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, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.