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00:00 [Music]
00:14 When the economic corridors are defined,
00:17 they are more than just an economic return
00:21 and a new logistic network to achieve economic integration.
00:25 It extends to draw new features for the geopolitical map.
00:30 If the strategic location, political stability,
00:33 and coordination between the countries of the project are the main factors of support,
00:38 it is in a balance that is balanced with the balance of the success of the economic corridor in all its aspects.
00:44 Today, we are preparing for a new economic corridor from India to Europe through the Middle East.
00:50 There is the Lubezco corridor south of the African continent.
00:54 As we have experienced over the past 10 years,
00:58 the initiative of the Belt and Road Initiative,
01:00 in addition to the North Sea Road of Russia.
01:03 So, the economic corridors may have been multiplied,
01:06 but to what extent they may be able to fight the great powers.
01:12 [Music]
01:41 [Music]
02:07 [Music]
02:26 So, when we talk about the economic corridors between interests and interests and economic clusters,
02:33 we talk about this subject in a more open way.
02:37 My guests in this episode are Omar Bahlewa,
02:39 Deputy Chairman of the International Trade Commission in the Saudi Chamber of Commerce in Riyadh.
02:44 I also welcome my guests from Cairo and Qadr,
02:47 members of the previous board of directors of the Suez Canal.
02:51 Welcome all.
02:53 First, I would like to start with my question to Mr. Bahlewa,
02:57 about the new and expected economic corridor that will extend from India to Europe through the Middle East.
03:04 In your opinion, today, the importance of this corridor in light of this time,
03:09 and also its implications on its importance in the region.
03:12 Thank you, Ms. Salif, for the invitation and my greetings to you and the distinguished viewers.
03:20 The world is changing, Ms. Salif.
03:24 The world is changing, trade lines are changing,
03:28 and geopolitical changes, as you mentioned, are changing.
03:32 Therefore, there are many new directions,
03:37 especially for the great countries such as China and India in the Asian continent.
03:43 The proposed corridor was mentioned in the G20 meetings last month.
03:49 Therefore, its path was determined through the Middle East,
03:54 through the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
03:56 until it reaches the Mediterranean Sea,
03:58 then it reaches Europe through Greece,
04:01 and it will be one of the trade routes for global trade lines.
04:08 The Indian and Gulf relations are very old,
04:12 for hundreds of years.
04:14 This corridor has existed for a long time,
04:19 but there are many ways, but the path is the same.
04:24 The trade between the Gulf countries and the Indian continent
04:30 is very old and rich,
04:36 and it carries a type of trade as well.
04:39 In addition, there is a trend to communicate with the European continent
04:44 through the Middle East,
04:46 especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
04:51 All these data facilitate the creation of alternative solutions,
04:57 and also replacements for the international trade lines.
05:04 Let's move to Mr. Wael from Cairo.
05:09 We will talk about the importance of these economic corridors.
05:12 Mr. Wael, how do you see them in changing the geopolitical map today,
05:16 and to what extent do their interests not only stop at the borders of economic interests,
05:22 but also at the level of international cooperation and common interests?
05:29 This corridor was originally established
05:37 against China's initiative to impose sanctions on the Belt and Road,
05:41 which was launched in 2013.
05:46 From that period, China's influence in developed countries began to increase,
05:55 as a result of the creation of iron and steel mines and the importation of crude oil.
06:02 The United States thought about how to launch an initiative against this initiative of China.
06:10 There was a meeting of the 20th group in September or September 8,
06:17 which launched the Indian-Gulf countries,
06:22 Jordan, Israel and Europe.
06:27 So it was against China's initiative to reduce China's influence,
06:35 because China is a powerful force that competes with the United States
06:40 to change the global system,
06:43 so that instead of one country, there are multiple countries.
06:48 This is the main purpose of this initiative.
06:51 The corridor includes a part of the sea and a part of the iron and steel mines,
06:59 then another part of the sea from Israel to Europe,
07:04 and then the rest of the countries on land routes within the European countries.
07:09 This is the main idea.
07:12 If we look at it, we find that the size of India's trade is limited, meaning that in 2021,
07:21 it will be 88 billion dollars.
07:24 However, the size of trade, as the colleague said,
07:29 between India and the Gulf is increasing.
07:32 The third largest partner of the Emirates to India in terms of trade.
07:38 There are changes that are happening, and each one is looking for his own interest.
07:44 The purpose of this corridor will be Israel,
07:49 it will be the face of India's trade to Europe.
07:55 So this will undoubtedly be in the interest of Israel.
08:01 The main purpose is to integrate Israel in the Middle East and to be the leader in this matter.
08:16 Mr. Wael, as you said, there are interests,
08:20 starting with the strengthening of Chinese interests, and it may be a competitor to China.
08:25 Mr. Omar, in your opinion, to what extent this line may also strengthen Chinese interests,
08:32 despite what we have recently seen that the Gulf region has clear interests with China,
08:39 and also what we see from new clusters through the BRICS, in your opinion.
08:44 To what extent could we also see this clash?
08:47 No, there will be no clash.
08:50 As I mentioned, these are just loose lines.
08:55 They do not aim to strengthen any Chinese-Gulf or Arab relations in general.
09:04 The Chinese-Arab and Saudi relations are in particular a close relationship,
09:09 and there are huge strategic projects.
09:12 If you remember, only last week,
09:15 the Kingdom signed with China a transfer of 50 billion dollars to the Chinese yuan.
09:23 Therefore, there is a strategic relationship between the Chinese-Saudi and the Chinese-Gulf.
09:28 The Gulf region is a key region for international logistics,
09:36 and also for the communication with Greece.
09:42 There are several projects to communicate with Europe through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
09:49 and the United Arab Emirates, as I mentioned.
09:51 Not only in the area of the Gulf, but also in energy transfer.
09:55 There are projects to transfer energy from the Gulf countries to Europe through Greece.
10:00 There is also another project for the internet and the electronic network
10:09 to be distributed between the Gulf countries and Europe through Greece.
10:15 These are loose lines, and will not strengthen any close relationship between the Gulf countries in general,
10:22 and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular, with a large country like China.
10:26 There are common interests, as mentioned by your honorable guest.
10:30 The common interests aim to take advantage of the best means to maximize the benefits of these interests.
10:39 Whether the United States or China,
10:43 they are strategic partners of the Gulf countries and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular.
10:49 India is also an economicly vulnerable country,
10:54 and needs to reach the European continent through several routes.
11:00 One of these routes is the proposed route.
11:04 We are still at the beginning of the project, and it needs a lot of direction.
11:12 I mentioned the communication.
11:15 The Kingdom, before this route, has projects to build iron bridges.
11:21 We have the land bridge, which connects the eastern region with the Arab region.
11:26 There is also the iron bridge between Mecca and Jeddah.
11:31 There is also an idea to connect the iron bridge from Medina to the Mediterranean Sea.
11:41 There are also other projects for the Gulf countries to build iron bridges.
11:45 The projects are already in place before this initiative.
11:51 The Gulf is a strategic and logistic region.
11:54 The Kingdom is a hub for global logistics services.
12:01 One of the 2030 projects is aimed at global presence through logistic services.
12:09 We will talk about the importance of the region and the ports in the Middle East.
12:16 We will also talk about its role and how it will be a supporting factor in the new strategic network.
12:24 We will stay with these details, but we will go to a short break.
12:29 We will return with our guests, Mr. Omar Bahle from Riyadh and Mr. Wael Qadour from Cairo.
12:34 We will be back in a short while.
12:36 When interests unite, the results are economic clusters and a new geopolitical map.
12:58 This is what will be embodied by the new economic route that connects India and Europe through the Middle East.
13:06 This will make trade between India and Europe 40% faster.
13:11 On the map, the new project will extend through two separate routes.
13:16 The eastern route starts from the Indian ports to the Emirates across the Arabian Sea.
13:20 The northern route will cross to Saudi Arabia via the Iron Dock, reaching the Mediterranean and then to Europe.
13:28 The main benefits of the project include connecting the Iron Dock lines to ports to accelerate the passage of goods and services.
13:36 This will support clean energy practices and more sustainability through the supply of lines and pipelines to transport electricity and hydrogen.
13:44 This will also strengthen the security of global energy supplies.
13:48 The new economic route will address the weaknesses that threaten global energy transport in the region
13:54 by providing alternative ways to reduce hormones, which account for more than 20% of global energy transport.
14:03 The new project has positive benefits for the participating countries,
14:07 but it poses many questions about its impact on trade through the Suez Canal and its consequences as a competitive line.
14:16 What about the Belt and Road Initiative, which links China to Western Europe through Central Asia and Russia?
14:23 Did the Europeans lose confidence in the Chinese initiative after the Russian-Ukrainian war?
14:29 There are many questions.
14:31 The project's features have been defined, but the timing of its launch, its actual cost and the study of the schedule have not yet been revealed.
14:40 But until then, we will see, according to the vision of US President Joe Biden, how this project will change the rules of the game.
14:50 Transcription by ESO; translation by —
14:54 ESOcast is produced by ESO, the European Southern Observatory.
14:58 ESO, the European Southern Observatory, is the pre-eminent intergovernmental science and technology organisation in astronomy,
15:03 designing, constructing and operating the world's most advanced ground-based telescopes.
15:07 ESO, the European Southern Observatory, is the pre-eminent intergovernmental science and technology organisation in astronomy,
15:12 designing, constructing and operating the world's most advanced ground-based telescopes.
15:16 Transcription by ESO; translation by —
15:20 Transcription by —
15:23 Welcome back, viewers.
15:25 We are back again, and in our main issues about the economic pathways and their importance,
15:30 I will move to my guest, Al-Qadour, and I will ask you this time about the role and the extent of the importance of these economic pathways
15:39 and the extent of the impact of these conditions on the interests of the Suez Canal, in light of this great challenge and competition that we are witnessing on the economic level.
15:50 Mr. Wael, can you hear me?
16:02 I can hear you. As for the pathways, there are many alternative pathways,
16:10 including the Indian-Gulf countries, Europe, and there are alternative ways as a result of climate change,
16:22 such as the North Pole, which undoubtedly links Asia with Europe, which is 40% shorter than the Suez Canal.
16:34 So there are many alternative ways.
16:37 Every person has the right to benefit from these pathways for the benefit of the country in which they pass.
16:47 As for the impact of these pathways on the Suez Canal, it depends on the success of this new pathway.
16:58 Will it pass through the oil, as I have announced, and the energy, and the green hydrogen, and the path to the export of electricity,
17:10 and the access to information, and all of this, it is undoubtedly when this pathway is completed,
17:19 it will stop the success of all the Gulf countries and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on this project.
17:29 But Mr. Wael, today the competition was not limited to this economic pathway,
17:35 but there is also a project that was announced about its details on the Ben Gurion channel today.
17:41 These pathways, in your opinion, today, to what extent do they pose a kind of danger or threat to the Suez Canal?
17:49 As for the Ben Gurion Canal, this is an old project from the 1960s,
17:58 and its path was in the Arab Valley, where the mountains and rocks were,
18:06 and it was not possible to implement it to the extent that the United States commissioned a consulting office to study it,
18:14 and suggested the use of a nuclear bomb on people in this regard.
18:20 So this cannot be implemented due to the topographical nature.
18:25 As a result of the war in Gaza, people are talking about the possibility of implementing it
18:31 from the hills in the Nile desert to Gaza on the White Sea.
18:36 Will this be done? We will wait and see.
18:41 But for this project in general, it will not affect the Suez Canal in the end,
18:48 because it is longer than the Suez Canal, more than a third of its length.
18:54 Therefore, the Suez Canal has the means to compete if this project is implemented.
19:01 Yes.
19:02 I agree. And do not forget that the trade patterns, as you say, have changed.
19:08 That is, the whole world was in a kind of a mess.
19:13 Today, trade within the clusters is increasing.
19:17 We find that the European trade is increasing by 68% within the European Union,
19:28 while the trade between it and the rest of the world is 32%.
19:32 We also find that the Asian trade has reached 59%.
19:37 The oil trade in North America has reached 29%.
19:43 These patterns are changing, so you have to be patient with these changes
19:50 and everyone should look for the benefits that can be achieved from the changes that are happening.
19:57 Yes, Mr. Wael.
19:58 This time I will move to Mr. Omar and ask about the importance of these crossings
20:05 in keeping away from the obstacles, changes and tensions that have occurred
20:11 and some of the circumstances that we have seen lately,
20:14 and keeping away from the narrow ports, as Diek Hormoz said, in your opinion,
20:18 to what extent will this work to achieve energy security and also security in logistic roads?
20:24 Of course, from the previous trade and from the previous events,
20:30 the Kingdom and the Gulf States felt that they should look for safe areas and routes
20:36 for their trade, whether it is energy transfer or regular global trade.
20:42 What happened and is happening is that, as your guest mentioned,
20:48 everyone is looking for their benefits and interests in general.
20:52 The Kingdom and the Gulf States are looking for interests, safe routes, safe avenues for their products.
21:00 The obstacles on the Arabian Peninsula are two obstacles, the Bab al-Mandib and Hormuz.
21:08 Many events have occurred in the past three or four decades
21:13 that have caused the threat of sale through these two routes.
21:18 As I mentioned earlier, the creation of other trade routes and new crossings
21:26 is one way to guarantee and secure trade between the Gulf States and the world.
21:34 Do not forget that there are investments in the port of Qawadr in Pakistan,
21:41 which also opens up space to open up trade between the Central Asian countries in general
21:47 and the Indian Peninsula with the Gulf States.
21:50 There are also investments in the Arabian Peninsula, which is one of the alternative routes,
21:57 as well as the Silk Road or the Silk Road.
22:01 The Gulf States and the Kingdom are the gateway to the African continent,
22:07 the gateway to Europe and the North Asian continent.
22:11 There are also geopolitical threats in the Russian-Ukrainian war,
22:17 which is one of the safe routes in the North of the globe.
22:22 These are alternative routes, parallel routes,
22:29 current and future routes, and will not directly affect direct relations
22:37 between Saudi Arabia, China, Saudi Arabia, India, Saudi Arabia, Europe,
22:42 the United States of America, and so on, the Gulf States.
22:46 The most important thing now is to find solutions under the geopolitical changes
22:52 and under the changes in global trade and the global economy.
22:57 India and China in 2030 will become the two largest economies in the world.
23:03 They need pathways and new directions to change the course of trade between them
23:11 and the countries of the world.
23:13 I would like to thank my guests from Riyadh, Omar Bahle,
23:16 the Vice President of the International Trade Commission in the Saudi Chamber of Commerce,
23:20 and my guest from Cairo, Mr. Wael Qaddour,
23:25 a former member of the board of directors of the Suez Canal Authority.
23:28 Thank you very much for all these details and information.
23:31 So, new economic pathways, unified interests,
23:40 and new economic clusters that we can strive for change the geopolitical map.
23:45 Thank you for watching. Goodbye.
23:48 (Music)
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