Qatar's relationship with the Islamic extremist groups
September 4, 2021, 1:23 pm

Qatar's relationship with the Islamic extremist groups

Zara saleh

When the United Kingdom was forced to move its diplomatic mission from Kabul, it chose Qatar, as a long-time mediator between the West and the Taliban movement, and recently Qatar was the only country viewed as capable of coaxing the Taliban movement to stay engaged with the world. Added to that the UK government has relocated its embassy from Kabul to the Qatari capital Doha. On Thursday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab visited the Qatari capital Doha and meet with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

He seeks Qatari mediation with the Taliban in purpose to secure a safe passage for the remaining UK nationals in Afghanistan and also the Afghan nationals who worked with the United Kingdom government as an interpreters and drivers during the last years. Similar steps have been done by the United States and other western countries to seek Qatari support as a trustworthy mediator with Taliban militants after the US withdraw from Afghanistan and the Taliban's capturing the power.

The tiny Gulf state of Qatar's significant role as a mediator between the Taliban and the West seeking influence in Afghanistan with evacuation has become a fact due to Qatar's ties with the Taliban for decades. Moreover, Qatar was fostering Mullah Baradar, the expected leader of the new Afghanistan government before he was flown away to Kandahar from Doha with the Qatari Air Forces support when the Taliban take over the country. Since 2013 the Taliban movement has opened its office in Doha during Barack Obama's administration.

The extremist leader of the Taliban Mullah Baradar was in peace negotiations with the United States that was fostered by Qatar as a mediator since 2017. As a result, both parties, the US and Taliban have signed an important peace agreement in Doha 2020 that ensures US national security and the withdraw of American troops from Afghanistan.

Now, after the fall of Kabul, the small Gulf state of Qatar has been put into a unique position due to Doha's relationship with the Taliban. Such Qatari's ties with the other Islamists groups such as Al-Qaeda and other extremists in the region is their main strategy to become a regional power with cooperation with Turkey's President Racab Tayyip Erdogan. Both countries, Qatar and Turkey, are trying to secure Kabul's international airport as Ankara is seeking to run the airport by securing it with the Turkish forces support. Qatar's significant influence in Afghanistan has been shown through the Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera news channel that was given exclusive access on the ground to Taliban officials when they had been entering the Afghanistan capital of Kabul.

Simultaneously with Doha's ties with the Taliban movement as presenting itself as a mediator, the tiny Gulf state of Qatar has been involved in several problematic issues in the region and has relations with such groups that identifying as terrorist organisations.

For instance, Doha has ties with the Sunni extremist movement of the Muslim Brotherhood and also has a good relationship with Iran that has been considered as another main source and supporter of many Shia militias terrorist groups across the region.

by: Zara Saleh

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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.