ago in the early 2000, it was decided that web we belonged by i and while celebrations are under way following the successful launch of the james web space telescope, it'll still be a nail biting 30 days before it reaches its orbit. now on its way to its orbit at a location known as lagrano point to some one and a half 1000000 kilometers from earth. web is on course to redefine astronomy and begin to unfold the mysteries of our universe. manuel, rap, hello al jazeera, carew, french, guiana. ah, hello again, elena is the bronman dot harvard. the headlines on al jazeera security forces and saddam have fired tear gas, had protested in the capital cartoon. tens of thousands rally to call on the military to stay out of politics. at the 10th major demonstration since october

mohammed violet, in cartoon, the information we have and the college we saw indicate that there have been huge numbers of protesters across cartoon. some of them were in on demand some, in binary. these are the 2 other city is creating, composing, with the cartoon itself, the, the capitol of sudan. but your phone, if you have taken unprecedented measure since yesterday night, they closed all the bridges needing to central cartoon. and this time around, they deployed 3 times. the number of troops and policemen, even though the troops did not participate in the correct on the number of security forces 3 times more than in the previous occasion. about a week ago, the palestinian red crescent says this valley horses have injured 240 protested, tear gas live ammunition and rubber coated bullets were fired. demonstrators were rallying in boca,

after the area was close due to set the activity. at least 7 people have been killed by an explosion in the democratic republic of congo. the government says a suicide bomber target at the restaurant and benny from italy and the u. k. have reported the highest number of corona virus cases since the pandemic began. experts wanted that $1.10 people in london could be infected in the coming days. dozens of survivors of a migrant both thinking have arrived on the greek island of perils. at least 16 people drowned when they boat capsized into a g and c. late on friday. the largest and most powerful space telescope ever built has launched from french kiana scientists. the james web telescope will help humans . you better understand stars and galaxies, while those are the headlines on algae 0. do stay with us inside story is coming up . next. thank you for watching. ah

and attempts to rival china's belts and rude initiative, e u, and veils a major google infrastructure plan. the goal to invest in developing countries and boost trade links with the rest of the world. but why the interest now? and can the book competes with a jing? this is inside story. ah hello and welcome to the program. i'm how am i heading? has been described as a roadmap for major investments and infrastructure world wise,

the european union's global gateway strategy as seen as a challenge to china's belt and broads initiative. the plan to raise $340000000000.00 to finance infrastructure it before his own transports health education and digital and climate projects. in asia, africa, the middle east and latin america, they, you as china's biggest trading partner in the projects would allow it to promote sits geopolitical influence. beijing has extended its own reach during the 8 years since it launched its own initiative, or the belts and rewards program as lost in 2013 it's president cd pings signature project to connect china. so the rest of the world aging is investing more than $800000000000.00. and over at 13000 projects, 165 countries in return, china gets access to the raw materials. it needs to few it's growth,

a critic say the initiative has pushed many countries deeply into debts. will the european commission president says the book will be a trusted partner and will provide high quality projects. we want to take a different approach. we want to show that a democratic value driven approach can deliver on the most pressing challenges, we want to show that it can on one hand meets no local needs. but also on the other hand, to tackle the global challenges we have. and thus, in a way also of course benefit the european union. ah, well let's bring in our guests. zainab roseman is the director of the africa program at the carnegie endowment for international peace in washington, d. c. and brussels. we're joined by louisa santos,

the deputy director general at business europe. that's a lobbying group representing businesses in europe. and victor guy is the vice president of the sensor for china and globalization, and he joins us from beijing warm welcome to all of you on this edition. of inside story. let's start in europe, louise the sun. so was your reaction? see the launch of the global gateway. what are your initial impressions? good afternoon, everyone. well, i impression is positive. we see this as a strategic approach from europe and new way of relationship with its main trading partners. but also we did neighbors developing countries. it's also a way of your show that it as a model, an economic model, but also a political model. death is an alternative to others that exist that including

about and we can issue it's also very important for us because it includes, apart from the public finance and the public sector, an important role for the private sector. i mean, the money that we are talking about will come a lot from companies. so companies need also to relating to the projects. and from our perspective. 6 it is a very good initiative and one that was long overdue. let's not forget your piece already, the largest donor in the world, the largest things that are what we are doing now is trying to have a more strategic approach and more team europe approach. trying to prioritize different initiatives and putting them on their common umbrella, the global gateway, about the perspectives then from team europe, st. bisman. what are your thoughts about this proposal?

it seems that from the business community in europe, it seems to be warm the received. how do you think developing nations are likely to view this potential extra sources of investment? so i think it's a generally a well, hm. initiatives that are finally there, european union in europe more broadly is now thinking about infrastructure invested in public services in developing countries, as is from the perspective of africa. because for a long time, this has been a major priority for african countries that they were in. and still, i need all investment in infrastructure and public services to be able to power the economic transformation to converge with the rest of the world to be able to diversify their economies, which are in africa. 8, it has 8 of the walls, 15 least diversified economies,

the end of all gas minerals and i, the culture goes in these, the incomes of people. so this is, this is a certainly welcome. but i think there's also a lot of a lot of african countries are kind of a, in a wheat and see mood because are, you know, there are, there are 3 things that perhaps a lot on looking out for number one. whether this initiative is going to try to respond to african priorities as defined by africans themselves around jobs and infrastructure. but also around very, very, very recently around 1000 vaccines are all pharmaceuticals, you know, the european union. and maybe you can countries have not supported the initiative about the wanted organization to have a temporary i q waiver on technology, around lexical, the $90.00 in production, but also around elicit financial flows which actually drain resources from africa

up to $90000000.00 per adult. whether the continent receives in development assistance and whether, you know, this new initiative is going to actually build on the competitive advantage that europe pass around as measured pharmaceuticals and vaccines little's around technology and knowledge transfer. and perhaps the final thing is that a lot of african countries are waiting to see is whether this initiatives, response african route is in a way that doesn't force africa to engage in this view. world war phenomenon that we see plain out in the rest of the world. and but do you think verve the alternative to, to the initials proposed by the european union and also by the us. the main alternative would be the chinese belt and rude initiative. do you think that's response to african priorities?

so what is, what is the very interesting with chinese engagement in africa? ah, you know, which kind of accelerate ed for were on the year 2000 and which eventually became subsumed under the delta. good initiative of 2013 is that's you know, the way china has a, a, you know, approach does engagement, is that they come way then explicit transaction that they, once resources and, and he's at the beginning, it was really around obtaining a natural resources. well, minerals, tim, by agriculture products to power after china's double digit economic growth at the time. right. so it was usually at the time, a very explicit transaction that they wanted. what chinese entities anyways, wanted these resources and an exchange there were willing to invest in, ah, at least some of the priorities that african countries that identified around

infrastructure. and i'll give you some, i'll strike in statistics, you know, which were published just about a week ago before the start of the, for on china, africa corporation. we just had 2 days ago. so from the year 2000, 22020, over this 20 year period, china helped african countries build more than 30000 kilometers of roads and railway, more than 80 large camp. our facilities funded over 130 medical facilities, et cetera. right? that for, but at the same time, at, sorry to jump in there, but at the same time, and i do want to stay on this too long. at the same time, africa is still getting quite a lot in terms of aids, in terms of treats from europe and the united states. and so it is the figures think cut both ways, but i do want to bring in victor joe, who is joining us from beijing this evening. victor,

where we've heard that european business is very keen to just to get involved in the the game of for bridging this infrastructure gap. the something that china has been doing with the bell to rude initiative since 2013. does china welcome this or competition, shall we say, or is china is somewhat intimidated that the no longer the for the lens or that that countries will go to get to get these big infrastructure projects done? well 1st of all, if the global gateway is truly meant for building up connectivity and infrastructure in developing countries, including african countries, them all, the better is not only are come, it's not competition. it is very much welcomed, not only by china, but by all the receiving countries. however, if you listen to president her of on the layers,

speech about the global gateway there, you need to worry about it because i hope global gateway is not going to be part of your size and used for ideological agenda. and the competition does happen. we all welcome ads and we hope it will be competition on equal terms rather than on political agenda or by politicizing such infrastructure and connectivity. we all know all african hunters in particular suffer from colonialism for several 100 years. and when the british colonists left africa infrastructure was in shamble, and many african dentures are not connected with each other. and they need to fly to european capitals for transit act, 2 african capitals. so it is a shame and everyone you do pitching to build up connectivity in africa as well as in other parts of the world. so from the chinese perspective, we're woke up generally investments in infrastructure and connectivity. louisa

santa us, a from business, a euro. we have heard there that about china. welcome to the competition. been dead is, is weary of the political under tunes of this. do you see political undertones in the global gateway initiative? no, i think it's clear that the model is different from the chinese model. a global gateway is based on inclusiveness is based on transparency is based on reciprocity, but definitely maybe these principles are not totally in line with china once, but i mean, i think that and we always been very clear also as, as, as business. we have already infrastructure in place that was billed under the belt and road initiative. i think it doesn't make sense to create a parallel initiative when we have already infrastructure there,

it makes sense that we create connections. but of course, if we do this and if we do this under the global gateway with european money, we need to do it with european rules. and i think these are a p and rules based, for instance, on sustainable development. the respect of social rights, the respect of our environmental rights for climate change. if we do, under these conditions, i don't see why we should not cooperate. but he's very clear that these conditions have to be met to make sure that we can call greg. and let me come back to the african question. i mean, europe and i repeat, europe is the largest owner and investor in africa and around the world. so we're just trying to use and you to a new instrument to gather all the resources that are already being invested by europe, european companies, and european governments. and try to bring in and

a one umbrella with a common objective. and these objective, these to be when, when we don't want these to be only something that serves european industries, interests, or own european companies. we want also to cooperate with local governments and local business of post. you said it was quite interesting what you said there and said louise santos were aimed at bringing together an existing trade in existing projects. how much if this is going to be new money the, the headline figure of course, is $300000000000.00 euros of investments over the next 6 years or so. but how much of this is actually new? but we have new at facilities now and most of what will be new will be money brought by actually the private sector and some of the financial institutions

that will be there in that will be also associated to their to day should. and there is also an important component is the idea will be also to bring very a lot of national projects because we have also development banks at national level that are quite important in some countries. and the idea is also to bring these together. so this is going to be the new part on what we see in terms of resources . but i think that the final financial envelope will depend a lot on also the viability of the projects. and if the projects are viable and they make sense from a business, by the view, of course, much more money will be gathered from the private sector as well as it is a not bozeman ad. we've heard that the ethos behind the awarding of

money for projects and someone will be very much based on europe's rules, under rules of transparency and, and so on and so forth. where's the incentive for countries to, to pump for the european funding model rather than say, the chinese model which may not have such stringent requirements. so, so this is, this is a very interesting point. and this is why i said, i think a lot of african countries, policy makers and scholars alike they, i know we didn't seem to right now because i mean of my colleague, the spinal mentions that europe, europe is the largest tonight i forgot, which is actually true i think the thing though, is that, you know, this is why the, the issue of african practices quite important because for a long time, some african leaders and scholars have been saying that were african needs not just

donor funding is not just development assistance. that is good and that is needed, particularly in parts of the continent that i, or in serious, severe crisis. what african countries need is actually meaningful economic engagement. so it is a welcome initiative, european gateway. and if we can try to make that development assistance that provides even better respond to these priorities around jobs creation around the provision of infrastructure. and then i think that is really, really going to work. and then the final thing out mention of this point is that you know, this, this issue of trying to crowd in private investments with a private sector. i think, i think a lot of work will have to go into that. because traditionally we find is that the private sector, particularly in europe, tends to be quite hesitant to engage or invest in africa because of this perception of risk. so whether this initiative, the euro,

european global gateway initiative can help the risk african market can help prepare a pipeline or bankable projects for the private sector to invest in. i think that might be a key determinant. so i think a lot of us are kind of in a week and see how this is actually going to happen. and the speaking of risk, victor in beijing over the last last 8 years, so that the belt and roads initiative has been underway. china has taken on a significance level of risk because it not with the investments. it's maids. does china see that risk is paying off? because there are countries who have struggled to pay back the debts and the sums of money that they have, they've taken on in terms of chinese finance. so i just trying to view that.

thank you very much. i think you reason a very important question from the chinese perspective. we have several conclusions . one is that cooperation with african countries should not be just based on donor assistance because that will not really help to build up national capacity in many african countries. secondly, if your purity, your commercial terms and commercial structure, then it will not work to because many of the companies will find the investment tom's too long to difficult profit. the ability to solve for example, and they probably will not be committed to many of these projects, especially infrastructure projects. so you need to really innovate to come up with a model that will suit the set was this is indifferent to african countries, but also to make sure that you really contribute to connectivity and infrastructure . absolutely, i'm not sure of africa here. victor guy,

well also thinking of the railway projects and low the, the ports in sri lanka where china has had some of those significant that's paid off by 100 year long leases and the country is selling off the family jewels in order to services that the china recognize that it's lensing practices, perhaps needs to change someone. well, 1st of all, loans are always a very important part of the financing package for most of the infrastructure and connectivity projects. so don't single out as long as if debt itself is evil. if you're talking about debt, do know who borrows most of the money from china? it is not any country africa or even at the america or usa is the united states government? yes. why? and i think as a selling old, if it's cool in my, not to the chinese, the therapist that you need to come up with a buyer all commercial structure to make sure that the infrastructure projects will

be done. well, let's take that risk and, and see how it applies a back to that the global gateway initiative, louisa santos, at the with highlighted the fact that private companies certainly in europe are going to be a big part of this project id. think being under this umbrella is going to incentivize more countries to, to start reinvesting, if you like, in developing nations. i think his important part for me to get him risky is important, specially if you want to convince them more small and medium sized companies also to be part of these projects. and we know that in certain regions of what i'm including in europe, they f a nice are an important partner and even important peeler from an economic point of view. so the projects of the global gateway foresees the export credit

system. so awfully that we'll be a mitigation of the race and also the fact that we are and that is one of the objectives that for business is very important that we really prioritize projects. and that we really look at projects for this. have a strategic interest seen terms of development and economic development. and this way we can kind of like the resources for the most viable and will strategic projects. i think this will be ways and tools to, to mitigate, to mitigate the risk and coming back again to, to, to the importance of having it can now make development. i think the you recognizes that development ad is not enough and it's not really leading to sustainable grow. so we need to change the priority. and i think this is one of the reasons why the

us come up now as it logo gateway structure. ok say knob is that we're on the side of time, so i'll leave the last words to you. i understand it's very much a wait and see how this project is going to unfold. but do you think at this stage is likely to benefit most from the this new global gateway? so i, i think nothing is cost and so a lot depends on what approach and how, how, how you repeat countries. i actually make this make this work on the ground and the reality a lot depends on the extent to which others gateway initiative is actually informed by the needs of priorities. all these developing countries around,

in the case of africa, preaching jobs for the $13.00 to $15000000.00 people joining the labor market every single year. around plug in the infrastructure, financing gap around a $100000000.00 a year around. and there wasn't a providing financing for adaptation to climate change to that, you know, around $50000000000.00. will this respond to these needs set and identify the paradise by african countries? i think that is very much something that will determine how this goes and the ability of african countries themselves to kind of put their own needs on the agenda. and i'm afraid we are out of time. but thank you to all our guests. they now bozeman luis desantos, and of course, joining us and paging fixer go and thank you to for watching. remember, you can see the program again any time by visiting our website al jazeera dot com.

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