April 10 (UPI) -- The state-owned oil company in Abu Dhabi said it opened its first bidding round to gain access to billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet in gas.

"The launch of these large new licensing blocks is an important step for Abu Dhabi and ADNOC as we develop and apply new strategies to realize the full potential of our resources, maximize value through competitive bidding and accelerate the exploration and development of new commercial opportunities," Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. CEO Ahmed al-Jaber said in a statement.

Austrian energy company OMV last week became the latest in a growing list of foreign companies wading into oil fields off the coast of Abu Dhabi, acquiring a 20 percent working interest in the offshore Satah al-Razboot complex, which includes satellite fields Bin Nasher and al-Bateel, and Umm Lulu. The deal with Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. included infrastructure associated with the fields for a combined price of $1.5 billion.

ADNOC so far this year has signed agreements with Asian energy companies, Italian major Eni and French supermajor Total.

The United Arab Emirates is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and party to its multilateral effort to trim a market surplus with production caps. Emirati production in February averaged 2.8 million barrels per day, about 3 percent less than the full-year average for 2017.

ADNOC estimates that, based on existing field data, the blocks up for grabs "hold multiple billion barrels of oil and multiple trillion cubic feet of natural gas."

"As we begin to expand our downstream portfolio, the new licensing blocks reinforce our long term production growth ambitions and builds on our successful legacy as a leading upstream player," Jaber said.

Nearly all of the Emirati reserves are in Abu Dhabi. Four blocks onshore and two offshore are on the auction block with the close set for October. The conclusion, with formal result announcements, is expected by the end of the year.</s>Abu Dhabi : Abu Dhabi University has launched a happiness course as part of its Public Health programme’s core requirements across campuses in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

Marking the first time that such a curriculum is to be offered at ADU, the Introduction to Happiness and Positive Psychology Course focuses on the definition of happiness, positive psychology, principles of positive psychology and happiness as well as on positive psychology strategies and the practical application of happiness, a report said on Monday.

It will also cover the core components of positive psychology with an emphasis on the optimistic side of human nature and the most effective ways for individuals to thrive and achieve their potential.

At the launch, Deena Elsori, Head of Department of Applied Sciences and Mathematics at ADU, said: “The happiness course is a fruitful outcome of several rigorous workshops and training programmes for our faculty members on the concept and notion of happiness.

“We are confident that this first-of-its-kind course will help our students focus better on their individual well-being,” Elsori said.</s>Somalia's government says it has seized several bags of money worth almost $10m from a plane that arrived at Mogadishu airport from the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi.

The money was found in three unmarked bags on a Royal Jet plane, the Somali interior ministry said, and its seizure resulted in an hours-long standoff between airport officials and UAE embassy staff in Mogadishu.

Royal Jet is an airline based in Abu Dhabi, aimed at the luxury market between the UAE and Europe.

"The seized money is worth $9.6 million. Security agencies are currently investigating where the money came from, where it was going, the individuals involved and the reason for bringing money worth this amount into the country," Somali interior ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

Relations between Somalia and the UAE have been frosty since June last year. Mogadishu resisted Emirati and Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar following a dispute between the Gulf neighbours. Somalia said it was neutral in the Gulf diplomatic rift.

Last month, Abu Dhabi agreed to train security forces in Somaliland - a region in northern Somalia seeking secession from the rest of the country. UAE also signed with Somaliland a 30-year concession to manage Berbera Port in the semi-autonomous region. It has also started building a military base in the port city.

Somalia dismissed the agreement between Abu Dhabi and the northern Somali region as "non-existent, null and void" and called on the United Nations to take action.

Speaking at the UN Security Council last month, Abukar Osman, Somalia's ambassador to the UN, said the agreement between Somaliland and the UAE to establish the base in Berbera is a "clear violation of international law".

Osman called on the Security Council to "take the necessary steps" to "put an end to these actions".

"The Federal Government of Somalia strongly condemns these blatant violations, and reaffirms that it will take the necessary measures deriving from its primary responsibility to defend the inviolability of the sovereignty and the unity of Somalia," he said.</s>The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has denounced the seizure of what it described as a civilian aircraft carrying nearly $10m by Somali authorities at Mogadishu airport.

The government of Somalia said on Sunday it had seized several bags of money containing $9.6m in cash from a plane arriving from the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

According to a statement carried on Tuesday by WAM, the UAE state news agency, the sum was intended to support the Somali military and trainees.

"Money allocated to support the Somali army and trainees was seized at gunpoint by Somali security personnel, who disrespected some members of the UAE forces," it said.

The money was found in three unmarked bags on a Royal Jet plane, according to the Somali interior ministry, and its seizure resulted in an hours-long standoff between airport officials and UAE embassy staff in Mogadishu.

Royal Jet is an airline based in Abu Dhabi, servicing the luxury market between the UAE and Europe.

"The seized money is worth $9.6m. Security agencies are currently investigating where the money came from, where it was going, the individuals involved and the reason for bringing money worth this amount into the country," Somalia's interior ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

Relations between Somalia and the UAE have been frosty since June last year.

Mogadishu resisted Emirati and Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar following a dispute between the Gulf neighbours. Somalia said it was neutral in the Gulf diplomatic rift.

Last month, Abu Dhabi agreed to train security forces in Somaliland - a region in northern Somalia seeking to secede from the country. The UAE has also signed with Somaliland a 30-year concession to manage Berbera Port in the semi-autonomous region. It has also started building a military base in the port city.

Somalia dismissed the agreement between Abu Dhabi and the northern Somali region as "non-existent, null and void" and called on the United Nations to take action.

Speaking at the UN Security Council last month, Abukar Osman, Somalia's ambassador to the UN, said the agreement between Somaliland and the UAE to establish the base in Berbera is a "clear violation of international law".

Osman called on the Security Council to "take the necessary steps" to "put an end to these actions".

"The Federal Government of Somalia strongly condemns these blatant violations, and reaffirms that it will take the necessary measures deriving from its primary responsibility to defend the inviolability of the sovereignty and the unity of Somalia," he said.</s>April 9 (UPI) -- Authorities have started an investigation into bags containing nearly $10 million that arrived on a plane at a Somali airport over the weekend.

Somalia security officials found the money in three unmarked bags on a Royal Jet plane at the airport in Mogadishu, Somalia's interior ministry said.

Royal Jet is a luxury airline based in the United Arab Emirates.

"The seized money is worth $9.6 million," the minister said. "Security agencies are currently investigating where the money came from, where it was going, the individuals involved and the reason for bringing money worth this amount into the country."

Senior security officials told Voice of America the three money bags have been placed in Somalia's central bank for storage.

Officials said the money was seized after diplomat Mohammed Ahmed Othman Al Hammadi's entourage tried to take it out of the airport, but security instructed them to have them scanned.

"The ambassador refused, walked back to the plane with three bags, and counterterrorism units confiscated the three bags," one officer said.

Al Hammadi told VOA the money was not intended for the UAE embassy, but rather the ministry of defense.

"It's for the salary of the Somali soldiers," he said.

The seizure resulted in a standoff for hours between airport officials and UAE embassy staff.

Somalia and UAE relations have been tense since last June when Somalia decided to remain neutral in Persian Gulf political matters.</s>Somali security officials said they have seized a large cache of money that arrived Sunday at Mogadishu airport from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Two senior security officials told VOA Somali three suitcases containing $9.6 million have been put In storage in the central bank of Somalia pending an investigation.

Another security official said Ambassador Mohammed Ahmed Othman Al Hammadi, UAE envoy to Mogadishu, was at the airport to receive the money.

The official said Al Hammadi’s entourage tried to take the money out of the airport but were instructed by security forces to have the bags scanned.

“The ambassador refused, walked back to the plane with three bags, and counterterrorism units confiscated the three bags,” said the officer who requested anonymity.

The Royal Jet plane has since been released.

Al Hammadi told VOA Somali the money was not intended for the UAE embassy. “The money is for the ministry of defense. It’s for the salary of the Somali soldiers,” he told VOA.

He said the government knew in advance that the money was coming for the troops. The UAE has been training Somali soldiers in Mogadishu, as well as about 1,000 maritime police in the Puntland region.

Somali officials argue the money was not intended for the Somali army. “The salary for the army is less than $1 million. This is almost $10 million,” the official said.

“I’m certain that they have been informed not to bring money. The onus is on us to respond,” the official said. He added that an investigation will determine whether the money was brought in to “destabilize” the country.

Relations between Somalia and the UAE have been frosty since last year when the government of Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed resisted pressure to cut ties with Qatar and took a neutral position on a dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Last month, the Somali government rejected an agreement between the UAE’s Dubai World, Somaliland and Ethiopia over Berbera port, saying the deal violates the territorial integrity of Somalia.”

Somali officials said a foreign country believed to be Saudi Arabia has agreed to mediate between Somalia and UAE. It is unclear if there were direct talks between the two countries.

According to Somali diplomatic sources, late last month the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Al Hammadi and explained its position on the port agreement, as well as a separate military agreement between Somaliland and UAE to build a military base in Berbera.

This story was written by VOA’s Harun Maruf. Abdulaziz Osman contributed.</s>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Sunday lifted a ban on laptops in cabins on flights from Abu Dhabi to the United States, saying the United Arab Emirates' Etihad Airways had put in place required tighter security measures.

Etihad Airways welcomed the decision, and credited a preclearance facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport where passengers clear U.S. immigration before they land in the United States for "superior security advantages" that had allowed it to satisfy U.S. requirements.

Etihad is the only airline that operates direct flights from Abu Dhabi to the United States.

In March the United States banned laptops in cabins on flights to the United States originating at 10 airports in eight countries - Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey - to address fears that bombs could be concealed in electronic devices taken aboard aircraft.

Britain quickly followed suit with a similar set of restrictions.

Last week, the United States unveiled security measures for flights to the country designed to prevent the expansion of the ban to more countries that could cause major logistical problems and deter travel.

DHS spokesman David Lapan said on Twitter on Sunday that Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi International Airport "have implemented the required initial enhanced security measures."

Etihad Airways operates 45 flights a week between Abu Dhabi and the United States, the company said.

Dubai-based Emirates, the largest international airline by passenger traffic and a rival to Etihad, said in April it was cutting flights on five U.S. routes due to reduced demand, after a travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump and the laptop ban.</s>Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. will issue its first competitive tender for partners to explore for and develop oil and natural gas as the government-owned producer seeks new ways to increase production in the United Arab Emirates.

Bidding for four onshore and two offshore blocks will probably be completed by October, and Adnoc should select the winners by the end of the year, Chief Executive Officer Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said Tuesday at a news conference in Abu Dhabi. The partners would have to pay for exploration, and once production starts, Adnoc would take a 60 percent stake, he said.

Abu Dhabi, the largest emirate in the U.A.E., holds about 6 percent of global crude reserves and produces most of the country’s oil. While the U.A.E., a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, is curbing output in a global effort to clear a crude glut, Abu Dhabi plans to raise capacity to 3.5 million barrels a day by the end of the year. It recently awarded concessions to companies including Total SA and Eni SpA to help it develop fields already under production.

“Very rarely” does a major OPEC nation offer international oil companies the chance to explore within its borders, said Robin Mills, chief executive officer of Dubai-based consultant Qamar Energy. “It should be fairly low risk since there is a lot of oil,” and Abu Dhabi’s fields have generally got a low cost of production, he said.

The tender will cover a combined area of almost 30,000 square kilometers (11,580 square miles) that is estimated to contain “multiple billion barrels of oil and multiple trillion cubic feet of natural gas,” Abdul Munim Saif Al-Kindy, Adnoc’s director of upstream, said. He didn’t estimate how much of the oil and gas would be commercially viable for companies to produce.

The company says it can pump about 3 million barrels daily, with just under half coming from offshore deposits, and is also looking to expand production of gas as fuel for power plants. The U.A.E. is the fourth-largest member of OPEC and pumped 2.86 million barrels a day of oil in March, data compiled by Bloomberg show.</s>On Feb. 8, 2017, Somalia set the stage for a "soft revolution" led by Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, an experienced diplomat and politician. His victory, which came at a time when the country needed hope to overcome major political and economic challenges, was celebrated across the Somali-speaking world. Farmajo's success seemingly convinced the Somali people that political stability, robust economic growth and a sense of prosperity were finally within reach.

Over a year later, it is important to acknowledge Somalia's accomplishments, even though the country continues to face many challenges. In a short time, President Farmajo's administration implemented a number of key domestic policies to promote socio-economic progress – an easily overlooked success story. Taking those steps, Somalia has been able to largely avoid negative domestic and international consequences. A notable exception is Mogadishu's deteriorating relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has strengthened its ties with Somalia's regional authorities and signed treaties with them despite the central government's objections.

In the wake of the 2017 Gulf Crisis, Somalia assumed a neutral position and urged international organizations, including the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to mediate talks between the relevant parties. For some reason, Mogadishu's neutrality was mistaken for implicit support to Doha, as advocates of the Qatar blockade attempted to strongarm the Somali government into siding with them. Despite mounting pressure, Somalia's federal government remained neutral. This was not, however, the end of the story. Instead of respecting Mogadishu's decision, the UAE, acting on behalf of the alliance that imposed the Qatar blockade, took steps to "encourage" (through financial assistance, development aid and investment) local state governments, officially known as Federal Member States, to challenge the federal government's position – which fueled political tensions within Somalia.

Building on its strengthening relations with several federal state members, Abu Dhabi successfully crafted opposition against Mogadishu. The situation highlighted another problem in Somali politics: Foreign governments using their political and economic power as leverage against the weak federal and local governments to have things their way.

This situation was challenged when the Somali government arrested the leader of an opposition party, Abdirahman Abdishakur, for allegedly conspiring with foreign governments to remove President Farmajo from power. The UAE, Somali officials maintained, were behind this conspiracy. As a matter of fact, masked men, which, according to local media, were members of the UAE-trained security forces, retaliated by raiding the residence of Abdi Hassan Awale Qaybdiid, who chaired the Somali parliament's Constitutional Committee. The government announced that it did not know who the assailants were.

The episode sheds some light on major tensions surrounding the state-building process in Somalia and demonstrates how fragile the project really is. Until there is a clear agreement between the country's federal government and the "federal member states" on the powers and responsibilities of individual parts of the political system, along with implementation mechanisms and respect from external actors for Somalia's sovereignty, the country will remain plagued by crises.

But tensions between Somalia and the UAE continued. In March 2018, Somalia banned Dubai ports operator DP World from conducting business within its borders. The decision was followed by an agreement between Abu Dhabi and Somaliland, a semi-autonomous region, to develop an economic zone, under which the company owned 51 percent of the shares and Ethiopia, 19 percent. From Mogadishu's perspective, the deal violated Somalia's sovereignty and ultimately detrimental to its territorial integrity – even though it was made during Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire's visit to the UAE.Under the Somali constitution, federal government institutions alone have the power to sign foreign investment agreements – which was the reasoning behind the deal's cancellation. Although Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 2017 and therefore does not consider itself subject to the federal constitution, other parties to the agreement were clearly in violation of international law and diplomatic protocol, provided that Somaliland's independence remains unrecognized.

Since the Treaty of Westphalia, which was signed in 1648, national sovereignty has been a core principle of international law. As such, all nation-states are considered sovereign over their territory and internal affairs – which means that foreign governments must not meddle in the affairs of other nations. Needless to say, this principle applies to all countries regardless of their size, wealth and geographical location. The UAE, however, seems to violate this universal principle by pursuing a noxious, destabilizing and destructive policy in Somalia.

In response to the UAE's acts of aggression, President Farmajo recently addressed the Somali parliament and warned against foreign government meddling in the country's affairs: "The Somali government is committed to protecting the sovereignty of the Somali territory. Somalia is open to investment and trade from other countries. But anyone who is willing to invest in Somalia must follow the legal path by obtaining permission from legitimate institutions." Moreover, the most recent political developments established that Somalia must identify new priorities – namely, a constitutional overhaul, security and reconciliation.

To be clear, addressing the challenge posed by the UAE won't be an easy task for Somalia. Going forward, there are several options available to the country's top policymakers. First, diplomatic engagement could help Somalia cope with pressing problems. Provided that the Somali prime minister recently visited the UAE to no avail, however, highlights the limits of this option. Seeking mediation from the Arab League, of which both countries are members, could be another possibility – a step that Somalia has already taken. In fact, raising this issue with the OIC, too, could be helpful. Moreover, the Somali government must start lobbying the Intergovernmental Authority of Development (IGAD) in order to secure the support of other nations to Mogadishu's sovereignty. Last but not least, launching regional and global campaigns to raise awareness about the UAE threat could provide much-needed relief to Somalia and represent a victory for its statehood and unity.</s>This past weekend witnessed the first ever Sir Bani Yas Challenge, a 33km run/hike/kayak race set amongst that natural beauty of Abu Dhabi’s largest natural island. The wildlife reserve and bird sanctuary hosted the 280 adventurers from across the globe, including Australia, Brazil, Columbia, Spain, Switzerland, South Africa and the United States.

The youngest contestant was just 14 years old, while the oldest was 64. Husaak Adventures, the organiser of the Challenge, had a team of over 50 team members and volunteers, being helped by hundreds of staff members who are all based on the island from different other sponsors and partners.

The top 3 finishers in the Female category were Fatema Husain from Bahrain who finished the race in (5:03.48), Tahreer Alfadhli from Kuwait (5:42:05), and Barbara Espejo from Spain (5:43:59). In the Male category, the top 3 were Jason Wagner from South Africa (3:49:21), Ahmed Al Falahi from Oman (3:52:26), and Pete Goodwin from the UK (3:56:08) The challenge was organised by Husaak Adventures and sponsored by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi Ports Company, hospitality group Anantara and EWS-WWF.

Sir Bani Yas, an 87-square-kilometre island off the coast of Abu Dhabi, was developed into a wildlife reserve by the late Sheikh Zayed in 1971. Over the years, it has established itself as one of the UAE’s largest animal reserves and is currently home to over 15,000 free roaming animals and birds.

With a wide range of eco-tourism activities on the island, including kayaking, trail running, mountain biking, diving, hiking, and safari tours, the island is rapidly becoming a leading eco-tourism and adventure destination in the region.

Ali Husain, the founder and director of the GCC adventure company Husaak Adventures, said, "We truly believe that SBY island and the Al Dhafra region can play a significant role in the adventure tourism vision of AD due to multiple factors one of which is the easy access to the adventure communities in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in addition to the existing adventurers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai."

Most participants being from across the GCC, the Sir Bani Yas Challenge is line with Abu Dhabi’s vision to bolster its adventure tourism segment and establish itself as a year-round destination of distinction. As part of its mandate to boost the tourism sector’s contribution to the local economy, as well as attract and increase the number of visitors to the Emirate by 2021, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi will continue to enhance its offerings within this space.
Somalia seizes US$9.6 million from three bags arriving on a Royal Jet flight from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in the midst of diplomatic tensions between the nations.