Latest news with #KonradAdenauerFoundation
DW
4 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
Are Jordan and Saudi Arabia defending Israel? – DW – 06/21/2025
Jordan shot down Iranian missiles and drones crossing overhead and Saudi Arabia likely allowed Israel to use its airspace to do so. That's despite both expressing opposition to Israel's attacks on Iran in public. The 21 Arab and Muslim-majority countries made it clear where they stood in the Iran-Israel conflict. In a statement published earlier this week, they expressed their "categorical rejection and condemnation of Israel's recent attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran," which started on June 13. The countries spoke of the need to halt "Israeli hostilities against Iran" and expressed "great concern regarding this dangerous escalation, which threatens to have serious consequences on the peace and stability of the entire region." The signatories included both Jordan and Saudi Arabia. But their stated opposition to Israel's attacks on Iran has not prevented them from intervening in the conflict, at least indirectly. Jordan, for example, has shot down missiles flying from Iran towards Israel. The Jordanian military confirmed they had done this in a statement, explaining that missiles and drones could have fallen onto Jordan, "including in populated areas, causing casualties." As with any other sovereign state, missiles or other unauthorized objects crossing a country's airspace are often deemed violations of either domestic or international law. The Saudi Arabians have not issued a similar statement, but experts say it's likely they've allowed Israel to shoot missiles down in their airspace and may have cooperated on surveillance too. But just as it has done in the recent past, this kind of military action could cause domestic tensions. Among the people of both nations, there is a historical antipathy towards Israel based on past wars and conflicts. That's especially true for Jordan, where at least one in five locals, including the country's queen, are of Palestinian descent. It's difficult for Jordan's government to justify shooting down Iranian missiles headed for Israel, which is why the explanation of self-defense was given. "This message — 'we are only defending ourselves' — is being repeated on all channels," says Edmund Ratka, head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's office in Amman, Jordan. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ratka says this is also due to the Jordanian political scene at the moment. In April, the country's government banned the country's largest political opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, over connections to an alleged plot to destabilize the country. "The [ban] seems carefully calibrated and intended to stem rising popular support for the [Muslim brotherhood] movement as the kingdom navigates a difficult regional backdrop," Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow with British think tank Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa program, wrote at the time, as well as "undermine its growing appeal among a population incensed by Israel's war in Gaza." This makes it all the more important for the Jordanian government to make sure that taking down Iranian missiles is not seen as solidarity with Israel, says Stefan Lukas, founder of the Germany-based consultancy, Middle East Minds. "Still, the decision [to do so] further escalates tensions," he told DW. There's no way Jordan wants to be seen as defending Israel, Ratka confirms, "Because the Jordanian people largely perceive Israel as the aggressor." But, he adds, they feel the same about Iran, too. "We regularly conduct surveys in Jordan, and for years, they've shown there isn't much sympathy for Iran in Jordan," Ratka noted. "Because Iran is seen as a state that repeatedly interferes in Arab affairs with the intent to destabilize." Jordan also has other reasons for shooting down the Iranian missiles, Lukas says. Jordan can't directly oppose the US, he says, referring to a 2021 defense cooperation agreement between the US and Jordan, which allows US forces, vehicles and aircraft to enter and move around Jordan freely. Jordan "is far too dependent on the US and, to some extent, on Israel too — both financially and in terms of security policy." It's a difficult argument for the Jordanians to make. If they were that concerned about protecting domestic airspace, then the government would have to protest the presence of Israeli forces overhead, too. As Ratka points out, though, Israel hasn't violated Jordanian airspace with its attacks on Iran. "So the Jordanian leadership can, with some justification, claim it would combat any airspace violation," he says. "Even if, in fact, it's only fighting the Iranians." Saudi Arabia is also in a tricky spot. It signed the same declaration as 20 other Arab and Muslim-majority countries did, and even before that, had referred to Iran as a "brotherly nation" in a statement condemning Israeli attacks on the nation of around 92 million. The use of the word "brotherly" was seen as noteworthy by analysts because it's usually reserved for fellow Arab-majority countries, whereas the Iranians are mostly Persians. But beyond the official rhetoric, Saudi Arabia is pursuing a completely different course, Lukas says. "Unofficially, Saudi Arabia is participating in the action against Iran," he confirms. There's security cooperation between the Saudis and Israelis, Lukas states. "Saudi Arabia provides radar data and tolerates [airspace] access by Israeli aircraft, especially in the northern part of the country where Iranian missiles primarily fly through. We've seen that Saudi Arabia is actually very accommodating to Israel." Saudi Arabia also depends heavily on the US for security, especially during years of antipathy toward Iran. Although the two nations recently reconciled, their relationship is still delicate. Saudi Arabia would likely turn to the US for protection when in doubt.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ghana lost $11bn due to gold smuggling
Ghana's gold sector has revealed a substantial trade gap that has led to an estimated loss of $11bn (112.99bn cedis) due to smuggling activities, reported Reuters, citing a Swissaid report. Most of the smuggled gold is believed to be flowing into the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly Dubai. The report uncovered a 229 tonne (t) trade gap in Ghana's gold exports between 2019 and 2023, amounting to $11.4bn. This discrepancy highlights the challenges faced by the country's artisanal gold mining sector and the impact on revenue. Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, commented on the issue, stating that gold carried by hand does not need to be declared in Dubai, which contributes to the smuggling problem. According to the report, Ghanaian gold is often smuggled to Togo before reaching Dubai, while some also passes through Burkina Faso into Mali. A senior official at Ghana's Minerals Commission acknowledged the findings as "a notorious fact". The Ghanaian Finance Ministry has yet to respond to the report. The Swissaid report also criticised a 3% withholding tax on artisanal gold exports introduced in 2019, which led to a decline in declared exports and a rise in smuggling. The subsequent reduction of the tax to 1.5% in 2022 and its elimination in March 2023 by the finance minister have resulted in a partial reversal of this trend and an increase in artisanal exports. The report estimates that 34t of Ghana's 2023 gold production went undeclared, roughly equivalent to the total recorded artisanal production for the year. Additionally, the Ghanaian Government is aiming to double output from small-scale and artisanal mining operations, anticipating annual revenues of 139.41bn cedis from this sector. "Ghana lost $11bn due to gold smuggling – Swissaid report" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Ghana has lost $11 billion to gold smuggling, links to UAE, report finds
DAKAR, June 16 (Reuters) - Ghana is losing billions of dollars in revenue annually to smuggling from its booming artisanal gold mining sector with much of the gold flowing to the United Arab Emirates, according to a report by nonprofit Swissaid. The report found a staggering 229 metric ton trade gap, equivalent to $11.4 billion, between Ghana's gold exports and corresponding imports over just five years, with most of the smuggled gold ending up in Dubai. "This is just the tip of the iceberg," said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation, who analyses insurgency and artisanal mining operations in the region. "Hand-carried gold does not have to be declared in Dubai ... informal gold is mostly brought in on flights," highlighting other opaque ways Africa's gold is smuggled into the UAE. The Swissaid report said Ghana's gold is largely smuggled to Togo before ending up in Dubai while some bullion passes through Burkina Faso into Mali, using porous borders. A senior official at Ghana's regulatory Minerals Commission described Swissaid's findings as "a notorious fact". Ghana's finance ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The report noted how a 3% withholding tax on artisanal gold exports imposed by Africa's top gold producer in 2019 backfired dramatically, as declared exports collapsed while smuggling surged. The government's reduction of the tax to 1.5% in 2022 partially reversed the trend, with formal exports rebounding. In March, Ghana's finance minister scrapped the tax, subsequently praising policy reforms for a surge in artisanal exports this year. An estimated 34 tons of the country's 2023 gold output were undeclared – approximately the same amount recorded as the country's total artisanal production for that year, according to the Swissaid report released on June 11. Ghana earned $11.6 billion in revenue from gold exports last year and has stepped up reforms to centralise and clean up the trade. Its experience mirrors a continent-wide pattern where Africa's gold-producing nations consistently report lower exports than what importing countries, particularly the UAE, declare as receipts. Reforms, opens new tab by Dubai to curb gold smuggling have yielded limited results. Informal mining provides livelihoods for over 10 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a May UN report, but increasingly it serves as a funding channel for organised crime and armed conflict. "While the new government has shown some willingness to fix some governance issues that have bedeviled the gold sector for years, and which were largely ignored by the previous administration, its pace has been quite slow," said Bright Simons of Accra-based think tank Imani Center for Policy and Education.
Jordan News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
PM Discusses Youth Empowerment with Konrad Adenauer Foundation President - Jordan News
PM Discusses Youth Empowerment with Konrad Adenauer Foundation President Prime Minister Jafar Hassan received on Thursday the President of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and former President of the German Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, to review the Foundation's programs and ongoing cooperation in Jordan. اضافة اعلان The meeting focused on the Foundation's initiatives in Jordan, particularly those aimed at supporting and empowering youth and enhancing their participation in political life. Lammert emphasized the Foundation's commitment to continuing its work in Jordan through its local office and expressed interest in expanding its programs to benefit a wider segment of youth and civil society organizations. Petra
Jordan Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Prime Minister, Konrad Adenauer Foundation head discuss youth empowerment
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Thursday meet s with Norbert Lammert, chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and former president of the German Bundestag (Petra photo) AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Thursday met with Norbert Lammert, chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and former president of the German Bundestag. Discussions during the meeting centred on the foundation's programmes and initiatives in Jordan, particularly those aimed at empowering youth and encouraging their active engagement in political life, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Lammert underscored the foundation's long-standing presence in Jordan and reiterated its commitment to strengthening cooperation with national partners. He also stressed the importance of expanding outreach efforts to better support young people and civil society organisations across the Kingdom.
