BELGIUM
A new Europe-Africa chapter?
The European Union (EU) and the African Union committed themselves to a “renewed partnership” at the summit in Brussels on 17 and 18 February. The Europeans have promised 150 billion euros of investment in African infrastructure by 2030, as well as aid for the production of anti-Covid vaccines in Africa.
“The cautious optimism of African leaders was palpable, underlines the channel Africanews. The EU has failed to deliver on many past promises and some of the financial commitments announced at the summit have been criticized as merely repackaging initiatives.”
CHINA
Closing of very gloomy Games
After two weeks of competition, the Olympic flame was extinguished on February 20 during the closing ceremony in Beijing. Despite a smooth organization, the “zero Covid” policy and international tensions weighed on the atmosphere.
“Despite China’s best efforts to conduct the Winter Games in a celebratory spirit, Beijing 2022 unfolded as a joyless spectacle: constrained by a global health catastrophe, fraught with geopolitical tension, marred once again by ‘doping accusations and overshadowed by the Ukrainian crisis’, notes the New York Times.
POLAND AND HUNGARY
Rule of law: the EU thinks before acting
Setback for Warsaw and Budapest. On February 16, the Court of Justice of the European Union validated the mechanism conditioning the granting of European funds to respect for the rule of law. Brussels does not want to rush to act, however, said Ursula von der Leyen.
“We still do not know if the Commission will choose to wait for the Hungarian elections on April 3 to officially take action, underlines the site Politico. And one wonders if the Russian threat and the security problems in Central Europe will have an impact in Brussels on this debate.
CANADA
Police take back control of Ottawa
The Canadian capital has regained its calm. After three weeks of demonstrations by truckers opposed to sanitary measures, the police launched an operation on February 18 to dislodge them. In three days, nearly 200 demonstrators were arrested and around fifty vehicles moved.
The paralysis of several strategic roads had forced many factories to suspend production. “The blockages by trucks are a convincing argument for transporting more goods by rail,” the daily commented. The Globe and Mail.
UNITED STATES
Trump’s social network crash
Trump’s network victim of its success? Leading the most downloaded free programs from the Apple Store in the United States during its soft launch on February 21, its platform called “Truth Social” has been plagued by technical problems. Result: Many users were unable to register.
On the form, “the service seems to be closely modeled on Twitter, which was previously Trump’s favorite social media platform”, underlines The Verge. The former president was banned by the company in early 2021, for inciting violence, following the assault on the Capitol.
NIGER
Niamey takes over from Bamako
Pushed out by the junta, the French and European anti-jihadist forces installed in Mali have found their base: neighboring Niger, considered by Paris as one of its most reliable regional allies. They will assist the local army, announced Emmanuel Macron on February 17.
But this redeployment is debated in Niger. Several civil society organizations are already threatening to demonstrate against this decision. “Accepting new foreign soldiers could be a risk for President Mohamed Bazoum”, notes the site of german radio dw.
AUSTRALIA
The island reopens
After almost two years of closure, Australia reopened its borders on February 21 to vaccinated travellers. To protect itself from the Covid-19 pandemic, the island-continent had chosen to take advantage of its insularity by imposing, from March 2020, some of the strictest travel restrictions in the world.
“How quickly tourists will return to pre-Covid levels remains a question,” points out the chain. ABC. According to figures from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, this long closure cost the Australian economy 2.27 billion euros each month.
–>
Paul Véronique and Clement Daniez