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☆ What can we expect from the Russia-Africa summit?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsWhat can we expect from the Russia-Africa summit? PostedRussian President Vladimir Putin is hosting African leaders for a summit in St Petersburg from Thursday, against the backdrop of war in Ukraine and Moscow withdrawing from the Black Sea grain agreement. Rachel Faber has more.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Rachel Faber Locations: Russia, Africa, St Petersburg, Ukraine, Moscow

Shunned in the West, his authority tested by a failed mutiny at home, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia needs to project normalcy and shore up support from his allies. So on Thursday, he will host African leaders at a flashy summit in St. Petersburg, part of his continuing outreach to a continent that has become critical to Moscow’s foreign policy. But if Mr. Putin sought to move closer to African leaders as he prosecuted his war, the 17-month-old conflict is now straining those ties. The summit comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Black Sea over Mr. Putin’s recent decision to terminate a deal allowing Ukraine to ship grain to global markets. Russia’s withdrawal has caused food prices to spike, adding to the misery of the world’s poorest countries, including some of those attending the Russia-Africa summit.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Mr Organizations: United Nations, Central African, Kremlin Locations: West, Russia, St . Petersburg, Ukraine, Central African Republic, United States, Africa

Chicago wheat futures , a benchmark of global prices, have risen around 20% since Russia ended the deal on July 17. It's absolutely an important national security issue for a lot of these African countries," he said. Putin says Russia is expecting a record harvest this year and is ready to fill the gap for African countries by supplying grain both commercially and for free. Dizolele said, noting that Russia backed African countries at the U.N., had defence and security agreements with some of them and gave scholarships to their students. But Putin's response, when Ramaphosa and other African leaders presented the proposal to him last month, was to repeat a familiar list of accusations against Ukraine and the West.

Persons: Anton Vaganov, Putin, Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Mvemba Dizolele, Samuel Ramani, RUSI, Dizolele, WAGNER, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramani, Mark Trevelyan, Joe Bavier, Carien du, Tom Balmforth, Michelle Nichols, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Saint, REUTERS, Putin, Kremlin, U.S, Africa, Washington -, Strategic, International Studies, International Criminal Court, Treasury, Central African, Ukraine, South, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Russia, Africa, Saint Isaac's, central Saint Petersburg, Black, Russian, St Petersburg, Ukraine, Chicago, Washington, Turkey, Qatar, Moscow, United States, Kenya, Somalia, Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, West, London, Johannesburg, Carien du Plessis

☆ BRICS bank NDB says not considering new projects in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, July 26 (Reuters) - The New Development Bank (NDB), the multilateral bank set up by the BRICS states, is not considering new projects in Russia as it operates in line with restrictions imposed in financial and capital markets, its head said on Wednesday. Dilma Rousseff said in a statement posted on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that any speculations concerning the discussion of new operations of the bank in Russia were "unfounded". BRICS countries, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, are scheduled to gather in the African country next month. The BRICS group of emerging countries launched the Shanghai-headquartered bank in 2015. Rousseff was appointed to head it earlier this year by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Persons: Dilma Rousseff, Rousseff, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Gabriel Araujo, Steven Grattan Organizations: SAO PAULO, New Development Bank, South, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Russia, Brazil, Africa, St . Petersburg, India, China, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Egypt, Shanghai

☆ Russia-Africa summit to discuss Moscow's grain and fertiliser exports - RIA
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 25 (Reuters) - Russia and nations taking part in this week's Russia-Africa summit will discuss Moscow's grain and fertilisers exports, Oleg Ozerov, ambassador at large at the Russian foreign ministry, told the state RIA news agency in remarks published on Tuesday. Last week, Russia withdrew from the year-long Black Sea grain deal that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grains, saying that Russia's conditions for the extension of the deal had been ignored. The U.N-brokered grain deal had allowed Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports, despite the war, to alleviate a global food crisis. This week, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow can replace Ukrainian grain both commercially and free of charge. On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Russia on Monday to return to the Black Sea grain deal.

Persons: Oleg Ozerov, Ozerov, Vladimir Putin, Antonio Guterres, Lidia Kelly, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Russian Federation, UN, Thomson Locations: Russia, Africa, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Ukraine, Melbourne

☆ Russia's Putin: Black Sea grain deal became meaningless
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 24 (Reuters) - Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grains because the agreement lost its meaning, President Vladimir Putin wrote in an article published early on Monday. "The continuation of the 'grain deal' - which did not justify its humanitarian purpose - has lost its meaning," Putin said, according to the article on the Kremlin's website. The key demands Putin presented last week for Moscow to return to the deal, however, did not directly refer to humanitarian purposes. After quitting the deal, Russia has been pounding Ukrainian food-exporting ports nearly on a daily basis. "I want to assure that our country is able to replace Ukrainian grain both commercially and free of charge, especially since we again expect a record harvest this year," Putin said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Lidia Kelly, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: United, Thomson Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Odesa, Africa, St . Petersburg, United Nations, Melbourne

☆ Ukraine peace plan is only way to end Russia's war, says Zelenskiy aide
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

He pushed back on a flurry of peace initiatives from China, Brazil, the Vatican and South Africa in recent months. "There cannot be a Brazilian peace plan, a Chinese peace plan, a South African peace plan when you are talking about the war in Ukraine," Zhovkva said in an interview late on Friday. Zelenskiy made a major push to court the Global South this month in response to peace moves from some of its members. Moscow has bolstered ties with Global South powers during the war in Ukraine, including by selling more of its energy to India and China. 'PEACE SUMMIT'Zhovkva said the reaction to Ukraine's 10-point peace plan had been extremely positive at the G7 summit.

☆ Washington trying to wreck Russia-Africa summit -Russia's Lavrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Ronald Popeski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. is trying to wreck Russia's planned summit with African countries as part of efforts to isolate Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Tuesday. Moscow is preparing for its second summit with African countries, scheduled for the end of July in St. Petersburg, including work on infrastructure, technology and energy projects. "It is true that the United States and its vassals are doing everything possible to achieve Russia's international isolation," Lavrov told the website. "In particular, they are trying to torpedo the planned second Russia-Africa summit ... to persuade our African friends not to take part." U.S. President Joe Biden hosted a U.S.-Africa leaders summit in 2022 in Washington, seeking to bolster alliances amid the growing Russian and Chinese presence on the continent.

☆ US Vice President Harris promises greater investment for Africa
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/7] U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris, arrives at the Kotoka International Airport as she begins her trip to Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia, in Accra, Ghana, March 26, 2023. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has sought to strengthen ties with Africa, in part to offer an alternative to rival powers. Biden is yet to visit Africa as president. On this trip, Harris will also discuss China's engagement in technology and economic issues in Africa that concern the United States, as well as China's involvement in debt restructuring, senior U.S. officials said last week. Harris will meet Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo this week and will visit a former slave castle from which slaves were sent to America during the slave trade era.

The U.S. has said Rusesabagina was unlawfully detained, while Rwanda has bristled at the criticism, saying it would not be intimidated. The U.S. allocated more than $147 million in foreign assistance to Rwanda in 2021, making it Rwanda's largest bilateral donor. Blinken met Kagame during a visit to Rwanda in August, where U.S. officials said the case was discussed extensively. Yet Kigali continued to take a hard line, with Kagame suggesting on the sidelines of the December summit that only an invasion of Rwanda could force Rusesabagina's release. He will remain in Rwanda for a couple of days before travelling to Doha and then to the United States, U.S. officials said.

☆ Fact Check-Miscaptioned picture of Vladimir Putin with African leaders is not recent, dates back to 2019
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin posing alongside several African leaders was taken at the 2019 Russia-Africa summit in Sochi, not during the Russia-Africa parliamentary conference that took place in Moscow in March 2023. Focus.”The 2023 Russia-Africa parliamentary conference took place in Moscow on March 19 and 20 (here). A press release issued by the Russian Duma on March 20 says that parliamentary delegations of African countries, were present during the 2023 conference (duma.gov.ru/en/news/56536/). Reuters reporting on the 2019 summit is viewable (here). The photograph was taken at the 2019 Russia-Africa summit, not during the recent parliamentary conference in Moscow.

☆ Moscow accuses U.S. of attempts to disrupt Russia-Africa relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 25 (Reuters) - The United States is "exerting unprecedented pressure" on African countries, including attempting to disrupt a planned Russia-Africa summit, Russia's deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying late on Saturday. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, quoted by the state TASS agency reiterated Moscow's accusations of the "collective West" staging a campaign to isolate Moscow. Moscow calls its invasion of Ukraine not a war, but a "special military operation". Since the start of the war, which has killed thousands and displace millions, Moscow has turned to China, India - and African nations, trying to seek closer ties there. Russia has been particularly keen to win over African nations -- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has visited the continent twice this year already, in addition to a tour mid-last year.

☆ Top U.S., Chinese and Russian officials tour Africa as global charm offensive gathers pace
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Janet Yellen, US Treasury secretary, during a news conference with Enoch Godongwana, South Africa's finance minister, at the National Treasury in Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. Yellen met with South African officials including President Cyril Ramaphosa last week, just days after the country's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor stood alongside Lavrov and vowed to strengthen bilateral relations between Pretoria and Moscow. South Africa was one of 17 African nations to abstain from the U.N. vote in March to condemn Russia's war of aggression. As such, many African nations desire a strong relationship with both the U.S. and China, and U.S. diplomacy will be more effective when not framed as an "us-or-them" proposition. What's more, the BRI projects were "largely uncoordinated and unplanned," he said, with competing Chinese lenders offering credit to African nations, challenging the notion of a coherent centralized "debt trap" policy from Beijing.

☆ Russia, South Africa and a 'redesigned global order': The Kremlin's hearts and minds machine is steaming ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Pretoria as part of an African tour, his second since the invasion, which will also reportedly take him to Botswana, Angola and Eswatini. On Feb. 24 2022, shortly after the Ukraine invasion, South Africa urged Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine. South Africa was one of 15 African nations to abstain from the subsequent U.N. vote in March to condemn Russia's war of aggression. watch nowShe emphasized the multilateral responsibilities of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) bloc of leading emerging economies in a changing global landscape. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that "the United States has concerns about any country … exercising with Russia as Russia wages a brutal war against Ukraine."

☆ Russia's Lavrov visits ally South Africa amid Western rivalry
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Carien Duplessis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor shakes hands with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ahead of their bilateral meeting in Pretoria, South Africa, January 23, 2023. Lavrov met his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, after flying in earlier in the day on a trip some South African opposition parties and the small Ukrainian community have condemned as insensitive. President Cyril Ramaphosa's government regards South Africa as neutral in the Ukraine conflict and has expressed a desire to mediate. The South African armed forces said last week the exercise is a "means to strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa, Russia and China". There was no official public comment from the Ukrainian embassy but officials said it had asked the South African government to help push President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's 10-point peace plan, which he proposed to the G20 in November.

☆ Fact Check-Fabricated CNN headline claiming that Biden pledged billions toward classes for women in Africa circulates online
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An altered image has been circulating online purporting to show a CNN headline that reports U.S. President Joe Biden has pledged billions toward educational courses for women across Africa. A CNN logo is viewable at the top left, with the purported article published under the “CNN politics” banner. (here)A search through CNN’s website did not reveal any article with the fabricated headline (archive.vn/wip/jJunx), nor did archived versions of CNN’s homepage reveal the alleged report. (archive.vn/wip/0uBPY)A Google advanced search did not reveal any report published by any news outlet with the fabricated headline. No headline reporting that the Biden administration had pledged $350 billion toward education courses for women across Africa was published by CNN.

☆ Kagame criticizes U.S. over 'Hotel Rwanda' figure's detention
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Wednesday criticized the United States over the concerns it has raised in the case of Paul Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident jailed in Rwanda who was portrayed as a hero in the film "Hotel Rwanda." Kagame, who was in Washington for a U.S.-Africa summit, questioned why Rwanda should release Rusesabagina because he is famous and a permanent resident of the United States. When asked if he would meet with U.S. President Joe Biden, Kagame said he was not sure yet. The United States in May determined that Rusesabagina had been "wrongfully detained," citing a lack of fair trial guarantees during Rusesabagina's trial. Rusesabagina, who was feted around the world after being portrayed by actor Don Cheadle in the 2004 film "Hotel Rwanda," is a vocal critic of Kagame.

☆ European Union agrees to a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

BRUSSELS — The European Union tentatively agreed to a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil, a key step as Western sanctions aim to reorder the global oil market to prevent price spikes and starve President Vladimir Putin of funding for his war in Ukraine. The $60 figure sets the cap near the current price of Russia’s crude, which recently fell below $60 a barrel. There is a big risk to the global oil market of losing large amounts of crude from the world’s No. Putin has said he would not sell oil under a price cap and would retaliate against nations that implement the measure. “The reality is that it is unlikely to be binding given where oil prices are now.”Others have criticized the measure, a brainchild of U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin.

☆ Trump's former Treasury secretary calls G-7 Russian oil price cap ‘the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mnuchin this week criticized the G-7's plan for a cap onFormer U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin described the G-7's plan for a price cap on Russian oil as "ridiculous." I think the problem now is that there's limited options ... there's parts of the world that are now buying Russian oil outside of U.S. sanctions," he said. "But look, a price cap, the market is going to set the price. As Europe seeks to wean itself off Russian oil and gas, Moscow has ramped up its sale of oil to countries including China and India. Energy analysts say it will be vital to get those countries' cooperation for any price cap to be effective, but it remains unclear how they will react to any final announcement.

☆ Roubini and Binance's CZ take swipes at each other over crypto
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Dan Murphy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRoubini and Binance's CZ take swipes at each other over cryptoEconomics professor Nouriel Roubini slammed Binance's Changpeng "CZ" Zhao on stage at Abu Dhabi Finance week on Wednesday. CZ then hit back on Thursday at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit.

☆ Binance CEO slams Samuel Bankman-Fried's behavior, takes aim at Nouriel Roubini
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Binance's Co-founder & CEO Changpeng Zhao has given several interviews discussing the outlook for cryptocurrency following a turbulent couple of weeks in the market. The chief executive of the largest online exchange for cryptocurrency, Binance, criticized the former CEO of bankrupt exchange FTX and took aim at economist Nouriel Roubini. "When he tweets about a sparring partner, his house is burning and all this is happening, he's losing focus. Zhao also added detail about Binance's decision to back out of a deal to rescue rival exchange FTX on Nov. 9. CNBC has contacted FTX and Bankman-Fried for a response to the comments but has not yet received a reply.

☆ The hotly anticipated media startup Semafor has launched, creating the 'Semaform' article structure to separate news from opinion
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Steven Perlberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The company has created "Semaform," a way to separate news and opinion in articles. Semafor, the hotly anticipated media startup that grabbed industry attention before it even launched, is finally here. Led by former Bloomberg Media CEO Justin Smith and former New York Times media columnist and BuzzFeed News editor-in-chief Ben Smith, the outlet began publishing Tuesday morning with the lofty ambition of "solving certain significant news consumer frustrations," Justin Smith told Insider. "We have a long runway through 2023 and moving into 2024 on a revenue front and a cost front," Justin Smith said. Overall, the target readership is "very much the news omnivore" and people who are "opinion leaders" in business, finance, and tech, Justin Smith said.

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