Egypt seeking funds for purchase of wheat

Egypt, one of the world’s biggest wheat importers, is in talks with the UAE for a US$400 million financing to help it purchase the commodity.

The funding would come from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, via tranches of US$100 million, Egyptian Supply Minister Ali El-Mosilhy told Bloomberg. He didn’t say when a deal is likely to be finalized. 

It would be a boost for Egypt, facing a dire shortage of foreign exchange and a cost-of-living crisis, partly as a result of soaring food prices.

Earlier this month, Egypt announced that Abu Dhabi wealth fund ADQ would invest US$800 million in companies in its economy. Qatar has also looked bolster the nation’s economy.

El-Mosilhy criticized Russia’s exit from the Black Sea grain-export initiative and said it will continue to import Ukrainian wheat even after the collapse of the United Nations-backed agreement this week.

“We are not pleased with the Russian withdrawal from the UN grain-export deal,” El-Mosilhy said. He urged Moscow to reconsider its position.

Egypt’s economy has been negatively affected by an increase in grain prices since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. 

While global benchmark wheat futures had begun to moderate, they’ve surged this week after Russia terminated the export pact. 

The pact that had allowed Ukraine's grain to be exported safely over the Black Sea for the past year expired on Monday when Russia withdrew and warned that it could not ensure ship safety, a move that the United Nations said would strike a blow to people in need everywhere.

Moscow has said that if demands for increased exports of its own grain and fertilizer were met, the Black Sea pact might be revived.

Russia said it would not prolong the grain pact after accusing the West of failing to fulfill a parallel memorandum aimed to facilitate Russia's agricultural and fertilizer exports.

The International Monetary Fund has said Russia's withdrawal from the agreement allowing Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea weakens the global food security outlook and risks increasing food prices, particularly in low-income countries.

 

China removes Qin Gang as foreign minister

Qin Gang, who has not been seen in public since June, has been removed as the country’s foreign minister, reports South China Morning Post.

The abrupt announcement of Qin’s removal came after weeks of speculation about his fate.

His absence has dominated domestic political discussions, and evolved into one of the biggest crises for Chinese President Xi Jinping since his unprecedented third term began last year.

Wang Yi, who outranks Qin and serves as Xi’s top foreign policy aide, is the new foreign minister.

Wang, the director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, has been standing in as foreign minister for the past few weeks.

He has been attending a series of diplomatic activities including the BRICS summit under way in South Africa and meetings with former US secretaries of state Henry Kissinger and John Kerry in China last week.

Wang was China’s foreign minister in Xi’s first and second term before Qin was promoted in December

Reportedly, the decision to remove Qin from his post was made at a special session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, which took place one day after the top decision-making body, the Politburo, convened on Monday.

According to rules updated in June last year, the NPC Standing Committee holds a session once every two months, but in practice, usually holds them near the end of even-numbered months. An interim session for special cases can be scheduled by the committee’s chairman.

Qin’s removal as foreign minister is in line with the Organic Law of the National People’s Congress, which came into effect in March 2021. The rule empowers the Standing Committee rather than a national congress to appoint or remove from office some members of the State Council.

Qin was last seen in public during a meeting of senior diplomats from Russia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka on June 25, according to China’s foreign ministry.

Despite rumours circulating on social media and among foreign diplomats, Beijing has remained vague about Qin’s status and whereabouts, attributing his prolonged absence to unspecified health reasons since early July.

“China’s diplomatic activities are under way as usual,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on July 17 when pressed about Qin’s disappearance, while stopping short of denying speculation about his fate.

But Beijing’s secretive handling of the drama has drawn widespread criticism, raising questions about the Chinese government’s credibility and its notoriously opaque decision-making. It has also fuelled uncertainty to China’s troubled relations with the outside world.

Once seen as a trusted aide to the president, Qin rose rapidly through the ranks – from ministry spokesman and deputy foreign minister in charge of protocol and European affairs to the country’s second-ranking diplomat.

Qin was appointed China’s ambassador to the United States in July 2021, and 17 months later was elevated to foreign minister, and then state councillor in March, a position that ranks above a cabinet minister.

 

UN starts removing oil from tanker near Yemen

The United Nations said on Tuesday it had started the removal of more than one million barrels of oil from a decaying supertanker off Yemen's Red Sea coast in a complex operation it hopes will ward off a regional disaster.

UN officials have been warning for years that the Red Sea and Yemen's coastline was at risk as the Safer tanker could spill four times as much oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.

A UN spokesperson said on Tuesday a spill could cost US$20 billion to clean up.

The war in Yemen caused the suspension in 2015 of maintenance operations on the Safer, which is used for storage and has been moored off Yemen for more than 30 years.

The UN, which has never before undertaken such a rescue mission, has warned its structural integrity has significantly deteriorated and it is at risk of exploding.

"In the absence of anyone else willing or able to perform this task, the United Nations stepped up and assumed the risk to conduct this very delicate operation," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

"The ship-to-ship transfer of oil which has started today is the critical next step in avoiding an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe on a colossal scale."

The oil transfer is expected to take 19 days to complete, the United Nations' Development Program (UNDP) said in a statement.

"We are obviously very cautious – it's only the beginning of a transfer," UNDP spokesperson Sarah Bel told a Geneva press briefing when asked about the operation's risks.

"The cost of an oil spill is estimated to be approximately US$20 billion, and it will take years to clean up," she added.

She warned that any spilled oil could reach the African coast, damaging fish stocks for the next 25 years and destroying 200,000 jobs.

It would also close ports that bring food and supplies to Yemen, where some 17 million people rely on humanitarian aid, she said.

 

Egypt could help end Sudan conflict

Egypt recently took the initiative to host a summit in order to address the civil war in Sudan. The summit brought together leaders from several countries, including the Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan.

However, notably absent from the summit were representatives from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). At the Cairo summit, the Egyptian leadership wanted to draw a framework for any potential peace agreement and to remind all parties to facilitate the humanitarian corridors for civilians for aid delivery.

Egypt possesses historical and political influence in the MENA region, enabling it to potentially bring about an end to the conflict. By engaging directly with the key stakeholders in Sudan as well as their regional supporters, Egypt can initiate negotiations for sustainable political reforms by creating the environment where both sides and their supporters agree to sit together and try to reach sustainable peace.

The conflict has the potential to be long-lasting due to the steadfastness of both parties in their positions. General Mohamed Hemeti declared that he is present on the field and would not cease fighting until he achieved the desired goal, overthrow the government and seize power. Similarly, General Abdel Fattah Al-Barhan announced that he was defending the Sudanese state's sovereignty.

Numerous efforts to bring about peace in Sudan have proven unsuccessful so far due to disagreements involving the mediators and the parties involved in the conflict. A notable instance occurred when Khartoum raised objections to the peace initiative presented by Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and rejected Kenya’s chairmanship of the conflict resolution committee, claiming that the Kenyan president favors the RSF. Furthermore, both parties opposed a demand from Ethiopia to impose a no-fly zone in Sudan. Additionally, Sudan vehemently rejected a proposal to deploy East African forces, even going so far as to threaten the suspension of its membership in the East African bloc of IGAD.

The Sudanese leadership strongly believes that the deployment of foreign troops would only prolong the conflict by potentially involving external actors. They also harbor concerns that Ethiopia and Kenya may stand to benefit from Sudan's vulnerability and its inability to unite its own factions, thereby gaining regional power.

This objection to various proposals from neighboring countries indicates that the solution in Sudan can’t be found through traditional ways. The warring parties have to agree on one regional mediator—a country or a regional organization with good relations with both SAF and RSF—to end the conflict.

The Cairo summit stressed that the Sudan conflict would only be resolved in Sudan, closing the door to any external interference in Sudan. An announcement is welcomed in Khartoum, but it still could not end the conflict or at least bring both warring parties to the negotiation table. 

Egypt and Sudan have long been connected by historical, social, and political ties, as well as a shared destiny as one nation. This led the Egyptian Parliament in October 1951 to amend King Farouk's title to the King of Egypt and Sudan.

Egypt fears that the outbreak of conflict in Sudan could lead to the influx of mercenaries and armed militants through the country's southern borders. Intelligence reports suggest that Hemeti and his forces receive military support from several Arab and foreign countries.

Reports have also revealed a relationship between the Wagner Group, a Russian military contractor, and the Rapid Support Forces. 

The Wall Street Journal reported that General Khalifa Haftar in Libya is supplying weapons to Hemeti.

This unstable security situation in Sudan, coupled with the availability of arms and equipment from various regional and international parties, is a cause for concern for the Egyptian administration.

Egypt maintains strong alliances and close ties with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Libya, making it an important regional player. Furthermore, Egypt has established a stable relationship with Russia. These connections enable Egypt to communicate effectively with its regional allies, who possess significant influence and leverage over the RSF, thereby increasing the chances of initiating negotiations.

Egypt enjoys a distinct bond with the Sudanese army, characterized by shared experiences and military strategies. By leveraging these relationships, Cairo has the potential to resolve the conflict by convening both opposing factions in Cairo and creating regional support to ensure a lasting peace.

The Cairo initiative received a positive response on social media from both conflicting parties. Additionally, all seven neighboring nations expressed their support for the initiative, which is considered as a significant accomplishment for the leadership in Egypt. With its strong political influence and regional power status, Cairo has the opportunity to leverage its relationships to advance towards a durable and extended ceasefire. The ultimate goal is to establish a comprehensive plan for political reform and ensure transparent elections. Consequently, it is crucial for Egypt to capitalize on the achievements of the Cairo summit and take further steps to promote stability in the region, which is of great importance to the country. 

 

Netanyahu defies Biden’s advice

The White House on Monday called it unfortunate that Israel's parliament ratified part of Benjamin Netanyahu's contested judicial overhaul, defying US President Joe Biden, and again urged the prime minister to seek a broad political consensus.

Biden's administration reiterated its long-standing concerns after Israel's Knesset approved an initial bill aimed at curbing the Supreme Court's powers, despite months of street protests and appeals from the US and other countries to hold off and negotiate with the opposition.

The vote, driven by Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition, showed the limits of Biden's ability to rein in the divisive judicial overhaul, even after bringing to bear pressure from Israel's closest ally.

"As a lifelong friend of Israel, President Biden has publicly and privately expressed his views that major changes in a democracy to be enduring must have as broad a consensus as possible," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

"It is unfortunate that the vote today took place with the slimmest possible majority," she added.

Opposition members of parliament boycotted the vote backed by Netanyahu's coalition, which is considered the most far-right in Israel's history.

Hours after the vote, Netanyahu said in a televised address the courts will remain independent and he hopes to reach agreement with the opposition on judicial changes by the end of November.

Biden, who has had frosty relations with Netanyahu compared with former President Donald Trump, finally invited the prime minister last week for an official visit later this year. But US officials have yet to set a date or concur with Israeli statements that they would meet at the White House in September.

Biden had delayed extending the invitation out of concern over Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan and Jewish settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. The two leaders have occasionally clashed in public and in private.

Biden, a Democrat, has said Netanyahu must maintain Israel's independent judiciary as crucial to democracy, but some Republican lawmakers have accused him of meddling in Israeli domestic affairs.

However, there have been no signs Biden's criticism has hurt other key areas such as US-Israel military and intelligence cooperation.

"We have a long-standing friendship with the government of Israel that really transcends any one issue," US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

At a regular White House briefing, Jean-Pierre repeated Biden's pledge that the US commitment to Israel remains iron-clad and gave no indication Washington was prepared to use billions of dollars in military aid to Israel as leverage.

"The United States will continue to support the efforts of President (Isaac) Herzog and other Israeli leaders as they seek to build a broader consensus through political dialogue," she said.

 

Crisis in Israel getting deeper

For the 29th week in a row, thousands of Israeli settlers demonstrated against the regime’s hardline cabinet, led by Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, West al-Quds, Beersheva, Herzliya, and Kfar Saba.

In a last-ditch show of force against a disputed judicial reform plan pushed by Netanyahu, the demonstrators approached al-Quds while carrying Israeli flags, water bottles, and umbrellas to protect them from the sweltering sun. 

They then began to assemble close to the parliament and the Supreme Court.

After a multi-day march that started in Tel Aviv earlier this week, the demonstrators had reached the holy city.

Meanwhile, some 10,000 reservists have said they’ll halt their volunteer duty if the bill becomes a law.

“We all share a responsibility to stop the deep division, polarization and rift among the people,” the reservists said in a declaration whose signatories included 235 fighter pilots, 173 drone operators, and 85 commando soldiers.

They called on Netanyahu’s cabinet to arrive at a broad consensus, strengthen the trust of the people in the judicial system and maintain its independence.

The signatories stated that any legislation implemented unreasonably would undermine their willingness to continue risking their lives and would compel them to suspend their voluntary reserve service.

Towards the end of the day on Thursday, Netanyahu stated that he was still trying to reach an agreement with the opposition, primarily about the reasonability clause.

The goal of the judicial overhaul plan is to deny the Israeli Supreme Court the ability to overturn political decisions made by the ruling party. 

Additionally, it aims to give the government more control over the selection of judges for the court.

Supporters claim that the proposal will put a stop to decades of judicial overreach, while detractors say it will do away with important restraints on political authority.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for many counts of corruption, has also been accused by detractors of seeking to use the plan to overturn potential convictions.

Protesters have vowed to keep holding the monumental rallies until the cabinet decides against pushing through with the plan.

Those who support the plan claim that it brings some balance in the power that the various parts of the regime possess.

However, according to the plan’s detractors, approval would give the ruling class more authority to operate in an authoritarian manner.

According to pro-Netanyahu legislators, the new measure would be a much milder version of earlier bills that tried to almost completely pull down the Supreme Court’s authority to overturn presidential decisions. 

However, the opposition claims that the proposed measure would still provide room for corruption.

 

 

United States and Britain block Iran from hosting International Maritime Organization

Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has condemned the actions of the United States and UK Britain governments blocking Iran from hosting International Maritime Organization (IMO), a parallel event of World Maritime Day.

According to Reuters the United States has blocked Iran from hosting the annual meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in October this year.

Reacting to this action, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Friday that the US once again demonstrated its coercive and arrogant nature by hindering Iran to host the International Maritime Organization conference.

Strongly condemning the US move, Kanaani said the US move, supported by Britain, showed that there are no limits to the political exploitation of technical and specialized institutions of the United Nations by Washington, even if it tarnishes the international credibility of these organizations.

Following is the text of the PMO statement reacting to this action:

The Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) as the duly authorized maritime administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran reacted against the actions of the Governments of the United States and Britain in preventing the Iranian hosting of the IMO Parallel Event of World Maritime Day in 2023, and declared in an official statement, “Such an action is a clear sign of desperation and pettiness of a few treacherous and oppressive governments, and will not weaken the resolve of the Iranian government and nation, and the port and maritime community thereof, to participate actively in IMO activities and progress toward sea-based economy.”

According to the official news website of the PMO, the above statements continued, “The hosting of the mentioned event in October 2023 was cancelled under the vain efforts of the US and British governments, and the support of a few western governments foolishly following the US government, under groundless accusations that Iran intended to jeopardize maritime safety and security.

Iran as an undisputed regional power continuously strives to promote maritime safety and security, and protect the marine environment, as confirmed and commended by the IMO in 2011.

The US and British governments have always resorted to threats, intimidation and even destructive operations, whether in territorial and regional waters or high seas, in order to violate the rights of this country to its vessels and cargos, against international laws, and disrupt such peaceful maritime commerce, while threatening safety and security of the seafarers.

It is our firm belief that such illegal, immoral and non-technical actions led by two oppressive governments, against an event of festivity and commendation of seafarers and maritime community, arises from their outrageous failures and fiascos in exerting economic pressure and sanctions against Iran, focusing on the petroleum and maritime industries, which further proves their evil intentions and desperation in the face of the honorable Iranian nation on one side, and their manipulation and abuse of international specialized and technical organizations for their political agendas on the other.

We are certain that such actions as a clear sign of desperation and pettiness of a few treacherous and oppressive governments will not weaken the resolve of the Iranian government and nation, and the port and maritime community thereof, to participate actively in IMO activities and progress toward sea-based economy.