Doha Conference: Hijab to lead a new opposition body with Qatar-Turkey's support
December 25, 2021, 2:58 pm

Doha Conference: Hijab to lead a new opposition body with Qatar-Turkey's support

Zara saleh

As the so-called, the "Arab spring" has begun across the Arab world, Qatar and Turkey have emerged as driving forces to different Islamic rebels such as the Muslim Brotherhood. In the Syrian conflict, for example, Doha has had a significant influence on the Syrian opposition and armed groups by pouring millions of dollars. Such influence has been reached with Turkey's support as the main ally of backing the Muslim Brotherhood and other extremists like the Al-Nusra front and even the so-called Islamic State. As a result, Qatar and Turkey were seized control over the Syrian opposition, mainly the Syrian National Coalition, aiming to protect their political interests and agendas first but not the Syrian.

Recently, Qatar and Turkey are working on a plan to establish a new political body for the Syrian opposition that is affiliated with both countries. The new project will be led by Riyadh Hijab, the former Syrian Prime Minister and Baath party member, who was serving the dictator regime of Bashar Al-Assad until 2012. Then he was selected as the head of the Higher Negotiation Committee for Geneva talks in 2015. The plan has been undertaken after the recent meeting between Turkey and Qatar in Doha to restructure the Syrian opposition based on their political agendas, to hold a conference for the different Syrian opposition groups. It has been clear that the expected conference will be held in February 2022 in the Qatari capital Doha, and such as new opposition body, eventually, will replace the expired opposition body of the Syrian National Coalition that based in Istanbul and became the main Turkish tool in the Syrian conflict.

Pushing Hijab again on the top of the new political body is the Doha-Ankara plan to avoid any weaknesses of their influence in the Syrian conflict due to the Russian and the US expected strategic plan about the future of Syria. Consequently, Riyadh Hijab's new political body will be based on the idea of abandon the call for overthrowing the Assad regime as the essential step for the Syrian talks. The former Assad's prime minister Hijab is now ready to serve his previous President or to implement Turkey and Qatar's agendas. Based on the fact that the Hijab's project is backed by Turkey and Qatar, consequently, will not be in the interests of the Syrian people. Turkey, for instance, now is occupying part of the Syrian territories with the financial support of Qatar. On the other hand, having Turkey's presence in the Hijab project will immediately mean excluding other Syrian components such as Kurds and other political parties which not affiliated with Turkey or Qatar. That means the Hijab's new political body will not be different from the current Syrian National Coalition and eventually will be another card for Erdogan's agendas in Syria after his domestic economic and political crisis.

Zara Saleh

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.