Media Review: Africa's French-backed governments are falling one after the other, is Senegal Next?

Media Review: Africa's French-backed governments are falling one after the other, is Senegal Next?

    Monday, September 04, 2023   No comments

Der Spiegel asked the same question: Another pro-French regime is shaking... Will Senegal be next?

The German newspaper "Der Spiegel" indicated that France Afrique's regime had reached the stage of its demise, expecting that Senegal, located in western Africa, and France's last remaining partner in the region, would be the next country to turn against French exploitation of it.

The newspaper said that young people in Senegal "are moving away from France, because they are tired of the clique surrounding President Macky Sall," noting that "he will not run for re-election next year."

The newspaper pointed out that the Senegalese view Sal as a French puppet, and a key element in France's policies in Africa.

And it used to be that the close relations between the candidate and Paris helped in the elections, so that the newspaper indicated that these relations almost guarantee the failure of the ballot boxes in the West African region.

Since last June, the Senegalese opposition has staged mass protests, primarily against the criminal conviction of its leader, Ousmane Sonko, with thousands taking to the streets earlier this month.

The marches have sometimes turned violent, with several people killed since the protests began. Far from simply showing support for Sonko, the demonstrators also targeted French supermarket chains and service stations of French oil giant Total.

And the German newspaper "Der Spiegel" revealed that in European diplomatic circles, there is "a fair amount of ambiguity about the French approach."

In this regard, one of the diplomats said that "Paris does not have mechanisms to deal with the current rejection of everything that is French," stressing that the member states of the European Union have failed to agree on a common position.

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The aftermath of BRICS expansion: The West will warn its Arab Allies who joined the Bloc

The aftermath of BRICS expansion: The West will warn its Arab Allies who joined the Bloc

    Monday, September 04, 2023   No comments

BRICS membership expanded, and with that expansion comes benefits and responsibilities. Among them is closer economic cooperation among member states. This would mean that Russia, the hardest hit country by Western sanctions, and Iran, the second longest hit country by Western sanctions will be able to trade without fear of Western limits. Tow of the Arab nations that joined BRICS recently, Saudi Arabia and UAE, will feel the heat from their Western allies. It already started.

Officials from the US, UK, and EU are planning to “jointly press” the UAE into halting shipments of goods to Russia that "could help Moscow in its war against Ukraine,' according to western officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Several US and European officials started a trip to the Gulf monarchy on 4 September “as part of a collective global push to keep computer chips, electronic components, and other so-called dual-use products” away from Russia.

Western envoys also traveled “jointly and separately” to countries such as Turkiye and Kazakhstan to pressure authorities into preventing western dual-use products from reaching Russia.

Despite ongoing pressure from the west, Abu Dhabi has not enforced sanctions imposed on Russia, instead deepening cooperation with the Kremlin. Nonetheless, the Gulf nation has condemned the invasion of Ukraine at the UN several times, and an Emirati official told the WSJ that the country enforces UN-imposed sanctions on Russia.

The official added the Gulf state is monitoring the export of dual-use products and is committed to protecting “the integrity of the global financial system.”

In response to the position taken by the UAE, US officials publicly labeled the UAE "a country of focus" earlier this year as they look to clamp down on Russia's ties with independent nations.

Dubai, in particular, has reaped the benefits of the Emirati government's neutrality, as Russian nationals have become the largest buying group of real estate in the luxurious Emirate, which has also become a hub for Russian oil traders.

The new pressure campaign from the west comes less than two weeks after the UAE was officially invited to join the Russian and Chinese-led BRICS+ group of nations. The expanded bloc also pledged to help Africa develop its local economy through investments by member states who have the cash and loans from the New Development Bank (BRICS bank). UAE, a country with cash that need to be invested, is taking advantage of this new opportunity.

The UAE pledged $4.5 billion in clean energy investments for the African continent on 5 September during the second day of the three-day African Climate Summit held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

“We will deploy $4.5 billion … to jumpstart a pipeline of bankable clean energy projects in this very important continent,” Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the head of state-owned renewable energy firm Masdar and the Emirati national oil company ADNOC, told attendees on Tuesday.

“If Africa loses, we all lose,” warned Jaber, adding that the investment aims “to develop 15 GW (gigawatts) of clean power by 2030” and “catalyze at least an additional $12.5 billion from multilateral, public and private sources.”

Jaber, who is also president of the upcoming COP28 climate summit to be hosted by the UAE, said a consortium including Masdar would help achieve the clean power goals and stressed that a “surgical intervention of the global financial architecture that was built for a different era” is needed, urging institutions to lower debt burdens.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA), Africa’s renewable generation capacity was 56 GW in 2022. Despite possessing an abundance of natural resources, just 3 percent of energy investments worldwide are made in Africa.

The three-day climate summit in Nairobi has attracted heads of state, government, and industry, including UN head Antonio Guterres, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, and US climate envoy John Kerry.

“Renewable energy could be the African miracle, but we must make it happen,” Guterres told the summit on Monday. He also addressed the member states of the G20 to “assume your responsibilities” in the battle to combat climate catastrophe.

Kenyan President William Ruto said trillions of dollars in “green investment opportunities” would be needed as the climate crisis accelerates.

“Africa holds the key to accelerating decarbonization of the global economy. We are not just a continent rich in resources. We are a powerhouse of untapped potential, eager to engage and fairly compete in the global markets,” Ruto said.

Abu Dhabi sealed a deal with Egypt in June to build Africa's largest wind farm as the nation looks to rapidly expand the use of clean energy abroad and at home, where it operates three nuclear power reactors. The UAE also has three of the world's largest and lowest-cost solar plants. 

This focus on clean energy is part of the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.

The development of renewable energy sources has recently become a priority for Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, which plans to source 50 percent of its energy requirements from renewables by 2030.

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Amir Abdollahian receives Hakan Fidan: Research on bilateral and regional issues, preparation for a trilateral summit of Iran-Saudi Arabia-Turkiye is underway

Amir Abdollahian receives Hakan Fidan: Research on bilateral and regional issues, preparation for a trilateral summit of Iran-Saudi Arabia-Turkiye is underway

    Sunday, September 03, 2023   No comments

Today, Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian received his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, who is on his first visit to Tehran since taking office.

The two ministers, well versed in security backgrounds, met in a private meeting that lasted about an hour and a half, before extensive discussions were held between the two delegations.

Fidan is scheduled to hold talks with several Iranian officials as well. The Fars news agency reported yesterday that Fidan will hold talks in Tehran with Iranian officials on regional and international issues of common concern.

A statement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Amir Abdollahian had previously invited Fidan to visit Iran, noting that the important visit comes to discuss more bilateral cooperation in various fields, as well as to discuss regional and international developments.

It pointed out that Fidan's visit to Tehran comes two days after his visit to Moscow and his meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, and another visit to Iraq.

Iran and Turkey have economic and political relations, despite their differing positions on a number of files, especially on the conflict in Syria and relations with Azerbaijan, Iran's neighbor.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed today, Sunday, that he had discussed with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan the agreements signed between Tehran and Ankara, confirming their implementation.

During a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Tehran, Amir Abdollahian hoped to reach an agreement with Ankara regarding the exchange of prisoners (between Tehran and the United States of America via Turkey).

He indicated that he discussed with Fidan the issue of water scarcity (after the dam crisis between Turkey and Iran), and the two parties agreed that the Joint Technical Committee would visit Tehran for a new round of talks.

Amir Abdullahian stressed that the Israeli entity in the region will only bring strife and division among Islamic countries and destabilize the region.

On the issue of the Caucasus, the Iranian foreign minister said that Tehran would not accept any geographical change of the borders in the transit region in the Caucasus, and he appreciated Turkey's constructive positions in the field of borders with Syria and the return of refugees to their countries.

Amir Abdollahian added that Iran and Turkey planned for trade exchange between the two countries at a value of 30 billion euros, considering the corridors in the field of transport and transit in the region as complementary to cooperation between the two countries.

Amir Abdullahian revealed that work is underway to hold a tripartite meeting between Ankara, Riyadh and Tehran, to support economic relations, pointing out that the meeting comes at the request of Saudi Arabia.

For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the Turkish-Iranian relations as "historic", thanking Iran for what it provided to Turkey after the catastrophe of the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey last February.

Fidan said that he had exchanged views with the Iranian side on combating terrorist organizations.

Today, Sunday, Amir Abdollahian received, at the Foreign Ministry's headquarters, his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, who is making his first visit to Tehran since taking office.

The two ministers met in a private meeting that lasted about an hour and a half, before extensive discussions were held between the two delegations.

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The statements of a Belgian minister about the occupation's violations against the Palestinians and the killing of children raise a diplomatic crisis with Israel.. and Guinness confirms that she does not regret her statements

The statements of a Belgian minister about the occupation's violations against the Palestinians and the killing of children raise a diplomatic crisis with Israel.. and Guinness confirms that she does not regret her statements

    Saturday, September 02, 2023   No comments

The statements of the Belgian Minister of Cooperation and Development, Caroline Guenez, about Israel's violations against the Palestinians, sparked a diplomatic crisis with Tel Aviv, according to Belgian media, while it was welcomed by the Palestinians.

In an interview with the local newspaper "De Morgen", published on Friday, Gennes spoke about the killing of Palestinian children, wiping entire villages off the map, and destroying schools and neighborhoods funded by the European Union.

And according to the website of the Belgian newspaper “HLN”, “Minister Guenez stuck to her words, which caused a diplomatic problem between her country and Israel.”

The newspaper quoted a spokesman for the minister as telling the Belgian media that Guenez "does not regret her statements in the interview."

She added that the minister also referred to "Belgium's support for the two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and if democracy and human rights come under pressure anywhere in the world, we will oppose that," according to the same source.

“Unfortunately, 2023 is the bloodiest year in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for a long time, as 218 Palestinians, including 34 children, and 28 Israelis, were martyred,” Guenez said in her statements, which she re-published in several languages on her account on the X platform.

She added, “We have also witnessed the systematic destruction of infrastructure on the Palestinian side in recent months, and this is pushing entire communities out of their villages, and the costs of this infrastructure have often been jointly financed through international support.”

And the Belgian minister added, “I still condemn this out of respect for the efforts of the international community, and a serious conversation is also scheduled with the Israeli ambassador on this issue on September 7.”

For its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed, in a statement, the Belgian Minister's statements.

And she considered that these statements are “fully consistent with international law and international legitimacy decisions and support the two-state solution and the principles of human rights, as indicated by the (Belgian Minister).”

The ministry condemned "the heinous and unjustified Israeli attack by the Israeli government against the minister and her statements."

And it considered that the Israeli attack falls “within the framework of misleading propaganda and intimidation of parties that criticize the occupying state and attempts to obscure the reality of the historical injustice that the Palestinian people are subjected to, repression, abuse, persecution and racial discrimination that many credible human rights and humanitarian organizations, including Israeli, American and European ones, have talked about.”

In turn, the Palestinian “Hamas” movement welcomed, on Saturday, the statements of the Belgian Minister of Cooperation and Development about Israel’s “crimes” against the Palestinians, especially children.

The leader of the movement, Bassem Naim, said in a statement: "The Belgian minister's statements are completely consistent with the facts on the ground, which were confirmed by several UN reports, especially in light of the current far-right government."

Naim added, "The occupation's reaction to the statements reflects the entity's fear of exposing its myths that it has promoted for decades, and its keenness to keep its crimes away from public opinion and the international media."

Yesterday, Friday, Tel Aviv summoned Belgium's ambassador to France, Jean-Luc Bodson, to express "strong condemnation" after Belgian Minister Guenez's statement about Israel's violations against the Palestinians, according to the "Times of Israel" newspaper.

The Israeli ambassador to Brussels, Edith Rosenzweig-Abu, also said, through her account on the “X” platform, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested to the Belgian ambassador, and asked for clarifications regarding Minister Guenez’s statements.

 

  

Presidential elections in Singapore.. Tharman is the likely successor to Halima Yaqoub

Presidential elections in Singapore.. Tharman is the likely successor to Halima Yaqoub

    Friday, September 01, 2023   No comments

Since its secession from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965 until today, Singapore has known only 3 prime ministers, while 8 presidents have succeeded in that small country in Southeast Asia, which is described as a "city-state"; With an area of 710 square kilometers, and a population of 5 million people, half of whom are foreigners coming to work, making it the fourth country in the world in terms of population density.

Singapore is a country of many races, ethnicities and religions, 3 quarters of its citizens are of the Chinese race, while the rest of the population belongs to the Malay race or mixed Indian or Eurasian race. As many ethnicities as there are many religions in Singapore as well and include Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity.

All three prime ministers that Singapore has known came from ethnic Chinese - the largest of Singapore's ethnicities - and from one party, the People's Action Party (PAP), which has governed Singapore continuously since 1959.

And while the presidency of the government remained confined to the Chinese ethnicity, the ethnicities of those who assumed the position of head of state, which is an honorary position, varied, as they include, in addition to the Chinese ethnicity, the Malay and Indian ethnicities, and others of mixed ethnicities as well.

The religions of these presidents also varied between Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. The first president of the state was Youssef bin Ishaq, whose image is placed on the country’s banknotes. He is a Malay Muslim who held the position for 3 consecutive terms from the founding of the state until his death in 1970. While it was Executive power is in the hands of Lee Kuan Yew, the founder and builder of Singapore and its first prime minister, who has been in office for 3 continuous decades.

The current president, Halima Yaqoub, 70, is a Muslim of the Malay ethnicity. She took office in 2017 after winning by acclamation, without a competitor, declaring that she was satisfied with one 6-year term that ends on September 17. Then, today, Friday, multi-party elections will be held to choose a successor.

In contrast to the position of prime minister, which the parties compete for in general legislative elections; The position of the president is non-partisan under the constitution, and the parliament remained the one who elects the president, until the constitution was amended in 1991, allowing him to be elected through presidential elections. Today's elections, Friday, are only the third since the constitutional amendment that transformed this position into a position elected by the public and gave the public the right to choose.

What is unique to Singapore in the requirements for a candidate for the presidency is that he has worked either as a senior government employee or CEO of a company whose shareholders have a value of at least 500 million Singapore dollars (370 million US dollars).

Although the role of the president in Singapore is largely ceremonial, there are strict requirements for the position, which formally oversees the country's accumulated financial reserves that can only be relied upon in exceptional circumstances, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2009 global financial crisis. With the power to veto certain actions and to approve anti-corruption investigations.

Three candidates who meet the conditions are competing in the elections taking place today, namely the Deputy Prime Minister and former Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is the youngest of the three candidates (65) and the most fortunate, compared to his competitors; They are Ing Kok Song, 75, and Tan Kin Lien, 75.

Economic backgrounds and a major public position appear to be the common denominator among the three contenders, who the election administration announced that they met the strict criteria for competition among the applicants for candidacy.

The announcement of their official acceptance of the candidacy came less than two weeks before the elections were held today, which is a very short period compared to the rest of the world, and was the object of the complaint of the candidate, Tan Kin Lien, who saw it as an insufficient period for the electoral campaign that ended last Wednesday before the election day of silence yesterday, Thursday.

The nominee, Ing Kok Song, is a former chief investment officer at the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund that manages the country's foreign reserves, and spent more than 4 decades working in public service until his retirement in 2013. Ing is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Avanda Management Corporation. Investments worth billions of dollars.

Having spent years working closely with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Eng admitted he might be seen as "part of the establishment". However, he believes that the lack of direct political affiliation makes him an independent candidate. He never joined the Popular Action Party, which has ruled the country since its independence six decades ago. He believes that his long experience in the financial sector puts him in a good position to protect the national reserves.

As for Tan Kin Lien, a former presidential candidate in Singapore, this is his second attempt to win the position. Having come last out of 4 candidates in the 2011 presidential election, he is a former chairman of one of Singapore's leading insurance companies and has the support of several opposition leaders.

Layan presided over the International Federation of Cooperative and Mutual Insurance from 1992 to 1997, and the federation was an international organization that at that time represented 123 insurance groups in 65 countries, and employed 260,000 people. The total assets of the members of this international association amounted to 1.5 trillion US dollars in 1997.

As for the most likely candidate, Deputy Prime Minister and former Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, he is a multi-ethnic Singaporean citizen (Tamil-Indian-Ceylon) who is known as a supporter of the ruling People's Action Party, but he submitted his resignation before his candidacy. He is widely seen as having the support of the government, and has been questioned about his independence during the election campaign.

Before resigning his government positions to contest this election, Tharman spent more than two decades in office with the People's Action Party, rising to the position of Deputy Prime Minister.

He was first elected to Parliament in 2001 and was Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the Coordinating Minister for Social Policy, and provided economic advice to Prime Minister Lee.

He said that if given the opportunity to lead, he would be "total and impartial in the discharge of the constitutional duties of office in respect of the prudent use of the country's reserves".

While his rivals seemed preoccupied with their party independence, Tharman urged voters to judge candidates on their record, rather than their past affiliations.

"If I am lucky enough to be elected president, I will represent the unity of Singaporeans, of all races, religions, social backgrounds and political leanings, at a time when views among the population are becoming more diverse," he said.

Since Tharman entered Singaporean politics just over two decades ago, he has avoided constant calls from the public that he should become the next prime minister of the Southeast Asian country.

Tharman - who is very popular and has risen in the ranks of the ruling People's Action Party, and is very popular among members of the opposition - insists that he is not suitable for the position of prime minister. He even likened his refereeing skills to those of a soccer goal-maker, saying that he is better as a team player who can provide assists than a superstar who scores goals. "I enjoy making long passes," he said. "But I'm not the striker."

His candidacy is thus a far cry from the quest for the premiership currently held by Lee Hsien Loong, the son of Singapore's founding prime minister. He is expected to retire and choose his successor before the country's next general election in 2025.

But it is a step that helps avoid the looming question of whether the Chinese-majority country (or the ruling party) that promotes its multi-ethnic and pluralistic society is ready or reluctant to elevate someone from an ethnic minority to the position of prime minister.

Also unique to Singapore is voting, which is compulsory for more than 2.7 million eligible citizens of Singapore. Those who do not vote without valid reason are subject to being removed from the voter list.

He also notes the absence of long, orderly lines at polling stations, as well as the raucous atmosphere that can accompany elections in other countries, with supporters cheering or handing out flyers to push for last-minute votes. And "presidential elections are increasingly being treated as a general election."

Today's presidential elections are being watched closely as an indication of support for the ruling Popular Action Party after a rare series of political scandals that rocked the party recently, which is rare in a country that has benefited from the reputation of its clean government, and has become an international center for a group of industries such as finance and aviation, especially since the party has suffered from its worst electoral performance ever in 2020; However, he maintained his majority of more than two-thirds.

Observers said the vote could indicate the level of support for the PAP ahead of general elections scheduled for 2025 or discontent after recent scandals that include a corruption investigation into the transport minister and the resignation of two PAP lawmakers over an affair.

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Days before a meeting between Putin and Erdogan in Sochi, Russia starts delivering grain to 6 African countries without charge

Days before a meeting between Putin and Erdogan in Sochi, Russia starts delivering grain to 6 African countries without charge

    Friday, September 01, 2023   No comments

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the start of work to deliver grain to 6 African countries free of charge. This comes after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in the capital, Moscow, on Thursday, to discuss President Vladimir Putin's initiative to export one million tons of grain to poor countries.

Lavrov added - in a speech at the Moscow Institute of International Relations today - that work on the supply of grain to 6 African countries has already begun, explaining that Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia and Zimbabwe will receive 50,000 tons of grain for free in the coming months.

"You will also pay the relevant expenses," the Russian foreign minister added.

Putin announced on July 27 that his country would provide grain free of charge to 6 African countries within 3 or 4 months, after Moscow suspended work on the grain transportation agreement with Ukraine across the Black Sea.

Lavrov discussed with his Turkish counterpart - during talks that took place between them in Moscow yesterday - Putin's initiative to export one million tons of grain to Turkey for later transfer, with the participation of Qatar, to poor countries.

Moscow withdrew in July from this important agreement for global food supplies, and criticized in particular the obstruction of its grain exports due to Western sanctions.

"We reiterated our conviction that the resumption of the agreement will allow for the restoration of stability," Fidan said during a press conference with his Russian counterpart.

He added that the grain deal is of vital importance to global food security, considering that a package of proposals prepared in cooperation with the United Nations constitutes an appropriate basis for resuming the initiative.

For his part, Lavrov demanded guarantees from the West that his country would also be allowed to export grain and fertilizer without hindrance. Moscow will be ready to return the grain deal, which it withdrew from in mid-July.

It is noteworthy that dozens of commercial ships have been stuck in the ports of Ukraine on the Black Sea since the start of Russia's war on this country on February 24, 2022, and some ships carrying grain were allowed to cross, according to an agreement mediated by Ankara and the United Nations, but Moscow suspended it in mid-July.

The meeting between Ministers Lavrov and Fidan aims to prepare for a meeting between Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi the day after tomorrow, according to the Kremlin today.

Saudi Arabia informed us that the Jeddah meeting was held to convince everyone of the futility of negotiations without Moscow, and there will be no joint G20 declaration that does not express our position and the roadmap for normalizing Syrian-Turkish relations under study. ~ Lavrov 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Saudi Arabia had notified Russia that the Jeddah meeting was held to convince everyone of the futility of negotiations without Moscow.

Lavrov said in this regard: “Our Saudi friends told us that they want to host another meeting in this way in Jeddah,” adding that this is done only in order to convey an idea to the Western participants and Ukraine itself that any discussions are completely hopeless without the participation of Russia.

Lavrov added, during a speech he delivered to students and faculty at the Russian Diplomatic University, on the occasion of the start of the academic year: “Moscow has learned of the appeal made to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Anthony Guterres, to send his representatives to online working group meetings on the “peace formula” that he put forward. Vladimir Zelensky".

In this context, Lavrov stressed that this is unacceptable, saying: “I saw Mr. Guterres in Johannesburg, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, and I frankly told him that this violates all the principles of the secretariat’s work, because according to the Charter, it should be neutral and should not be To receive instructions from any government.”

Lavrov said that the draft roadmap for the normalization of Syrian-Turkish relations is under study, and that contacts are under way to reach a generally acceptable situation.

Lavrov added, in a speech he delivered at the Moscow Institute of International Relations on the occasion of the start of the academic year in Russia, “We handed over the draft road map on the normalization of Syrian-Turkish relations to all our colleagues in June of this year. It is now under study, and contacts are underway regarding it.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan yesterday in Moscow, where they held discussions on a number of issues, including the resumption of the grain deal, bilateral relations, the Syrian file and the Ukrainian crisis.

It is worth noting that, in December of last year, Russia hosted the first talks in 11 years between the defense ministers of Turkey and Syria, and last May it hosted a quartet meeting that included the foreign ministers of Syria, Turkey, Iran and Russia, in an effort to remove the differences between Damascus and Ankara.

On the other hand, he announced, today, Friday, that his country will not agree to adopt the declaration of the “G20” summit unless it reflects Russia’s position on global crises.

Lavrov pointed out that "the West raises the issue of Ukraine in every event of the G20, although the role of the G20 is initially supposed to make decisions regarding the stability of global financial and economic processes."

Lavrov said, speaking at the Moscow State University of International Relations, on the occasion of the start of the new academic year: “If you have decided to rewrite the powers of the “twenty”, and you want to deal with international crises, then we have presented our document that lists the conflicts that still exist and their roots are linked to the wars that they sparked. The West, if they really want to, let us discuss everything, but this would duplicate the work of the United Nations and undermine the original role of the G20.

Lavrov stressed, by saying: "In any case, there will be no joint declaration in the name of all members that does not express our position, there will be no such declaration."

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Media review: Islamic dress front and center in France again... He who wears a cape or a shirt will not enter his classroom on Mondays

Media review: Islamic dress front and center in France again... He who wears a cape or a shirt will not enter his classroom on Mondays

    Thursday, August 31, 2023   No comments

On Sunday, French Education Minister Gabriel Atal announced that he would ban the wearing of the "cloak" in French schools, indicating that wearing this Islamic dress is a violation of the strict secular laws applied in the field of education in the country.

"Wearing the abaya in school will no longer be possible," Atal said during an interview with French TV TF1. And he stressed his endeavor to set "clear rules at the national level" to be followed by school principals before the start of the new academic year in all parts of France, starting from September 4 next. 

Clearly, the universal values that Macron instructed his diplomats to promote exclude Muslims' rights to dress. 

Here are some of what the French media outlets have said about these issues and the topics they covered.

The French newspaper Le Figaro revealed that the Minister of Education, Gabriel Atal, confirmed today that students who wear the “abaya” for females and the “shirt” for males will not enter their classrooms with the start of the school season on Monday.

The newspaper pointed out that the minister made it clear - in an interview with Radio France International today - that these students will be allowed to enter only the schools that accept their reception and bear the responsibility of clarifying the goals of this government decision to them.

"Behind the cloak and the shirt, there are young girls and boys and families, people with whom we must dialogue through a clear pedagogical method," the minister said.

The French minister was keen to stress that French secularism is one of the main values for the French school, adding that his delay in announcing the details of the implementation of this decision is due to the fact that he entered into discussions and dialogues with directors of educational institutions who were waiting for a clear detail from the government on how to implement it.

The French newspaper stated that some schools include a number of students concerned with this decision, and therefore school officials were in need to clarify the government's position, to provide them with all guarantees for the implementation of the decision.

Le Figaro added that Minister Gabriel Atal confirmed that his ministry will send explanatory notes and a guide to all schools explaining how to implement the decision, along with messages that are supposed to be sent to families.

According to the French newspaper, the new decision to ban gowns and shirts is a continuation of the implementation of the March 15, 2004 law banning the wearing of clothes or symbols that show religious affiliation in French educational institutions.

Prominent French left-wing politician Jean-Luc Melenchon strongly criticized the decision, and called on officials to avoid provoking conflicts of a religious nature.

Le Figaro also quoted Manuel Bombard, coordinator of the France Fatherland Party - which is led by Melenchon - as saying that he would propose to the party's parliamentary group to reject this decision, which he described as dangerous and harsh, and to put it up for review before the Council of State with the aim of proving that it is a decision contrary to the constitution.

And in July of last year, Le Figaro published an investigation that revealed that despite the application of the 2004 law, there is a significant increase in the abayas worn by girls and shirts worn by males, so that they doubled in secondary schools, especially when Ramadan comes, so that some principals They expressed their dissatisfaction and began to wonder why such clothes were so popular.

An official French book defending French secularism had previously spoken of gowns and shirts, and said that the ban was not only related to “symbols or clothing that by nature show religious affiliation,” such as the veil, the Jewish skullcap, and the large cross, but rather related to all symbols or clothing that “do not indicate religious affiliation.” directly to religion, but wearing it is to clearly show religious affiliation.

And the French newspaper Le Point considered - two days ago - that the decision of the Minister of Education, Gabriel Atal, is not an easy decision from a legal point of view, and wondered on what legal basis this ban would be built and what risks could be taken in the event of an appeal before the administrative court.

The anthropologist of religions, Anne-Laure Zwilling, believed that the cloak is not associated with Muslim worship, but rather with "culture", while university professor Claire Geville denounced President Emmanuel Macron's vision regarding education, and saw that "the measure against the cloak may cause more conflict than it will solve a problem," and he said, " From my point of view, this issue, which comes to the fore and dominates everything else, is more a matter of a political agenda than a real educational issue.

For his part, Abdullah Zakry, Vice President of the French Islamic Council, expressed his surprise at the decision to ban the wearing of the abaya in French schools, and called on the French Ministry of Education to issue a statement explaining the reasons that prompted the decision to ban the abaya in schools, and denied that this dress is a religious symbol.

Abdullah Zakry said that the abaya is a form of "fashion" and not a religious garment, expressing his hope that the French Minister of Education had consulted religious authorities before making a decision to ban it.

Philippines: Muslims affirm that the first dictionary of Islamic law will be issued bearing the slogan of justice and mercy

Philippines: Muslims affirm that the first dictionary of Islamic law will be issued bearing the slogan of justice and mercy

    Wednesday, August 30, 2023   No comments

With the Philippines achieving the achievement of publishing the first dictionary of Islamic law, Muslims expressed their happiness that the aforementioned book promotes neutrality and moves for it and benevolence.

Attorney Maysara Dandamoon Latif, a former Member of Parliament who is now the head of a local council, emphasized that the newly released dictionary enhances appreciation between different cultures.

He added, “The dictionary embraces the spirit of inclusiveness that welcomes individuals of different religions and ethnicities to enrich their understanding of Islamic concepts.

Latif emphasized that Sharia guides have never had dictionaries, and that the newly launched Islamic Sharia Dictionary is the first of its kind.

The responsible authorities stressed that the reader will understand that Sharia promotes justice and mercy instead of hatred and that it enhances understanding because Islamic Sharia teaches mercy, kindness and humanity.

Former Muslim Senator Sameera Gutuk said that the Dictionary of Islamic Law is a wonderful contribution to literature.

And she stressed, "Those who stand behind the completion of this book were not just authors and writers, but rather advocates who gathered together as one community."

Russia activates its alternative routes to replace transit and shipping through the Black Sea, while Iran Saudi Arabia upgrade their newly revived relations

Russia activates its alternative routes to replace transit and shipping through the Black Sea, while Iran Saudi Arabia upgrade their newly revived relations

    Tuesday, August 29, 2023   No comments

The chief executive of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI) announced on 27 August the transit of Russian cargo to Saudi Arabia via the Iran transport corridor for the first time.

A transit train hauling 36 containers entered Iran for the first time from Russia through Iran’s Incheh Borun rail border near Turkmenistan, Miad Salehi stated.

The deputy roads minister added that this cargo transit train was dispatched to the port city of Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz and will be transferred from there to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah by sea.

Russia seeks to develop the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to connect India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, and other countries via railways and sea.

Russia says the INSTC will rival the Suez Canal as a major global trade route.

In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi signed a deal to finance and build an additional Iranian railway line between the cities of Rasht and Astara.

“The unique North-South transport artery, of which the Rasht-Astara railway will become a part, will help to significantly diversify global traffic flows,” Putin said.

He also said the 162-kilometer railway along the Caspian Sea coast would help to connect Russian ports on the Baltic Sea with Iranian ports in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf.

“Without a doubt, this agreement is an important and strategic step in the direction of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow,” Raisi said.

Iran hopes the successful development of Russian-financed railway links comprising the NSTC will increase transit revenues and reinforce Iran’s “Look to the east” policy of strengthening ties with neighboring countries and eastern powers in response to western economic sanctions.

Raisi’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Political Affairs, Mohammad Jamshidi, claimed that the INTSC earnings would rival Iran’s oil revenue. In this vein, the semi-official ISNA on May 17 estimated annual revenue of $20 billion from the corridor.

State broadcaster-run Jam-e Jam newspaper described Iran as the “golden path of trade” in an article highlighting the potential benefits of the railway.

Iran and Russia have developed closer economic, diplomatic, and military ties in recent years, as both countries have been subject to US economic sanctions and have resisted US foreign policy in West Asia, including Syria, and the former Soviet states, including Ukraine.

Macron admits the Western dominated global order is being challenged, calls for revised strategies

Macron admits the Western dominated global order is being challenged, calls for revised strategies

    Monday, August 28, 2023   No comments

In his annual address to French ambassadors, French President Emmanuel Macron admits the Western dominated global order is being challenged, calls for strengthening of France's diplomatic on Monday.

Macron stated that: "The situation in the international arena is becoming more complicated, which threatens the risk of weakening the West and, in particular, Europe. We need to take a sober approach to this, without falling into excessive pessimism ... There is a revision of the world order, its principles, various forms of its organization, where the West has occupied and occupies a dominant position.”

France needs to consolidate its diplomatic strategies as the international context has become more “complex”, Macron told French ambassadors at a meeting in Paris on Monday.

“Our international order is being challenged,” said Macron. “War has returned to European soil, anti-French sentiment is rife, fueled by anti-colonialism or a perceived anti-colonialism that a double standard is being employed,” he said.

“We need to be clear, without being excessively pessimistic,” he said, citing the rise of “new forms of protectionism” and democratic backsliding due to a rise in illiberal powers.

Faced with these risks, Macron said France’s diplomatic efforts should focus on security policy in the context of the war in Ukraine and in bolstering European independence and strategic interests.

The French president also stressed the need to “avoid partitioning the world” over the Ukraine war, at a time when many countries from the Global South have refused to condemn Russian aggression. We must “avoid a narrative that claims, ‘this is Europe’s war, it doesn't concern us’”, he said.

France also seeks to be a “trusted partner” on the geopolitical front, “our diplomatic efforts should keep it simple. We should protect our interests. We should also stand for our principles and our values, which are universal,” said Macron.

 

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