Middle East & North Africa

29 March 2022; MEMO: UAE Energy Chief has doubled down on OPEC's alliance with Russia and insists that Moscow will always be part of the inter-governmental organisation. Abu-Dhabi's Energy Minister, Suhail Al-Mazrouei, said yesterday that Russia, with its 10 million barrels of oil a day, is an important member of the global OPEC+ energy alliance and sees no other substitute to replace its contribution to the global supply of oil.

29 March 2022; MEMO: The Tunisian Human Rights League condemned, on Monday, the holding of military trials for civilians and called for the acceleration of revising relevant laws, Anadolu news agency reported.

The League said, in a statement, following the convening of its National Council on 26 and 27 March, that it is committed to "defending all civil, political, economic and social rights", based on the national and international references related to all indivisible human rights.

ISTANBUL, March 29. /TASS/: The Russian Defense Ministry has decided to cardinally decrease the military activity in the direction of Kiev and Chernigov, according to the military agency’s statement following Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul read out by Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

RAMALLAH, Mar 29 (NNN-WAFA) – King Abdullah II of Jordan, yesterday, met with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, to discuss regional issues.

The Jordanian king, who headed a high-ranking delegation, was received by Abbas and a senior Palestinian delegation.

During their meeting, the king reiterated that Jordan is fully standing by the side of the Palestinian people, and supports their legitimate rights and their just cause on all levels.

RAMALLAH, Mar 29 (NNN-WAFA) – Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammed Ishtaye, said yesterday, the Palestinian Authority is following with concern, Israel’s latest moves in the region.

Ishtaye made the remarks, as Israel is hosting a conference with foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt, as well as, U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in the Negev desert region in southern Israel.

AMMAN, Mar 29 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan yesterday condemned Israeli settlers, for storming into a hotel, owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, in East Jerusalem.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Haitham Abu Al-Foul, reaffirmed Jordan’s rejection of all moves aimed to change the historical and legal status quo in East Jerusalem, including the Muslim and Christian properties and endowments, highlighting the country’s support for Jerusalemites and the Orthodox Church, against settlers’ attacks.

ADDIS ABABA, March 29 (Reuters) - Ethiopia has released several former government officials from prison, a lawyer working with them said. The group of ethnic Tigrayans included former members of the government-appointed administration and a member of the ruling party.

The state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said on March 18 that at least eight officials had been arrested, but gave no names, or reasons for the arrests. 

RABAT, March 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to assure Gulf monarchies on Tuesday that Washington is determined to help them fend off attacks from the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen.

Blinken met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates, in Morocco as part of a trip to the Middle East and North Africa.

ISTANBUL/KYIV OUTSKIRTS/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, March 29 (Reuters) - Russia promised on Tuesday to scale down military operations around Ukraine's capital and north, while Kyiv proposed adopting neutral status, in confidence-building steps that were the first signs of progress towards negotiating peace.

RABAT, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan navy has foiled an attempt to smuggle more than 12 tonnes of cannabis off the Atlantic coast of El Jadida, the military said Tuesday.

The operation on Monday led to the arrest of six smugglers, including three Spanish citizens, according to a statement by the Moroccan Armed Forces.

The smuggling operation was foiled after a maritime surveillance plane spotted artisanal fishing boats suspected of illicit trafficking transferring their cargos onto three other boats offshore, according to the statement.