Why Kurds Are Happy for Joe Biden's Victory?
November 16, 2020, 10:14 am

Why Kurds Are Happy for Joe Biden's Victory?

Jwan Dibo

When Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of U.S., many Kurds in the Middle East as well as throughout the world have expressed their extreme happiness. The main reason of their gladness was because of retaliation against Trump, who let them down more than once.

The first time was in September 2017 when Trump’s administration did not uphold the independence referendum of Iraqi Kurdistan. The second time was in October 2019 when Trump granted a green light to Erdogan’s Turkey to occupy several Kurdish regions in Syria.

Trump’s loss is likely to be the half of the story behind Kurdish contentment. The other half of the story is because of Biden’s triumph. On November 7, the day Biden was elected president of U.S., many Kurdish activists posted on social media a photograph of Biden with

the former president of Kurdistan region, Masoud Barzani. The picture was accompanied with a sentence in different languages which says: “Mr. President, you are more than welcome in Kurdistan”.

It is true that, in general, every time when a new American president is elected, Kurdish hopes for freedom and getting rights are growing. In some parts like Syrian Kurdistan, obtaining some rights within a new democratic Syria might be enough. While, in other parts like Iraqi

Kurdistan, the independence is likely to be the most desirable goal. Yet, these aspirations have become much greater when Biden has become the new president of the United States.

Kurdish expectancies are built on some of Biden’s distant and near statements on Kurds and the states that persecute them and divide their homeland, viz., Kurdistan. In 2006, when Biden was a Senator, he proposed that the best solution to Iraqi ancient ethnic and sectarian

dilemmas is to be decentralised and divided into three regions. The south is for Shiites, the centre is for Sunnis, and the north (Kurdistan) is for Kurds.

Political leadership of Iraqi Kurdistan viewed this proposal as a tacit support by the Democrats for Kurdish independence. But when the Democrats took over the administration in the White House from 2008 until 2016 and Biden himself was a Vice President, this proposition was not discussed at all, as if it was never proposed by the Democrats.The second point of Kurdish relative optimism stems from poor personal relationship between Biden and Erdogan regarding latter's blatant interference in the Syrian affairs.

In addition to the painful successive attacks that Turkey launched against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces who are considered Washington's staunchest allies in fighting ISIS.

In October 2019, during a debate between Biden and other candidates for the presidential election inside the Democratic Party, Biden declared that “Turkey is the real problem here and I would be having a real lockdown conversation with Erdogan and letting him know that he’s going to pay a heavy price for what he has done”.

It is axiomatic to say that no one can predict exactly what kind of policies will Biden adopt regarding Kurdish issues in the Middle East, especially, in Iraqi and Syrian Kurdistan. However, “In politics, there are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends, only permanent

interests”. All states, specifically, the superpowers espouse foreign policies according to their interests only, not according to ethical obligations. Sometimes, the interests of most powerful nations in the world converge with the interests of the Kurds. For instance, when U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, then Kurdistan region became a federal region in post-Baath Iraq. Historically, the interests of the great powers have not met too much with the interests of the Kurds, but rather they were mainly incompatible. It happened in 1923, 1946, 1975, 2018 and 2019.

It is probable that Iraqi Kurdistan and Syrian Kurdistan to be subject to fundamental changes during Biden’s tenure in the White House. The transition of Iraqi Kurdistan from a federal region to an independent state, and the transformation of Syrian Kurdistan into an officia and constitutional federal region within a new prospective Syria. But at the same time, these pivotal alterations expected to occur during Biden period may also be contrary to the anticipations and ambitions of the Kurds.

Everything is possible in the immoral realm of politics, meaning that the winds can blow counter to what Kurdish ships desire. Therefore, what is required of the Kurds is not only to wait for what Biden will do during his presidency. But to commence to fulfil significant changes in terms of unifying Kurdish positions to confront the enormous challenges affecting Iraqi Kurdistan and Syrian Kurdistan alike

by : Jwan Dibo

Biden, Boris and Brexit Arab tragedy?

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.