ERDOĞAN SIGNALS TURN IN ECONOMIC POLICY
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan unveiled his new cabinet on June 3, and announced new finance, foreign and defence ministers, less than a week after clinching victory in a hotly contested runoff election. In a highly-anticipated appointment, Erdoğan appointed the internationally respected ex-banker Mehmet Simsek as treasury and finance minister. Simsek, an advocate of conventional economics, is highly regarded by the financial markets after serving as finance minister and deputy prime minister between 2009 and 2018. His appointment is aimed at tackling Türkiye’s cost-of-living crisis and could set the stage for interest rate hikes in the coming months, which could mark a turnaround from Erdoğan’s longstanding policy of slashing rates despite soaring inflation.
Speaking at his inauguration ceremony before the announcements, Erdoğan called on Turks to set aside their differences and focus on the future. “We will embrace all 85 million people, regardless of their political views, origins, creeds or sects,” he said at the event attended by high-level officials from 78 countries. “Türkiye needs unity and solidarity more than ever,” he added.
The cabinet reshuffle also saw the appointment of Cevdet Yilmaz, another orthodox economic manager, as vice president. Meanwhile, HakanFidan, Erdoğan’s intelligence chief and a former soldier, was named as new foreign minister. Meanwhile, Yasar Guler, chief of general staff of the Turkish armed forces, was announced as defence minister, replacing Hulusi Akar.
ALGERIA, MOROCCO URGED TO ENTER DIALOGUE
President of the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) Ali al-Qaradaghi has called for dialogue between regional rivals Algeria and Morocco to ease their tension, a report said on June 4. “We feel pain due to sedition between Algeria and Morocco,” al-Qaradaghi said on Twitter. “This sedition is meant to eliminate what is left of strength of the Islamic and Arab nation.” The prominent Islamic scholar appealed for both sides to ignore voices seeking to fuel the rift between the two neighbours. “There is no need for escalation. We are for dialogue and against rift,” al-Qaradaghi added.
Algeria-Morocco ties have been strained for decades against the backdrop of the disputed Western Sahara region between Rabat and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front. In August 2021, Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco, accusing Rabat of having “hostile tendencies,” an accusation denied by Moroccan authorities.
IRAQ, SYRIA DISCUSS TACKLING CROSS-BORDER DRUG TRADE
Iraq and Syria’s foreign ministers discussed ways to help end drug trafficking across their joint border at a meeting in Baghdad on June 4, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said. “Today we have discussed cooperation between Iraq and Syria to fight drug trade. It’s known that Iraq is a corridor for trafficking and regrettably drug consumption has begun in Iraqi society,” Hussein told a joint press conference with Syria’s Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, who arrived in Baghdad on June 3 for a two-day visit. Hussein said the humanitarian crisis of the Syrian refugees in Iraq, whom he estimated at around 250,000 people, was also part of the bilateral talks. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received a warm welcome at last month’s Arab League summit after Arab states agreed to reinstate Syria’s full membership of the league, after it was suspended for 12 years over Assad’s crackdown on protests against his regime. Arab states want him to curb a flourishing Syrian trade in narcotics, which are produced in Syria and smuggled across the region. The Syrian government denies any role in the trade.
26 TUNISIA RIGHTS GROUPS CALL FOR THE PROTECTION OF MIGRANTS
Tunisian associations and organisations advocating for human rights issued a joint statement on May 29, urging the government to protect migrants and eliminate discrimination against them. The statement was released by 26 human rights associations and organisations following the killing of a migrant and the injury of four others in an attack by Tunisian youths on a residence housing migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa in the city of Sfax last week, according to the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights. The signatories called upon the government to “assume its responsibilities in safeguarding migrants, regardless of their administrative status, and ensuring their physical and psychological well-being. They also demanded the elimination of all forms of discrimination and restrictions imposed on migrants, which aim to hinder and impede the recognition, enjoyment, and exercise of their rights.”
OMAR SARI HEADS STUDENTS’ COUNCIL AT AL NAJAH UNIVERSITY
The Deanship of Student Affairs at Al Najah University, one of Fatah’s strongholds in the occupied West Bank, on May 28 declared student Omar Sari, from Hamas students’ wing, head of university’s student council. Last week, the Islamic Bloc, Hamas’ student wing, won the majority of seats in the students’ council of Al Najah University. It is the first time that the Islamic Bloc wins the majority of seats of this students’ council at Al Najah University, where Hamas students have been and still being harassed and chased by the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupation. The Islamic Block won 40 seats against 38 for Fatah Youth and one for the students wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The Islamic Bloc holds six portfolios in the students’ council, Fatah Youth holds six portfolios and the Popular Front holds one portfolio.
AL-ITTIHAD CLINCHES SAUDI PRO LEAGUE TITLE
Al-Ittihad clinched the Saudi Pro League title for the first time since 2009 with a 3-0 win at Al-Feiha on May 28, eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr to the accolade. A third-minute strike by Ahmed Sharahili and two goals from Romarinho secured victory for Al-Ittihad, who made amends for losing the title on the final day of last season. The Jeddah club have 69 points, five more than Al-Nassr who drew 1-1 with Al-Ettifaq, with one round left to play. Saturday’s result sealed Al-Ittihad their ninth league title. Sharahili gave the visitors the perfect start, turning in Igor Coronado’s free-kick at the far post in the third minute. Romarinho headed in the second from another Coronado free kick during the first-half stoppage time. The Brazilian scored his second five minutes from the end. The result handed former Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers coach Nuno Espirito Santo his first top-flight league title.
QATAR ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF WHO EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board of the World Health Organisation (WHO) elected the State of Qatar as President of the Board at its 153rd session for a period of one year, the Qatar Peninsula reports. According to the report, the election is an acknowledgement by the Member States of the leading role played by the State of Qatar at the international level, and its strong support for the World Health Organisation in performing its mission of promoting health and wellness for all. The State of Qatar participated in the meetings of the World Health Assembly, which started in Geneva on May 21 and concluded on May 30. During the World Health Assembly meetings, the Qatari delegation headed by Her Excellency, Dr. Hanan Muhammad Al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, was elected to membership in the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation as a representative of the Eastern Mediterranean Region for three years, the report added.