a key role for organize is getting ready to host the middle east. biggest ever sporting event next year. and for the castle national team. it's like it used to playing in front of expectant home crowds. they'll be hoping to convince both the fans and themselves. so they really all ready to take on the world. and the richardson algae. sarah cuts off elevate stadium. ah, this is al jazeera, these are the top stories. uganda is deploying troops across the border in democratic republic of congo, as it baffled and it's all his air strikes on tuesday against the allied democratic forces as possible. joint operation with the congolese army, malcolm web is in my robi with more military operation began with strikes and authentic fire. as you mentioned, coming from you gotten to directed it adf, bases in eastern congo, then tuesday afternoon. you got it. and so just cross the border on some video and

pictures of those you've gotten into entering eastern comment of this part of east in congo is thick forest is we've been there before is so thick that when you take a step off the roads, you can even be impossible to, to get through this vegetation and we didn't need for the adf has, has its high down hidden bases that isn't very difficult terrain to, to hunt down. an armed group, nigerian health officials have found the new ami kron variance of cobra 19 was presence in the country as early as october. center for disease control says retrospective sequencing, and previously confirmed cases identified the barrier among travelers, africa, the most populous country has discovered 2 more cases. this week the ukrainian president means linda says direct talks with moscow and required to end the war in its eastern region of don bass. this comes as nato foreign ministers meet for

a 2nd day in the latvian capital. the united states and the taliban ended 2 days of meetings here in cattle, where they discussed the humanitarian crisis in afghanistan. the taliban asked the us to release financial assets and to remove sanctions. washington is calling on the taliban to ensure the rights of africa and then form and inclusive government. the u. n says more than half the people in afghanistan suffering from acute food shortages, this winter, european diplomats habits iran to show it serious about salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal. on tuesday, representatives from russia, china, germany, france, and the united kingdom met with iranian officials in vienna. iran one sanction lifted in return for limiting its nuclear program. those are your headlines. the news continues after al jazeera. i will see you very soon. bye bye. news.

news. news. what bill getting that budget back seems and a pledge to continue funding development across africa. the can china avoid criticism over taking advantage of natural resources and startling, developing nations with unsustainable says, this is inside story. ah, ah, ah, hello. hello robin, welcome to the program. china's president cheating ping has promised african nations, 1000000000 corona virus vaccines and it's pledge to continue economic investment in the region. she made the comment virtually as part of the annual for among the

china africa corporation. as the to day summit in synagogue comes to a close, china emphasized how crucial a partnership is. china is africa, largest trading partner with nearly $190000000000.00 in trade. so let's take a closer look at china's long term investment plans in africa. chinese foreign direct investment in the continent was almost $3000000000.00 in 2020, totaling all the $50000000000.00 ever all, almost a 3rd of that investment has gone into the construction infrastructure development areas. now that helped make china africa's biggest trading partner is also given china premier access to much needed rule materials to fuel economy. is the largest importer of copper and cobalt from africa, most of it extracted by chinese finance companies. but this investment has also come with a heavy debt burden. chinese finance comes with an average full point, 2 percent interest rate far higher than other international options.

the well, it's bringing august. joining me from nairobi as hassan can n g, the director of horn international institute for strategic studies in london, anthony goldman, he's the head of pro media consulting, which advises companies and institutions on business and political risk in africa. and some beijing, china we have and democracy in the research fellow at the center for china and globalization. a welcome gentleman to all of you, mr. can you just give you the 1st question? i mean, to understand china's contact with africa, we have to sort of go back to its origin and 1st contact you might say between the 2 continents that the 500 years ago, back in the 15th century, early trade was that initial contact that they had it was very important and it still remains important to day. it is indeed true that the interaction between china on the continent go back hundreds of years ago at the time of cause that

preceded colonialism. and this is something that he thought to be an established based on the evidence of any questions along that and call and leased up in quote that actually go back about a 1000 years ago. now the actions were significantly mortified, of course, in the following. the 2nd world war in which after the coming to the tomb, the communist party. so he failed to work with a lot of liberation movements for the continent. and they remained very supportive, specially on the left wing side of african politics and much of the cold war. and they being that he's paying him to, especially in the cold war period in we're trying to soften train us lessons, father by publishing a more presidency down. so robot economic as well. and then bringing in to the golden there because you've very neatly brought me to that post 2nd world war.

ready period and the cold war, andy that obviously saw china, you might say, come in under the radar, dare i say it into, into africa, to deal with those governments or more left leaning, more sympathetic clinical trial itself. and i'm quoting hippa mounts you don't hear what he also described himself in china as being part of the 3rd world. they, they recognise and had an affiliation with parts of africa that was very important in building a relationship. yes, i think so as part of that, i think that there were projects that are in china began to engage with following on from that support for countries in southern africa. so for example, building infrastructure, we're way between 10000 here and san via the seen as a kind of a landmark thing of, in, in the 1970 to landmark achievement in terms of infrastructure. mostly, i think, in that period of the cold, well,

the most visible presence was actually the tensions between china and taiwan. and you could give to african capitals and see the competition if you like, between taiwanese built a policy or a chinese built national stadium. and in the sense that this was some of that competition, even today or china is still anxious that countries in africa didn't look too far to, to tie one for support. but on the whole, i think since the end of the cold war has been much more in favor of trying to build your actual economic ties based solely around strategy and diplomacy is support for the ever increasing ever demand chinese industry. i'm bringing on the mark that you want to come in hearing our 2 previous speakers there, andy, and without giving off you as a full history lesson which this program is not. certainly, chinese influence in the region and on the continent has been long standing and

continues to be certainly after this conversational virtual conversation they've had this year. no indeed. so he'll, so i would just very briefly start with $949.00 with the founding of the people's republic of china. and you quoted dr. jones, i think from j, one of the establishment of new china. the philosophy has been to treat africa with a spirit of sincerity, genuine cooperation and mutual respect. and i think that is a comment the read the decades since 1949 to today in terms of understanding the relationship between china and the content. would you say, though, that you say they want to try and treat all of those countries with equal respect? but there was also this cold war between russia and the united states of russia and the west. and they wanted to gain influence in africa as well. do. ready you think

that china itself at that time was also very mindful of what its position could be or should be in the future if and when the cold war ended. you know, certainly, and the world has changed tremendously since the early fifties. so geopolitically, of course, we've seen the cold war between the soviet union, right, states and trying to played an important part of that geo. strategically. and from that perspective, i think certainly africa has been seen as a battleground, maybe even a playground for, of course, colonial powers. and i think today as well, we've seen in the news, i'm sure on this top of the united states wanting to contest change in for africa. but i think one of the things to point out to you, touched on here is that china is always in itself,

is part of the developing world. and i think rightly so, today we're trying to, we'll never forget that it is a number of the group of developing nations. and if we go back to kings, cross the river by dealing with sellers, i think with china has very clearly stated in the last few years, is that it has found the way across the river. and now is willing to show that path . but without imposing any type of ideology or any kind of political or economic mechanisms around with that and letting africa other parts of the world develop on their own terms. again, to any kind of didn't bring you in because of the china may see itself a whatever terms it wants to. but china is viewed by some i. e, the us in turns its influence across africa, a bit of a bogeyman. i mean, they need to new enemy, you might say, sometimes it's how many can make enemy, and that is china. yes, i think there's something in that. i mean, i think,

i think it certainly at the beginning of china's new economic engagement with africa maybe 20 years ago. that some of that rhetoric about, you know, china being their apartment not having a kind of an agenda. the china had its own experience, a rapid growth and taking the bus poverty industrialization that might have had some current. i don't think it really does any more to think anybody in africa are really things that china is just, you know, another potential source of financing and other potential and a competitive for projects. and i think i was speaking earlier this week with the vision in an african countries at the bottom of the better for people who are less about what china thought of africa and what african needed from its partners. and i think this, the competition, if you like, between rival power doesn't do

a great deal for the people who ultimately mean to benefit in terms of actually providing project on their merits. projects that are commercially viable and have less kind of, of this rhetorical baggage. you know, that makes more sense perhaps in worship or, or even beijing, perhaps in burkina faso or was ambia. we'll talk about the specific economy economic in the moment. but, and can just come back to you, you know, africa itself, and it's a subsequent nation's within the continent of how to deal with military cruise, cross border confrontation, climate change in family and ethnic rivalries. each country has its own beset problems. how has china, in your opinion, been able to maintain a good relationship with all those different sorts of regimes and governments when they've had this whole range of problems across the continent? i think china has learned from some of the mistakes that were done by previous powers, especially europe,

under the united states in parts because he does not choose government will africans. and that is that attractive to us and leadership, which me often sometimes is not accountable. and sometimes they ended up. secondly, african countries up on the top of a growth, legible, in part because the country that these previously been classified at the thought was been though that's the political. but increasingly, of course, it's moving into the higher stages of being and above the economy. but sadly, i think because china looks at africa the partner and does not speak to involving the colonel affairs living, developing countries. it has the low but friends and enemies within the continent to be able to work with china respect. but with government of the days in po and i think because of the kind of relation to build a why and it was literally poor today, the perception of people talking to shoot. but he's sticking to build even at the

cost of increase, that the most countries of them says in china has been able to be successful in areas where for instance, the west high speed. and also, because it does not have the baggage, and it's not viewed as negatively some of the, with the metropolis you've been though, as i did mention, they've been increasing a st. that a number of countries that thinking by the, indicating the state that it's going to prevent, sustain it pointing. there is this anthony goal there is a real debate going on is now at the moment about africa's results says what china wants and what it needs. it for in terms of manufacturing and product base. i mean, when we look at some of the statistics, 6 countries make up 68 percent of total exports. a goal counting for 3rd, a goal or libya. import oh, all from ga ball, but also impulse oil and manganese republic of congo. a series of reports. we've had an outage there, a news you know, and the democratic republic of congo extracts cobalt and copper. i mean,

there's lots of natural resources that china requires a know and, and the balance of payments is lopsided as well. you know, what africa is able to buy of china is, is far less than what china you might say takes from africa. you make a very good point. i mean, after is not the country, obviously there's a huge distinction between the, my favorite trading partners and some of those countries where maybe china has much less of a relationship and a half acre, particularly important. i think we've seen some growth in, in, in west africa in reason is china's try to track nigeria with different degrees of success. but i think that on top of the products, that the role interiors typically that china seeks to secure from africa, the energy security, minerals, security, it needs for growth in that sense. it is fairly familiar to the kind of patterns of

economic engagement that other industrialized countries sequence africa. one of the differences, perhaps, is china as a major, manufacture o g and cheaper products, is that actually there's quite a lot in all traders that's not always capture in the official data between china and africa. quite a lot of that skipped, obviously because of the pandemic and the lack of travel over the last 18 months or so. but until i knew they were regular flights from direct and china parts of africa where some traders even were going picking up pretty good. see, and they sell market. so i think that the picture isn't always captured by the big data if you like. and i think that has been quite a deep relationship from the top as well as the bottom with africa. even we're trying to strategic interest to focus more on a particular and small set countries. and the more teaching paying it out, the fact that they would be less money being invested in africa as

a continent that can be interpreted in many ways. one of the ways that it has been interpreted is that china is listening to what african needs and adapting its finances accordingly. others are suggesting that china is walking away from africa . what's your interpretation of it? well, i think the reality is much more complex and nuanced portrayed in such black and white binary terms. and i want to back up a little bit with you. earlier speaker said about trainer wording. some lessons from the european and perhaps the americans in dealing with africa. i would say it's much more profound than that. and the china brings a true sense of empathy in working with the continent because china has not that long ago struggled with exactly the same issues. high mortality rates mounted tricia and etc, etc. so i think that it's coming from a very,

very different place. and the philosophy, the principles are non interference and respect for each country and $6000.00 choices. so i think that allows it to deal much more effectively with the country of africa. now that leads us to the current question, what you just asked, what is trying to do now or going forward? i think it's important to recognize that china does not look at africa as a patron client relationship. but again, if we think about it as mutual respect, when, when there will always be adjustments, we look at trade with africa. it's been about $200000000000.00 a year over the last 5 years or so. but it goes up and down based on exactly this factors as well as domestic market considerations. so i think that the longer term direction is much,

much greater interaction and integration with africa. but we have to see how that unfolds in terms of investments, trade details, all kinds of other things, technical assistance i've been trying to provide about 45. it's for an aide to africa. and you let me just bring in mr. kennedy, you would not in your head to in, i think in agreement with some of the points are being made. but can i also add to what you might want to say now in a teaching ping has said that he wants to open green lanes for african agricultural exports. he wants to speed up inspection and quarantine procedures to increase a scope of products with 0 type of treatment to help achieve a goal. one of seems of equality of trade equality is that how you see it being part a response to increasing sentimental the continent that the payment the handling of china. therefore china is trying to. ready look ways and we pick them up and it is

important to know that they still increase the appeal of china while it comically sticking. sometimes i often to remit and economies it's on image, but by following it on pop, it does not speak to me, africa and funny making sense of violence. and i think those 2 things, one connected is to constants. how our look at the recent means that by the leader of china as more public diplomacy, but it main to the speed of the continent. and generally, the local population that has been complaining about increased chinese influence in ways that sometimes the frontage is anthony goldman are becoming but for this question by 31 to andy mark bouncing spring in earlier in the week we showed on al jazeera report, why chinese mind officials had sanctioned the beating of

a local man in the democratic republic of congo for stealing cobalt rock. this was videoed, as we showed widely, we reported on it when anti mot says that, you know, china's initial force always by empathy with africa being equal with africa, understanding the needs of africa. when you see video like this, it undermines that argument, doesn't it about what china really wants? and this is the you might say, the tag, the western media, western government grab hold up and say, you see, this is what china is really about. well, it does, and i think that there may be a difference between policy from headquarters and what actually happens on the ground. and certainly i think that's not the only instance. everybody is a common man down there been a couple of instances from, you know, from west africa as well as similar things where relations at the coal face always literally deteriorate quite sharply. i mean, i think that that's probably true with lots of foreign companies, but the idea that china is somehow very distinct and much better in that regard is

like, right. we have a few events, a lot of place on the ground is where it's been captured in the way you describe. and it's also true that in certain, in some of those countries where china has had it's most active engagement, it's also become a domestic political issue. in zambia, certain populous mileage, the political parties make in making an issue out of chinese investments and other elements of chinese policy. because although china was never clean, your power to see in africa has been quite a lot of immigration from china as part of it. griffin, over it ties with africa. and i think, you know, with a 1000000 people who move to africa with the last 20 years from china, and that's concentrated in a few places and sometimes not always with positive results. these are difficult changes to make and not, not changes that happen easier overnight and like coming for

a brief comment for you on that as well. no, i would absolutely agree. i think it's intellectually just honest to attribute the actions for the misdeeds of an individual to a government policy. i mean, we all know that those of us that i'm sure every, all of us have interacted with large organizations, whether governmental or for profit. and one of the big challenges, especially for chinese enterprises working in a place far from harm with a different language, different culture, different customs that these are very, very difficult circumstances. i think it would be surprised some sort of mistakes, for instance, did not happen. we also need to recognize mining is a difficult business as rotten so these are unfortunate and i think that they should not happen in an ideal world, but certainly as far as i know, there is no policy on the chinese side to control these types of actions hassan can,

can n g, i just come back to you now call. shooting ping has promised a 1000000000 doses of the coven 19 chinese made vaccine to the continent. obviously a welcome donation. but it comes in the context of the world health organization who promised them to kovacs the africa would be looked after western countries did nothing did very little. we've been reporting for 18 months. they've done something but not enough, not enough of mutations to appear. china, we're again helping out as much as it possibly can. where do you stand on this? do you see this is some sort of medical, bribery in any shape. awful. know, i will say the extension of your politics, you know, going on, especially between the roots are seen all rational lions different atlantic alliance. and i think why and there was a little bit, but especially from the day 90 things to pain pain. i love money, corporate team. it has worked its way into lots of hats and mines of people

efficient developing walked on. so what did donation means? eighty's be puzzling to and to the optics of china. we have been doing more excellently despite some of the propaganda that should be shared. of course, we got some of the my rights relation that it and i think the very long way because the west has largely not been us. and especially europe, united states has been trying out, but cause i think it's happening with this on issues and the other things a lot of but seen a national engine that has limited ability of the west to actually get africa in a way that is going to be appreciated, they're not coming very close to the end of the programmer and the kinds of combat to soft power. how important design in terms of chinese policy, is it a word that's use? is it a phrase that use? and do you see the vaccine donation in that same sort of area? absolutely. so i think soft power is sometimes referred to in the chinese context,

this discourse power. and in a world where we face global challenges and global responses are required. the ability to be heard taken seriously have one's views and opinions seen as legitimate is vital. and i think one of the big issues we're seeing here is at places with market driven economies like the us, they are not able to overcome structural limitations of we're profit companies wanting to protect their bottom line. whereas china, us is able to act in the interest of this country in the world. and i think this is an important factor in its increasing discourse power. well, i'm sure we'll be coming back to the subject, not too distant future. sadly, the gentleman, we have to leave it hudson can n g, anthony goldman and andy mark and i, roby london and basing gentlemen, thank you for joining me here. and thank you for watching as well. you can see the program again any time by visiting our website out there at dot com for further discussion gateway facebook page,

that's facebook dot com forward slash ha inside story. you can also join the compensation on twitter handle. there is at a j inside story. for me, so robin, the insights always seems like your time and your company. the news me in less than a year capital hope, the middle east? well, in preparation the country is staging a major problem and 16 nations going head to head in 6 stadiums to

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indonesia is progressively ensuring the policy reform to create quality jobs. invest, let to be part when the news is growth and progress in indonesia now. ah, hello there, i'm the stars. he attained our how at the top stories here on out as aaron. uganda is deploying soldiers across the border into democratic republic of congo as it battles and armed a group. it follows air strikes against the allied democratic forces on tuesday as part of a joint operation with the congolese army. the army group is based in eastern congo and is said to have links to i feel uganda, blame that for 3 bomb attacks and that's capital compiler. earlier this month or ugandan troops entered the d. r c at the know billy crossing that's in north keepers state. it's a forested area. difficult to get through. and it's here that the.