Manufacturing sector grows by $5.3 million 2018-2019
AHMAD AL HARTHY JUST MISSES PODIUM IN SEASON FINALE OMAN RACING 8TH IN MAIDEN ALMS GT TEAM STANDINGS WITH 24 POINTS
The added value of the manufacturing sector has grown to $40 million in 2019 from $36.9 million in 2015 while the sector’s contribution to GDP was nearly $10.5 million in 2019, an average increase of $5.3 million in the 2018-2019 period, according to a recent study published by the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF).
The study which covered 14 countries concluded that the Sultanate is among three Arab countries that have seen an increase in the added value of the manufacturing sector at fixed prices of over 4 per cent in 2019 alongside Egypt and Mauritania.
According to the study titled ‘the effect of the manufacturing sector on economic growth in the Arab countries’, the manufacturing sector in the Sultanate employs 5 per cent of the overall workforce as of 2018 compared to 5.6 per cent in 2010.
In order to develop the manufacturing sector and boost its contribution to GDP, the study recommended that the Sultanate adopts a national strategy and action programmes that focus on developing the manufacturing sector with the aim of enhancing its added value and boosting economic diversification. Other recommendations included issuing legislations that would boost the manufacturing sector, bolstering human capital through improving educational and training output, boosting investments and credit facilitations and adopting incentive packages to draw foreign direct investments.
TEHRAN: Iran said on Sunday it had held “fruitful discussions” with UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi in Tehran, ahead of a deadline when it is set to restrict the agency’s inspections unless the United States lifts painful sanctions.
Grossi’s visit comes amid stepped-up efforts between US President Joe Biden’s administration, European powers and Iran to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal that has been on the brink of collapse since Donald Trump withdrew from it.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was to later meet Grossi, signalled that the Islamic republic wants to avoid an “impasse” but also warned that it could step further away from its commitments if Washington does not lift the sanctions.
Grossi, head of the Viennabased International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), arrived in Tehran late on Saturday and met with the head of the Iran Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, early on Sunday.
“Iran and the IAEA held fruitful discussions based on mutual respect, the result of which will be released this evening,” Tehran’s Ambassador to the UN agency Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on Twitter.
Grossi was due to hold a press conference when he returns to Vienna in the evening.
Iran’s parliament months ago demanded that, if the US does not lift sanctions by this Sunday, Iran will suspend some IAEA inspections from Tuesday. But
Iran has stressed it will not cease working with the IAEA or expel its inspectors.
Zarif told Iran’s Press TV on Sunday that he would talk to Grossi about implementing Iran’s law while making sure “not to create an impasse, so that he carries out the obligations to show that Iran’s nuclear programme remains peaceful”.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said late on Saturday that the “IAEA’S inspection capability will be reduced by about 20-30 per cent after the implementation of the parliament’s law”.
Iran has notified the UN body it will suspend “voluntary transparency measures” — notably inspection visits to nonnuclear sites, including military sites suspected of nuclear-related activity — if the US fails to lift the sanctions Trump reimposed in 2018.
Zarif said the law mandates the government “not to provide the tapes” of cameras at sites to the IAEA, adding that technical details would be discussed in Tehran.
“We are not violating the JCPOA, we are implementing remedial measures foreseen in the JCPOA itself,” Zarif insisted, referring to the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
“Once everybody implements their part and their obligations, then there will be talks, and those talks will not be about changing or adding to the agreement.”
Biden has committed to rejoin talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, in a shift away from Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” towards the Islamic republic.
JAKARTA: Five people were killed in the severe floods that submerged entire neighbourhoods in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, authorities said on Sunday, as residents returned to clean their homes and salvage belongings.
The city was struck by torrential rains over the weekend, which flooded dozens of major roads and forced hundreds of people to rush to emergency shelters.
A 67-year-old man was found dead after he became trapped in his waterlogged house in the badly hit southern part of the capital on Saturday, Jakarta disaster mitigation agency head Sabdo Kurnianto said.
He added that three boys died after being swept away by the floods, and one girl drowned.
Indonesia’s meteorological agency warned that Greater Jakarta — a region of around 30 million people that is regularly hit by floods in the rainy season — can expect more heavy downpours next week.
“The river overflowed and brought a lot of mud... I have suffered great financial loss,” said Ali Fatullah, a fruit seller in the town of Bekasi on the outskirts of Jakarta. He said furniture and electronic devices were damaged by the water.
Kurnianto said some 1,700 people remained in shelters, though many residents had started returning to their homes.
NIAMEY: Niger voted on Sunday in the second round of a presidential election that is expected to usher in the first democratic transition of power since independence from France in 1960.
Ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum is the favourite after leading in the first round on December 27 with 39.3 per cent of the vote. He is up against former President Mahamane Ousmane, who scored 17 per cent.
Bazoum, who had held several top positions in outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou’s governments including the foreign and interior ministries, is backed by the candidates who came third and fourth in the first round.
In the capital Niamey, crowds of voters, some wearing masks against Covid-19, queued in dusty school courtyards.
“I hope that luck is on my side, but I have many reasons to believe it is indeed,” Bazoum said after voting.
Issoufou hailed the historic nature of the election in a country that has seen four coups since independence, congratulating Nigeriens on their “political maturity”.
Bazoum, 61, has vowed to continue Issoufou’s policies, making security a focal point as the West African country battles insurgencies, while attempting to revamp the economy.
Ousmane, 71, was Niger’s first democratically elected president and was ousted in a 1996 military coup. Endorsed by around a dozen smaller parties and first round candidates, he has promised to bring change and tackle corruption.
“The vote is in every way between continuity and change,” said Mahamadou Harouna, a 30-year-old student who declined to say how he voted.
One of the world’s poorest nations, Niger has struggled with drought, floods, coronavirus and weak prices for its main export, uranium. The International Monetary Fund expects Niger’s economy to rebound to prepandemic levels, with growth of over 6 per cent this year after dipping by 1.2 per cent in 2020.
Niger is facing two of Africa’s deadliest insurgencies — one near its western border with Mali and Burkina Faso, where militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have carried out attacks. Along its southeastern border with Nigeria attacks by Boko Haram have killed hundreds.
Excellent pace, first class racecraft and an all-round great performance ensured Ahmad al Harthy and Oman Racing wrappedup the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series with a season-best fourth place GT Class finish during an exciting final race of the campaign in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
As during Friday’s third round at Yas Marina Circuit, Al Harthy and team-mates Tom Canning and Jonny Adam were in contention for a dream podium result and ultimately just missed out, after four hours of incredible action, by a mere 3.5 seconds.
Even so, the top four result was a fantastic way for Oman Racing to conclude its maiden campaign in the ultra-competitive Asian Le Mans Series and gives Al Harthy a major boost at the beginning of the 2021 motor racing year.
“We really tried to capitalise on everything possible and we knew everyone was on different strategies, P4 was the maximum we could get out of the car and we’re happy with it”, said Oman’s number one racing driver, “It’s great to end the series with our strongest drives, both in Friday’s race and the finale on Saturday.
“My stint was very good again. I had a good amount of clean, uninterrupted racing which was great for me and we pushed as hard as we could. It’s great for us to have been so very close to the podium in the final ALMS race and it’s always an honour and pleasure for me to represent Oman in these big international championships. We look forward to continuing to do that!”
Starting the season finale from eighth on the GT class grid, Canning took the first stint of the race and maintained position early on before moving up into seventh place. Into the top six with around 10 minutes elapsed, the Safety Car then appeared moments later due to an incident.
Racing resumed after another 10 minutes or so, with Canning holding sixth, but at the half-hour mark the Safety Car was required again after a heavy accident involving two cars. Teams took the opportunity to serve pit-stops during the lengthy second cautionary period and when all had shaken out, Canning was up into third in class and the outright top 10.
Just after the end of the opening hour the competitors were unleashed again and Canning climbed into second in GT ahead of a Full Course Yellow period 80 minutes into the race. The young Briton then pitted shortly after to hand over the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to Al Harthy.
Running fifth in class when everything settled, the Oman Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, National Bank of Oman, Omantel and Barr Al Jissah supported driver took fourth around 25 minutes into his stint and then moved into the podium placings a couple of laps later.
FAULTLESS DRIVE
Driving faultlessly as the race reached the halfway point and dusk began to set-in, Al Harthy was still third and running brilliantly. Soon climbing into second in GT, Al Harthy took the class lead with one hour and 45 minutes to go when the Mclaren 720S ahead pitted.
Circulating a couple of seconds clear of the No 99 Porsche 911, the Omani reeled off lap after lap without putting a wheel wrong and with just 90 minutes to run he was still inside the overall top 10 and well over 40 seconds clear of his closest class rival.
After an outstanding stint, Al Harthy pitted with roughly one hour and 25 minutes left on the clock to hand over to Adam from the lead. Threading into the race seventh in GT, the Aston Martin factory driver had risen to fourth with an hour remaining and was less than six seconds shy of the podium.
With a late ‘splash and dash’ fuel stop required, Adam entered the pits for the final time with 10 minutes to go and rejoined in fifth but less than two seconds away from the podium battle. Into the final five minutes Adam had caught the group, and on the ante-penultimate lap he took fourth from Renauer. At the flag after four hours, Adam was just 3.5 seconds shy of the rostrum and 16th overall.