Biden's expected policy on Syria
January 20, 2021, 9:27 am

Jwan Dibo

There is no doubt that President-elect, Joe Biden, will face an intricate reality in Syria, as one of the consequences of his predecessor legacy. More precisely, Biden will encounter the repercussions of two previous administrations’ policies in Syria including Obama’s one, when Biden himself was vice president.

The pressing question here is: can Biden present something different than Trump’s administration in Syria? This fundamental question leads us to pose another enquiry which is: does Biden really want to get rid of the effects of Obama and Trump’s politics in Syria and espouse a different strategy? The answer to these questions seems to be a little gloomy.

Biden’s appointed team for the Middle East, will deal with three external players in Syria with antithetical agendas and goals. Two of them are classified as traditional enemies to U.S, viz., Russia and Iran and the third one is an ally but not a friend, namely, Turkey. However, prior to predict how Biden’s crew will interact with all these unfriendly exterior actors in Syria, it is important that to highlight Syria's position in U.S foreign policy.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, American’s influence in Syria was limited, and it became diminished further during Trump’s era. This reflects the absence of an outright U.S strategy regarding the future of the Syrian conflict. The lack of a clear U.S strategy, indicates to Washington's indifference about the future of Syria.

When U.S began air strikes in Syria in September 2014, the stated target was defeating the Islamic State (ISIS). After a while, U.S deployed several thousands of its troops in north, northeast and south of Syria. In March 2019, U.S backed, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), declared that the Islamic State group’s five years caliphate was eliminated.

Despite that decisive victory, U.S continued to supply SDF with various weapons and ammunition. Shortly thereafter, U.S withdrew most of its troops from Syria. Yet, it kept a few hundred soldiers in Kurdish areas in north and northeast Syria to protect oil installations. At the same time, U.S allowed Turkey to occupy some Kurdish cities and towns. The point here is that there has always been inconsistency and ambiguity in U.S policies in Syria, which suggests that Syria is not one of Washington's priorities.

When Biden was Obama’s vice president, he was, unlike the former secretary Hilary Clinton, sceptical of deep involvement in the Syrian civil war. He was not even enthusiastic about arming the Syrian opposition, due to fear of extremist domination, and this is what actually happened later. But after several years, the landscape has changed completely, and the Kurdish-led SDF are now Washington's main and only allies.

It is likely that U.S, during Biden’s presidency, will maintain its presence in Syria without substantive changes. It will, also, continue to support SDF with ammunition, weapons, and training. In addition, it will not allow Turkey and the Syrian regime to expand further at the expense of the leverage of its ally, SDF.

On the level of political solution path, Biden’s administration will try to contribute more effectively. It will endeavour to involve Kurdish-led SDF as an independent delegation within the negotiations for a political solution between Assad regime and the Syrian oppositions. In this context, U.S envoy, William Rubak, has led, for more than a year, reconciliation efforts between various Kurdish political forces in Syria, with the aim of creating a joint Kurdish representative body.

It can be argued that Biden's policies in Syria will be more consistent and rational than his predecessor. Biden will attempt, through his local partner, SDF, for America to have a prominent role in shaping the future of Syria. He will make U.S a strong rival to Russia about the future of the political system in Syria. Turkey will be deterred relatively over its infringements in Syria, Libya, Iraq, and the Eastern Mediterranean, because such Turkey's behaviour does not serve US interests. Biden will continue to support Israel to deter Iran in Syria, which will also benefit Russia in the long run.

Overall, Biden’s policy in Syria may not be a much promising policy, especially, for the Kurds, but it is likely to be much better than Trump's reckless policies.

Jwan Dibo,

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.