Politics

US: Karine Jean-Pierre named as first Black woman White House press secretary

5, May 2022

US: Karine Jean-Pierre named as first Black woman White House press secretary 0

US President Joe Biden on Thursday named Karine Jean-Pierre as the next White House press secretary, the first Black woman to hold the high-profile post.

Jean-Pierre, who will also be the first openly LGBTQ+ person in the role, will replace Jen Psaki, under whom she served as deputy, from May 13, according to a White House statement.

Biden praised Jean-Pierre’s “experience, talent and integrity” in the statement, saying he was “proud” to announce her appointment.

“She will be the first black woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as the White House Press Secretary,” Psaki tweeted after the announcement.

“Representation matters and she will give a voice to many, but also make many dream big about what is truly possible,” added Psaki, who is due to join MSNBC after her departure, according to US media reports.

Jean-Pierre, 44, worked on both of former president Barack Obama’s campaigns in 2008 and 2012 and then on Biden’s campaign in 2020 before joining Biden’s team at the White House.

She also served under Biden during his tenure as Obama’s vice president.

Jean-Pierre was previously Chief Public Affairs Officer for liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org and worked as a political analyst with NBC and MSNBC, the White House statement said.

Raised in New York, she was born in Martinique to Haitian parents who emigrated to the United States.

A graduate of the prestigious Columbia University, Jean-Pierre has often said her family’s background, emblematic of the “American dream,” was a determining factor in her career.

She has a daughter with her partner, a journalist with CNN.

Source: AFP

Queen Elizabeth II to miss summer garden parties

5, May 2022

Queen Elizabeth II to miss summer garden parties 0

Queen Elizabeth II, who has cut back on public appearances due to poor health and old age, will not attend this summer’s royal garden parties, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday.

Every summer, up to three parties take place with invited members of the public in the Buckingham Palace Garden in central London, and another at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Since she became queen in 1952, more than 1.45 million people have attended her annual garden parties.

But a royal official said: “Her Majesty The Queen will be represented by other members of the royal family at this year’s garden parties, with details on attendance to be confirmed in due course.”

The monarch recently returned to Windsor Castle after a week-long break on her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England, where she marked her 96th birthday in private on April 21.

Royal tradition since the 18th century has also seen the monarch have a second, official birthday, typically celebrated in warmer weather in June.

This year’s official birthday coincides with four days of public events from June 2 to 5 to mark her record-breaking 70th year on the throne.

Since an unscheduled overnight stay in hospital last October, she has cut down massively on public appearances on doctor’s orders.

A back complaint and difficulties standing and walking have seen her cancel a number of engagements, while a bout of Covid-19 in February left her “very tired and exhausted”, she admitted.

But her grandson Prince Harry told US broadcaster NBC in a recent interview that she was “on great form”.

The queen was last seen in public at Westminster Abbey in central London on March 29 at a memorial service for her late husband Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99.

Source AFP

Cameroon becomes anti-French and goes with Moscow

28, April 2022

Cameroon becomes anti-French and goes with Moscow 0

The Cameroonian Defense Minister flew to Moscow to sign it, in complete secrecy and in the midst of the Ukrainian conflict. It was not supposed to be known, but the press gave an account.

Cameroon has been experiencing a bitter conflict, since 2016, in the two Anglophone provinces of the country that demand independence from the central state and then has to contend with the increasingly bloody incursions of Boko Haram in the Far North.

The current agreement, much broader and more organic than the previous one, albeit in generic terms, raises not a little perplexity precisely because it is not specific, as in the case of Mali and the Central African Republic, the supply of weapons, but only that “other areas of cooperation can be considered”. And it is precisely this clause that causes debate and creates perplexity because the “other areas of cooperation” can enter the employment and deployment of the Wagner Company, Russian mercenaries already employed in areas of conflict on the African continent.

Culled from ruetir.com

Europe hails Macron victory as French rivals vow fight over June legislative vote

25, April 2022

Europe hails Macron victory as French rivals vow fight over June legislative vote 0

Emmanuel Macron was re-elected as the president of France on Sunday with more than 58 percent of the vote. As international leaders offered their congratulations, rival political parties say they are preparing to do battle ahead of French parliamentary elections in June.

European Council chief Charles Michel, as well as the prime ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, were among the first to congratulate Macron, followed by many of the bloc’s 27 leaders. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said French voters “have sent a strong vote of confidence in Europe today,” adding: “I am happy that we will continue our cooperation.”

Political parties in France led by La France Insoumise (France Unbowed or LFI) and Rassemblement National (National Rally or RN) are preparing to battle it out in legislative elections on June 12 and 19.

Polls open across France as Macron and Le Pen vie for French presidency

24, April 2022

Polls open across France as Macron and Le Pen vie for French presidency 0

French voters head to the polls on Sunday in the second and final round of the country’s presidential election, with President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen facing off in a rematch of their 2017 duel.

Macron, 44, topped the first round of the election on April 10 with 27.8% of votes cast. The pro-European incumbent is aiming to become the first president to win re-election since Jacques Chirac in 2002.

Le Pen, who took 23.1% of the first-round vote, is making her third run for the presidency. The 53-year-old nationalist leader is hoping to become the first woman to hold the job.

First exit polls are expected at 8pm Paris time (GMT+2) when the last polling stations close in Paris and other cities. Until then, French media are barred from quoting candidates or publishing polls to ensure they don’t influence voters.

Some 48.7 million are registered to vote, though pollsters have warned that turnout could be lower than in the first round, when one in four abstained from voting.

Source: France 24

Yaoundé-Moscow Military Deal: It shall not be long before one hears distress calls regarding Russia

21, April 2022

Yaoundé-Moscow Military Deal: It shall not be long before one hears distress calls regarding Russia 0

 It might interest our Anglo-Americanophobes and Russophiles that between 2015 and 2022 Russia has concluded military pacts with 73 states and one regional organization (ASEAN): 30 countries in Africa; 32 countries in Asia & Middle East; 5 countries in Latin America; 3 countries in Europe; and 3 countries in North America.

The African countries that have a military pact with Russia are: Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Egypt, Eswatini (aka Swaziland),  Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

We see here the typical Africa mimicry, herd or sheep mentality. We saw that same mentality on display when China purported to offer ‘free money’ to African countries. Rulers of most of these countries hurriedly trooped to Beijing and lined up in a hall like school children with the beggar’s bowl to collect the money. None of them bothered to read the fine prints. Shortly afterwards they started complaining about China demanding its ‘pound of flesh’ or sovereign property in lieu. It shall not be long before one hears similar distress calls regarding Russia.

These are the only African countries (24) that have so far escaped the Russian snare: Namibia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mauritania, Seychelles, Comoros, Somalia, South Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Gabon, Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Liberia, Algeria, Eritrea, Western Sahara, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Uganda, Tunisia, and Djibouti.

In recent days, Joseph Beti Assomo, Cameroon’s defense minister, made a discreet but remarkable visit to Moscow to sign a new military cooperation agreement between the two countries. This symbolic trip comes at a time when the Kremlin has relaunched its offensive in Ukraine.

On 12 April, Cameroon and Russia signed a new military cooperation agreement. Joseph Beti Assomo, the presidency’s minister delegate in charge of defense, had left Yaoundé the day before for Moscow, where he met with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoogou. The latter, who is part of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, initialled the 13-page document on Russia’s behalf.

These frenetic Russian military pacts worldwide from 2015 to 2022 cannot be touted as a response to the claimed Western ‘imperialist’ conspiracy against Russia which uninformed minds advance as so-called ‘justification’ for Russian invasion (which Russia continues to deny), genocide, and the massive and wide destruction of Ukraine. Russia of course lost the UNGA vote formally designating it as aggressor, lost the UNGA vote suspending it from the Human Rights Council, and lost the ICJ case against it – all these diplomatic and legal defeats just within seven weeks.

By Prof Carlson Anyangwe, Cameroon Concord News and The Africa Report

Biya has this foolish Francophone mentality of believing that even the economy would do what the head of state wants

15, April 2022

Biya has this foolish Francophone mentality of believing that even the economy would do what the head of state wants 0

Cameroon under the late President Ahmadou Ahidjo was a nation that offered good employment opportunities and social security to its well-educated population.  When President Paul Biya took over, the country became a place of so little hope that people left in droves.

From widely acclaimed man of rigour and moralization to a despotic dictator, Paul Biya’s 40-year rule of Cameroon has been one of Africa’s most prominent and successful failures.

Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully over his opponents, the 89-year-old Paul Biya has outmaneuvered his political opponents for decades.  He sidelines everyone within his ruling CPDM party and government except his right-hand men in the army, the gendarmerie and the police force. It is extremely difficult to depose him.

For more than three decades, Biya has inspired other leaders in the Sub Saharan region to emulate his tactics and extend their rule by manipulating the constitution and suppressing opposition through violence and intimidation.

Biya’s current violent war in Southern Cameroons is typical of his signature action — and it has devastated Cameroon’s agricultural production, transforming what had been known as Cameroon’s breadbasket into a battle field and creating thousands of refugees.

Biya declared war against the English speaking peoples of Southern Cameroons in ringing rhetoric and stated that Cameroon remains one and indivisible. Today and as I write, it does not matter that the war in Southern Cameroons is claiming the lives of thousands of innocent civilians including army soldiers. What is more important is that billions of FCFA including Covid-19 funds injected into the war  is simply going to Biya’s army generals, Cabinet ministers, cronies and blood relations to his wife, Chantal Biya.

Millions of both French and English speaking Cameroonians have migrated to the West and in neighbouring African countries, and it is routine to find a former High Schoolteacher working as a carer or security agent in Europe or North America.  Thousands of Cameroonians are in Germany, France, UK, Holland and Belgium including the USA. And those who have stayed behind have coped with an unprecedented unemployment rate and tourism has dried up to a trickle.

Biya has this foolish Francophone mentality of believing that even the economy would do what the head of state wants.  His ruling CPDM regime is struggling to manage a dilapidated education and health services while Biya, his family and his closest allies are amassing world-class fortunes.

His Beti Ewondo gangs both in the army and in government have made Cameroon to become one of fear as a result of Biya’s far-reaching domestic spy network, the CENER. Hundreds of opposition supporters have been killed or disappeared in Douala and Yaoundé. Many more including Southern Cameroons detainees are being tortured.

It is very hard to remember that Biya once enjoyed praise for instituting rigour and moralization into Cameroonian politics.  He is now known as a leader who marginalizes critics and restricts freedoms. Human rights groups and the Holy Roman Catholic Church have documented and condemned several killings including the murder of Bishop Balla of the Diocese of Bafia which now remains the darkest stain on Biya’s record and a scar that plagues the country.

Tarnished by the killings currently going on in Southern Cameroons, Biya still has strong backing from the French and he has constantly been using the army, the police and the security network to keep the people subservient.

Biya family’s lavish ways has become outlandish, even to the French Cameroun’s jaded public. The growing outrage among Cameroonians at the excesses is finally spilling over to the military. He is going to fall in a very quick and sad way.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

UK announces controversial plan to fly migrants and asylum-seekers to Rwanda

14, April 2022

UK announces controversial plan to fly migrants and asylum-seekers to Rwanda 0

Britain will send migrants and asylum-seekers who cross the Channel thousands of miles away to Rwanda under a controversial deal announced Thursday as the government tries to clamp down on record numbers of people making the perilous journey.

“From today… anyone entering the UK illegally as well as those who have arrived illegally since January 1 may now be relocated to Rwanda,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a speech near Dover in southeastern England.

“Rwanda will have the capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people in the years ahead,” Johnson said.

He called the East African nation with a sketchy human rights record “one of the safest countries in the world, globally recognised for its record of welcoming and integrating migrants.”

Johnson was elected partly on promises to curb illegal immigration but has instead seen record numbers making the risky Channel crossing.

He also announced that Britain’s border agency would hand responsibility for patrolling the Channel for migrant boats to the navy.

“The Royal Navy will take over operational command from Border Force in the Channel with the aim that no boat makes it to the UK undetected,” Johnson said, announcing extra funds for boats, aircraft and surveillance equipment to help detain people-smugglers at sea.

“This will send a clear message to those piloting the boats. If you risk other people’s lives in the Channel, you risk spending your own life in prison,” he said.

More than 28,000 people arrived in Britain having crossed the Channel from France in small boats in 2021.

Around 90 percent of those were male and three-quarters were men aged between 18 and 39.

The Rwanda plan swiftly drew the ire of opposition politicians who accused Johnson of trying to distract from his being fined for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules, while rights groups slammed the project as “inhumane”.

Ghana and Rwanda had previously been mentioned as possible locations for the UK to outsource the processing of migrants, but Ghana in January denied involvement.

Instead, Kigali on Thursday announcing that it had signed a multi-million-dollar deal to do the job, during a visit by British Home Secretary Priti Patel.

“Rwanda welcomes this partnership with the United Kingdom to host asylum seekers and migrants, and offer them legal pathways to residence” in the East African nation, Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta said in a statement.

“This is about ensuring that people are protected, respected, and empowered to further their own ambitions and settle permanently in Rwanda if they choose,” said Biruta.

The deal with Rwanda will be funded by the UK to the tune of up to 120 million pounds ($157 million, 144 million euros), with migrants “integrated into communities across the country,” it said.

Backlash

Refugee Action’s Tim Naor Hilton accused the government of “offshoring its responsibilities onto Europe’s former colonies instead of doing our fair share to help some of the most vulnerable people on the planet”.

“This grubby cash-for-people plan would be a cowardly, barbaric and inhumane way to treat people fleeing persecution and war,” he said.

Detention Action said that those sent there would “likely face indefinite detention under a government notorious for violent persecution of dissent.”

“At the same time, the UK currently gives asylum to Rwandan refugees fleeing political persecution,” the advocacy group said in a statement.

Scotland’s Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the plan showed that the Conservative government was “institutionally racist”.

The government “rightly provides asylum and refuge to Ukrainians fleeing war, but wants to send others seeking asylum thousands of miles away to Rwanda for ‘processing’,” Yousaf tweeted.

Australia has a policy of sending asylum seekers arriving by boat to detention camps on the Pacific island nation of Nauru, with Canberra vowing no asylum seeker arriving by boat would ever be allowed to permanently settle in Australia.

Since 2015 the UK has “offered a place to over 185,000 men, women and children seeking refuge (…) more than any other similar resettlement schemes in Europe,” Johnson said.

According to the UN refugee agency, Germany received the highest number of asylum applicants (127,730) in Europe in 2021, followed by France (96,510), while the UK received the fourth largest number of applicants (44,190).

Source:  AFP

French Politics: Why Macron will need to work his socks off to beat Le Pen this time

14, April 2022

French Politics: Why Macron will need to work his socks off to beat Le Pen this time 0

French President Emmanuel Macron improved on his 2017 score in Sunday’s first round of the presidential election. But he goes into the April 24 run-off with a starkly diminished reservoir of votes in what large swaths of the country have come to see as a choice of “the lesser of two evils”.

Macron trounced the same far-right candidate in a lopsided contest five years ago, but polls are pointing to a much closer race this time amid widespread dismay at a rematch voters have long said they didn’t want.

Following the first round, Macron is on course to beat Le Pen by 54% to 46%, according to a projection by pollsters Ipsos-Sopra Steria for FRANCE 24. Other polls have suggested the gap could be as narrow as two percentage points. In any case, Macron is polling well below the 66% he won in 2017 against the very same opponent.

In Sunday’s first round, the incumbent president trailed Le Pen in every age category except the over-65s, who voted massively in his favour. Without their support, he wouldn’t even be in the run-off. But the inability to generate enthusiasm among younger voters is just one of Macron’s problems after five troubled years in office and a lacklustre campaign overshadowed by the war in Ukraine.

“Macron’s reservoir of votes is extremely weak,” said Martial Foucault, head of the Cevipof institute in Paris, noting that rivals from the mainstream whose supporters are most likely to rally behind him have been all but wiped off the political map.

“The scores of the Socialist Party (1.7%) and Les Républicains (4.8%) suggest many of their supporters already voted tactically in the first round. And the more ‘Macron-compatible’ among them gave their votes to the incumbent,” Foucault told FRANCE 24. While Macron can also count on the support of voters who backed the Greens’ Yannick Jadot (4.6%) and the Communists’ Fabien Roussel (2.3%), “we’re talking about a very limited pool of voters”, Foucault added.

At the other end of the spectrum, Le Pen can reasonably expect to pick up most of the 7.1% of voters who backed her far-right rival Éric Zemmour and the 2.1% who went for nationalist right-winger Nicolas Dupont-Aignan – with both candidates throwing their support behind her on Sunday night. Their combined total brings the far right’s tally to an unprecedented 32.5% – underscoring a profound shift in the French electorate and pointing to a substantial reservoir of votes for Le Pen ahead of the April 24 run-off.

Source: France 24

Corrupt France: Macron leads first round of election, to face Le Pen in run-off

10, April 2022

Corrupt France: Macron leads first round of election, to face Le Pen in run-off 0

French President Emmanuel Macron will face the far right’s Marine Le Pen in a presidential run-off on April 24 after leading the first round on Sunday with 28.5% of the vote to Le Pen’s 23.6%, according to an Ipsos exit poll.

Macron was projected to win 28.5% of the vote, ahead of Le Pen (23.6%) and third-placed Jean-Luc Mélenchon (20.3%), according to projections by our partners Ipsos Sopra Steria.

Some 48.7 million voters were called to the polls for Sunday’s first round. By 5pm, 65 percent of registered voters had cast a ballot, down 4.4 points on the previous election in 2017.

Twelve candidates, from the far left to the far right, were on the ballot for the first round. The two finalists will vie for France’s top job in two weeks’ time, on April 24.

Source: France 24

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