southfront--2020-04-17--The Armed Forces of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Written by V. Kruglov ( Ph.D. Military Sciences , Professor ) and Major M. Tatarinov ; Originally appeared at Foreign Military Review # 4 2019 , translated by AlexD exclusively for SouthFront The military doctrine of the Arab Republic of Egypt ( ARE ) in the form of a single document that should contain assessments of the military and political situation in the world , the Middle East and North Africa , threats and challenges to national security , as well as a system of views on the essence , nature of wars and armed conflicts , ways to unleash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The goals , objectives , purpose and status of the ARE Armed Forces to ensure the country ’ s security are specified in Articles 152 , 200-205 and 234 of the Egyptian constitution .
The military doctrinal views of the leadership of this state are based on three basic concepts : “ national security ” , “ active defence ” and “ local wars ” .
In addition , views on the military construction and application of their forces are set out in the annual directives of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as in other national security documents .
According to them , it is allowed to use the army in internal conflicts to suppress possible anti-government demonstrations and mass riots , as well as to eliminate the consequences of man-made and environmental disasters .
Cairo considers the probability of direct military aggression by another state to be low .
This situation has been achieved through active foreign policy activities and maintaining Egypt ’ s military potential at a sufficiently high level .
However , the unstable domestic political situation in neighbouring countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinian territories may lead to the outbreak of border conflicts , with the potential to escalate into local and large-scale wars .
Under certain conditions , it is not excluded that the ARE my be drawn into a regional war , such as an Arab-Israeli or Arab-Iranian war , although Egyptian doctrinal views at this stage do not provide for the possibility of the country joining military-political blocks and alliances .
The Armed Forces of the Arab Republic of Egypt is an essential component of a military organisation designed to defend the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state .
They consist of Ground Forces , Air Force , Air Defence and Naval Forces .
The main tasks of the country ’ s Armed Forces are : • counteracting external security threats to the ARE , timely uncovering the threatening military and political situations and preparing an armed attack on the country ; • safeguarding the economic and political interests of the republic ; • suppression of activities aimed at destabilising the domestic political situation , violent overthrow of the constitutional order , creation of illegal armed groups , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorism , coordination of actions of all security agencies of the country on antiterrorist activities ; • high-quality and full implementation of operational , combat and mobilisation training plans ; • maintaining weapons and military equipment in readiness for combat use .
According to the constitution adopted in 2014 , the President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the ARE Supreme Council .
He directs the Armed Forces through the Minister of Defence and Military Industry , the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces .
There are two advisory bodies to the President – the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council .
The National Defence Council is the main body that determines the military-political course and military policy of the state , the directions of building the Armed Forces , as well as the procedure for coordinating the activities of ministries and agencies in the military sphere .
It is composed of : the President ( Chairman ) , the Prime Minister , the Chairman of Parliament , the Ministers of Defence and Military Industry , Foreign Affairs , Interior and Finance , the commanders of the branches of the Armed Forces , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Staff ( GS ) , as well as the General Operations Directorate , the Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence Directorate of the MoD .
The Higher Military Council performs advisory functions to the President of the country on the construction of the Egyptian Armed Forces , elaboration of programmes for the development of military industry and technology , determination of priority areas of military and technical cooperation with foreign countries .
It includes the Minister of Defence and Military Industry ( Chairman ) , the Head of the GS ( Deputy Chairman ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the commanders of the branches of the Armed Forces , the Border Troops , the Field Armies ( FA ) and the military districts , the heads of the Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence Departments , as well as other officials ( by presidential decision ) .
The Ministry of Defence is the highest military authority in the country ’ s Armed Forces and military industrial complex .
It implements the military-political , military economic and military-technical course of the ARE management .
The main functions of the defence department are planning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , coordination of activities of civil industries producing military products , development of programmes for the development and rearmament of the Armed Forces and their branches .
The General Staff of the Armed Forces is the central body of the military and operational management of the ARE .
Its key tasks include : strategic planning for the use of the Armed Forces ; leadership of land forces and territorial defence units ; operational management of the Air Force , Navy and Air Defence Forces ; organisation of operational and mobilisation training ; maintenance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of strategic and mobilisation deployment ; military registration and conscription of citizens for military service ; organisation of combat , technical and logistics support .
The total number of personnel of the Armed Forces is about 486 thousand people , including Ground Forces – 351 thousand ; Air Force – 30 thousand ; Navy – 22 thousand ; Air Defence troops – 82.5 thousand .
After mobilisation , it could be expanded to 1.3 million people .
The ARE Ground Forces , which form the basis of the Armed Forces , are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of troops : motorised infantry and armoured , artillery , anti-aircraft missile , parachute , special purpose , border , Republican Guard , Territorial Defence troops ( TD ) .
They do not have their own headquarters .
The GS of the Armed Forces and directorates of the Ministry of Defence perform these functions .
In order to organise and manage the daily activities of troops in peacetime and to prepare them for combat use in a threatened period , military districts ( MRs ) have been established in the secondary areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformed into independent groups of troops with the beginning of hostilities .
From a military administrative point of view , the country ’ territory is divided into four military districts and two zones of responsibility : the 2nd ( Ismailia ) and 3rd ( Suez ) Field Armies .
The main operational command of the Army is the Field Army , the commander of which reports directly to the Chief of the General Staff .
In a number of functions , it is equated to a military district .
The headquarters provides operational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At present , the Field Armies form the basis of the Ground Forces grouping in the Suez Canal area and represent the most powerful Egyptian army units .
The main operational-tactical force of the Army , capable of conducting combat operations both independently and jointly with units and subdivisions of other branches of the Armed Forces and types of troops , is a division .
The country ’ s land forces have two types of divisions – mechanised and tank divisions .
The main tactical unit is a brigade , designed to conduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units and subdivisions of other branches and types of troops .
The Ground Forces include a number of brigades : motorised infantry , mechanised , tank , parachute , tactical and operational-tactical missiles , artillery , rocket artillery , anti-tank guided missiles , anti-aircraft missile , anti-aircraft artillery and territorial defence .
In addition , this type of Armed Forces includes separate regiments : anti-tank missile , rocket artillery , anti-aircraft artillery , special purpose and border troops .
The troops with special designations of the Army of the ARE are represented by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a separate anti-terrorist group ( “ Unit 777 ” ) and a special operations group ( “ Unit 999 ) .
They are intended for reconnaissance and special operations , destruction of strategically important objects in the enemy rear and physical elimination of personnel of the opposing forces .
In addition , the Army has a Rapid Response Force ( RRF ) , which consists of a separate mechanised brigade , a separate motorised infantry battalion and one separate rapid reaction force .
Operatively , the RRF reports to the Chief of General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and administratively to the Commander of the Central Military District ( CMD ) of the country ’ s Armed Forces .
The Republican Guard ( RG ) reports directly to the ARE Minister of Defence .
Its main task is to protect the complex of presidential and governmental buildings , as well as to ensure the security of the country ’ s top officials .
In the course of its daily activities , the RG is under the operational control of the Central Defence Commission .
The organisational structure of the RG is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tank division of land forces without combat support units – it includes two tank and two mechanised and artillery brigades .
The Border Troops ( BT ) are intended to protect maritime and land borders in peacetime , and in wartime for special tasks .
Individual BT units may be assigned to the Field Army and the district .
Organisationally , the BT consists of a number of regiments ( border , air surveillance and warning , communications ) , individual border battalions and mortar divisions .
The Territorial Defence troops are designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forces , to combat enemy landings and sabotage and reconnaissance groups , to eliminate the consequences of the use of weapons of mass destruction , to protect and defend important military and state facilities , coastal areas and communication routes .
The main organisational unit of these troops is the brigade , which has no permanent staff .
Depending on the tasks it may have from 2 to 3 thousand men , equipped with small arms and 82-mm mortars .
Troops of Egypt ’ s TD , which number about 50,000 servicemen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and separate battalions of security , structurally part of the group of troops of the corresponding military or FA .
The Army has four military districts , two Field Armies , commands of paratroopers , special operations forces , border guards and Republican Guard .
They include : • 12 divisions ( eight mechanised and four tank divisions ) ; • 70 separate brigades ( one operational-tactical ( R-17E ) and tactical ( “ Moon-M ” ) missiles , four motorised infantry , five mechanised , one mechanised rapid reaction , three tank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 artillery , four rocket artillery , four ATGM , one anti-tank , seven anti-aircraft missile , three anti-aircraft artillery , 11 engineering ) ; • 22 separate regiments ( three special purpose regiments , one each for reactive artillery , anti-tank artillery , anti-tank and airborne artillery , four anti-aircraft artillery regiments , three artillery instrumental reconnaissance regiments , one for radio and radio technical reconnaissance , six for communications , one for chemical protection ) ; • five brigades of the Republican Guard ( two mechanised , two tank , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 separate brigades and eight separate regiments are planned to be deployed during the threatening period or with the beginning of hostilities .
The Army is armed with : • 21 launchers of short-range missiles and tactical missiles ( nine R-17 short-range missiles , 12 “ Moon-M ” tactical missiles ) ; • artillery – more than 3,600 weapons , including mortars , field artillery and MLRS guns ( “ Sakr-10 , -18 and -30 ” ) ; • More than 2,800 anti-tank assets , including anti-tank artillery , recoilless guns and anti-tank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assets , including anti-aircraft missiles ( “ Chaparel ” , “ Skygard ” , “ Crotal ” and “ Kvadrat ” ) , anti-aircraft artillery and man-portable air defence systems ( “ Arrow-2M ” and “ Ain-Sakr ” ) ; The number of personnel of the Egyptian land forces is 351 thousand people , the trained reserve of the first stage is 150 thousand , the second stage is 300 thousand .
The Air Force is designed to conduct independent and joint operations with other branches of the Armed Forces to defeat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and maritime groups , to undermine its military and economic potential , disorganise state and military administration , disrupt the rear , transport , as well as to provide aviation support to its Army and fleet forces , conducting aerial reconnaissance and troop movements .
The Air Force is responsible for the following main tasks : • protection and defence of the country ’ s airspace ; • to cover major administrative , industrial and military facilities from air strikes ; • to conquer and maintain excellence in the air ; • air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mediterranean and Rea Seas ; • ensuring the safety of navigation in the maritime zones and the Suez Canal area .
The Air Force is directly led by the Commander of the Air Force ( Lieutenant General of Aviation ) through the General Headquarters of the Air Force .
He reports to the Chief of Staff and is responsible for the state of readiness of the Air Force and the development of its combat plans , both independently and jointly with other branches of Egyptian Armed Forces .
The main headquarters provides operational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the districts , divisions and brigades headquarters .
The airspace of the ARE is divided into five military air districts – Central , Eastern , Western , Northern and Southern – whose boundaries are defined by the zones of responsibility of the airspace of the same name ( except Eastern ) .
The Eastern District of the Air Force is the 2nd and 3rd FA Areas of Responsibility .
During the threatening period , the functions of direct operational control of aviation activities are transferred to the commanders of the relevant military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Eastern Military District come under the operational control of the commanders of the 2nd and 3rd Field Armies .
By rank , the Egyptian Air Force is divided into fighter , fighter-bomber , assault , reconnaissance , transport , helicopter and training aircraft .
The combat composition of this type of aircraft includes : the main headquarters ; five military air districts and units under direct command and two aviation divisions ( helicopter and transport ) ; two reconnaissance divisions ; four aviation training brigades ; three separate aviation squadrons ( helicopter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military air districts have 14 separate aviation brigades ( nine assault , fighter-bombers ; three fighter-bombers and reconnaissance ) and one reconnaissance squadron .
The Air Force is armed with : The number of personnel of the Air Force is 30,000 and the number of trained reserve personnel is about 20,000 .
The Navy is designed to conduct independent and joint actions with other branches of the Armed Forces to defeat the enemy ’ s maritime groups , undermine its military and economic potential , disrupt state and military administration , disrupt the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as maritime surveillance and maritime transport .
The tasks assigned to the Egyptian Navy are as follows : • control of territorial waters and operational areas of responsibility , protection of ports and other important coastal facilities ; • protection of international maritime communications and control over compliance with the rules of navigation established by law in the Mediterranean and the Red Seas and the Suez Canal areas ; • conducting search and rescue operations , hydro-graphic research , protection of the aquatic environment .
In wartime , the Navy performs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of individual ship groups and in cooperation with ground forces and air forces when operating in coastal areas .
The composition of this role of the Navy consists of : the main headquarters ; two fleets ( Northern and Southern , one brigade of boats and one special purpose boat ) ; three brigades of warships ( submarines , frigates with guided missiles weapons , landing crafts ) ; three groups of ships ( anti-miner , training and support vessels , patrol boats ) ; a marine infantry brigade ; coastal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logistics support units and other institutions ( shipyards , naval college and naval academy ) .
The Navy is directly under the direction of the Commander of the Navy through the main naval headquarters .
The Commander of the Navy , who reports to the Chief of the GS , is responsible for the state of readiness of the Navy , the development of plans of their combat operations , both independently and jointly with other branches of the Navy .
Due to changes in the geopolitical situation in the region , identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces and facilities , as well as in their provision in carrying out combat tasks in remote sea areas , two fleets were established in their structure in 2017 by order of the ARE Naval Command : • Northern ( headquarters – main naval base at Alexandria , including the naval bases at Port Said and Mersa-Matrukh ) ; • Southern ( headquarters – main naval base at Safaga , including the naval base at Suez ) .
The Navy is an operational arm of the Navy designed to perform tasks in isolated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Northern Fleet is the south-eastern Mediterranean Sea and the northern approaches to the Suez Canal , while the Southern are approaches of the Red Sea , the Bab El Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal .
Each fleet has a brigade of boats and a special purpose crew .
Arrangements for the staffing of the fleets with ships and personnel are currently under way .
In the near future , it is planned to introduce one brigade of frigates with guided missiles weapons and patrol boats into the composition .
Brigades of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marines , groups of anti-mining forces , training ships and support vessels , as well as patrol boats are under the direct command of the Navy Commander .
The main naval base at Alexandria provides all types of combat ship repair and maintenance , as well as handling a significant flow of commercial cargo .
The Egyptian Navy has no naval aviation .
Aircraft and helicopters from the Air Force are allocated to solve the problems of air defence , anti-submarine and reconnaissance activities .
The total number of ships in the Egyptian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ships for various purposes : 38 warships ( including six diesel-electric submarines , 11 frigates with guided missile weapons , two corvettes , five landing crafts , more than 70 combat boats ( missile , torpedo , watch and landing crafts ) ; more than 100 patrol boats ; seven training ships and boats ; 18 auxiliary ships .
The Marines are armed with : 11 battle tanks ( PT-76 ) ; 18 anti-tank guns ( ATGM launchers “ Milan ” ) ; nine anti-aircraft guns ; more than 90 BMPs , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-ship launchers P-15 “ Termit ” , paired anti-ship launchers “ Automat ” Mk1 ) , field artillery guns ( from 75 mm ) and mortars .
The number of personnel of the national Navy is 22,000 , including 2,000 members of the Coast Guard .
The reserve numbers about 12,000 people .
Egypt ’ s Navy is the largest in Africa and among the Arab states of the Middle East .
In general , the level of combat training of the personnel allows it to perform the tasks set by the command @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal protection .
The Air Defence Forces are considered by the country ’ s leadership as one of the basic components of its defence and security system .
They are designed to protect against air and space strikes Egypt ’ s administrative and industrial and economic centres ( areas ) , armed forces groups , important military and government facilities , and to organise control of their airspace .
Organisationally , the Air Defence Forces consist of the command and the main headquarters of the Air Defence Forces , five divisions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brigades and 13 anti-aircraft artillery regiments ) , as well as units and logistical support of central subordination and educational institutions .
Egypt ’ s mixed air defence division my include : three to eight anti-aircraft missile brigades , two to four anti-aircraft missile brigades , one to four radio technical and one communications regiments , two to eight anti-aircraft artillery divisions , three battalions ( companies ) of man-portable defence systems , four warning and alert battalions , depending on its operational purpose and regional location .
The Commander of the Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defence Forces of the country from the main headquarters of the Air Defence Forces , which is entrusted with operational and combat control of the air defence forces .
Operational guidance is provided from the central air defence command centre ( Cairo , Mukattam district ) through the North , West and East air defence operational centres and the war control centres in those areas .
Egypt ’ s air defence system is built on the principle of zonal and object defence .
In the course of combat operations , the Air Defence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fighter aircraft of the ARE Air Force .
• more than 900 surface-to-air guided systems launchers , of medium and short range ; • almost 1,350 anti-aircraft artillery pieces and about 1,000 man-portable air defence systems ( “ Arrow-2M ” , “ Igla-S ” , “ Ain-Sakr ” ) .
The number of personnel of the Egyptian Air Defence Forces is 82,500 people , the prepared reserve is about 10 thousand .
The Air Defence Troops are the second largest type of Armed Forces after the Army , which is actively developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian anti-aircraft missile systems .
Thus , at the present stage , the ARE has not only relatively large , but also well-equipped armed forces that are generally capable of carrying out their tasks .
At the same time , Cairo ’ s aspiration to occupy the positions of a regional leader determines the steps of the Egyptian leadership to bring the national Armed Forces to a qualitatively new level , primarily , on account of organisational and staff measures and acquisition of modern military equipment of foreign production .
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Written by V. Kruglov (Ph.D. Military Sciences, Professor) and Major M. Tatarinov; Originally appeared at Foreign Military Review #4 2019, translated by AlexD exclusively for SouthFront
The military doctrine of the Arab Republic of Egypt (ARE) in the form of a single document that should contain assessments of the military and political situation in the world, the Middle East and North Africa, threats and challenges to national security, as well as a system of views on the essence, nature of wars and armed conflicts, ways to unleash them and conduct them, is absent. The goals, objectives, purpose and status of the ARE Armed Forces to ensure the country’s security are specified in Articles 152, 200-205 and 234 of the Egyptian constitution.
The military doctrinal views of the leadership of this state are based on three basic concepts: “national security”, “active defence” and “local wars”. In addition, views on the military construction and application of their forces are set out in the annual directives of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the Minister of Defence of the ARE, as well as in other national security documents. According to them, it is allowed to use the army in internal conflicts to suppress possible anti-government demonstrations and mass riots, as well as to eliminate the consequences of man-made and environmental disasters.
Cairo considers the probability of direct military aggression by another state to be low. This situation has been achieved through active foreign policy activities and maintaining Egypt’s military potential at a sufficiently high level.
However, the unstable domestic political situation in neighbouring countries (Libya, Sudan) and in the Palestinian territories may lead to the outbreak of border conflicts, with the potential to escalate into local and large-scale wars. Under certain conditions, it is not excluded that the ARE my be drawn into a regional war, such as an Arab-Israeli or Arab-Iranian war, although Egyptian doctrinal views at this stage do not provide for the possibility of the country joining military-political blocks and alliances.
The Armed Forces of the Arab Republic of Egypt is an essential component of a military organisation designed to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests of the state. They consist of Ground Forces, Air Force, Air Defence and Naval Forces. The main tasks of the country’s Armed Forces are:
counteracting external security threats to the ARE, timely uncovering the threatening military and political situations and preparing an armed attack on the country;
safeguarding the economic and political interests of the republic;
suppression of activities aimed at destabilising the domestic political situation, violent overthrow of the constitutional order, creation of illegal armed groups, etc.;
fight against international terrorism, coordination of actions of all security agencies of the country on antiterrorist activities;
high-quality and full implementation of operational, combat and mobilisation training plans;
maintaining weapons and military equipment in readiness for combat use.
According to the constitution adopted in 2014, the President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the ARE Supreme Council.
He directs the Armed Forces through the Minister of Defence and Military Industry, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. There are two advisory bodies to the President – the National Defence Council and the Higher Military Council.
The National Defence Council is the main body that determines the military-political course and military policy of the state, the directions of building the Armed Forces, as well as the procedure for coordinating the activities of ministries and agencies in the military sphere. It is composed of: the President (Chairman), the Prime Minister, the Chairman of Parliament, the Ministers of Defence and Military Industry, Foreign Affairs, Interior and Finance, the commanders of the branches of the Armed Forces, the Chiefs of General Intelligence, the General Staff (GS), as well as the General Operations Directorate, the Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence Directorate of the MoD.
The Higher Military Council performs advisory functions to the President of the country on the construction of the Egyptian Armed Forces, elaboration of programmes for the development of military industry and technology, determination of priority areas of military and technical cooperation with foreign countries. It includes the Minister of Defence and Military Industry (Chairman), the Head of the GS (Deputy Chairman), the Secretary General of the MoD, the commanders of the branches of the Armed Forces, the Border Troops, the Field Armies (FA) and the military districts, the heads of the Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence Departments, as well as other officials (by presidential decision).
The Ministry of Defence is the highest military authority in the country’s Armed Forces and military industrial complex. It implements the military-political, military economic and military-technical course of the ARE management. The main functions of the defence department are planning, distribution and spending of the military budget, coordination of activities of civil industries producing military products, development of programmes for the development and rearmament of the Armed Forces and their branches.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces is the central body of the military and operational management of the ARE. Its key tasks include: strategic planning for the use of the Armed Forces; leadership of land forces and territorial defence units; operational management of the Air Force, Navy and Air Defence Forces; organisation of operational and mobilisation training; maintenance of combat and mobilisation readiness; organisation of strategic and mobilisation deployment; military registration and conscription of citizens for military service; organisation of combat, technical and logistics support.
The total number of personnel of the Armed Forces is about 486 thousand people, including Ground Forces – 351 thousand; Air Force – 30 thousand; Navy – 22 thousand; Air Defence troops – 82.5 thousand.
After mobilisation, it could be expanded to 1.3 million people.
The ARE Ground Forces, which form the basis of the Armed Forces, are the most numerous and include the following types of troops: motorised infantry and armoured, artillery, anti-aircraft missile, parachute, special purpose, border, Republican Guard, Territorial Defence troops (TD). They do not have their own headquarters. The GS of the Armed Forces and directorates of the Ministry of Defence perform these functions.
In order to organise and manage the daily activities of troops in peacetime and to prepare them for combat use in a threatened period, military districts (MRs) have been established in the secondary areas of possible enemy attack, which can be transformed into independent groups of troops with the beginning of hostilities.
From a military administrative point of view, the country’ territory is divided into four military districts and two zones of responsibility: the 2nd (Ismailia) and 3rd (Suez) Field Armies.
The main operational command of the Army is the Field Army, the commander of which reports directly to the Chief of the General Staff. In a number of functions, it is equated to a military district. The headquarters provides operational direction of the field artillery troops. At present, the Field Armies form the basis of the Ground Forces grouping in the Suez Canal area and represent the most powerful Egyptian army units.
The main operational-tactical force of the Army, capable of conducting combat operations both independently and jointly with units and subdivisions of other branches of the Armed Forces and types of troops, is a division. The country’s land forces have two types of divisions – mechanised and tank divisions.
The main tactical unit is a brigade, designed to conduct combat operations both independently and jointly with units and subdivisions of other branches and types of troops.
The Ground Forces include a number of brigades: motorised infantry, mechanised, tank, parachute, tactical and operational-tactical missiles, artillery, rocket artillery, anti-tank guided missiles, anti-aircraft missile, anti-aircraft artillery and territorial defence.
In addition, this type of Armed Forces includes separate regiments: anti-tank missile, rocket artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, special purpose and border troops.
The troops with special designations of the Army of the ARE are represented by one SF regiment and three Rangers, a separate anti-terrorist group (“Unit 777”) and a special operations group (“Unit 999). They are intended for reconnaissance and special operations, destruction of strategically important objects in the enemy rear and physical elimination of personnel of the opposing forces.
In addition, the Army has a Rapid Response Force (RRF), which consists of a separate mechanised brigade, a separate motorised infantry battalion and one separate rapid reaction force.
Operatively, the RRF reports to the Chief of General Staff of the ARE Armed Forces, and administratively to the Commander of the Central Military District (CMD) of the country’s Armed Forces.
The Republican Guard (RG) reports directly to the ARE Minister of Defence. Its main task is to protect the complex of presidential and governmental buildings, as well as to ensure the security of the country’s top officials. In the course of its daily activities, the RG is under the operational control of the Central Defence Commission.
The organisational structure of the RG is close to the typical structure of a tank division of land forces without combat support units – it includes two tank and two mechanised and artillery brigades.
The Border Troops (BT) are intended to protect maritime and land borders in peacetime, and in wartime for special tasks.
Individual BT units may be assigned to the Field Army and the district. Organisationally, the BT consists of a number of regiments (border, air surveillance and warning, communications), individual border battalions and mortar divisions.
The Territorial Defence troops are designed to ensure the deployment of the Armed Forces, to combat enemy landings and sabotage and reconnaissance groups, to eliminate the consequences of the use of weapons of mass destruction, to protect and defend important military and state facilities, coastal areas and communication routes. The main organisational unit of these troops is the brigade, which has no permanent staff. Depending on the tasks it may have from 2 to 3 thousand men, equipped with small arms and 82-mm mortars.
Troops of Egypt’s TD, which number about 50,000 servicemen, are organisationally represented by separate TD brigades and separate battalions of security, structurally part of the group of troops of the corresponding military or FA.
The Army has four military districts, two Field Armies, commands of paratroopers, special operations forces, border guards and Republican Guard. They include:
12 divisions (eight mechanised and four tank divisions);
70 separate brigades (one operational-tactical (R-17E) and tactical (“Moon-M”) missiles, four motorised infantry, five mechanised, one mechanised rapid reaction, three tank, two paratroopers, 11 TD, 12 artillery, four rocket artillery, four ATGM, one anti-tank, seven anti-aircraft missile, three anti-aircraft artillery, 11 engineering);
22 separate regiments (three special purpose regiments, one each for reactive artillery, anti-tank artillery, anti-tank and airborne artillery, four anti-aircraft artillery regiments, three artillery instrumental reconnaissance regiments, one for radio and radio technical reconnaissance, six for communications, one for chemical protection);
13 regiments of border troops;
five brigades of the Republican Guard (two mechanised, two tank, one artillery);
three special groups (anti-terrorism, special operations, separate rapid response team);
one separate motorised infantry battalion in rapid response;
one separate SF battalion.
Four additional divisions, 30 separate brigades and eight separate regiments are planned to be deployed during the threatening period or with the beginning of hostilities.
The Army is armed with:
21 launchers of short-range missiles and tactical missiles (nine R-17 short-range missiles, 12 “Moon-M” tactical missiles);
over 3,400 battle tanks, including M1A1 Abrams, M60A3, M60A1, T-54/55/62 and T-72B1;
artillery – more than 3,600 weapons, including mortars, field artillery and MLRS guns (“Sakr-10, -18 and -30”);
More than 2,800 anti-tank assets, including anti-tank artillery, recoilless guns and anti-tank guns;
more than 1,800 anti-aircraft assets, including anti-aircraft missiles (“Chaparel”, “Skygard”, “Crotal” and “Kvadrat”), anti-aircraft artillery and man-portable air defence systems (“Arrow-2M” and “Ain-Sakr”);
about 7,900 armoured combat vehicles.
The number of personnel of the Egyptian land forces is 351 thousand people, the trained reserve of the first stage is 150 thousand, the second stage is 300 thousand.
The Air Force is designed to conduct independent and joint operations with other branches of the Armed Forces to defeat the enemy’s aviation, land forces and maritime groups, to undermine its military and economic potential, disorganise state and military administration, disrupt the rear, transport, as well as to provide aviation support to its Army and fleet forces, conducting aerial reconnaissance and troop movements.
The Air Force is responsible for the following main tasks:
protection and defence of the country’s airspace;
to cover major administrative, industrial and military facilities from air strikes;
to conquer and maintain excellence in the air;
direct air support to the ground forces;
air strikes against enemy naval groups in the Mediterranean and Rea Seas;
air reconnaissance;
airlift of troops and cargo;
ensuring the safety of navigation in the maritime zones and the Suez Canal area.
The Air Force is directly led by the Commander of the Air Force (Lieutenant General of Aviation) through the General Headquarters of the Air Force.
He reports to the Chief of Staff and is responsible for the state of readiness of the Air Force and the development of its combat plans, both independently and jointly with other branches of Egyptian Armed Forces.
The main headquarters provides operational and combat control of the Air Force through the districts, divisions and brigades headquarters.
The airspace of the ARE is divided into five military air districts – Central, Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern – whose boundaries are defined by the zones of responsibility of the airspace of the same name (except Eastern). The Eastern District of the Air Force is the 2nd and 3rd FA Areas of Responsibility.
During the threatening period, the functions of direct operational control of aviation activities are transferred to the commanders of the relevant military units. The forces and means of the Eastern Military District come under the operational control of the commanders of the 2nd and 3rd Field Armies.
By rank, the Egyptian Air Force is divided into fighter, fighter-bomber, assault, reconnaissance, transport, helicopter and training aircraft.
The combat composition of this type of aircraft includes: the main headquarters; five military air districts and units under direct command and two aviation divisions (helicopter and transport); two reconnaissance divisions; four aviation training brigades; three separate aviation squadrons (helicopter, transport and training).
The military air districts have 14 separate aviation brigades (nine assault, fighter-bombers; three fighter-bombers and reconnaissance) and one reconnaissance squadron.
The Air Force is armed with:
about 550 combat aircraft, including fighter jets, attack aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, AWACS and electronic warfare aircraft (F-16C/D, F-16A/B, Mirage-5, Mirage-2000S, MiG-21, F-7, F-4E Phantom, Rafale-V/S, Alpha-Jet, Mirage 5SDR, MiG-21R, Beechcraft-1900S, E-2S Hokai, S-130H Elint, Beechcraft-1900S Elint);
350 auxiliary aircraft, including transport and training aircraft (An-74T-200A, Boeing 707, Hercules C-130H/C-130N-30, DHC-5D Buffalo-11, Gulfstream-3 and -4, Falcon-20, C-295);
about 180 attack helicopters, including attack and combat support (SA 342K/L Gazelle, AH-64D Apache Longbow, Commando Mk2, UH-12E Hiler, AW-139, SA-342L Gazelle, Sea King, SH-2G Sea Sprite);
about 100 combat support (transport) helicopters – (CH-47C and D, Mi-8, Mi-17, S-70 Black Hawk, UH-60L Black Hawk);
over 120 unmanned aerial vehicles (R4E-50 Sky I, Camcopter, ASN-209, GJ-1 Ilun).
The number of personnel of the Air Force is 30,000 and the number of trained reserve personnel is about 20,000.
The Navy is designed to conduct independent and joint actions with other branches of the Armed Forces to defeat the enemy’s maritime groups, undermine its military and economic potential, disrupt state and military administration, disrupt the work of the rear, transport, as well as maritime surveillance and maritime transport.
The tasks assigned to the Egyptian Navy are as follows:
control of territorial waters and operational areas of responsibility, protection of ports and other important coastal facilities;
protection of international maritime communications and control over compliance with the rules of navigation established by law in the Mediterranean and the Red Seas and the Suez Canal areas;
protecting economic interests, protecting natural resources;
conducting search and rescue operations, hydro-graphic research, protection of the aquatic environment.
In wartime, the Navy performs combat tasks in areas of responsibility both as part of individual ship groups and in cooperation with ground forces and air forces when operating in coastal areas.
The composition of this role of the Navy consists of: the main headquarters; two fleets (Northern and Southern, one brigade of boats and one special purpose boat); three brigades of warships (submarines, frigates with guided missiles weapons, landing crafts); three groups of ships (anti-miner, training and support vessels, patrol boats); a marine infantry brigade; coastal defence units and divisions; technical and logistics support units and other institutions (shipyards, naval college and naval academy).
The Navy is directly under the direction of the Commander of the Navy through the main naval headquarters. The Commander of the Navy, who reports to the Chief of the GS, is responsible for the state of readiness of the Navy, the development of plans of their combat operations, both independently and jointly with other branches of the Navy.
Due to changes in the geopolitical situation in the region, identified shortcomings in the use of Egyptian Navy forces and facilities, as well as in their provision in carrying out combat tasks in remote sea areas, two fleets were established in their structure in 2017 by order of the ARE Naval Command:
Northern (headquarters – main naval base at Alexandria, including the naval bases at Port Said and Mersa-Matrukh);
Southern (headquarters – main naval base at Safaga, including the naval base at Suez).
The Navy is an operational arm of the Navy designed to perform tasks in isolated areas.
The area of responsibility of the Northern Fleet is the south-eastern Mediterranean Sea and the northern approaches to the Suez Canal, while the Southern are approaches of the Red Sea, the Bab El Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal. Each fleet has a brigade of boats and a special purpose crew.
Arrangements for the staffing of the fleets with ships and personnel are currently under way. In the near future, it is planned to introduce one brigade of frigates with guided missiles weapons and patrol boats into the composition.
Brigades of submarines, frigates, landing ships and marines, groups of anti-mining forces, training ships and support vessels, as well as patrol boats are under the direct command of the Navy Commander.
The main naval base at Alexandria provides all types of combat ship repair and maintenance, as well as handling a significant flow of commercial cargo.
The Egyptian Navy has no naval aviation. Aircraft and helicopters from the Air Force are allocated to solve the problems of air defence, anti-submarine and reconnaissance activities.
The total number of ships in the Egyptian Navy is 245 warships, boats and ships for various purposes: 38 warships (including six diesel-electric submarines, 11 frigates with guided missile weapons, two corvettes, five landing crafts, more than 70 combat boats (missile, torpedo, watch and landing crafts); more than 100 patrol boats; seven training ships and boats; 18 auxiliary ships.
The Marines are armed with: 11 battle tanks (PT-76); 18 anti-tank guns (ATGM launchers “Milan”); nine anti-aircraft guns; more than 90 BMPs, and the coastal troops; missiles systems (anti-ship launchers P-15 “Termit”, paired anti-ship launchers “Automat” Mk1), field artillery guns (from 75 mm) and mortars.
The number of personnel of the national Navy is 22,000, including 2,000 members of the Coast Guard. The reserve numbers about 12,000 people. Egypt’s Navy is the largest in Africa and among the Arab states of the Middle East. In general, the level of combat training of the personnel allows it to perform the tasks set by the command to protect maritime communications, port and coastal protection.
The Air Defence Forces are considered by the country’s leadership as one of the basic components of its defence and security system. They are designed to protect against air and space strikes Egypt’s administrative and industrial and economic centres (areas), armed forces groups, important military and government facilities, and to organise control of their airspace.
Organisationally, the Air Defence Forces consist of the command and the main headquarters of the Air Defence Forces, five divisions of the air defence (including 28 anti-aircraft missiles brigades and 13 anti-aircraft artillery regiments), as well as units and logistical support of central subordination and educational institutions.
Egypt’s mixed air defence division my include: three to eight anti-aircraft missile brigades, two to four anti-aircraft missile brigades, one to four radio technical and one communications regiments, two to eight anti-aircraft artillery divisions, three battalions (companies) of man-portable defence systems, four warning and alert battalions, depending on its operational purpose and regional location.
The Commander of the Air Defence Forces of Egypt leads the Air Defence Forces of the country from the main headquarters of the Air Defence Forces, which is entrusted with operational and combat control of the air defence forces. Operational guidance is provided from the central air defence command centre (Cairo, Mukattam district) through the North, West and East air defence operational centres and the war control centres in those areas.
Egypt’s air defence system is built on the principle of zonal and object defence. In the course of combat operations, the Air Defence Forces perform tasks in close cooperation with the fighter aircraft of the ARE Air Force.
Weapons of the Air Defence Forces include:
more than 900 surface-to-air guided systems launchers, of medium and short range;
almost 1,350 anti-aircraft artillery pieces and about 1,000 man-portable air defence systems (“Arrow-2M”, “Igla-S”, “Ain-Sakr”).
The number of personnel of the Egyptian Air Defence Forces is 82,500 people, the prepared reserve is about 10 thousand.
The Air Defence Troops are the second largest type of Armed Forces after the Army, which is actively developing, in particular through re-equipping them with Russian anti-aircraft missile systems.
Thus, at the present stage, the ARE has not only relatively large, but also well-equipped armed forces that are generally capable of carrying out their tasks. At the same time, Cairo’s aspiration to occupy the positions of a regional leader determines the steps of the Egyptian leadership to bring the national Armed Forces to a qualitatively new level, primarily, on account of organisational and staff measures and acquisition of modern military equipment of foreign production.
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southfront--2020-04-17--U.S. And Russia Trade Accusation Of Space Militarization, To Organize Work Group

The dispute between commercial and military space exploration has intensified between Russia and the United States , especially in recent months .
Moscow is against the weaponization of space , as well as it maintains the idea that space is a global commons and all countries need to have access to its resources .
The US is at an entirely different belief , as recently an executive order by US President Donald Trump said that strict regulations were needed in space , and who better to be allowed to enforce rules in space than Washington .
Furthermore , those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploit space resources , and according to the US that is also corporations , and primarily US corporations .
In response , the US reported that Moscow had began militarizing space , after testing the Nudol system , despite actually warning in advance that it would be doing so .
Moscow was also allegedly trying to push “ propaganda ” initiatives in the United Nations , which in turn , would be a sort of diversion that would allow Russia to launch its weapons into space first .
At the same time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time agreed to substantively discuss space security issues , for which a new working group will be created .
Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear : space is one of the few areas where Moscow has established effective interaction with Washington .
Meanwhile , only this week the United States twice attracted criticism from Russia regarding Washington ’ s statements on space issues .
At first , US President Donald Trump signed the above-mentioned executive order on the right of American companies to commercialize the resources of the moon and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States no longer considers space to be a global commons .
And then Christopher Ford , Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation , delivered a keynote address on the military aspects of space exploration , putting forward a number of claims against Russia and China .
According to him , the “ aggressive ” actions of these countries threaten all states that depend on the objects of space infrastructure ( primarily satellites ) , and lead to the fact that space is turning into an independent arena of armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct is more dangerous than China ’ s conduct in space , according to Ford .
Accusing both countries of developing and deploying the latest anti-satellite ballistic missiles , the diplomat said : everyone got used to ground-based weapons of spacecraft , but Moscow moved on to the next step , placing weapons directly in space .
This relates to several satellites that Russia has been launching in space since 2017 , and that appear to be satellite-inspectors that have even went near US satellites , and caused criticism by Washington .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue the work on assessing the technical condition of Russia ’ s domestic satellites .
The test information is being transmitted to ground-based processing facilities to determine the technical condition of the probed satellite .
But who would believe that , surely not the United States .
Then , Russia reportedly tested the Nudol “ satellite killer ” which is an entirely ground-based system , and is a direct response to Washington ’ s constant promises of developing weapons to space , the US establishing its Space Force and claims of hegemony over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move , by Christopher Ford was the Russian-Chinese draft international Treaty on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Space and Moscow ’ s appeal to all states to refuse to deploy weapons first in this environment .
Christopher Ford called these initiatives “ false and hypocritical , ” because they “ are aimed at solving the problems that its authors themselves created.
” According to the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation , the problems arose due to the fact that the United States “ has been shaking strategic stability in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is rapidly preparing to deploy strike assets in outer space , including for missile defense.
” At the same time , Washington refused to heed the ideas and proposals put forward by Moscow , including in tandem with Beijing , and only criticized them without putting forward anything in return .
However , he did say that a working group on the issue would be formed , so there may yet be some hope .
“ As for responsible behavior in space , this term applies to a slightly different sphere : the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There , on the negotiating table , there is also a whole series of Russian ideas regarding the settlement of relevant problems on a collective basis without unilateral approaches and techniques that pose a significant part of the international community with a fact , ” he explained .
And he assured : “ We will continue the work there to bring to our American colleagues the logic according to which space is not a sphere where it is possible to impose our ideas and concepts on the entire international community .
Unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a one-sided , very pushing approach.
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The dispute between commercial and military space exploration has intensified between Russia and the United States, especially in recent months.
Moscow is against the weaponization of space, as well as it maintains the idea that space is a global commons and all countries need to have access to its resources.
The US is at an entirely different belief, as recently an executive order by US President Donald Trump said that strict regulations were needed in space, and who better to be allowed to enforce rules in space than Washington.
Furthermore, those who can pay need to be allowed to exploit space resources, and according to the US that is also corporations, and primarily US corporations.
Moscow condemned the decision.
In response, the US reported that Moscow had began militarizing space, after testing the Nudol system, despite actually warning in advance that it would be doing so.
Moscow was also allegedly trying to push “propaganda” initiatives in the United Nations, which in turn, would be a sort of diversion that would allow Russia to launch its weapons into space first.
At the same time, it became known that the parties for the first time agreed to substantively discuss space security issues, for which a new working group will be created.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear: space is one of the few areas where Moscow has established effective interaction with Washington.
Meanwhile, only this week the United States twice attracted criticism from Russia regarding Washington’s statements on space issues.
At first, US President Donald Trump signed the above-mentioned executive order on the right of American companies to commercialize the resources of the moon and other celestial bodies, announcing that the United States no longer considers space to be a global commons.
In Roscosmos, these steps were called “aggressive”, in the Kremlin – “unacceptable”, and in the Federation Council – “aggressive”.
And then Christopher Ford, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation, delivered a keynote address on the military aspects of space exploration, putting forward a number of claims against Russia and China.
According to him, the “aggressive” actions of these countries threaten all states that depend on the objects of space infrastructure (primarily satellites), and lead to the fact that space is turning into an independent arena of armed confrontation.
Furthermore, Russia’s conduct is more dangerous than China’s conduct in space, according to Ford.
Accusing both countries of developing and deploying the latest anti-satellite ballistic missiles, the diplomat said: everyone got used to ground-based weapons of spacecraft, but Moscow moved on to the next step, placing weapons directly in space.
This relates to several satellites that Russia has been launching in space since 2017, and that appear to be satellite-inspectors that have even went near US satellites, and caused criticism by Washington.
The aim of these satellite experiments is to continue the work on assessing the technical condition of Russia’s domestic satellites. The test information is being transmitted to ground-based processing facilities to determine the technical condition of the probed satellite. But who would believe that, surely not the United States.
Then, Russia reportedly tested the Nudol “satellite killer” which is an entirely ground-based system, and is a direct response to Washington’s constant promises of developing weapons to space, the US establishing its Space Force and claims of hegemony over these global commons.
The most scrutinizing move, by Christopher Ford was the Russian-Chinese draft international Treaty on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Space and Moscow’s appeal to all states to refuse to deploy weapons first in this environment.
Christopher Ford called these initiatives “false and hypocritical,” because they “are aimed at solving the problems that its authors themselves created.”
“The draft Russian-Chinese treaty has been carefully designed so as not to affect in any way the ground-based anti-satellite systems that are being actively developed and deployed by Russia and China,” he said. “As for the call to Russia to abandon the deployment of weapons in outer space, this initiative meant that “it didn’t want to be second to deploy them.” This diplomatic overture is nothing more than propaganda.”
Moscow categorically disagreed with this assessment.
“Now the United States has gone and labelled “propaganda” any Russian proposals on a wide range of issues, including arms control and its future,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. “It seems to me that the American representatives, Enthusiastic about trying to hang an umbrella over their allies and like-minded people besides the nuclear one, they go a little too far. This kind of statement makes meaningful discussion of problems and approaches to their solution, in favor of which Russia stands.”
According to the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, the problems arose due to the fact that the United States “has been shaking strategic stability in various aspects for a long time and is rapidly preparing to deploy strike assets in outer space, including for missile defense.”
At the same time, Washington refused to heed the ideas and proposals put forward by Moscow, including in tandem with Beijing, and only criticized them without putting forward anything in return.
However, he did say that a working group on the issue would be formed, so there may yet be some hope.
“As for responsible behavior in space, this term applies to a slightly different sphere: the UN Committee on Space deals with this. There, on the negotiating table, there is also a whole series of Russian ideas regarding the settlement of relevant problems on a collective basis without unilateral approaches and techniques that pose a significant part of the international community with a fact,” he explained. And he assured: “We will continue the work there to bring to our American colleagues the logic according to which space is not a sphere where it is possible to impose our ideas and concepts on the entire international community. Unfortunately, the US in this area also has a one-sided, very pushing approach.”
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southfront--2020-04-17--Cutting the Funding: The WHO, Trump and the Coronavirus Wars

The US president is in a warring mood .
Having declared himself a president at war , a meaningless gesture given that the US is always , somewhere in the world , at war , finding necessary enemies in distraction was always going to be a priority .
Donald Trump already had the “ China virus ” in his artillery , attaching nationality to pathogen .
Now , and it took some time in coming by his standards , is the World Health Organization , a body which has , as its utopia , an idea of health as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and social well-being , and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
” The US tends to contribute a large slice of funding to the WHO – some $ 400 million a year and ten times , say , what China does .
It has been foot dragging lately : $ 200 million is still to be paid for the last round .
( As a point of interest , the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the second largest donor , with a touch over $ 200 million based on 2018-9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indignation , Trump has decided to freeze the revenue stream .
On Tuesday , he claimed that the WHO had “ failed in its basic duty ” in responding to COVID-19 .
“ I am directing my administration to halt funding while a review is conducted to assess the World Health Organization ’ s role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.
” The White House has been eager to disgorge any material to press outlets keen to understand the nature of WHO villainy and corruption .
Accusations read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one of the factsheets is hysterical : The charge list on the White House fact sheet is the usual muddle of slung mud and mild accuracy : the role played by brave Taiwan ; the WHO deference to “ Chinese propaganda that covered up the virus ’ spread and fatalities , praising Beijing for its false efforts and promoting the use of Chinese traditional medicine to treat the disease.
” Nor can we deny the obvious remark that the US was “ not alone in its well-founded criticism .
WHO has faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of transparency , and finances from multiple parties.
” This would sound like a superb summary of the Trump administration , but the president lacks humour in such matters .
The organisation ’ s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , who had previously praised Trump as showing “ leadership ” in this crisis ( we are all entitled to slips ) , was regretful .
The US had been “ a long-standing and generous friend… and we hope it will continue to be so.
” The WHO is the convenient whipping boy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or over eager commitment .
Uncertainty is its curse , leaving it vulnerable in such instances as the swine flu epidemic , when it was accused of being too quick off the mark in declaring it to be a pandemic ; or too foot slow in declaring the West African Ebola outbreak a pressing health emergency .
And forgotten in its current shade of demonization by Washington is the fact that the WHO , for decades , was belittled for being an auxiliary of US foreign policy .
“ Like other United Nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sombre assessment in the in 2016 , “ the WHO quietly abandoned its dreams of a collaborative community of nations and instead began to come to terms with international political realities .
The agency moved closer to US foreign policy and became partially captive to US resources and priorities.
” By no means should the WHO be seen as angelic .
No international organisation is , marked as they tend to by the gravy train effect , the flabby end of upper management more interested in first class travel than fighting healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has also operated with one hand tied behind its back , reliant , as it were , on the initial drips and drabs coming from the source country where an infectious outbreak has taken place .
Its chief has , it is true , shown an unsettling tendency to praise the Chinese effort , which has veered between harsh and muscular concealment to harsh and muscular quarantine .
But it is worth casting an eye to the more workmanlike nature of the process of how the WHO formed a picture of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smidgens of information on COVID-19 reached the WHO on December 31 , describing it as “ a pneumonia of an unknown cause ” .
On January 5 , the organisation , based on what was provided by Chinese sources , stated that the material showed “ no evidence of significant human-to-human transmission.
” No causal agent had been as yet identified or confirmed , and the WHO admitted to having “ limited information to determine the overall risk of this reported cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology.
” The advice given in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of premature assessment : no recommended specific measures for travellers ; no application of travel or trade restrictions on China .
Again , the caveat , weighty as ever , was always on what was in the hands of WHO functionaries , who , it should be said , are not entirely shock horrors in the epidemiology department .
In time , the picture became more muddled as information started to clot the canvas .
The Wuhan Health Commission refused to rule out the possibility of human-to-human transmission .
The WHO , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basing its assessments on other coronaviruses .
What this chaotic swirl of information does not seem to show , as Trump alleges , is that Taiwan in its exchanges with WHO , went heavy on the idea of human-to-human transmission .
Then came Trump ’ s own glorious words of praise , lost in consciousness but retrievable in cyberspace .
“ China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus , ” he tweeted with boyish enthusiasm on January 25 .
“ The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular , on behalf of the American people , I want to thank President Xi !
” Not exactly hostile .
Trump ’ s change of heart revolves upon supposed tardiness in sending in that class of individuals he tends to despise : the experts .
“ Had the WHO done its job to get medical experts into China to objectively assess the situation on the ground and to call out China ’ s lack of transparency , the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very little death.
” Lacking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that plagues all international bodies : their need to respect the sovereignty of member states .
The immediate consequences of such funding will have the effect , as has been threatened before , of driving the WHO to bankruptcy .
The front organisation responsible for marshalling the medical side of combating disease and infection will be hobbled .
Trump can at least have one historical comfort : in pulling US funding , he joins the defunct Soviet Union in refusing to pay membership fees for several years after it had “ deactivated ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , be it over health , security , even sport , never age .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ gmail.com

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Submitted by Dr. Binoy Kampmark
The US president is in a warring mood. Having declared himself a president at war, a meaningless gesture given that the US is always, somewhere in the world, at war, finding necessary enemies in distraction was always going to be a priority. Donald Trump already had the “China virus” in his artillery, attaching nationality to pathogen. Now, and it took some time in coming by his standards, is the World Health Organization, a body which has, as its utopia, an idea of health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
The US tends to contribute a large slice of funding to the WHO – some $400 million a year and ten times, say, what China does. It has been foot dragging lately: $200 million is still to be paid for the last round. (As a point of interest, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the second largest donor, with a touch over $200 million based on 2018-9 figures.) In a flourish of indignation, Trump has decided to freeze the revenue stream. On Tuesday, he claimed that the WHO had “failed in its basic duty” in responding to COVID-19. “I am directing my administration to halt funding while a review is conducted to assess the World Health Organization’s role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.”
The White House has been eager to disgorge any material to press outlets keen to understand the nature of WHO villainy and corruption. Accusations read like mirror portraits, and the headline of one of the factsheets is hysterical:
“Delaying world mobilization in the fight against COVID-19: Working with China to cover up the deadly spread of COVID-19, who hindered critical efforts that could have saved lives.”
The charge list on the White House fact sheet is the usual muddle of slung mud and mild accuracy: the role played by brave Taiwan; the WHO deference to “Chinese propaganda that covered up the virus’ spread and fatalities, praising Beijing for its false efforts and promoting the use of Chinese traditional medicine to treat the disease.”
Nor can we deny the obvious remark that the US was “not alone in its well-founded criticism. WHO has faced constant critique over its poor coordination, lack of transparency, and finances from multiple parties.” This would sound like a superb summary of the Trump administration, but the president lacks humour in such matters.
The organisation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who had previously praised Trump as showing “leadership” in this crisis (we are all entitled to slips), was regretful. The US had been “a long-standing and generous friend… and we hope it will continue to be so.”
The WHO is the convenient whipping boy of pandemic and epidemic; of premature assessment or over eager commitment. Uncertainty is its curse, leaving it vulnerable in such instances as the swine flu epidemic, when it was accused of being too quick off the mark in declaring it to be a pandemic; or too foot slow in declaring the West African Ebola outbreak a pressing health emergency. And forgotten in its current shade of demonization by Washington is the fact that the WHO, for decades, was belittled for being an auxiliary of US foreign policy. “Like other United Nations (UN) agencies,” comes a sombre assessment in the American Journal of Public Health in 2016, “the WHO quietly abandoned its dreams of a collaborative community of nations and instead began to come to terms with international political realities. The agency moved closer to US foreign policy and became partially captive to US resources and priorities.”
By no means should the WHO be seen as angelic. No international organisation is, marked as they tend to by the gravy train effect, the flabby end of upper management more interested in first class travel than fighting healthy problems. At the same time, it has also operated with one hand tied behind its back, reliant, as it were, on the initial drips and drabs coming from the source country where an infectious outbreak has taken place. Its chief has, it is true, shown an unsettling tendency to praise the Chinese effort, which has veered between harsh and muscular concealment to harsh and muscular quarantine. But it is worth casting an eye to the more workmanlike nature of the process of how the WHO formed a picture of what was happening.
China’s first smidgens of information on COVID-19 reached the WHO on December 31, describing it as “a pneumonia of an unknown cause”. On January 5, the organisation, based on what was provided by Chinese sources, stated that the material showed “no evidence of significant human-to-human transmission.” No causal agent had been as yet identified or confirmed, and the WHO admitted to having “limited information to determine the overall risk of this reported cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology.” The advice given in that note now seem like the haunted warnings of premature assessment: no recommended specific measures for travellers; no application of travel or trade restrictions on China. Again, the caveat, weighty as ever, was always on what was in the hands of WHO functionaries, who, it should be said, are not entirely shock horrors in the epidemiology department.
In time, the picture became more muddled as information started to clot the canvas. The Wuhan Health Commission refused to rule out the possibility of human-to-human transmission. The WHO, as January progressed, started drawing parallels, basing its assessments on other coronaviruses. What this chaotic swirl of information does not seem to show, as Trump alleges, is that Taiwan in its exchanges with WHO, went heavy on the idea of human-to-human transmission.
Then came Trump’s own glorious words of praise, lost in consciousness but retrievable in cyberspace. “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus,” he tweeted with boyish enthusiasm on January 25. “The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American people, I want to thank President Xi!” Not exactly hostile.
Trump’s change of heart revolves upon supposed tardiness in sending in that class of individuals he tends to despise: the experts. “Had the WHO done its job to get medical experts into China to objectively assess the situation on the ground and to call out China’s lack of transparency, the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very little death.” Lacking in this resentful assessment is the point that plagues all international bodies: their need to respect the sovereignty of member states.
The immediate consequences of such funding will have the effect, as has been threatened before, of driving the WHO to bankruptcy. The front organisation responsible for marshalling the medical side of combating disease and infection will be hobbled. Trump can at least have one historical comfort: in pulling US funding, he joins the defunct Soviet Union in refusing to pay membership fees for several years after it had “deactivated” its membership. Grievances with international governance, be it over health, security, even sport, never age.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
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southfront--2020-04-17--Houthis Repel Two Saudi-led Coalition Attacks In Northern Yemen (Videos)

The Houthis announced on April 16 that they had repelled two attacks by the Saudi-led coalition and its proxies in northern Yemen .
The first attack targeted the area of Abuab al-Hadid on the Yemeni border with the southern Saudi province of Asir .
The Yemeni group ’ s artillery pounded the attackers , their positions and equipment , forcing them to retreat .
The Saudi-led coalition ’ s second attack targeted the Houthis ’ positions in the area of Rasha al-Sharqiyah on the border with the Kingdom ’ s southern province of Najran .
Houthi fighters clashed with Saudi-backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine guns and rocket propelled grenades .
Within a few hours , the attack was foiled .
The Houthis have been controlling a long strip of the Yemeni-Saudi border since the outbreak of the war in 2015 .
From there , the Yemeni group ’ s fighters launch regular raids into the Kingdom ’ s territory .
Earlier this month , the Saudi-led coalition announced a ceasefire in Yemen in order facilitate efforts to counter the widespread of the novel coronavirus .
However , the coalition broke its own ceasefire in a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aerial and ground operations in various parts of Yemen .
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The Houthis announced on April 16 that they had repelled two attacks by the Saudi-led coalition and its proxies in northern Yemen.
The first attack targeted the area of Abuab al-Hadid on the Yemeni border with the southern Saudi province of Asir. The Yemeni group’s artillery pounded the attackers, their positions and equipment, forcing them to retreat.
The Saudi-led coalition’s second attack targeted the Houthis’ positions in the area of Rasha al-Sharqiyah on the border with the Kingdom’s southern province of Najran. Houthi fighters clashed with Saudi-backed fighters targeting them and their vehicles with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades. Within a few hours, the attack was foiled.
The Houthis have been controlling a long strip of the Yemeni-Saudi border since the outbreak of the war in 2015. From there, the Yemeni group’s fighters launch regular raids into the Kingdom’s territory.
Earlier this month, the Saudi-led coalition announced a ceasefire in Yemen in order facilitate efforts to counter the widespread of the novel coronavirus. However, the coalition broke its own ceasefire in a few hours after the declaration and resumed its aerial and ground operations in various parts of Yemen.
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southfront--2020-04-17--Iraq Warns ISIS Online Propaganda Activity Is Ramping Up Amid Pandemic

On April 16th , the Iraqi Counter-terrorism agency said that there ’ s been a concerning tendency of increasing ISIS activity online .
“ Social media users are warned not to interact with these posts even if they criticize them through comments or posts , which leads to unintentionally free promotion.
” “ It calls on users to unite all efforts to confront the terrorist tide through extensive reporting on these accounts to facilitate Facebook ’ s tasks in closing these accounts.
” The Iraqi Digital Media Center ( DMC ) said in a statement that “ the preparation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media platforms , especially Facebook , has grown and increased ” , noting that “ this return came during the past months that accompanied the Corona pandemic crisis and led to a delay in the response of Facebook ’ s support to requests Delete accounts.
” The Center alerted Facebook to the need to immediately suspend and close these accounts , and it also called on users to unite all efforts to confront the terrorist tide through extensive reporting on this account to facilitate Facebook ’ s tasks in closing these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wings are hard at work during the pandemic to promote their supposed success in carrying out various attacks against their enemies .
On April 9th , ISIS ’ al-Naba ’ newspaper released a report summarizing the results of the terrorist group ’ s recent attacks around the world .
In the report , the terrorist group claimed that its fighters had carried out 60 operations in eight different regions during the week prior to that .
It also claimed responsibility of an attack on Bagram airfield in Afghanistan , which houses US troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always monitor what they ’ re children are looking at in TikTok , as many videos violate the terms of the application .
The app has gained popularity in Iraq in recent weeks , and it is unclear if it ’ s tied to ISIS , but if it uses other social media , it could potentially be moving with the times .
The situation in Iraq currently allows this sort of resurgence by ISIS due to the political instability it has been subject to over the last several months .
So far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have failed , Iraq ’ s prime minister-designate Mustafa Al Kadhimi , said that his Cabinet line-up is ready for Parliament ’ s approval .
Al Kadhimi , a former intelligence chief , was selected by President Barham Salih to lead the next government after two previous nominees failed to win MPs ’ backing .
He has less than a month to submit his administration to legislators .
“ I ’ m negotiating with political blocs to get their approval as soon as possible so that I can start working on addressing pressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Baghdad .
“ The most important standard I have set is integrity and efficiency ; I will negotiate with all political blocs on these terms , ” he said .
“ This crisis requires us to take firm and strong measures in order to confront it .
We must also contain the repercussions of Covid-19 and hold elections as soon as possible , ” he said .
National dialogue will be at the top of his priorities , he said .
“ We ’ ve missed the chance to conduct serious dialogue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build state institutions , ” he said .
The Iraqi official said he does not have a “ magic wand ” to solve problems inherited from the previous government but stressed the need for unity .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Former ISIS Commanders Met In Occupied Tell Abyad Under Turkish Protection – Report • ISIS Summarizes Results Of Its Most Recent Attacks World-Wide

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On April 16th, the Iraqi Counter-terrorism agency said that there’s been a concerning tendency of increasing ISIS activity online.
#مركز_الاعلام_الرقمي @iraqdmc يكشف عن تنامي وازدياد اعداد حسابات اعضاء تنظيم داعش وانصارهم على منصات التواصل الاجتماعي وخصوصا الفيسبوك. — جهاز مكافحة الإرهاب (@iraqicts) April 16, 2020
“Iraq DMC reveals the growing and increasing numbers of accounts of ISIS members and their supporters on social media platforms, especially Facebook.”
#مركز_الاعلام_الرقمي @iraqdmc يدعو المستخدمين لضرورة تضافر كل الجهود لمواجهة المد الارهابي من خلال التبليغ المكثف على هذه الحسابات لتسهيل مهام الفيسبوك في اغلاق هذه الحسابات . — جهاز مكافحة الإرهاب (@iraqicts) April 16, 2020
“Social media users are warned not to interact with these posts even if they criticize them through comments or posts, which leads to unintentionally free promotion.” “It calls on users to unite all efforts to confront the terrorist tide through extensive reporting on these accounts to facilitate Facebook’s tasks in closing these accounts.”
The Iraqi Digital Media Center (DMC) said in a statement that “the preparation of accounts of ISIS members and their supporters on social media platforms, especially Facebook, has grown and increased”, noting that “this return came during the past months that accompanied the Corona pandemic crisis and led to a delay in the response of Facebook’s support to requests Delete accounts.”
The Center alerted Facebook to the need to immediately suspend and close these accounts, and it also called on users to unite all efforts to confront the terrorist tide through extensive reporting on this account to facilitate Facebook’s tasks in closing these accounts.
And indeed, ISIS media wings are hard at work during the pandemic to promote their supposed success in carrying out various attacks against their enemies.
On April 9th, ISIS’ al-Naba’ newspaper released a report summarizing the results of the terrorist group’s recent attacks around the world. In the report, the terrorist group claimed that its fighters had carried out 60 operations in eight different regions during the week prior to that.
It also claimed responsibility of an attack on Bagram airfield in Afghanistan, which houses US troops.
5 Rockets shot from a vehicle in Qalaichi area of #Parwan province that targeted #Bagram airbase early today.
no report of casualties and no one claimed the responsibility yet. pic.twitter.com/Hrn4UKqhMZ — Hilal Balkhi (@hilalbalkhi) April 9, 2020
The DMC also warned parents to always monitor what they’re children are looking at in TikTok, as many videos violate the terms of the application. The app has gained popularity in Iraq in recent weeks, and it is unclear if it’s tied to ISIS, but if it uses other social media, it could potentially be moving with the times.
#مركز_الاعلام_الرقمي DMC يؤكد ضرورة قيام الاهل بمراقبة منشورات وحسابات الابناء على @tiktok_us التي بدأت تشهد رواجا كبيرا في العراق، حيث ان الكثير من الفيديوهات تنتهك خصوصيات العوائل من غير علم الوالدين . pic.twitter.com/cswq5jHEvO — مركز الإعلام الرقمي (@iraqDMC) April 11, 2020
“DMC affirms the necessity for parents to monitor publications and accounts of their children In TikTok, which began to be very popular in Iraq, as many of the videos violate the privacy of families without parents ’knowledge.”
The situation in Iraq currently allows this sort of resurgence by ISIS due to the political instability it has been subject to over the last several months.
So far, attempts to solve the political crisis have failed, Iraq’s prime minister-designate Mustafa Al Kadhimi, said that his Cabinet line-up is ready for Parliament’s approval.
Al Kadhimi, a former intelligence chief, was selected by President Barham Salih to lead the next government after two previous nominees failed to win MPs’ backing.
He has less than a month to submit his administration to legislators.
“I’m negotiating with political blocs to get their approval as soon as possible so that I can start working on addressing pressing priorities,” Mr Al Kadhimi said in Baghdad. “The most important standard I have set is integrity and efficiency; I will negotiate with all political blocs on these terms,” he said. “This crisis requires us to take firm and strong measures in order to confront it. We must also contain the repercussions of Covid-19 and hold elections as soon as possible,” he said. National dialogue will be at the top of his priorities, he said. “We’ve missed the chance to conduct serious dialogue that could establish a national vision and build state institutions,” he said.
The Iraqi official said he does not have a “magic wand” to solve problems inherited from the previous government but stressed the need for unity.
“Everyone knows that I was not elected to this position but I have a responsibility, given by the political blocs, to solve the threats and challenges,” he said. “I can say that I am a prime minister of crisis,” he said
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southfront--2020-04-17--Trump Unveils “Opening Up America Again” Guideline As Global Economy Slumps

On April 16th , the Trump administration issued guidelines for states , individuals and employers on how to gradually restore activity and ease up on social distancing in areas where COVID-19 cases are declining .
These are distributed as “ Opening Up America Again , ” in a very witty and whimsical homage to “ Make America Great Again ” and so on .
In essence this is what it sets out : • Prior to Phase One : there needs to be a decline in documented COVID-19 cases for a 14-day period , as well as a testing program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include a decline of influenza-like illnesses reported within a 14-day period and hospitals having enough protective gear for their workers and enough beds , ventilators and other needed supplies to treat all patients .
• Phase One : It depends on the type of employment .
Schools and organized youth activities that are currently closed , such as daycare , should remain closed .
Bars should also remain closed .
Larger venues such as movie theaters , churches , ballparks and arenas can operate but under strict distancing protocols .
Various employees should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Vulnerable individuals and the elderly should continue to isolate , and those that go outside should only visit places that allow proper distancing if there is a concentration of more than 10 people .
Non-essential travel should be avoided .
• Phase Two : Non-essential travel can resume .
Vulnerable individuals continue to isolate .
When people go out in public , they should avoid social settings with more than 50 people when appropriate physical distancing is not practical .
Still distance working is encouraged , and common areas in businesses need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid people gathering .
Schools and daycare can reopen .
Bars may open but should leave less room for people to stand around when possible .
• Phase Three : Vulnerable individuals can resume going out in public but should practice physical distancing .
Visits to senior care centers and hospitals can also resume , though those who interact with residents and patients must remain diligent about following good hygiene practices .
Meanwhile , low-risk populations should consider minimizing time spent in crowded environments .
Employers can resume unrestricted staffing of worksites .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposedly it should be up to about two months , according to US President Donald Trump ’ s statements .
On April 16th , the global cases of COVID-19 reached 2.15 million , with the US and France gaining cases with the largest speed .
Germany , Italy and Spain are showing somewhat reduced numbers , but they were higher than the tendency in the last few days .
In the US , currently there are 585,445 active cases , and there have been 34,617 fatalities , which puts it at first place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Europe , the increasing numbers signaled that the restrictions can ’ t be lifted yet , and that some more economic damage is necessary to curb the spread of the infection .
Spain , which has the second-most cases behind the U.S. and Europe ’ s second-highest death toll behind Italy , reported the biggest daily increase in infections in a week Italy , where Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is considering plans to ease restrictions , reported the most new cases in four days as tests rose to a daily record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hospitalized patients and intensive care patients all declined from the day before .
At the same time , the large increase of 96,000 in a single day around the globe may seem imposing , but that is an increase of approximately 5 % of the total , which means that , effectively , the infection is slowing down .
Economically , China ’ s GDP shrank by 6.8 % in the first quarter of the year due to the shutdowns , which is the worst performance since 1992 .
Retail sales slid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wary , while investment decreased 16.1 % in the first three months of the year .
Oil prices keep falling , as on April 15th , Brent crude price went down to $ 28 , amid forecasts that demand would reach its lowest point in 25 years .
At the same time US oil prices tumbled to 18-year lows of $ 19.20 a barrel after the quickest rise in surplus oil supplies in history .
Oil demand will this month hit its lowest levels for the year , according to the agency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 29m barrels per day to reach levels not seen since 1995 .
The IEA said there was “ no feasible agreement that could cut supply by enough to offset ” the impact of the virus on global oil demand but added that the plan was a “ solid start ” .
The IEA ’ s warning came hours after the International Monetary Fund predicted the deepest recession since the Great Depression because of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis .
In its latest outlook for the world economy , the IMF said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % in 2020 , a far worse recession than the one that followed the global financial crisis of 2008 , and a 180-degree reversal of its previous forecast in January when it was expecting growth of 3.3 % in 2020 .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • 22m Out Of Work In US As Country Nearing Great Depression 2.0 • IMF Warns That ‘ Great Lockdown ’ To Rival Great Depression With 3 % Hit To Global Economy

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On April 16th, the Trump administration issued guidelines for states, individuals and employers on how to gradually restore activity and ease up on social distancing in areas where COVID-19 cases are declining.
These are distributed as “Opening Up America Again,” in a very witty and whimsical homage to “Make America Great Again” and so on.
Trump releases ‘Opening… by AndreaTorres on Scribd
In essence this is what it sets out:
Prior to Phase One: there needs to be a decline in documented COVID-19 cases for a 14-day period, as well as a testing program for at-risk healthcare workers. Other criteria include a decline of influenza-like illnesses reported within a 14-day period and hospitals having enough protective gear for their workers and enough beds, ventilators and other needed supplies to treat all patients. Phase One: It depends on the type of employment. Schools and organized youth activities that are currently closed, such as daycare, should remain closed. Bars should also remain closed. Larger venues such as movie theaters, churches, ballparks and arenas can operate but under strict distancing protocols. Various employees should be returned to their jobs in phases. Vulnerable individuals and the elderly should continue to isolate, and those that go outside should only visit places that allow proper distancing if there is a concentration of more than 10 people. Non-essential travel should be avoided. Phase Two: Non-essential travel can resume. Vulnerable individuals continue to isolate. When people go out in public, they should avoid social settings with more than 50 people when appropriate physical distancing is not practical. Still distance working is encouraged, and common areas in businesses need to be kept closed in order to avoid people gathering. Schools and daycare can reopen. Bars may open but should leave less room for people to stand around when possible. Phase Three: Vulnerable individuals can resume going out in public but should practice physical distancing. Visits to senior care centers and hospitals can also resume, though those who interact with residents and patients must remain diligent about following good hygiene practices. Meanwhile, low-risk populations should consider minimizing time spent in crowded environments. Employers can resume unrestricted staffing of worksites.

There’s no timeline, but supposedly it should be up to about two months, according to US President Donald Trump’s statements.
On April 16th, the global cases of COVID-19 reached 2.15 million, with the US and France gaining cases with the largest speed.
Germany, Italy and Spain are showing somewhat reduced numbers, but they were higher than the tendency in the last few days.
In the US, currently there are 585,445 active cases, and there have been 34,617 fatalities, which puts it at first place of most deaths by a large margin.
In Europe, the increasing numbers signaled that the restrictions can’t be lifted yet, and that some more economic damage is necessary to curb the spread of the infection.
“Relaxing any of the measures in place would damage both public health and the economy,” said U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for Boris Johnson while the prime minister recovers from an infection with the virus. “The worst thing we could do right now is ease up too soon and allow a second peak of the virus.”
Spain, which has the second-most cases behind the U.S. and Europe’s second-highest death toll behind Italy, reported the biggest daily increase in infections in a week
Italy, where Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is considering plans to ease restrictions, reported the most new cases in four days as tests rose to a daily record of 60,999. The number of deaths, hospitalized patients and intensive care patients all declined from the day before.
At the same time, the large increase of 96,000 in a single day around the globe may seem imposing, but that is an increase of approximately 5% of the total, which means that, effectively, the infection is slowing down.
Economically, China’s GDP shrank by 6.8% in the first quarter of the year due to the shutdowns, which is the worst performance since 1992.
Retail sales slid 15.8% in March as consumers remained wary, while investment decreased 16.1% in the first three months of the year.
Oil prices keep falling, as on April 15th, Brent crude price went down to $28, amid forecasts that demand would reach its lowest point in 25 years. At the same time US oil prices tumbled to 18-year lows of $19.20 a barrel after the quickest rise in surplus oil supplies in history.
Oil demand will this month hit its lowest levels for the year, according to the agency, falling below last year’s average by 29m barrels per day to reach levels not seen since 1995.
“Even assuming that travel restrictions are eased in the second half of the year, we expect that global oil demand in 2020 will fall by 9.3m barrels a day versus 2019, erasing almost a decade of growth,” the International Energy Agency (IEA) said.
The IEA said there was “no feasible agreement that could cut supply by enough to offset” the impact of the virus on global oil demand but added that the plan was a “solid start”.
The IEA’s warning came hours after the International Monetary Fund predicted the deepest recession since the Great Depression because of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.
In its latest outlook for the world economy, the IMF said it expects GDP will contract by 3% in 2020, a far worse recession than the one that followed the global financial crisis of 2008, and a 180-degree reversal of its previous forecast in January when it was expecting growth of 3.3% in 2020.
“The Great Lockdown, as one might call it, is projected to shrink global growth dramatically. A partial recovery is projected for 2021 … but the level of GDP will remain below the pre-virus trend, with considerable uncertainty about the strength of the rebound,” the IMF said. “Much worse growth outcomes are possible and maybe even likely,” it added.
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