foreignpolicy--2020-05-21--China’s Building Projects in Africa Are a Spymaster’s Dream

Welcome to Foreign Policy ’ s Security Brief .
What ’ s on tap today : China is likely expanding its spy net across Africa , the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt sets sail after coronavirus cases , and U.S. President Donald Trump pulls out of the Open Skies Treaty .
If you would like to receive Security Brief in your inbox every Thursday , please sign up here .
In 2018 , the African Union accused China of infiltrating the computer network in its glitzy new headquarters in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia , to steal sensitive data—a task made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built the headquarters .
But it likely didn ’ t stop there .
In recent years , China has quietly embarked on government building projects across Africa that add up to a counterintelligence nightmare for the United States and its partners on the continent , according to new research from the Heritage Foundation .
China has constructed or renovated nearly 200 government buildings , gifted batches of computers to African governments , and built “ secure ” telecommunications networks that give Beijing the opportunity for unprecedented surveillance on the continent .
The report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a trojan horse for spying on African governments , based on China ’ s long-standing pattern of using its foreign infrastructure projects for political advantage and industrial espionage .
Nightmare for U.S. officials .
The report offers stark assessments on the vulnerabilities that U.S. officials in Africa face amid growing concern in Washington over China ’ s clout on the continent .
“ Beijing likely uses surveillance to , among other things , advantage its companies competing for contracts , spy on U.S. officials , and influence African officials , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American officials should operate with the “ baseline assumption ” that all their communications with African governments are monitored by the Chinese .
Among the report ’ s other findings : 186 / The number of African government buildings Chinese companies have constructed or renovated—including 24 buildings for presidents or prime ministers , 26 parliamentary buildings , 19 ministry of foreign affairs buildings , and 32 military or police buildings 40 / The number of African countries , out of 54 total , that have government buildings constructed by China 14 / The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has built across Africa 35 / The number of African governments to which China has gifted batches of computers 70 / The percentage of 4G networks in Africa developed by Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei USS Roosevelt heads back to sea .
On Thursday morning , the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier U.S.S .
Theodore Roosevelt left Guam to begin qualification flights for the ship ’ s attached air wing .
It is the first time the ship has been at sea in nearly two months , after more than 1,000 sailors—a fifth of the Roosevelt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a port visit to Vietnam .
The ship was forced to offload crew in Guam after an email from skipper Capt .
Brett Crozier to his higher ups urging for a more forceful response to the virus was leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle .
Crozier ’ s letter had a domino effect on U.S. Navy leadership , prompting Acting Navy Secretary Tom Modly to fire him .
Modly later resigned over the incident .
The Navy recommended restoring Crozier ’ s command in April , but acting Navy Secretary James McPherson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclude at the end of May .
Trump shutters Open Skies .
U.S. President Donald Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Open Skies Treaty , the New York Times reports , ending a three-decade pact that allowed the Pentagon to conduct surveillance flights over Russia to hedge against possible military action .
The long-expected move , likely to be criticized by NATO allies who conduct most of the flights , comes after the Trump administration accused Russia of violating the pact .
Arms control experts , who are urging the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New START treaty with Russia , will likely see the move as part of a pattern of the White House withdrawing from key weapons accords with Moscow .
The Trump administration is floating the idea of temporarily extending its Obama-era nuclear arms treaty with Russia—a likely face-saving measure to keep New START from expiring while administration officials try to explore ways to strike a new trilateral deal with both Russia and China .
Brexit bruises British defense sector .
Brexit will have a harmful and long-lasting impact on the British defense sector due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU defense and security arrangements , according to a recent study by the Warsaw Institute , a Poland-based think tank .
But there might be a silver lining for Brussels : The United Kingdom has long blocked efforts at closer EU defense integration .
Its exit paves the way for France and Germany to lead the union to craft closer-knit defense cooperation agreements .
Rubio takes helm of intel committee .
It ’ s a long way to the top if you want oversight control of the intelligence community .
Sen. Marco Rubio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Select Committee on Intelligence .
The change comes after Sen. Richard Burr , was forced to relinquish his chairmanship of the powerful panel as federal investigators dig into allegations that he conducted insider trading at the start of the coronavirus crisis .
Rubio ’ s first order of business : greenlighting Trump ally Rep. John Ratcliffe ’ s nod to be the intelligence community ’ s top official on a party-line vote on Tuesday .
New State ethics watchdog .
Trump sparked yet another scandal in Washington after sacking the State Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired in the past two months .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Steve Linick was fired at his recommendation , though he wouldn ’ t say why .
Linick ’ s replacement , Stephen Akard , is a close ally of Vice President Mike Pence .
He is already creating a conflict of interest by keeping dual roles in the State Department .
Democratic lawmakers are investigating whether the firing had to do with inquiries Linick opened on Pompeo : one on misusing staff for personal affairs , and another on declaring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia .
Air Force moves .
The U.S. Air Force announced on May 14 that Lt. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach will serve as the next commander of the Pacific Air Forces ( PACAF ) , replacing Gen. Charles Q .
Brown , who will become the Air Force ’ s new chief of staff .
Wilsbach has served in several combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past three decades , and his new post as PACAF chief will make him responsible for reassuring U.S. allies in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea .
Stranger than fiction .
The Wall Street Journal details the bizarre story of an ex-Green Beret and his son who were arrested for allegedly helping the Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn , who is .
charged with financial crimes in Japan , escape the country .
They apparently did so by sneaking him onto a private jet hidden inside a music box .
U.S. military personnel can be tracked with a beer app .
The digital sleuths at Bellingcat report that the comings and goings of U.S. military personnel at bases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beer-rating mobile app , Untappd .
The app logs hundreds of time-stamped data location points for its users .
This allowed Bellingcat researcher to track a U.S. drone pilot , a naval officer in Guantanamo Bay , and the travel patterns of a senior U.S. intelligence officer—all gleaned from cross-referencing data in the app with other social media platforms .
For more from FP , subscribe here or sign up for our other newsletters .
Send your tips , comments , questions , or typos to securitybrief @ foreignpolicy.com .

Robbie Gramer, Jack Detsch and Dan Haverty

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s Security Brief. What’s on tap today: China is likely expanding its spy net across Africa , the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt sets sail after coronavirus cases, and U.S. President Donald Trump pulls out of the Open Skies Treaty .
Welcome to Foreign Policy’s Security Brief. What’s on tap today: China is likely expanding its spy net across Africa, the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt sets sail after coronavirus cases, and U.S. President Donald Trump pulls out of the Open Skies Treaty.
If you would like to receive Security Brief in your inbox every Thursday, please sign up here.
China’s Expands Spy Ambitions in Africa
In 2018, the African Union accused China of infiltrating the computer network in its glitzy new headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to steal sensitive data—a task made easier by the fact that China itself built the headquarters. But it likely didn’t stop there. In recent years, China has quietly embarked on government building projects across Africa that add up to a counterintelligence nightmare for the United States and its partners on the continent, according to new research from the Heritage Foundation.
China has constructed or renovated nearly 200 government buildings, gifted batches of computers to African governments, and built “secure” telecommunications networks that give Beijing the opportunity for unprecedented surveillance on the continent. The report analyzes how China’s construction projects are a trojan horse for spying on African governments, based on China’s long-standing pattern of using its foreign infrastructure projects for political advantage and industrial espionage.
Nightmare for U.S. officials. The report offers stark assessments on the vulnerabilities that U.S. officials in Africa face amid growing concern in Washington over China’s clout on the continent. “Beijing likely uses surveillance to, among other things, advantage its companies competing for contracts, spy on U.S. officials, and influence African officials,” the report says. It concludes that all American officials should operate with the “baseline assumption” that all their communications with African governments are monitored by the Chinese.
Among the report’s other findings:
186 / The number of African government buildings Chinese companies have constructed or renovated—including 24 buildings for presidents or prime ministers, 26 parliamentary buildings, 19 ministry of foreign affairs buildings, and 32 military or police buildings
40 / The number of African countries, out of 54 total, that have government buildings constructed by China
14 / The number of sensitive intra-governmental telecommunications networks China has built across Africa
35 / The number of African governments to which China has gifted batches of computers
70 / The percentage of 4G networks in Africa developed by Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei
What We’re Watching
USS Roosevelt heads back to sea. On Thursday morning, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt left Guam to begin qualification flights for the ship’s attached air wing. It is the first time the ship has been at sea in nearly two months, after more than 1,000 sailors—a fifth of the Roosevelt’s complement—tested positive for the coronavirus during a port visit to Vietnam. The ship was forced to offload crew in Guam after an email from skipper Capt. Brett Crozier to his higher ups urging for a more forceful response to the virus was leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Crozier’s letter had a domino effect on U.S. Navy leadership, prompting Acting Navy Secretary Tom Modly to fire him. Modly later resigned over the incident. The Navy recommended restoring Crozier’s command in April, but acting Navy Secretary James McPherson asked for a wider review expected to conclude at the end of May.
Trump shutters Open Skies. U.S. President Donald Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Open Skies Treaty, the New York Times reports, ending a three-decade pact that allowed the Pentagon to conduct surveillance flights over Russia to hedge against possible military action. The long-expected move, likely to be criticized by NATO allies who conduct most of the flights, comes after the Trump administration accused Russia of violating the pact.
Arms control experts, who are urging the Trump administration not to pull out of the New START treaty with Russia, will likely see the move as part of a pattern of the White House withdrawing from key weapons accords with Moscow. The Trump administration is floating the idea of temporarily extending its Obama-era nuclear arms treaty with Russia—a likely face-saving measure to keep New START from expiring while administration officials try to explore ways to strike a new trilateral deal with both Russia and China.
Brexit bruises British defense sector. Brexit will have a harmful and long-lasting impact on the British defense sector due to London’s withdrawal from key EU defense and security arrangements, according to a recent study by the Warsaw Institute, a Poland-based think tank. But there might be a silver lining for Brussels: The United Kingdom has long blocked efforts at closer EU defense integration. Its exit paves the way for France and Germany to lead the union to craft closer-knit defense cooperation agreements.
Movers and Shakers
Rubio takes helm of intel committee. It’s a long way to the top if you want oversight control of the intelligence community. Sen. Marco Rubio this week took the gavel of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The change comes after Sen. Richard Burr, was forced to relinquish his chairmanship of the powerful panel as federal investigators dig into allegations that he conducted insider trading at the start of the coronavirus crisis. Rubio’s first order of business: greenlighting Trump ally Rep. John Ratcliffe’s nod to be the intelligence community’s top official on a party-line vote on Tuesday.
New State ethics watchdog. Trump sparked yet another scandal in Washington after sacking the State Department inspector general—the fourth federal watchdog he has fired in the past two months. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Steve Linick was fired at his recommendation, though he wouldn’t say why. Linick’s replacement, Stephen Akard, is a close ally of Vice President Mike Pence. He is already creating a conflict of interest by keeping dual roles in the State Department.
Democratic lawmakers are investigating whether the firing had to do with inquiries Linick opened on Pompeo: one on misusing staff for personal affairs, and another on declaring an emergency to expedite billions of dollars in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.
Air Force moves. The U.S. Air Force announced on May 14 that Lt. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach will serve as the next commander of the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), replacing Gen. Charles Q. Brown, who will become the Air Force’s new chief of staff. Wilsbach has served in several combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past three decades, and his new post as PACAF chief will make him responsible for reassuring U.S. allies in the Pacific and deterring threats from China and North Korea.
Foreign Policy Recommends
Stranger than fiction. The Wall Street Journal details the bizarre story of an ex-Green Beret and his son who were arrested for allegedly helping the Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn, who is. charged with financial crimes in Japan, escape the country. They apparently did so by sneaking him onto a private jet hidden inside a music box.
Odds and Ends
U.S. military personnel can be tracked with a beer app. The digital sleuths at Bellingcat report that the comings and goings of U.S. military personnel at bases around the world can be traced through a beer-rating mobile app, Untappd. The app logs hundreds of time-stamped data location points for its users. This allowed Bellingcat researcher to track a U.S. drone pilot, a naval officer in Guantanamo Bay, and the travel patterns of a senior U.S. intelligence officer—all gleaned from cross-referencing data in the app with other social media platforms.
That’s it for today.
For more from FP, subscribe here or sign up for our other newsletters. Send your tips, comments, questions, or typos to securitybrief@foreignpolicy.com.


foreignpolicy--2020-05-21--U.S. Tussles With France, U.N. Over Counterterrorism Efforts in West Africa

U.S. Tussles With France , U.N. Over Counterterrorism Efforts in West Africa For more than three years , the Trump administration has questioned the value of a multibillion-dollar peacekeeping mission in West Africa touted as a bulwark against the region ’ s terrorist networks .
Now , the United States is promoting an American national to take the helm of the United Nations mission in Mali , fueling suspicions that Washington is seeking to expand its influence there to hasten the gradual drawdown of the mission .
Trump administration officials have been quietly lobbying diplomats from France and the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veteran American U.N. official who has held a number of senior posts at the world body , as the U.N. special representative for Mali , overseeing a force of more than 11,000 African and European blue helmets .
If selected , he would replace a former Chadian foreign minister , Mahamat Saleh Annadif , who is scheduled to step down at the beginning of next year after five years on the job .
But France—which maintains a counterterrorism force of more than 4,500 troops in the semiarid West African Sahel region—has been cool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mission , preferring that the post be filled by an African candidate from a French-speaking country , according to Western and U.N. officials familiar with the matter .
The U.N. mission , known as MINUSMA , constitutes a critical pillar of French ambitions to ultimately extricate itself from costly counterterrorism operations in the wider Sahel .
France has urged the U.N. to expand its role in the region , providing logistical support to a coalition of regional governments , the G5 Sahel , that Paris hopes can fill the gap when French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States has long been skeptical of the French approach , citing the failure of the United Nations , Paris , and its African allies to curb the rise of Islamist terrorists and broker peace between Mali ’ s central government and northern Tuaregs .
The extremist groups , some affiliated with the Islamic State and al Qaeda , have spread from vast swaths of rural areas in Mali farther east and south , to Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years .
The groups have exploited local grievances to gain political footholds in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development .
Violent incidents in the region linked to extremist groups have doubled every year since 2015 , despite billions of dollars of international aid and military assistance to regional governments to quell the violence .
It has led to growing frustration in Washington with the U.N. mission—both its steep price tag and its leader , Annadif .
“ [ Annadif ] might have once had the potential to have been an effective leader for the mission , but that moment has long past , ” said one U.S. official with experience working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s only utility seems to be as the bureaucrat in charge of what is effectively a billion-dollar air services group that runs shuttle service for Malian VIPs and logistics support [ for ] French Operation Barkhane , ” the official said , referring to the French counterterrorism operation .
“ Other than that , he hasn ’ t achieved any of the political objectives that are the reason for having MINUSMA in the first place.
” The French want to adapt the mission and expand its mandate to support operations beyond Mali ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with greater costs , officials familiar with the matter said .
But the Trump administration—which have shown greater skepticism toward the U.N. and tried unsuccessfully last year to shave 2,000 troops from the Mali mission—is expected to renew its campaign to cap costs and troop levels , several U.S. officials familiar with the matter said .
The United States wants to advance a plan in which the mission has clear-cut benchmarks for success and a timetable to wind down operations without expanding the mission ’ s budget , U.S. officials said .
MINUSMA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces intervened in the country to quash an insurgency in northern Mali by Islamist militants that threatened to seize control of the former French colony .
The United Nations ’ deadliest mission , which has lost some 209 blue helmets in the line of duty , is charged with stabilizing the country ’ s northern and central regions and brokering an elusive peace deal between the country ’ s ruling elites in Bamako and the northern Tuaregs .
The selection of Gressly to be the new head of the mission would make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a string of African and European diplomats who have led the U.N. mission .
Some U.S. officials are critical of Annadif .
Despite criticism from some in Washington , Annadif had gained a reputation in other U.N. circles as a savvy political operator who had extensive contacts among government and armed opposition groups .
Gressly , one U.N. official said , would have big shoes to fill .
The succession dispute comes as the United States mulls drawing down its military footprint from Africa—a move sharply opposed by lawmakers on both sides of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would undercut long-standing counterterrorism priorities and strengthen the hand of China on the continent .
Top French officials have also urged the U.S. military to maintain its footprint in West Africa .
French troops rely on U.S. logistical , drone , and intelligence support for their operations in the region .
“ If the Americans were to decide to leave Africa , it would be really bad news for us , ” French President Emmanuel Macron said after a summit with African leaders in January .
“ I hope to be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight against terrorism also plays out in this region.
” It also comes as the United States and France gear up for a diplomatic struggle over the future of the Mali mission at the U.N. Security Council , which needs to vote to extend the mission ’ s term by the end of June .
In January , the United States called for cutting the number of U.N. peacekeepers in Mali , but the move was swiftly criticized by France and Russia .
A State Department spokesperson , however , pushed back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were clashing over Sahel policy .
“ We aren ’ t going to comment on our internal diplomatic negotiations ahead of next month ’ s mandate renewal , but contrary to the press reports , the consultations between France and the United States on this issue have been , in fact , cordial and constructive , ” the spokesperson said .
In recent months , the Trump administration also pressed for NATO to open discussions on the terrorism threat in the Sahel , with an eye toward eventually considering a NATO mission to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington cautioned that this idea was in its early stages and not set in stone nor has it become a major agenda item for NATO leaders in Brussels .
The officials said such a mission would fall in line with Trump ’ s repeated requests for the alliance to do more on counterterrorism and address the need for more international involvement in the Sahel .
But it ’ s unclear if other NATO members would go along with such a plan , including France , which is pressing for more Sahel engagement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NATO would only agree to such a mission if it had consensus among its 30 members and an invitation from the African governments in question .
( A NATO spokesperson declined to comment . )
U.S. lawmakers have also grown increasingly concerned with how extremist groups in the Sahel are rapidly gaining power and prominence in the region .
Rep. Michael McCaul , the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee , introduced a bill that would , among other things , prompt the administration to write an interagency strategy on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and West Africa .
The bill is now with the Senate , and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote on it Thursday .
Gressly , a former Peace Corps volunteer , also has extensive experience in the region .
He has overseen humanitarian operations and served as the deputy special representative in Mali .
One U.N. official described him as a “ tough guy , very operational ” but lacking the political skills of the current occupant of the job .
“ He ’ s a serious and very committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that he could sometimes be “ a bit of a bully.
” Others challenged that account , saying that Gressly had racked up extensive political experience during a lengthy U.N. career serving in senior positions in South Sudan , Mali , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo .
In the first half of 2013 , Gressly played a role in initiating preliminary political contacts between the Malian government and armed groups in Northern Mali , shuttling regularly for talks between Bamako and Kidal .
Gressly was a candidate for the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but his bid was opposed by France , which backed a Tunisian candidate for the job .
Gressly was appointed U.N , deputy special representative for the U.N. mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2015 .
Last June , U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres tapped him to coordinate the U.N. response to the Ebola epidemic there .
Despite France ’ s misgivings about U.S. proposals on the Sahel , Paris has been making inquiries with French diplomats and military officers who have served with Gressly , a potential sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prospect of his appointment , according to a diplomatic source .
Some U.N. officials speculated that there could be an upside for the French if an American were appointed for the job .
Having an American in the post , they said , could convince Washington to reconsider its push to downsize or shutter the mission .
“ French diplomats and defense officials have been urging the U.S. for the last few months to maintain support for the mission , ” one U.N. official said .
“ If Annadif is not seen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be stronger on that front .
”

For more than three years, the Trump administration has questioned the value of a multibillion-dollar peacekeeping mission in West Africa touted as a bulwark against the region’s terrorist networks. Now, the United States is promoting an American national to take the helm of the United Nations mission in Mali, fueling suspicions that Washington is seeking to expand its influence there to hasten the gradual drawdown of the mission.
For more than three years, the Trump administration has questioned the value of a multibillion-dollar peacekeeping mission in West Africa touted as a bulwark against the region’s terrorist networks. Now, the United States is promoting an American national to take the helm of the United Nations mission in Mali, fueling suspicions that Washington is seeking to expand its influence there to hasten the gradual drawdown of the mission.
Trump administration officials have been quietly lobbying diplomats from France and the United Nations to appoint David Gressly, a veteran American U.N. official who has held a number of senior posts at the world body, as the U.N. special representative for Mali, overseeing a force of more than 11,000 African and European blue helmets. If selected, he would replace a former Chadian foreign minister, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, who is scheduled to step down at the beginning of next year after five years on the job.
But France—which maintains a counterterrorism force of more than 4,500 troops in the semiarid West African Sahel region—has been cool to the prospect of an American leading the mission, preferring that the post be filled by an African candidate from a French-speaking country, according to Western and U.N. officials familiar with the matter. The U.N. mission, known as MINUSMA, constitutes a critical pillar of French ambitions to ultimately extricate itself from costly counterterrorism operations in the wider Sahel. France has urged the U.N. to expand its role in the region, providing logistical support to a coalition of regional governments, the G5 Sahel, that Paris hopes can fill the gap when French forces begin to depart.
The United States has long been skeptical of the French approach, citing the failure of the United Nations, Paris, and its African allies to curb the rise of Islamist terrorists and broker peace between Mali’s central government and northern Tuaregs. The extremist groups, some affiliated with the Islamic State and al Qaeda, have spread from vast swaths of rural areas in Mali farther east and south, to Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years. The groups have exploited local grievances to gain political footholds in regions struggling with weak governance and limited development.
Violent incidents in the region linked to extremist groups have doubled every year since 2015, despite billions of dollars of international aid and military assistance to regional governments to quell the violence. It has led to growing frustration in Washington with the U.N. mission—both its steep price tag and its leader, Annadif.
“[Annadif] might have once had the potential to have been an effective leader for the mission, but that moment has long past,” said one U.S. official with experience working on the issue. “Annadif’s only utility seems to be as the bureaucrat in charge of what is effectively a billion-dollar air services group that runs shuttle service for Malian VIPs and logistics support [for] French Operation Barkhane,” the official said, referring to the French counterterrorism operation.
“Other than that, he hasn’t achieved any of the political objectives that are the reason for having MINUSMA in the first place.”
The French want to adapt the mission and expand its mandate to support operations beyond Mali’s border, an initiative that comes with greater costs, officials familiar with the matter said. But the Trump administration—which have shown greater skepticism toward the U.N. and tried unsuccessfully last year to shave 2,000 troops from the Mali mission—is expected to renew its campaign to cap costs and troop levels, several U.S. officials familiar with the matter said. The United States wants to advance a plan in which the mission has clear-cut benchmarks for success and a timetable to wind down operations without expanding the mission’s budget, U.S. officials said.
MINUSMA was established in April 2013 after French forces intervened in the country to quash an insurgency in northern Mali by Islamist militants that threatened to seize control of the former French colony. The United Nations’ deadliest mission, which has lost some 209 blue helmets in the line of duty, is charged with stabilizing the country’s northern and central regions and brokering an elusive peace deal between the country’s ruling elites in Bamako and the northern Tuaregs.
The selection of Gressly to be the new head of the mission would make a departure from Annadif, the latest in a string of African and European diplomats who have led the U.N. mission. Bintou Keita, a senior U.N. official in Africa, and El Ghassim Wane, a former African Union Commission official, are also being considered for the position, according to Africa Intelligence, the news site that was first to report on Gressly’s bid for the job and tensions between the United States and France.
Despite criticism from some in Washington, Annadif had gained a reputation in other U.N. circles as a savvy political operator who had extensive contacts among government and armed opposition groups. Gressly, one U.N. official said, would have big shoes to fill.
The succession dispute comes as the United States mulls drawing down its military footprint from Africa—a move sharply opposed by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who fear such a move would undercut long-standing counterterrorism priorities and strengthen the hand of China on the continent. Top French officials have also urged the U.S. military to maintain its footprint in West Africa. French troops rely on U.S. logistical, drone, and intelligence support for their operations in the region. “If the Americans were to decide to leave Africa, it would be really bad news for us,” French President Emmanuel Macron said after a summit with African leaders in January. “I hope to be able to convince President [Donald] Trump that the fight against terrorism also plays out in this region.”
It also comes as the United States and France gear up for a diplomatic struggle over the future of the Mali mission at the U.N. Security Council, which needs to vote to extend the mission’s term by the end of June. In January, the United States called for cutting the number of U.N. peacekeepers in Mali, but the move was swiftly criticized by France and Russia.
A State Department spokesperson, however, pushed back on the characterization that Washington and Paris were clashing over Sahel policy. “We aren’t going to comment on our internal diplomatic negotiations ahead of next month’s mandate renewal, but contrary to the press reports, the consultations between France and the United States on this issue have been, in fact, cordial and constructive,” the spokesperson said.
In recent months, the Trump administration also pressed for NATO to open discussions on the terrorism threat in the Sahel, with an eye toward eventually considering a NATO mission to support regional stability. Two U.S. officials in Washington cautioned that this idea was in its early stages and not set in stone nor has it become a major agenda item for NATO leaders in Brussels. The officials said such a mission would fall in line with Trump’s repeated requests for the alliance to do more on counterterrorism and address the need for more international involvement in the Sahel. But it’s unclear if other NATO members would go along with such a plan, including France, which is pressing for more Sahel engagement at the European Union level instead. NATO would only agree to such a mission if it had consensus among its 30 members and an invitation from the African governments in question. (A NATO spokesperson declined to comment.)
U.S. lawmakers have also grown increasingly concerned with how extremist groups in the Sahel are rapidly gaining power and prominence in the region. Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bill that would, among other things, prompt the administration to write an interagency strategy on how it is addressing terrorism threats in North and West Africa. The bill is now with the Senate, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote on it Thursday.
Gressly, a former Peace Corps volunteer, also has extensive experience in the region. He has overseen humanitarian operations and served as the deputy special representative in Mali. One U.N. official described him as a “tough guy, very operational” but lacking the political skills of the current occupant of the job.
“He’s a serious and very committed guy,” the official said, adding that he could sometimes be “a bit of a bully.”
Others challenged that account, saying that Gressly had racked up extensive political experience during a lengthy U.N. career serving in senior positions in South Sudan, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In the first half of 2013, Gressly played a role in initiating preliminary political contacts between the Malian government and armed groups in Northern Mali, shuttling regularly for talks between Bamako and Kidal. Gressly was a candidate for the top U.N. job in Mali in the past, but his bid was opposed by France, which backed a Tunisian candidate for the job.
Gressly was appointed U.N, deputy special representative for the U.N. mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2015. Last June, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres tapped him to coordinate the U.N. response to the Ebola epidemic there.
Despite France’s misgivings about U.S. proposals on the Sahel, Paris has been making inquiries with French diplomats and military officers who have served with Gressly, a potential sign that it is a least considering the prospect of his appointment, according to a diplomatic source.
Some U.N. officials speculated that there could be an upside for the French if an American were appointed for the job. Having an American in the post, they said, could convince Washington to reconsider its push to downsize or shutter the mission.
“French diplomats and defense officials have been urging the U.S. for the last few months to maintain support for the mission,” one U.N. official said. “If Annadif is not seen as an effective mission manager, Gressly would be stronger on that front.”
Update, May 21, 2020: The story was updated to include additional names being considered for the MINUSMA post and reporting from news site Africa Intelligence.


foreignpolicy--2020-05-21--Without Tourism, Italy’s Economy Faces Disaster

MILAN , Italy—On Feb. 16 , twenty-year-old Linda Pani launched herself from St. Mark ’ s bell tower , hooked to a metal cable , and descended to the center of the square .
It was the kickoff ceremony of Venice ’ s Carnival .
For the city ’ s economy , the weeklong Carnival is the most important event of the year , attracting up to 3 million visitors , filling hotels and Airbnbs , and bringing approximately 3 billion euros ( $ 3.3 billion ) in revenue each year .
But three days later the celebrations were canceled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
For Venice , it was the beginning of an economic crisis .
Tourism is “ Italy ’ s oil , ” so goes a popular saying , a mantra that Italian politicians tend to repeat quite often , including League secretary Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio , the former leader of the Five Star Movement .
Tourism in Italy today amounts to 13 percent of the country ’ s GDP .
It has created jobs , spurred development , and injected cash flow into the national economy .
But Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a petrostate .
Unlike the Gulf kingdoms whose whole economies rest on a single product , Italy has a diversified , if embattled , economy : It has the second largest manufacturing output in the European Union , largely concentrated in the wealthy northern regions , and it ’ s well known for its export of wine , food , and luxury goods including designer clothes and high-end cars .
When people say tourism is Italy ’ s oil , they ’ re thinking more of Texas than Saudi Arabia .
Tourism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has energized a broader economy with a trickle-down effect .
Four million Italians are currently working in tourism or tourism-related activities , a significant portion of the country ’ s overall 23 million workforce .
It ’ s not that tourism is all that Italy has got .
It ’ s that tourism is what is keeping Italy ’ s economy afloat .
Last year , for instance , Italy ’ s industrial output shrank by 2.4 percent while tourism grew by 2.8 percent .
Italy has been a tourist destination for centuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in the economy is a more recent phenomenon .
Especially since Italy ’ s economy has stagnated for decades , and was particularly hit by the 2011 European financial crisis , tourism has provided a much-needed lifeline .
In a country plagued by unemployment , tourism offered jobs for guides , restaurateurs , waiters , cooks , and cleaners .
The fact that Italy has a high percentage of home ownership allowed many families to turn their apartments or weekend houses into bed-and-breakfasts or Airbnbs .
In the aftermath of the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the coronavirus lockdown changed all that—in Venice and across the country .
For the first time in recent history , the city that was most ravaged by overtourism found itself with no tourists at all .
And since Venice ’ s whole economy revolves around mass tourism , the sudden transition has already resulted in a massive employment crisis : 20,000 jobs have been lost in the area .
But Venice is far from being an isolated case in Italy .
Florence and Rome are facing similar situations .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s thinking of mortgaging some of the city ’ s historical monuments—effectively telling banks , if the city can ’ t pay its debt , take the Uffizi Gallery .
The crisis is real in Florence ; the Tuscan city used to draw $ 52 million in tourism taxes each year ( that hotels or Airbnb hosts pay for each day a guest stays ) , but this year there will be almost no tourism tax revenue , so the city has no way to pay its bills .
Other tourist hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five picturesque villages in the Ligurian Riviera , and Sicily ’ s islands , are now deserted as well .
In order to attract foreign tourists , Sicily has vowed to help pay for their flights and offer a free night for every two nights after Italy reopens for visitors in June .
More recently , in the mid-1900s , Italy was a major international destination , much before mass global tourism became the norm .
For the first time in recent history , the city that was most ravaged by overtourism found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But during the 1990s , tourism surged .
The internet and low-cost flights revolutionized international travel , allowing a growing number of people to move at an affordable price across the world , and Italy ’ s heritage-rich cities saw it as an opportunity .
“ Italian cities heavily invested in tourism .
Their historical centers were redeveloped as consumer objects , ” said Alessandro Coppola , an urban sociologist at the Polytechnic University of Milan .
The fact that , around the same time , the country ’ s economy began stagnating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impoverished Italians .
Some Italians , including many political leaders , convinced themselves that Italy could simply live off tourism .
“ Southern Italy could live off tourism 11 months each year , ” a prominent League politician once said .
The country ’ s natural and artistic beauty , so went their reasoning , would always be there as a safety net .
But they were lulling themselves into a false sense of security .
To be fair , the illusion was a convincing one .
“ Tourism is like a heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eramo , the author of Il selfie del mondo , a book on mass tourism that will soon be published in English .
“ It ’ s that kind of industry that kicks off other industries , such as commercial aviation.
” Of course , mass tourism has its downsides : It has a negative impact on the environment and on quality of life , for instance by raising rental prices and pushing out residents who can no longer afford them .
( In Rome , for instance , the historical center has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Italy , and especially in certain areas , the main problem is that mass tourism has become the only source of income .
Venice , for instance , used to be an industrial hub : Port Marghera , on the mainland but within the city ’ s limits , hosted major chemical and metal industries , employing 30,000 workers at its peak in the 1970s , but has been in steady decline since the late 1980s .
Today , only 5,000 people work in the local industries .
D ’ Eramo compares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the practice of growing a single crop on a mass scale , which has historically exposed those who practiced it to the risks of famine when that crop is endangered .
For decades , Italy ’ s leaders convinced themselves that international travelers could keep the economy afloat ; now , with the economy in freefall—and its GDP still below its pre-2008 level—they will have to navigate without them .
As other European cities plagued by overtourism , such as Barcelona and Amsterdam , were trying to curb it and rely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it or did very little to discourage it .
For instance , in Venice , where some residents were protesting the presence of massive cruise ships in the city ’ s lagoon , Mayor Luigi Brugnaro attacked the protesters , calling them “ cheesy.
” Magda Antonioli Corigliano , who heads the master ’ s program in tourism economics at Milan ’ s Bocconi University , notes that the industry is now heavily dependent on foreign visitors .
“ At the end of 2019 , international tourism in Italy has surpassed national tourism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including many political leaders , convinced themselves that Italy could simply live off tourism .
But they were lulling themselves into a false sense of security .
That is now making the country ’ s economy particularly vulnerable to the consequences of the pandemic .
Italy is one of the nations most severely hit by the virus .
And while the government has announced a plan to have national tourism partially restarted in the summer of 2020 , the return of large numbers of international visitors seems unlikely in the short term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country when it ’ s a secondary activity , but for Italy it wasn ’ t a secondary activity , and now the country doesn ’ t have a plan B , ” argued Claudio Visentin , a historian at the University of Italian-Speaking Switzerland .
International tourism in Italy had been steadily growing for a decade , but with the pandemic its collapse was sudden .
“ It was like a speeding car crashing into a wall , with no airbag , ” Visentin said .
The IUAV University of Venice has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B & Bs into student apartments .
Before the pandemic , landlords preferred to rent to tourists because it was more profitable , forcing university students to commute from nearby towns .
Now , they hope to bring more students to live , and thus consume , in the city—partially replacing the void left by international visitors .
For decades , Italy ’ s leaders convinced themselves that international travelers could keep the economy afloat ; now , with the economy in freefall , they will have to navigate without them .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged authorities to focus investments in industry and craftsmanship , rather than in trying to lure back mass tourism .
In Rome , two famous urbanists , Vezio De Lucia and Enzo Scandurra , suggested that the city seize the opportunity to bring working-class families back to the historical center , converting some empty publicly-owned apartments into subsidized housing .
There ’ s a feeling that cities plagued by overtourism are finally realizing they need to rethink themselves .
The crisis has spurred some creative thinking , but so far most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No one seems to have a clear , and ambitious enough , plan B .
Until Italy finds one , the tourism crisis risks bringing down the country ’ s economy .

MILAN, Italy—On Feb. 16, twenty-year-old Linda Pani launched herself from St. Mark’s bell tower, hooked to a metal cable, and descended to the center of the square. It was the kickoff ceremony of Venice’s Carnival.
MILAN, Italy—On Feb. 16, twenty-year-old Linda Pani launched herself from St. Mark’s bell tower, hooked to a metal cable, and descended to the center of the square. It was the kickoff ceremony of Venice’s Carnival.
For the city’s economy, the weeklong Carnival is the most important event of the year, attracting up to 3 million visitors, filling hotels and Airbnbs, and bringing approximately 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in revenue each year. But three days later the celebrations were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the country.
For Venice, it was the beginning of an economic crisis.
Tourism is “Italy’s oil,” so goes a popular saying, a mantra that Italian politicians tend to repeat quite often, including League secretary Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio, the former leader of the Five Star Movement.
Tourism in Italy today amounts to 13 percent of the country’s GDP. It has created jobs, spurred development, and injected cash flow into the national economy.
But Italy isn’t exactly the tourist version of a petrostate. Unlike the Gulf kingdoms whose whole economies rest on a single product, Italy has a diversified, if embattled, economy: It has the second largest manufacturing output in the European Union, largely concentrated in the wealthy northern regions, and it’s well known for its export of wine, food, and luxury goods including designer clothes and high-end cars.
When people say tourism is Italy’s oil, they’re thinking more of Texas than Saudi Arabia. Tourism is a major source of income and has energized a broader economy with a trickle-down effect. Four million Italians are currently working in tourism or tourism-related activities, a significant portion of the country’s overall 23 million workforce.
It’s not that tourism is all that Italy has got. It’s that tourism is what is keeping Italy’s economy afloat. Last year, for instance, Italy’s industrial output shrank by 2.4 percent while tourism grew by 2.8 percent.
Italy has been a tourist destination for centuries, but the industry’s central role in the economy is a more recent phenomenon. Especially since Italy’s economy has stagnated for decades, and was particularly hit by the 2011 European financial crisis, tourism has provided a much-needed lifeline.
In a country plagued by unemployment, tourism offered jobs for guides, restaurateurs, waiters, cooks, and cleaners. The fact that Italy has a high percentage of home ownership allowed many families to turn their apartments or weekend houses into bed-and-breakfasts or Airbnbs. In the aftermath of the crisis, tourism provided a social safety net.
But the coronavirus lockdown changed all that—in Venice and across the country. For the first time in recent history, the city that was most ravaged by overtourism found itself with no tourists at all. And since Venice’s whole economy revolves around mass tourism, the sudden transition has already resulted in a massive employment crisis: 20,000 jobs have been lost in the area.
But Venice is far from being an isolated case in Italy. Florence and Rome are facing similar situations. In fact, Florence’s mayor said he’s thinking of mortgaging some of the city’s historical monuments—effectively telling banks, if the city can’t pay its debt, take the Uffizi Gallery.
The crisis is real in Florence; the Tuscan city used to draw $52 million in tourism taxes each year (that hotels or Airbnb hosts pay for each day a guest stays), but this year there will be almost no tourism tax revenue, so the city has no way to pay its bills.
Other tourist hot spots, like Cinque Terre, the five picturesque villages in the Ligurian Riviera, and Sicily’s islands, are now deserted as well. In order to attract foreign tourists, Sicily has vowed to help pay for their flights and offer a free night for every two nights after Italy reopens for visitors in June.
The first international visitors arrived in Italy in the 1600s, when young European aristocrats took the habit of visiting Rome, Venice, and Sicily to breathe in some Renaissance arts and classical antiquity.
More recently, in the mid-1900s, Italy was a major international destination, much before mass global tourism became the norm.
For the first time in recent history, the city that was most ravaged by overtourism found itself with no tourists at all.
But during the 1990s, tourism surged. The internet and low-cost flights revolutionized international travel, allowing a growing number of people to move at an affordable price across the world, and Italy’s heritage-rich cities saw it as an opportunity. “Italian cities heavily invested in tourism. Their historical centers were redeveloped as consumer objects,” said Alessandro Coppola, an urban sociologist at the Polytechnic University of Milan.
The fact that, around the same time, the country’s economy began stagnating made mass tourism particularly attractive to otherwise impoverished Italians. Some Italians, including many political leaders, convinced themselves that Italy could simply live off tourism. “Southern Italy could live off tourism 11 months each year,” a prominent League politician once said. The country’s natural and artistic beauty, so went their reasoning, would always be there as a safety net. But they were lulling themselves into a false sense of security.
To be fair, the illusion was a convincing one. “Tourism is like a heavy industry,” said Marco d’Eramo, the author of Il selfie del mondo, a book on mass tourism that will soon be published in English. “It’s that kind of industry that kicks off other industries, such as commercial aviation.”
Of course, mass tourism has its downsides: It has a negative impact on the environment and on quality of life, for instance by raising rental prices and pushing out residents who can no longer afford them. (In Rome, for instance, the historical center has lost about 20,000 residents.) But in Italy, and especially in certain areas, the main problem is that mass tourism has become the only source of income.
Venice, for instance, used to be an industrial hub: Port Marghera, on the mainland but within the city’s limits, hosted major chemical and metal industries, employing 30,000 workers at its peak in the 1970s, but has been in steady decline since the late 1980s. Today, only 5,000 people work in the local industries.
D’Eramo compares it to a “monoculture,” or the practice of growing a single crop on a mass scale, which has historically exposed those who practiced it to the risks of famine when that crop is endangered.
For decades, Italy’s leaders convinced themselves that international travelers could keep the economy afloat; now, with the economy in freefall—and its GDP still below its pre-2008 level—they will have to navigate without them.
As other European cities plagued by overtourism, such as Barcelona and Amsterdam, were trying to curb it and rely on other industries, Italian authorities either encouraged it or did very little to discourage it. For instance, in Venice, where some residents were protesting the presence of massive cruise ships in the city’s lagoon, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro attacked the protesters, calling them “cheesy.”
Magda Antonioli Corigliano, who heads the master’s program in tourism economics at Milan’s Bocconi University, notes that the industry is now heavily dependent on foreign visitors. “At the end of 2019, international tourism in Italy has surpassed national tourism,” she said.
Some Italians, including many political leaders, convinced themselves that Italy could simply live off tourism. But they were lulling themselves into a false sense of security.
That is now making the country’s economy particularly vulnerable to the consequences of the pandemic. Italy is one of the nations most severely hit by the virus. And while the government has announced a plan to have national tourism partially restarted in the summer of 2020, the return of large numbers of international visitors seems unlikely in the short term.
“Tourism works well for a country when it’s a secondary activity, but for Italy it wasn’t a secondary activity, and now the country doesn’t have a plan B,” argued Claudio Visentin, a historian at the University of Lugano. International tourism in Italy had been steadily growing for a decade, but with the pandemic its collapse was sudden. “It was like a speeding car crashing into a wall, with no airbag,” Visentin said.
After decades of putting all their eggs in one basket, Italian cities will have to come up with new solutions.
The IUAV University of Venice has recently brokered an agreement to convert empty B&Bs into student apartments. Before the pandemic, landlords preferred to rent to tourists because it was more profitable, forcing university students to commute from nearby towns. Now, they hope to bring more students to live, and thus consume, in the city—partially replacing the void left by international visitors.
For decades, Italy’s leaders convinced themselves that international travelers could keep the economy afloat; now, with the economy in freefall, they will have to navigate without them.
In Florence, a citizen’s association urged authorities to focus investments in industry and craftsmanship, rather than in trying to lure back mass tourism. In Rome, two famous urbanists, Vezio De Lucia and Enzo Scandurra, suggested that the city seize the opportunity to bring working-class families back to the historical center, converting some empty publicly-owned apartments into subsidized housing.
There’s a feeling that cities plagued by overtourism are finally realizing they need to rethink themselves. The crisis has spurred some creative thinking, but so far most of the ideas are either vague or small-scale solutions. No one seems to have a clear, and ambitious enough, plan B. Until Italy finds one, the tourism crisis risks bringing down the country’s economy.