky ?
Could climate change be the answer to scientific hubris?
On April 17, Dubai airport was flooded. In just twenty-four hours, the desert country was engulfed by more than one hundred and twenty millimetres of water, the equivalent of two years' rain.
Qatar, Bahrain and the Principality of Oman were also hit by the deluge, with a total of twenty deaths. While inquisitive glances are turned towards the engineers behind the seeding programs, this may not be the case.
A survey by the Anelfa center tends to prove that silver iodide, the fundamental agent in rain seeding, is not harmful to the environment, given the small proportions used. What's more, rain seeding is based on the principle of early, controlled targeting, thus excluding cumulonimbus clouds, which are the most likely to trigger bad weather.
The cataclysm observed in the Gulf is therefore more likely to be the result of the chronic inversion of Pacific winds due to the El Niño phenomenon. Having already hit South Africa, the Sahel and Amazonia in 2023, El Niño continues to expand, redistributing rainfall over new areas as it sees fit.
Combining technology and spirituality : rain and religious traditions
Beyond economic considerations and climatic concerns, artificial rain also has a spiritual dimension, responding precisely to a biannual prayer.
In Judaism, the festival of Chemini Atseret, celebrated in the heart of autumn, marks the beginning of the raining season. Also formulated as a daily blessing throughout the winter, Chemini Atseret is intended to express gratitude to the heavens for the abundance of water, while praying that the wind will continue to blow and that rain will continue to fall on the harvests.
The call for rain is also to be found in Christianity. Sabine, a Christian martyr from the 2nd century, is a saint to whom we can turn to invoke rain in times of drought.
A precious resource in every respect, rain is preserved and voluntarily triggered when necessary. And if it seems incongruous, even amusing, that in 2018, Iran should accuse the Emirates and Israel of “stealing its clouds”, alluding precisely to the artificial seeding operations, the scarcity of water resources and the creative spirit of 21st-century engineers reveal a new era in which the boundaries between nature and technology are becoming blurred.
Sources :
GCC's Urban Revolution: Transforming Deserts into Smart Cities
NEOM: “The Line” Saudi Arabia’s Futuristic Mega-City
One of the most ambitious projects in the Middle East is NEOM in Saudi Arabia, a $500 billion mega-city designed to be a global hub for innovation and technology. Launched by 2017 by Mohamed Bin Salman and situated in the northwest of the country, NEOM aim to redefine urban living through its integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics across various sectors.
NEOM's design includes the construction of "The Line," a 170-kilometer linear city with no cars, streets, or carbon emissions. This approach to urban planning promotes walkability, seamless connectivity through high-speed transit, and the integration of nature within urban spaces. NEOM's vision emphasizes sustainability by aspiring to be powered entirely by clean energy sources. Furthermore through its urban agriculture initiative it aims to provide food security to its inhabitants. This aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader goals of economic diversification under the Vision 2030 plan.
Masdar City: UAE’s Beacon of Sustainability
Masdar City, located near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is another pioneering example of smart city development. Launched in 2008, Masdar City is one of the world's most sustainable urban communities, powered entirely by renewable energy. It serves as the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the regional HQ for Siemens.
The city's design incorporates energy-efficient buildings, sustainable materials, and practices such as passive cooling and green roofs. Masdar City utilizes solar energy extensively, with one of the largest photovoltaic installations in the Middle East, and a solar thermal cooling plant. The city’s transportation network features electric and autonomous vehicles, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Masdar City not only showcases eco-friendly urban development but also serves as a living laboratory for innovative technologies and sustainable practices. It aims to reduce its ecological footprint while providing high standards of living, making it a blueprint for future sustainable cities globally.
Lusail City: Qatar’s vision of modern urbanism
Lusail City in Qatar represents another stride in the GCC's smart city initiatives. As a host city for one of the stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lusail City has been in the international spotlight. This large-scale development integrates advanced infrastructure with modern urban planning to create a vibrant, high-tech urban environment. Lusail City includes a light rail network, an underground pedestrian system, and a district cooling system, all designed to enhance connectivity and reduce energy consumption.
Lusail City’s smart infrastructure includes advanced waste management systems, smart grids for electricity distribution, and extensive use of IoT for city management and services.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Building smart cities in the desert comes with unique challenges, including extreme temperatures, water scarcity, and the need for sustainable resource management. GCC countries are making significant efforts to pioneer this advancement through innovative solutions such as desalination plants powered by renewable energy, advanced cooling technologies, and sustainable urban designs that minimize environmental impact.
The success of these smart city projects in the GCC region will depend on continuous investment in technology, infrastructure, and human capital. Collaboration with global partners and the adoption of best practices from around the world will be crucial.
Countries facing desertification and rising temperatures will have to follow the same path and develop innovative city designs to mitigate and adapt to climate disruptions. The ambitious models being developed by GCC countries should serve as a blueprint for these efforts worldwide. Other nations can learn from these pioneering strategies to create sustainable and resilient urban environments.
Sources :
https://masdar.ae/en/renewables/green-hydrogen
https://masdar.ae/en/renewables/our-projects/masdar-city-solar-photovoltaic-plant
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordontour/25137880702 \
https://www.neom.com/en-us/our-business/sectors/water/infrastructure/resource-recovery
https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en/
LEVEL UP IN THE MIDDLE EAST : the video game industry keeps growing in the region
Increasingly focused on the gaming sector, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region accounts for 2.5% of the 135 billion in sales generated by the global market, according to a report produced by Newzoo. Following in the footsteps of Sony, Microsoft and Electronic Arts, new companies specializing in electronics and entertainment are making their debut in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari, the videogame landscape has changed a great deal in fifty years. In the golden age of connected devices, the patriarch of video games predicts the advent of a society dedicated to communication.
High Stakes : Saudi Arabia takes Pole Position in the Video Games Race
As the No. 1 player in this regional competition to dominate the video game industry, Saudi Arabia is actively developing its eco-system. With the purchase of Electronic Sport League (ESL) and Faceit, two European e-sport companies, the oil-rich kingdom is also piloting Savvy Gaming Group. Wholly owned by the national public investment fund, this e-sport company represents a major economic asset in a young country, where the average age is 30. Thanks to the many investments made in this field, the Saudi video game market is expected to reach nearly one billion dollars by 2023.
The current dynamics of video games are closely linked to the widespread availability of mobile Internet access. In Saudi Arabia, mobile traffic, which is currently estimated at 75.18% according to Statcounter, is encouraging greater access to online gaming platforms. This strategy of opening up the entertainment sector is proving highly successful. In 2021, foreign direct investment in Saudi Arabia rose by a spectacular 252% year-on-year, with gross fixed capital formation reaching US$218 billion and annual growth of 19.4%.
Optimistic projections for the next five years testify to the continued growth of the video games market in the MENA GCC region. According to Ericsson, the number of smartphone subscriptions is set to increase from 65 million to 73 million in GCC countries by 2027, while the MENA region's compound annual growth rate is set to rise from $5.71 billion to $9.63 billion between 2023 and 2028, an increase of 11.01% according to data from Mordor Intelligence.
A rising regional trend in gamification
Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, which organize cultural events around video games, are also on board. The enthusiasm generated by the Middle East Gaming Festival in Beirut in 2018 has been warmly echoed by the Yas Gaming Festival in Abu Dhabi in 2023. The United Arab Emirates continues to invest actively in the sector. Across borders, these unique events have brought together enthusiasts and the curious around racing simulations, virtual reality games and cosplay sessions, reinforcing the region's position as a hub of gaming culture.
The Gulf State predicts an average annual expenditure of $115 per gamer. It was with this economic outlook in mind that Fakhra Al Mansouri seized the opportunity to promote local culture through the new educational leverage provided by videogames. Five years ago, the Emirati developer set up her company Hybrid Humans Game Studio with the aim of bringing her culture to the rest of the world in an innovative way. This mobile games platform is notably behind Falcon Valley, awarded the title of "game of the day" by the apple store in 2017.
More and more international partnerships : new players join the game
At the heart of this cultural transition, young local programmers, including the talented Fakhra Al Mansouri, are helping their nations emerge on the international scene. This evolution is remarkably reflected in the meteoric rise of partnerships. In May 2022, the Middle East marked a significant breakthrough in video gaming with the successful expansion of Indian e-sports platform Gamerji. Having already extended its operations to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Gamerji recently inaugurated its services in these countries, with a clear vision of continued progress over the next three months. Meanwhile, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Investment (MISA) and South Korea's WEMADE in 2023 is a major step towards the introduction of blockchain in Saudi Arabia.
The Middle East continues its fast-paced ascension in the world of video entertainment. As new adventurers enter this virtual sphere : investors, programmers, even government bodies, the excitement of video gaming continues to drain development opportunities. Stay in the game.
Sources :
https://fr.timesofisrael.com/larabie-saoudite-veut-developper-le-secteur-des-jeux-video/
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/fr/industry-reports/middle-east-gaming-market
https://thebusinessofesports.com/2022/06/17/gamerji-commences-operations-in-the-middle-east/
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2292691/business-economy
https://www.timeoutabudhabi.com/things-to-do/yas-gaming-festival
Morocco can count on technology to boost agriculture
With cereal self-sufficiency approaching 75% and local products generate sales of over 1.2 billion euros a year, the kingdom's land is far from barren. Yet, for the past 40 years, Moroccan agriculture has been threatened by endemic drought. Back in 2008, the government set up the Green Morocco Plan to help small-scale commercial farming. This decision has had a positive impact of a 60% increase in agricultural exports the following year.
In 2023, it's the turn of start-ups to take over arable land. As a winning duo — Sand to Green which uses its technology to facilitate the integration of agroforestry farms in arid environments and Terraa, which strengthens distribution channels through its digital platform. How do these two companies intend to overcome the challenges of the primary sector ?
Sand to Green’s goal — making the desert green again
Morocco's territory is constantly being reshaped by the ecological and urban changes of the 21st century. Its agriculture has not been spared. Drought, urban sprawl, erosion... According to Benjamin Rombaut, CEO of Sand to Green, almost a third of the soil’s has turned dry. In order to adapt the kingdom’s agricultural framework, the Franco-Moroccan entrepreneur decided to deploy an agroforestry modelin Morocco's arid environment. After three years of R&D, Sand to Green has become a mature project, ready to contribute to the resilience of the country's rural economies.
The prototype aims to re-green desert environments, in particular through a water desalination strategy. This procedure would help trees to establish themselves in a hostile, poorly irrigated environment. “As they grow stronger, they become more and more autonomous, thanks to their ability to manage their own water cycle”, explains Benjamin Rombaut, who is both ambitious and keen to see blossoming low-carbon emissions plants. Sand to Green has already raised 1 million dollars. The money raised from investors should enable the company to spread over thousands of hectares.
The food tech Terraa feeds distribution networks
Aridity isn't the only challenge for the country. The whole system needs to be rethought. Intermediation, incomplete databases and technological backwardness affect the agricultural market and leads to excessive prices, unsold and food spoilage. Founded in 2022, Terraa could well change all that. Its mission is to re-establish the network between farmers and urban markets via a paperless ordering system. To achieve this, the Moroccan start-up sources directly from farmers before delivering to retailers. This strategy is accompanied by a policy of constant prices which tends to limit losses due to periods of overproduction.
This year, the food distribution start-up managed to raise $1.5 million in pre-seed funding, which will be used to strengthen its logistics infrastructure, while expanding into the rest of the region. Co-founder Benoît Devigne is looking forward to see the positive impact of Terraa's technology on supply and demand. Benoît Devigne already plans to open new collection centers for storage and distribution.
On the fertile ground of international collaboration
Developing a digital economy capable of enhancing the value of family farming, i.e. 70% of farms, is a major challenge for Morocco and the rest of the continent. The use of technology by small-scale farmers in Africa is increasingly but not sufficiently democratized. While it is now possible to grow plants in arid zones thanks to agro-ecological techniques, training and experimentation centers are essential to guide the younger generation of Moroccan engineers.
To achieve this, the participation of international players is undeniable. In fact, it was the French Yves Rocher Foundation that financed the CIPA institute (crossroads of technological initiatives and practices) to the tune of 10,000 euros.
Aware of the fundamental value that international partnerships can bring, Morocco has opened its doors to collaborators from all horizons. The kingdom recently called for cooperation with Europe and Africa on sustainable agriculture. In October, it took part in the international conference on food production technologies in Eilat. The event brought together over 70 representatives from numerous countries - including Jordan, Barhein, Ghana, the United Arab Emirates - all keen to revitalize their agricultural sectors. Everyone can learn from each other — that was the watchword of this historic meeting.
Sources:
https://agriculture.gouv.fr/marocx
https://www.agriculture.gov.ma/fr/filiere/richesse-du-terroir
Egypt : The Fintech Gamble
Since free-trade financial zones such as the Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Dubai Financial Center began promoting the growth of regional fintechs, the banking sector has taken a real turn for the better. The fintech boom goes beyond Middle Eastern borders. Young, dynamic and resilient, Africa has become one of these new hotbeds.
In 2022, the continent attracted more than 1,100 investors, an increase of 29% on the previous year. Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan... Among the leading countries to adopt this new model, Egypt is betting on financial innovation. Under what conditions are these new companies entering the Egyptian market, and what influence do they exert on the country ?
Renovating Egypt's banking sector — fintech MNT- Halan heals the country's socio-economic wounds
Egypt's economic crisis may have thrown off its clocks, but it's no big deal. As the third-largest economy in the Arab world, Cairo is determined to hold on to this title. A study by The Economist shows that the EGX30 stock market (equivalent to the CAC 40) rose by 12% in value between December 2022 and March 2023. A correlation can quickly be established between this upward trend and a fintech market that continues to flourish.
The fintech sector is said to have already raised $736 million in the Nile country by 2022, with MNT-Halan the first company in the running, voted by Forbes as the 10th best-funded start-up in the Middle East. Valued at over a billion dollars, the young start-up has become Africa's new unicorn, following in the footsteps of Fawry and Hollydesk. Following in the footsteps of its two big sisters specializing in expense management, MNT-Halan is in turn helping to modernize the banking system.
The dematerialized platform facilitates electronic payments thanks to Neuron software, which uses AI to anticipate the behavior of its thousands of users. It's important to understand that the platform's vocation is twofold — to initiate a transition towards digitalization and to respond to a major societal problem —financial insecurity. In a country where 70% of the population is unbanked, digital finance could become the remedy for precariousness. By embracing the field of fintech, Egyptian entrepreneurship seems to be healing the country's wounds, be they on a macro or micro economic scale.
Financial start-ups, regulated and supported by the State
Perceived as a driving force for technological, social and economic development, the technological finance sector is favored by many public and private players. According to Redseer, a quarter of all commercial pacts in the Arab world are related to the cloud finance sector. But the transition to digitization is not self-evident, and requires a solid regulatory framework.
At a time when the country's consumers are timidly beginning to turn to online payments, the Egyptian government is striving to secure this new practice while making it simpler and more accessible. To this end, the Central Bank is enforcing legislation allowing users to carry out instant transactions from their cell phones, and government measures are overseeing technological innovation in order to minimize risks.
Another notable example is the recent FRA law, which regulates financial start-ups by imposing a temporary patent on them, before allowing them to integrate into the ecosystem. According to Noha Shaker, founder of the Egyptian fintech association and vice-president of the African fintech network, this ecosystem is currently in the midst of an expansion phase. From government to private investors, even universities are now starting up programs on the subject.
Egypt — the MENA region's next technology hub?
The rise of Egyptian fintechs is a significant indicator of the government's evolution towards the technological revolution. In 2023, more confident and up to date with the latest innovations in finance, the Minister of Finance plans to issue $500 million worth of green bonds to support sustainable infrastructure projects while creating jobs.
Is Egypt the next technology hub in the Middle East and North Africa ? Although the World Bank currently ranks the Nile country just behind the United Arab Emirates, the strengthening of its legal framework, combined with the growth of fintech investors, suggests that this ascent is not over.
Sources :
https://thefintechtimes.com/fintech-in-egypt-101-middle-east-and-africa/
AlAlula: How Saudi Arabia is committing to protect and open up its heritage
An exceptional archaeological and natural site
Nestling at the entrance to a desert valley, surrounded by ochre and red sandstone massifs and verdant oases, lies the ancient caravan city of Hegra. Hydraulic systems, sanctuaries, the monumental necropolis of Madâin Sâlih carved out of the rock, palm groves as far as the eye can see...
All these vestiges bear witness, in an area the size of Belgium, to a fascinating and little-known history: that of the Nabataean civilization, whose kingdom extended from Sinai to the western shore of the Red Sea.
At the crossroads of the routes linking Egypt, Mesopotamia and the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, Petra's little sister developed and grew rich thanks to the harnessing of its groundwater and the trade in frankincense and myrrh.
A neighbor of the kingdom of Judea, which suffered a similar fate - Roman annexation and obliteration through a change of name - the Nabataean kingdom finally disappeared in the 2nd century AD. The emergence of Islam in the 6th century eclipsed Hegra in favor of Medina, which emerged as a cultural and religious center, attracting pilgrims alongside Mecca. The Saudi monarchy, guardian of the holy cities, kept the site's existence a secret for centuries.
In 2008, by classifying the site as a World Heritage Site (the country's first), UNESCO recognized its outstanding environmental and cultural value. As part of its partnership with the UN agency, the monarchy is committed to sharing its archaeological and epigraphic heritage with the scientific community, inviting academics and archaeologists from all over the world to study the open-air library of inscriptions on the cliffs and rocks of Jabal Ikmah.
Partly financed by a dedicated royal commission, a vast conservation and research project has unearthed the gradual evolution of Nabataean languages towards Classical Arabic, providing a better understanding of the linguistic and civilizational exchanges of the period. As a result, local and global populations are invited to reconnect with a whole part of the memory of the pre-Islamic Arab world.
“The Wonder of Arabia” as an emblem of Vision 2030
AlUla is at the heart of the monarchy's ambitions for modernization and economic reform. It is an integral part of "Vision 2030", promoted by Crown Prince Mohamed Ben Salman, and is both a flagship project and a key lever for moving away from dependence on oil, by focusing on a new, secular and international-oriented tourism.
In 2018, Saudi Arabia and France signed their first intergovernmental agreement on the creation of an agency specifically dedicated to the cultural and tourism development of AlUla: Afula.
According to Afula, the aim is to "invent a new tourist experience, faithful to the hospitality of the Arab world, at once cultural (archaeological trails, museums), sensory (discovery of grandiose landscapes, the desert, the oasis) and authentic (in contact with local culture)", while making sustainable development its cornerstone: "AlUla aspires to become(...) a benchmark project in sustainable development, focused on the absolute preservation of the environment, respectful of history, territories and inclusive of the local population."
Indeed, climate change has had an impact on the site's original biodiversity, as evidenced by the giraffes, lions and ostriches engraved on some of the tombs: species that are now extinct.
The Sharaan (a luxury hotel designed by the architect Jean Nouvel, who has already proved his worth with the Louvre Abu Dhabi), artists' residences, the rehabilitation of the medina abandoned in the 1980s, a contemporary art museum in partnership with the Centre Pompidou, archaeological missions, innovative and environmentally friendly transport, the hosting of business delegations...
So many titanic achievements and ambitions planned for the coming years. AlUla is not just an emblem whose potential serves national outreach and soft power. By mobilizing a wide range of committed players in favor of its rebirth, not only is the "Wonder of Arabia" an example of cooperation and transmission, but also an inspiration for both the region and humanity.
Sources :
AlUla, le trésor archéologique méconnu de l'Arabie saoudite.
L’Agence française pour le développement d’AlUla.
AlUla, l'oasis aux 7000 ans d'histoire.
Sharaan : Un projet hôtelier inédit par l’architecte français Jean Nouvel dans le désert d’Al-Ula.
Preserving Documentary Heritage in AlUla.
Documentary Heritage in AlUla.
Reducing dependence on hydrocarbons: an essential challenge for MENA countries
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has a population of over 450 million, with only 1⁄4 of Europe's GDP. In a world region that is still young but evolving and advancing very fast, the progressive exit from hydrocarbons is far from being an empty thought.
The main reason for the efforts of the region's countries arises from a double observation: hydrocarbons are limited in quantity available, and these will be particularly impacted by the effects of climate change.
The depletion of oil reserves and increasing energy demand
As previously introduced, oil reserves are limited and global energy demand continues to grow significantly. According to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA), proven oil reserves in the MENA region currently stand at around 830 billion barrels.
This represents around 48% of the world's oil reserves. However, these reserves are not limitless, and are decreasing as they are exploited. Meanwhile, global demand for energy continues to grow, driven by urbanization, population growth and economic development.
According to the IEA, global energy demand will increase by around 25% by 2040, driven mainly by emerging and developing economies. The economic shift is therefore essential, and countries in the MENA region, such as Saudi Arabia, which has developed notably thanks to oil, under the leadership of MBS and the vision 2030 plan, have understood this perfectly.
Economic growth driven by the transition to renewable energies
Countries in the MENA region have taken concrete steps to reduce their dependence on hydrocarbons and promote energy transition. One of the first pillars is massive investment in renewable energies. For example, the United Arab Emirates has committed itself to an ambitious energy transition by launching the Masdar project, Abu Dhabi's future energy company.
Masdar develops and invests in renewable and green technologies, including solar energy, wind power and water management. The aim is to create a sustainable economy and make the United Arab Emirates a world leader in green energy. Another example of economic diversification is Saudi Arabia, which has launched the "Vision 2030" initiative to reduce its dependence on oil revenues.
As part of this initiative, the country has set ambitious targets for renewable energies, including the construction of large-scale solar and wind farms. On the same subject, Morocco is a remarkable example of the region's commitment to renewable energies. The country inaugurated the Noor solar power plant in Ouarzazate, the world's largest concentrated solar power plant, which will cover an area of over 3,000 hectares and generate megawatts of electricity. Meanwhile, Egypt has also invested in wind power with the Gabal El Zayt wind farm, one of Africa's largest wind power projects.
MENA countries are actively investing in the research and development of advanced energy technologies. They are setting up innovation and research centers dedicated to renewable energies, and developing international partnerships to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy solutions. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels is now a crucial necessity for MENA countries. The energy transition represents both a necessity and a major opportunity for the region to shape a more sustainable future for its inhabitants and future generations.
Mohammad Rasoulof, the triumph of an Iranian filmmaker in Cannes
A courageous escape
Sentenced to eight years in prison for "colluding against national security", Rasoulof chose exile. Crossing the mountains on foot, he escaped the regime's surveillance to join his daughter in Germany. Despite the absence of a passport, he was able to reach Cannes thanks to an agreement between Berlin and Paris.
His presence at the festival is a powerful testimony to his unwavering commitment to freedom of expression.
A declaration of love to freedom
Les Graines du figuier sauvage is a powerful political thriller. The film explores the life of an investigating judge caught up in the storm of protests in Tehran, reflecting the internal struggles and moral dilemmas of Iranians under a theocratic regime. Despite a running time of over 2 hours 45 minutes, the film maintains a captivating emotional intensity from start to finish.
At the press screening, the film was warmly acclaimed, and the audience's reception on the steps was no less enthusiastic. Accompanied by his daughter Baran and exiled actress Golshifteh Farahani, Rasoulof left a strong impression.
A Special Jury Prize
On May 25, Rasoulof received a Special Jury Prize, symbolizing support for oppressed Iranian artists. In accepting the award, he paid tribute to his team in Iran, who remain under constant pressure. He emotionally declared:
"Allow me to spare a thought for all the members of my team who are not with me to celebrate this award. My cinematographer, a number of technicians, who are under a lot of pressure. My heart is with them above all".
He also expressed his solidarity with his people: and wished to "salute all those young women whose boundless courage made this film possible".
"My people live every day under a regime that has taken them hostage".
A filmmaker symbolizing courage and engagement
Since his debut with Gagooman (2002), Rasoulof has become known for his social and political criticism. Influenced by the renowned Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, he has always sought to reveal the intricacies of the Iranian system. His works, such as La Vie sur l'eau (2005) and Le Diable n'existe pas (2020), winner of the Golden Bear in Berlin, denounce corruption and oppression.
Despite the difficulties of making his voice heard, Rasoulof remains determined. He envisions a future where he can diversify his engagement, but for now, he continues to stand up against Iran's theocracy through his art. His presence at Cannes is not only a personal triumph, but also a powerful message of resistance.
Mohammad Rasoulof embodies the Iranian struggle for artistic and political freedom. His career and his work at the Cannes 2024 Festival are a reminder of the importance of militating for a future in which democracy and freedom will lead Iran, and more broadly, the Middle East.
Source :
Democracy for a new world
A new air is emerging in Turkey
Turkey is a country of over 85 million inhabitants at the junction of Europe and the Middle East, offering it a highly advantageous geo-strategic position. In this country ruled with an iron fist by Erdoğan, the 2024 municipal elections marked a major turning point in the political dynamic, revealing an opposition capable of achieving major victories in historically loyal strongholds to the ruling party. The Republican People's Party (CHP), the main opposition party, won victories notably in Istanbul (Erdoğan's stronghold) and Ankara, the country's two largest cities.
This election is a major setback for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in power for 10 years, and his party, the AKP (Islamo-conservative), which has dominated Turkish politics since 2002. The implications of these municipal results are profound, as in the next presidential elections, Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and Erdoğan's main opponent, could emerge as a serious contender. What's more, this regime change could profoundly alter Turkey's international relations, notably with the European Union and the United States, and the management of regional crises such as those in Syria, Armenia or Iraq.
In Iran, a breath of democracy on the embers of revolt
2400 km from Istanbul, in Teheran, the 2024 parliamentary elections took place against a very tense social scene. Indeed, the election saw an unsurprising victory for the conservatives. Nevertheless, the Iranian people largely boycotted the elections to demonstrate their deep anger at the current theocratic regime. The double election to elect 290 deputies and 88 members of the Assembly of Experts mobilized just 41% of voters. This was the lowest participation rate since the 1979 revolution!
Conservatives, supporting the government of President Ebrahim Raissi, remain heavily represented in Parliament. This domination is a sign that, despite internal crises, notably the protest movements triggered by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, the regime continues to maintain an iron grip on Iranian politics and fiercely repress protest movements. This election could also have important implications for Iran's political future, particularly with regard to the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for appointing the Supreme Leader and preparing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's succession at the age of 84.
However, although the conservatives maintain control, the low participation and high number of blank votes are a direct expression of a questioning of the legitimacy of parliament and, by extension, of the regime itself! In Iran, under this regime, what counts is not so much the results of the votes as what they represent: a growing gap between the population and the rulers. So, at a time when the region is more unstable than ever, and Iran is multiplying its provocations and attacks, the Iranian people are undoubtedly one of the main ways out of the current regional crisis..
The United States has its destiny in its own hands
The American presidential elections in November 2024 are crucial for the future of democracy in the United States and for international stability, particularly in the Middle East. For several years now, the United States has been trying to increase its influence in the Middle East through military and trade agreements, while maintaining a historically close relationship with Israel. The forthcoming presidential elections will determine the impact that the policies of the world's leading economic and military power will have on this region.
In general, Biden favors multilateralism and international cooperation, and would like the United States to return to a more traditional approach to foreign policy by reducing direct military involvement in the region, such as the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump, on the other hand, has a different vision. His "America First" policy has encouraged a withdrawal from international agreements and global organizations, such as the Vienna Accords. In addition, he has fostered strong relations with Israel, recognizing Jerusalem as its capital and promoting the Abraham Accords between Israel and several Arab countries, while adopting a tough stance against Iran.
2024 is and will be an unprecedented election year, marking a significant period of transition for global democracy. These elections, covering diverse geopolitical contexts from Turkey to Iran, and all the way to the United States, are not only a measure of the state of democracy in these countries, but also pivotal moments for international relations and stability in the Middle East.
Sources :
https://fr.statista.com/infographie/31636/carte-des-pays-avec-des-elections-nationales-en-2024/
https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/enjeux-internationaux/2024-lannee-de-tous-les-scrutins-2044449
Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi : the Emirates commit to religious tolerance and coexistence
The Abrahamic Family House: a religious and tourist complex financed by the Emirates
Since its inauguration in February 2023, Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island has been home to a curious 6,500 m2 complex. This is the Abrahamic Family House, designed by renowned architect Sir David Adjaye, whose work includes the Wall Street Tower in New York and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.
Built in the wake of the declaration on “human fraternity for world peace and living together” by Pope Francis and the Imam of Cairo's al-Azhar Islamic University, Ahmad al-Tayeb, visiting the Emirates on February 24, 2019, the site houses a mosque, a church and a synagogue, designed to accommodate the three faiths.
Each building bears the name of a historical figure linked to inter-religious dialogue and coexistence: Saint Francis of Assisi (whose heritage the pontiff claims), MosesBen Maimon (Maimonides) and Ahmad al-Tayeb. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order of preachers in 13th-century Italy, had been sent as ambassador to the Egyptian sultan Al-Kâmil in Damietta.
Maimonides, the Cordoban- born theologian and metaphysician who wrote the Mishné Torah code ofJewish law, enriched his philosophical development by reading the Muslim commentators on Aristotle.
Entirely financed by the Emirate, the cost of the project is being kept secret. Located not far from the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, it is part of the country's cultural and tourism development drive, launched in the 2010s and accelerated by the Abraham Accords.
Since their signing in August 2020, almost 500,000 Israeli tourists have visited the country, and an estimated 2,000 Jewish expatriates have joined the ranks of Abu Dhabi's 80% foreign population. Since its opening to the public, the Abrahamic Family House has become one of the Emirati capital's main tourist attractions.
A bold, reconciliatory architectural challenge
Built to the same height and volume to "erase hierarchical difference", according to the architect, the three buildings represent unity in diversity. Their design "draws on the commonalities between the three faiths, emphasizing similarities rather than differences".
While the style and materials used are resolutely modern (wood, limestone, concrete, bronze), they echo traditional codes in terms of geographical orientation, forms and religious symbols. Facing east with the rising sun, symbol of the Resurrection, the church of Saint Francis pays homage, through its minimalistand the extreme simplicity of its crucifix and furniture in oak or marble, to the pared-back simplicity advocated by the Saint of Assisi. Only the altar is inspired by that of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, a bold nod to the Eternal City's heritage.
Looking towards Jerusalem, the Maimonides synagogue can accommodate both Ashkenazi and Sephardic worship. The Ark of the Covenant is represented by a bronze curtain, inspired as much by a succah as by a chuppah, while the façade's crossed columns also suggest a prayer tent.
Facing Mecca, the Ahmad al-Tayeb Mosque has no minaret, but features vaulted ceilings and columns, as well as numerous mashrabiya motifs, highly prized in Islamic architecture. Its façade is pierced by seven arches, a symbolic number in allthree monotheisms.
The three places of worship surround a garden that gives pride of place to air and water, "elements of the Creation". A research and archive center and a library also host events and symposiums. As its website explains, the Abrahamic Family House is dedicated to supporting and promoting "the rich history of interreligious exchanges", from a cultural, cultic and intellectual perspective.
An example for the recognition of religious minorities in the region ?
In a region where Islam is the majority religion (with the exception of Israel), freedomof worship is only openly recognized in the multi-faith state of Lebanon, the kingdom of Morocco or democracies such as the Hebrew State or Turkey. Islam as a religion and state legal system remains the norm and restricts freedom of religion or even prohibit other monotheisms.
In the Middle East, Judaism and Christianity do not enjoy the same status, depending on the political relationship with Israel or the Vatican. Religious minorities (virtually non-existent in some States) are therefore fighting for their survival, when they are not instrumentalized by the ruling authorities.
The socio-economic dynamics at work in the Gulf are the result of an awareness on thepart of its leaders: the end of the oil era calls for the deployment of a new economy focused on innovation and the need to speak a common language.
This is precisely the turning point that the United Arab Emirates have been observing for the past fifteen years, fully committed to a logic of virtuous cooperation, the benefits of which are not limited to the glittering buildings of Dubai. While Islam accounts for 75% of the population, only 10% are Emirati nationals.
A mosaic of diverse ethnicities, communities and minorities thus contribute to the country's dynamism. By normalizing its relations with Israel, the federation is deliberately embracing this horizon of peace and the possibility of writing a new narrative, which also involves recognizing the other descendants of Abraham and their respective contributions to pre-Islamic history.
The UAE Ministry of Tolerance, created in 2017, added Coexistence to its portfolio in 2020, to reinforce, among other things, the latter's supportive role infavor of economic growth. Unthinkable three decades ago, the Abrahamic Family House is tangible proof that coexistence continues to be written, built and lived in the Arab-Persian Peninsula.
Sources :
https://www.abrahamicfamilyhouse.ae/about-us
https://www.adjaye.com/work/the-abrahamic-family-house/
Further information :
https://www.abramundi.org/post/house-of-one
https://www.abramundi.org/post/preserving-jewish-heritage-in-morocco
https://www.abramundi.org/post/audacious-hope-for-human-fraternity
Sowing seeds of change : strengthening regional cooperation for Food Security and prosperity in MENA
UN agencies estimated that over 55 millions of its population of 456.7 million were undernourished. The challenges many nations in the region faced by offer us new chances for collaboration in order to achieve regional prosperity.
Main key Challenges underlying MENA's food Insecurity and opportunity
Here are some key points about MENA food security. First, the MENA region has limited freshwater resources and lies among the most water-scarce in the world. This shortage has a significant impact on agricultural productivity in the area, which requires a significant amount of water.
Second, the MENA region has limited arable land: it’s a major part of which has been degraded by soil erosion and desertification. The consequences is reduced agricultural productivity leading to an increased food insecurity.
Third, many MENA countries heavily rely on food imports to meet their population's needs. Therefore, they are vulnerable to fluctuations in foreign food prices, currency exchange rates, and hence trade disruptions.
The World Bank predicts that over the coming decades, the global food production will have to increase by 70 percent or more to meet demand. Innovation can play significant role to meet future needs. Israel's position as an agro-tech innovation, who develops cutting-edge solutions for food production in the face of climate change can play a major part in this regional challenge.
How Arab-Israeli Détente fosters new collaborative endeavors
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which was entered into force in April last year, between the UAE and Israel, is expected to assist in increasing food security by supporting regional supply chain. According to Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE’s minister of state for foreign trade, “The UAE-Israel CEPA will help facilitate global supply chain efficiency, including for agriculture and food products, which would have an impact on food security.”
Morocco and Israel also signed an agricultural cooperation agreement in October 2023. "The declaration of intent on agricultural cooperation between Israel and Morocco is a significant step in our plan to expand Israel's and Morocco's international food security network," said Dichter, Israel Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development emphasising the importance of the collaboration.
At the same time, The N7 Initiative which comprise Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was formed with the goal of broadening and deepening regional integration between Israel and its Arab and Muslim neighbours.
The N7 Conference on Agriculture, Water, and Food Security—which was conducted in Abu Dhabi on March last year and convened professional industry and government experts from Israel and Arab states to produce actionable recommendations on regional agriculture, water and food security challenges and to deliver tangible benefits to their people.
They were joined by attendees from Indonesia, Tunisia and Burkina Faso, extending far beyond the MENA region, and also included Palestinian participation. The challenges of desert agriculture, water scarcity and food insecurity are problems that are common, and a critical to ensure all this countries’ future growth and prosperity.
The nexus between Food Security and regional prosperity
The potential to promote food security in the region extends far beyond dietary needs. There is a significant link between food security and prosperity. Food security not only helps to combat hunger, but it can also boost economic rowth, educational attainment, and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
First and foremost, food security is critical to regional and national economic growth. People who have access to adequate and nutritious food are healthier and more productive, which can boost economic activity and growth. Therefore, improving health outcomes requires addressing issues related to food security.
Third, there is a strong correlation between food security and education, especially for young people. Hunger and malnutrition can hinder academic achievement and cognitive development.
According to a recent study, persistent and severe food insecurity was associated with lower test scores and fewer years of education.
Navigating future trajectories
As tensions rise in the Israel-Gaza conflict, the Middle East's already fragile political landscape becomes even more unstable, exacerbating humanitarian crises and endangering millions of lives. In times of conflict and uncertainty, the value of strong food security cooperation is highlighted.
Addressing the pressing issue of food security is not only a humanitarian imperative, but also a necessary step towards long-term development and peace in the region. In the midst of turmoil, stakeholders both on the government and the business sector can plant the seeds, and plan a better future in the Middle East by focusing on food security cooperation.
The UAE, as a pioneer in advanced technology adoption, and Israel, as a major hub for AgriFood Technology development, have the potential to play critical leadership roles in driving positive change in the MENA region.
Sources :
Argaw, Thomas Lemma, et al. (2023) "Children’s educaConal outcomes and persistence and severity of household food insecurity in India: Longitudinal evidence from Young Lives." The Journal of NutriCon 153.4 (2023).
Fernandes, M., & Samputra, P. L. (2022). “Exploring linkages between food security and economic growth: a SystemaCc mapping literature review.” Potravinarstvo Slovak Journal of Food Sciences 16: 206-218.
The World Bank. (2023). Climate-Smart Agriculture.
Joyce, Tom. (2023, September 6). “UAE says deal with Israel good for food security.” Eurofruit.
Kalifungwa, Lennox. (2023, October 2).” Israeli and Moroccan ministers sign agreement to boost agricultural cooperaCon.” Zenger News.
Holleis, Jennifer. (2024, January 31). “Israelis, PalesCnians, and Arabs join forces to tackle climate change.” DW News.
New models of economy: UAE ambitious actions towards green hydrogen economy
The UAE is increasingly focusing on hydrogen in its energy transition strategy. This shift positions the country as a potential leader in hydrogen storage, production and transportation, leveraging the role of sustainable energy solutions in combating climate change.
In an era where sustainable energy solutions are becoming priority, the UAE emerges as a pioneering force in spearheading the transition towards a green hydrogen economy. With a strategic vision centred on diversifying its economy, the UAE recognized the value of green hydrogen in helping her achieving its long-term objectives.
National Hydrogen Strategy
The UAE's vision is to be one of the world's leading producers of low-carbon hydrogen, continuing its pioneering efforts to drive the global energy transition and foster environmental stewardship while supporting a prosperous future for the country and its residents. It focuses on low-carbon hydrogen production and demand generation to decarbonise industries such as heavy industry, long-haul transportation, aviation, and shipping, demonstrating the government's commitment to meeting its carbon emission reduction targets under the Paris Agreement.
The country's large natural gas reserves, together with its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, enable the development of low-carbon hydrogen generation technologies. Overall, Low-carbon hydrogen will provide an economic opportunity for the UAE to maintain its position as a strategic energy producer, exporter, and global energy market leader.
The UAE has launched ambitious steps outlined in the The National Hydrogen Strategy 2050 which strive to support low-carbon local industries, diversify its economy and enhance the UAE’s position as one of the largest producers of hydrogen by 2031.
The strategy focuses on enablers such as Global Collaboration, Policy and Regulation and Enabling Infrastructure that the UAE will take to accelerate the growth of the hydrogen economy and reduce emissions in highly emission-intensive sectors. The UAE's dedication to green hydrogen transition is reflected in ground-breaking efforts that aim to position the country as a global leader in developing enabling infrastructure for new economic and energy models.
Dubai's First Green Hydrogen Plant
In May 2021, Dubai has commissioned its first green hydrogen plant, a $14 million US project located in Expo City Dubai. The project, a public-private partnership between (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) DEWA, and Siemens Germany, covers 10,000m2 and is the first solar-driven green hydrogen producing facility in the MENA region.
The plant can produce 20 kg of hydrogen per hour and is expected to meet DEWA's energy storage capacity by 2030. Further applications and test platforms for hydrogen use in industrial and mobility applications can also be housed at the plant.
2GW Green Hydrogen to Ammonia Project
The second large-scale project is the Green Hydrogen to Ammonia project by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) and Abu Dhabi which aim to develop an industrial-scale green hydrogen-to-ammonia project in Abu Dhabi. The project seeks to convert green hydrogen into liquid ammonia for ships using ammonia as bunker fuel and export ammonia via specialized gas carriers from Abu Dhabi Ports.
The ammonia production plant will have a direct pipeline to the Khalifa Port, allowing large volumes of ammonia to be delivered directly to the port. This industrial-sized project aims to transform the Khalifa Port into a major hub for green ammonia exports to international markets.
The growing demand for export
The worldwide low carbon hydrogen export market is expected to reach 200 million tonnes per year by 2050, worth $300 billion yearly with countries with plenty of resources and well-developed infrastructure leading the industry. The UAE, with its low renewable energy costs, is a major player in this sector.
This low-cost renewable energy will improve low-carbon hydrogen export possibilities as well as the competitiveness of hydrogen-containing products such as green steel and green ammonia. The UAE's superior infrastructure, existing export facilities, ports, and geographical location will position it as a major worldwide player in this area. Until 2031, exports will include chemicals and industrial products including ammonia, synthetic fuels, and green steel.
With the enormous opportunities provided by the transition to green hydrogen, the UAE can serve as a model for other MENA and global countries looking to accelerate their green transition, as the transition to green hydrogen not only promises to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change, but it also opens up new avenues for economic growth, job creation, and technological innovation.
Sources :
Jacob Benoy P. “UAE Leads a Wave of Hydrogen Fuel Projects in the GCC.”
National Hydrogen Strategy report. UAE Government Portal. 2024.
Strategy&. The dawn of green hydrogen. 2020.
TAQA Group and Abu Dhabi Ports Planning 2 GW Green Hydrogen to Ammonia Project. 2021.
From oil-based to knowledge-based economy: Bahrain emergence as a financial innovation hub
Last week, the Crown Prince of Bahrain bin Salman met with Bahraini entrepreneurs and winners from the Startup Bahrain Pitch series, which was organised by StartUp Bahrain, the premier platform for startups in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Bin Salman underscored the significance of endorsing innovation and entrepreneurship in Bahrain. He emphasised the private sector as a major engine of economic growth and advances Bahrain's comprehensive development process.
In recent years, Bahrain has made outstanding progress in recent to become the Middle East's leading financial innovation hub. Leveraging its strategic location in the Persian Gulf for international trade, the tiny island nation has started a transformative journey, moving from oil-based to knowledge-based economy. Bahrain is a strategically important location because a large portion of the petroleum in the West must transit before it can reach the open ocean.
Bahrain has gradually emerged in its position as the financial hub of the Middle East for over three decades.
The biggest non-oil sector contributor to Bahrain's real GDP is the financial sector. With over 67% of the workforce consisting of nearly 14,000 Bahrainis, the financial sector is also the country's largest employer. This emergence as an innovation hub, especially in the financial sector underscores Bahrain's commitment to diversifying its economy beyond traditional sectors such as oil and gas, and positioning itself as a regional leader in the knowledge-based economy of the 21st century.
The Fintech Bay
Bahrain's FinTech Bay was launched in 2018 and it is the Middle East's largest financial technology centre and one of Bahrain most important initiatives, focusing on investing in innovation through advanced laboratories, business accelerators, and educational programmes. According to a press release from the Bahrain Economic Development Board, the hub aims to accelerate the development of fintech firms and facilitate communication among investors, entrepreneurs, government bodies, and financial institutions. Bahrain's commitment to fostering innovation goes beyond its borders, as evidenced by initiatives to attract international talent and investment.
Aion Digital
Aion Digital is one of the GCC's most promising FinTech startups. Launched in 2017, Aion is a fully mobile platform for building secure digital banks. "Aion's mission is to enable existing banks in the GCC to go digital with certainty," stated Ashar Nazim, Group CEO. Aion provides banks with a quick and inexpensive digital launch. It was specially designed with the GCC's business and regulatory environment in mind. By using Aion, Banks can increase their customer base beyond their traditional clientele while saving up to 80% on acquisition costs. Last year, Aion Digital has raised $5 million in a bridge funding round by Fintactics Ventures, a fintech-focused Venture Builder.
Bahrain's beneficial regulatory environment is one of the main forces behind the country's rise to prominence as an innovation hub. To encourage entrepreneurship and draw in foreign investment, the government has promoted a number of initiatives. The Economic Development Board (EDB) of Bahrain has played a pivotal role in promoting an innovative culture and enabling the formation of startups. The implementation of regulatory sandboxes, which offer a regulated setting for businesses to test novel goods and services, has had a particularly significant effect. This programme speeds up innovation by enabling startups to test new concepts without being hindered by onerous regulatory requirements.
Fintech startups operating in Bahrain have received significant backing from the government. In Bahrain, there are currently about eight investment entities that are making fintech investments. Only 25% of local and regional investors surveyed by BFB had an active fintech-only fund, despite the fact that investors have a 100% focus on the fintech sector. But one of the main reasons fintech became an investor's top priority was that it was thought to be the fastest-growing industry in terms of local, regional, and international funding activities.
Going forward, Bahrain is expected to make significant progress in its transformation into a worldwide centre of innovation. The nation's future as a knowledge-driven economy is bright thanks to the government's unwavering dedication to supporting entrepreneurship and its wise investments in infrastructure and human capital. Through leveraging innovation, Bahrain is not only revolutionising its own economy but also influencing the future of the Middle East region in general. Bahrain's success is a source of inspiration for other countries in the region, as the small island nation exemplifies what can be accomplished with visionary leadership, strategic planning, and a never-ending quest for innovation.
Sources :
Bahrain Economic Development Board (BEDB). “Bahrain, An Established Financial Services Sector.”
Bahrain Association of Banks. “Banking in Bahrain.”
Zawya. 2019. “Waqfe Unveils Next Generation Banking Platform Called Aion Digital.”
Bahrain FinTech Bay. FinTech Ecosystem Report.
At the origins of dialogue between East and West: the invention of the alphabet
Aleph, alpha, aliph
Birth and migrations of writing
While archaeologists and historians date the birth of writing to the 4th millennium and place it in Mesopotamia (Iraq), it was in the 2nd millennium that the code for graphically distinguishing between the various ancient languages first appeared. The many archaeological and epigraphic remains found from the Fertile Crescent to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean bear witness to particularly dynamic migrations.
A veritable revolution in the history of mankind, the alphabet reflects the peoples of Antiquity: it was migratory because invented by traders. The Sumerian cuneiform alphabet was used to engrave accounts, transactions, inventories and property deeds in clay or stone. Its gradual evolution into a conceptual system, where the letter corresponds to a word, emerged in the region of present-day Lebanon: Phoenicia, but also in Palestine and on the Syrian coast.
A civilization of merchants and sailors, the Phoenicians reigned supreme over the Mediterranean and the Aegean, where they established trading posts. Inscriptions on ceramic fragments and funerary stelae attest to their presence as far afield as Sinai, with borrowings from Egyptian hieroglyphs.
It was also through their contact that the Greeks appropriated the alphabet and developed their own. Composed of twenty-two letters, the paleo-Semitic Phoenician alphabet is thus the matrix of all others, ancient and modern. Through Aramaic, it directly spawned Hebrew script in the 6th century BC (whose square letters attest to Babylonian influences and were used to write the Torah), then Arabic in the 6th century AD, in parallel with the writing of the Koran.
"Alpha-beth": from letters dialogue to cultures dialogue
It is through circulation of people, of languages, cults, and knowledge that civilizations open to other visions of the world.
In Egyptian, Phoenician and later Hebrew, the pronunciation and spelling of certain signs corresponded to the designated objects. For example, the letter a ("aleph") symbolizes and designates a head and then the horns of an ox; the b ("beth"), means "house"; the consonant "ain", common to Hebrew and Arabic, means "eye". They also have a numerical value (numbers were not invented by the Arabs until the 9th century) and, by extension, a mystical or philosophical value. In this way, the letter encounters thought.
This itinerary is reflected in the word "alphabet" itself, composed of the first and second Phoenician and Hebrew letters ("aleph" and "beth"). Barely transformed by ancient Greek into "alpha" and "betha", we find them again later, in Arabic, with "aliph" and "bha". The modern Latin alphabet, which derived from Greek, also adopted them. In other words, the alphabet's naming and transcription allow for linguistic and cultural re-appropriation and innovation.
In its wake, Jewish thought became Hellenized in Alexandria (some biblical books were even written in Greek, which became the universal language in the Mediterranean), and in medieval times, Western Europe gained access to ancient philosophy, thanks to translations by Islamic scholars. In both cases, transfers and mediations took place: from Hebrew to Greek and from Greek to Latin via Arabic.
From time immemorial, the alphabet and its numerous variations have written an inspiring and fertile tale of relations between East and West. And it invites us, even more so today, to cultivate the art of conversation and exchange.
Read more :
ATTALI Jacques, SALFATI Pierre-Henry, Athènes, Jérusalem, Le Destin de l’Occident, Fayard, 2016
Sources :
La révolution de l'alphabet | lhistoire.fr
L'hébreu : une langue sémitique et son histoire
Les langues sémitiques | unige.ch
QUE_SAVONS_NOUS_DES_LANGUES_SEMITIQUES.pdf
INSTADEEP : The Tunisian start-up deepening the potential of AI
How to provide greater clarity and increase the ability to predict market trends in key sectors such as mobility, energy and logistics ?
This is precisely the issue on which InstaDeep has focused its efforts and proposed its vision. By adopting a methodology based on intelligent processing algorithms, this Tunisian company, regularly featured in CB Insight's ranking of the world's 100 most promising private AI companies, is committed on a daily basis to optimizing its customers' decisions. With remarkable expertise at the intersection of AI research and real-world commercial deployments, InstaDeep gives its partners an undeniable competitive edge in a landscape where AI is taking center stage. It's our turn to take a closer look at this extraordinary company.
When a startup seizes on innovation to revolutionize medicine
Founded in 2014 by Karim Béguin and his collaborator Zohra Slim, InstaDeep has charted a remarkable course. In 2019, the start-up raises around $7 million in a first round of Series A funding. Three years later, it succeeded in raising $100 million in capital, marking a significant milestone in its expansion. From the outset, the Tunisian start-up decided to assign each of its teams of engineers to a particular sector, so as to cover all possible industries, including healthcare.
With the aim of democratizing the field of medicine for its customers, InstaDeep offers them a unique immersive experience. Via the DeepChain platform, InstaDeep users are invited to explore their own protein sequences using A.I. language models trained on billions of amino acids.
Combining a focused segment approach with innovative artificial intelligence solutions, InstaDeep's visionary strategy has not only provided its customers with access to advanced education, but has also propelled the company to the forefront of the fight against global health challenges. During the Covid-19 pandemic, InstaDeep claimed the ability to identify 90% of the variants monitored by the World Health Organization.
InstaDeep continues to expand internationally
With a view to the future, InstaDeep is entering new sectors and broadening its geographical scope. Deutsche Bahn, for example, credits InstaDeep with the successful automation of German rail routing. In keeping with the same dynamic of international openness, InstaDeep continues to expand its network of partners. In 2022, the start-up was acquired by the German immunotherapy company BioNTech, and further strengthened through partner programs with major AI players, namely the giants Google Cloud and DeepMind. In fact, Tunis' privileged geographical proximity to the European market, which accounts for 64% of its exports, is a major asset, both for InstaDeep and the Tunisian entrepreneurial environment more generally.
Tunisia: a rising technological hub ?
The steady number of newly-registered companies since 2019, now at an average of 0.02 thousand, testifies to the long-term economic potential of Tunisia, which is also beginning to forge a growing reputation in the artificial intelligence sphere. Already positioned 93rd in Oxford Insights' Government AI Readiness Index, to be published in December 2022, the country of Jasmine has made significant progress in its readiness to embrace new technologies.
This rise in AI readiness has important repercussions for the rest of the African continent. Rwanda is now following Tunisia's lead in developing new machine learning models to regulate climate disruption. With the aim of stimulating this propensity for innovation, InstaDeep has specifically chosen Kigali to establish a new office. Beyond the simple quest for dematerialization of services, InstaDeep and its home country are taking concrete action in the material world by deepening development opportunities.
Sources :
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1347290/funding-value-raised-by-instadeep-by-round/
https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1156432/new-business-registration-forecast-in-tunisia
https://www.instadeep.com/2022/08/instadeep-joins-the-google-cloud-partner-advantage-programme/
Picture credits : https://www.euractiv.fr/section/economie/news/le-boom-des-start-up-de-sante-numerique-pendant-la-pandemie/
Morocco: Africa's new industrial base and an indispensable partner for Europe
Morocco aims high and goes far
Morocco dreams of becoming the industrial base of the old continent, which is doing everything it can to free itself from the influence of the powerful China. That being said, European countries are also looking to reduce logistics distances, cut costs and minimize their carbon footprint. Moreover, even if labor costs remain higher in Morocco than in China, they are far more advantageous than within Europe itself.
Moroccan economist Najib Akesbi confirms this:
"We have to be clear: Europe cannot relocate everything. But relocation to the Europe-Mediterranean region would be a good compromise between the low costs of remoteness and the very high costs of proximity”.
Morocco is well aware of its many strengths, and for several years now has been implementing a strategy that has enabled it to achieve numerous successes in the automobile and aeronautics industries. This strategy is based on several axes, including diplomacy, which has led to the ratification of some sixty free-trade agreements, notably with Europe and the United States. These successes have enabled Morocco to become a key industrial player. For example, during the COVID-19 crisis, Morocco impressed the world with its efficient crisis management. The country managed to avoid mask shortages by converting its industrial sites to mask production. In addition, at the cutting edge of aeronautics, Morocco has used the skills of its engineers in the medical field to manufacture a number of high-tech respirators.
The question is how, in just a few years, Morocco has managed to industrialize and become a world leader in the aeronautics sector.
An investment in talent training
In the heart of Morocco, in Casablanca, the Institut of aeronautics professions (IMA) stands as a bastion of excellence for Moroccan youth in the field of aeronautics. Indeed, Morocco's recent strategic ambitions have accelerated the development of aeronautical training. At the IMA Institute, aeronautics training has grown significantly. In less than a decade, the number of students enrolled has risen by more than 30%, offering a gateway to working life for young graduates. In addition, investment in state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment at the IMA has created an environment favorable to learning and research.
As the birthplace of numerous research and innovation projects, Morocco has seen notable advances in fields such as the design of intelligent drones, aircraft... These achievements have enabled the country to position itself as a leading player in aeronautical research and development. These cutting-edge advances have also led to partnerships with world-renowned aerospace companies such as Boeing and Safran, positioning Morocco as a major industrial hub.
A partnership with Safran that turns ambitions into reality
The partnership with Safran has been central to Morocco's success story. One of the crucial elements of this cooperation has been Safran's massive investment in Morocco's infrastructure, which has considerably boosted the country's production capacity and enabled an accelerated modernization of the Moroccan aerospace industry. As a result, ultra-modern production centers equipped with the latest technological advances have come into being.
The partnership with Safran has also enabled technology transfer. Indeed, the company has shared some of its technological know-how with Moroccan engineers, which is essential for industrialization, to foster the development of a highly qualified workforce. Training programs have been set up, enabling Moroccan engineers to acquire cutting-edge expertise in the design, production and maintenance of aeronautical equipment.
From dreams to reality: that's what Morocco is all about. Today, more than 120 companies in the sector operate in Morocco, compared to less than 5 in the early 2000s. The economic benefits of this excellence have boosted Morocco's GDP by over 5% and created 15,000 direct jobs.
Sources :
https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2017/11/03/au-maroc-l-aeronautique-joue-les-eleves-modeles_5209610_3234.html#
https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2019/10/24/moins-d-impots-plus-de-boulots-au-maroc-la-strategie-des-zones-franches_6016812_3212.html
https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2023/12/11/dans-le-sillage-de-safran-le-maroc-s-invite-dans-la-cour-des-grands-de-l-aeronautique_6205164_3234.html
Between singularity and resilience, design is reinvesting Beirut
Beirut, cradle of unique design
Among the region's metropolises, Beirut is undoubtedly one of the most renowned for its creative effervescence, due to its mix of cultures and openness to the world. While the tradition of design can be traced back to the French presence in Beirut until the mid-20th century and the subsequent Westernization of the city, the various crises that followed were milestones in the emergence of design as a discipline per se.
When the capital had to be rebuilt after the civil war, urban development was favorable to investors and designers. Despite the absence of any established planning, gentrification and the renovation of certain neighborhoods eventually established the industry in the heart of Beirut, notably near the port in the Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhaël districts, fostering the emergence of a micro-economy that would not exist without the diaspora.
Boutiques studios, agencies, exhibition centers such as the Beirut Art Center (BAC) or Galerie Carwan, as well as local contemporary art fairs (Beirut Art Design Fair)... a whole ecosystem is able to survive thanks to private funding, often from abroad, patronage and partnerships with Western institutions and museums. By opening its doors last May, the Ecole supérieure d'architecture du Liban, attached to the country's oldest university, intends to train the designers of tomorrow.
Two decades of international success
Since the early 2000s, Lebanese design has been exported to bypass the constraints of the local market, and has succeeded in imposing its distinctive mosaic identity, first in the Gulf cities (led by Dubai), then worldwide. Boasting a generation of designers who have passed through London, Paris and New York and who have mostly returned to the country, it is exhibited at benchmark fairs such as Art Basel Miami, Paris and Milan Design Week, among many others.
A pioneer of contemporary design in Lebanon, Nada Debs embodies this mix in her own way, both creatively and personally. Born in Japan, trained in architecture in the USA before settling in the UK, she is credited with fusing Asian minimalism with Arab geometry, industrial with artisanal, concrete with solid olive.
While her aim is to give "a form of pride back to the inhabitants of Arab countries, through the furniture and utensils they use every day",
thanks in particular to her special Ramadan collaboration with Ikea in 2021 or her collection of prayer rugs woven by Afghan women, she is also concerned with keeping alive a whole decorative heritage, prized by the greatest houses, such as Chanel or Bulgari.
This pride in "Made in Lebanon" design has been passed on to the second generation, who are ensuring that this distinctive identity continues. Carlo and Mary-Lynn Massoud, the david/nicola duo formed by David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussalem, Marc Dibeh, Nathalie Kayat, Karen Chekerdjian...all names whose reputation now extends beyond the borders of the Land of the Cedars.
Solidarity and resilience in the face of crisis
More than any other, this sector is committed to embodying resilience, carrying a message of solidarity loud and clear. Political crisis, pandemic, port explosion, economic and financial bankrupt: for the past four years, the country has been on the brink of collapse.
Rather than opting for despair, at a time when many workshops and studios were blown up by the explosion of August 4, 2020, the industry is rebuilding itself by continuing to highlight local strengths and bring out new talent, driven by this vision of regeneration that is as much material as it is social and spiritual. An aesthetic of stigma has even emerged: by preserving flayed objects and scars in the walls, it seeks to transcend the trauma.
Rumi Dalle, an up-and-coming artist, explains: the current context forced her to connect with the craftspeople in her neighborhood, the ones most affected by the confinements, and especially women. Her textile works, using techniques that are sometimes centuries old, also tell her story: that of a little girl born in the aftermath of the civil war, whose experiments with almost nothing have led her to question the relationship between creativity and sustainability.
Cherine Magrabi Tayeb, founder of the NGO House of Today, which has been supporting Lebanese craftsmen and architects for the past ten years, acknowledges that successive crises have not undermined the dynamism and inspiration of designers, but rather encouraged their rise to prominence.
Is Lebanese design a phoenix rising from the ashes? Drawing its strength from the light of the Mediterranean, the hustle and bustle of Beirut and the majestic calm of Mount Lebanon, Lebanese design has yet to reveal all the facets of its abundant identity.
Sources :
Ces designers qui font rebattre le cœur du Liban | AD Magazine
Beyrouth. Les temps du design au mudac - NOW Village
Le retour du design au Beirut Art Center - L'Orient-Le Jour (lorientlejour.com)
Technological emergence in the heart of the Middle East: A story of progress and innovation
The Middle East's high-tech boom is still relatively recent. History rightly shows that the region has deep economic ties with the West, which in some ways have influenced the shape of the region's economic and technological environment. Over the past two decades, however, the situation has changed.
The Middle Eastern countries' growing desire for sovereignty, both geopolitically and technologically, is enabling the region to distance itself from this Western influence and to build itself as an independent technological power.
The question is: what are the characteristics of this new technological landscape in the Middle East, and what direction is it taking?
A Middle East that has become a master of virtual war
This part of the world has never been so aware of the many talents that inhabit its lands. Entrepreneurs, engineers and ingenious people have all contributed their brainpower and determination to shaping the new Middle East.
To achieve this, the region has had to rely on its own human and intellectual resources, particularly in the light of the numerous cyber-attacks. This type of cyber conflict has become commonplace in the Middle East due to the region's specific geopolitical challenges.
Countries have had to use all their strengths not only to defend themselves, but also to achieve geopolitical objectives without having to use traditional military methods. The challenge is therefore huge.
This cyberwar, invisible to our eyes, is implacably brutal. Nevertheless, it has enabled the countries of the region to be at the cutting edge of technology, to gain competitive advantages and give rise to innovative technological start-ups. Sovereignty is at stake !
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, leaders of the new Middle East technology landscape
The Middle East's technological landscape has also been shaped by numerous investments and funding programs. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, technological leaders in the region, have for many years been multiplying initiatives to consolidate a technological ecosystem in their countries. In 50 years, these countries have moved from camels to the production of some of the most advanced innovative technologies on the planet.
In a very short space of time, these two countries have succeeded in creating infrastructures enabling the sovereign exploitation of oil, industrialization and the complete digitization of their nations. All the ingredients have been brought together to create new start-up nations. Saudi Arabia, for example, launched its vision 2030 plan in 2016, aimed at diversifying the Saudi economy and reducing its dependence on oil.
This plan includes numerous projects linked to technology and innovation, such as the development of special economic zones and research and development centers. One such project is NEOM, a futuristic city and special economic zone in north-west Saudi Arabia, designed to make full use of cutting-edge technologies in the fields of artificial intelligence, renewable energies and automation. The United Arab Emirates are not to be left behind.
The Dubai 10X plan aims to position the city as a world leader in innovation. Another example is Smart Dubai, making Dubai a smart, connected and sustainable city.
Expanding the Technological Horizon in the Middle East beyond Saudi Arabia and the UAE
audi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are not alone in the region in shaping the technological landscape. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar have also led the way with investments in digital infrastructure, 5G and the cloud.
Thus, the Gulf countries have consolidated their position as world leaders in digital transformation. Nevertheless, digital dynamics in the region vary significantly between the Gulf countries mentioned above and those of the Levant, such as Iraq, Lebanon and Syria.
This technological lag means that these disparities must be overcome if we are to remain competitive on a regional and international scale. As a result, and despite the economic difficulties, numerous entrepreneurial initiatives are emerging to nurture talent and shape the technological landscape.
For example, BADEEL, the new pre-incubator of Beirut's Centre d'Employabilité Francophone (CEF), aims to support student-entrepreneurs from Beirut's universities.
So, as we have explained, technological transformation has taken place through a number of channels. This has given rise to new technological industries in areas where the Gulf countries have become leaders. One of the most promising of these is healthcare.
The Covid-19 crisis has acted as a positive catalyst for the rapid adoption of digital healthcare solutions in the Middle East. A more than promising trend has emerged, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% between 2021 and 2030. By 2025, this digital healthcare market is expected to reach an estimated value of $11 billion.
This rapid transformation has seen the emergence of numerous technology startups offering, for example, telemedicine platforms and mental health applications. Other industries such as deeptech, robotics and synthetic biology are also flourishing, and are the fruits of numerous political and technological transformations.
Sources :
https://www.mei.edu/publications/middle-east-era-great-tech-competition
https://www.auf.org/nouvelles/actualites/badeel-le-nouveau-pre-incubateur-du-cef-de-beyrouth/
United Arab Emirates: A 30 billion € private investment fund for climate transition
The United Arab Emirates: pioneers in the Middle East in the fight against climate change
If climate transition is an imperative for humanity, it is even more important for countries like the UAE.
For many years, the United Arab Emirates have had a clear vision of their country's future. Its line of action is clear: achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The country is a pioneer and aims to become the first nation in the Middle East and North Africa to achieve this. So, legitimately, the question arises of how the United Arab Emirates will be able to achieve such a goal in a context where 30% of their GDP depends on hydrocarbon production.
Historical actions in favor of climate transition
For over 15 years, the country has been investing massively in renewable energies. In 2021, Sheikh Mohammed ben Rachid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, announced his ambition to invest over 140 billion euros by 2050. This ambition is now taking concrete shape, as the country has already invested more than 50 billion euros and now produces the world's cheapest solar energy. Moreover, investments are not limited to the country. At the African Climate Summit in Nairobi on September 5, 2023, for example, the United Arab Emirates committed to deploying $4.5 billion in clean energy investments in Africa.
The United Arab Emirates are responding to an urgent need on a continent that absolutely must make the transition to green growth.
The launch of a $30 billion investment fund
"I am pleased to announce the creation of a $30 billion fund"
New momentum
Announced by the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed ben Zayed al Nahyane, during COP28, this investment fund is another demonstration of the United Arab Emirates' determination and ambitions in the climate change field. Named "Alterra", the fund will be headed by Sultan al Jaber, President of COP28 and head of the Emirates' national oil company. 25 billion of the $30 billion is allocated exclusively to investments with high climate transition potential. The remaining $5 billion will be used to finance high-impact projects in the countries of the South, particularly on the African continent, with the main objective of supporting geographic zones that are highly exposed to climate risks. Ultimately, the aim is to generate a return on investment that will enable the launch of another $250 billion investment fund.
This initiative aims to finance concrete solutions, covering a wide range of technologies, either already developed or innovative, to counter the effects of climate change. It is important to note that these investments are not limited to national initiatives, but extend to a global scale, demonstrating the country's commitment to making a significant contribution to the fight against climate change on a planetary scale. Concrete projects envisaged by the "Alterra" fund include, for example, the financing of offshore wind farms to boost renewable energy production. In addition, significant investments will be allocated to the development of cutting-edge technologies aimed at improving the energy efficiency of industries, with a particular focus on high-carbon emission sectors. The fund will also support research and development initiatives focused on the implementation of innovative carbon capture methods, thus contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Strategic partnerships with companies and international organizations will be encouraged, strengthening global collaboration to tackle the challenges of climate change.
The announcement by the United Arab Emirates of the $30 billion "Alterra" investment fund is an ambitious contribution to the fight against climate change. This initiative reflects the country's deep commitment to transitioning towards a more sustainable future. By promoting innovation, international collaboration and research, the United Arab Emirates is opening a positive door to a future of prosperity and resilience for future generations.
Sources :
https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/afrique-moyen-orient/climat-les-emirats-arabes-unis-sengagent-a-atteindre-la-neutralite-carbone-dici-a-2050-1353425
https://unfccc.int/fr/news/l-accord-de-la-cop28-marque-le-debut-de-la-fin-de-l-ere-des-combustibles-fossiles
https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/enjeux-internationaux/cop28-les-emirats-lancent-un-fonds-prive-geant-de-30-milliards-de-dollars-pour-la-transition-2038632
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/environnement/cop/direct-cop28-a-dubai-les-dirigeants-du-monde-entier-arrivent-pour-lancer-les-negociations_6215799.html
From Dubai to Tel Aviv, the digital revolution is transforming education
Digital education, a booming sector
Like the rest of the world, the Middle East is no exception to the major upheaval represented by the digital revolution applied to education. By inventing new learning devices to compensate for the disparities in terms of tools and resources allocated by governments to traditional education systems, thanks to AI and virtual and augmented reality, the digital revolution is therefore responding to real needs.
UNESCO estimates that there are 100 million students in the region, where access to quality education is highly unequal, leading to a particularly high level of home-based learning. According to the World Bank, almost 60% of 15-year-olds use private tutoring (in Egypt alone, more than 40% of private educational expenditure is devoted to this).
In Jordan, the Ministries of Education, Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship collaborated with private companies (Edraak, Mawdoo3, Abwaab and JoAcademy) to develop e-learning platforms, following the temporary closure of schools. In Israel, the start-up nation par excellence, however, visionary entrepreneurs did not wait for the turning point of the Covid 19 pandemic and its decisive impact on teachers and students before embarking on the adventure. The sector, though niche, is dynamic and attracts foreign investors, like Microsoft, which has invested in the EdTech Israel hub, founded in 2017 and since attached to Start Up Nation Central, the NGO that promotes the Israeli tech ecosystem.
With some forty start-ups and a booming market estimated at nearly 7.6 billion by 2027, ed tech reveals a wealth of regional potential.
Innovating, encouraging, and bringing people together
Anand Kadian, CEO of KITMEK, the Middle East's first interactive digital school based in Dubai, understands the challenges and developments at work. For $1 a month, his platform offers students multilingual teaching covering the entire curriculum from kindergarten to college, in a metaverse with AI-created teachers. Accessible without an Internet connection, on a basic telephone, it also gives underprivileged children free access, thanks to a sponsorship system.
Winner of Cartier's Women Initiatives in 2021, Lebanese entrepreneur Manal Hakim is behind the Geek Express platform, dedicated to learning science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM skills) through personalized coding programs, home DIY kits and access to an online community that spans from Egypt to the Gulf. The entrepreneur proudly notes that 60% of learners are girls, for a field of study that accounts for only 25% in the rest of the world. Many of them use this tool as a springboard to university. In a region where girls' access to secondary and higher education remains a major challenge, ed tech plays an emancipating role, corrects inequalities and even inspires vocations.
At the level of civil society, digital teaching and learning tools have also facilitated the promotion of dialogue and encounters between communities. The Israeli LingoLearn platform, for example, aims to be the first online Arabic school for a Jewish audience, hiring Palestinian university students to teach their mother tongue.
From Dubai to Tel Aviv, via Beirut and Amman, digital education is a veritable breeding ground for innovative, high-impact initiatives that transcend national, social and cultural boundaries.
Sources :
Accelerating the EdTech ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa (worldbank.org)
Manal Hakim - Geek Express - 2021 Fellow for The Middle East & North Africa (youtube.com)
Comment l'IA et l’apprentissage à distance transforment l'éducation au Moyen-Orient | Arab News FR
Christmas, a holiday that brings people together in the Middle East
A major holiday for Christians, Christmas has a universal scope, as proved by the festivities that surround it in the Middle East.
A whole month of festivities from December to January
An unmissable event at the end of each year, Christmas is celebrated in most of the Christian world on the night of December 24 to December 25. Throughout this winter month, the so called "Advent" period enables believers to prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus, which, according to the New Testament, took place in Bethlehem. The diversity of rites and traditions in the Christian world of the Middle East does not, however, imply a uniform way of celebrating Christmas. First of all, as far as the calendar is concerned. The Coptic community, which has its own calendar (inherited from ancient Egypt), celebrates Christmas on January 7, a date more or less concomitant with Epiphany, which celebrates the coming of the Magi and their offerings. The same applies to all other Orthodox communities, i.e. those of Eastern rite, whose counting of days differs from that of Catholics. From Beirut to Cairo, via Jerusalem or Damascus, each Christmas celebration marks the end of the year and the beginning of a new one for every family and community.
Traditions and symbols
No celebration is complete without culinary traditions and symbols! Often, the latter are imbued with local folklore and have their equivalents in the West. In Syria, for example, the camel acts as Santa Claus, bringing children their presents. In Iraq, bonfires and prayers recited by candlelight recall the miraculous and creative role of light. Another tradition, this time borrowing from the cycle of nature and heralding the New Year, is that of sprouted seeds in Lebanon. Once green, these young leguminous shoots decorate cribs and churches. In Palestine, the city of Bethlehem lives for an entire day to the rhythm of parades and bagpipe music. When it comes to culinary delights, every country boasts its own specialties. What all communities have in common, however, is the use of spices and the consumption of sweets, not unlike those offered to relatives to celebrate the arrival of a newborn child. For some, Advent is synonymous with vegan fasting. Fatty meats, a symbol of prosperity and abundance, are eaten during the feast.
A bridge between communities
Although religious, Christmas remains the most socially unifying holiday in the region's multi faith countries. In Lebanon, it is viewed very favorably by Muslims. In Egypt, January 7 is a national holiday. In northern Israel, the city of Haifa's own coexistence is celebrated throughout the month of December, during the Holiday of the Holidays (Hag shel HaHagim), which celebrates Hanukkah, Mawlid and Christmas, with shows and illuminations. It is perfectly acceptable for Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities to exchange greetings on this occasion. Saudi Arabia, the historic cradle of Islam, has also been seduced by the event, and is making it its own, particularly in terms of trade, to demonstrate its religious tolerance and openness, as enshrined in Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salmane's Vision 2030. Today, it's not uncommon to see stores and cafés in the kingdom's major cities decorated to this effect.
A holiday of birth and light, with a universal scope but whose traditions perfectly reflect the diversity of the region, Christmas is undoubtedly the time of year that most brings communities together.
Sources :
Noël en Orient: le calendrier copte donne le « la » des festivités orthodoxes | Terresainte.net
Comment fête-t-on Noël au Liban ? (la-croix.com)
“We Remember” : Dubai's unforgettable exhibition
The idea is to ensure that visitors understand..."
explains Ahmed Al Mansouri, founder of the museum.
To highlight the full atrocity of this period, the organizers were keen to flood the room with striking visual animations, images and texts.
This constructive approach encourages the public not to be content with a passive visit but, on the contrary, to plunge into the heart of the matter. Founded in 2013 from a private collection by Ahmed Al Mansoori, the Crossroads of Civilizations Museum unfolds the history of the Persian Gulf through its art and its interactions with different cultures and civilizations.
Passionate about history, this Emirati curator collects historical objects from the four corners of the Levant. He owns, among other things, a handwritten letter by Theodore Herzl, on display in his private Zionist Museum. "Jews have always played an important role in the Middle East (...) I can't identify with Zionism, but Herzl was the father of Zionism, he was a visionary, I look at him from a historical point of view, not a political one. It's a great honor for me to exhibit his letter in my museum", declares the founder.
Commended by the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in 2015 "for its contribution to the preservation of the Gulf's heritage, as well as for its ambition to connect future generations with their heritage", the museum sees itself as a place of unity, peace and Jewish-Arab solidarity in the Middle East.
This ambition is also reflected in the We Remember exhibition, with its section dedicated to Arabs and Muslims who saved Jews during the Second World War. In particular, you can discover the first Arab to be posthumously awarded the Righteous Among the Nations medal by Yad Vashem. Mohamed Helmy, an Egyptian doctor, risked his life to protect a Jewish family in Berlin. "He who saves one life, saves the whole world" is a message of hope engraved on one of the museum's walls. According to Ahmed Al Mansouri, this saying is to be found in both the Koran and the Torah.
The Shoah soon to be taught region-wide ?
Beyond its strictly cultural framework, this exhibition will have had an unprecedented societal impact. The United Arab Emirates' education system has been updated: the Shoah is now being taught in all the country's schools. New curricula are being developed thanks to the joint efforts of the Institute for Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education - based in London and Tel Aviv - and the UAE Ministry of Education. A milestone for the country, but perhaps also for its neighbors. According to historian Robert Rosette, there is currently a turning point in the Arab-Muslim world: recognition of the Holocaust is at last beginning to take hold in regional mindsets. This transition can already be seen in Morocco, where the Shoah is beginning to be addressed more openly. In 2016, the French Embassy in Morocco and the Mémorial de la Shoah organized a training course on teaching the Shoah and genocides at the Lyautey secondary school in Casablanca.
"We remember" : this call to commemoration could well have a wider echo in space and time. From the museum to the classroom, we can hope that teaching about the Shoah will provide a basis for sharing and recognizing the culture of the Other.
Sources:
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/egypte/mohamed-helmy-cet-egyptien-devenu-juste-pour-avoir-sauve-une- famille-juive_3059795.html https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/mohamed-helmy-premier-arabe-honore-comme-juste-30-10-2017-2168532_24.php
https://www.i24news.tv/fr/actu/international/moyen-orient/1669126972-les-emirats-vont-inclure-l-enseignement-de-la- shoah-dans-leurs-programmes-scolaires https://fr.timesofisrael.com/faisant-fi-du-negationnisme-regional-la-shoah-integre-le-programme-scolaire-des-eau/
https://themuseum.ae https://www.memorialdelashoah.org/signature-dune-convention-archives-nationales-maroc.html
https://lphinfo.com/une-galerie-commemorative-de-la-shoah-aux-emirats-arabes-unis/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHXX7HaFc3s
https://english.tau.ac.il/news/center_for_antisemitism_2022 https://infojmoderne.com/2022/08/29/un-citoyen-des-eau-devoile-une-lettre-de-herzl-lors-du-congres-sioniste-de-bale/
Coffee, a symbol of social change in the Middle East
Coffee, a "turquerie" like no other
Among the exotic foods that have fascinated and seduced Europe, coffee (qahwa) occupies a special place, so closely is it linked to Middle Eastern culture. Its consumption in the Arabian Peninsula is attested as early as the 6th century, and its spread throughout the Muslim world
was facilitated by the development of the pilgrimage to Mecca (the hadj), which brought together populations, ideas and products. Its trade subsequently accompanied the gradual expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Its consumption by all social classes made it "the" drink par excellence, and its preparation by decoction (in the "Turkish" style) remains unchanged to this day. With the addition of spices in Morocco, orange blossom in Algeria and Tunisia, and cardamom in the Levant and Saudi Arabia, coffee retains, despite its variations, a special aura: that of pleasure and conviviality, even if the authorities of the time viewed it with great suspicion. Indeed, as alcohol was forbidden by Islam, coffee consumption was
encouraged. However, ulemas and doctors disputed whether coffee was a stimulant or a medicine, giving rise to controversies that were often politically charged.
Street café in Istanbul, circa 1900 © Shutterstock / istanbulphotos
From social link to social place
In 1554, under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the first public place dedicated to its consumption opened in Constantinople thanks to two merchants from Damascus. The concept was all the rage, with the city's intellectual and economic elite, from poets to high ranking civil servants, flocking there. Art and politics were discussed, written about and played for all to see. Moved to the street, it offers more modest populations the opportunity to inaugurate and close a hard day's work with a steaming cup. Its fragrance inspires, its aroma loosens tongues. A pretext for conversation, it is a social ritual practised beyond the public sphere, since its ceremonial also extends to the private sphere. In fact, in ancient Anatolia, it's even what the bride-to-be uses to gauge her suitor on the occasion of their meeting: a sweet coffee if the promised one finds favor in her eyes, a salty one if he doesn't. At the end of a quarrel, it's the way to resolve the conflict.
Café Fattoush in Haifa (Israel)
Coffee as a symbol of social change in the Middle East
While traditional establishments have not disappeared, some of them are experimenting with new forms of sociability: mixed, young, family-oriented and open to the world thanks to Internet access. In Tunis, for example, inclusivity is the watchword at the Liber'thé café, now a mainstay of the capital's alternative cultural scene. Ditto for Haifa's Café Fattoush, a symbol of coexistence and fraternity, which brings together Arab and Jewish cultures, a metonym for Israel's largest mixed city. At the same time, Western-style coffee shops have developed strongly in the Middle East, playing an important role in the local economy and having a significant impact on imports. In the 2000s, the United Arab Emirates became the first country to open up to foreign chains such as Starbucks, and to relax the non-mixed rule in these spaces. Between tradition and modernity, preservation and openness, coffee is without doubt one of the most significant symbols for understanding the Middle East and its evolution. This is undoubtedly one of the reasons why UNESCO included Turkish coffee in 2013 and Arabic coffee in 2015 on its list of Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Sources :
Le café turc, une boisson et des traditions | Le Courrier de l'UNESCO
Le café (lesclesdumoyenorient.com)
Liber’Thé, incubateur de citoyenneté à Tunis | Le Courrier de l'UNESCO
The 2030 World Expo in Riyadh : Soft Power is back in force
Already tipped as the host country for this 34th edition, on Tuesday November 28, Saudi Arabia won over 72% of the votes in the first round of voting, beating out its rivals Pusan and Rome. This triumph resounded with joy throughout the kingdom. On the one hand, such victory reflects the confidence shown by the community, and on the other, a geopolitical turning point concerning the representativeness of the Middle East in the exercise of soft power. Indeed, this is the second time since 1851 that the World Expo has been held in one of the Gulf countries. While Dubai successfully opened the ball in 2021, Riyadh is set to shine at this cultural event.
Hosting the 2030 edition at all costs, a major political and economic challenge for Saudi Arabia
Like Muhammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, Muhammad Bin Salman aspires to make his kingdom the new economic hub of the region. Although Riyadh has all the resources needed to achieve this ambition, with its Gross Domestic Product rising by 42% over the decade 2013-2023, the Saudi capital's involvement in a unifying event such as the World Expo should have the effect of accelerating the country's growth. As an EY report on the financial impact of the latest edition shows, the 2020 Dubai World Expo supported more than 1,039,000 job-years and generated $42.18 million in gross value added. MBS can therefore look forward to similar economic benefits.
Propelled into the spotlight, Saudi Arabia intends to meet the expectations of the 40 million visitors forecast for its capital. To achieve this mission, the country's cultural delegation is thinking big: more than 7.2 billion euros are expected to be invested in developing the exhibition site, and the completion of six metro lines linking the city's key sites is also on the agenda. The eagerly-awaited event will take place in a strategic location: north of Riyadh, close to King Khaled International Airport and the prestigious King Abdullah Petroleum Research Center.
The "Era of Change" : a technological and environmental gamble
The "Era of Change" is a well-chosen heading to describe Saudi Arabia's determination to become the new regional hub. In fact, the Saudi ecosystem is booming. This is evidenced by the rate of funding for start-ups, which rose by 197% between 2020 and 2023. Against this backdrop, a space dedicated to innovation and youth is to be created, under the name of the "collaborative change corner". With 70% of its population under the age of 30, Saudi Arabia intends to use the event to promote its future generation of entrepreneurs.
Another driving force for change is the environment. This is the second fundamental aspect of the exhibition. From the outset of its candidacy, Riyadh has touted the richness of its natural landscapes and its ambition to be the first carbon-negative exhibition in the Middle East. In order to combine modernity and sustainability, the organizing committee set itself the goal of linking the future urban complex to the environment. The decision to integrate the exhibition site into a network of existing wadis is in line with this objective. In addition to the series of sustainable infrastructures currently underway, the project will include 70% green spaces, including the famous Salman Park, where over a million trees are to be planted. This gigantic space will occupy an area five times the size of Central Park.
World Expositions : from the Foreign Nations "street" to the Foreign Nations "boulevard" ...
At the heart of its program, the 2030 World Expo aims above all to unify. To achieve this, each country is to have its own pavilion. The traditions, values and roots of the participants are to be given pride of place. But when did the custom of erecting national pavilions begin ? Pavilion architecture was consolidated at the Paris Exposition in 1878. It was during this period that the emblematic Foreign Nations Street (La Rue des Nations) appeared, running alongside the Seine and linking the esplanade des Invalides to the Champ de Mars. At the time, this promenoir was home to the foreign sections of the participants who had agreed to build - at their own expense - a facade in the image of their national style. The installation of this new attraction gave rise to the idea of reconstituting a miniature globe. 145 years later, Saudi Arabia is giving substance to this aspiration: six million square meters of space for 197 states. The Street of Nations seems to have turned into a boulevard.
After a period of decline, particularly in the 1980s, world exhibitions are now rising from the ashes. As vehicles for living together, these great displays have developed to the point of becoming an anchor in the context of widespread interconnection. And whereas in 2010, the Shanghai World Expo still tended to museumize the host megalopolis, with an over-dimensioned national pavilion, nowadays, national pavilions are all placed on the same pedestal. By presenting themselves to the world, the various populations are now opening a window onto shared issues, through mutual listening and collaboration.
Sources :
https://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/ryad-accueillera-l-exposition-universelle-de-2030-20231128
https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/arabie-saoudite-riyad-choisie-pour-l-exposition-universelle-2030-un-coup-d-eclat-pour-mbs
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-24/saudi-arabia-will-invest-100s-of-billions-for-power-by-2030
https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2023/11/28/riyad-designee-pour-accueillir-l-exposition-universelle-2030_6202785_
3210.htmlhttps://www.cairn.info/revue-relations-internationales-2015-4-page-3.htm
https://www.statista.com/statistics/268059/gross-domestic-product-of-saudi-arabia/
https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2023/06/23/arabie-saoudite-comment-riyad-essaie-de-supplanter-dubai_6178989_3210.html
https://www.lefigaro.fr/voyages/exposition-universelle-2030-a-riyad-les-plus-belles-choses-a-voir-en-arabie-saoudite-20231129
https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/podcasts/l-info-culturelle-reportages-enquetes-analyses/l-exposition-universelle-2030-a-riyad-en-arabie-saoudite-malgre-les-critiques-3018348
https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/ecologie-vivre-ensemble-commerce-diplomatie-les-expositions-universelles-ont-retrouve-une-legitimite-2320576
https://fr.euronews.com/business/2023/11/16/riyad-met-tout-en-oeuvre-pour-accueillir-lexposition-universelle-de-2030
https://passerelles.essentiels.bnf.fr/fr/chronologie/construction/63f528df-5761-4fc1-8760-1a7d26eada9a-crystal-palace/article/e81f0117-74c4-4d7f-ab49-2f506a3edef7-crystal-palace-1-851-idee-expositions-industrie-et-agriculture
https://www.bie-paris.org/site/fr/actus-annonces/expo-dubai-2020-fr/l-impact-de-l-expo-2020dubai#:~:text=Il%20est%20estimé%20que%20l,futures%20des%20Émirats%20arabes%20unis.%20»
https://riyadhexpo2030.sa/fr/riyad-expo-2030/
Friendship and understanding: The unsuspected period in Israeli-Iranian relations
A common strategic vision as the basis for cooperation
In 1950, Iran became the second Muslim country to officially recognize the State of Israel, following Turkey, which had done so in 1949. This recognition can be explained by the fact that there were common interests between Iran and Israel, including shared concerns about the rise of Arab nationalism. In addition, both countries shared worries about Soviet influence in the region. From an Israeli perspective, this was a moment of major importance, breaking a diplomatic isolation and launching the phase of the "periphery" concept, as expressed by then Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. This concept of "periphery" emerged from a historical analysis, highlighting the two millennia of anti-Semitism suffered by Jews, as well as the persistent rejection of Israel's existence by Arab countries. Thus, the only way for Israel to avoid total isolation was to forge strategic alliances with non-Arab states and other religious minorities. However, Ben-Gurion took his thinking a step further, quickly perceiving the advantage of this peripheral policy in relation to the United States. Indeed, these alliances position Israel as a strategic player, forming a bridge between Western powers and regional actors.
As Ben-Gurion explained in a letter to President Eisenhower on July 24, 1958:
"With the project of forming a dam against the surging Nasserist and Soviet wave, we have begun to strengthen our ties with certain states outside the perimeter of the Middle East - Iran, Turkey and Ethiopia, and so on. Our aim is to organize a group of countries, not necessarily a formal alliance, that will be able to stand up to Soviet expansion through Nasser, and a group that could save Lebanon's freedom, and perhaps Syria's too."
This marked the beginning of a natural alliance and friendship between Iran and Israel that would last for over 30 years. This relationship, based on the principle of "mutual benefit", took shape in many different ways.
An energy partnership as an essential component
As we have already explained, Iran's recognition of Israel naturally led to the possibility of closer cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the commercial sphere. After the defeat of the Arab countries in the 1948 war to prevent the emergence of an Israeli state, Egypt and Iraq cut off Israel's oil supplies. In 1958, the oil situation became critical for Israel, following the USSR's decision to cease sales. Israel turned to its partner Iran.
Iran soon became Israel's main supplier of oil, and in 1967 the two allies established a pipeline linking Eilat on the shores of the Red Sea to the infrastructure of the Mediterranean port city of Ascalon. By the end of the 1960s, the pipeline was transporting 10 million tonnes of oil a year, exceeding Israel's needs. On this basis, relations were consolidated, as events later proved. The 1973 oil embargo did not include Iran in its ranks. This decision is the fruit of successful economic cooperation between Israel and Iran, enabling the latter to generate substantial revenues, amplified by the rapid rise in oil prices. Thus, by consolidating their cooperation in crucial areas such as energy, these two countries have demonstrated the possibility of establishing a constructive dynamic despite complex geopolitical contexts. In addition, another strategic area, known as the "Fleur project", will make a particular contribution to consolidating relations between Iran and Israel.
The petals of the "Fleur" project
On July 18, 1977, a key meeting took place between the Iranian Deputy War Minister, General Hassan Toufanian, and Israeli officials, namely Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan and Defense Minister Ezer Weizman. The aim of the meeting was to strengthen relations between the two countries on various collaborative military projects, including the "Fleur" project. A particularly interesting facet of economic cooperation between Iran and Israel, the project reveals a dimension of relations between the two nations in which economic and security interests are complexly intertwined.
The "Fleur" project involves Israel enhancing Iran's expertise in the field of medium-range missile launch systems, with a specific adaptation for submarine-launched missiles. In exchange, Iran pays Israel $300 million, plus $250 million in oil equivalent.
On the technical front, Israel plays a leading role in the development of advanced technologies for guidance, navigation and propulsion systems. Advanced devices, such as infrared sensors and electronic countermeasure systems, are an integral part of the design to optimize missile accuracy and operational efficiency. At the same time, Iran handles the manufacturing phase, using its specialized facilities to produce essential missile components. These cutting-edge technologies are put through rigorous tests in a variety of conditions, both atmospheric and underwater, to guarantee their reliability and functionality in all circumstances.
The unsuspected period of Israeli-Iranian relations, from the creation of Israel in 1948 to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, provides a complex narrative combining diplomatic, strategic and economic elements. The bond between these two nations, initially based on common interests and a shared strategic vision, endured for over 30 years. This period is a powerful reminder that there was a time when these two nations succeeded in forging ties based on cooperation, mutual trust and the hope of a shared future. Let us hope that the lessons learned from this moment will be put to good use in the search for constructive solutions to the contemporary challenges facing the region.
To learn more :
https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/089134-001-A/la-longue-guerre-iran-israel-usa-1-2/
Sources :
https://www.defnat.com/e-RDN/vue-article-cahier.php?carticle=452&cidcahier=1289
https://www.cairn.info/revue-geoeconomie-2014-5-page-139.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Israel_pipeline#/media/File:Eilat-Ashkelon_Pipeline.svg
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relations_entre_l%27Iran_et_Isra%C3%ABl#:~:text=Depuis%20sa%20cr%C3%A9ation%2C%
20en%201948,son%20meilleur%20ami%20non%2Dmusulman.https://www.cairn.info/revue-outre-terre1-2011-2-page-483.htm
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projet_Fleur
Gulf Twin Sisters
The first association to bring together Israeli, Emirati, Saudi, Egyptian and Bahraini women executives, the Gulf-Israel Women's Forum's mission is to give Middle Eastern women the place they deserve on the entrepreneurial scene. Over 2,500 members from a wide range of backgrounds meet regularly to discuss their areas of expertise — technology, marketing, journalism, finance... The spectrum is wide. Business, opportunity and sisterhood, the Gulf Women's forum could be defined in these terms.
“It was obvious that we all wanted the same thing: peace and prosperity”
For Lea Tedrow, co-founder of the forum, the main idea is to encourage communication between Israeli businesswomen and their partners in neighboring countries. The preliminary meeting focused on the culture of business in the United Arab Emirates, a culture essentially based on building one's relationship with the other. Having lived in the United Arab Emirates for 13 years herself, Lea Tedrow agrees — “Here, it's not enough to have one meeting after another and then leave with a signed contract. You build strong relationships, and that takes time and investment”. This inspiring model is very much in line with the founder's vision. Fleur Hassan-Nahoum hopes to awaken a sense of unity and cohesion among the participants: “It's obvious that we all want the same thing: peace and prosperity in the region”. Much more than a professional association, the Gulf Women's Forum also fosters beautiful friendships. During her stay in Jerusalem, Bahraini journalist Adheya Ahmed made a point of taking part in the Shabbat meal at Fleur Hassan-Nahoum's home. This former Bahraini spokeswoman returns delighted. In her article posted on the forum's website, she has nothing but praise for Israel: “In 11 days, I've been lucky enough to discover unparalleled hospitality. I can't forget the family meals with those who warmly welcomed me into their homes. I can't forget the smile that appeared on the lips of the cab driver exhausted from his long day's work when I told him I was from Bahrain…”. Fleur-Hassan-Nahoum was also able to travel to the Gulf to meet members of the forum.
Commercial and friendly relations are thus being forged between the Gulf sisters, and could have a considerable impact on the regional economy. Indeed, while trade between the United Arab Emirates and Israel has already doubled since 2020, reaching $9.4 billion in 2022, an IFC study estimated that the Middle East's GDP could increase by a further 30% to 40% if women were to play a more active role in the regional economy.
Women in the Middle East — towards greater representation?
Today, there are great professional opportunities for women in the region. Building a sustainable future requires more equal collaboration. According to forum member Ronit Harpaz, the biotech sector alone is a case in point. Despite a 70% female employment rate, only 12% of women have access to positions of high responsibility. Bendit Technology's Managing Director has decided to work towards a better representation of women in the Middle East. “I believe that being part of the Gulf-Israel Women's Forum is an opportunity to strengthen local diversity by adopting the role models of Bahraini and Emirati women leaders”. By founding WE HealthTech, a school that aims to encourage young female entrepreneurs to take on leadership roles, Ronit Harpaz intends to reverse this trend. By borrowing from each of their respective cultures, the Gulf sisters are renewing the world of business.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63792841
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-724408
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2051581/middle-east
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-714988
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-714988
Careem : The Emirati super-app that has conquered the VTC market
In a world ruled by numbers, there are 86 billion neurons in the human brain, 5.33 billion Internet users across the planet and 903 kilometers between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. Careem's figures reflect a major increase in access to local services in the Middle East. In 2022, the platform will count 505,856 hamburger deliveries, 97 million journeys made and more than 621,000,000 miles covered. Operating in over 100 cities and 12 countries in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Careem has proven its value and efficiency. From Careem Now to Careem Pay, the start-up covers every conceivable sector to satisfy demand. In 2019, the platform even tried its hand at bike-sharing with Careem Bike for the most eco-responsible users.
Careem and Uber: a fruitful meeting for the two VTC leaders
The potential of the technology company has not escaped Uber's notice. The prospect of a close collaboration with the Emirati app could well breathe new life into the Californian platform's ambition to take the lead in every major region. Indeed, although the VTC giant dominates the American and European markets, its presence in other parts of the globe remains erratic. In each local market, Uber often has to compete with several other digital platforms affiliated to the same sector.
On the eve of its IPO in 2020, Uber decided to buy Careem for $3.1 billion. In making this strategic acquisition, Uber agreed to give Careem more freedom, encouraging it to shape its own strategy to capture the market through a more sophisticated understanding of local demand. This shift has paid off. One year after the acquisition of Careem, Uber takes the lead in the Middle East mobility sector, with over 65% market share. With the rapid evolution of that field, merging the strengths of these two players could offer economies of scale, efficient expansion and service diversification.
“Improving the lives of users and creating jobs”: Careem's mission, everywhere and for everyone.
Careem has come a long way since it was founded in 2012 ! Careem was originally the result of an American-Pakistani and Swedish collaboration. Mudassi Sheikha and Magnus Olsson, former McKinsey consultants, joined forces with a clear goal in mind: to improve the lives of users and create over a million jobs for regional talent within the next ten years. The challenge has been brilliantly met. Since its creation, Careem has provided a source of income for more than 600 engineers and developers - who are working hard to perfect the app's learning models - as well as 2.5 million drivers, many of them Saudi.
The VTC company has indeed proved receptive to the call for female emancipation, proclaimed on June 24, 2018 in Saudi Arabia. At a time when the kingdom's female citizens are getting official permission to take the license, the VTC company, for its part, is starting to set up training specifically for future captains. “It's an important step” says Sarah Algwaiz, Director of Careem's Women's Program (referring to the reform). “For women, driving their own car marks the beginning of their financial independence and a real gain in autonomy…”
“For women, driving their own car signals the beginning of their financial independence and a real gain in autonomy.”
Sarah Algwaiz, Director of Careem's Women's Program
From a business point of view, the female workforce is also of financial interest to Careem. In a traditional society where many women are apprehensive about being alone in a man's car, the Capitanah option (feminine for Captain in Arabic) offers a reassuring alternative. Female users can click on the icon of the same name to allow the algorithm to filter out male drivers. According to spokesperson Murtadha Alalawi, thirty women had already signed up for the first recruitment session in the eastern city of Khobar. On the strength of this promising start, the start-up is now aiming to gather over 100,000 female drivers in order to attract new customers in the Saudi kingdom.
Careem's next geographical and educational perspectives
Careem continues to expand the spectrum of professional opportunities for local drivers. Since 2018, the VTC platform has extended its service area to the West Bank, giving the three million Palestinians living there the chance to find sustainable, flexible employment. This entrepreneurial bulimia has no end in sight. In its race to innovate, Careem has launched Careem Next Gen, a program designed for junior engineers from Pakistan, Jordan and Egypt. Its aim: to prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs to take up the baton.
Sources :
https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/careem-ipo-may-have-given-company-greater-value-than-uber-sale-says-prince-khaled-1.850405
https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/uber-affiche-toujours-une-lourde-perte-malgre-un-chiffre-daffaires-en-hausse-1443157
https://www.linkedin.com/company/etisalatandmore/about/
https://s23.q4cdn.com/407969754/files/doc_financials/2023/Stockholders2023/2022-annual-report.pdf
https://fr.statista.com/statistiques/571074/nombre-d-utilisateurs-d-internet-dans-le-monde-2005--/
https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/transports-uber-rachete-careem-son-concurrent-du-moyen-orient
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2229261/business-economy
https://www.taxiappclone.com/blog/guide-to-careem-like-taxi-app-development/
https://www.menabytes.com/careem-first-pitch-deck/
https://www.challenges.fr/societe/la-prochaine-revolution-saoudienne-les-femmes-au-volant-de-taxis_505749https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Careem
https://www.careem.com
https://www.careem.com/en-AE/ride/
Read more :
PayTABS
With a presence in over 21 regions, Saudi-based PayTabs provides financial solutions to businesses worldwide, guaranteeing flexible and secure online payments.
For the first time in the USA, digital wallets eclipse the traditional credit card. Holding over 32% of the value of e-commerce transactions by 2022, virtual bankcards are becoming the main source of payment. Abdulaziz Al Jouf is keen to take part in this decisive turning point for the banking sector, and is making a splash with PayTabs, an innovative financial services start-up. Combining transactions, online invoicing and point-of-sale in more than 168 currencies, PayTabs offers companies of all sizes - small, medium and large - the opportunity to expand their presence in global markets on an uninterrupted basis.
Paying securely, wherever you are: PayTabs' mission n°1
Once integrated into each corporate customer's website, the financial services platform processes transactions in complete security. This is a key component of the application's system. Protecting user data is a major issue, especially in the Middle East. As a recent Deloitte report reveals, since the Covid crisis erupted, many organizations in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) have seen an increase in computer fraud of around 48% compared with previous years. To guard against this threat, the company is stepping up its partnerships with cybersecurity companies such as Modirum, which has specialized in 3D recognition for over 20 years.
A competitive company eager to break new ground
Other partnerships are designed to penetrate new, unexplored markets. Such is the case with Payoneer, an American fintech which, taking into account local regulations, preserves PayTabs' legal compliance. The young company's international footprint is striking. As soon as it launched in 2014, the Riyadh-based start-up opened offices in Egypt, India and Turkey, as well as in Dubai, a veritable financial hub. Quickly noticed for the quality of its services, PayTabs joins the Gulf Cooperation Council market. On the strength of its successful integration into the context of globalization, PayTabs was rewarded in 2016 by Forbes Middle East as "Saudi Arabia's most promising start-up".
Over the years, PayTabs has achieved significant milestones in its journey towards global expansion. In 2021, a strategic partnership with Visa and Union Pay International was signed, to offer mobile payment services on a global scale. This collaboration extends the scope of possible transactions to thousands of players, including small shops in India. PayTabs recently set its sights on India, with the acquisition of PayLab, one of the world's largest transaction and money transfer platforms, operating in Europe, the USA, Africa and Asia. Further east, the acquisition of the Turkish company Paymes has further modernized PayTabs' services. Paymes enables the parent platform to sell products and services in less than twenty seconds on the instagram platform, thanks to a simple link. Today, the financial services platform is used by over 12,000 businesses in the Middle East, India and the Philippines.
The founder and CEO of PayTabs underlines the benefits resulting from the deployment of its activities on a global scale: "PayTabs has succeeded in providing de-materialized payment solutions to the largest multinationals around. As a result, we now have our own intellectual property and can connect to multiple APIs (application programming interfaces) in the region". Thanks to this interoperable system, PayTabs now wields a universal (computer) language: the very essence of Abdulaziz Al Jouf's federative project.
Sources :
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230323005062/en/Account-to-Account-Payments-Set-to-Revolutionize-Shopping
-with-E-commerce-Payments-Reaching-525-Billion-Globally-Worldpay-from-FIS-2023-Global-Payments-Report
https://www2.deloitte.com/xe/en/pages/finance/articles/me-fraud-survey-2021.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_Tabs
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paytabs-acquires-ogs-paylab-india-to-deliver-mada-certified-
payment-orchestration-in-the-kingdom-301831887.html
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conseil_de_coop%C3%A9ration_du_Golfehttps://www.payoneer.com/fr/
https://globalfintechseries.com/commerce/paytabs-acquires-turkeys-largest-social-commerce-platform-paymes/
Read more :
Yassir the VTC app that makes life easier for North Africans
While Uber can congratulate itself on maximizing the connectivity of its users, the tech giant is hiding its Achilles heel. It doesn't operate all over the globe. In the Maghreb: Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania are still deprived of the famous platform's services. In this area, start-up Yassir has taken over from the leader in VTC services, and is now the most valued start-up in Africa and the Middle East.
Distances are shrinking as satellite guidance services expand. By 2022, over 4 billion people will be using GPS on a daily basis. In this increasingly connected world, users dream of the gift of ubiquity: moving from one place to another at the snap of a finger... or, more accurately, at the click of a button. The geniuses of computer science and entrepreneurship have succeeded in making this wish come true with the implementation of VTC services, now at their peak. While in the second quarter of 2023, Uber recorded a net profit approaching $400 million, a local mobile application continues to develop and could well overshadow the famous multinational.
Yassir: order, travel, invest...
Created in 2017, Yassir - which means "easy" in Arabic - has revolutionized the lives of Algerians. While its road network stretches over 130 kilometers, this North African country suffers from an insufficient supply of transport. To make up for this shortcoming, the Algerian start-up, initially specialized in booking private chauffeurs, has decided to democratize its services on both iOS and Android. Thanks to a geolocation system, Yassir connects users with cab drivers. The fare is then determined according to the distance and duration of the journey.
Like Deliveroo or Uber Eats, Yassir focuses part of its activities on home delivery: food, cosmetics, gaming or parapharmacy, nothing is too good for consumers. The spectrum of sectors available on the application is extremely broad. Meriem, a loyal user, happily confides: "I use it every day to go shopping, visit my family or go to work, and I've never been disappointed. To top it all off, Yassir also provides financial services.
The meteoric rise of an Algerian start-up
When the company was founded, the team consisted of just six employees. In just one year, the company's ascent has been meteoric: forty-five employees and the start of its regional roll-out, such as in Morocco and Tunisia. The platform is supported by over 50,000 partners in North Africa. Yassir saw the economic and strategic opportunity presented by the market in this geographical area, where the road network - inherited from the colonial past of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia - has the advantage of being more extensive than on the rest of the African continent.
The economic value of Yassir shines through in the diplomatic world
The fruit of the joint efforts of Algerian engineers Noureddine Tayebi and Mahdi Yettou, Yassir continues to prosper. In November 2022, Yassir closes a second round of financing of $150 million with the participation of US technology company BOND, DN Capital, Dorsal Capital, Quiet Capital, Standford Alumni Ventures and Y Combinator. This spectacular influx of cash elevates the company to the rank of "most valued start-up in North Africa and the MENA region" (Middle East and North Africa). Yassir's undeniable success also earned it the title of "best services exporter" from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
One year later, in August 2023, Yassir formalized his partnership with Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) soccer club for the next three seasons. This ground-breaking contract is expected to generate 15 million euros for PSG, whose aim is to strengthen its brand image in Middle Eastern countries. The agreement with Paris Saint Germain would not have been possible without the backing of the Qatari government, the club's owner.
This underlying diplomatic dimension partly explains the expansion of this seasoned start-up. The Algerian president has already visited Qatar twice, and relations between the two countries remain cordial. Indeed, it is in Algeria's interest to keep the peace with the states in the region if it wishes to maintain its international appeal. Last July, a Malaysian ministerial delegation, accompanied by representatives of the country's investment banks, visited the capital to present the success story of the young start-up, now headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley.
At the outset, the VTC application made in Algeria set itself the main objective of bringing its community together, while spreading social values. Today, the platform boasts five million users and an international footprint that includes Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, France, Germany, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and North Africa. Yassir is a fine example of success for all Algerian entrepreneurs who are still hesitating to take the plunge.
Sources:
https://economic-research.bnpparibas.com/html/fr-FR/Algerie-Effet-aubaine-13/04/2023,48461
https://www.24heures.ch/uber-parvient-enfin-a-etrerentable-248786359955#::text=Au%20deuxième%
20trimestre%202023%2C%20Uber,tôt%20à%20la%20même%20période)
https://express.yassir.io
https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/11/08/en-algerie-la-start-up-yassir-leve-150-millions-deurospoursonexpansion_
6148951_3212.html#:text=Yassir%2C%20qui%20opère%20via%20une,de%208%20millions%20d%27utilisateurs.
https://www.jeuneafrique.com/1473339/societe/lalgerien-yassir-signe-un-partenariat-avec-le-psg
https://www.linkedin.com/company/yassir
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yassir
Read more :
Is the UAE ready to become the next start-up nation?
The UAE has already seen the emergence of successful start-ups such as Souq, the best online retailer in the Arab world, bought by Amazon in 2017 for a sum 700 million dollars. Is this an isolated case? This example is part of a wider economic dynamic driven by most Gulf States. While its oil revenues are doomed in the long term, what is the UAE doing to reconvert its state into a start-up nation ?
Start-ups boosted by government assistance
Start-ups are born and grow in an eco-system that is conducive to their development. In the United Arab Emirates, public players are taking this advice to heart. With a zero tax rate and 5% VAT applied to companies with sales of less than 385,000 UAE dirhams ($37,500), young innovative companies are encouraged to make their home in this land of milk and honey. Metropolises are particularly involved in this promotion. In 2022, the Executive Council of Dubai created a new 100 million euro fund for start-ups. The Venture Debt Fund for Startups was designed to support the projects of young companies and ensure their growth. In Abu Dhabi, a $2 billion fund has been raised by the government via the HUB71 platform, in order to give more visibility for WEB3 start-ups on a regional scale.
Towards a new Silicon Valley
And it's no longer just big cities that are home to start-ups. Entrepreneurs are now able to create their own space for fulfilment, and to extend it beyond a mere professional framework. Such is the case of Mohammed Al Zarooni, Managing Director of the Dubai Silicon Oasis. The Silicon Valley of the Middle East has become the largest technology incubator. Its campus is home to around a hundred start-ups from over 70 countries. Recognized as a major research hub, the Dubai Silicon Oasis aims to foster innovation and to make it accessible to citizens through an even more unifying project. What is more, the Dubai Digital Park is scheduled to spread over 92 miles. That smart city should be able to combine industry, real estate and commercial complex. The transition to an engineering-based economy is thus taking shape in greater depth.
Fintech as a driver
Ranked among the top 20 fintech companies by Forbes, Emirati start-up Sarwa is part of the success story. Thanks to its innovative technology, combined with expert advice, Sarwa ease investing by developing and testing personalized strategies. Fintech is thus taking root in a country which already boasts a well-established financial services sector and attracts capital from all over the world.
High-tech diplomacy — from one startup nation another
The new diplomatic landscape has also made a major contribution to the technological and economic development of the United Arab Emirates. In turn on the path of innovation, this new start-up nation has been able to count on the support of its predecessor. In September, the meeting between the official Abu Dhabi delegation and Israel’s public companies led to new economic agreements. From now on, new business opportunities in the fields of cyber security, artificial intelligence, blockchain and data protection flourish. Trade between Israel and the UAE increased by 117% in the first half of 2022, according to Israel's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Amir Hayek. This reconciliation between the Israeli technology ecosystem and Emirati entrepreneurs continues to lift young Gulf start-ups to the top of the global innovation market. Dubai now ranks just behind Tel Aviv in terms of investment in the Middle East.
Gray matter: the relay to black gold
Recently, the Gulf State was designated by the World Bank as the most entrepreneurial in the Middle East. Nowadays, the UAE is on the way to becoming a global tech hub. While in 2017, cash flow in companies in this key sector quadrupled (compared to 2016), reaching $870 million, by 2023, the IMF's annual report lists 72,000 new companies, compared with 20,000 in 2018.
Ever more connected, more attractive, and competitive, the United Arab Emirates is preparing for a major economic and energy transition. If the oil economy will soon no longer be an option for the Persian Gulf federation, another wealth is being extracted from Emirati soil — grey matter will replace black gold.
Sources:
https://arab.org/fr/middle-easts-start-scene-explained-five-charts/?amp
https://www.ft.com/content/225ffd34-0f22-11e7-b030-768954394623
https://lepetitjournal.com/dubai/installation/impot-revenu-entreprises-emirats-2023-352164 https://www.cairn.info/les-startups%20en%20france--9782715406810-page-63.htm https://www.tresor.economie.gouv.fr/Pays/AE/situation-economique-et-financiere-des-emirats arabes-unis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WOQKKONciE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souq_(company)
https://kawa-news.com/5-start-ups-arabes-a-suivre/
https://www.dsoa.ae/explore-dso/who-we-are/our-story
Iran : the potential of a startup nation
Few people are as resilient as the Iranians.
These words capture in history and eternity the way in which a people with such a rich and ancient history meets the challenges it faces with determination.
Iran's dependence on hydrocarbons is of paramount importance. In 2019, oil exports accounted for around 70% of the country's total revenues. To meet the challenges of economic diversification and climate transition, Iran is focusing on developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem in which a wealth of innovative talent. To achieve this, Iran's strategy is based on four main pillars: investment, support structures, an efficient education system and a network.
Investment
In Iran, the main types of investment come from venture capital funds, business angels, equity crowdfunding and technology research funds. In November 2021, there were an estimated 85 venture capital investment funds in the country. In addition to these funds, other initiatives such as RTF, a non-governmental organization, play a vital role in providing financial support and facilitating access to strategic advice. This holistic approach helps to strengthen the viability and competitiveness of startups in a growing economic environment.
Support structures
Incubators play a crucial role in the Iranian entrepreneurial landscape, facilitating the emergence of numerous startups. They are an essential part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, enabling project leaders to turn their ideas into reality, with personalized support from experts in the field. The emergence of the first Iranian incubator in 2000 marked the start of a growing trend, with over 250 incubators currently operating throughout the country.
Most of these incubators are affiliated with science and technology parks and universities, helping to strengthen the links between innovation, research and entrepreneurial development. Incubators are fundamental to providing startups with an environment conducive to learning and access to resources.
Accelerators and innovation centers
Among Iran's startup support mechanisms, accelerators are of crucial importance. Their support, in terms of equipment, finance and knowledge, increases the chances of success for young startups. Accelerators in Iran are mainly private-sector structures. Their efficiency has been unanimously recognized by the Iranian government and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, leading to a shared determination to develop them. Avatech, the first accelerator in Iran, was founded in 2014, and marked the start of the first wave of accelerators establishments in 2016. Now, the total number of innovation centers and accelerators in Iran is estimated at 162. Moreover, 69% of accelerators in Iran are specialized in specific sectors, as shown in the graph below presenting the distribution of accelerators specialized in different industries.
US sanctions: resilience and breath of life.
U.S. sanctions have profoundly affected Iran's entrepreneurial ecosystem, especially since the U.S. withdrew from the Vienna agreements in May 2018. Since then, foreign investors have shown a reticence to invest in Iran due to the political and financial risks associated with the country's situation. Even domestic investors have scaled back their commitments in the country. Meanwhile, Iranian startups have been denied access to many European and American hardware and software solutions as a result of these sanctions, hampering the development of platforms and applications. In addition, foreign companies, whether customers or suppliers, are unable to acquire or integrate Iranian startups' products into their solutions, for fear of violating US sanctions.
However, these sanctions have also strengthened the country and its people's determination to make it on their own. With their backs to the wall, Iranian entrepreneurs have shown how frugality can be the driving force for great achievements. The Iranian entrepreneurial ecosystem was built in particularly difficult conditions, making it more resilient than ever. Isolation from foreign competitors has given start-ups the opportunity to develop in a protected environment, with less competition and more stability. Let's take a concrete example. Sanctions concerning the ban on online payment systems and transaction methods led to the emergence of numerous Iranian startups seeking to solve this problem. What was then a dead end, turned into a salient opportunity for entrepreneurs who created and developed in-house solutions for transaction methods. As a result, and unlike many other nations, Iranians have developed their own local version of international startups. Here's an infographic presenting some of Iran's well-known startups and their international equivalents.
In addition, the entrepreneurial ecosystem has been consolidated through a national spirit of mutual support, encouraging actors to help each other and collaborate. This state of mind is a determining factor in a people's ability to overcome problems. In response to the sanctions, the government has also mobilized with initiatives such as the National Development Fund and the National Innovation Fund, aimed at supporting startups, allocating loans and grants to existing and emerging startups.
Sources :
COP 28 in Dubai: the United Arab Emirates, environmental leader in the Middle East
Although their development is based on fossil fuels, they make no secret of their determination energy transition. The United Arab Emirates are thinking post-oil and and aim to be a champion of renewable energies, in a region of the world particularly exposed to global warming.
The emergence of a regional leader facing the climate emergency
The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), or COP28, opened on November 30 in Dubai, in the presence of nearly 60,000 international delegates. By identifying what remains to be done since the Paris Agreement in 2015, it also aims to implement accelerated measures in response to the climate emergency. The diplomatic skills of the Emirates, hosts of this major annual gathering, are no longer in question, as they are considered a leading mediator on Middle East issues. When it comes to the environment, the Emirates aim to be a leader, combining
ecological transition with technological innovation.
Although their development is focused on fossil fuels, they make no secret of their determination to promote energy transition. The United Arab Emirates are thinking about the post-oil era and aim to be a champion of renewable energies, in a region of the world particularly exposed to global warming (droughts, desertification and water scarcity.) By presiding over the COP28, they are acting as a spokesperson for countries facing similar challenges and showing their leadership, particularly in photovoltaics.
Masdar City and Al-Dhafra, showcases of the Emirates' environmental commitment
Conceived in 2006 by the national renewable energy company that gave it its name, the Masdar City eco-city was built in the desert with a triple objective: 0 non-renewable waste, 0 carbon, 100% solar energy. From an architectural point of view, everything has been designed to facilitate wind circulation and provide protection from the sun. Leading international groups such as Total Energies and Engie have been attracted by the idea and the tax benefits provided. For its part, the Al-Dhafra solar park, 35km from Abu Dhabi, is currently the world's largest photovoltaic power facility, with 4 million solar panels covering an area of more than 21 square kilometers. Inaugurated in mid-November, it is designed to supply the electricity needs of almost 200,000 people, while avoiding the emission of almost 2.4 million tons of CO2 per year. It will soon be dethroned by the Mohammed ben Rachid al-Maktoum solar park in Dubai itself.
Massive investment in energy transition
By 2021, Abu Dhabi has announced its intention to invest at least $63 billion in renewable energies. Last September, at the African Climate Summit in Nairobi, the Emirates pledged to invest $4 billion in the development of renewable energies in Africa. The world's 7th largest oil producer is committed to the future, and intends to make its mark on the international scene by exporting its development expertise. As part of the coalition of 7 other Arab nations (Tunisia, Morocco, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen) at COP28, they have expressed their support for a tripling of renewable energy production to 11,000 gigawatts by 2030. Their commitment doesn't stop there, as the creation of a transition fund, the first dedicated to this purpose, was announced with a payment of 30 billion dollars.
Although the challenges remain numerous and require ambitious measures on the part of each State, adapted to their share of responsibility for global warming, the United Arab Emirates are showing, on their own scale, a concern for the health of the planet and the well-being of mankind. This COP28, by highlighting the country's role, also confirms that the Middle East plays a major role in providing solutions to the greatest challenge of the 21st century, not only in terms of innovative initiatives but also sustainable development.
Sources :
COP28 : de quoi s’agit-il et pourquoi est-ce important ? | ONU Info (un.org)
Les Émirats arabes unis : le bon endroit pour une COP ? (radiofrance.fr)
Al Dhafra, vitrine solaire des Émirats arabes unis avant la COP28 | Connaissances des énergies
UAE - WORLD PIONEERS IN DIGITAL ADMINISTRATION
Dubai, the pearl of the United Arab Emirates, in its bold quest for a digital and paperless era, is rising to the top of innovation in public administration. This constantly evolving metropolis has made history with its digital transformation and meteoric progress towards paperless administration.
A vision to serve the future
The direction is clear, the ambition is assumed:
To make Dubai the happiest city in the world, thanks to new technologies.
Alia Al Mur, Marketing Director of the "Smart Dubai" program, emphasizes that the use of technology as an enabler aims to improve the lives of all residents and visitors.
The U.A.E.'s ambitions are not new, since the move towards total digital transformation began as early as 2000 with the deployment of the "E Gov" and "Dubai Internet City" initiatives, which aimed to make all government operations entirely paperless.
Substantial savings and a positive environmental impact
The benefits of this technological prowess are palpable. Dubai's government programs have saved $1.2 billion over the past thirteen years, thanks to intelligent infrastructure and services shared by 50 government entities. By abandoning the use of paper, the city is taking another step towards a much-needed climate transition.
Automating administrative procedures has been a major initiative in streamlining and improving access to public services. Permanent residents and visitors alike can now
carry out a variety of transactions online, from paying healthcare bills to managing school enrolment, all using a single mobile application.
Unrivalled technological achievement
Dubai's technological prowess goes far beyond simple digital adoption. The innovative use of artificial intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of Things has resulted in unprecedented automation of government processes. The "Smart Dubai" teams have developed 43 artificial intelligence use cases touching on transport, healthcare, education and tourism. A striking example is the governmental virtual assistant "Rachid", capable of providing personalized information on a variety of subjects.
Digital Identity: The Heart of the Smart Dubai Project
One of the most striking innovations is the UAE Pass, a digital identity card for all permanent residents of the United Arab Emirates. This pass is gradually replacing the paper identity card, which also serves as a driver's license and passport for travelling and living in the Emirates. With the UAE Pass, residents can sign any official document and use it as a password to access government sites and the public hospital.
Smart Dubai" plans to extend the use of the UAE Pass to the banking sector, making it easier to manage accounts from opening to closing. By 2021, every permanent resident of the United Arab Emirates must have this new digital identity card.
A Model of Excellence Ahead of the West
Dubai is emerging as a model of excellence in the transition to paperless, digital government. Its significant lead over the West demonstrates its commitment to innovation and its ability to implement radical change at remarkable speed. Dubai is writing a new page in the history of modern governance, offering a shining example to those aspiring to rethink their administrative systems worldwide.
Audacious hope for human fraternity
For decades, we have been witnessing the rise of religious extremism and intolerance in all societies and faiths. The values of pluralism, mutual respect and diversity of religions and beliefs are the foundation of peace and the cement of our human family. Yet all over the world, these values are being violated. Political divide, growing inequality, hate rhetoric, sectarianism and increasing conflicts are at stake.
More than ever, we need to remember that dialogue between all religious groups can help to raise awareness and understanding of the values shared by humanity. In this context, it is necessary to encourage initiatives designed to promote dialogue between religions and cultures, in order to strengthen peace, social stability and mutual understanding, and thus foster human fraternity.
A model of interfaith harmony
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed World Interfaith Harmony Week, celebrated each year on the first week of February, as a means of promoting harmony between all religions, beliefs and faiths. On December 21, 2020, the International Day of Human fraternity is established through resolution 75/200, which was adopted unanimously and was supported by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates,Equatorial Guinea, Morocco, Burkina Faso and Venezuela. Member states are invited to include this celebration in their calendars from 2021.
This Day took place for the first time on February 4, 2021, and celebrates the values of compassion, religious understanding and mutual respect that guarantee peace. It is founded on the adhesion to the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity and dialogue at all levels of society and between nations, in a national and international environment that fosters peace and guarantees the rights of all, especially the poor, disabled and needy.
The importance of religion
"No one saves himself alone »
Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See in the first World Meeting on Human Fraternity on June 10, 2023 in St. Peter's Square, Rome.
Religions have a decisive responsibility in the coexistence of peoples. In order to serve fraternity, they need to dialogue with one another, to get to know one another, to enrich one another and to deepen what unites them. Different religious traditions, each drawing on its own spiritual heritage, can make a major contribution. Indeed, if we can demonstrate that it is possible to live our differences in fraternity, we will gradually free ourselves from fear and mistrust of others who are different from us.
Religious leaders have taken action to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue. A meeting took place on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb,, at the end of which the document entitled "Human Fraternity for World Peace and Common Coexistence"was signed.
This Document, in line with previous International Documents that have highlighted the importance of the role of religions in building world peace, is an invitation to reconciliation and fraternity between all believers and non-believers.It advocates the values of tolerance and fraternity promoted and encouraged by religions, and symbolizes the embrace between East and West.
By handing it over to the authorities, influential leaders and civil society organizations, the Catholic Church and Al-Azhar promise to ensure that it becomes an "object of research and reflection" in all schools, universities and educational and training institutes, to help create new generations who will bring goodness and peace.
In France, the "Fraternité d'Abraham" association was one of the consequences of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), called by Pope John XXIII. Indeed, the "Nostra Aetate" declaration of October 26, 1965 recommended that Christians learn about Judaism and respect each other, and also opened the Catholic Church to inter-religious dialogue with Islam. It was founded on June 7 1967 at the Paris mosque on the initiative of writer André Chouraqui, Father Danielou, and later joined by Father Michel Riquet, mosque rector Si Hamza Boubakeur and man of letters Jacques Nantet.
"The Fraternité d'Abraham", whose name refers to the father of the three monotheistic religions known as Abrahamic, was the founder of the friendship between the communities and has played an important role, either directly or through its members, in the development of inter-religious dialogue in France, particularly after the 1991 Gulf War, but also in Europe and internationally. In 2004, together with the LICRA, the CRIF, the Consistoire and the Rabbinate, it set up the "Amitiés Judéo-Musulmanes" (AJMF) process, which federates numerous groups in France committed to this dialogue.
Brotherhood in the three monotheisms.
"Knowledge is the first step in building bridges with the other".
"Love one another, as I have loved you" (John 13). Jesus' life is an example and a call to brotherhood. Born a Jew, He invites His companions to a new universal brotherhood, founded on the unicity of God, the Father of all, and His benevolent design for all humans. By his resurrection, Jesus has become," says Paul, "the eldest of the multitude of brothers. There is no longer male or female, slave or free, Greek or Jew (Gal. 3:28): this is Abraham's heritage. To teach us to love one another as brothers, Jesus teaches us to see these remaining differences not as oppositions, but as richness to be shared.
" Am I my brother's keeper?" is Cain's reply to the Lord, when he asks about Abel (Gen 4:9). According to Judaism, brotherhood is not innate, it has to be learned. We have to condition ourselves to overcome hatred, to transmute it into love, as in the story of Joseph and his brothers. This love of others, which leads to a feeling of brotherhood, is inclusive in Judaism, whatever the degree of religious practice or knowledge of the Torah.
The Lord offers the Hebrew people the Ten Commandments, which remain the foundation of Judaism to this day, and which govern the relationship between man and God, and between man and his fellow man. Love of others thus becomes one of the factors in our communion with God. Love of the Creator and love of creatures are inseparable.
"He has not attained the fullness of faith who sleeps sated while his neighbor is hungry" (Prophet Muhammad).
Brotherhood is also enshrined in the maxims of the Prophet Muhammad. The Koran explains that all believers are brothers, and that they must seek to live in peace and justice. First and foremost, it revolves around the central notion of divine unicity (Tawhid). God has created a single humanity, from one same soul. There can be no brotherhood without the effort of getting to know one another. Knowledge is the first step in building bridges of mutual respect. Fraternity is the result of a commitment, of a sustained effort to recognize the other (his person, his life, his rights, etc.).
The International Day of Human Brotherhood is part of a drive that requires each and every one of us to strengthen our ability to engage in dialogue with others, in order to get to know and accept each other better. We share a common origin and descent, and a common destiny. The "faith of Abraham the believer" appears today as a ferment of peace and mutual aid, capable of arousing enthusiasm and generosity in the service of all truly human causes. Jews, Christians and Muslims have decided to join forces to become aware of everything that has made up their common spiritual and cultural heritage since Abraham, and to work together for the effective reconciliation of all those who today represent Abraham's descendants, with the aim of freeing the world from the evils of hatred, fanatical violence and pride of race and blood, by revealing the authentic and divine sources of a fraternal humanism.
Sources:
https://www.un.org/fr/observances/human-fraternity
https://www.fraternite-dabraham.com
http://www.fraternite-dabraham.com/wp-content/uploads/Revue-153.pdf
“Who wants to win the war, gets ready for peace”
As the world's nerve center, it is here that trade has flourished and strengthened through the centuries. In his “Crises d’Orient", Henry Laurens rightly reminds us that the Middle East functions like a network through which trade flows. On the one hand, it is a seaborne network — in the 19th century, the United Arab Emirates built their economy around the exportation of pearls to India. Turkey and other Black Sea littoral states were also involved in the development of Black Sea traffic. The Montreux Convention, which guarantees free passage for merchant ships through the straits, is one of the few multilateral conventions to have survived the test of time. On the other hand, the Middle East was the birthplace of 5 of the 13 OPEC member countries.
Indeed, the region is the heart of an invaluable resource — oil. With over 55% of the world's reserves, the region is a leader in the industry. With over 10 million tons of oil in the 1900s, Iran leads the way, followed by Kuwait. Yet, this comparative advantage was not without setbacks.
Is oil an asset or a burden?
In some respects, it can be seen as burden, at least from a geographical point of view. The random distribution of gas and oil resources around the Mediterranean increases the region's economic and social heterogeneity. The wealthy countries benefiting from this income - Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Kuwait - rub shoulders with the poorest countries — Yemen and Palestine. This two-speed development further widens the gap between peoples who are neighbors. The other side of the coin is political — since the 19th century, the discovery of black gold has transformed the Levant into a geopolitical chessboard on which the players in the global economy clash.
The Achnacarry Pact of 1928 - which divided the region's reserves between the five largest foreign oil companies - and the oil shocks that followed the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and the Islamic Revolution in 1979 are all illustrations of this, but today, contrary to Thucydides' quote — “who wants peace, gets ready for war", the global context tends to prove that — “Who wants to win the war, gets ready for peace”. A century after the crises in the East, a glimmer of hope is emerging. If the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty of 1979, followed by the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty of 1994, had opened the way, on September 15, 2020, the Abraham Accords resound like a promise of renewal for inter-cultural dialogue. The embrace of nations expands — United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Israel.
The cure for global change — cooperation
Why here, why now ? From a purely pragmatic point of view, the Abrahamic Accords come with weapons to fight adversity. Two major threats can be identified. The first is ideological. Composed of 90% Sunni countries, the Middle East is nonetheless subject to the advent of a debasing Shiite Arc, with Iran exercising its hegemony over the Strait of Hormuz and raising the spectre of maritime enclavement against the Emirati kingdom. And in view of Teheran's nuclear enrichment and political aggressiveness, the Gulf state has right to request American protection, via a military agreement providing the delivery of F35 stealth fighter jets.
The second threat has neither fatherland nor face, it is a natural one — climate transition. Already in the 2000s, countless droughts, preventing farmers from growing local crops in the Mediterranean, formed the backdrop to the Arab Spring. Now, in its latest report, the IPCC asserts that at over 3% global warming, food insecurity will be widespread. With societies' leeway over their environment shrinking, the major wheat exporters - Algeria, Iran and Egypt - are in the front line. And above all, countries that have built their prosperity around oil production are in danger of falling by the wayside. It's true that the Middle East's share of oil sales had been declining since the early 2000s, as a result of the diversification of partners in the sector (Mexico, Nigeria, etc..) But, much more radically, black gold is at its peak. Its production peak, scheduled for 2035, marks the beginning of its decline. For both parties, the normalization of diplomatic relations reflects the challenge of finding alternative sources of wealth. According to Montesquieu, trade pacifies relations.
The French philosopher couldn't have put it better himself — by 2022, Abu Dhabi forecasts an 8% rise in GDP and the arrival of 4,000 new wealthy residents. The Abraham Accords have disrupted the tourism, education, health, trade and security sectors.
Emulating the Israeli model
The signatory states of this messianic agreement realized that their last stand against decay depended on close cooperation, in particular with a country that had managed to flourish without ever having been able to draw on its soil — Israel. In 1947, when the first partition plan was drawn up, the Jewish state was allocated 55% of... arid land. Including part of the Negev desert. Ever since its creation, Israel has had no choice but to be agile and innovative in order to survive. The “Start-Up Nation” began in 1912 with the Israel Institute of Technology. Ranked as the best university in the Middle East by the Shanghai ranking and the sixth best university in the world, the Technion is an example of a nation's success and resilience. A model for the Gulf States as they embark on their economic conversion process. Planning to move away from their dependence on fossil fuels within 20 years, thanks to new technologies, the Gulf States follow the footsteps of the Hebrew state.
Further east, in the Far East, China has long since opted for increased trade. A pillar of globalization, this powerful, contested and questionable regime launched an ambitious initiative in 2013. The New Roads of Silk reflect a desire to maximize Chinese power through seamless integration with today's prevailing network model. Isn't it time for the countries of the Middle East to strengthen theirs?
Sources:
Mohammad-Reza Djalili (2010), Histoire de l’Iran contemporain, Repères
Mosab Hassan Youssef (2010), Le Prince Vert : Du Hamas aux services secrets israéliens, Denoël Henri Laurens (2017), Les Crises d’Orient, Fayard
Amin Maalouf (2019), Le Naufrage Des Civilisations, Grasset
Charles Saint-Prot (2019), Géopolitique des Émirats Arabes Unis, Karthala
Thomas Gomart (2019), L’Affolement du Monde 10 enjeux géopolitiques, Tallandier Christophe Blain & Jean-Marc Jancovici (2022), Le Monde Sans Fin, Dargaud Emmanuel Navon (2022), L’Étoile et le Sceptre Histoire Diplomatique d’Israël, Hermann
Peoples of the Middle East — the stakes are the same
This observation sounds all the more right that the person expressing it has himself followed a convoluted path. Mosab Hasan Youssef, son of the head of Hamas, became a Shin Bet agent at the age of 18, and ended up in exile in the United States after his conversion to Christianity. While maintaining a visceral attachment to his family and the Palestinian people, the “Green Prince” remains eternally torn by a multiple identity.
But in the end, doesn't it reflect the entire history of the Middle East ? Far from being a monolithic block, this area of over 2 702 715 quarter miles is home to a myriad of ethnicities and religions, such as — Turkmen, Berbers, Nubians, Kurds, Druze, Muslims, and Jews, and Zoroastrians.... and over twenty languages. It is in this prophetic backdrop that the same scenes of battle and heartbreak have unfolded again and again. In his lectures at the Collège de France, Henry Laurens admits that violence doesn’t come from the people, but from geopolitics. Regional conflicts are inexorably entangled in international logics. Since the 19th century, this mythical land, full of cultural and energy riches, has not escaped the eyes of its neighbors.
For the British historian Arnold Toynbee, the "Eastern question” is more likely a “Western question”, for it was at a time of unbridled power struggles that Great Britain, France and the United States set their sights on the Middle East. The thorny question of borders stems in part from the territorial distribution between these 19th-century Western states. In 1916, the Sykes Picot agreement enabled France and Great Britain to divide up the Levant, and in 1920, the Treaty of Sevres sounded the death knell for the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire and Arab nationalism... Similarly, in Iran, following the constitutional revolution, American jurist Morgan Shuster, charged with restoring the dynasty’s financial situation of the Qajar dynasty, divided the country into three areas.
Nowadays, the region still suffers from its tangled borders. The cradle of monotheisms presents as many facets as it does challenges, conflicts, aggregations and disintegrations that have been repeated down the ages... Before the wars, and before the negotiations, bear in mind that the countries that make up the Mediterranean basin are all facets of the same jewel. They are much more alike than what you think.
Same battles, same remnants, and same threats
The internal battles are the same. The issue of education, for example, is a common pattern to Egypt and Iran. Both of them lost the visionary and progressive Minister of Education, who could have modernized the sector. In Iran, Amir Kabir founded the Persian Polytechnic (Dar-ol-Fonoun) and freed the press. He was assassinated on January 10 1852. Meanwhile, in Egypt, despite his progressive ideas, Naahas Pasha was dismissed from his post as Prime Minister. He had, however, placed one of his country's greatest one of his country's greatest men of letters — Taha Hussein. Politics and ideologies are the same. From the names Poale Tsion and Mapaï in Israel, from the names Tudeh and Adalat in Iran... Marxist influences have managed to permeate with equal intensity two states that are sworn enemies.
Threats are the same. The dictatorial pathology detected by Orwell in 1984 is not unique to the Soviet Union. Amin Maalouf, who witnessed successive coups in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Iran, refers to the repeated dictatorships in the Mediterranean basin as a form of “orwellism”. In How Our World Lost Its Way, the author, who grew up between Egypt and Lebanon, claims that the rise of extremism always comes with the dialectic of a “minority” oppressed by a “majority”. Combating Muslim Brotherhood fundamentalism was already one of Egypt's priorities. Long before Abdel Fattah al-Sissi's coup in 2013, back in 1948, the assassination of Prime Minister Mahmoud an-Nukrashi Pasha set alarm bells ringing in the Egyptian government. Nowadays, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates worry about it too. In 2012, following the fall of Mubarak, Abu Dhabi cut all diplomatic ties with Doha, which had expressed its support for the Egyptian Islamist organization.
Same hopes…
Do the countries that make up the Mediterranean share nothing but stalemates ? Don’t they share the same aspirations ? The same ambitions ? In the 10th century BC, King Solomon is said to have been one of the first diplomats in the Middle East. While establishing relations with a declining Egypt, he would have divested himself of the territory of Damascus in favour of Syria. This geopolitical approach to the Bible, outlined by by Emmanuel Navon in “The Star and the Scepter — A Diplomatic History of Israel”, reminds us that communication has always existed between the peoples of the Middle East. Despite their conflicts, the various regional parties have always maintained dialogue - be it in a gentle or nasty way.
In 538 B.C., Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, liberated the Jewish people from Babylon. On March 14, 1950, Iran became the second Muslim state to recognize the State of Israel after Turkey. This was followed by the opening of respective offices in Tel Aviv and Teheran, even before the official embassies of the 1970s. At that time, Ethiopia, Iran, Turkey and Israel were considered “the alliance of the periphery”. Although Israel and Iran do not belong together anymore, there is still hope for Israel and Turkey, especially with the normalization of their diplomatic relations in 2016. “It's wrong to pit values against interests. Sometimes they come together”. In this respect, Amin Maalouf’s point of view fits the situation perfectly. Turkey's gas interests are the counterpart of this agreement, namely the foresight of an Israeli pipeline through Turkey to Europe. It's a win-win situation for both parties.
And the West?
If you widen the focus, you can see that Amin Maalouf’s quote applies just as well to relations with the West in general. Indeed, even after its independence in 1946, Lebanon decided to preserve its customs union inherited from the French Mandate. Another example — France and the United Arab Emirates. In 1977, Valéry Giscard D’Estaing drew up a charter guaranteeing his unwavering support for the kingdom. Nowadays, 60% of weapons exportation come from Paris. A cultural dimension is also opening up with the welcoming of an extension to the Louvre in Abu Dhabi in 2017. That project gives the UAE a greater international visibility.
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998, Amartya Sen corrected the work of Samuel Huntington. While the author of The Clash of Civilizations hammered home the point that the world was divided into eight civilizations, Amartya Sen denounced this reductive thesis. Identity is not a block, it is fractal, multiple, and sometimes changing or incomplete... Identity is impregnated by what surrounds it and by those around it.
In the Middle East, identity is plural; only destiny is the same.
Sources:
Mohammad-Reza Djalili (2010), Histoire de l’Iran contemporain, Repères
Amin Maalouf (2019), Le Naufrage Des Civilisations, Grasset
Charles Saint-Prot (2019), Géopolitique des Émirats Arabes Unis, Karthala
What a Bazaar !
Waza
For the central government is now losing an indispensable source of support — the bazaars. These markets, traditionally loyal to the Shiite regime, went on strike in Tehran from November 15 to 17, 2022. Much more than a place for the exchange of goods and services, the bazaar is a total place — home to housing, schools, and religious institutions and, above all, social movements. Between traditionalism and modernity, you can discover a whole microcosm. Let's take our turn to explore the alleys of these typical Eastern markets and dive into the bazaars.
A place for spatial and economic planning
Whether you're visiting Iran, Turkey, Morocco or even Northern Macedonia, strolling through the bazaar districts will always give you the impression of being in a time bubble wherein the past can be visited. Professor Mohammad Hossein Zia Tavana of Shahid Beheshti University believes that Iranian bazaars date back to pre-Islamic times. The 4,000-year-old cities of Our and Susa are full of scrolls mentioning these places. So, what is the secret behind such enduring popularity ? If the institution of the bazaar has managed to survive, it's above all thanks to its function as a decision-making space. Whether political, economic, cultural or town-planning, these decisions have always tended towards one and the same goal — to adapt the market to change.
The spatial organization of this maze is proof of this. Although a bazaar is a little bit of everything - jewelry, clothes, furniture, spices - the internal layout of its quarters is perfectly structured. For example, artistic products likely to displease tourists are generally located at the extremities of the bazaar, while gold and gem merchants are more often found near the mosques, in the center of the bazaar.
The economic weight of the bazaar, particularly in terms of exports, has always been significant. In the 19th century, the Tabriz bazaar accounted for 25% of Iran's commercial transactions. At 75 hectares, it can be considered the world's largest shopping mall, ahead of the 66-hectare South China Mall. However, the bazaar model is not comparable to that of the European or American mall.
The "Crossroads" of civilizations
The bazaar is a lively place. People talk, negotiate - prices are never fixed in advance - meet new people... In this effervescence, people marginalized by their status or origin mingle with others. This is first and foremost the case for the rural masses. Withdrawn into isolated villages, this segment of the population has little contact with the rest of society.
The Tehran bazaar itself has a multi-ethnic dimension, due to its predominantly Azeri and Turkish-speaking traders and the origins of the items sold. The flagship Persian carpet, known for its warm colors and asymmetrical knots, was produced mainly by the Jewish communities of Isfahan and Shiraz, according to Benjamin de Tudèle, a 12th-century Spanish traveler. Even today, several synagogues can be found in the Udalan district of Tehran's bazaar.
Find the bazaar in your plate!
The originality of the bazaar also lies in the absence of any advertising system — the prosperity of bazaar shops is therefore based almost exclusively on the maintenance of a good reputation. Such is the case for Tehran's oldest teahouse in the heart of the Grand Bazaar. Presented by locals as the temple of tea, this small 1.5-square-meter stall welcomes over 200 people a day, according to estimates by its manager, Casant Mabhoutian.
Nowadays, restaurateurs are seizing on this tradition of word-of-mouth to make mouths water for customers in search of the exotic. In Tel Aviv, a gourmet restaurant called Ola Ola has strayed into the middle of the Shuk* Hacarmel (*the Arab souk is the equivalent of the Iranian bazaar). In Lebanon, the Souk El Akel event in Beirut brings together over 25 culinary stands to celebrate oriental and international food. Finally, there's the restaurant hidden behind the stalls at Israel's Merkaza market. Just like the souk, the bazaar in French means disorder, agitation... This common expression is much more profound than you might think. In Iran, the bazaar is above all the focus of social revolt and political demands. Historian Stéphane Dudoignon recalls that, with every political overthrow, Tehran's great bazaar has been the starting point for uprisings. Since the Qadjar era, the bazaar's predominant position has made it the primary force of opposition to the political elite. The constitutional revolution of 1905 effectively began in the bazaar. The governor of Teheran had three sugar merchants shot for refusing to reduce their prices. The entire market then revolted, joined by mullahs and students. The protesters demanded a "house of justice", which they obtained along with the resignation of the government. When Shah Reza Pahlavi later sought to control this institution, the bazaar sparked new strikes and paralyzed the Iranian economy, providing support for the Shiite clergy that would propel Khomenei to power in 1979. In the current context of Iranian society in turmoil, it is perhaps from the bazaar that the greatest Iranian political upheaval of the 21st century will come.
Sources :
https://www.ledauphine.com/societe/2021/09/22/iran-la-plus-vieille-maison-de-the-de-teheran-fait-1-5m https://www.tresorsdumonde.fr/bazar-de-tabriz/
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bazar
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souk
https://www.persee.fr/doc/cemot_0764-9878_1987_num_4_1_878 https://www.lenouveleconomiste.fr/a-quand-leffondrement-du-regime-iranien-95752/ https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapis_persan https://www.cairn.info/revue-marche-et-organisations-2022-2-page-212.htm
https://www.merkaza.com https://www.rfi.fr/fr/moyen-orient/20221115-grèves-manifestations-en-iran-le-mouvement-rend-hommage-à-la- contestation-de-2019
https://paristehran.com/teheran-centre-itineraire/
http://www.teheran.ir/spip.php?article631#gsc.tab=0
https://libshop.fr/souk-el-akel/ https://fr.ncr-iran.org/communiques-cnri/iran-protestations/70e-jour-de-soulevement-en-iran-greve-des-bazars- manifestations-nocturnes-et-enterrement-de-martyrs/ https://legrandcontinent.eu/fr/evenements/va-t-il-y-avoir-une-revolution-en-iran/ (conférence avec Stéphane Dudoignon, Novembre 2022)
Mohammad-Reza Djalili, Thierry Kellner, Histoire de l’Iran contemporain, La Découverte
Marock, the film that still rocks
This feature-length film offered audiences a fresh vision of Moroccan youth, uninhibited and eager for freedom and recklessness. Marock retraces the impossible love story of two teenagers from different backgrounds. She is Muslim, he is Jewish. Like Titanic, Dirty Dancing, La Boum or LOL, this romantic comedy has become a classic for the new generation. But beyond its light-hearted tone, Marock also carries a strong political message. In 2006, against the backdrop of the Casablanca bombings that struck the Spanish, Jewish and Belgian communities, Laïla Marrakchi used her camera to confront Islamic obscurantism.
The story
Far from school preoccupations, Ghita and her friends enjoy life to the full, laughing, singing, dancing... Basking in the sun while listening to David Bowie... But one day, Lalla Ghita's eyes meet those of Youri Benchetrit. The two lovers start circling each other and end up never leaving each other's side. "Passion isn't something you talk about, sir, it's something you live!” the heroine boldly replies to her philosophy teacher. Religious passion can also be lived. This is precisely what Ghita's older brother is going through. Mao, played by the talented Assad Bouab, has become mysteriously gloomy since his return from London. He used to feast as much as his sister, but now devotes himself to prayer day and night. Ghita, who used to be close to her brother, sees him gradually drifting away from her. What secret is he trying to conceal behind his silence?
A breeze of freedom for Moroccan women
Aside from these intrigues, the backdrop is a contemporary Moroccan society that remains attached to its traditions, rites and culinary preparations... This film is not intended to denigrate religious dogma. Its main aim is to illustrate a context of emancipation and renewal. Hassan II's reign came to an end in 1999, ushering in an era of modernity. The reform of the Moudawana (Moroccan family code) focused primarily on women's rights. Moroccan women are finally recognized as individuals in their own right. Ghita, at the center of the plot, illustrates this social advance.
Multi-culturalism in the spotlight
This Mediterranean Romeo and Juliet has the merit of projecting onto the big screen the cohabitation of two communities within a single country. At school, as at the party, you follow the daily lives of Arab and Jewish high-school students. Indeed, the heroine's first name alone conveys a desire to blend cultures. Ghita (or Rita) is rooted in Arab, Portuguese, Latin "margarita" (purity) and Greek "caritas" (pearl) cultures. It also echoes the iconic American actress of Hispanic, Irish and British origin: Rita Hayworth. Another example is the singer Rita Yahan Farouz, whose identity is split between her Iranian birthplace and her Israeli nationality. On the highway to modernity. On a deserted track, three cars hurry to the starting line. Youri can't take his eyes off the traffic light. It will soon turn green. After an excruciating wait, the young man steps on the gas pedal. Despite the one-way streets and speed limits, all he could see was a clear road, lined with palm trees and lit up by the burning sun. Finally, he crosses the finish line. This emblematic scene of the film, a bit caricatural, says a lot about Moroccan society — the new generation intends to move forward on the road to freedom.
Sources:
http://www.maghrebdesfilms.fr/marock.html https://www.festival-cannes.com/fr/festival/films/marock https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marock_(film) https://idpbarcelona.net/docs/recerca/marroc/pdf/nor_loi_70_03.pdf https://www.cairn.info/revue-les-cahiers-de-l-orient-2011-2-page-15.htm https://perspective.usherbrooke.ca/bilan/servlet/BMEve/920 https://www.journaldesfemmes.fr/prenoms/rita/prenom-5409 https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_(chanteuse) https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Hayworth https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marock#/media/File:Marock.jpg
Diet-ethics: Eating according to the precepts of Islam, Judaism and Christianity
While cricket flour has just been legalized in the European Union, Qatar has reiterated its ban on marketing insects within its borders. The reason? Like Judaism, Islam forbids the consumption of insects. At a time when the search for alternative, less polluting and inexpensive animal proteins shows that global food practices are at a real turning point, a small village of different religious communities is still resisting the invader. In 2022, the global market for kosher food increased by 3.7% (average growth rate), while France became the 4th largest exporter of halal meat in international trade. The predominant place occupied by food for the three monotheistic religions cannot be ignored. To understand the obstinacy that drives these faiths to maintain the dietary rules they have always observed, we need to understand their meaning.
Let's eat ! The role of the meal for the three monotheistic religions
Before inspecting the bottom of our plates, it's worth recalling the symbolism of the meal in the eyes of the three monotheisms. Communion, celebration, love... Leviticus, the Koran and the New Testament make a point of emphasizing the communal dimension of the meal. Every Friday evening, Jewish families gather around the Shabbat table.
The ceremony of Kiddush (drinking the wine) and motsi (breaking the bread) unites the members of the gathering with each other and with their Creator. The blessing of Kiddush is recited as follows — “You are the source of blessing, Eternal our God... His holy Shabbat, He has bequeathed to us with love: commemoration of the Creator…" (Genesis, 2,1-3). This indelible bond is also present at the Eucharist, when the Christian community makes its Creator present through transubstantiation (the conversion of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ). “The many of us are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf" (1 Cor, 10:17).
Rules of consumption and their meaning
They say ‘you are what you eat’. The vital importance of food justifies the special attention paid to it by religion. Through food, biblical and Koranic texts indicate a line of conduct, an ethic to be respected. In fact, the term "Halal" goes far beyond strictly culinary rules and encompasses all our actions and behaviours. The same is true of Judaism, to which the Koran explicitly refers in recognition of the continuity of dietary revelations. Kosherut is essentially based on metaphors that order the world. For example, the prohibition on mixing milk and meat, taken from Leviticus, reflects the desire not to confuse life (associated with milk, with what comes from the udder) and death (the inert flesh of the beast).
A holy spirit in a healthy body — the importance of health in religion
Although food is scrupulously studied in every community, it would be wrong to reduce this regulation to a succession of prohibitions or asceticism. As it is written in the Koran (XXIII) — “Eat excellent food! Do good!" In the Torah, eating is not synonymous with suffering. According to Maimonides, preservation of the body is at the heart of kosher principles. In his Guide to the Lost, the 12th-century Sephardic physician sets out the rational and medical reasons for applying dietary laws. Blood, the consumption of which is prohibited in Islam and Judaism, is said to be a carrier of germs and conducive to infectious diseases. The Adventist community also takes the health variable into account, recommending against the consumption of ingredients containing theine, caffeine or alcohol. This branch of Christianity advocates a model of healthy living that many are beginning to adopt.
Biblical veganism, Halal organic... Is modernity the order of the day?
Archaic? Far from it. In our secularized societies, new prohibitions are being disseminated in the name of laudable arguments that border on belief. In particular, global warming has given rise to the theme of eating less meat, which is correlated with CO2 emissions. According to an Opinion Way survey, meat consumption has fallen by 12% in 10 years. Today's vegans are unknowingly returning to their biblical origins. "I give you every herb that bears seed on all the face of the earth" (Genesis). All the evidence suggests that the Lord first directed man to a purely vegetarian diet. In the Bible, meat consumption does not appear until after the Flood, but in the meantime, believers continue to combine religious adition with modernity. In 2013, the first organic halal butcher shop opened on the outskirts of Paris. With a turnover of 6 million euros, it offers a wide range of choice meats, AOP and AOC certified. Despite having to give up its BIO label in 2019, due to new European standards for ritual slaughter, this butcher's shop continues to welcome an increasingly diverse clientele. Gastronomy never ceases to surprise!
Sources :
Les Nourritures divines, Olivier Assouly, éditions babel
https://www.massorti.com/Kiddouch-du-vendredi-soir
https://www.cairn.info/revue-histoire-monde-et-cultures-religieuses-2016-3-page-113.htm
https://fr.aleteia.org/2021/02/13/la-presence-du-christ-dans-leucharistie-est-elle-reelle/
https://www.businesscoot.com/fr/etude/le-marche-des-aliments-casher-france https://www.businesscoot.com/fr/etude/le-marche-de-la-viande-halal-france https://www.leparisien.fr/societe/la-viande-halal-ou-casher-peut-elle-etre-certifiee bio-18-06-2019-8096226.php
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Église_adventiste_du_septième_jour
https://www.revueconflits.com/veganisme-nouvelle-religion/
Jordan starts anew thanks to start-ups
When King Abdullah II came to power in 1999, he set the tone — it was time for modernization. With water shortages and agriculture in decline, Jordan had no choice but renewing itself. The Hashemite Kingdom was the first country in its region to invest in renewable energies. Nowadays, it has become a major tech hub which enables the emergence of promising young companies, as evidenced by the 2019 World Economic Forum, where 20 Jordanian start-ups feature among the 100 selected. The city which is often nicknamed “Silicon Wadi” bet on its start-up eco-system as a response to the political and social problems undermining its country.
The NTICS are an asset to reduce unemployment in the Hashemite Kingdom
While Ericsson prepares to roll out 5G nationwide, the kingdom’s start-ups continue to focus on the telecoms sector, following the model of Maktoob, whose success still resonates throughout the Arab world. Bought for more than $170 million by Yahoo in 2009, this leading Arabic/English provider in the Middle East has had a decisive influence on the national economy. With a 4% contribution to Jordan's GDP and a growth rate of 25% by 2022, the new information and communication technologies (NTICS) are a sector with a bright future. With 900 companies specializing in telecommunications and 26,000 jobs generated in this field, King Abdallah is well aware of the wealth that start-ups could bring. In order to solve the prevalent problem of structural unemployment, the sovereign decided to cultivate Jordan's entrepreneurial spirit through an effective support program. Oasis500 feeds start-ups that are incubated to the tune of $30,000. The funds it invests amount to $100,000 at start-up, and can rise to as much as $350,000 during the follow-up period. The platform has already supported over 150 companies and created 800 direct jobs.
Promoting new businesses helps to feminization of work
Oasis500 also has the merit of encouraging women to start up their own companies. Nowadays, 37% of the companies financed by the investment company are run by businesswomen. While Oasis boasts CEO Luma Fawaz, who features on the Forbes 100 Businesswomen in the Middle East, these figures reflect more than just a handful of isolated cases, but a significant evolution in the feminization of employment in Jordan. The promotion of women in the job market has become a central topic of discussion among heads of state as well as a reason for granting financial aid on an international scale. In August 2022, Canada sent $25 million to the Hashemite Kingdom to strengthen women's access to the job market, especially in the rural areas of Salt and Ibrid.
That socio-economic objective is successfully illustrated by Teenah, a thriving start-up located in northern Ibrid. Founded in 2016, Teenah's mission is to offer its jobs to Jordanian women as well as Syrian refugees, while boosting professional activity in the agricultural areas of the north. Officially recognized and supported by Amann, this company specializing in sustainable textiles has since attracted the attention of UNICEF and Shamal Start, that have provided the economic and social resources to create new jobs and warehouses. Generating jobs, services and revenue, the path of entrepreneurship is succeeding for the monarchy, and seems to be leading to the Oasis of social progress.
Sources:
https://www.aa.com.tr/fr/monde/financement-canadien-de-25-millions-de-dollars-à-la-jordanie/ 2660066
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maktoob
https://wydden.com/1001startups-fait-escale-en-jordanie/
The Travel Stylists
These words from Miuccia Prada ring perfectly true. A means of expression, a statement of identity, fashion is a language without borders. For Paris Fashion Week's fall-winter men's season, Moroccan designer Charaf Tajer and Hed Mayner, of Israeli origin, carry this message loud and clear. Much more similar than you might think, these two designers from the Mediterranean basin both have the ambition to break dress codes by presenting exotic, unisex models inspired by the tailoring of their native environment. This year, Maison Casablanca returns to light up the catwalk with the For the Peace show, while Hed Mayner continues to revisit costume codes with ingenuity.
Charaf Tajer, at the intersection of several worlds
Charaf Tajer, winner of the LVMH 2020 prize, founded Casablanca in 2018. This collection is directly inspired by the Moroccan city where his parents met. Warm colors, pastel tones, oriental motifs... Morocco comes to life through the designer's models. At the intersection of several worlds - his native country, Belleville where he grew up, the United States where he travels... - the Moroccan designer reflects multiculturalism in his creations. “I come from different backgrounds, just like Casa. Its name is Spanish, its country is Muslim, its continent is African, and it is also a former French colony”.
The city as identity — Casablanca runs through Charaf Tajer's veins. It's reminiscent of the eminent photographer Erwin Blumenfeld, who wrote in his memoirs — “in America, I'm not an American, I'm a New Yorker; in Germany, I'm not a German, I'm a Berliner”. The Harper's Bazaar photographer also lived in Morocco. Coincidence ? Great minds think alike, even a century apart.
Le Levant inspire Hed Mayner et Dany Atrache
Exoticism is still in the spotlight when Hed Mayner's models hit the runway. Already at his Spring-Summer 2020 show, sandblasted tunics and jellabas re-visited as shirts brought the atmosphere and warmth of the Middle East back to Paris. Originally from Amuka in northern Israel, the man who received the Karl Lagerfield Prize in 2019 remains faithful to his origins. With collections that draw on the world of traditional Orthodox Jewish tailoring, the Israeli stylist recalls the fundamental principles of tsniut. Elegance is of the utmost importance in Judaism. Synonymous with dignity and respect for others, this religious principle applies to both wardrobe and behavior.
Playing with the codes of tsniut, Hed Mayner dresses his silhouettes in exaggeratedly voluminous satin tuxedos. In this way, he materializes the spirituality of a long biblical tradition that continues to envelop him, like a thick coat. Not far away, Dany Atrache's signature is costume and the meeting of East and West. Although absent from this 2023 edition, this great Lebanese couturier remains a fashion icon. He dresses the Arab world's princesses and celebrities, drawing inspiration from the tapestries of his Lebanese culture.
Across the miles that separate Paris from Casablanca, Tel Aviv and Beirut, the travel designers bring back with them the landscapes, people and customs of the Mediterranean region.
Sources:
https://www.vogue.fr/vogue-hommes/article/qui-est-hed-mayner-laureat-du-prix-karl-lagerfeld https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/podcasts/talmudiques/erwin-blumenfeld-au-dela-de-la mode-3488600-"Erwin-Blumenfeld-au-delà-de-la-mode"
https://www.instagram.com/p/Clv5Fs_IjaO/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D
https://parisfashionweek.fhcm.paris/fr/arab-designers-in-paris-at-tranoi/
https://femmedinfluence.fr/citations-createurs-mode/
https://www.liberation.fr/portraits/charaf-tajer-costard
xxxl-20220222_JDJASQFSI5FJ5CKJYJOR5WEFIU/
https://luxe.net/hed-mayner-automne-hiver-2023-tailoring-disproportionne-pour-plus-de-comfort/
Bahrain — the new e-passport lowers all barriers
The Bahraini e-passport was recently unveiled. In the presence of the Minister of Transport and Finance, Interior Minister Rashid Ben Abdullah Al Khalifa indicated that the purpose of this document was to offer a modernized range of services to local residents and their travels, well beyond the shores of the Persian Gulf.
Going digital — for an easier, safer and cooler travel
Approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), of which Bahrain is a member, this electronic solution reflects a genuine turning point in globalization, that is to say — the acceleration of flows. For all e-passport enthusiasts, immigration procedures will be greatly simplified — faster visa issuance, fewer checkpoints at the airport, and reduced risk of theft or loss…
This innovation was only made possible by tighter controls on the confidentiality of computer data. Aware of the risk of piracy or counterfeiting, Manama has not skimped on security. The prototype was entrusted to American company HID Global, specialized in the design of secure identity products. The Bahraini e-passport model includes a sim card containing the user's personal and biometric information which drastically limite fraud attempts. The visa pages, were designed by Blue Line Technologies, another American design company. The passport is currently being assembled and printed by specialist firms in Germany and Poland. Much more than an administrative update, the arrival of the e-passeport in Bahrain reflects a dynamic of greater cooperation with the West.
The new Bahraini passport mingles both tradition and modernity
Collin Howell, designer at HID Global, emphasized the close collaboration between the kingdom's authorities and American digital designers. After 12 months of development, the final result is pretty impressive. Tactile effects, color portraits, and animations... The choice of content is worth analysing for this document is the fruit of lengthy iconographic reflection. The country's culture, heritage and assets are presented, page after page, like a history book.
Each page of the visa shows original design elements associated with different field, namely — tourism, transport, religion, nature, and science... The most striking effect lies in the sublime image of a galloping stallion which pops out of the passport as soon as you touch it. This animal symbolizes one of the country's proudest achievements — Sakhir racecourse, which hosts the world's greatest races. That combination between tradition and modernity reflects the richness and diversity of Bahrain.
“The principles are clear — we want to develop faster than the rest of the world”
Physical, mental and now administrative barriers become more and more thiner. What better way to encourage people to enjoy a little more travel and discover other cultures ? By 2024, the ICAO forecasts an increase in passenger numbers of around 4% compared to the figures recorded in December 2019.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has clearly understood the importance of trans-spatiality for its growth. As global air traffic recovers from its pre-pandemic paralysis, the Gulf country steps away of its insularity thanks to tourism. Since the turbulence of 2011, Bahrain has been trying economic and fiscal reforms to improve its competitiveness. In this respect, the implementation of the e-passport fulfils a dual ambition. First of all, it has got to improve the mobility of citizens, and second of all, it has to encourage international travellers to come and visit the country. In order to support the new e- passport, Manama has taken on the task of building a new terminal international airport, with a capacity of 14 million passengers a year. Khaled Ibrahim Houmaidane, Director General of the Economic Development Council emphasized the strategic importance of e-passports. “The principles are clear — we want to develop faster than the rest of the world”.
While 25 years ago, Bahrain would be a simple transit point between Europe and Asia, this exotic destination is now likely to become an attractive place for a stay. As a matter of fact, tourism sector is expected to contribute 11.4% of GDP. Currently normalising its relations to Israel and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain could already count on the arrival of these two neighbors. For a country whose etymology means “the two seas”, the technological and touristic opportunities brought by the e-passport are perhaps a bridge that will connect all the edges of the region and beyond.
Sources :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghdStaLDu2U
https://www.newsofbahrain.com/bahrain/88794.html
https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/statistiques-du-trafic-aerien
https://www.muscatdaily.com/2022/11/24/ugandan-diaspora-in-oman-instructed-to-get-new-e passports/
https://www.chronicle.co.zw/e-passport-centres-to-increase-to-14/
https://www.easyvoyage.com/bahrein/les-traditions-nomades-302
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahreïn
Sharing our winter lights
This winter, while Frank Sinatra and Mariah Carey are spinning in our heads, the streets are lit up to welcome the festive season. As we plunge into the cold and darkness, the three monotheistic faiths give pride of place to lights. Each community enhances the illumination of street lamps and wall decorations with candles, ancestral rites and traditional dishes...
Christmas, Mawlid, Hanukkah...
The date of December 25th is well known to all. Christmas is a time for families to gather around a sumptuous meal. With its cribs, Christmas tree and midnight mass, this is also a celebration of light. A symbol of wisdom, tolerance and discernment, light is never taken for granted. The candle remains a key decorative element, echoing the birth of Jesus, who is said to have inaugurated “the light of the world”.
In Hebrew tradition, light is both an ideal and a struggle. It is said that in the 2nd century BC, Judah Maccabe fought the Seleucids in the hope of rekindling the Menorah in the sacred Temple. In memory of this event, Jewish families light the Hanukiah (9-branch candelabra) for 8 days from Kislev 25. During this long-awaited week, oil-coated doughnuts are served in abundance, while children spin spinning tops and unwrap their gifts, and candles and electric garlands light up homes and mosques in predominantly Sunni Muslim countries. Mawlid, the birth of the Prophet, is celebrated on 12 Rabi'Al Awwal in the Hegira calendar. This public holiday in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and the United Arab Emirates commemorates the pre-existence of the prophetic light “nûr muhammadî" through which the world was created. In the evening, families gather around a family meal featuring regional specialties — couscous, tamina, rechta…
Globalization of festivities — Christmas markets, a boon for retailers the world over
Is Christmas a commercial holiday ? It sure is ! In Casablanca, the kingdom's economic capital the kingdom's economic capital are also looking forward to December. The General Manager of e-commerce platform avito.ma, Zakaria Ghassouli, noted a sales of his consoles had risen by 20% compared to the annual average, as the in the run-up to the arrival of “Baba Noel” (as Moroccan children call him). While the Morrocco Mall is packed with entertainment and shows, shoppers are crowding to buy gifts, delicacies and the famous “Nordman” Christmas tree — a rare conifer species, in great demand and selling for 1,200 Moroccan dirhams.
The influence of globalization on the cultural and festive events that punctuate our year is obvious. In Saudi Arabia, which is increasingly open to the outside world, it has become commonplace to celebrate Christmas. In the district of Jeddah, the melody of the jingle “All I want for Christmas is you" escapes from a bakery. Ten years ago, this would have been a scarcely believable statement, but since 2016, with the Vision 2030 initiative unveiled by Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the Gulf Kingdom has been sharing its festivities with the rest of the world. Globalization is accompanied by the rise of urbanization. This phenomenon encourages the meeting* - not the "clash*" - of cultures. Since the 1980s, the Loubavtich movement has organized annual Hanukkah celebrations in public spaces around the world. This initiative temporarily blurs the boundaries between the world of ultra-Orthodoxy and the urban world. Hanukkah in the city is tantamount to imbuing it with the ceremony, and vice versa. In the southern Sahara, the Mawlid holiday is also celebrated in public spaces, with children singing in the streets while rigorously executing a very specific choreography.
“We remember that light always wins over darkness”
Druze woman at a Christmas market in Hanukiah installed every year at the entrance to the
Nazareth. Credits: @IsraelenFrance
Be it a Christmas, Mawlid or Hanukkah miracle, in Haifa stands a sparkling fir tree right next to a menorah and a crescent moon. Every year, this city in northern Israel hosts the end-of-year festivities in the unique atmosphere of the Hag HaHagim (holiday festival) instituted by the Beit Hagefen Arab-Jewish cultural center. Every year, this event brings together all city dwellers around its Christmas market. Jews, Arabs and Christians celebrate together. The same is true of Nazareth, where the Druze also take part in the festivities. In the light of joy, laughter and song, cohesion becomes a reality. Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Islamic World League, reminded us in an interview — “Islam does not forbid Muslims from exchanging Christmas greetings with Christians”. At the other end of the hemisphere, a similar message of hope shone from the White House. On December 19, the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, lit the first Hanukkah candle with her Jewish husband. “This is a special time in our house. We remember that light always wins over darkness”. This confidence takes on its full meaning in the light of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. This candelabra is a strong marker where, 80 years earlier, the flags of the Third Reich flew. “It's very symbolic to be here at the Brandenburg Gate, which on the one hand symbolizes Germany's greatest moments, and on the other, its darkest, to celebrate Hanukkah together”, declared Culture Minister Monika Grutiers in 2015, and so the vision of this glittering Menorah can be understood as a response to Elie Wiesel's Night — after the darkest years in human history, the day finally dawns.
Sources:
https://instagram.com/israel.en.france?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
https://www.cairn.info/revue-archives-de-sciences-sociales-des-religions-2017-2-page-177.htm https://www.cairn.info/revue-archives-de-sciences-sociales-des-religions-2017-1-page-51.htm? contenu=resume
https://www.letemps.ch/opinions/noel-2022-nuit-lumiere
https://lphinfo.com/kamala-harris-a-allume-la-hanoukia-avec-son-mari/
https://www.arabnews.fr/node/328996/monde-arabe
https://www.arabnews.fr/node/328876/monde-arabe
https://www.rtl.fr/actu/debats-societe/hanouka-2022-que-celebrent-les-juifs-lors-de-la-fete-des lumieres-7900216951
https://www.ohmymag.com/news/mawlid-an-nabi-dates-traditions-origines-tout-savoir-sur-cette-fete musulmane_art153121.html
https://www.arabnews.fr/node/328876/monde-arabe
https://www.i24news.tv/fr/actu/international/moyen-orient/1672064714-rien-dans-l-islam-n-interdit-d echanger-des-voeux-de-noel-secretaire-general-de-la-ligue-islamique-mondiale
https://fr.timesofisrael.com/des-refugies-syriens-se-joignent-a-lallumage-des-bougies-de-hanoukka-a-berlin/ https://aujourdhui.ma/actualite/saison-des-fetes-des-surprises-attrayantes-concoctees-par-le-morocco-mall (photographie)
Levantine Cuisine : a mezze of cultures in your plate
Closely related to Mediterranean cuisine, Levantine cuisine is characterized by spice blends and flavorful seasonings, based on olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs. These simple ingredients, cooked to perfection, are served with generosity. You'll find them in colorful dishes, sprinkled with zaatar, sumac, pomegranate seeds and coriander.
These are the mainstays of Levantine cuisine, with recipes straight from the Middle East — Chakchouka, Roasted Cauliflower, Baba Ganousch, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Chawarama, Falafel and Hummus… The great thing about this cuisine is that it's accessible to all, vegetarians, flexitarians, vegans and so on, there's something for everyone. But above all, cuisine that's all about sharing, with mezzes, large dishes, big tables and great diversity on the plate.
Still little-known 10 years ago, Levantine or more generally Mediterranean cuisine, has undergone a major boom, spurred on by a handful of chefs social networking stars or authors of best-selling books, such as the famous Anglo-Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, who is behind the tidal wave of Oriental flavors in the West, chef Assaf Granit, the 1st Israeli chef to receive a star in the Michelin Guide in 2021, and Franco-Lebanese chef Alan Geam, also a Michelin-starred chef.
True success stories for these citizens of the world, who invite us to share a lot of flavors in dishes that tell the story of their backgrounds, traditions and identities, in which cultures that have always coexisted are intertwined.
Focus on the chefs
Yotam Ottolenghi
Yotam Assaf Ottolenghi was born on December 14, 1968 in Jerusalem.
After completing his military service in Israel as an intelligence officer and obtaining a Master degree in comparative literature at Tel Aviv University, he moved to Amsterdam with his partner in the hope of earning a PhD in comparative literature, only to change course and go on to study French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in London. He then became head pastry chef at three London restaurants. Then, in 1999, he made the decisive encounter with Sami Tamimi, a Palestinian chef who grew up in the Old City of Jerusalem. Together, the duo founded the Ottolenghi delicatessen in the Notting Hill district and offer inventive dishes, mainly based on vegetables cooked with local spices such as zaatar, rosewater and pomegranate molasses. The Ottolenghi brand expands and two new grocery stores are opened in Kensington and Belgravia, followed by a restaurant in Islington, the NOPI brasserie in Soho and finally Rovi, a vegetable restaurant that opened in 2018 in Fitzrovia.
The Israeli-English chef embodies both a political revolution (successful association with Arab-Israeli chef Sami Tamimi), sociological (gay, married with two children) and gastronomic, bringing together c e n t u r i e s o f E a s t e r n , E u r o p e a n a n d Mediterranean influences. He is also the author of culinary bestsellers whose success is based on an ultra-polished aesthetic. His recipes are often plant-based, in which he celebrates vegetables and simplicity.
The Chef's emblematic recipes
Assaf Granit
“I was born and raised in Jerusalem and I love this city”. These are the words of chef Assaf Granit website, who seduces the whole of Paris with Levantine flavors thanks to his Shabour, Balagan and, more recently, Tekés. In his family, cooking is handed down from grandmother to grandmother and, under the toque of this Israelite chef. For, if the Holy City inspires this accomplished chef at the helm of 14 establishments, it's because it's home to an immensity of diverse cultures. Moroccan, Yemeni, European... A multitude of culinary traditions from here and abroad and elsewhere that have nurtured his cosmopolitan universe. He says he remembers his grandmother, he cooks with his windows open, and talks with his neighbors about recipes from origins. This openness to the world is undoubtedly the foundation on which the creativity of great cooks.
Self-taught, Assaf Granit launched himself into the world of gastronomy, working in the kitchens of Jerusalemite and European restaurants before opening his first restaurant in the City of David. The Israeli serial chef soon opened two restaurants in London, five in his native country, and now boasts three Parisian restaurants, including Shabour, which will be awarded a Michelin star in January 2021, always surrounded by his Dan Yosha, Uri Navon and Tomer Lanzman. He recently inaugurated Tekés, a new rendez-vous where nature, emotion and roots resonate. His magic formula: "Give back to the earth what it has been kind enough to offer", by making plants the star of the plate. He revisits it, exploits it, perfumes it, but above all, handles it with love and respect. In this new restaurant, the flame sparks in the eyes of diners — open kitchen and ancestral cooking, offering an unforgettable olfactory spectacle. Until now, but this month the restaurant will offer a lunch break, a take-away and a juice and cocktail bar. A moment of exile memories of the chef who has made his origins his culinary trademark.
The signature recipe
Alan Geaam
Alan Geaam is a chef who commands admiration. Born on January 1, 1974 in Monrovia (Liberia), he had a troubled childhood. From the age of 4, his Lebanese parents decided to flee the country, which was hit by a coup. In Lebanon, the civil war was also in full swing. "We lived half in the house and half in the cellar we used as a shelter during the bombings", he confides. Fortunately, his mother's cooking cheered him up, with delicious dishes for the whole family. When he was awarded his first Michelin star in 2018, Alan Geaam hardly dared to believe it. “It's not just all about the American dream”, says this smiling, affable chef, adding — “Me, I lived the French dream."
And yet, his beginnings were fraught with difficulties. In 1999, after completing his schooling in the United States, where a large part of his family is expatriate, he arrived in Paris with 200 francs in his pocket. He found himself on the streets, sleeping on the benches of the Champ de Mars. He and self-taught French and cookery, devouring books by the great French chefs he discovered on TV shows. He found a job as a dishwasher at a Lebanese caterer, replacing the cook one day when the latter didn't show up. A real stroke of luck. A vocation was born. In 2007, Alan Geaam became a genuine alchemist of flavors between East and West and retook the restaurant of another renowned alchemist, Nicolas Flamel. Today, Alan Geaam is the Michelin-starred chef of his eponymous restaurant AG Les Halles and owner of several Qasti bistros, dedicated to Lebanese cuisine in Paris.
Alan Geaam's cuisine is not complicated. It's a clear, precise French cuisine in which he injects a few notes and flavors from the gastronomy of the Cedar country. A nicely revisited falafel, a perfectly cooked tuna with ultra-fresh, and duck lacquered with carot juice and vanilla vegetables.
The chef's signature dishes
The incredible destiny of Fayce
She decided to enroll her son in the French Jewish school "Narcisse Leven", a mixed school open to all denominations, so that he could receive an education that would enable him to study in France. He learned Hebrew and even wore a yarmulke.
After passing his baccalaureate at Maïmonides High, he tried to enter the medical universities in France, but was turned down. He then naturally applied to an engineering school in Tel Aviv, Israel, as did all his high school classmates, and was accepted.
At the age of 18, he discovered Israeli society. He met the Israeli Arab community, where his presence was misunderstood and disturbing. Questions swarmed around him — Why had he chosen to study in Israel ? How is it possible to have attended a Jewish school in a Muslim country ? These were questions that Fayce had never really asked himself, given the natural harmony between the Jewish and Muslim communities in his country, which had existed for generations. From that moment on, Fayce began to become aware of the problems of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On July 2, 2001, he narrowly escaped the attack on the dolphinarium discotheque in Tel Aviv, which claimed the lives of 21 Israelis and wounded 120 others. For the first time, the young Moroccan was confronted with terrorism, just like his Israeli friends. This tragedy will mark him forever. With his diploma in hand, he landed a job at a high-tech company in Tel Aviv. He settled down with his Israeli fiancée, spoke fluent Hebrew and felt perfectly integrated.
“When a Moroccan Jew expatriates, Morocco loses a citizen but gains an ambassador” — His Majesty the late King Hassan II.
In December 2020, the Abraham Accords were signed between Morocco and Israel, and Fayce seized this wonderful opportunity with his childhood friends, the Moroccan-Israeli Jewish brothers Richard and Samy Ohayon. Together, they set up Tammar Invest, a company whose aim is to bring together Moroccan and Israeli companies wishing to invest in both countries, to set up partnerships in the high-tech sector, but not only, and also to enable Israeli companies to open an entity in Morocco to make their country a springboard to Africa and the sub-Saharan countries.
This example of fraternity is particularly inherent to Moroccan society, where the foundations of Jewish-Muslim relations lie in the deep-rooted Jewish communities in the country, allegiance to the same sovereign and reciprocal religious influences. The presence of Jews in the country dates back over 2,000 years, and their members had the status of "dhimmis" (canonically protected under Islamic stipulations).
No difference between the king's subjects.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI has never ceased to show his concern for Moroccan Jews, wherever they may be.
The Kingdom's Constitution, adopted in 2011, inspires great pride and strengthens their sense of belonging. In his speech on August 20, on the occasion of the King and People's Revolution Day, the King placed particular emphasis on provisions that demonstrate the importance attached to the Jewish component of the Moroccan population.
Like his father, the late King Hassan II, who advocated inter-community harmony between Muslim and Jewish citizens. We recall his role in the search for a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as his participation in the resolutions of various Arab and Islamic summits. And like his father before him, the late King Mohammed V, who opposed the implementation of Vichy's racial laws during the Second World War. In the collective memory of Moroccan Jews, the sovereign will forever remain the protector who enabled them to escape the Shoah in which millions of their co-religionists in Europe were exterminated. The Moroccan people, whether Jews or Muslims, have always been attached to their
Moroccan identity, as well as to the values of openness, moderation, tolerance and dialogue for mutual understanding between all the world's cultures and civilizations.
In unison: Uniting voices to unite hearts
Music is a universal language that needs no translation. It is the strongest vector for conveying emotions, speaking to the soul and touching consciences.
In recent years, acts of hatred, racism and anti-Semitism have been on the increase in France and around the world. Faced with the horror and violence that have invaded our streets and our daily lives, barriers have been created between different populations, out of a security reflex.
So how do we get together and communicate with each other in a climate of trust and sharing?
For generations of people from diverse backgrounds, whose national borders remain closed to one another, music is a means of building bridges and bringing them together. It softens hearts and resentments. It transcends fears and prejudices. It penetrates the soul, making anything possible.
Many artists have naturally chosen to use music to bring people together, singing of hope and peace between peoples.
In unison, and mixing their styles, they succeeded in coming together, putting aside their differences, to proclaim with one voice the need for peace in the hearts.
A project with three voices and a thousand paths
They didn't know each other before, yet they sing lyrics filled with love, respect and cohesion.
Between them, they embody a large part of humanity.
The "Ensemble" trio of singers, made up of three men of faith: Farid Abdelkrim, a committed Muslim comedian and actor, Philippe Darmon, a cantor in a Paris synagogue, and Matthieu de Laubier, a Catholic priest, share their voices on the same album entitled "Liberté" to celebrate and inspire living together and tolerance. They are three voices, three traditions, three people in a single brotherhood.
An ambitious artistic project, which might have seemed angelic, but whose symbolic force is important since it brings together people from the three great monotheistic religions in the service of inter-religious dialogue, in an era troubled by the resurgence of fanaticism and terrorism.
The voices of the three singers intermingle in a soothing symphony in unison, extolling the humanist values common to the Torah, the Bible and the Koran: "This is my faith, my hope, my love, my joy," for "if a sky divides men, the Earth unites them."
A single voice for commitment
Like these two singers, one Jewish-Israeli, the other Arab-Israeli, Noa and Mira Awad are militant ambassadors for a dialogue of peace and hope in the Middle East.
The singers first teamed up in 2002, at the height of the second Palestinian intifada, to address dialogue through their recorded version of the Beatles song "We Can Work It Out", which was performed in both Arabic and Hebrew. A few years later, in 2009, the duo was chosen to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "There must be another way".
Although the two women come from very different backgrounds, their courageous and determined commitment illustrates the efforts of many organizations in Israel to promote peace and cooperation through joint projects such as economic development centers, extra-curricular sports and bilingual and bicultural schools.
"Everyone is responsible for putting in their two cents for peace and coexistence. Our contribution is music," says Noa of the singing duo "We have a real friendship. Of course, we argue. But the beautiful thing is that we offer an example of what coexistence could look like."
Joining forces to soothe
They gathered in the courtyard of the Invalides, for the national tribute ceremony to the victims of the November 13, 2015 attacks, which claimed the lives of 131 people and left 350 injured.
The trio of singers from different backgrounds and with very distinct vocal timbres - Nolwenn Leroy, the Breton, Camélia Jordana, the granddaughter of Algerian immigrants, and Yael Naim, the Franco-Israeli - covered Jacques Brel's iconic song "Quand on n'a que l'amour".
Together, with their soft, strong, hoarse voices and pacifist lyrics, they responded to the terrorists who have plunged Paris into mourning and sought to destroy the cohesion of French society.
In unison, they united their voices to respond to violence and barbarism. Singing so as not to remain silent.
Singing to soothe resentment, the desire for revenge and the rejection of others. Singing to touch the soul and remind us of the absolute necessity of fraternity. Together they set an example of unity in the face of horror, whatever their origins
or religious convictions.
Our differences, our wealth
They're different but similar, they share a common history and values, and they all have the same goal: to show that understanding is possible, and that setting an example is all it takes to inspire.
They came together on stage in Paris in January 2015, in reaction to the heavy attacks that struck France, around a symbolic track entitled "Pourquoi ne pas y croire..."
The lyrics are all the more meaningful when written and sung by an eclectic trio of French, Moroccan and Israeli singers. On this occasion, singers Patrick Bruel, Youness Elguezouli and Idan Raichel have committed themselves to advancing history and writing it together with a universal song performed in French, Arabic and
Hebrew.
Bruel's bold choice of Raichel, a Jewish-Israeli singer renowned for his cross- cultural collaborations that have changed the face of popular Israeli music by portraying a young, tolerant, multi-ethnic Israel, and Raï star Youness, a popular Moroccan-Muslim singer, to perform this song full of hope and fraternity perfectly illustrates the desire to embark on the path of dialogue and peace.
Music is a marvellous instrument for making one's voice heard and expressing one's feelings. Using it to help raise awareness, engage in dialogue, and advocate understanding and coexistence is the noblest way to resist violence.