Djibouti president appeals for regional unity ahead of Arab League summit

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, President Ismail Omar Guelleh warned that the conflicts in Sudan and Yemen are some of the main challenges facing the Arab world. (FILE/AFP)
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Updated 19 May 2023
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Djibouti president appeals for regional unity ahead of Arab League summit

  • Ismail Omar Guelleh lauds critical Saudi role in securing Red Sea security, aid to Sudan in Asharq Al-Awsat interview 
  • Djibouti leader says Syria’s return to the Arab League could bring security and stability to the war-torn country

RIYADH: The president of Djibouti has hailed Saudi Arabia’s support for his country, appealing for regional unity in the face of growing challenges ahead of Friday’s historic Arab League summit.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, President Ismail Omar Guelleh warned that the conflicts in Sudan and Yemen are some of the main challenges facing the Arab world, in addition to recent Israeli attacks against Islam and Christianity in Jerusalem, as well as fighting in Syria, Libya and Somalia.

Guelleh said: “We hope that the Arab summit hosted by Saudi Arabia will lead to recommendations and decisions that contribute to resolving critical situations and difficult conditions faced by the Arab world, while preserving unity and solidarity among Arab brothers.”

The Djibouti leader hailed Syria’s return to the Arab League, adding that re-engagement with Damascus could bring security and stability to the country.

He said: “It is undeniable that the absence of an Arab state and its distancing from Arab consensus and decisions is regrettable. The Syrian file has been the scene of numerous international and regional negotiations since the beginning of the crisis.

“We are convinced and remain committed to a political solution as the only way out of the Syrian crisis, responding to the aspirations of the Syrian people and supporting efforts to achieve a political settlement that ends the suffering of our Syrian brethren.

“We welcome these efforts and the progress made in ending the political isolation of Syria, thereby alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people and meeting their aspirations for security and stability.”

The attendance of Syrian President Bashar Assad at the Jeddah summit on Friday marks a natural re-integration, Guelleh said, adding: “The Arab world is not isolated from geopolitical changes, and it is natural for any Arab country to cooperate with any bloc, whether economic or military, if it sees its interest in it, provided it does not contradict common Arab action and the principles of the international community.”

Red Sea maritime security is another area of concern, the president said, hailing Saudi efforts in the sphere.




Jeddah Municipality Hoists Flags of Countries Participating in 32nd Arab Summit. Photo: (SPA)

“Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to establish a common security regime in the Red Sea in 1956, known as the Jeddah Charter. Djibouti’s position at the entrance of the Bab Al-Mandab Strait gives it a central role in efforts to preserve security, stability, protect maritime navigation and combat terrorism,” he added.

“Djibouti was one of the first countries to ratify in January 2020 the Charter of the Council of Arab and African States bordering the Red Sea.”

But the most pressing issue, Guelleh said, is the situation in Sudan, with violence claiming the lives of more than 800 people since April 15.

He said: “We closely monitor the developments and events facing Sudan with great concern, and we express our full readiness through our membership in numerous continental and regional organizations to do everything possible to preserve the stability and unity of dear Sudan and to achieve the interest of its fraternal people. Within the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, we are ready to initiate active mediation.

“Indeed, the presidents of the Republic of Djibouti, Kenya and South Sudan have been designated to travel to Sudan, and consultations are still ongoing to begin mediation.

“However, the visit of the three presidents to Khartoum depends on the cessation of hostilities and the maintenance of the ceasefire. We hope that the organization's initiative will contribute to finding an urgent solution to the crisis, which has been worsening since mid-April. We also commend the mediation of Saudi Arabia and the US, which led to the Jeddah Agreement to protect civilians.”

Regarding tensions surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Djibouti president said: “Our vision regarding the Renaissance Dam issue is clear and unwavering, and it aims to reach an agreement that results in a satisfactory settlement for all parties concerned.

“We are optimistic about resolving this crisis, and we believe it will not have any impact on the relations between Arab and African countries. Thus, the concerned countries must agree on an equitable distribution of Nile waters and benefit from it in a just and sufficient manner for all. The Nile should unite all countries rather than divide them.”

Guelleh praised the “deep-rooted relations” between Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, hailing the Kingdom’s support for his country.

Saudi support has continued in political, economic, educational and other fields, he added, noting the Djibouti-Saudi Commission’s role as a general framework for bilateral cooperation, as well as a consultative council of businessmen between the two countries.

Guelleh said that Saudi support also includes humanitarian action in Djibouti, with Saudi infrastructure, through KSrelief, being built in the northern port town of Obock to accommodate a large number of Yemeni refugees.

The Djibouti president expressed his gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their role in various international and regional domains.

 


Mozambique deploys soldiers ahead of planned protests

Updated 4 sec ago
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Mozambique deploys soldiers ahead of planned protests

  • The southern African nation has been rocked by violence since an October 9 vote
  • Main opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane says results were false and that he won
MAPUTO: Soldiers and police were patrolling Mozambique’s capital Maputo early Thursday ahead of a planned protest against election results seen by the opposition as fraudulent, AFP reporters said.
The southern African nation has been rocked by violence since an October 9 vote won by the Frelimo party, which has been in power for almost 50 years.
The city of more than one more million people was a ghost town on Thursday morning, with shops, banks, schools and universities closed.
A group of a dozen demonstrators, many wearing flip flops and one man wrapped in a Mozambican flag, gathered around 0700 GMT on one of the main streets before being told by a soldier to go home.
Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo won the presidential election with 71 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission, while the main opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane came in second with 20 percent.
Mondlane, backed by the small Podemos party, who said results were false and that he won, called for a mass protest on Thursday.
Using social media, he has rallied supporters out onto the streets since the election in demonstrations that have turned violent in police crackdowns.
In an interview with AFP, the opposition leader, whose whereabouts are unknown, said he would not be present at the march due to concerns over his safety.
At least 18 protesters have been killed in post-electoral violence, according to Human Rights Watch. Local NGO the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD) said the death toll was 24.
A police officer was also killed in a protest at the weekend, Defense Minister Cristovao Chume told reporters Tuesday, warning the army could intervene “to protect the interests of the state.”
“There is an intention to change the democratically established power,” he said, amid fears that outgoing President Filipe Nyusi could declare a state of emergency.
Nyusi is expected to step down early next year at the end of his two-term limit.
The authorities have restricted access to Internet across the country in what seemed like an effort to “suppress peaceful protests and public criticism of the government,” according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
“The shutdown inhibits people’s ability to receive and use life-saving information, to assemble peacefully, and to express their political opinions in a time of crisis,” said Allan Ngari, Africa advocacy director at HRW.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on Wednesday that he was “deeply alarmed by reports of violence across the country.”
“The police must refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force and ensure that they manage protests in line with Mozambique’s international human rights obligations,” he said.
The Southern African Development Community has called for an extraordinary summit between November 16 and 20 in part to discuss developments in Mozambique.

Trial operation to remove radioactive debris from Fukushima nuclear plant successful

Updated 46 min 48 sec ago
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Trial operation to remove radioactive debris from Fukushima nuclear plant successful

  • Extracting the estimated 880 tonnes of highly radioactive fuel and debris from Fukushima remains the most challenging part of the decades-long decommissioning process

TOKYO: A difficult operation to remove a small piece of radioactive debris from Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant using a robotic device was completed successfully, the plant operator said Thursday, after technical issues halted earlier attempts.
Extracting the estimated 880 tonnes of highly radioactive fuel and debris from Fukushima remains the most challenging part of the decades-long decommissioning process.
But radioactivity levels inside the former power station, which went into meltdown in 2011 after being hit by a catastrophic tsunami, are too high for humans to enter.
So engineers used a specially developed extendible robotic device to remove a sample with a diameter of five millimeters (0.2 inches), aiming to study it for clues about conditions inside the stricken reactors.
The trial debris removal began in September, after an initial attempt in August was suspended at an early stage over a problem with the equipment’s installation.
Another technical snag related to cameras on the apparatus caused a pause of over a month before the procedure resumed in late October.
On Thursday, plant operator TEPCO said it had “completed the trial removal of fuel debris,” declaring the operation a success after several complex steps.
Over the weekend, the robot managed to remove a piece of debris from a containment vessel surrounding a damaged reactor for the first time.
Technicians then tested the radiation level of the sample on Tuesday and put it in a special container.
It will be sent to research institutes in Ibaraki north of Tokyo for analysis, a TEPCO spokeswoman said, adding that the company is still studying when it will be able to start the full-fledged removal of the radioactive debris.
Three of Fukushima’s six reactors were operating when the tsunami hit on March 11, 2011, triggering the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
Japan last year began releasing into the Pacific Ocean some of the 540 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of treated reactor cooling water amassed since the disaster.
The step sparked a diplomatic row with China and Russia, both of which banned seafood imports, although Japan insists the discharge is safe, a view backed by the UN atomic agency.
Beijing, however, said in September it would “gradually resume” importing seafood from Japan after imposing the blanket ban.


EU leaders call on Georgia to probe vote ‘irregularities’

Updated 07 November 2024
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EU leaders call on Georgia to probe vote ‘irregularities’

  • They added they would not be able to support the ex-Soviet republic’s ambitions to join the European Union

BUDAPEST: The leaders of France, Germany and Poland called on Georgia Thursday to quickly probe “numerous irregularities” during a recent parliamentary poll won by the Russia-leaning ruling party but contested by the pro-Western opposition.
In a joint statement, the EU countries’ leaders said they were “deeply concerned by the numerous irregularities and voter intimidation” reported during the vote.
They added they would not be able to support the ex-Soviet republic’s ambitions to join the European Union unless it showed it was serious about carrying out necessary reforms.
“If Georgia does not change course by demonstrating concrete efforts in terms of reform... we will not be able to support the opening of accession negotiations with this country to the European Union,” French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a joint statement.
The pro-Western opposition in Georgia, a small country tucked in the Caucasus, has refused to recognize the ruling Georgian Dream party’s win in the October 26 election or to enter the newly elected parliament, which it calls “illegitimate.”
The European Union and the United States blasted “irregularities” in the vote, while Georgian Dream’s opponents have accused it of putting the Caucasus country on a pro-Kremlin track.


Philippines evacuates thousands ahead of Typhoon Yinxing

Updated 07 November 2024
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Philippines evacuates thousands ahead of Typhoon Yinxing

  • Packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour, Typhoon Yinxing could make landfall in the northern Philippines later in the day or early Friday, the state weather agency

MANILA: The Philippines has evacuated thousands of people from coastal communities ahead of a major typhoon, officials said Thursday, just weeks after a tropical cyclone left at least 150 people dead.
Packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour, Typhoon Yinxing could make landfall in the northern Philippines later in the day or early Friday, the state weather agency said.
Yinxing is the third storm in less than a month to threaten the Philippines after Severe Tropical Storm Trami and Super Typhoon Kong-rey together left 158 people dead, the national disaster agency said, with most of that tally attributed to Trami.
At least 17,000 people from coastal areas of Cagayan province, in the country’s far north, moved into temporary shelters on Wednesday to avoid potential flooding from heavy rains now pounding the region, provincial rescue official Rueli Rapsing told AFP.
“I’m expecting more evacuees to arrive since there is an ongoing evacuation in the municipalities,” Rapsing said.
The national weather agency said Cagayan, home to about 1.3 million people, might bear the brunt of Yinxing based on its current trajectory.
“We have already depleted the quick response fund of the province and we’re actually asking the national disaster council for the replenishment of the quick response fund so we can provide assistance,” Rapsing said.
In Ilocos Norte province near Cagayan, rescuers were on standby to help local police, fire officers and soldiers in emergency response, provincial rescue official Randy Nicolas told AFP.
Nicolas said they are closely monitoring possible landslides, floods and swelling of rivers in the province, with storm surges — huge waves along the coast, also a concern in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan.
Disaster officials in the mountainous province of Apayao said almost 500 people have been evacuated.
“We really prioritized preemptive evacuations because we want to have zero deaths here in Apayao,” provincial disaster official Aldrin Agmata told AFP.
School has been suspended in many areas of the north and President Ferdinand Marcos put all government agencies on high alert so they can swiftly respond.
“Remember, every life is important so we should always be prepared,” Marcos said in a statement on Wednesday.


Japan PM to boost defense alliance with ‘very friendly’ Trump

Updated 07 November 2024
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Japan PM to boost defense alliance with ‘very friendly’ Trump

  • Key allies Japan and the United States are each other’s top foreign investors

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Thursday he had agreed with US president-elect Donald Trump in a phone call to strengthen the nations’ alliance, after the tycoon’s victory sent defense-related shares surging.
Trump’s “America First” approach could mean less cash from Washington for security in the Asia-Pacific region, analysts say — with investors betting on Japan upgrading its own military capacities.
Key allies Japan and the United States are each other’s top foreign investors, and 54,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan, mostly in Okinawa east of Taiwan.
Ishiba, who took office just over a month ago, said he and Trump hoped to organize a face-to-face meeting “as soon as possible,” describing the president-elect as “very friendly.”
“He is the kind of person I will be able to talk to candidly,” Ishiba told reporters.
“I would like to hold active discussions on the strengthening of the Japan-US alliance from various standpoints including specific equipment, operations and integration, not just money,” he added.
Shares in Japanese defense contractor IHI ended up nearly 20 percent Wednesday, as Trump’s victory began to look secure, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries gained almost 10 percent.
The expectation is “that Trump will demand that allies do more and spend more to defend themselves,” said Claudia Junghyun Kim, an assistant professor of international affairs at City University of Hong Kong.
Japan is already in the process of doubling its military spending to the NATO standard of two percent of GDP.
“This pressure from Trump doesn’t exactly clash with Ishiba’s hope to increase defense spending,” Kim told AFP, and it “should be good news for Japan’s defense industry.”
US elections
When Trump last won a US election in 2016, then-prime minister Shinzo Abe was the first foreign leader to meet the president-elect at his Manhattan skyscraper.
Japanese media said Ishiba could arrange a trip to the United States around the time he attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru this month.
“On a personal level, Ishiba might be in a challenging position” when he meets Trump, Daisuke Kawai, deputy director of the University of Tokyo’s economic security research program, told AFP.
“Ishiba is a railway enthusiast who doesn’t enjoy golf or social dinners, and unlike Abe, he’s not particularly adept at engaging in social or entertaining conversations. This could mean their personal chemistry may not align well.”
Both Ishiba and Trump perceive the US-Japan alliance as unequal — but in opposite directions — so “initiating productive discussions could be difficult,” Kawai added.
Ishiba led his ruling coalition to a disastrous loss of its majority in snap elections last month.
He is expected to lead a minority government or widen the coalition to include other parties.
Japan and the EU announced a sweeping new security and defense pact on Friday.
Kawai said it was important for Tokyo to build a defense ecosystem “that generates profits through joint production with other countries.”
Japan, which for decades has relied on the United States for military hardware, is also developing a new fighter jet with EU member Italy and Britain set to be airborne by 2035.