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SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015 JAMADA ALTHANI 11, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Panel to Morocco Ancient Petra India’s women discuss diesel confronts sees few athletes box, smuggling abortion taboo visitors as Jordan shoot, wrestle with officials3 with reform7 tourism40 declines for17 recognition Ban names Amir ‘Global Min 22º Max 31º Humanitarian Champion’ High Tide 10:15 & 21:35 Low Tide UN chief hails Sheikh Sabah’s compassion, generosity 03:15 & 15:40 40 PAGES NO: 16476 150 FILS NEW YORK: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hoped world leaders emulate HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s humanitarian lead- NGOs pledge $506m for Syrian refugees ership, describing him as a “Global Humanitarian Champion”. In an exclusive interview with Kuwait News KUWAIT: A UN envoy warned yesterday of a “horrify- Agency (KUNA) and Kuwait TV, Ban expressed his deep- ing” humanitarian situation brewing in Syria as non- est appreciation of HH the Amir for his generous and governmental organizations pledged more than $500 compassionate leadership in hosting the third interna- million for refugees on the eve of a major donor con- tional donors conference (Kuwait III) for Syria. ference. The United Nations has launched an appeal Ban, noting the Syrian people’s dire need of to raise $8.4 billion for Syria this year and hopes to resources of all kinds, called on the world leaders to receive major pledges at the donor meeting today in take part in this pledging conference. With the estima- Kuwait. “Failing to meet the required funds risks tion of $8.4 billion set by the UN needed to address the resulting in a horrifying and dangerous humanitarian current humanitarian crisis in 2015-16, Ban said $2.9 bil- catastrophe,” Abdullah Al-Maatouq, UN special envoy lion is for the Syrian response plan and $5.5 billion is for humanitarian affairs, told a meeting of NGOs. also needed for refugees in five neighboring countries - Among the aid groups which gathered yesterday, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. “I sincerely Turkey’s IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation made hope that the international community extends its the largest pledge of $100 million. Other donors warm helping hands,” he said. included Qatar’s Red Crescent Society and Kuwait’s When asked about the commitment of many coun- International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO). UN tries in past conferences, Ban said that there have been humanitarian affairs chief Valerie Amos said the donor many promises but not all have been realized. The UN response at Tuesday’s conference “needs to be com- chief expressed his gratefulness that more than 90 per- prehensive”. She said the humanitarian situation had cent of the pledges made in the last Kuwait conference deteriorated in Syria with no reduction in violence have been realized. “I particularly hope that countries in and children particularly affected. The aid is urgently the region will come out with more generous support, required to provide life-saving assistance to half of as the Kuwaiti government and people have always Syria’s population as several UN aid agencies have been helping those in need.” said they remain underfunded and warned they The UN chief said that he is aware of the current could halt or downsize their operations. regional and international situations, where the need IICO announced that total pledges amounted to for humanitarian support has grown exponentially. $506 million, a day ahead of the Third International There are some 12.5 million Syrians - internally dis- Pledging Humanitarian Conference for Syria, surpass- KUWAIT: (From left) Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, United Nations Secretary placed and refugees in neighboring countries - in need ing $348 million pledges made at the second NGOs’ General Ban Ki-moon, UN special humanitarian envoy to the Gulf, Chairman of IICO and advisor at the Amiri of help, and “we shall not abandon them”. The “Syrian conference for the Syrian people held in Kuwait in Jan Diwan Abdullah Al-Maatouq and UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief tragedy”, as he described it, is entering its fifth year, and 2014. Coordinator Valerie Ann Amos are seen during a meeting during the Third Conference of Non-Governmental the UN chief stressed the necessity to solve the crisis Continued on Page 13 Organizations (NGO) Donors to the Syrian People yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat through “political dialogue”. Continued on Page 13 News in brief Indian nurses stranded in Yemen UAE drafting law for 100% Pakistan to join Saudi coalition • Air raid kills 45 at refugee camp foreign ownership of firms THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/ISLAM- Aden, scene of fighting following the DUBAI: The UAE is at an advanced stage of drafting a ABAD/SANAA: India asked Saudi Arabia flight of Saudi-backed President Abd- foreign investment law that would allow 100 percent yesterday to help evacuate its citizens Rabbu Mansour Hadi last week. “The areas foreign ownership of businesses in some sectors, the from Yemen, where more than 4,000 around the hospital are now under the economy minister said yesterday. Sultan bin Saeed Al- Indians, over half of them nurses, are control of the Houthi rebels,” said Mathew, Mansouri, speaking at an international investment con- caught up in fighting. Prime Minister whose wife is one of 35 Indian nurses at ference, did not specify the sectors or say when the law Narendra Modi’s office said he had spoken the hospital. Eighty Indians were flown might be passed. At present, foreigners generally can- by telephone with King Salman of Saudi out on Sunday to Djibouti, on the oppo- not own more than 49 percent of any UAE firm unless it Arabia and requested Riyadh’s “support site shore of the Gulf of Aden, but no is incorporated in a special “free zone”. A new compa- and cooperation in the evacuation of evacuation flights were possible yester- nies law was originally expected to relax this restriction, Indian citizens from Yemen”. King Salman day, foreign ministry spokesman Syed but that reform was dropped because of strong opposi- assured Modi of all possible assistance to Akbaruddin said. He said 400 Indians were tion from some Emiratis who feared they could lose out help them leave, it said in a statement. being evacuated by sea from Aden and to foreigners. Mansouri however said that the UAE was Two Air India planes on standby in would reach Djibouti today. They will be determined to diversify its economy beyond oil and saw neighboring Oman were unable to fly in flown home by the Indian Air Force. foreign investment as a key way to do this. While he did to the Yemeni capital Sanaa yesterday New Delhi has issued a series of warn- not say how the new law would work, it may require ful- despite what Indian officials said earlier ings this year to Indian nationals to leave ly foreign-owned firms to transfer technology in sectors were Saudi assurances that an air corridor Yemen, the last of them shortly before that are strategically important for the UAE. would be opened. The nurses, mostly Saudi Arabia launched air strikes last from the southern state of Kerala, are Thursday against Iranian-allied Houthi Saleh son sacked as often hired on harsh terms with middle- militiamen. Ruben Jacob Chandy heeded ambassador to UAE men taking upfront fees. Hospitals are the call, taking a flight out of Sanaa and ABU DHABI: The son of former Yemeni strongman reluctant to let them leave because they arriving back in the Keralan capital Ali Abdullah Saleh, accused of backing a rebellion, would have to close without foreign staff. Thiruvananthapuram yesterday with a Royal Saudi Land Forces and units of Special Forces of the Pakistani army take has been sacked as ambassador to the United Sajeesh Mathew’s wife, 29-year-old handful of other Indians who escaped the part in a joint military exercise dubbed Samsam 5 in Shamrakh field north of the Arab Emirates, officials said yesterday. Ahmed Ali nurse Asha, has worked for three years at fighting. Baha region in southwest Saudi Arabia yesterday. — AP Saleh was relieved of his duties at the demand of the Al-Naqib Hospital in the port city of Continued on Page 13 the UAE, according to a Gulf diplomatic official who did not want to be named. The UAE is a mem- ber of an Arab coalition waging an air war on Syria launches cigar Houthi Shiite rebels and military units loyal to Saleh that have risen up against President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Saleh was president for business as war rages more than three decades until stepping down in 2012 after a bloody year-long uprising. His son LATAKIA, Syria: In Syria’s northwest- 2011 before spiralling into a brutal civ- was afterwards named ambassador to the UAE ern province of Latakia, workers roll il war, has taken a massive toll on the but is believed to have remained in Yemen. the country’s first locally made cigars, economy and killed more than Foreign diplomats in Abu Dhabi said they had not a new product being launched 215,000 people. Before the war, the seen him since his appointment. despite the devastating civil conflict General Tobacco Company was now in its fifth year. The workers are among the country’s most prosperous employed by Syria’s state-run General state-run enterprises, generating mil- One dead, one hurt Tobacco Company, which has decided lions of dollars. But, like many state at US spy agency to branch out into cigars in a bid to companies, it has been under WASHINGTON: One person was killed and another create desperately needed jobs and European Union sanctions since 2012, injured at the headquarters of the US National Security boost revenue.

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