British troops withdrawal from Afghanistan exposes weakness in UK's ties with Western allies
September 2, 2021, 2:19 am

British troops withdrawal from Afghanistan exposes weakness in UK's ties with Western allies

Dominic Raab

The Xinhua reported, a British lawmaker on Wednesday blasted the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan, saying it "exposed a weakness" in Britain's relationship with Western allies.

Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative member of parliament (MP) and chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee said, the withdrawal from Afghanistan has been the "single biggest foreign policy disaster" Britain has faced since the Suez crisis in the 1950s.

According to the Xinhua, Tugendhat made the remarks as the committee grilled British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Afghanistan withdrawal in a two-hour session.

Raab said that he knows the committee will want to understand more about the lessons to be learned from Afghanistan.

Questioned by Tugendhat on intelligence about the situation in Afghanistan, Raab replied that the central assessment had been that it was likely to be "a steady deterioration" in the security situation after U.S. troops pulled out in August, but that Kabul was "unlikely to fall this year."

Asked by committee member Alicia Kearns why Britain didn't form an alternative coalition in Afghanistan once the United States announced its pull-out plan, Raab said there was no viable alternative coalition once the United States decided to withdraw.

the Hamid Karzai airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Xinhua said, the United States on Monday announced the completion of the chaotic, bloody withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, ending 20 years of the U.S.-led invasion into the Asian country.

It mentioned, Britain concluded its evacuation operation from Afghanistan Saturday night.

Downing Street said Tuesday night that British officials had travelled to Qatar and were in talks with senior Taliban representatives over how to secure "safe passage" out of Afghanistan for British nationals and Afghan allies that remained there.

During Wednesday's session, Raab was repeatedly questioned over how many British citizens have been left behind in Afghanistan, but he didn't give an exact number and only said it was in the "low hundreds."

Raab told MPs that he would be leaving "to go to the region (around Afghanistan)" after his appearance before the committee.

The foreign secretary also argued that Britain can't deal with the refugee crisis alone and key regional players, Western countries and Gulf nations need to get involved to exercise an influence over the Taliban.

The latest development came as the rift between Washington and its European allies seemed to have widened over the Afghan crisis.

The Financial Times has reported that Britain's foreign policy, heavily dependent on the United States, has been "shaken" by the crisis. The BBC said the U.S. decision to withdraw troops lays bare "a not so special relationship".

Source: xinhua

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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.