ArabianEmpires&Caliphates
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1:57 into the video.
Mexican professor: "We cannot deny our Arab roots".
Arab world and Latin America cooperation thread
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1:57 into the video.
Mexican professor: "We cannot deny our Arab roots".
ArabianEmpires&Caliphates
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Bridging the Gulf and Latin America: Isolated Strategy or Systematic Effort?
by Joze Pelayo | Jan 14, 2020
As the Gulf Cooperation Council diversifies its global alliances, Latin American countries have reciprocal ambitions to deepen trade and cooperation in the midst of immense possibilities such as Dubai Expo 2020 and the Qatar World Cup 2022.
4th Summit of the South America Arab Countries (ASPA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November 2015
In the face of shifting alliances and uncertainties in the global economy, late efforts between Latin American countries (LAC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) look like an isolated attempt to deepen investment, trade, cultural, and diplomatic cooperation ahead of key international summits.
The role of LAC in securing the GCC’s food-security goal comes hand-in-hand with the Arab Gulf’s expanding foreign policy. Bilateral trade figures show an increase of 90% from 2006 to 2015. Nevertheless, several opportunities remain untapped or partly tapped greater investment flows in sustainable energy, tourism, oil, and gas, in addition to $2.04 trillion of potential trade complementarity in goods and services. Although current GCC-LAC trade flows amount to $16.3 billion" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">$16.3 billion, there is substantial room for growth.
Historical and diplomatic precedents like OPEC (Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries) and the ASPA summits (South American-Arab Countries) have created strong foundations that merit greater analysis to bridge the current gaps between the GCC and LAC in anticipation of a surge of future opportunities such as Expo Dubai 2020 and the World Cup Qatar 2022.
The creation of OPEC" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">OPEC was a pivotal event in the relationship between the two regions that rocked the oil markets in 1960. The five founding members: Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and Venezuela —under the leadership of energy ministers Abdullah Tariki of Saudi Arabia and Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo of Venezuela — joined forces in Baghdad and were able to change the dynamics of the global economy. Despite OPEC’s diminishing role through the years, the precedent set by the organization and the history of their diplomatic relations create a robust foundation for even stronger partnerships between the two regions.
Furthermore, the ASPA" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">ASPA summits, a set of high-level meetings between 22 members of the Arab League and 12 from LAC aimed at increasing cooperation and political coordination, sparked several initiatives of trans-regional collaboration.
“We have so much in common that the long distances between our countries are not an obstacle,” King Salman of Saudi Arabia stated" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">stated during Riyadh’s 2015 ASPA summit. “We are connected by the great legacy of rich values and customs shared between Arab and South American civilizations.”
“Both regions are keen to explore deeper relationships to diversify their trade and investment partners and hedge risks amid global economic uncertainties.”
Recent economic cooperation agreements and political gestures between the GCC and LAC demonstrate that the Arab Gulf States occupy an important role in Latin America’s international relations. “Both regions are keen to explore deeper relationships to diversify their trade and investment partners and hedge risks amid global economic uncertainties,” according to" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">according to The Economist. However, more" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">more needs to be done “to boost awareness and information about the potential benefits of deeper links between the GCC and Latin America, particularly beyond Brazil and Argentina, this region undoubtedly offers a great diversity of food sources and opportunities for investments across sectors.”
A more recent effort to bridge both regions is the Dubai Chamber of Commerce’s Latin America Global Business Forum" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Latin America Global Business Forum. The multifaceted event held in Panama City in 2019 along with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), aimed at identifying opportunities to further cooperation between businesses in the Arabian Gulf and Latin America.
Trade and Partnerships
In trade, the potentials for growth are complementary" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">complementary; as the products that one region imports, the other region exports. According to the IDB" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">IDB, “Complementarity thus signals potential for trade, and, in this case, shows that actual trade levels are well below the trade potential,” an asset of growing importance in the upgrade" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">upgrade of relations between the UAE and Brazil, and in the signing" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) in October 2019.
Thus, the latest Arab Gulf tour by Brazil’s President Bolsonaro to Saudi Arabia," style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Saudi Arabia, the Emirates" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Emirates, and Qatar" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> Qatar pursued an increase in mutual trade and investment, and a clear strategy on friendship, social-cultural cooperation, and sports partnerships" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">partnerships. Such high-level visits and the signing of additional MOUs" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">signing of additional MOUs and bilateral trade agreements" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">agreementsindicate a growing effort to enhance the transatlantic partnership, and of using Brazil as the main door to the region.
The Arab Gulf’s development agendas for economic transformation" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">transformation and diversification (which aim at modernizing and diversifying the countries’ economic and productive system) create the opportune momentum to integrate newer partnerships with LAC. Thus far, the GCC’s action plan for pursuing greater economic and political influence across the region, which has attracted the most interest from Gulf investors, is expanding across LAC’s ports and logistics sector. The UAE’s DP World" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">DP World (specialized in port terminal operations and global supply chain) became a full logistics operator in Peru in October 2019, merging with existing major stakes" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">major stakes in Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, and Brazil as a logistics operator.
On a larger scale, Brazil is currently the world’s largest exporter of Halal meat" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">largest exporter of Halal meat, which along with Brazilian OneFoods" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">OneFoods (based in the UAE), take-up a market share of 45% in chicken products in KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman. Additionally, Cinépolis, a Latin American company, and the world’s fourth-largest company in the movie theater industry is opening its first “megaplex” in the UAE. Cinépolis also received a license in 2019 to build six cinemas in KSA’s growing theater industry" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">theater industry, illustrating a prospective role that LAC investors can play in the Arab Gulf. These and several other" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">several other examples of economic partnership" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">economic partnerships are only in addition to the multimillion-dollar “complementarity” in bilateral trade.
Expo 2020 and World Cup 2022
Expo 2020 Dubai will present LAC with the opportunity to forge strong partnership with the GCC in food and agriculture cooperation, culture, sports, sustainable energy, and tourism. Colombia is already set to stage" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">set to stage “the most ambitious international promotion initiative ever at Expo 2020.”
The World Cup especially will be an enormous asset for the promotion of economic ties and regional conditions as ideal places of investment and trade cooperation.
The potentials to boost GCC-LAC awareness and information will deepen with the coverage of Spanish-speaking media in the U.S. and Latin America on the Arab Gulf during Expo 2020 Dubai and especially during Qatar World Cup 2022. The World Cup especially will be an enormous asset for the promotion of economic ties and regional conditions as ideal places of investment and trade cooperation.
Despite the tens of thousands of kilometers" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">thousands of kilometers separating both regions, recent developments show a determined effort to further collaboration and partnerships. However, challenges remain, and according to" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">according to the IDB and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, “there is much to do from the policy arena at a low fiscal cost …[and] the analysis suggests that substantial progress can be made in the short and medium run.” Existing and emerging linkages demonstrate a clear rationale that a sound foundation exists for growth and to further advocate in favor of bridging the current gaps between both regions.
As things stand, the strategies are more of an isolated approach, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar as the leading countries seeking cooperation with Latin America.
As things stand, the strategies are more of an isolated approach, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar as the leading countries seeking cooperation with Latin America. Rather than being a region-to-region story, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico (with 76% of the total" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">total trade between both regions) are the LAC members leading these country-to-country linkages.
Ultimately, to transcend rapid political changes in LAC, regional stakeholders should place a minor focus on the ideological positioning of governments. Instead, the emphasis should be on the positioning and strategizing of economic inclusion from non-state actors—especially pragmatic private-sector visionaries—to inspire a more inclusive, secure, and integrated future for all the people of both regions.
https://insidearabia.com/bridging-the-gulf-and-latin-america-isolated-strategy-or-systematic-effort/
11 presidents in Latin America have had Arab origins
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191224-11-presidents-in-latin-america-have-had-arab-origins/
by Joze Pelayo | Jan 14, 2020
As the Gulf Cooperation Council diversifies its global alliances, Latin American countries have reciprocal ambitions to deepen trade and cooperation in the midst of immense possibilities such as Dubai Expo 2020 and the Qatar World Cup 2022.
4th Summit of the South America Arab Countries (ASPA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November 2015
In the face of shifting alliances and uncertainties in the global economy, late efforts between Latin American countries (LAC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) look like an isolated attempt to deepen investment, trade, cultural, and diplomatic cooperation ahead of key international summits.
The role of LAC in securing the GCC’s food-security goal comes hand-in-hand with the Arab Gulf’s expanding foreign policy. Bilateral trade figures show an increase of 90% from 2006 to 2015. Nevertheless, several opportunities remain untapped or partly tapped greater investment flows in sustainable energy, tourism, oil, and gas, in addition to $2.04 trillion of potential trade complementarity in goods and services. Although current GCC-LAC trade flows amount to $16.3 billion" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">$16.3 billion, there is substantial room for growth.
Historical and diplomatic precedents like OPEC (Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries) and the ASPA summits (South American-Arab Countries) have created strong foundations that merit greater analysis to bridge the current gaps between the GCC and LAC in anticipation of a surge of future opportunities such as Expo Dubai 2020 and the World Cup Qatar 2022.
The creation of OPEC" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">OPEC was a pivotal event in the relationship between the two regions that rocked the oil markets in 1960. The five founding members: Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and Venezuela —under the leadership of energy ministers Abdullah Tariki of Saudi Arabia and Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo of Venezuela — joined forces in Baghdad and were able to change the dynamics of the global economy. Despite OPEC’s diminishing role through the years, the precedent set by the organization and the history of their diplomatic relations create a robust foundation for even stronger partnerships between the two regions.
Furthermore, the ASPA" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">ASPA summits, a set of high-level meetings between 22 members of the Arab League and 12 from LAC aimed at increasing cooperation and political coordination, sparked several initiatives of trans-regional collaboration.
“We have so much in common that the long distances between our countries are not an obstacle,” King Salman of Saudi Arabia stated" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">stated during Riyadh’s 2015 ASPA summit. “We are connected by the great legacy of rich values and customs shared between Arab and South American civilizations.”
“Both regions are keen to explore deeper relationships to diversify their trade and investment partners and hedge risks amid global economic uncertainties.”
Recent economic cooperation agreements and political gestures between the GCC and LAC demonstrate that the Arab Gulf States occupy an important role in Latin America’s international relations. “Both regions are keen to explore deeper relationships to diversify their trade and investment partners and hedge risks amid global economic uncertainties,” according to" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">according to The Economist. However, more" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">more needs to be done “to boost awareness and information about the potential benefits of deeper links between the GCC and Latin America, particularly beyond Brazil and Argentina, this region undoubtedly offers a great diversity of food sources and opportunities for investments across sectors.”
A more recent effort to bridge both regions is the Dubai Chamber of Commerce’s Latin America Global Business Forum" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Latin America Global Business Forum. The multifaceted event held in Panama City in 2019 along with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), aimed at identifying opportunities to further cooperation between businesses in the Arabian Gulf and Latin America.
Trade and Partnerships
In trade, the potentials for growth are complementary" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">complementary; as the products that one region imports, the other region exports. According to the IDB" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">IDB, “Complementarity thus signals potential for trade, and, in this case, shows that actual trade levels are well below the trade potential,” an asset of growing importance in the upgrade" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">upgrade of relations between the UAE and Brazil, and in the signing" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) in October 2019.
Thus, the latest Arab Gulf tour by Brazil’s President Bolsonaro to Saudi Arabia," style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Saudi Arabia, the Emirates" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Emirates, and Qatar" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> Qatar pursued an increase in mutual trade and investment, and a clear strategy on friendship, social-cultural cooperation, and sports partnerships" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">partnerships. Such high-level visits and the signing of additional MOUs" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">signing of additional MOUs and bilateral trade agreements" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">agreementsindicate a growing effort to enhance the transatlantic partnership, and of using Brazil as the main door to the region.
The Arab Gulf’s development agendas for economic transformation" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">transformation and diversification (which aim at modernizing and diversifying the countries’ economic and productive system) create the opportune momentum to integrate newer partnerships with LAC. Thus far, the GCC’s action plan for pursuing greater economic and political influence across the region, which has attracted the most interest from Gulf investors, is expanding across LAC’s ports and logistics sector. The UAE’s DP World" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">DP World (specialized in port terminal operations and global supply chain) became a full logistics operator in Peru in October 2019, merging with existing major stakes" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">major stakes in Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, and Brazil as a logistics operator.
On a larger scale, Brazil is currently the world’s largest exporter of Halal meat" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">largest exporter of Halal meat, which along with Brazilian OneFoods" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">OneFoods (based in the UAE), take-up a market share of 45% in chicken products in KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman. Additionally, Cinépolis, a Latin American company, and the world’s fourth-largest company in the movie theater industry is opening its first “megaplex” in the UAE. Cinépolis also received a license in 2019 to build six cinemas in KSA’s growing theater industry" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">theater industry, illustrating a prospective role that LAC investors can play in the Arab Gulf. These and several other" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">several other examples of economic partnership" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">economic partnerships are only in addition to the multimillion-dollar “complementarity” in bilateral trade.
Expo 2020 and World Cup 2022
Expo 2020 Dubai will present LAC with the opportunity to forge strong partnership with the GCC in food and agriculture cooperation, culture, sports, sustainable energy, and tourism. Colombia is already set to stage" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">set to stage “the most ambitious international promotion initiative ever at Expo 2020.”
The World Cup especially will be an enormous asset for the promotion of economic ties and regional conditions as ideal places of investment and trade cooperation.
The potentials to boost GCC-LAC awareness and information will deepen with the coverage of Spanish-speaking media in the U.S. and Latin America on the Arab Gulf during Expo 2020 Dubai and especially during Qatar World Cup 2022. The World Cup especially will be an enormous asset for the promotion of economic ties and regional conditions as ideal places of investment and trade cooperation.
Despite the tens of thousands of kilometers" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">thousands of kilometers separating both regions, recent developments show a determined effort to further collaboration and partnerships. However, challenges remain, and according to" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">according to the IDB and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, “there is much to do from the policy arena at a low fiscal cost …[and] the analysis suggests that substantial progress can be made in the short and medium run.” Existing and emerging linkages demonstrate a clear rationale that a sound foundation exists for growth and to further advocate in favor of bridging the current gaps between both regions.
As things stand, the strategies are more of an isolated approach, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar as the leading countries seeking cooperation with Latin America.
As things stand, the strategies are more of an isolated approach, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar as the leading countries seeking cooperation with Latin America. Rather than being a region-to-region story, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico (with 76% of the total" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 33, 255); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">total trade between both regions) are the LAC members leading these country-to-country linkages.
Ultimately, to transcend rapid political changes in LAC, regional stakeholders should place a minor focus on the ideological positioning of governments. Instead, the emphasis should be on the positioning and strategizing of economic inclusion from non-state actors—especially pragmatic private-sector visionaries—to inspire a more inclusive, secure, and integrated future for all the people of both regions.
https://insidearabia.com/bridging-the-gulf-and-latin-america-isolated-strategy-or-systematic-effort/
11 presidents in Latin America have had Arab origins
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191224-11-presidents-in-latin-america-have-had-arab-origins/
ArabianEmpires&Caliphates
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It is good to see that trade ties are increasing between the Arab world and our cousins in Latin America.
Always wanted to visit Cuba.
Cuba’s Look to the Arab World
by Giorgio Cafiero | Mar 13, 2019
While Venezuela is bogged down with its internal political and economic crises and Washington hardens its stance against Cuba’s regime, Havana has essentially no choice but to seek new partners, prompting the island nation’s leadership to look to the Arab world. But how pressure from Washington impacts Arab governments’ assessments of doing business with the one communist state in the Americas is unclear.
Photo by: Guille Alvarez
Since the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower imposed the U.S. embargo on Cuba in 1960, the island nation has had to rely on its closest hydrocarbon-rich ally of the day to meet national energy needs. During the first several decades under communist rule, Cuba’s economy benefitted from selling the Soviet Union its sugar at high prices and purchasing Soviet oil at low prices. With the fall of the Soviet Union, however, Cuba’s economy stalled before securing support from Venezuela in the 2000s. In exchange, Cuba assisted Venezuela in sectors including health, sports, and national defense.
Trade fell from $7.2 billion in 2014 to $2.3 billion in 2017, contributing to concern in Havana about excessive economic dependence on Caracas. Matters have gone from bad to worse.
Yet, Cuban-Venezuelan trade has decreased significantly since oil prices fell almost five years ago. Trade fell from $7.2 billion in 2014 to $2.3 billion in 2017, contributing to concern in Havana about excessive economic dependence on Caracas. Matters have gone from bad to worse. Since the ongoing political and economic crises began plaguing Venezuela, Cuba has been extremely worried about how Venezuela’s chaotic affairs could further harm the Cuban economy, which already suffers from stagnation, food shortages, and reduced allocations of fuel and electricity.
One Cuban economist estimates" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">estimates that if economic agreements with Venezuela wind down, Cuba’s gross domestic product could shrink 4 to 8 percent, and if all accords are annulled because of Nicolas Maduro’s regime falling, the impact could be far more severe. Given these possibilities, officials in Havana are looking elsewhere for new partners to help the island nation meet its energy requirements.
Cuba now has its eyes set on the oil- and gas-rich Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a region where Havana has long pursued a largely ideological foreign policy, closely aligning with governments that shared the Cuban regime’s anti-US attitudes. Now, determined to find Middle Eastern exporters of hydrocarbon resources and investors to work with more closely, Havana has spent 2018/2019 looking to several MENA states for deeper relations.
Last month, Havana’s Foreign Trade Minister Rodrigo Malmiera visited Qatar and Algeria to discuss Cuba’s economic challenges and energy requirements. In turning to these MENA region nations, Cuba is looking to Arab countries whose governments have long valued close ties (and in Algeria’s case a historic Cold War era alliance) with Havana. In addition to Qatar and Algeria, Cuba’s leadership has also signaled its determination to deepen its relationship with Saudi Arabia and Iran too.
Qatar: A “Friendly Country” to Cuba
Malmiera met with Doha’s Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Abdullah bin Nasser Khalifa Al Thani and other high-ranking officials in the Qatari capital on February 18. The bilateral relationship between Cuba and Qatar, which the two states officially established in 1989, has shown signs of deepening in recent years.
In 2015, Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">met with Raúl Castro in Cuba and the two heads of state likely discussed coordination in the health sector as well as Qatari investment opportunities in the island nation. Tourism has been another important component of this bilateral relationship, with Cuba being a popular vacation destination for Qataris. In 2012, a Spanish-speaking, Cuban-run hospital opened" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">opened in Qatar and, four years later, Qatar National Bank became the first bank from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member state to open" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">open a representative office in Cuba.
Last year, Cuba’s ambassador to Doha said" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">said that construction of hotels and marinas in the Caribbean country, in addition to a range of sectors in Cuba’s economy including agriculture, oil exploration/production, renewable energy, mining, transportation, finance, and real estate offer “unlimited opportunities for Qatari investments.” He attributed the positive reputation that Qatari investors have in Cuba to the Gulf state being a “friendly country” with “serious” and “respectful” businessmen who are “able to deliver on commitments.”
Algeria: Cuba’s “First Love in Africa”
On February 19, Malmiera began his three-day visit to Algeria, one of Africa’s resource-wealthiest and largest countries, to strengthen an already strong alliance. The two countries’ decades-old alliance is largely rooted in their historic experiences of resisting Western colonialism and foreign domination as well as dramatic, high-profile revolutions that occurred in roughly the same period: 1959 and 1962.
Since gaining independence from France, Algiers has consistently supported Cuba, largely within the framework of the Non-Alignment Movement, supporting Havana against the U.S. economic boycott and aligning with Cuba against Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict.
Since gaining independence from France, Algiers has consistently supported Cuba, largely within the framework of the Non-Alignment Movement, supporting Havana against the U.S. economic boycott and aligning with Cuba against Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict. The Marxist/socialist regimes that have ruled both countries were quick to establish close relations early on in the Cold War, leading to a U.S. State Department intelligence report from 1964 identifying" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">identifying Algeria as “a congenial second home for traveling Cubans, and an all-important base for extending Cuban influence in Africa.”
Building on this historic alliance, Malmiera’s visit to Algiers this month was part of the 22ndmeeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Commercial, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation to discuss numerous issues pertaining to the health sector such as digitalization of patient records, biomedicine, and pharmaceutical products.
Malmiera’s trip also included visits to important institutions in the Algerian capital such as the Pasteur Institute and the National Center for Pharmacovigilance and Materiovigilance. With Cuban doctors already working in Algeria in ophthalmology and OB/GYN, greater coordination in the health sector may bring the two countries closer at a time in which Havana could significantly benefit from greater help from Algeria.
To state the obvious, Algeria’s future is uncertain. The North African country’s domestic political arena is undergoing drastic change. The daily protests that commenced on February 22 have culminated in President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announcing" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">announcing on March 11 that he would not seek fifth term and that this year’s elections would be delayed, raising major questions about Algeria’s path ahead into the post-Bouteflika period.
In any event, based on Havana and Algiers’ historic alliance, Cuba will view Algeria as an important partner in the global arena and one that can help the Cubans offset the Venezuelan crisis’ impact on their country. Doubtless, Havana is a major stakeholder in Algeria’s upcoming transition occurring smoothly without the country returning to the violence of the “black decade” that followed the military’s usurpation of power in 1991.
Saudi Arabia: A “Relationship of Convenience”
Last year, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir paid a two-day visit to Cuba where he met" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">met with Raúl Castro. Riyadh’s top diplomat said that he and Cuba’s then-leader discussed the kingdom and Cuba’s “unified and firm stance against extremism and terrorism.” That meeting followed talks" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">talks in Jeddah in 2017 between King Salman and Cuba’s Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas.
Al-Jubeir’s trip to Havana was largely aimed at advancing Riyadh’s interest in weakening the bonds between Iran and Cuba, which have been strong since Fidel Castro welcomed Iran’s new clerical leadership following the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that Cuba’s leader hailed as a major achievement in the struggle against imperialism.
Fearful that Trump’s anti-Cuba policies would push the Caribbean state closer to Tehran (which has already been a consequence" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">consequence of Washington’s tough stance against Cuba in the Trump era), Saudi Arabia has sought to push back against Iran’s increasing geopolitical footprint not only in the Middle East but also in the Western hemisphere with Cuba being an overlooked flashpoint" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">flashpoint in the Saudi-Iranian rivalry for influence. Saudi Arabia has gained some influence in Cuba through soft loans that the kingdom has given the island nation amid its short financial solvency. In exchange, the Cubans have sent their doctors to care for members of the Al Saud family.
Since Cuba and Saudi Arabia opened embassies in their countries, which occurred in 2007 and 2011, Havana and Riyadh have strengthened relations with the Saudi Fund for Development, granting Cuba $80 million" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">$80 million in loans that have helped the Caribbean country rehabilitate and develop its Soviet-era infrastructure.
Trump and the “Troika of Tyranny”
It is legitimate to ask how having more Arab members/former members of OPEC step up their support for Cuba would play out in Washington. As the Trump administration identifies" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">identifiesCuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela as Latin America’s “Troika of Tyranny,” the U.S. is reversing its diplomatic opening to Havana from Barack Obama’s presidency and taking harsh economic measures against Cuba.
Intent on maximizing pressure on the sole communist regime in the Americas, the Trump administration’s policies are set to harm Cuba’s foreign investment climate and tourism sector. This month, the administration announced" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">announced its plans to activate a dormant law that will subject firms and individuals to lawsuits if they expropriate Cuban property, while also mulling the idea of placing Cuba back on the U.S. State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Already, the Trump administration’s Latin America agenda appears to be creating conflicts of interest between the U.S. and its Arab allies.
Already, the Trump administration’s Latin America agenda appears to be creating conflicts of interest between the U.S. and its Arab allies. For example, the United Arab Emirates’ decision to purchase Venezuelan gold in euros (cash) in January caught the attention of Republican Senator Marco Rubio who tweeted" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">tweeted a warning about the reach of Washington’s sanctions. Doubtless, similar support from MENA states for Cuba risk irking Washington as the American establishment’s perspective is that Cuba and Venezuela form an anti-American bloc and support for one necessarily entails backing the other too.
For Washington’s geopolitical adversaries—Russia, Iran, and China—support for Cuba can almost be expected, as underscored by Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing’s firm defense of Maduro against the backdrop of increased U.S. pressure on his government in Caracas. Helping Havana stand strong in the face of the Trump administration’s anti-Cuba policies would represent not only opportunities for these states to gain greater clout in the Caribbean Basin but also to undermine U.S. hegemony in Washington’s immediate “strategic backyard,” further challenging the historic Monroe Doctrine" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Monroe Doctrine.
For GCC members, which are close allies of the U.S., and depend on the sole superpower’s security umbrella, concerns about backlash from Washington may prompt their governments to act with caution when it comes to deepening relations with Havana during Trump’s presidency. Unquestionably, if the Venezuelan crisis escalates further with more direct intervention in the country’s internal affairs on the part of the U.S., GCC states may come under mounting pressure from the Trump administration to avoid collaboration with Cuba and the other two states in the “Troika.”
In applying such pressure on its allies to support the US’ tough stance against Havana, however, Washington is doing more to demonstrate its own isolation on the issue of Cuba’s embargo than it is doing to harm the island nation’s global reputation. From the perspective of virtually all Arab states, Cuba is a benign and friendly power, which offers invaluable investment opportunities, as opposed to a North Korea-like pariah state. Unquestionably, the MENA region’s OPEC members—the Gulf Arab monarchies, Algeria, and Iran—could make a major difference in Cuba’s future.
If these gas- and oil-rich states manage to enable Havana to offset the economic costs that Cuba pays for its reliance on Venezuela by successfully diversifying their energy suppliers, these MENA governments will be seen by the Trump administration as undermining its agenda of squeezing Havana into making changes that align with Washington’s interests. Yet, given the risks of creating another source of tension with Washington, the extent to which America’s GCC allies will engage Cuba remains to be seen.
https://insidearabia.com/cuba-look-arab-world/
@camelguy
Always wanted to visit Cuba.
Cuba’s Look to the Arab World
by Giorgio Cafiero | Mar 13, 2019
While Venezuela is bogged down with its internal political and economic crises and Washington hardens its stance against Cuba’s regime, Havana has essentially no choice but to seek new partners, prompting the island nation’s leadership to look to the Arab world. But how pressure from Washington impacts Arab governments’ assessments of doing business with the one communist state in the Americas is unclear.
Photo by: Guille Alvarez
Since the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower imposed the U.S. embargo on Cuba in 1960, the island nation has had to rely on its closest hydrocarbon-rich ally of the day to meet national energy needs. During the first several decades under communist rule, Cuba’s economy benefitted from selling the Soviet Union its sugar at high prices and purchasing Soviet oil at low prices. With the fall of the Soviet Union, however, Cuba’s economy stalled before securing support from Venezuela in the 2000s. In exchange, Cuba assisted Venezuela in sectors including health, sports, and national defense.
Trade fell from $7.2 billion in 2014 to $2.3 billion in 2017, contributing to concern in Havana about excessive economic dependence on Caracas. Matters have gone from bad to worse.
Yet, Cuban-Venezuelan trade has decreased significantly since oil prices fell almost five years ago. Trade fell from $7.2 billion in 2014 to $2.3 billion in 2017, contributing to concern in Havana about excessive economic dependence on Caracas. Matters have gone from bad to worse. Since the ongoing political and economic crises began plaguing Venezuela, Cuba has been extremely worried about how Venezuela’s chaotic affairs could further harm the Cuban economy, which already suffers from stagnation, food shortages, and reduced allocations of fuel and electricity.
One Cuban economist estimates" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">estimates that if economic agreements with Venezuela wind down, Cuba’s gross domestic product could shrink 4 to 8 percent, and if all accords are annulled because of Nicolas Maduro’s regime falling, the impact could be far more severe. Given these possibilities, officials in Havana are looking elsewhere for new partners to help the island nation meet its energy requirements.
Cuba now has its eyes set on the oil- and gas-rich Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a region where Havana has long pursued a largely ideological foreign policy, closely aligning with governments that shared the Cuban regime’s anti-US attitudes. Now, determined to find Middle Eastern exporters of hydrocarbon resources and investors to work with more closely, Havana has spent 2018/2019 looking to several MENA states for deeper relations.
Last month, Havana’s Foreign Trade Minister Rodrigo Malmiera visited Qatar and Algeria to discuss Cuba’s economic challenges and energy requirements. In turning to these MENA region nations, Cuba is looking to Arab countries whose governments have long valued close ties (and in Algeria’s case a historic Cold War era alliance) with Havana. In addition to Qatar and Algeria, Cuba’s leadership has also signaled its determination to deepen its relationship with Saudi Arabia and Iran too.
Qatar: A “Friendly Country” to Cuba
Malmiera met with Doha’s Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Abdullah bin Nasser Khalifa Al Thani and other high-ranking officials in the Qatari capital on February 18. The bilateral relationship between Cuba and Qatar, which the two states officially established in 1989, has shown signs of deepening in recent years.
In 2015, Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">met with Raúl Castro in Cuba and the two heads of state likely discussed coordination in the health sector as well as Qatari investment opportunities in the island nation. Tourism has been another important component of this bilateral relationship, with Cuba being a popular vacation destination for Qataris. In 2012, a Spanish-speaking, Cuban-run hospital opened" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">opened in Qatar and, four years later, Qatar National Bank became the first bank from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member state to open" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">open a representative office in Cuba.
Last year, Cuba’s ambassador to Doha said" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">said that construction of hotels and marinas in the Caribbean country, in addition to a range of sectors in Cuba’s economy including agriculture, oil exploration/production, renewable energy, mining, transportation, finance, and real estate offer “unlimited opportunities for Qatari investments.” He attributed the positive reputation that Qatari investors have in Cuba to the Gulf state being a “friendly country” with “serious” and “respectful” businessmen who are “able to deliver on commitments.”
Algeria: Cuba’s “First Love in Africa”
On February 19, Malmiera began his three-day visit to Algeria, one of Africa’s resource-wealthiest and largest countries, to strengthen an already strong alliance. The two countries’ decades-old alliance is largely rooted in their historic experiences of resisting Western colonialism and foreign domination as well as dramatic, high-profile revolutions that occurred in roughly the same period: 1959 and 1962.
Since gaining independence from France, Algiers has consistently supported Cuba, largely within the framework of the Non-Alignment Movement, supporting Havana against the U.S. economic boycott and aligning with Cuba against Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict.
Since gaining independence from France, Algiers has consistently supported Cuba, largely within the framework of the Non-Alignment Movement, supporting Havana against the U.S. economic boycott and aligning with Cuba against Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict. The Marxist/socialist regimes that have ruled both countries were quick to establish close relations early on in the Cold War, leading to a U.S. State Department intelligence report from 1964 identifying" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">identifying Algeria as “a congenial second home for traveling Cubans, and an all-important base for extending Cuban influence in Africa.”
Building on this historic alliance, Malmiera’s visit to Algiers this month was part of the 22ndmeeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Commercial, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation to discuss numerous issues pertaining to the health sector such as digitalization of patient records, biomedicine, and pharmaceutical products.
Malmiera’s trip also included visits to important institutions in the Algerian capital such as the Pasteur Institute and the National Center for Pharmacovigilance and Materiovigilance. With Cuban doctors already working in Algeria in ophthalmology and OB/GYN, greater coordination in the health sector may bring the two countries closer at a time in which Havana could significantly benefit from greater help from Algeria.
To state the obvious, Algeria’s future is uncertain. The North African country’s domestic political arena is undergoing drastic change. The daily protests that commenced on February 22 have culminated in President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announcing" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">announcing on March 11 that he would not seek fifth term and that this year’s elections would be delayed, raising major questions about Algeria’s path ahead into the post-Bouteflika period.
In any event, based on Havana and Algiers’ historic alliance, Cuba will view Algeria as an important partner in the global arena and one that can help the Cubans offset the Venezuelan crisis’ impact on their country. Doubtless, Havana is a major stakeholder in Algeria’s upcoming transition occurring smoothly without the country returning to the violence of the “black decade” that followed the military’s usurpation of power in 1991.
Saudi Arabia: A “Relationship of Convenience”
Last year, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir paid a two-day visit to Cuba where he met" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">met with Raúl Castro. Riyadh’s top diplomat said that he and Cuba’s then-leader discussed the kingdom and Cuba’s “unified and firm stance against extremism and terrorism.” That meeting followed talks" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">talks in Jeddah in 2017 between King Salman and Cuba’s Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas.
Al-Jubeir’s trip to Havana was largely aimed at advancing Riyadh’s interest in weakening the bonds between Iran and Cuba, which have been strong since Fidel Castro welcomed Iran’s new clerical leadership following the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that Cuba’s leader hailed as a major achievement in the struggle against imperialism.
Fearful that Trump’s anti-Cuba policies would push the Caribbean state closer to Tehran (which has already been a consequence" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">consequence of Washington’s tough stance against Cuba in the Trump era), Saudi Arabia has sought to push back against Iran’s increasing geopolitical footprint not only in the Middle East but also in the Western hemisphere with Cuba being an overlooked flashpoint" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">flashpoint in the Saudi-Iranian rivalry for influence. Saudi Arabia has gained some influence in Cuba through soft loans that the kingdom has given the island nation amid its short financial solvency. In exchange, the Cubans have sent their doctors to care for members of the Al Saud family.
Since Cuba and Saudi Arabia opened embassies in their countries, which occurred in 2007 and 2011, Havana and Riyadh have strengthened relations with the Saudi Fund for Development, granting Cuba $80 million" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">$80 million in loans that have helped the Caribbean country rehabilitate and develop its Soviet-era infrastructure.
Trump and the “Troika of Tyranny”
It is legitimate to ask how having more Arab members/former members of OPEC step up their support for Cuba would play out in Washington. As the Trump administration identifies" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">identifiesCuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela as Latin America’s “Troika of Tyranny,” the U.S. is reversing its diplomatic opening to Havana from Barack Obama’s presidency and taking harsh economic measures against Cuba.
Intent on maximizing pressure on the sole communist regime in the Americas, the Trump administration’s policies are set to harm Cuba’s foreign investment climate and tourism sector. This month, the administration announced" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">announced its plans to activate a dormant law that will subject firms and individuals to lawsuits if they expropriate Cuban property, while also mulling the idea of placing Cuba back on the U.S. State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Already, the Trump administration’s Latin America agenda appears to be creating conflicts of interest between the U.S. and its Arab allies.
Already, the Trump administration’s Latin America agenda appears to be creating conflicts of interest between the U.S. and its Arab allies. For example, the United Arab Emirates’ decision to purchase Venezuelan gold in euros (cash) in January caught the attention of Republican Senator Marco Rubio who tweeted" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">tweeted a warning about the reach of Washington’s sanctions. Doubtless, similar support from MENA states for Cuba risk irking Washington as the American establishment’s perspective is that Cuba and Venezuela form an anti-American bloc and support for one necessarily entails backing the other too.
For Washington’s geopolitical adversaries—Russia, Iran, and China—support for Cuba can almost be expected, as underscored by Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing’s firm defense of Maduro against the backdrop of increased U.S. pressure on his government in Caracas. Helping Havana stand strong in the face of the Trump administration’s anti-Cuba policies would represent not only opportunities for these states to gain greater clout in the Caribbean Basin but also to undermine U.S. hegemony in Washington’s immediate “strategic backyard,” further challenging the historic Monroe Doctrine" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 191); word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">Monroe Doctrine.
For GCC members, which are close allies of the U.S., and depend on the sole superpower’s security umbrella, concerns about backlash from Washington may prompt their governments to act with caution when it comes to deepening relations with Havana during Trump’s presidency. Unquestionably, if the Venezuelan crisis escalates further with more direct intervention in the country’s internal affairs on the part of the U.S., GCC states may come under mounting pressure from the Trump administration to avoid collaboration with Cuba and the other two states in the “Troika.”
In applying such pressure on its allies to support the US’ tough stance against Havana, however, Washington is doing more to demonstrate its own isolation on the issue of Cuba’s embargo than it is doing to harm the island nation’s global reputation. From the perspective of virtually all Arab states, Cuba is a benign and friendly power, which offers invaluable investment opportunities, as opposed to a North Korea-like pariah state. Unquestionably, the MENA region’s OPEC members—the Gulf Arab monarchies, Algeria, and Iran—could make a major difference in Cuba’s future.
If these gas- and oil-rich states manage to enable Havana to offset the economic costs that Cuba pays for its reliance on Venezuela by successfully diversifying their energy suppliers, these MENA governments will be seen by the Trump administration as undermining its agenda of squeezing Havana into making changes that align with Washington’s interests. Yet, given the risks of creating another source of tension with Washington, the extent to which America’s GCC allies will engage Cuba remains to be seen.
https://insidearabia.com/cuba-look-arab-world/
@camelguy
ArabianEmpires&Caliphates
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vs
the stereotypical Caucasian Latina girl (for me at least):
Even our Afro-Arabs and Afro-Latinas are similar looking:
Afro-Arab
Afro-Latina:
The resemblance is incredible but not too surprising.
The Surprisingly Deep Centuries-Old Ties Between the Middle East and Latin America
BY CHRISTINA CIVANTOS|
date
Middle Eastern immigration has influenced some of Latin America's most iconic traditions.
Palestinian refuges stand in line at a camp in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War. (Tom Stoddart Archive/Getty)
click here.
The first time I stepped into a Syrian home, I was greeted by a family drinking Argentine yerba mate and watching a popular Mexican soap opera dubbed into Arabic. It was the summer of 1998, and I was in Syria researching Levantine migration to Latin America. Evidence of that migration wasn’t hard to find. As that year’s World Cup got under way, Brazilian flags unfurled from many balconies in Damascus — in honor of relatives who had moved to São Paulo and other Brazilian cities.
Those family ties stretch back as much as 150 years. Arabs have been migrating to Latin America, establishing cultural connections, and contributing to Latin America’s development since the 19th century. Today’s influx of Syrian refugees — while a new source of debate — is only the latest chapter in a long history.
The first wave of Middle Eastern migration to Latin America lasted from the 1860s through 1914, when about 600,000 Arabic speakers from the Levant resettled in the Americas, spurred by socioeconomic and demographic factors that converged with the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Subsequently, the 1948 establishment of Israel, the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), and related conflicts fueled new waves — particularly to Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
Some migrants later returned to their home countries, bringing back with them traces of Latin America, such as mate and even given names. In Damascus I met a Syrian student named Mario whose brother and sister were Marco and Caro. Later, I discovered that half the inhabitants of Mario’s village had a close family member who lived, or had lived, in Venezuela — drawn there by the country’s oil boom (1950s–1970s).
Returning migrants may have been influenced by early 20th century ethnic tensions that, in some countries, took the form of discriminatory social, legal, and/or immigration practices. In Argentina, for example, the stereotype of the “wily” Levantine immigrant peddler created a lasting association between “turcos” (immigrants from the Ottoman Empire) and corruption. Hence, the corruption scandals of former Argentine President Carlos Menem — the son of Syrian Muslim immigrants who is known as "El Turco" — were blamed by some on his ethnoreligious origins.
Nonetheless, positive associations with Arab immigration to Latin America are forged by figures such as Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and Colombian superstar Shakira, both of Lebanese extraction. Helping to open the door for today’s Middle East migrants, Shakira has called the current displacement of Syrians “one of the greatest humanitarian crises of our time” and summoned the world to action. Building on historical ties, Latin America is well-positioned to respond positively to her plea.
--
Civantos is a researcher and associate professor of 19th- and 20th-century Spanish American and Arabic literature and culture at the University of Miami.
Latin America is a natural civilizational ally of the Arab world.
Omar Al-Deek
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Yes, Arabs are known for coming to Latin America and becoming rich.
Plutarco Elías Calles was also known as El Turco because his persecution of Catholics in the 1920's reminded Mexicans of Ataturk.
Plutarco Elías Calles was also known as El Turco because his persecution of Catholics in the 1920's reminded Mexicans of Ataturk.
ArabianEmpires&Caliphates
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Not aware of the later individual. Will read up on him. Eid Mubarak in advance brother.
Anyway there have been 100's of well-known politicians in Latin America of Arab ancestry, including 10 presidents. Some very praised politicians (presidents, ministers and mayors) but also some dubious characters (corruption, what a surprise!). In general Arabs have great political/business dominance in many Latin American countries.
Omar Al-Deek
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Eid Mubarak.
Plutarco Calles I think was not Arab. I think he was Sephardic Jew. Very evil character in Mexican history. He persecuted Catholics in the 20's. It is public knowledge that he was a Freemason.
The figure I like in Hispanic history is Franco. Also, a lot of Muslims from Morocco supported him. I know the Spanish today- many of them are anti-Franco but I'm for the pro-Franco side.
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