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Federal National Council (FNC) president Abdelaziz Abdullah Al-Ghurair on 21 October called for “strengthening the role of the national council as a leading legislative and oversight authority”. He also asked for a more “clear and defined programme” on elections.
Air force to test homemade S-300, UH-60M deliveries, Apache fleet
Having seen off his estranged older half-brother Sheikh Khalid Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi in late October, new RAK ruler Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi has been settling in, appointing Sheikh Abdullah Bin Humaid Bin Abdullah Al-Qasimi as his new office director and Jihad Quzmar as legal advisor, while Fuwaz Abdullah Al-Tunaiji was named as Saud’s special secretary.
Chinese visit boosts ties
Spain seeks tank contract with Saudi Arabia; New UAE naval base opened to secure exports
Ras Al-Khaimah ruler Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi died on 27 October after a long illness. Sheikh Saqr, who was in his early 90s, took power in a bloodless coup in January 1948 and was thought to be one of the world’s longest-serving rulers.
Swedish arms manufacturers’ exports to Gulf states have been criticised after a string of deals by defence giant Saab. Saab’s most recent deal is a $669m contract to provide Saudi Arabia with the Saab 2000 Airborne Early Warning and Control system,
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan was in London for talks on 25 October with British Prime Minister David Cameron. Foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan has been on a tour of Asia. In Vietnam, he held talks with President Nguyen Minh Triet, prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung and foreign minister Pham Gia Khiem.
The fallout from the dispute between two major Saudi business families continues to concern creditors, regional banks and international monetary authorities. Conventional wisdom has it that issues surrounding the Al-Gosaibi/Maan Al-Sanea defaults will be resolved by the authorities. But the Saudi system’s slow public response to the situation was undermining confidence even before international courts got involved
A dispute between Canada and the UAE over air traffic has cast doubt over the future of the secretive Camp Mirage, believed to be at Al-Minhad airbase in Dubai, an important hub for Canadian operations in Afghanistan and home to some 2,900 troops.
The mandate for the current Federal National Council (FNC) expires in February, but there is still no news on whether the government plans to allow another election. Last week, several FNC members pressed the government to announce arrangements for the election of a new house, and to give the council more power. But the UAE’s ruling Supreme Council has failed to clarify the situation.
The UAE has lifted the ban on Canada-based Research in Motion (RIM)’s BlackBerry mobile phone services, which was due to be imposed on 11 October, saying the company was now in compliance with state regulatory law.
Allegations about Maan Al-Sanea were first made in the New York Supreme Court in a counter-claim after Ahmed Hamad Al-Gosaibi and Brothers (AHAB) was sued by the UAE-based Mashreq Bank, owned by the Al-Ghurair family, which claimed it was owed
A number of Brazilian officials have visited the Gulf in 2010, resulting in several bilateral business announcements. The latest visitor, defence minister Nelson Jobim, was in the UAE for talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince
Pakistan, In his father’s footsteps, Returns home after treatment, Regional UN meeting, China visit, US/Canadian security meetings, Dinner in New York
