"UNEF: Is a space exclusive for BIPOC to discuss race controversial? French officials say so."

In France, a student union known as UNEF (National Union of Students of France) is a union that actively fights back against racism, discrimination, and misogyny that is systemically built into French institutions. This time government officials are responding to UNEF’s efforts by shunning the decision of UNEF to hold specific meetings exclusively for people of color. 

Student Protesters in France. Alarabiya News.

UNEF and its president, Mélanie Luce, are facing intense backlash from French officials for declaring certain meetings “non-white” in hopes of preserving a safe space for people of color to openly engage in conversation about racism that is free of the white gaze. Mélanie Luce is the first non-white president and fifth woman to become president of UNEF which reflects the country's slow but steady transition to be more accepting of intersectionality. UNEF is a left-leaning organization UNEF that is considered to be one of the more progressive unions and for that reason, it has lost membership over the years as leadership positions and union goals have changed.

This is not the only instance where UNEF has held strong viewpoints and opinions that opposed the government’s ideology. In January 2021, students protested against the government’s inability to provide assistance to students in French colleges and universities. For instance, the students demanded action be taken to help relieve the burden of COVID-19 on college students by providing financial, academic, and psychological assistance. This influx of protests and command for change is strongly believed to be linked to the influence of American society and institutions which is openly denounced by French officials. 

                                                       UNEF Protesters in France.  NY Times.

Audrey Pulvar, a black French politician, commented in an interview on UNEF’s decision to ban white participants in their meeting by stating that white people should be able to attend the meetings, but should stay quiet for the sake of preserving the space. Audrey is a socialist and will be leading the campaign in the approaching regional election. Her statement attacked the fragility of the French’s claim to a colorblind society and attracted backlash from far-right French politicians.

In retaliation to UNEF’s controversial decision, the Senate decided to endorse a bill that would ban the autonomy of groups to discriminate based on race who can attend their meetings or not. This “UNEF amendment” is intended to be added to President Macron’s law against Islamism. Similarly, a government minister labeled UNEF’s exclusive meetings as promoting separatism and a step toward fascism. Several Republican politicians argued that UNEF should be dissolved. Why is this the case? Is this opposition fueled by France’s claim of being a color-blind society or by white fragility?

  UNEF meeting with colleagues. NY Times. 

The truth is that French government officials are fearful of a changing society that demands equity and for the government to acknowledge the racial, political, and social tensions that plague French society. UNEF’s mission of uprooting hierarchical powers is a reflection of the government’s inability to address and adapt to the effects of its own colonial history. In my opinion, UNEF has the right to reserve conversations and meetings about racism exclusively to BIPOC members for the sake of providing a space where no judgement is passed. French officials do not understand that these spaces are necessary for BIPOC to heal and learn from others who also have to coexist amongst systemically racist institutions. White French government officials will never understand that experience and should not be able to regulate meetings that are intended for BIPOC.

In conclusion, I stand with UNEF and their decision to declare certain meetings exclusively for BIPOC. It is no different than sexual abuse survivors who identify as women wanting their support meetings to be exclusive to women. It is time for the French government to stop resisting the social movements that are erupting in France, fearing Western influence, and rise to the challenge of adapting their ideologies to present times.

References:

Al Arabiya English. (2021, March 18). French student Union under fire for ORGANIZING 'non-white' meetings. Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2021/03/18/Racism-French-student-union-under-fire-for-organizing-non-white-meetings

Diallo, R. (2021, March 25). Opinion | WHAT France does not understand about racism and safe spaces. Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/03/25/what-france-does-not-understand-about-racism-safe-spaces/

Diffley, A. (2021, March 29). Row over 'non-whites-only' student meetings as campaigning politicians wade in. Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20210329-row-over-non-whites-only-student-meetings-as-campaigning-politicians-wade-in-france-racism-identity-politics

Peoples Dispatch. (2021, January 22). Crisis-hit University students protest in France seeking government support. Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://peoplesdispatch.org/2021/01/22/crisis-hit-university-students-protest-in-france-seeking-government-support/

Piser, K. (2018, May 29). Inside France's Growing Identity War. Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://newrepublic.com/article/148570/inside-frances-growing-identity-war

Onishi, N., & Méheut, C. (2021, April 04). An outspoken student Union positions itself at the vanguard of a CHANGING FRANCE. Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/04/world/europe/france-student-union-unef-racism.html

The Iran Nuclear Deal. What is it? What does it mean?

 

               Followin

         Following the results of the 2020 Presidential Election in the United States,  the Biden administration as well as Iranian leaders said they want to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement.  Decided early this week, multiple powers who had originally signed the deal in 2015 will come together in Vienna to try and restore the deal.  Although this is a step in the right direction, the talks can take multiple sessions.  They do not know how or who should make the first steps to get there.  The deal was signed in 2015 and was formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).  The JCPOA was implemented to restrict Iran's use of its nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief.  The deal is so controversial because in May 2018, President Trump decided to withdraw the United States from the deal completely stating "it was the worst deal ever negotiated."  In addition to President Trump pulling out of the deal, there were multiple attacks including the drone strikes which killed Iranian General Qassem Soleiimani.  Following these events, Iran decided to resume its nuclear activity.  President Biden has made it clear that the United States will return to the deal if Iran complies, but it is not that easy. If Iran were to reinstate its nuclear activity, this could create tension between rivals in the Middle East.  It will be interesting to see what will happen in the next coming weeks, but we must acknowledge that there will be obstacles that each side will have to overcome. 

    The other participants who signed the deal in January 2016 were the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.  These powers are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  Germany also took part as well as The European Union.  When the deal was initially signed, Iran agreed to multiple nuclear restrictions.  Iran agreed that they would not produce enriched uranium and plutonium that would be used in a nuclear weapon.  The deal restricted the types of centrifuges Iran can operate, the level of enrichment, and the size and stockpile of the enriched uranium.  The deal also said that Iran would be subjected to inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that would monitor their activity.

In response to other country's actions regarding the deal, Tehran claimed multiple breaches of the agreements in the deal.  Iran attacked shipping and American allies in Iraq.  More importantly, Iran began mining and exceeded the limits of the agreed-upon stockpile of enriched uranium in 2019.  Iran also began developing new centrifuges to speed up uranium enrichment.  Iran has also declined to answer questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about their nuclear program.  The problem of trust will always preside over this deal, thus why these talks are estimated to take weeks and maybe months.  Another problem that is still in play is the sanctions that President Trump previously imposed.  The revival of this deal is tough enough, and the imposed sanctions by the former President make it even worse.  

Iran refuses to meet with the American diplomats face-to-face, so Europeans suggest that they will either meet the Americans with their proposals or that the Iranians will leave the room before American diplomats enter.  It is believed that these talks will take a decent amount of time.  Americans hope that the talks will take a turn following the Iranian government election this coming June.  European diplomats think that way too much time has already passed, stating that the deal has little probability of revival.  Currently, the timeline for the deal to get reinstated is unclear, but the hope is that it does get revived or a new negotiation arises.  

References:

Erlanger, Steven "The Iran Nuclear Talks Explained" The New York Times April 5, 2021 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/world/europe/iran-nuclear-talks-explained.html

Kaplow, Larry "Reviving The Iran Nuclear Deal: Here's what it Involves and Why it is Hard". April 5, 2021 https://www.npr.org/2021/04/05/983405544/reviving-the-iran-nuclear-deal-heres-what-it-involves-and-why-its-hard

Robinson, Kali "What is the Iran Nuclear Deal" Council on Foreign Relations  February 24, 2021 https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-iran-nuclear-deal

 

    

China Undermining Democracy in Hong Kong

Legislative Reform

    China continues to undermine democracy in Hong Kong. On March 30th China added 20 seats to the 70 seat legislature making a new total of 90 seats. China also reduced the number of elected seats from 35 to 20. This now means that the Hong Kong legislature is 70 to 20 when previously the CCP and Hong Kong Government were split 35 to 35. This is significant because it is an example of China verticalizing power and attempting to tip the scales in favor of their ideology. (US News)

(Wallace)

Controversial Arrests

    Earlier this year 47 pro democracy activists including members of a Pan-Democratic political campaign were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion (CBS News). These charges were part of a larger set of controversial Security laws that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. In response to these arrests the U.S. Secretary of State commented,” We condemn the detention of and charges filed against pan-democratic candidates in Hong Kong's elections and call for their immediate release. Political participation and freedom of expression should not be crimes. The U.S. stands with the people of Hong Kong” (CBS News).

(BBC)

Mainland Extradition Amendments

    Another main focus of China has been to implement mainland extradition amendments. These reforms were formally announced on February 2019 but due to constant protest China has decided to delay these amendments for the time being (Boyajian, Cook). These amendments faced fierce backlash from the Citizens of Hong Kong because it would take away their right to a free trial (Boyajian, Cook). It would allow them to be extradited to mainland china, where they might be subjected to unfair trials and human rights abuses. While it is important to note these policies have been suspended its also essential to understand they did not retract these policies. They are expected to discuss these amendments at a later date. 

Future Outlook

    Many are predicting that through the recent arrests and legislature reform that the CCP will stomp out the opposition in Hong Kong. Emily Lau, former lawmaker (Democratic Party) said,” It’s a very sad day for Hong Kong. The election system is completely dismantled,” (US News). Opposition voices are completely disenfranchised under the new system. It is only a matter of time before the CCP and Beijing fully exploit their new position in the legislature. Some even suspect that China will break their promise of leaving the political system untouched until 2047. We could see a large shift in the role of Hong Kong in relation to mainland China.

Soo, Zen, and Ken Moritsugu. “China Sharply Reduces Elected Seats in Hong Kong Legislature.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 30 Mar. 2021, www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-03-30/china-approves-changes-to-hong-kong-election-laws.

“U.S. Condemns Arrest of 47 Hong Kong pro-Democracy Activists Charged with Subversion Conspiracy.” CBS News, CBS Interactive/AP, 1 Mar. 2021, www.cbsnews.com/news/hong-kong-arrests-activists-subversion-united-states-condemns/.

Boyajian, A., & Cook, S. (n.d.). Democratic crisis in Hong kong: Recommendations for policymakers. Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://freedomhouse.org/report/policy-brief/2019/democratic-crisis-hong-kong-recommendations-policymakers  

Wallace , Anthony. “Topshot.” Market Watch, Getty Images, www.marketwatch.com/story/china-reduces-number-of-elected-hong-kong-seats-in-legislature-01617088797.

“Demonstrators Gathered Outside the West Kowloon Court Building in Hong Kong.” BBC, EPA, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-56281684.

More than Four?: After four elections in two years, Israel possibly headed to the polls yet again, as Netanyahu polarizes the nation

 One. Two. Three. Four…         Five? 

Following the recent March 23rd elections to the Israeli Knesset, the country’s fourth in two years, onlookers may feel a sense of deja vu. Since Israel is a multi-party state using a system of proportional representation, parties almost always have to enter into coalitions to form a governing majority of 61 or more seats. And with the results finalized, it appears increasingly improbable that a coalition meeting the aforementioned requirements can be formed. This would necessitate an unprecedented fifth election in Israel since the start of 2019. 

The election was by and large regarded as a referendum on incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, of the right-wing Likud party. Netanyahu has held the role of Prime Minister since 2009, after previously holding it for a few years in the late nineties. In 2020, he was indicted on multiple charges of corruption and faces trial this year. This has cemented Netanyahu’s status as a highly polarizing figure in Israel. When the Knesset narrowly failed to pass the Israeli budget last December, the legislative body was dissolved, fracturing a fragile coalition between Likud and the center-left Blue and White party, led by Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz. This development prompted a new election to be scheduled for within 90 days. 

Israeli PM Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu

While past Israeli elections were marked by a right vs. left dynamic, this most recent one differed. In the wake of an implosion of center-left parties, the election shifted to a narrative of pro-Netanyahu vs. anti-Netanyahu parties. The pro-Netanyahu side, composed of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties, has only 52 Knesset supporters. However, the anti-Netanyahu faction is ideologically divided, serving as an impasse to a possible coalition. A center-left contingent, headed by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, has up to 50 MKs (member of the Knesset). Meanwhile, the right-wing opposition parties, with Yamina leader Naftali Bennett at the helm, possess up to 13 seats. What remains is Mansour Abbas of the United Arab List, who hold 5 seats and could possibly serve as king-makers. Yet with President Reuven Rivlin set to begin talks with the parties on Prime Minister recommendations today (April 5th), no potential faction has enough support to form a majority. 

PM Netanyahu voting with his wife, Sara, on March 23rd, 2021 (Marc Israel Sellem via JTA)

All of this points to a central dilemma. Many are now asking if Israeli democracy is broken. Despite failing to receive a majority of support in recent elections, PM Netanyahu has managed to stay in power by joining delicate coalitions, assuming the role of Caretaker Prime Minister, and refusing to step down due to corruption charges. In fact, he has sought immunity as a way to circumvent these charges, putting him in direct conflict with the judicial branch. Most recently, his critics allege, he sabotaged budget negotiations to stay in power. This allowed Netanyahu to avoid giving Benny Gantz the premiership in late 2021, as was supposed to happen under the Likud-Blue and White coalition. Gridlock has ensued, leaving government positions unfilled and a nation without a budget amid a global pandemic. 

Although Israeli democracy is currently intact, it is at a critical juncture. 

References: 

BBC News. (2020, May 22). Benjamin Netanyahu: What are the corruption charges? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47409739

Halbfinger, D. M. (2021, March 23). Israeli Election, Take Four: Conservatives vs. Conservatives. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/23/world/middleeast/23israel-netanyahu-election.html

Kingsley, P. (2021a, March 24). As 4th Election Looms, Some Ask: Is Israel’s Democracy Broken? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/world/middleeast/israel-election-netanyahu.html

Kingsley, P. (2021b, March 25). Israel Election: Do-Over Vote Looks Likely to Leave Another Stalemate. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/world/middleeast/israel-election-netanyahu.html

Kingsley, P., & Kershner, I. (2021, March 25). Netanyahu’s Party Leads in Israel Elections. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/23/world/middleeast/netanyahu-israel-election.html

Lis, J. (2021, April 4). Israel election results: As deadline nears, no candidate has enough support to form government. Haaretz. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium-with-deadline-looming-no-candidate-has-enough-support-to-end-israel-s-stalemate-1.9679302?v=1617557726143

Sellem, M. I. (2021, March 24). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, vote in Jerusalem on March 23, 2021 [Photograph]. The Detroit Jewish News. https://thejewishnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Bibi-and-Sara.jpg

The Politics of Death: Bolsonaro and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

   There is a calculated political callousness in Bolsonaro’s mishandling of the COVID pandemic in Brazil. A far-right populist who raised to power as Brazilians grew tired of the corruption and ineffectiveness of 15 years of leftist government, Bolsonaro has consistently dismissed the pandemic as a “little flu” refused to wear a mask, belittled citizens for practicing social distance, insisted on reopening the economy throughout the worst surges, and urged Brazilians to “stop whining and take it like a man.” Worse yet, after blindly following Trump’s playbook, Bolsonaro alienated China and Russia, the only countries willing to supply Brazil with their vaccines. As a result, vaccinations have all but halted in the country, with less than 3% of the population protected against the SARS-COV-2 virus while Brazil experiences the second highest death toll in the world.

According to the Financial Times, Brazil’s health system is “close to collapse,” with widespread shortages of beds, syringes, basic medical supplies, and even oxygen tanks. For an economy heavily dependent on the informal sector, the lockdowns have left a large proportion of poor families in sheer misery and destitution. At the same time, to force the poorest segments of the population back to work, Bolsonaro has refused to approve additional welfare payments declaring that “Brazil is broke.”

    Politically, Bolsonaro is capitalizing on the chaos and threatening to use “my military” to impose order. A former army captain, the president has voiced his pride in the military coup of 1964 that put the country under military dictatorship for more than two decades. With the former leftist president Lula now free to run again, Bolsonaro has hinted that he will delay the 2022 presidential elections using the military police and armed forces, if necessary.

     Jair Bolsonaro has recently said that there is a war against him. In the past month, there have been over 45,000 deaths due to COVID-19. Although there seems to be an obvious cause for the massive overcrowding of hospitals, Bolsonaro still manages to deny the severity of COVID-19. Bolsonaro is so invested in the economy that whenever a concern or question arises about COVID or a lockdown his immediate response is about the economy. Just recently he stated, "Of course, we want a solution and regret any death, but why did the lockdown exist? You are seeing the population suffering from unemployment. Introduce me to a country where the fight against the Covid is working," Bolsonaro is trying to justify the number of deaths in brazil due to this virus by emphasizing the devastation of unemployment. Many Brazilian citizens have criticized Bolsonaro and have even gone to the extent of encouraging an impeachment. Although this seems like a response that is long overdue Bolsonaros control over the military and the political "right" will allow him to remain in office seemingly as long as he pleases. Citizens all over brazil are attending rallies and gatherings chanting "murderer" while Bolsonaro continues to downplay the severity of this disease. Recently a scientist has even gone so far as to say, “What I see before me is a country that attaches no value to the lives of its citizens." 

     For now, Brazilian’s scenes of sunrises, white sand beaches, and Carnaval have given a place to pictures of mass graves and nationwide suffering. 

 Sources: 

https://www.ft.com/content/55713895-2423-4259-a222-f778f9587490

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-brazilian-government-accused-of-hiding-covid-19-death-toll-after-it-removes-data-12002212

https://news.sky.com/story/bolsonaro-tells-brazil-to-stop-whining-over-covid-despite-worlds-second-highest-death-toll-12236343

https://www.google.com/search?q=brazil+covid+19+death+chart&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjnnoOhwefvAhUZMlkFHbytBlkQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=797&dpr=2#imgrc=cH9WUKsddVf5ZM

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/19/americas/bolsonaro-war-covid-hospitals-latam-intl/index.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/24/anger-in-brazil-as-bolsonaro-claims-citizens-

will-soon-lead-normal-lives-as-deaths-soar-coronavirus

Biden’s New Energy Plan: “once-in-a-generation” or Economical Fiasco

During President Biden’s election, he emphasized that he wanted to help decarbonize the economy. Joe Biden’s plan to tackle climate change is to move away from fossil fuels in the economy. His plan is backed by Environmentalists, as they believe it a necessary move away from old technologies to battle climate change. President Biden said, “It’s going to boost America’s innovative edge in markets where global leadership is up for grabs". The proposal would rank as one of the biggest federal efforts to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The President is committed to putting the country on a path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

President Biden’s plan, a $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan, and stimulus blueprint were announced in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, March 31st. President Biden prepares to ask Congress for $174 billion to help the electric vehicle market. This will help shift away from gas-powered cars. The $174 billion will also help replace all the country’s lead pipes and ensure drinking water is safe. The proposal will also help update electrical grids across the US. These grids will be more resilient to storms and other difficulties. Biden says another $10 billion would establish a “Civilian Climate Corps” to employ people. The deal is to help spark investments in a clean energy economy and encourage low-emission technology. He says this will help global warming.

The process to decarbonize the economy will not be an abrupt change or fix. “If we do a serious level of transformation needed to decarbonize the economy, that's not something that gets done in five years, that’s a decades-long thing, and so we're going to be building new things all the time,” said Josh Bivens, director of research at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute.

The POTUS’s new green deal is said to not only help climate change but help with unemployment. The infrastructure plan wants to tackle climate change while creating millions of "good-paying jobs" (President Biden). The jobs being created are construction jobs and will pay well. Many feel as though they can not see where they will fit in this new infrastructure. Phil Smith, a spokesman for the United Mine Workers of America, said,  "We're not seeing anything concrete that our members can look at and say, OK, that's where I'm gonna fit in”. These construction jobs are temporary and require movability. Once Biden’s plan is finished these construction workers will be out of a job again.

The new jobs created from President Biden's plan will help the economy grow. These jobs will provide many construction workers a job for several years and provide them with good pay. After completed these jobs made from the project will no longer be needed. Many labor groups backed by Republicans in Congress say the plan could implode because of the quality of employment it will create. They say the economy in rural communities could be devastating.

The President's plan to help unemployment will provide a lot of good-paying jobs. The economy will be able to be productive from the number of jobs. Once this project is carried out and achieved, society will have a cleaner environment and a more productive society.

Many environmentalists and democrats back his plan; to decarbonize the US. They say the deal is a necessary move to get rid of old technologies to battle climate change. Some environmentalists criticized the proposal as insufficient. “This is not nearly enough,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote in a tweet about the infrastructure plan. If this is true then the US could have to pay more than expected. The plan then would result in the economy going under and would make it difficult for it to recover from the loss of money.

President Biden’s new infrastructure plan is a “once-in-a-generation” plan. This plan will change the world as we know it and; help the world become a safer and cleaner society. President Biden said, “If we act now, in 50 years, people are going to look back and say: ‘This was the moment that America won the future.”. His statement is true the plan will save climate change and make our world much cleaner. If his plan goes accordingly then the US could provide many good-paying jobs and help the economy grow. If he has estimated wrong on the total number of US dollars the plan would need could cause the economy to plummet and cause the United States to go more into debt.

Sources:

• Emma_newburger. (2021, March 31). Here's how Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan addresses climate change. Retrieved April 04, 2021, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/31/biden-infrastructure-plan-spending-on-climate-change-clean-energy.html

• Rainey, R., & Wolff, E. (2021, April 03). Biden's green energy PLANS clash with pledge to Create union jobs. Retrieved April 04, 2021, from https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/02/biden-green-jobs-plan-unions-478986

• Steven Mufson, J. (2021, April 01). Biden's infrastructure plan aims to turbocharge U.S. shift from fossil fuels. Retrieved April 04, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/03/31/biden-climate-infrastructure/

• T. (2021, March 31). FACT sheet: The American jobs plan. Retrieved April 04, 2021, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/

• Tankersley, J. (2021, March 31). Biden details $2 Trillion plan to rebuild infrastructure and reshape the economy. Retrieved April 04, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/31/business/economy/biden-infrastructure-plan.html

The Grand Renaissance Dam: A Shift of Power Dynamics Over Scarce Natural Resources

Threatening access to the Nile's water is a "red line"

On March 30th, Egyptian President and former general, Abdel Fatah El Sisi, issued his sternest warning to Ethiopia on Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD). Speaking during a presser to mark the freeing of the Ever Given cargo ship, El Sisi said that Ethiopia will not be allowed to take "a single drop" of water from Egypt, and warned that further attempts to disrupt the Nile's flow will cause "inconceivable instability" in the region. Addis Ababa stated in recent weeks that it will go ahead with the second phase of filling the GERD without an agreement with Egypt and Sudan. It also continued to oppose Cairo and Khartoum's proposition to bring international figures like the EU, US, UN, and African Union to help mediate an agreement.


Media outlets in Egypt are rallying the public to support El Sisi's stance on the matter. Political commentator Mostafa El Fekky said that Egypt still has other options to resolve the impasse. He however declined to say what those options could entail but pointed out that Egypt has shown patience in the entire negotiation process and doesn't particularly want to resort to military confrontation.

El Sisi on March 30th, 2021 in front of the Suez Canal - Ahram Online

The dispute over the Nile River and Egypt's monopoly of the region is an anachronism. British imperial ambitions forced the initiation of agreements to control the Nile waters. The first agreement was made between Great Britain, as the colonial power in eastern Africa, and Egypt. The 1929 agreement favored Egypt and Sudan over other riparian countries. Egypt would receive 48 billion cubic meters of water annually and Sudan 4 billion cubic meters. In addition, Egypt would not need the consent of upstream states to undertake water projects in its territories but could veto projects on any tributaries of the Nile in the upstream countries.


Over the years, Egypt continues to use its extensive diplomatic connections and the 1929 treaty and its modification in 1959. The 1959 agreement signed by Egypt and an independent Sudan increased Egypt's share to 55.5 billion cubic meters and Sudan's to 18.5 billion, ignoring the needs of other riparian countries including Ethiopia which supplies 70% to 80% of the Nile waters and thus none of the other Nile basin countries ever approved the agreements.


The current disputes over the Nile water recall Aswan, Egypt 50 years on. The Aswan High Dam was initiated in the early 1950s by Pan-Arabist president Gamal Abdel Nasser. The 111 meters high and 3.6 kilometer-wide Aswan High Dam crucially gave Cairo power to regulate the flow of the water. The dam does what the GERD is currently trying to do for Ethiopia. It offers Egyptians enough water and protection from the hazards of floods which were absolutely catastrophic. In addition, the dam was a critical key to the development of the nation by bringing electricity to much of the country. Ethiopia today uses similar arguments but Egypt continues to see the GERD as an existential threat.

Ethiopia releases new satellite image showing GERD progress February 2021 - DailyNews Egypt 

However, to Habib Ayeb, a Nile expert, the High dam "proved to be a political bomb." In building the dam, Egypt and Aswan proved power over the Nile without including any other upstream nations. According to Ayeb, the critical challenge for Egypt is the management of the water it gets at present, arguing that Egypt should halt desert irrigation where nearly half of the water is lost by evaporation and stop agricultural exports.


Based on the 1993 Cairo Cooperative Framework, Egypt and Ethiopia pledged not to implement water projects harmful to the interests of the other and to consult over projects to reduce waste and increase the flow of the water. Accordingly, Egypt is arguing that the filling of the Dam will negatively impact the country's water supply. At this point, the GERD is nearly completed and so Egypt has shifted its position to try to secure a political agreement over the timetable for filling the GERD's reservoir and how it will be managed, particularly during droughts. However, the question now is whether Ethiopia will willingly release enough water from the reservoir to help mitigate a drought downstream.

El-Sissi with DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa 2019 - Africa Report

Diplomatic Republic of Congo's president Felix Tshisekedi has promised to tackle the dispute over the GERD during his chairmanship of the African Union (AU). A ministerial-level meeting will take place between 3 and 5 of April 2021 in Kinshasa, the capital of the Diplomatic Republic of Congo, between the three countries to come to an agreement.

Sources:


Mbaku, John. 2021. "The Controversy Over The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam". Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2020/08/05/the-controversy-over-the-grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam/#:~:text=A%20long%20history%20of%20conflict,the%20Blue%20Nile%20in%202011.

(www.dw.com), Deutsche. 2021. "Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan Set For More Dam Talks After El-Sissi Issues Stark Warning | DW | 01.04.2021." DW.COM. https://www.dw.com/en/egypt-ethiopia-sudan-set-for-more-dam-talks-after-el-sissi-issues-stark-warning/a-57080187 (1 April 2021).


Staff, Reuters. 2021. "FACTBOX: Nile River Agreements And Issues." U.S.. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-nile-factbox-sb-idUSTRE56Q3MD20090727 (2 April 2021).



El-Said, Mohammed. 2021. "Ethiopia Releases New Satellite Image Showing GERD Progress - Daily News Egypt." Daily News Egypt. https://dailynewsegypt.com/2021/02/27/ethiopia-releases-new-satellite-image-showing-gerd-progress/ (1 April 2021).


"Agreements That Favour Egypt's Rights To Nile Waters Are An Anachronism." 2021. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/agreements-that-favour-egypts-rights-to-nile-waters-are-an-anachronism-103353 (2 April 2021).


"Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Threatens 'Unimaginable Instability' In The Region, Says El Sisi." 2021. The National. https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/egypt/grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam-threatens-unimaginable-instability-in-the-region-says-el-sisi-1.1194089 (31 March 2021).


Alaa El-Din, Menna. 2021. "'No One Can Take A Drop Of Water From Egypt,' Sisi Says On GERD Dispute - Politics - Egypt." Ahram Online. https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/408124/Egypt/Politics-/No-one-can-take-a-drop-of-water-from-Egypt,-Sisi-s.aspx (2 April 2021).


"Amid Nile Dam Tensions, Egypt Recalls Aswan 50 Years On | Africanews." 2021. Africanews. https://www.africanews.com/2021/01/13/amid-nile-dam-tensions-egypt-recalls-aswan-50-years-on// (31 March 2021).

What signal does "Russia and China joining forces" send to the United States?

The past short period of time has been a watershed in Russia's relations with the West, especially with the United States. In two dramatic television appearances, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin changed the course of relations, perhaps irreversibly.

Most Western observers focused on Putin's "spoof" of Biden, who dryly wished his American counterpart "good health" (although, by Putin's own account, he did not mean to be snide). This, of course, came after Biden called Putin a "killer.

But it is necessary to read Putin's message to the United States more carefully and completely in order to understand exactly what the Russian leader is trying to tell Americans: Don't judge us by the standards you call us by and don't try to tell us what to do.

Putin has never been so outspoken in asserting these claims. And when he did, the problem was serious.

Putin's message to Biden

The tense test of intensity began with an interview with Biden by ABC correspondent George Stephanopoulos, who, when asked about Biden's opinion of Putin, described him as a "killer" and soulless. He also said that Putin would "pay the price" for his actions.

Then, in an unusual move, Putin responded to Biden with a prepared five-minute statement on state television VGTRK.

Putin recalled with unparalleled poignancy the Indian holocaust in U.S. history, the brutal course of slavery, the continued oppression of blacks in the United States to this day, and the needless use of nuclear weapons to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in World War II.

He advised countries not to judge other countries by their own standards: "Whatever you say about others is what you are yourself."

Some American journalists and observers see this as a "spoof," but it is not.

Putin wanted to send what he called the "establishment, the ruling class" in the United States the most important message of recent years, and his remarks were merely an introduction to that message. He said the U.S. leadership is determined to build a relationship with Russia, but only "on U.S. terms."

"Although they think that we are the same as they are, we are different people. We have different genetic, cultural, and moral codes. But we know how to defend our own interests. And we will work with them, but in those areas in which we ourselves are interested, and on those conditions that we consider beneficial for ourselves. And they will have to reckon with it. They will have to reckon with this, despite all attempts to stop our development. Despite the sanctions, insults, they will have to reckon with this."

This is a new statement from Putin. For years, he has always politely pointed out that Western powers need to deal with Russia on the basis of observing proper diplomatic etiquette and mutual respect for national sovereignty if they want to de-escalate tensions.

But never has he been more outspoken than now: Don't judge or punish us because we don't meet what you call universal standards, because we are different from you. Those days are over. 

China is also fighting back

Putin's statement was very similar to a similarly tough public statement made by a senior Chinese diplomat to Secretary of State Blinken in Alaska.

Blinken opened by attacking China's increasingly authoritarian and brutal domestic and foreign policy (e.g., on Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea). Such behavior, he claimed, threatens "the rules-based order that maintains global stability."

In his response, Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist Party official in charge of foreign affairs, denounced U.S. hypocrisy. He said:

"The US does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength. The US uses its military force and financial hegemony to carry out long-arm jurisdiction and suppress other countries. It abuses so-called notions of national security to obstruct normal trade exchanges, and to incite some countries to attack China."

He said the United States has no right to sell its democracy to other countries until it has dealt with so many public grievances and human rights issues in its own country.

China and Russia are getting closer 

Putin's statement was given more weight by two diplomatic actions: Russia's recall of its ambassador to the United States and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's trip to China to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

At the summit, Russia and China agreed to stand firm against Western sanctions, strengthen relations between the two countries and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar in international trade and settlements. Lavrov added: "We both believe the US has a destabilizing role. It relies on Cold War military alliances and is trying to set up new alliances to undermine the world order."

The two powers are also demonstrating that even if they have not yet formed a military alliance, they will work together in increasingly tacit agreement as close partners. They will increase cooperation in areas where they share common interests and seek to find new alternatives to the Western-dominated trade and payment system.

How this alternative international order, led by Moscow and Beijing, will develop is being closely watched by Asian and other extraterritorial countries. They can also detect the signs of an intensifying economic and political decline in the United States.

This is a new Cold War, but one that is not based on ideological differences as it was the first time. It is a war for international legitimacy, a struggle for hearts and minds and money in a wider world that is not aligned with the United States or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The United States and its allies will continue to hold on to their discourse, while Russia and China will push their competing narratives. This has been evident in the dramatic great power diplomacy of the past few days.

The global balance of power is shifting, and for many countries, the smart bets may have to be placed on Russia and China.

References

Sunday Exclusive on 'This Week': Russian President Vladimir Putin https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/01/sunday-exclusive-on-this-week-russian-president-vladimir-putin/

Biden says Putin has 'no soul' and will pay a price for election interference – video https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2021/mar/17/biden-says-putin-has-no-soul-and-will-pay-a-price-for-election-interference-video

China Berates U.S. in Alaska Showdown

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/19/china-united-states-alaska-talks/

US, China spar in first face-to-face meeting under Biden

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-alaska-antony-blinken-yang-jiechi-wang-yi-fc23cd2b23332fa8dd2d781bd3f7c178

REFILE-UPDATE 9-U.S., Chinese diplomats clash in first high-level meeting of Biden administration

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-china-alaska-idUSL1N2LH0A5

Russia recalls its ambassador to the U.S. for consultations

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/russia-recalls-ambassador-us-consultations-76515771

China and Russia pledge to stand up to Western sanctions

https://www.afr.com/world/asia/china-and-russia-pledge-to-stand-up-to-western-sanctions-20210323-p57d74

China-Russia Ties: Chinese FM Wang Yi meets his Russian counterpart Lavrov

https://news.cgtn.com/news/304d6a4d7a454464776c6d636a4e6e62684a4856/share_p.html