Algeria hoping Sufi Muslims role in Arab Spring

Thursday, 15 September 2011

Global Arab Network - Sufi Muslims across North Africa must stand up for dignity and freedom so their mystical form of Islam can be heard in the lively debates over democracy in the Arab world, a leading Algerian Sufi master says.

The official Islam promoted by dictators who were swept away by Arab Spring revolts has failed and Muslims now need Sufi-style spirituality to promote brotherhood and unity, said Sheikh Khaled Bentounes, head of the Al' Alawiya Sufi order.

Arab leaders who do not guarantee universal values such as dignity and freedom risked being swept from office by a "tsunami" of youth protests, he told Reuters at his order's lodge in this coastal city 300 km (187 miles) west of Algiers.

"We need to open the doors of debate in our countries," said Bentounes, 62, whose order claims tens of thousands of followers in North Africa and Europe. "Let the Salafi, the Muslim Brother, the secularist, the agnostic and the Sufi speak freely and suggest solutions."

"Spirituality commits us to take the path of the good, of unity and brotherhood," he added.

SUFI-SALAFI TENSION

Although well-represented in the traditional Islam of North Africa, Sufis -- whose teaching stresses mysticism and love of God -- have been less visible in the Arab Spring uprisings than the conservative Muslim Brothers or the strict orthodox Salafis.

Sufis in Egypt have occasionally come under attack by Salafis, who consider them heretics for venerating saints and sometimes damage the shrines they maintain in their honor. Bentounes said Sufis should stand up to counter extremism.

"There are 13 million Sufis in Egypt and it's time for them to show what they can do to help implement democracy," he said.

Dressed in a traditional white gandoura robe, the sheikh said the young people driving the Arab Spring protests "can no longer live in a dictatorship."

"The rulers in the Arab world have no choice now but to guarantee dignity and freedom for young people," he said. "If they don't, they will be swept away by a tsunami (of protest)."

Bentounes, who has written several books on Sufism, criticized the official Islam long promoted in North Africa.

"Like everything else, Islam has become a consumer item. The Friday sermons of the imams are consumer items. They've failed," he said. "Conservative Sufism has also failed.

"What we need now is a Sufism in phase with universal values such as dignity and freedom for all," he said.

INVEST IN YOUTH

Bentounes has angered Algerian Salafis with his latest book "Sufism, A Common Inheritance" because its cover has a picture of the Prophet Mohammad. But the book is still on sale here.

The sheikh said Algeria, which has not been hit by the Arab Spring protests rocking neighboring countries but did see unrest early this year over pay and working conditions, should invest all its money on its youth.

"What is the most important resource in a country, its oil, its gas, its army -- or its youth?" he asked.

Responding to the unrest, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 74, has increased wages and offered free loans to millions of people in a strategy that is so far successful.

"The youth wants more space and hope. It is the duty of the government to meet these demands," Bentounes said. "Algeria cannot solve its problems on its own. It must accept the idea to create a bigger space to include all countries of the region." (Source: Reuters)

Global Arab Network

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011091512100/Culture/algeria-hoping-sufi-muslims-role-in-arab-spring.html.

Gulf countries offering development aid for Morocco and Jordan

George Haddad
Thursday, 15 September 2011

Global Arab Network - Gulf Arab countries plan to fund a five-year development aid program for Morocco and Jordan, aspiring members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) political and economic bloc, and the amount will be set in December, the GCC's chief said on Sunday.

Oil-exporting Gulf monarchies are seeking closer ties with Arab counterparts outside the Gulf to help contain pro-democracy unrest that is buffeting autocratic ruling elites throughout the Arab world, analysts say.

The six members of the GCC -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain -- said in May they would consider a request by the two Arab monarchies to join, but as yet few practical steps have been taken.

"There is a call for creating an economic development program for the two brotherly countries Jordan and Morocco," GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani said after a Gulf foreign ministers meeting in Jeddah.

"A recommendation on the size (of the aid) will be made and a decision taken by the heads of states of the GCC at their next summit (in December)," Zayani said of the five-year program.

Within the bloc, the richer Gulf countries have offered $10 billion each in development funds to Bahrain and Oman, where protesters took to the streets this year demanding reforms.

Bahrain, where a Sunni Muslim royal family has long ruled over a Shi'ite majority, crushed weeks of street protests in March calling for greater political freedoms, a constitutional monarchy and an end to sectarian discrimination.

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011091512099/Economics/gulf-countries-offering-development-aid-for-morocco-and-jordan.html.

Egypt, Turkey developing electricity and renewable energy cooperation

Ayman Khalil
Thursday, 15 September 2011

Global Arab Network - The Egyptian and Turkish ministries of energy signed a cooperation protocol.

The protocol comes in consolidation of the two countries' special friendly relationship and cooperation, Egyptian Electricity and Energy Minister Hassan Younis said after the signing ceremony.

It targets developing cooperation and increasing the exchange of know-how in the fields of electricity and renewable energy especially in such areas and operation methods, system maintenance, the making of technical and environmental feasibility studies, power network designing and database programming, he said.

The protocol also covers joint work to encourage investments and public-private partnerships in carrying out electricity and renewable energy projects in either of the two countries, he said

Deep, strategic relationship

Addressing the forum, Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Dr. Mahmoud Eissa said that the relationship between Egypt and Turkey is deep, strategic and considered a successful model of economic cooperation based on common interests.

the Egyptian government is fully aware of the difficulties facing men of industry and businessmen and the importance of their role in achieving prosperity and welfare in the coming stage.

He said the government and the Ministry of Industry are keen to eliminate the difficulties facing businessmen and in providing the atmosphere needed for attracting more investments and deepening cooperation between Egyptian and Turkish businessmen.

Coordination efforts and continuous consultation between Egypt and Turkey reflected positively on the volume of trade exchange as exceeded $ 3 billion in 2010 compared to 3.2 billion dollars in 2008, Eissa added.

He pointed out that the Egyptian-Turkish cooperation in the field of investment has witnessed a remarkable growth. Trade exchange diversified and increased to include textiles, automobiles, foodstuffs, construction, energy, and appliances.

Global Arab Network

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011091512097/Energy/egypt-turkey-developing-electricity-and-renewable-energy-cooperation.html.

Arab Spring: G8 pledging $38 billion to Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Jordan

Gamal Ragay
Thursday, 15 September 2011

Global Arab Network - Group of Eight finance chiefs pledged $38 billion on Saturday in financing to Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Jordan over 2011-13, widening a deal agreed in May and offering Libya the chance to partake too.

The IMF promised a further $35 billion in funding to countries affected by Arab Spring uprisings and formally recognised Libya's ruling interim council as a legitimate power, opening up access to a myriad of international lenders as the country looks to rebuild after a six-month war.

G8 chair France said the figure agreed at talks in the Mediterranean port of Marseille was roughly double a sum agreed in May, when the eight economic powers met in the northern French seaside town of Deauville. In Marseille, the original Arab Spring partnership was extended to Jordan and Morocco.

Finance Minister Francois Baroin said that Libya, whose National Transitional Council was represented at the talks, had also been invited to join the so-called Deauville Partnership.

"The institutions pledged to increase their financial network to $38 billion compared with the $20 billion pledged at Deauville," Baroin told a news conference. "These are not just words, an important step was taken this morning."

Getting IMF recognition is significant for Libya's interim leaders as it means international development banks and donors such as the World Bank can now offer financing.

"Libya attended this meeting as an observer and I'm very pleased to report that the IMF now recognises the interim governing council as the official government of Libya," IMF chief Christine Lagarde told a separate news conference.

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011091512098/Economics/arab-spring-g8-pledging-38-billion-to-tunisia-egypt-morocco-and-jordan.html.

GCC single currency on track: Saudi central bank

Issac John / 16 September 2011

DUBAI — The launch of the Gulf single currency, which had been delayed following the withdrawal of the UAE and Oman, is on track, Saudi Arabia’s Central Bank Governor Muhammad Al Jasser said.
Al Jasser said on the sidelines of a meeting of Arab central bank governors in Doha that the economic conditions in the Gulf are “excellent” for forming a monetary union and that a plan to launch a Gulf single currency was on track.

“There was no postponement, and I have said from the beginning that there will not be a specific date [for the single currency launch]... the economic situation in our countries is excellent and nothing is delaying the currency,” he was quoted as saying. The UAE and Oman have withdrawn from the Gulf single currency plan. The UAE abandoned the plan in May 2009 withdrawing in protest against placing the forerunner of the future joint central bank in Riyadh.

The Institute of International Finance, or IIF, has pointed out that a monetary union between the other four countries of the GCC would be delayed due to a lack of progress in putting institutional arrangements in place, the IIF said.

Although most of the technical and policy convergence criteria have been achieved, a monetary policy framework and a common system of payments and settlements are yet to be put in place, said the Washington-based institute.

According to economists, it is unlikely that a GCC currency will be active within the next few years.

Economists argue that the Gulf monetary union needs to establish monetary independence for member countries, all of which are pegged to the US dollar, except Kuwait. Al Jasser said the kingdom had no plans to revalue the riyal at this time.

The UAE and Saudi Arabian central bank governors said on Thursday that they were happy with current interest rate levels in their countries.

Sultan bin Nasser Al Suweidi, the UAE Central Bank Governor, said on the sidelines of the meeting that the current interest rates were good and there was no need to change them.

Al Jasser also said he was happy about the rates. The Saudi central bank has been keeping its repo rate at two per cent since January 2009 and the reverse repo rate at 0.25 per cent since June 2009.

Saudi Arabia’s currency is pegged to the US dollar, which limits the central bank’s scope to combat inflation because it needs to keep interest rates closely aligned with US benchmarks to avoid excessive pressures on the riyal. Al Jasser said that “everyone” was concerned over the fragile state of the US economy and Europe’s ongoing sovereign debt crisis. His comments did not provide a vote of confidence for the United States, nor for the eurozone, as he also said Saudi Arabia would not consider purchasing eurozone debt.

With the US dollar under pressure since Standard & Poor’s unprecedented US debt downgrade, speculation has also grown over whether GCC countries might consider revaluing their currencies. While Al Jasser drew attention to the fact that Saudi Arabia is not interested in incurring risk by buying eurozone debt, he didn’t address any Middle East exposure to the eurozone debt crisis via other ties.

Outside market watchers, however, can point to possible risks for the area. Arab countries hit by unrest may need to turn to financial support from international institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as growth slows in the region, central bank governors said.

“They [Arab central bank governors] expressed their fears from an expected drop in growth rates this year,” they said after the meeting. The central bank governors also said they would offer support to each other. “The governors expressed their support to all central banks in Arab countries that are witnessing political developments and transformations,” they said.

Source: Khaleej Times.
Link: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/biz/inside.asp?xfile=/data/business/2011/September/business_September215.xml§ion=business.

NATO officials: Libya war can't go on

Fri Sep 16, 2011

Some of NATO's senior military officials have expressed serious concern over the US-led military alliance's prolonged mission in Libya, urging its quick termination.

"We must end this Libyan business quickly," said one of the alliance's military commanders on condition of anonymity on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Since March, the United States and NATO have unleashed a punishing United Nations-mandated offensive against the fugitive Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in an alleged attempt to pressure him into giving up power.

The NATO official reminded that the operations were coupled with the alliance's protracted and costly military campaigns in Afghanistan and Kosovo -- which have been kept up for around 10 and 12 years respectively.

"We just cannot afford this proliferation of missions which just drag on and on. One needs to finally end."

Several other senior military officers, who likewise demanded not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, have similarly voiced concerns that NATO could not manage to press ahead with another long-term engagement, while its member states faced deep defense budget cuts at home.

NATO's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has stressed that any follow-up mission in Libya, namely ones aimed at nation-building and police-training, had to rather be led by the UN.

Thousands of airstrikes by the alliance have killed many Libyan civilians and revolutionary fighters, who are fighting the government troops.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.com/detail/199390.html.

Germany to relocate Islamist and seal streets during papal visit

Sep 15, 2011

Berlin - Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Germany next week will be accompanied by tight security measures, police announced Thursday, including the relocation of an outspoken Islamist and forcing residents to seal windows along the pontiff's motorcade routes.

Benedict is to pay a state visit to Berlin and two other cities from next Thursday until September 25. Since becoming pope, he has visited his homeland twice in his capacity as a religious leader, but this time he will be honored as head of state of the Vatican.

A 26-year-old man who served jail time for assisting an Islamist terrorist plot, but is now is free on parole in the southern city of Freiburg, was served an order requiring him to relocate while the pope is in the city on September 25, a court official said.

The man's name has been withheld from publication under media privacy guidelines.

In Berlin, police said residents were banned from watching the papal motorcade through open windows. For security reasons, every window in apartment blocks flanking the avenues must remain shut.

In Erfurt, the other city the pope is to visit, residents will not be allowed to line the road as the pope drives into town. Police said nobody would be allowed to approach closer than 50 meters to the motorcade route.

About 100 opposition legislators, who object to teachings of the Catholic Church, plan to boycott an address by the pope to the Bundestag, or parliament, on Thursday. The chamber has 620 members.

While bishops in Germany have been restrained in their comments on the Bundestag boycott, referring to the democratic right to disagree, a Vatican cardinal was more forthright.

'The parliamentarians ought to consider how this will look from abroad,' Walter Brandmueller, who is German, told mass-circulation daily Bild.

'They'll boost the image of the 'ugly Germans' which sadly still exists,' the cardinal added.
Parliamentary officials said the empty seats would be filled by guests.

Source: Monsters and Critics.
Link: http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1663218.php/Germany-to-relocate-Islamist-and-seal-streets-during-papal-visit.