International

UAE, Israel and Morocco build business relations in wake of Abraham Accords 

While their political moves are getting most of the airplay, behind the scenes the Abraham Accords signatories also mean business, with closer economic ties being forged between the UAE, Israel and Morocco.

UAE's sovereign fund Tawazun seeks military procurement role in the French mould 

Tawazun, the UAE's civil sovereign fund which handles military procurement, is being empowered to coordinate all state military programmes under the impetus of national security adviser Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The fund is seeking advisers to help it build a more structured local defence industry.

Axel Krueger, Swiss adviser for oil traders, in Gazprombank's sights 

Veteran mining and oil industry consultant and financier Axel Krueger is caught up in a legal battle in London where his business partner, oil trader Mourat Seitnepesov, is being sued by the Luxembourg subsidiary of Russia's Gazprombank, recently targeted by British sanctions.

Turkey's Abu Dhabi cyber charm offensive flops at GISEC 

Ankara is trying to lay the foundations of a Turkish-Emirati partnership in cyber defence, but the plan is hampered by lingering mutual mistrust.

Armed with their major anti-drone contract, CS Group and Thales look to break into the Gulf 

Now among the French army's suppliers of anti-drone equipment, the CS Group-Thales consortium wants to take advantage of this success. The Franco-Qatari cooperation will intensify right up to this year's football World Cup, while CS is trying to establish itself in Abu Dhabi with its rival MBDA.

• WASHINGTON - ICSID establishes framework for litigation funding.
  

• LONDON - Audere's new boss Oliver Blackmore gets into private security.

• WASHINGTON - RosettiStar hires Joe Andrews.
  

• LONDON - Farrant looks to Africa.

US Navy boosts ISR drone capacity 

As Russia continues its war on Ukraine, the US Navy is boosting its Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities with contracts with Insitu and Amentum.

US oil industry moves to protect its interests in the Caspian sea 

The disruptions caused by sanctions to the oil and gas industry are being closely monitored by Chevron's Central Asian networks. In order to keep the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline operational, the US oil major has to, more or less willingly, cooperate with Lukoil group and the Russian state.

French domestic intelligence service invited to join military cyber R&D center 

A team of engineers from France's DGSI internal intelligence service is to be sent to the French defence ministry base in Bruz in Britanny. The centre designs cyber systems for the army but also develops big data and analytics systems, which are a key area of interest for the DGSI.

EU anti-corruption investigators under fire in Seychelles 

The corruption case brought against members of former president France-Albert René's entourage has been largely put together with the help of investigators under contract to the European Union. However, their impartiality and methods have been called into question by defence lawyers.

Saudi Nuclear Energy Holding Company to spearhead MbS's nuclear ambitions 

In early March, Saudi Arabia locked in a key step for the rollout of its nuclear programme with the creation of a supervisory entity modelled on that of its Emirati neighbour. The kingdom is also making progress on its choice of constructor for its first reactors.

French armed forces general staff prioritises information warfare capacities 

With information warfare a huge component of the Ukrainian conflict and France fast losing ground in the Sahel, the French armed forces general staff is determined to regain its footing in the field.

Ukraine's US lobbyists target New York City Hall 

City Hall has been a key centre of activity for the PR consultants and lobbyists who have gone into action since the start of the Russian offensive on Ukraine. Kharkiv-based NGO GloBee, which is headed by a public strategy consultant, is using the services of Mercury and YourGlobalStrategy.

Former Bishop executives set up new company Silverbridge Intelligence 

Following Mintz Group's takeover of Bishop International, the company owned by Jeff Katz, who died in 2020, Nick Plested and Jody Freshwater have left Bishop to set up new company Silverbridge Intelligence.New corporate intelligence company Silverbridge Intelligence (SB Strategic Advisory) has now started operations.

NGA's intelligence cloud contract signals ultimate demise of JEDI project 

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's (NGA) award of a cloud contract to General Dynamics Information Technology marks the end of ambitions to create a unified cloud for the entire US defence community. Interoperability is the new watchword.