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ERDOGAN THREATENS TO FLOOD EUROPE WITH SYRIAN REFUGEES

IAN BLACK
It is become fashionable in recent months to say that the war in Syria is effectively over, that Bashar al-Assad has won and is staying put in Damascus. But hugely important issues remain to be resolved. The biggest is the fate of the Idlib area in the north-west. Another is the future of Syrians who fled their homeland since 2011 – especially the largest group of all in neighbouring Turkey.
In the early days President Recep Tayib Erdogan wanted to see Assad go and supported or turned a blind eye to different groups of Syrian and other rebels seeking his overthrow. Eight years since the beginning of the bloodiest crisis of the Arab Spring 3.6 million Syrian refugees remain in Turkey – more than any other country in the world. Broadly speaking Erdogan welcomed them. For domestic and other reasons, that is now changing.
In the past few weeks hundreds of Syrians have been forced to leave Turkish cities on buses escorted by police vehicles to border areas that are controlled by the United States and its Kurdish allies - in line with Ankara’s demand for the creation of a buffer zone inside Syria. If that does not happen, Erdogan has started to threaten, then he will “open the gates” for millions of Syrians to be sent to Europe.
In March 2016 the European Union agreed to give Turkey 6 billion euros to help control the flow of migrants - action that was criticised as a grubby bribe designed to lessen the pressure felt by European governments from the rise of anti-immigrant movements. The German chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door policy caused a severe populist backlash. On September 11 Erdogan told Merkel that Turkey had so far spent $40 billion supporting the refugees.
Now Turkish officials and commentators are warning that the migrant problem risks growing exponentially and that the EU must do far more to help. The situation in Idlib, where three million civilians, many of them displaced women and children, are trapped between the Assad regime, backed by Russia, and Islamist and jihadi groups, threatens to make it not only worse – but uncontrollable.
Hostility to Syrians has grown amongst ordinary Turks, largely due to the weakness of the economy. With unemployment and inflation soaring, many blame the refugees. In July one poll showed that 82% of Turks wanted to send Syrians home. But the number of Syrians in Turkey increased by 10,466 between July and August alone. More than 430,000 Syrian babies have been born in Turkey since 2011. Most parents send their children to Turkish schools.
Arabic signs were recently banned in Istanbul, home to over 500,000 Syrians. In Gazientep, close to the border, Syrians, many from Aleppo, make up 20% of the population. The defeats suffered by Erdogan’s ruling AKP party in municipal elections earlier this year were widely blamed on rising discontent over their presence. The fear of mass deportations is growing.
The solution was meant to be the establishment of a safe zone in northern Syria, mainly east of the Euphrates, where Kurdish militias such as the People’s Protection Units (YPG) are entrenched. The YPG has been a key part of the US-backed force fighting Islamic State (Daesh) but which Turkey regards as a terrorist organization linked to the PKK – which is also banned by the US and the EU.
The creation of the safe zone, as Erdogan saw it, would achieve two things simultaneously: the removal of Kurdish militias from the border with Syria and the relocation of one million refugees into that zone, providing the displaced Syrians with a new home in their own war-ravaged country.
“If Turkey were to crumble under the burden of refugees and the weight of security problems,” wrote Hurriyet columnist Barcin Yinanc, “the negative consequences will be felt from Athens to London.” Sabah pundit Ozan Ceyhun was even blunter: ”For the citizens of the Republic of Turkey and the EU, the most correct solution would be to allow the refugees to live in the safe zone. Otherwise it will be chaos and calamity for everyone.”
The difficulty is that there are significant differences between Ankara and Washington – as well as western allies like France and Britain. Erdogan wants the zone to be 20 miles deep and run for 300 miles along the Turkish-Syrian border. The Americans have so far limited Turkey’s access to just a few miles. The result is that Turkey has angrily denounced “cosmetic” efforts by a “so-called ally who can’t act independently of a terrorist organization.” Syria, backed by Russia, has called the plan a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It is all a bleak reminder that even though Assad still rules in Damascus after eight bloody years, the effects on Syria, its people, the wider Middle East, Turkey and Europe are far from over.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
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.
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