Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals.
This week, the African leaders spoke as the world listened. Led by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in Kyiv and St. Petersburg, the leaders from the world’s second most populous continent pitched their peace plan for raging war between Russia and Ukraine now in its seventeenth month. It finally culminated into a verbally explosive blame-game between Kyiv and Moscow but the message has become clear: Africa’s geo-economic credence gives it a rare geo-economic heft unique to the continent.
Far away from Kyiv and St. Petersburg, in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the leaders of G20 nations to include African Union — a bloc of 55 nations of Africa — in the crucial diplomatic grouping.
Read this and more, in The Capitals this week.
New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India in New Delhi | Reuters
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon all G20 nations for the African Union be given full, permanent membership of the diplomatic group at its upcoming summit in India.
The move demonstrated India’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s representation and partnership in shaping global affairs.
Kyiv
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speaks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa | Reuters photo for representation
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa presented a ten-point peace plan of the African Peace Mission during his visit to Kyiv this week.
As the main points, Ramaphosa emphasised that the war must be settled, and peace has to be achieved through diplomatic means as soon as possible. Ukraine’s President Zelensky later responded, however, that talks with Moscow are possible only after a full withdrawal of Russian troops.
Cairo
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi | Reuters
From Egyptian capital Cairo, a formal application to be the part of five-member BRICS bloc of emerging economies became a major geo-economic moment of significance.
BRICS comprises of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The development comes after Cairo joined the BRICS bank to help the crisis-hit Egypt reduce dependence on US dollars.
Egypt has become the latest entrant to shed the US currency in trade with several member states of the BRICS economic bloc.
Jerusalem
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a hearing on corruption charges at Jerusalem’s District Court, in Jerusalem | Reuters image for representation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption tial entered a momentous stage this week when the former prime minister and current Opposition leader Yair Lapid testified against Netanyahu.
Lapid was called as a witness to speak about his time as finance minister in 2013-2014, when he was approached by both Netanyahu and billionaire Arnon Milchan about the idea of extending the duration of the tax break given to returning Israelis who have lived abroad, from 10 years to 20.
Netanyahu’s trial began three years ago, and according to the current schedule is slated to last for another five years, although various reports have said that the extensive witness list could be trimmed, potentially shortening the trial by a couple of years.
Pyongyang
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia in this undated photo | Reuters image for representation
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week vowed to “hold hands” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and bolster strategic cooperation.
Kim made the pledge in a message to Putin marking Russia’s national day, defending his decision to invade Ukraine and displaying “full support and solidarity.” An isolated communist dictatorship, North Korea has sought to forge closer ties with the Kremlin and backed Moscow after it invaded Ukraine last year.
Kabul
A Taliban guard posted at a checkpoint in Kabul | Reuters
A United Nations report this week further decreased the chances of Kabul’s Taliban regime to have any form of international legitimacy.
The UN report vindicated the skepticism that was widely expressed when the US withdrawal from Afghanistan pushed Taliban back to power.
That Kabul will end up nurturing the sanctuaries of terrorism, either directly or indirectly.
It said that the connection between the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains strong and mutually beneficial for all the parties involved with the Taliban as current rulers of Afghanistan acting as the nucleus of the entire set-up harbouring terror activities.
That’s all for The Capitals this week. See you next weekend.
