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GCC and Ukraine Sign Political, Economic, Security MoU

President Petro Poroshenko of the Republic of Ukraine and GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani (SPA)
President Petro Poroshenko of the Republic of Ukraine and GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani (SPA)
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GCC and Ukraine Sign Political, Economic, Security MoU

President Petro Poroshenko of the Republic of Ukraine and GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani (SPA)
President Petro Poroshenko of the Republic of Ukraine and GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani (SPA)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Ukraine signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the fields of politics, economy, security, culture, as well as education and tourism in the presence of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the General Secretariat of GCC and the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The MoU was co-signed by GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani and Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin.

The MoU aims to hold consultations between the two sides in order to explore fields of cooperation and dialogue.

Assistant Secretary General of GCC for Political Affairs and Negotiations Abdulaziz al-Owaisheq reiterated that the memorandum deals with political negotiation and countering terrorism and its funding. He stated that the MoU has three main fields; security and political cooperation, economic cooperation, and exchange between Gulf and Ukrainian people through tourism, education and culture.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Owaisheq stated that the MoU will be the beginning of a series of negotiations dealing with politics, security, and countering terrorism, then it will deal with trade, investment, energy, education, health and tourism.

The Assistant Secretary-General stated that terrorism is an important issue for both the Gulf and Ukraine and there are three fields of cooperation between the two: security cooperation between security forces: Gulf police in UAE, security forces of GCC and their counterparts in Ukraine. Second, GCC and Ukraine want to counter terrorism funding through a committee of the GCC, according to Owaisheq. He also stated that GCC wants to fight terrorist rhetoric and ideologies and that GCC has specialized centers in Saudi Arabia and UAE which will cooperate with their peers in Ukraine for that purpose.

Owaisheq also explained that the MoU stipulates that both sides should hold meetings and negotiations to further explore means of cooperation and dialogue and suggest a suitable mechanism to achieve that. In addition, GCC and Ukraine agreed to hold an annual meeting, or whenever needed on the sidelines of UN’s General Assembly, and to task a group of experts with discussing any issues both parties agree on.

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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."