The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s environment minister has said her country has not agreed to a deal to halt the destruction of the Earth’s ecosystems, prompting behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to keep the agreement alive just hours after it was adopted. Ève Bazaiba, the DRC’s environment minister, said her country would be writing to the UN secretary general, António Guterres, and the Convention on Biological Diversity to express the DRC’s position on the final text. It comes after the Chinese Cop15 president, Huang Runqiu, appeared to force through the agreement…
Tag: Africa
Biden Aims to Inject New Energy Into US Relations With African Nations
In the course of his interactions with African leaders, the president unveiled a series of initiatives, including an agreement meant to encourage the formation of a continentwide free-trade zone that has stalled over the last few years. He vowed to help African countries do more to transition to clean energy and plug into the digital economy, a contrast to China, which has focused much of its investment in Africa on building roads, bridges, airports and other physical infrastructure. Mr. Biden said in his keynote address that the goal was not…
Will African Nations Get Debt Help from IMF and China?
Johannesburg, South Africa — Long-running tensions between the major international lenders and China were aired at a meeting in China’s Anhui province, where participants sought agreement on a way forward for some of the world’s most indebted countries, many of them in Africa. Representatives of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and Beijing’s finance ministry participated in the meeting to discuss debt restructuring for low-income countries — 60% of which the IMF says are at or near debt distress. The relationship between the IMF and China — the world’s largest…
The U.S. wants to counter China’s moves in Africa. But American officials try not to mention that.
WASHINGTON — There is one word that American officials are trying to avoid saying as they meet with African counterparts during the U.S.-Africa leaders summit in Washington this week: China. President Biden and his aides do not want the nearly 50 African leaders attending the event to perceive that official U.S. interests on the continent are mainly driven by a desire to counter China, which has built enormous trade ties with African nations and is trying to grow its military and security presence in the region. Yet, in discussions on…
US Wants to Counter China’s Moves in Africa, But Officials Try Not to Mention That
WASHINGTON — There is one word that American officials are trying to avoid saying as they meet with African counterparts during the U.S.-Africa leaders summit in Washington this week: China. President Biden and his aides do not want the nearly 50 African leaders attending the event to perceive that official U.S. interests on the continent are mainly driven by a desire to counter China, which has built enormous trade ties with African nations and is trying to grow its military and security presence in the region. Yet, in discussions on…
China Casts Long Shadow Over US-Africa Leaders Summit
Washington — With dozens of African leaders descending on Washington this week, the Biden administration is offering a not-so-subtle pitch in its economic competition with China on the continent: The U.S. offers a better option to African partners. Ahead of Tuesday’s start of the three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves acknowledged that the U.S. has fallen behind as China has surged past American foreign direct investment in Africa but argued that the U.S. remains the “partner of choice” in Africa. “We took our eye off the ball…
Gulf of Guinea Countries Join Forces to Stop Illegal Chinese Fishing
Environmental groups say Chinese boats are decimating West Africa’s fish stocks and fishing communities in the Gulf of Guinea. Gulf of Guinea nations this year banded together to crack down on illegal fishing. Henry Wilkins reports from Grand Popo, Benin. VOA
Chinese Port Projects Along Africa’s Coasts Come with Environmental Costs, Study Finds
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — China has constructed numerous ports, bridges and other coastal projects throughout the developing world in recent years in what’s been dubbed by Beijing the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” – part of President Xi Jinping’s greater Belt and Road Initiative to build infrastructure. But while some projects help developing economies increase their capacity for trade, there are environmental downsides to China’s coastal infrastructure, according to an academic study published this week in the journal One Earth, with Africa among the most negatively affected regions and Caribbean…
Gulf of Guinea Countries Agree to Stop Illegal Chinese Fishing
Grand Popo, Benin — Chinese boats are decimating West Africa’s fish stocks and fishing communities in the Gulf of Guinea, say environmental groups. The Institute for Security Studies, a South African think tank, said the communities could be losing more than $2 billion each year to illegal fishing, mainly from Chinese-owned boats. Beninese fisherman Geoffroy Gbedevi said it’s getting harder to feed his daughter and pregnant wife. He said the community is suffering and the number of fish being caught is much lower than it used to be. “Nothing is…
US Designates Iran, China as Countries of Concern Over Religious Freedom
WASHINGTON — The United States on Friday designated China, Iran and Russia, among others, as countries of particular concern under the Religious Freedom Act over severe violations, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. In a statement, Blinken said those designated as countries of particular concern, which also include North Korea and Myanmar, engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. Algeria, the Central African Republic, Comoros and Vietnam were placed on the watch list. Several groups, including the Kremlin-aligned Wagner Group, a private paramilitary organization that is active…