france24--2020-01-14--US drops China's currency manipulator label ahead of trade deal signing

A Benjamin Franklin U.S. 100 dollar banknote and a Chinese 100 yuan banknote with late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong are seen in this picture illustration in Beijing , China , January 21 , 2016 .
The US Treasury Department on Monday dropped its designation of China as a currency manipulator days before top officials of the world 's two largest economies were due to sign a preliminary trade agreement to ease an 18-month-old tariff war .
The widely expected decision came in a long-delayed semi-annual currency report , reversing an unexpected move by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin last August at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mnuchin had accused China of deliberately holding down the value of its yuan currency to create an unfair trade advantage , just hours after President Donald Trump , angered at the lack of progress in trade negotiations , had also accused China of manipulating its currency .
The Treasury Department had not labeled China a currency manipulator since 1994 .
Beijing had recently met just one of the department 's three criteria needed for such a designation – a large bilateral trade surplus with the United States .
In its latest currency report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Phase 1 trade deal , China had made `` enforceable commitments to refrain from competitive devaluation '' and agreed to publish relevant data on exchange rates and external balances .
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He arrived in Washington on Monday for a White House ceremony to sign the trade deal with Trump .
People familiar with the negotiations said that although the manipulator designation had no real consequences for Beijing , its removal was an important symbol of goodwill for Chinese officials .
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US-China trade agreement was almost completed and the text of the deal would be made public on Wednesday before the ceremony .
The currency report said the Chinese yuan , also known as the renminbi , had depreciated as far as 7.18 per US dollar in early September , but had rebounded in October and was currently trading at about 6.93 per dollar .
`` In this context , Treasury has determined that China should no longer be designated as a currency manipulator at this time , '' the report said .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisive steps to avoid a persistently weak currency and allow greater market openness to strengthen its long-term growth prospects .
There was no immediate reaction from Beijing .
In August , China 's central bank denied it had intervened to weaken the yuan , and said Washington 's designation of China as a currency manipulator seriously harmed international rules .
Mark Sobel , a former senior Treasury official and adviser to the London-based OMFIF economy policy think tank , said China `` was errantly designated at a moment of presidential pique . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first place , '' he said .
`` China manages , but does not manipulate its currency . ''
Sobel said China 's current account surplus was small as a share of gross domestic product and it had not intervened in currency markets for years .
The August move came at a time when the yuan had fallen against the dollar because of market apprehension over Trump 's `` ratcheting up of trade tariffs , '' he said .
The Treasury report also cited continued concerns about the currency practices of eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy , Japan , Malaysia , Singapore , South Korea and Vietnam - and added a ninth , Switzerland , to its list .
It raised particular concerns about Germany , the world 's fourth largest economy , which it said continued to have the world 's largest current account surplus and was slipping into recession .
It said the German government had a responsibility to undertake tax cuts and boost domestic investment .
The Treasury report said the continued strength of the US dollar was `` concerning , '' given the International @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was overvalued on a real effective basis .
It said the real dollar remains about 8 % above its 20-year average , noting that sustained dollar strength would likely exacerbate persistent trade and current account imbalances for the United States .
US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer , a fierce critic of China 's currency and trade practices , blasted the Trump administration for its decision to `` back down '' from labeling China a currency manipulator .
`` China is a currency manipulator – that is a fact , '' Schumer said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump would rather cave to President Xi ( Jinping ) than stay tough on China . ''
The yuan reached five-month highs earlier on Monday ahead of the expected signing of the trade deal .

The US Treasury Department on Monday dropped its designation of China as a currency manipulator days before top officials of the world's two largest economies were due to sign a preliminary trade agreement to ease an 18-month-old tariff war.
A Benjamin Franklin U.S. 100 dollar banknote and a Chinese 100 yuan banknote with late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong are seen in this picture illustration in Beijing, China, January 21, 2016.
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The widely expected decision came in a long-delayed semi-annual currency report, reversing an unexpected move by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin last August at the height of US-China trade tensions.
Mnuchin had accused China of deliberately holding down the value of its yuan currency to create an unfair trade advantage, just hours after President Donald Trump, angered at the lack of progress in trade negotiations, had also accused China of manipulating its currency.
The Treasury Department had not labeled China a currency manipulator since 1994. Beijing had recently met just one of the department's three criteria needed for such a designation – a large bilateral trade surplus with the United States.
In its latest currency report, the Treasury said that as part of the Phase 1 trade deal, China had made "enforceable commitments to refrain from competitive devaluation" and agreed to publish relevant data on exchange rates and external balances.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He arrived in Washington on Monday for a White House ceremony to sign the trade deal with Trump. People familiar with the negotiations said that although the manipulator designation had no real consequences for Beijing, its removal was an important symbol of goodwill for Chinese officials.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday told Fox Business that the translation of the US-China trade agreement was almost completed and the text of the deal would be made public on Wednesday before the ceremony.
The currency report said the Chinese yuan, also known as the renminbi, had depreciated as far as 7.18 per US dollar in early September, but had rebounded in October and was currently trading at about 6.93 per dollar.
"In this context, Treasury has determined that China should no longer be designated as a currency manipulator at this time," the report said.
It said, however, China should take decisive steps to avoid a persistently weak currency and allow greater market openness to strengthen its long-term growth prospects.
There was no immediate reaction from Beijing. In August, China's central bank denied it had intervened to weaken the yuan, and said Washington's designation of China as a currency manipulator seriously harmed international rules.
Mark Sobel, a former senior Treasury official and adviser to the London-based OMFIF economy policy think tank, said China "was errantly designated at a moment of presidential pique."
"It should never have happened in the first place," he said. "China manages, but does not manipulate its currency."
Sobel said China's current account surplus was small as a share of gross domestic product and it had not intervened in currency markets for years. The August move came at a time when the yuan had fallen against the dollar because of market apprehension over Trump's "ratcheting up of trade tariffs," he said.
Switzerland added to monitoring list
The Treasury report also cited continued concerns about the currency practices of eight other countries - Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam - and added a ninth, Switzerland, to its list.
It raised particular concerns about Germany, the world's fourth largest economy, which it said continued to have the world's largest current account surplus and was slipping into recession. It said the German government had a responsibility to undertake tax cuts and boost domestic investment.
The Treasury report said the continued strength of the US dollar was "concerning," given the International Monetary Fund's judgment that the dollar was overvalued on a real effective basis.
It said the real dollar remains about 8% above its 20-year average, noting that sustained dollar strength would likely exacerbate persistent trade and current account imbalances for the United States.
US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a fierce critic of China's currency and trade practices, blasted the Trump administration for its decision to "back down" from labeling China a currency manipulator.
"China is a currency manipulator – that is a fact," Schumer said in a statement. "Unfortunately, President Trump would rather cave to President Xi (Jinping) than stay tough on China."
The yuan reached five-month highs earlier on Monday ahead of the expected signing of the trade deal.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-14--Nissan denies rumours of plan to divorce from Renault

Japanese auto giant Nissan is “ in no way ” planning to end its partnership with Renault , the Japanese automaker insisted Tuesday after a report suggested a divorce was possible in the wake of the Carlos Ghosn scandal .
Britain ’ s Financial Times , citing “ several people with knowledge of the matter ” , said Monday that said senior executives at the scandal-hit firm were speeding up work on secret plans for a potential parting of ways with France ’ s Renault .
But in a statement , Nissan firmly denied the claims .
“ Nissan is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the statement said .
“ The alliance is the source of Nissan ’ s competitiveness , ” the firm said , adding that it would look to continue delivering “ win-win results for all member companies.
” The partnership , which also includes Japan ’ s Mitsubishi Motors , has been troubled since the shock arrest of its former chief Ghosn on charges of financial misconduct .
Ghosn , who last month jumped bail in Japan and fled to Lebanon , claims the charges against him were cooked up by disgruntled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more closely integrate the automaker with Renault .
In a news conference in Lebanon , he claimed the alliance was now on the rocks and directionless .
The alliance ’ s new chief , Jean-Dominique Senard , earlier hit back at the reports of a planned split , telling Belgian daily L ’ Echo the claims had “ no connection to the current situation of the alliance ” .
“ The Renault-Nissan alliance is not dead !
Soon we will show you why , ” he said in an interview published Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does this sort of information come from ?
I am not sure it comes from a place of goodwill , ” Senard said .
Nissan fell nearly three percent Tuesday afternoon .
The 20-year partnership between Nissan and Renault , whose alliance is based on cross-shareholdings without a joint structure , has been badly shaken by the Ghosn scandal .
But Senard said the alliance was “ nowhere near ” the point of collapse and insisted its leaders were busy “ recreating its original spirit ” and planning future investments .
A source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaks probably came from “ a few disgruntled souls ” inside the company who wanted to “ vent their frustration ” , adding that rebuilding trust between the two firms “ will take time ” .
( AFP )

Japanese auto giant Nissan is “in no way” planning to end its partnership with Renault, the Japanese automaker insisted Tuesday after a report suggested a divorce was possible in the wake of the Carlos Ghosn scandal.
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Britain’s Financial Times, citing “several people with knowledge of the matter”, said Monday that said senior executives at the scandal-hit firm were speeding up work on secret plans for a potential parting of ways with France’s Renault.
But in a statement, Nissan firmly denied the claims. “Nissan is in no way considering dissolving the alliance,” the statement said.
“The alliance is the source of Nissan’s competitiveness,” the firm said, adding that it would look to continue delivering “win-win results for all member companies.”
The partnership, which also includes Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors, has been troubled since the shock arrest of its former chief Ghosn on charges of financial misconduct.
Ghosn, who last month jumped bail in Japan and fled to Lebanon, claims the charges against him were cooked up by disgruntled Nissan executives hoping to block his plans to more closely integrate the automaker with Renault.
In a news conference in Lebanon, he claimed the alliance was now on the rocks and directionless.
The alliance’s new chief, Jean-Dominique Senard, earlier hit back at the reports of a planned split, telling Belgian daily L’Echo the claims had “no connection to the current situation of the alliance”.
“The Renault-Nissan alliance is not dead! Soon we will show you why,” he said in an interview published Tuesday.
“I ask myself, where does this sort of information come from? I am not sure it comes from a place of goodwill,” Senard said.
Nissan fell nearly three percent Tuesday afternoon.
The 20-year partnership between Nissan and Renault, whose alliance is based on cross-shareholdings without a joint structure, has been badly shaken by the Ghosn scandal.
But Senard said the alliance was “nowhere near” the point of collapse and insisted its leaders were busy “recreating its original spirit” and planning future investments.
A source close to Nissan told AFP that the leaks probably came from “a few disgruntled souls” inside the company who wanted to “vent their frustration”, adding that rebuilding trust between the two firms “will take time”.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-13--France, Sahel nations pledge to bolster anti-jihadist fight, urge US to maintain support

France and its five Sahel partners in Western Africa agreed Monday to step up their military cooperation to combat the jihadist insurgency threatening the region , agreeing to place their forces under one umbrella , known as the Coalition for the Sahel .
In a joint statement following talks in the French city of Pau , the leaders of France , Niger , Mali , Burkina Faso , Chad and Mauritania said they would concentrate their efforts on battling the so-called Islamic State in the Greater Sahara .
The six leaders also said they hoped the United States would maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Islamist extremists , after a top US general confirmed Monday that the Pentagon was weighing a troop reduction in Africa .
Hosting the summit , President Emmanuel Macron said France would commit an extra 220 soldiers to the anti-jihadist fight , after agreeing to create a joint command structure with regional states .
`` We have no choice .
We need results , '' the French president told a press conference after the summit .
In their statement , Macron 's West African counterparts `` expressed their desire for France 's continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a greater international presence at their side . ''
Macron had insisted the Sahel leaders use the occasion to express public support for France 's military presence – by far the largest foreign contribution to the fight against African jihadists aligned to al Qaeda and the Islamic State group .
Visiting the region last month , Macron complained of a lack of `` clear political condemnation of anti-French feelings '' on the ground .
France already has 4,500 soldiers stationed in the Europe-sized region as part of Operation Barkhane , supporting poorly-equipped , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a joint anti-jihadist G5 Sahel force .
Despite the French presence and a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force dubbed MINUSMA in Mali , the conflict that erupted in the north of that country in 2012 has since spread to its neighbours , especially Burkina Faso and Niger .
Jihadist fighters have recently stepped up their campaign against military and civilian targets , and earlier this month , UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that `` terrorist groups are gaining ground '' .
The Pau meeting was postponed from December after a jihadist attack claimed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last Thursday another attack by jihadists left 89 Niger soldiers dead .
Earlier on Monday , Macron was joined by Mali 's Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , Burkina Faso 's Roch Marc Christian Kabore , Niger 's Mahamadou Issoufou , Mauritania 's Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and Chad 's Idriss Deby in observing a minute of silence for seven soldiers from Pau who died in action in Mali – among 13 French troops killed in a helicopter crash while hunting jihadists last November .
Paris planned to use the summit to repeat its call on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight .
But in a worrying sign for Paris , Washington ’ s top military commander said the United States planned to reduce its military presence in Africa .
General Mark Milley , the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff , said resources `` could be reduced and then shifted , either to increase readiness of the force in the continental US or shifted to '' the Pacific .
Milley said no decisions had been made yet and insisted Washington was not pulling out of Africa completely .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider , and we are developing those options in coordination with our allies and partners , '' Milley said , adding that `` economy of forces does not mean zero ” .
Washington has some 7,000 special forces on rotation in Africa carrying out joint operations with national forces against jihadists , particularly in Somalia .
Another 2,000 soldiers conduct training missions in some 40 African countries and take part in cooperative operations , in particular with France 's Operation Barkhane in Mali , to which they provide mainly logistical assistance .

France and its five Sahel partners in Western Africa agreed Monday to step up their military cooperation to combat the jihadist insurgency threatening the region, agreeing to place their forces under one umbrella, known as the Coalition for the Sahel.
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In a joint statement following talks in the French city of Pau, the leaders of France, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania said they would concentrate their efforts on battling the so-called Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
The six leaders also said they hoped the United States would maintain its "crucial support" in combating the Islamist extremists, after a top US general confirmed Monday that the Pentagon was weighing a troop reduction in Africa.
Hosting the summit, President Emmanuel Macron said France would commit an extra 220 soldiers to the anti-jihadist fight, after agreeing to create a joint command structure with regional states.
"We have no choice. We need results," the French president told a press conference after the summit.
00:30
In their statement, Macron's West African counterparts "expressed their desire for France's continued engagement in the Sahel, and urged a greater international presence at their side."
Macron had insisted the Sahel leaders use the occasion to express public support for France's military presence – by far the largest foreign contribution to the fight against African jihadists aligned to al Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Visiting the region last month, Macron complained of a lack of "clear political condemnation of anti-French feelings" on the ground.
France already has 4,500 soldiers stationed in the Europe-sized region as part of Operation Barkhane, supporting poorly-equipped, impoverished local armies that in 2017 launched a joint anti-jihadist G5 Sahel force.
Despite the French presence and a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force dubbed MINUSMA in Mali, the conflict that erupted in the north of that country in 2012 has since spread to its neighbours, especially Burkina Faso and Niger.
Jihadist fighters have recently stepped up their campaign against military and civilian targets, and earlier this month, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that "terrorist groups are gaining ground".
The Pau meeting was postponed from December after a jihadist attack claimed the lives of 71 Niger soldiers. And last Thursday another attack by jihadists left 89 Niger soldiers dead.
Earlier on Monday, Macron was joined by Mali's Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Burkina Faso's Roch Marc Christian Kabore, Niger's Mahamadou Issoufou, Mauritania's Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and Chad's Idriss Deby in observing a minute of silence for seven soldiers from Pau who died in action in Mali – among 13 French troops killed in a helicopter crash while hunting jihadists last November.
Paris planned to use the summit to repeat its call on other Western nations to help step up the fight.
But in a worrying sign for Paris, Washington’s top military commander said the United States planned to reduce its military presence in Africa.
General Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said resources "could be reduced and then shifted, either to increase readiness of the force in the continental US or shifted to" the Pacific.
Milley said no decisions had been made yet and insisted Washington was not pulling out of Africa completely.
"We're developing options for the secretary to consider, and we are developing those options in coordination with our allies and partners," Milley said, adding that "economy of forces does not mean zero”.
Washington has some 7,000 special forces on rotation in Africa carrying out joint operations with national forces against jihadists, particularly in Somalia.
Another 2,000 soldiers conduct training missions in some 40 African countries and take part in cooperative operations, in particular with France's Operation Barkhane in Mali, to which they provide mainly logistical assistance.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-01-14--American citizen convicted in mass trial dies in Egyptian jail

The United States on Monday confirmed the death of Egyptian-American Moustafa Kassem in a prison in Egypt where he had been in custody since 2013 , and vowed to continue raising concerns over Cairo ’ s human rights record .
Egypt ’ s state prosecutor said Kassem died in a Cairo hospital on Monday , saying in a statement an autopsy had been ordered to determine the cause of death .
The prosecutor said Kassem had been transferred on Sunday from a jail hospital to the Cairo university hospital .
Kassem , who had been on a liquid-only hunger strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liquids last Thursday , rights group Pretrial Rights International said in a statement .
The group , which said it was representing Kassem and his family , also said that Kassem died on Monday in a hospital .
“ I am deeply saddened to learn today the death of U.S. citizen Moustafa Kassem who ’ d been imprisoned in Egypt , ” the U.S. assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs , David Schenker , told a State Department briefing .
“ His death in custody was needless , tragic and avoidable , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to raise our serious concerns over human rights and Americans detained in Egypt at every opportunity.
” Kassem was sentenced to prison in September 2018 , along with dozens others , over a 2013 sit-in that ended with security forces killing hundreds of protesters .
The sentencing , which included jail terms for more than 600 others , concluded a mass trial of people accused of murder and inciting violence during the pro-Muslim Brotherhood protest at Rabaa Adawiya square in Cairo .
Washington is Cairo ’ s closest Western ally and one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has overseen an unprecedented crackdown on freedoms in Egypt since he took power in 2014 .
Sisi and his backers say the measures are needed to keep Egypt stable and to counter threats from Islamist militants .
Rabaa square was the single most deadly incident in unrest that followed the 2011 popular uprising that toppled Egypt ’ s longtime leader Hosni Mubarak .

The United States on Monday confirmed the death of Egyptian-American Moustafa Kassem in a prison in Egypt where he had been in custody since 2013, and vowed to continue raising concerns over Cairo’s human rights record.
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Egypt’s state prosecutor said Kassem died in a Cairo hospital on Monday, saying in a statement an autopsy had been ordered to determine the cause of death. The prosecutor said Kassem had been transferred on Sunday from a jail hospital to the Cairo university hospital.
Kassem, who had been on a liquid-only hunger strike to protest his conviction, stopped taking liquids last Thursday, rights group Pretrial Rights International said in a statement. The group, which said it was representing Kassem and his family, also said that Kassem died on Monday in a hospital.
“I am deeply saddened to learn today the death of U.S. citizen Moustafa Kassem who’d been imprisoned in Egypt,” the U.S. assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs, David Schenker, told a State Department briefing.
Working Group on #Egypt wrote to @SecPompeo in 2019 to express alarm about medical neglect of prisoners, mentioning inter alia US citizen Mostafa Kassem. Excerpts from Pompeo's reply follow https://t.co/tIxCEt9wMu — Michele Dunne (@MicheleDDunne) January 13, 2020
“His death in custody was needless, tragic and avoidable,” Schenker said. “I will continue to raise our serious concerns over human rights and Americans detained in Egypt at every opportunity.”
Kassem was sentenced to prison in September 2018, along with dozens others, over a 2013 sit-in that ended with security forces killing hundreds of protesters. The sentencing, which included jail terms for more than 600 others, concluded a mass trial of people accused of murder and inciting violence during the pro-Muslim Brotherhood protest at Rabaa Adawiya square in Cairo.
Washington is Cairo’s closest Western ally and one of its top aid donors.
Rights activists say President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has overseen an unprecedented crackdown on freedoms in Egypt since he took power in 2014. Sisi and his backers say the measures are needed to keep Egypt stable and to counter threats from Islamist militants.
Rabaa square was the single most deadly incident in unrest that followed the 2011 popular uprising that toppled Egypt’s longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-14--Spike Lee to be first black head of Cannes film festival

American director Spike Lee was named president of this year ’ s Cannes film festival jury on Tuesday , becoming the first black head of the panel .
The maker of “ Malcolm X ” and “ Do the Right Thing ” is the first person of black African descent to preside at the world ’ s biggest film festival , which is held in May on the French Riviera .
Lee , 62 , said he was “ shocked , happy , surprised and proud all at the same time ” to make history .
The Cannes veteran has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ festival , with his debut movie “ She ’ s Got ta Have It ” causing a sensation in 1986 when it won the youth prize at Directors ’ Fortnight .
His appointment comes as activists criticised the Oscars on Monday for ignoring actors and directors of colour , with no nominations for the acclaimed performances of Awkwafina in the Chinese-American drama “ The Farewell ” and Lupita Nyong ’ o in the horror movie “ Us ” .
Lee – who showed his last film “ BlacKkKlansman ” at Cannes two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... have happened out of nowhere .
“ I ’ m honoured to be the first person of the African diaspora ( USA ) to be named president of the Cannes jury and of a main film festival.
” Lee will also be awarded a Palme d ’ Or , the festival ’ s top award , for lifetime achievement .
In a written statement from his home in “ Da People ’ s Republic Of Brooklyn , New York ” , Lee said Cannes had changed his life .
“ To me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most important film festival in the world – no disrespect to anybody ) has had a great impact on my film career .
“ You could easily say Cannes changed the trajectory of who I became in world cinema , ” he added .
Lack of diversity Lee also thanked “ the great people of France who have supported my film career throughout four decades .
I will always treasure this special relationship.
” Only one Asian , the Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai , has ever led the Cannes jury in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adjani , whose father was Algerian , became the first person of African descent to lead the jury in 1997 .
The world ’ s top film festivals have faced fierce criticism for their lack of diversity in recent years .
Cannes and its rival Venice have faced growing scrutiny , particularly for the lack of female directors in their main competitions , even as they have chosen gender-balanced juries .
More than 80 actresses and woman filmmakers led by then jury president Cate Blanchett staged a red carpet protest at Cannes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lee was vocal in his support for the women at the time .
“ Spike Lee ’ s perspective is more valuable than ever , ” festival director Thierry Fremaux said .
“ Cannes is a natural homeland and a global sounding board for those who awaken minds and question our stances and fixed ideas .
“ Lee ’ s flamboyant personality is sure to shake things up , ” he added .
Last year the jury was led by “ Babel ” and “ The Revenant ” director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second Latin American to preside over the festival .
The winning film , Korean Bong Joon-ho ’ s “ Parasite ” , has since become a runaway hit , winning the Golden Globe for best foreign film and six Oscar nominations .
( AFP )

American director Spike Lee was named president of this year’s Cannes Film Festival jury on Tuesday, becoming the first black head of the panel.
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The maker of “Malcolm X” and “Do the Right Thing” is the first person of black African descent to preside at the world’s biggest film festival, which is held in May on the French Riviera.
Lee, 62, said he was “shocked, happy, surprised and proud all at the same time” to make history.
The Cannes veteran has premiered seven of his films at the festival, with his debut movie “She’s Gotta Have It” causing a sensation in 1986 when it won the youth prize at Directors’ Fortnight.
His appointment comes as activists criticised the Oscars on Monday for ignoring actors and directors of colour, with no nominations for the acclaimed performances of Awkwafina in the Chinese-American drama “The Farewell” and Lupita Nyong’o in the horror movie “Us”.
Lee – who showed his last film “BlacKkKlansman” at Cannes two years ago – said “my biggest blessings... have happened out of nowhere.
“I’m honoured to be the first person of the African diaspora (USA) to be named president of the Cannes jury and of a main film festival.”
Lee will also be awarded a Palme d’Or, the festival’s top award, for lifetime achievement.
In a written statement from his home in “Da People’s Republic Of Brooklyn, New York”, Lee said Cannes had changed his life.
“To me the Cannes film festival (besides being the most important film festival in the world – no disrespect to anybody) has had a great impact on my film career.
“You could easily say Cannes changed the trajectory of who I became in world cinema,” he added.
Lack of diversity
Lee also thanked “the great people of France who have supported my film career throughout four decades. I will always treasure this special relationship.”
Only one Asian, the Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai, has ever led the Cannes jury in its 73-year history.
French actress Isabelle Adjani, whose father was Algerian, became the first person of African descent to lead the jury in 1997.
The world’s top film festivals have faced fierce criticism for their lack of diversity in recent years.
Cannes and its rival Venice have faced growing scrutiny, particularly for the lack of female directors in their main competitions, even as they have chosen gender-balanced juries.
More than 80 actresses and woman filmmakers led by then jury president Cate Blanchett staged a red carpet protest at Cannes for equality in the film industry in 2018.
Lee was vocal in his support for the women at the time.
“Spike Lee’s perspective is more valuable than ever,” festival director Thierry Fremaux said.
“Cannes is a natural homeland and a global sounding board for those who awaken minds and question our stances and fixed ideas.
“Lee’s flamboyant personality is sure to shake things up,” he added.
Last year the jury was led by “Babel” and “The Revenant” director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, the first Mexican and only the second Latin American to preside over the festival.
The winning film, Korean Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite”, has since become a runaway hit, winning the Golden Globe for best foreign film and six Oscar nominations.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-01-13--Iranians vent anger for third day in wake of plane downing

Iranians gather in Tehran on January 12 to show their sympathy to the victims of last week 's plane crash and vent their anger at the regime .
Protesters denouncing Iran 's clerical rulers took to the streets and riot police deployed to face them on Monday , in a third day of demonstrations after authorities acknowledged mistakenly shooting down a passenger plane .
Iran 's president called last week 's downing of the Ukrainian plane a `` disastrous mistake '' on Saturday , saying its air defenses were fired in error while on alert after it carried out missile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian public anger , rumbling for days after Tehran had repeatedly denied it was to blame for the plane crash , erupted into protests when the military admitted its role .
A full picture of protests inside Iran is difficult to obtain because of restrictions on independent media .
But videos uploaded to the internet showed scores , possibly hundreds , of protesters on Monday at sites in Tehran and Isfahan , a major city south of the capital .
Video showed students chanting slogans including `` Clerics get lost ! ''
outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with riot police taking positions on the streets .
Images from the previous two days of protests showed wounded people being carried and pools of blood on the ground .
Gunshots could be heard , although the police have denied opening fire .
The demonstrations are the latest twist in one of the most serious increases in tension between Washington and Tehran since Iran 's 1979 Islamic Revolution .
US President Donald Trump , who raised the stakes earlier this month by ordering a drone strike that killed Iran 's most powerful military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` do n't kill your protesters . ''
Iran 's government spokesman dismissed Trump 's comments , saying Iranians were suffering because of his actions and they would remember he had ordered the killing of General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on Jan 3 .
Five nations whose citizens died in the crash , which killed all 176 people aboard , will meet in London on Thursday to discuss possible legal action , Ukraine 's foreign minister told Reuters .
The five include Canada , which had at least 57 passport holders on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students and academics heading home after holiday visits .
Canada 's Transportation Safety Board said on Monday that Iran had signaled the agency could play an active role in the investigation and invited it to analyze the plane 's black boxes of cockpit voice and data recorders .
Two Canadian investigators were traveling to Tehran .
The TSB 's director of investigations , Natacha Van Themsche , said one of the main questions was why Iran did not shut down the airspace around Tehran , given the tensions created by Iran 's missile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier on the day of the tragedy .
Iran said it attacked the bases in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani .
A top Iranian commander said he had told the authorities on the day of the crash that the plane had been shot down , raising questions about why Iran had initially denied it .
The protests come at a precarious time for the authorities in Iran and the proxy forces they support to wield influence across the Middle East .
Sanctions imposed by Trump have hammered the Iranian economy .
Videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around protests in Tehran 's Azadi Square .
Wounded peopled were being carried and men who seemed to be security personnel ran as they gripped rifles .
Riot police hit protesters with batons as people shouted `` Do n't beat them ! ''
`` Death to the dictator , '' other footage showed protesters shouting , directing their fury directly at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , Iran 's supreme leader since 1989 .
Reuters could not immediately verify the footage .
State-affiliated media has reported the protests in Tehran and other cities but without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` At protests , police absolutely did not shoot because the capital 's police officers have been given orders to show restraint , '' Tehran police chief Hossein Rahimi said in a statement on state media .
Accusations of lethal force against the protesters should be fully investigated , a spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday .
Iran 's authorities killed hundreds of protesters in November in what appears to have been the bloodiest crackdown on anti-government unrest since 1979 .
In Iraq and Lebanon , governments backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass protests .
The deaths of the plane passengers , including many Iranians , adds trauma to a nation still raw from the deaths in November .
Soleimani 's killing led to days of mourning and public shows of solidarity with the authorities , but even that turned bloody , with at least 56 people trampled to death at his funeral .
Trump precipitated growing tensions with Iran in May 2018 by pulling out of a deal under which sanctions were eased in return for Iran curbing its nuclear program .
Trump says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Iran says it will not negotiate as long as US sanctions are in place .
In December , rockets fired at US bases in Iraq killed a US contractor .
Washington blamed pro-Iran militia and launched air strikes that killed at least 25 fighters .
After the militia surrounded the US embassy in Baghdad for two days , Trump ordered the strike on General Soleimani .

Protesters denouncing Iran's clerical rulers took to the streets and riot police deployed to face them on Monday, in a third day of demonstrations after authorities acknowledged mistakenly shooting down a passenger plane.
Iranians gather in Tehran on January 12 to show their sympathy to the victims of last week's plane crash and vent their anger at the regime.
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Iran's president called last week's downing of the Ukrainian plane a "disastrous mistake" on Saturday, saying its air defenses were fired in error while on alert after it carried out missile strikes on US targets in Iraq.
Iranian public anger, rumbling for days after Tehran had repeatedly denied it was to blame for the plane crash, erupted into protests when the military admitted its role.
A full picture of protests inside Iran is difficult to obtain because of restrictions on independent media. But videos uploaded to the internet showed scores, possibly hundreds, of protesters on Monday at sites in Tehran and Isfahan, a major city south of the capital.
Video showed students chanting slogans including "Clerics get lost!" outside universities in Isfahan and in Tehran, with riot police taking positions on the streets.
Images from the previous two days of protests showed wounded people being carried and pools of blood on the ground. Gunshots could be heard, although the police have denied opening fire.
The demonstrations are the latest twist in one of the most serious increases in tension between Washington and Tehran since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
US President Donald Trump, who raised the stakes earlier this month by ordering a drone strike that killed Iran's most powerful military commander, tweeted to Iran's leaders: "don't kill your protesters."
Iran's government spokesman dismissed Trump's comments, saying Iranians were suffering because of his actions and they would remember he had ordered the killing of General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on Jan 3.
Possible legal action
Five nations whose citizens died in the crash, which killed all 176 people aboard, will meet in London on Thursday to discuss possible legal action, Ukraine's foreign minister told Reuters.
The five include Canada, which had at least 57 passport holders on the flight, many of them Iranian-Canadian students and academics heading home after holiday visits.
Canada's Transportation Safety Board said on Monday that Iran had signaled the agency could play an active role in the investigation and invited it to analyze the plane's black boxes of cockpit voice and data recorders. Two Canadian investigators were traveling to Tehran.
00:35
The TSB's director of investigations, Natacha Van Themsche, said one of the main questions was why Iran did not shut down the airspace around Tehran, given the tensions created by Iran's missile attack on Iraqi bases housing US troops earlier on the day of the tragedy. Iran said it attacked the bases in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani.
A top Iranian commander said he had told the authorities on the day of the crash that the plane had been shot down, raising questions about why Iran had initially denied it.
‘Don’t beat them’
The protests come at a precarious time for the authorities in Iran and the proxy forces they support to wield influence across the Middle East. Sanctions imposed by Trump have hammered the Iranian economy.
Videos posted late on Sunday recorded the gunfire around protests in Tehran's Azadi Square. Wounded peopled were being carried and men who seemed to be security personnel ran as they gripped rifles. Riot police hit protesters with batons as people shouted "Don't beat them!"
"Death to the dictator," other footage showed protesters shouting, directing their fury directly at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader since 1989.
Reuters could not immediately verify the footage. State-affiliated media has reported the protests in Tehran and other cities but without all the details from the uploaded videos.
"At protests, police absolutely did not shoot because the capital's police officers have been given orders to show restraint," Tehran police chief Hossein Rahimi said in a statement on state media.
Accusations of lethal force against the protesters should be fully investigated, a spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday.
Iran's authorities killed hundreds of protesters in November in what appears to have been the bloodiest crackdown on anti-government unrest since 1979. In Iraq and Lebanon, governments backed by pro-Iran armed groups have also faced mass protests.
The deaths of the plane passengers, including many Iranians, adds trauma to a nation still raw from the deaths in November.
Soleimani's killing led to days of mourning and public shows of solidarity with the authorities, but even that turned bloody, with at least 56 people trampled to death at his funeral.
Trump precipitated growing tensions with Iran in May 2018 by pulling out of a deal under which sanctions were eased in return for Iran curbing its nuclear program. Trump says he wants a more stringent pact, while Iran says it will not negotiate as long as US sanctions are in place.
In December, rockets fired at US bases in Iraq killed a US contractor. Washington blamed pro-Iran militia and launched air strikes that killed at least 25 fighters. After the militia surrounded the US embassy in Baghdad for two days, Trump ordered the strike on General Soleimani.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-14--Political crisis in Haiti could lead to president ruling single-handedly

Haiti 's President Jovenel Moise delivers a speech during the inauguration of the Taiwan Fair in Port-au-Prince on July 13 , 2019 .
Haitian President Jovenel Moise could be ruling by decree later this week , a scenario he said would help break the Caribbean nation 's political deadlock but which critics fear will undermine its fragile democracy .
In the early hours of Monday , the president said the mandates of lower house deputies and most senators formally expired because no successors were elected in October after the troubled country failed to hold elections .
The power vacuum could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the poorest country in the Americas , three decades since the end of the dreaded Duvalier family dictatorship .
Moise , however , sees the sidelining of Haitian lawmakers as positive .
`` The current situation is an opportunity to stop the permanent crisis , '' said Moise , who has come under pressure from months-long street protests and opposition groups to resign or hold early elections .
`` The biggest problem Haiti has is the weakness of its public institutions , '' Moise told Reuters in an interview .
Moise blamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral law required to hold last year 's elections while his opponents accuse him of trying to take control over the country 's electoral law .
Under his predecessor , Michel Martelly , the Haitian parliament was dissolved in January 2015 when last-ditch negotiations for a deal that would have extended lawmakers ' mandates failed .
Martelly ruled by decree until the end of his term .
`` Without the opposition , the government seems less legitimate , '' said Jake Johnston , a senior research associate at the Center for Economic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he make efforts to work for the whole or will he just pursue his own agenda without checks and balances ? ''
A former banana exporter , Moise is nearly three years into his five-year term .
He won an October 2015 election that was later scrapped over fraud allegations ; in January 2017 , he was declared president after a repeat election in November 2016 .
Moise 's political base has been weak from the start .
Electoral turnout for the 2016 election was low and 10 % of sheets tallying votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a country of 10 million people , he got just 600,000 votes .
`` He won an election , but there 's a question around how much of a credible and legitimate mandate that provided him given the extremely low turnout and the lack of faith in the democratic process to begin with , '' Johnston said .

Haitian President Jovenel Moise could be ruling by decree later this week, a scenario he said would help break the Caribbean nation's political deadlock but which critics fear will undermine its fragile democracy.
Haiti's President Jovenel Moise delivers a speech during the inauguration of the Taiwan Fair in Port-au-Prince on July 13, 2019.
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In the early hours of Monday, the president said the mandates of lower house deputies and most senators formally expired because no successors were elected in October after the troubled country failed to hold elections.
The power vacuum could deal a significant blow to democratic governance in the poorest country in the Americas, three decades since the end of the dreaded Duvalier family dictatorship.
Moise, however, sees the sidelining of Haitian lawmakers as positive.
"The current situation is an opportunity to stop the permanent crisis," said Moise, who has come under pressure from months-long street protests and opposition groups to resign or hold early elections.
"The biggest problem Haiti has is the weakness of its public institutions," Moise told Reuters in an interview.
Moise blamed parliament for having failed to approve the electoral law required to hold last year's elections while his opponents accuse him of trying to take control over the country's electoral law.
15 presidents in 33 years
Under his predecessor, Michel Martelly, the Haitian parliament was dissolved in January 2015 when last-ditch negotiations for a deal that would have extended lawmakers' mandates failed.
Martelly ruled by decree until the end of his term.
"Without the opposition, the government seems less legitimate," said Jake Johnston, a senior research associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.
"Will he make efforts to work for the whole or will he just pursue his own agenda without checks and balances?"
A former banana exporter, Moise is nearly three years into his five-year term. He won an October 2015 election that was later scrapped over fraud allegations; in January 2017, he was declared president after a repeat election in November 2016.
Moise's political base has been weak from the start. Electoral turnout for the 2016 election was low and 10% of sheets tallying votes were thrown out because of irregularities. In a country of 10 million people, he got just 600,000 votes.
"He won an election, but there's a question around how much of a credible and legitimate mandate that provided him given the extremely low turnout and the lack of faith in the democratic process to begin with," Johnston said.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-14--Warren confirms Sanders told her a woman could not win the White House

Democratic presidential candidates Senator Elizabeth Warren , former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders onstage before the start of the sixth Democratic presidential campaign debate at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles , California , on December 19 , 2019 .
Elizabeth Warren took the unusual step on Monday of confirming a report that fellow Democratic White House contender Bernie Sanders told her during a 2018 meeting that he did not believe a woman could win the 2020 presidential race .
Warren and Sanders are fellow U.S. senators , friends and their party 's progressive standard-bearers who agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informal non-aggression pact .
But amid escalating tensions between the two rivals and with the first nominating contest looming in early February , Warren pushed back against Sanders ' denial of a CNN report detailing the meeting in which he told her he did not believe a woman could beat Republican President Donald Trump .
`` I thought a woman could win ; he disagreed , '' Warren , a U.S. senator from Massachusetts , said in a statement released late on Monday describing the two-hour meeting in December 2018 .
In its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four people with knowledge of it , including two with whom Warren spoke about it soon after and another two who were familiar with what happened at the meeting .
Sanders , a U.S. senator from Vermont , told CNN it was `` ludicrous '' that he would tell Warren a woman could not win .
`` What I did say that night was that Donald Trump is a sexist , a racist and a liar who would weaponize whatever he could , '' he added .
Sanders ' campaign did not immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren 's confirmation of the CNN account .
`` I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than our differences in punditry , '' Warren said .
The tussle between the two progressive senators is the second in as many days after Politico reported on Sunday that Sanders ' campaign had distributed talking points for volunteers on what to say to voters who are thinking of supporting his main rivals .
The guidance suggested that volunteers argue that Warren was supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are going to show up and vote Democratic no matter what . ''
In response , Warren , while campaigning in Iowa , said she was `` disappointed '' in Sanders ' campaign and hoped he reconsidered the approach .
Sanders said he had not approved the negative talking points related to his Democratic rivals .
Warren and Sanders are among the six candidates who will face off on Tuesday in the seventh Democratic presidential debate , and the last before the Feb. 3 Iowa caucuses , which kick off the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently vying for the party 's nomination to take on Trump in November .
National opinion polls show Warren in the top tier but trailing Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden .

Elizabeth Warren took the unusual step on Monday of confirming a report that fellow Democratic White House contender Bernie Sanders told her during a 2018 meeting that he did not believe a woman could win the 2020 presidential race.
Democratic presidential candidates Senator Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders onstage before the start of the sixth Democratic presidential campaign debate at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, on December 19, 2019.
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Warren and Sanders are fellow U.S. senators, friends and their party's progressive standard-bearers who agreed early in the nominating contest to an informal non-aggression pact.
But amid escalating tensions between the two rivals and with the first nominating contest looming in early February, Warren pushed back against Sanders' denial of a CNN report detailing the meeting in which he told her he did not believe a woman could beat Republican President Donald Trump.
"I thought a woman could win; he disagreed," Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, said in a statement released late on Monday describing the two-hour meeting in December 2018.
In its report on the meeting, CNN cited four people with knowledge of it, including two with whom Warren spoke about it soon after and another two who were familiar with what happened at the meeting.
Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, told CNN it was "ludicrous" that he would tell Warren a woman could not win. "What I did say that night was that Donald Trump is a sexist, a racist and a liar who would weaponize whatever he could," he added.
Sanders' campaign did not immediately respond to a request to comment on Warren's confirmation of the CNN account.
"I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than our differences in punditry," Warren said.
The tussle between the two progressive senators is the second in as many days after Politico reported on Sunday that Sanders' campaign had distributed talking points for volunteers on what to say to voters who are thinking of supporting his main rivals.
The guidance suggested that volunteers argue that Warren was supported by "highly-educated, more affluent people who are going to show up and vote Democratic no matter what." In response, Warren, while campaigning in Iowa, said she was "disappointed" in Sanders' campaign and hoped he reconsidered the approach.
Sanders said he had not approved the negative talking points related to his Democratic rivals.
Warren and Sanders are among the six candidates who will face off on Tuesday in the seventh Democratic presidential debate, and the last before the Feb. 3 Iowa caucuses, which kick off the state nominating contests.
There are 12 candidates currently vying for the party's nomination to take on Trump in November. National opinion polls show Warren in the top tier but trailing Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-13--Ethiopian PM Ahmed asks S. Africa for help in talks on Nile dam construction

He won the Nobel Peace Prize for forging a deal to end a 20-year-old border dispute with neighbouring Eritrea , but Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is finding reaching an agreement with Egypt over its project to build a dam on the Blue Nile far more difficult .
Ethiopia , Egypt and Sudan began US-sponsored negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam ( GERD ) in November and were expected to conclude them by January 15 , but an agreement appears to be still far off .
Yesterday , Ahmed called on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good friend for both Ethiopia and Egypt and is the upcoming president of the African Union .
He can make a discussion between both parties to solve the issue peacefully because peace is the foundation of everything here in Africa , ” Ahmed said Sunday at a press conference in Pretoria , the administrative capital of South Africa .
Ramaphosa said he was open to the suggestion and confirmed that he had already spoken with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about the matter .
Ethiopia began construction of the dam in 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project would cause water shortages in Egypt , which relies on the Nile for 90 percent of its water supply for the population and for agriculture .
The Blue Nile , which has its source in Ethiopia , converges with the White Nile in Sudan and flows north through Egypt .
Tensions have dogged the African nations ever since , and Egypt has at times threatened to take military action against the project .
In 2015 the three nations signed a declaration of principles , which maintained that the downstream nations , Egypt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected by the dam .
The declaration also held that if the three nations could not come to an agreement , the issue would be taken up by international mediators .
The outcome of mediation is an open question as complicated and contentious legal issues are at play , said Timothy Kaldas , non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington , DC .
The last round of negotiations between the Egyptian , Sudanese and Ethiopian foreign ministers , held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa , lasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 in a deadlock .
One of the main sticking points is how long Ethiopia will be given to fill the 74 billion cubic metre reservoir behind the dam ; Egypt worries that if the dam is filled too quickly , the water flow to its country will be reduced .
Ethiopia said last week that Egypt asked to lengthen the filling time from 12 years to 21 years , a period of time that Ethiopia said is “ not acceptable ” .
Egypt , for its part , denies having asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement last week saying the Ethiopian side was being misleading and that Egypt was on board with filling the dam in six to seven years , as long as the inflow of the Nile was at average or above average levels during the filling period .
Ethiopia plans to begin filling the dam in July , when the rainy season begins .
Egypt later said Ethiopia 's government failed to prove it would take all necessary precautions to ensure that the dam would not affect Egypt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times of drought .
Whether the countries can come to agreement before the January 15 deadline is unclear .
Public statements from the Ethiopian and Egyptian governments are contradictory , so it is difficult to know to what degree they are just posturing and hyperbole , Kaldas said .
“ It depends on who ’ s telling the truth , ” he said .
The outcome of negotiations or mediation could have a profound impact on Egypt by setting a precedent that would allow other upriver nations to launch similar projects .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is scheduled to begin generating much-needed power for Ethiopia , with one of the largest populations and fastest-growing economies on the continent , by the end of this year , and be fully operational by 2020 .
When completed , it will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa .
Talks are set to resume on January 13 in Washington , DC .
They will be hosted by the US treasury department and will also be attended by officials from the World Bank .

He won the Nobel Peace Prize for forging a deal to end a 20-year-old border dispute with neighbouring Eritrea, but Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is finding reaching an agreement with Egypt over its project to build a dam on the Blue Nile far more difficult.
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Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan began US-sponsored negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in November and were expected to conclude them by January 15, but an agreement appears to be still far off. Yesterday, Ahmed called on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the long-running dispute.
Ramaphosa is “a good friend for both Ethiopia and Egypt and is the upcoming president of the African Union. He can make a discussion between both parties to solve the issue peacefully because peace is the foundation of everything here in Africa,” Ahmed said Sunday at a press conference in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa.
Ramaphosa said he was open to the suggestion and confirmed that he had already spoken with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about the matter.
Ethiopia began construction of the dam in 2011, immediately triggering concerns that the massive project would cause water shortages in Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 90 percent of its water supply for the population and for agriculture. The Blue Nile, which has its source in Ethiopia, converges with the White Nile in Sudan and flows north through Egypt.
Tensions have dogged the African nations ever since, and Egypt has at times threatened to take military action against the project.
In 2015 the three nations signed a declaration of principles, which maintained that the downstream nations, Egypt and Sudan, should not be negatively affected by the dam. The declaration also held that if the three nations could not come to an agreement, the issue would be taken up by international mediators.
The outcome of mediation is an open question as complicated and contentious legal issues are at play, said Timothy Kaldas, non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington, DC.
The last round of negotiations between the Egyptian, Sudanese and Ethiopian foreign ministers, held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, lasted two days and ended on January 9, 2020 in a deadlock.
One of the main sticking points is how long Ethiopia will be given to fill the 74 billion cubic metre reservoir behind the dam; Egypt worries that if the dam is filled too quickly, the water flow to its country will be reduced. Ethiopia said last week that Egypt asked to lengthen the filling time from 12 years to 21 years, a period of time that Ethiopia said is “not acceptable”.
Egypt, for its part, denies having asked for such a long fill period. The ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement last week saying the Ethiopian side was being misleading and that Egypt was on board with filling the dam in six to seven years, as long as the inflow of the Nile was at average or above average levels during the filling period.
Ethiopia plans to begin filling the dam in July, when the rainy season begins.
Egypt later said Ethiopia's government failed to prove it would take all necessary precautions to ensure that the dam would not affect Egypt’s water supply, especially in times of drought.
Whether the countries can come to agreement before the January 15 deadline is unclear.
Public statements from the Ethiopian and Egyptian governments are contradictory, so it is difficult to know to what degree they are just posturing and hyperbole, Kaldas said. “It depends on who’s telling the truth,” he said.
The outcome of negotiations or mediation could have a profound impact on Egypt by setting a precedent that would allow other upriver nations to launch similar projects.
The $4.2 billion, 6,000 megawatt dam is scheduled to begin generating much-needed power for Ethiopia, with one of the largest populations and fastest-growing economies on the continent, by the end of this year, and be fully operational by 2020. When completed, it will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa.
Talks are set to resume on January 13 in Washington, DC. They will be hosted by the US treasury department and will also be attended by officials from the World Bank.
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france24--2020-01-13--Queen agrees to let Harry and Meghan 'live a more independent life'

Queen Elizabeth II agreed Monday to grant Prince Harry and and his wife Meghan their wish for a more independent life , allowing them to move part-time to Canada while remaining firmly in the House of Windsor .
The British monarch said in a statement that the summit of senior royals on Monday was `` constructive , '' and that it had been `` agreed that there will be a period of transition '' in which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend time in Canada and the UK .
The summit at the queen 's Sandringham estate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Harry since he and Meghan unveiled the controversial plan to step back from their royal roles .
“ My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan ’ s desire to create a new life as a young family , '' the queen said in a statement .
“ Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family , we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ news coverage , in which supporters of the royal family 's feuding factions used the British media to paint conflicting pictures of who was to blame for the rift .
Buckingham Palace said “ a range of possibilities ” would be discussed , but the queen was determined to resolve the situation within “ days , not weeks . ''
Buckingham Palace stressed , however , that “ any decision will take time to be implemented . ''
One of the more fraught questions that needs to be worked out is precisely what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financially independent and what activities can be undertaken to make money .
Other royals who have ventured into the world of commerce have found it complicated .
Prince Andrew , for example , has faced heated questions about his relationship with the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein .
Andrew , the queen 's second son , has relinquished royal duties and patronages after being accused by a woman who says she was an Epstein trafficking victim who slept with the prince .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Home Secretary Priti Patel refused to comment , but said safety was a priority .
There were signs earlier in the day that the House of Windsor had moved to unite .
Princes William and Harry issued a joint statement criticizing a newspaper article on the severe strain in their relationship , calling the story offensive and potentially harmful as they embark on talks regarding the future of the British monarchy .
Though the statement did n't name the newspaper , the Times of London had a front page story about the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Meghan had been pushed away by the “ bullying attitude from '' William .
The joint statement insisted that the story was “ false . ''
“ For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health , the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful , ” the statement said .

Queen Elizabeth II agreed Monday to grant Prince Harry and and his wife Meghan their wish for a more independent life, allowing them to move part-time to Canada while remaining firmly in the House of Windsor.
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The British monarch said in a statement that the summit of senior royals on Monday was "constructive," and that it had been "agreed that there will be a period of transition'' in which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend time in Canada and the UK.
The summit at the queen's Sandringham estate in eastern England marked the first face-to-face talks with Harry since he and Meghan unveiled the controversial plan to step back from their royal roles.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,'' the queen said in a statement. “Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.''
The meeting came after days of intense news coverage, in which supporters of the royal family's feuding factions used the British media to paint conflicting pictures of who was to blame for the rift.
Buckingham Palace said “a range of possibilities” would be discussed, but the queen was determined to resolve the situation within “days, not weeks." Buckingham Palace stressed, however, that “any decision will take time to be implemented."
One of the more fraught questions that needs to be worked out is precisely what it means for a royal to be financially independent and what activities can be undertaken to make money. Other royals who have ventured into the world of commerce have found it complicated.
Prince Andrew, for example, has faced heated questions about his relationship with the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew, the queen's second son, has relinquished royal duties and patronages after being accused by a woman who says she was an Epstein trafficking victim who slept with the prince.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also face questions on paying for taxpayer-funded security. Home Secretary Priti Patel refused to comment, but said safety was a priority.
There were signs earlier in the day that the House of Windsor had moved to unite. Princes William and Harry issued a joint statement criticizing a newspaper article on the severe strain in their relationship, calling the story offensive and potentially harmful as they embark on talks regarding the future of the British monarchy.
Though the statement didn't name the newspaper, the Times of London had a front page story about the crisis in which a source alleged that Harry and Meghan had been pushed away by the “bullying attitude from" William. The joint statement insisted that the story was “false.''
“For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful,” the statement said.
(AP)
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france24--2020-01-14--Israeli army ‘had no role in Soleimani killing,’ IDF spokesperson tells FRANCE 24

The Israel Defence Forces played no part in the killing of Iran ’ s Qassem Soleimani , IDF ’ s international spokesperson Jonathan Conricus tells FRANCE 24 ’ s Middle East Matters programme , describing the senior commander ’ s death as an “ opportunity ” for the region .
“ The IDF had no role , this was an American-executed operation , ” Cornicus told FRANCE 24 ’ s Sanam Shantyaei on Tuesday , denying reports that Israeli intelligence helped locate the target of the US strike on Soleimani .
Widely regarded as the most powerful Iranian military commander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force was killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport on January 3 .
His killing was “ a good thing , ” Cornicus said , describing the Iranian general as “ one of the most notorious and murderous terrorists that we have faced ” .
The IDF spokesperson denied claims that Soleimani ’ s death threatened to bring further instability to the region , days after Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes on US targets in Iraq and mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet , killing all 176 people on board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region , the Middle East , has the potential to be more stable , more safe , ” Cornicus said , arguing that the US strike on Soleimani had removed a key fomenter of regional instability .
Click on the player above to watch the full interview .

The Israel Defence Forces played no part in the killing of Iran’s Qassem Soleimani, IDF’s international spokesperson Jonathan Conricus tells FRANCE 24’s Middle East Matters programme, describing the senior commander’s death as an “opportunity” for the region.
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“The IDF had no role, this was an American-executed operation,” Cornicus told FRANCE 24’s Sanam Shantyaei on Tuesday, denying reports that Israeli intelligence helped locate the target of the US strike on Soleimani.
Widely regarded as the most powerful Iranian military commander, the head of the elite Quds Force was killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport on January 3.
His killing was “a good thing,” Cornicus said, describing the Iranian general as “one of the most notorious and murderous terrorists that we have faced”.
The IDF spokesperson denied claims that Soleimani’s death threatened to bring further instability to the region, days after Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes on US targets in Iraq and mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people on board.
“For the immediate term the region, the Middle East, has the potential to be more stable, more safe,” Cornicus said, arguing that the US strike on Soleimani had removed a key fomenter of regional instability.
Click on the player above to watch the full interview.
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france24--2020-01-14--Syrian army says Israeli jets struck military air base in Homs

The Tiyas Military Airbase , also known as the T-4 Airbase , a Syrian Arab Air Force base located near @ @ @ @ @ Syrian army said on Tuesday Israeli jets attacked the main T4 air base in Homs @ @ @ @ @ defences downed several missiles in strikes that caused only material damage .
An army spokesman @ @ @ @ @ Israeli missiles did reach the base , but said air defences intercepted several others that @ @ @ @ @ television earlier did not say who was behind the attack on a major air base @ @ @ @ @ Iranian backed militia targets in Syria , saying its goal was to end Tehran 's @ @ @ @ @ country .
The T4 air base , which Western intelligence sources say has been used @ @ @ @ @ 's Revolutionary Guards , was struck several times by Israel in recent years .
Israel @ @ @ @ @ Iran uses the T4 base to transfer weapons to Hezbollah , the Lebanese Shi'ite militia @ @ @ @ @ a deadly month-long war in 2006 .

The Syrian army said on Tuesday Israeli jets attacked the main T4 air base in Homs province, saying its air defences downed several missiles in strikes that caused only material damage.
The Tiyas Military Airbase, also known as the T-4 Airbase, a Syrian Arab Air Force base located near Homs, Syria.
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An army spokesman told state media that four Israeli missiles did reach the base, but said air defences intercepted
several others.
State television earlier did not say who was behind the attack on the major air base, which Israel accuses of hosting an Iranian military presence and has attacked several times in recent years.
"The Israeli airforce conducted new aerial aggression and immediately our air defences confronted the enemy missiles," an army statement said.
The Syrian army statement said the Israeli war jets flew from Tanf, to the southeast, where the United States has set up a base near the Iraqi-Jordanian border.
Tanf lies on the strategic Damascus-Baghdad highway, a major supply route for Iranian weapons into Syria. This makes the base a bulwark against Iran and part of a larger U.S. campaign against Iranian influence in Iraq and Syria.
Israel has repeatedly bombed Iranian backed militia targets in Syria, saying its goal was to end Tehran's military presence which Western intelligence sources say has expanded in recent years in the war-torn country.
The Israel Defence Force did not immediately comment on the attack.
Tuesday's strikes are the first which Syria accused Israel of undertaking since the United States killed Iran's most
powerful military commander in a drone strike on Jan. 3, sparking one of the biggest escalations between Tehran and Washington since 1979.
Iran's proxy militias led by Lebanon's Hezbollah now hold sway in vast areas in eastern and southern Syria and northwest as well as several suburbs around the capital.
They have also entrenched themselves in the strategically located border town of AlbuKamal on the Euphrates river in Deir Zor district in eastern Syria near the border with Iraq where Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary groups have a strong foothold.
Western intelligence sources say Israel has been behind several strikes against Iranian assets in the border area in
recent weeks.
The Iraqi side of the border had seen the deployment in large numbers of Iran-allied Iraqi Shi’ite militias who now de facto control large stretches of the frontier, with posts not far from military bases housing U.S. troops.
The U.S. military struck Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group in areas in Iraq and Syria along the border area
at the end of last month in what U.S. officials said was a response to escalating provocations from Iran.
Israel in the past has said Iran uses the T4 base to transfer weapons to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi'ite militia
group with which it fought a deadly month-long war in 2006. Western intelligence sources say it has also been used as a base for Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
Israel, which previously has rarely acknowledged strikes in Syria, has become more vocal in pledging it will do what is needed to thwart the entrenchment of Iranian forces or arms transfers to Hezbollah.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-01-14--Macron calls on US in anti-jihadist fight in Sahel, but solutions lie in Africa and may not be milit

Macron calls on US in anti-jihadist fight in Sahel, but solutions lie in Africa and may not be military

At the end of a recent summit on the Sahel , French President Emmanuel Macron pledged extra troops and called on the US to maintain its military support to combat a spiraling Islamist militancy .
But support for corrupt regimes overseeing abuses by local security forces may be part of the problem , not the solution .
The complex , sometimes contested narratives between the protectors and the protected in the Sahel – a vast transition zone between the Sahara and the African savannah – has been on stark display of late in the news media .
In the Malian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the past few months , with demonstrators holding up signs proclaiming , “ France dégage ” – France get out – amid mounting frustration over the deteriorating security situation in the West African nation .
In 2013 , when France intervened to halt an Islamist advance after northern Mali fell to jihadist control , Malians welcomed French troops with banner headlines in local dailies proclaiming , “ Vive la France !
” Seven years later , the welcome mat has frayed .
France currently has around 4,500 troops on the ground in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the G5 Sahel grouping .
The French contingent operates alongside a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force called MINUSMA and a local G5 Sahel force under Operation Barkhane , an anti-insurgent mission aimed at bringing peace in a huge swathe of terrain stretching across Mali , Mauritania , Burkina Faso , Niger and Chad .
But they have failed .
Violence in the region has increased five-fold since 2016 , according to the UN special envoy for West Africa and the Sahel , with over 4,000 deaths reported in 2019 compared to an estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mounting over the failure to stem an exponential militant expansion that has seeped across borders , sucking in a motley mix of jihadist and armed ethnic groups , as well as criminal bands in an impoverished zone .
Protests against France , the former colonial power , have spread from Mali to Burkina Faso and Niger in recent months and are sometimes expressed in creative ways .
In a video that went viral last year , for instance , Afro-Pop star Salif Keita upbraided Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita for “ submitting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stinging rant in the local Bambara language .
But on Monday night , Malian President Keita and his counterparts from the four other Sahel states appeared to disregard the Afro-Pop star ’ s advice when they lined up with Macron at the end of a G5 Sahel summit in the southern French city of Pau .
Flanking the French president at a summit-end news conference , the leaders of the G5 Sahel countries agreed that France should not leave and that the former colonial power remained the only security guarantee for their countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss and rage over the public opposition to French troops in the Sahel .
It was evident in the summit venue , which was picked because seven of 13 French soldiers who were killed in a helicopter crash Mali in November were based in Pau .
“ I know who is dying for the citizens of Niger , Mali and Burkina Faso , ” said Macron at the news conference .
“ It ’ s French soldiers.
” ‘ A shame for Africans ’ The optics however worked better for the summit host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the objectives of the summit was to make the presidents of the G5 Sahel countries commit themselves , and say publicly , that they want the French to remain .
Of course that doesn ’ t mean they will say it in their own capitals , but they said it in Pau , ” said Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos – director of the Marseille-based Research Institute for Develoment ( IRD ) and author of the book , “ Une Guerre Perdue : La France au Sahel ( “ A Lost War : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a phone interview with FRANCE 24 .
Paris has long been accused of playing gendarme in its former colonial pré carré ( backyard ) in a shadowy game of geostrategic influence dubbed françafrique .
Successive French and African leaders have spoken out about the need to break with the past .
But the reality on the ground compels West African leaders to walk a humiliating tightrope between public opinion back home and diplomatic imperatives abroad .
“ The presidents of the G5 Sahel countries have a dilemma , ” noted Pérouse de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need a French military presence – also against their own security forces to prevent coups and mutinies .
But at the same time , they can ’ t say that publicly because it ’ s a humiliation , a shame for Africans that so many decades after independence , they still need the French army to stabilise their own countries.
” ‘ We have no choice ’ That need though has snowballed into a mission creep in the Sahel , sparking the sorts of debates that have plagued international military operations from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions are familiar : are there enough troops and resources to bring and hold the peace in a conflict zone ?
Are international troops aiding or undermining peace chances ?
Do militant groups operating in distant , overseas terrain really pose a threat `` back home '' ?
And finally , is the loss of troops on foreign soil simply worth it ?
The answers though are never easy and get more difficult as the duration of international anti-insurgency operations lengthen .
Reporting from Pau before the summit began Monday , FRANCE 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There ’ s a consensus that things are getting a lot worse .
But there isn ’ t really a consensus on what is the best way out of this.
” By the end of the day , the G5 Sahel summit concluded with a consensus that more troops were needed on the ground .
Macron on Monday committed an extra 220 French troops in the Sahel and announced a plan to combine international and national military forces in the area under one command structure known as the Coalition for the Sahel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops were needed to prevent G5 Sahel countries from collapsing in on themselves – causing uncontrolled terrorism and increased migration to Europe – Macron noted : `` We have no choice .
We need results . ''
Will the Americans stay or go ?
Securing the vast southern fringe of the Sahara desert – roughly the size of Europe – much of it comprised of remote borderlands is a daunting task .
Militants linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State ( IS ) group have strengthened their foothold , particularly in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Burkina Faso .
France has been calling for broader international support for counterterror efforts in the region , but its allies are either distracted or lack the military muscle power to tackle the threats in one of the world ’ s most dangerous zones .
In mid-December , US news reports said Washington was considering appointing a special envoy and taskforce to handle threats from the Sahel , where the US provides intelligence , logistical and drone support for France 's forces .
By end-December though , headlines centered on reports of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 7,000 US troops in Africa , mainly in West Africa .
Speaking to reporters in Pau , Macron admitted he was worried about a likely US military withdrawal in the area .
`` If the Americans were to decide to leave Africa it would be really bad news for us , '' said Macron .
`` I hope to be able to convince President [ Donald ] Trump that the fight against terrorism also plays out in this region . ''
In October 2017 , when four US soldiers were killed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greater Sahara ( ISGS ) , it sparked headlines in US news media on the “ endless war ” in a “ remote African desert ” and questions over how and why the US was deploying forces in yet another conflict zone .
Like many experts , Pérouse de Montclos refuses to be drawn into a guessing game on Trump ’ s likely intentions in the region .
Nor does he put much stake in the ability of other European countries , such as Germany , to tackle the challenges of the Sahel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local knowledge of the zone , they don ’ t have experience in the region , nor do they possess language skills in the local Bambara or Tamasheq , ” he noted in an interview with FRANCE 24 ’ s French TV station Monday .
‘ Diagnostic errors ’ on jihadist causes and symptoms Analyst warn that while a military approach tackles pressing security issues , it fails to focus on complex local contexts and critical socio-political issues that often fuel insecurity and increase jihadist recruitments .
“ The French military operation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorism .
But jihadism is only a symptom of the weakness of the state .
The conflict is portrayed as terrorism when in fact it ’ s a policing issue , not much of a military one , ” said Pérouse de Montclos .
While participants of Monday ’ s summit pledged their commitment to security in the Sahel , there were no public statements on corruption and human rights abuses by national armies and paramilitary forces .
“ Our military presence does not encourage these governments to reform and in particular to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , that military equipment is not where it is supposed to be because the money was misappropriated .
Nor does it tackle impunity , which means that [ local security ] troops and their militias too often kill civilians , which encourages young Muslims to join the ranks of insurgents to protect themselves from the aggression of the security forces , ” noted Pérouse de Montclos .
The solution , according to Pérouse de Montclos , lies “ in the hands of the Africans , because from the beginning there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We focused on the jihadist threat , presented it as a global threat when in fact the root of the problem are national crises and the solution is local , not in the hands of the Europeans or the Élysée , ” he noted , referring to the French presidential office .

At the end of a recent summit on the Sahel, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged extra troops and called on the US to maintain its military support to combat a spiraling Islamist militancy. But support for corrupt regimes overseeing abuses by local security forces may be part of the problem, not the solution.
Advertising Read more
The complex, sometimes contested narratives between the protectors and the protected in the Sahel – a vast transition zone between the Sahara and the African savannah – has been on stark display of late in the news media.
In the Malian capital, Bamako, protests have erupted over the past few months, with demonstrators holding up signs proclaiming, “France dégage” – France get out – amid mounting frustration over the deteriorating security situation in the West African nation.
In 2013, when France intervened to halt an Islamist advance after northern Mali fell to jihadist control, Malians welcomed French troops with banner headlines in local dailies proclaiming, “Vive la France!”
Seven years later, the welcome mat has frayed.
France currently has around 4,500 troops on the ground in Mali and four other countries that make up the G5 Sahel grouping. The French contingent operates alongside a 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping force called MINUSMA and a local G5 Sahel force under Operation Barkhane, an anti-insurgent mission aimed at bringing peace in a huge swathe of terrain stretching across Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
But they have failed. Violence in the region has increased five-fold since 2016, according to the UN special envoy for West Africa and the Sahel, with over 4,000 deaths reported in 2019 compared to an estimated 770 in 2016. Frustration is also mounting over the failure to stem an exponential militant expansion that has seeped across borders, sucking in a motley mix of jihadist and armed ethnic groups, as well as criminal bands in an impoverished zone.
Protests against France, the former colonial power, have spread from Mali to Burkina Faso and Niger in recent months and are sometimes expressed in creative ways. In a video that went viral last year, for instance, Afro-Pop star Salif Keita upbraided Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita for “submitting to this little kid Macron” in a stinging rant in the local Bambara language.
But on Monday night, Malian President Keita and his counterparts from the four other Sahel states appeared to disregard the Afro-Pop star’s advice when they lined up with Macron at the end of a G5 Sahel summit in the southern French city of Pau.
Flanking the French president at a summit-end news conference, the leaders of the G5 Sahel countries agreed that France should not leave and that the former colonial power remained the only security guarantee for their countries.
Macron has his own narrative of loss and rage over the public opposition to French troops in the Sahel. It was evident in the summit venue, which was picked because seven of 13 French soldiers who were killed in a helicopter crash Mali in November were based in Pau.
“I know who is dying for the citizens of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso,” said Macron at the news conference. “It’s French soldiers.”
‘A shame for Africans’
The optics however worked better for the summit host than his invited guests.
“One of the objectives of the summit was to make the presidents of the G5 Sahel countries commit themselves, and say publicly, that they want the French to remain. Of course that doesn’t mean they will say it in their own capitals, but they said it in Pau,” said Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos – director of the Marseille-based Research Institute for Develoment (IRD) and author of the book, “Une Guerre Perdue: La France au Sahel (“A Lost War: France in the Sahel”) – in a phone interview with FRANCE 24.
Paris has long been accused of playing gendarme in its former colonial pré carré (backyard) in a shadowy game of geostrategic influence dubbed françafrique. Successive French and African leaders have spoken out about the need to break with the past.
But the reality on the ground compels West African leaders to walk a humiliating tightrope between public opinion back home and diplomatic imperatives abroad.
“The presidents of the G5 Sahel countries have a dilemma,” noted Pérouse de Montclos. “On one side, they need a French military presence – also against their own security forces to prevent coups and mutinies. But at the same time, they can’t say that publicly because it’s a humiliation, a shame for Africans that so many decades after independence, they still need the French army to stabilise their own countries.”
‘We have no choice’
That need though has snowballed into a mission creep in the Sahel, sparking the sorts of debates that have plagued international military operations from Afghanistan to Iraq and Syria.
The questions are familiar: are there enough troops and resources to bring and hold the peace in a conflict zone? Are international troops aiding or undermining peace chances? Do militant groups operating in distant, overseas terrain really pose a threat "back home"? And finally, is the loss of troops on foreign soil simply worth it?
The answers though are never easy and get more difficult as the duration of international anti-insurgency operations lengthen.
Reporting from Pau before the summit began Monday, FRANCE 24’s Armen Georgian noted that, “There’s a consensus that things are getting a lot worse. But there isn’t really a consensus on what is the best way out of this.”
By the end of the day, the G5 Sahel summit concluded with a consensus that more troops were needed on the ground.
Macron on Monday committed an extra 220 French troops in the Sahel and announced a plan to combine international and national military forces in the area under one command structure known as the Coalition for the Sahel.
Echoing a military consensus that more troops were needed to prevent G5 Sahel countries from collapsing in on themselves – causing uncontrolled terrorism and increased migration to Europe – Macron noted: "We have no choice. We need results."
Will the Americans stay or go?
Securing the vast southern fringe of the Sahara desert – roughly the size of Europe – much of it comprised of remote borderlands is a daunting task.
Militants linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) group have strengthened their foothold, particularly in the Liptako-Gourma border region between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
France has been calling for broader international support for counterterror efforts in the region, but its allies are either distracted or lack the military muscle power to tackle the threats in one of the world’s most dangerous zones.
In mid-December, US news reports said Washington was considering appointing a special envoy and taskforce to handle threats from the Sahel, where the US provides intelligence, logistical and drone support for France's forces.
By end-December though, headlines centered on reports of the Pentagon looking to reduce between 6,000 and 7,000 US troops in Africa, mainly in West Africa.
Speaking to reporters in Pau, Macron admitted he was worried about a likely US military withdrawal in the area.
"If the Americans were to decide to leave Africa it would be really bad news for us," said Macron. "I hope to be able to convince President [Donald] Trump that the fight against terrorism also plays out in this region."
In October 2017, when four US soldiers were killed in ambush by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), it sparked headlines in US news media on the “endless war” in a “remote African desert” and questions over how and why the US was deploying forces in yet another conflict zone.
Like many experts, Pérouse de Montclos refuses to be drawn into a guessing game on Trump’s likely intentions in the region. Nor does he put much stake in the ability of other European countries, such as Germany, to tackle the challenges of the Sahel. “The German military has little local knowledge of the zone, they don’t have experience in the region, nor do they possess language skills in the local Bambara or Tamasheq,” he noted in an interview with FRANCE 24’s French TV station Monday.
‘Diagnostic errors’ on jihadist causes and symptoms
Analyst warn that while a military approach tackles pressing security issues, it fails to focus on complex local contexts and critical socio-political issues that often fuel insecurity and increase jihadist recruitments.
“The French military operation is presented as part of the fight against terrorism. But jihadism is only a symptom of the weakness of the state. The conflict is portrayed as terrorism when in fact it’s a policing issue, not much of a military one,” said Pérouse de Montclos.
While participants of Monday’s summit pledged their commitment to security in the Sahel, there were no public statements on corruption and human rights abuses by national armies and paramilitary forces.
“Our military presence does not encourage these governments to reform and in particular to fight against corruption – which means, for example, that military equipment is not where it is supposed to be because the money was misappropriated. Nor does it tackle impunity, which means that [local security] troops and their militias too often kill civilians, which encourages young Muslims to join the ranks of insurgents to protect themselves from the aggression of the security forces,” noted Pérouse de Montclos.
The solution, according to Pérouse de Montclos, lies “in the hands of the Africans, because from the beginning there was a bit of a diagnostic error. We focused on the jihadist threat, presented it as a global threat when in fact the root of the problem are national crises and the solution is local, not in the hands of the Europeans or the Élysée,” he noted, referring to the French presidential office.
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