afritechnews – by Angeline Mbogo

July 7, 2020

The fact that several African countries have been under the influence of the French for about 75 years now is stunning. Unable to let its colonies go, France continues to exploit African countries with unfair obligations, one of which has raised a raging debate over the years.

Dubbed the colonial tax, the infamous obligation on CFA Franc Zone members requires them to “keep 50 percent of their foreign exchange reserves in an operations account held at the French Treasury.”

Continue reading What is the French Colonial Tax? →

US Department of Staate

REMARKS

ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE

UN HEADQUARTERS

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

AUGUST 1, 2022Play Video

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Good afternoon.  Secretary General Guterres, President Zlauvinen – thank you – Director General Grossi:  Thank you all for your longstanding leadership on nonproliferation.

I noted that Prime Minister Kishida of Japan is here as well this morning, which sends a very powerful message.  Earlier this year, he reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to nonproliferation in a joint statement with President Biden.

And a very special thanks to the foreign ministers, the deputy foreign ministers, the teams who have traveled to New York for these meetings and to get us off to a good start.

It’s great to be with you all here in person today, especially – especially – given the critical role the NPT has played in upholding the global nonproliferation regime.

More than five decades ago, at the height of the Cold War, representatives of 18 nations drafted the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

In the years that followed, nearly every country on Earth has joined the NPT.

A year after US withdrawal from Afghanistan, some frustration at lack of lessons learned

Voice of America – 12-8-2022
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US State and Defense Departments are conducting ongoing internal after-action reports on the withdrawal, but timeline of release remains unclear

The Indonesian Chinese still grappling with discrimination

South China Morning Post – 26-10-2018

Indonesian Chinese make up just three per cent of the country’s population, but they have played a prominent role in its history. A driving force behind Indonesia’s economic growth, they have also been the target of violent riots and xenophobic sentiment, with many leaving the country where their ancestors have lived for generations. Although they are allowed to express their ethnicity and culture openly again, a resurgence of nationalist sentiments have brought their place in Indonesian society back into question.

Between two superpowers: Indonesia’s position in the US-China rivalry

South China Morning Post – 25-7-2022

Indonesia is the largest developing economy in Southeast Asia, with a gross domestic product of over US$1 trillion. The country’s size and location have made it Indonesia an attractive strategic partner for China and the United States to influence the Asean region. Indonesia has attempted to remain neutral in the China-U.S rivalry, but if tensions between the two continue to rise, will Indonesia be forced to take sides or adopt a foreign policy that doesn’t align with either superpower?