UAE rejects ‘racist statement’ by EU’s Josep Borrell, summons diplomat
Josep Borrell compared Europe to a “garden” and “most of the rest of the world a jungle.”
October 18, 2022, 9:30 am

UAE rejects ‘racist statement’ by EU’s Josep Borrell, summons diplomat

EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell attends the 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at the Royal Palace of El Pardo near Madrid on December 16, 2019. (File photo AFP)

The United Arab Emirates said late on Monday (Oct 17) that it rejects a “racist statement” by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell at the inauguration of the new European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Belgium, calling his remarks “inappropriate and discriminatory,” UAE state news agency (WAM) reported.

The foreign ministry summoned the acting head of the mission at the EU delegation to the UAE. The ministry asked Borrell’s office to provide a written explanation of what is described as “hurtful comments,” WAM added.

Last week, Borrell compared Europe to a “garden” and “most of the rest of the world a jungle.”

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He said: Europe is a garden, we have built a garden, It's the best combination of political freedom, economic prosperity, and social cohesion that the humankind has been able to build, the three things together.

The rest of the world, you know very well is not exactly a garden, the rest of the world, most of the rest of the world is a jungle, and the jungle could invade the garden, and the gardeners should take care of it,” the EU foreign policy chief said.

He added that the Europeans must be more engaged in the rest of the world to protect their garden, referring that building walls will not protect the garden very well, and will not prevent the jungle from coming in, that is because the jungle has a strong growth capacity and the wall will never be high enough to protect the garden.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”