newman hope the level of destruction is clear, not a single government has given a the attention it deserves love for development. authority does what they can buy from, with what little funding they get us to the door to libya, it's wedding season. salem has been making burgers for decades. his hand made shoes are the most sought. after these brothers adorn traditional red robes and bulk us. during the hannah ceremony, a gift from the bride. once the groom tattoos his hand with the hannah piece, it means he has accepted her hand in marriage. and the week long wedding ceremony begins. it's traditions like these past down for generations, that face an imminent threat. there are fears that if the government doesn't act, the city will eventually collapse. what people here hope their city traditions and culture will continue to live on. malik,

trainer al jazeera cordano. the wells most famous painting has been smeared with cream and an apparent protest against climate change. the vandal disguised as an old woman, lunged at the mon elisa in the loop museum in paris. it is protected by a glass screen. so was quickly trying to clean. ah, this is al jazeera, a french t v journalist has been killed and east and ukraine. frederick let glad act him off is the 24th journalist killed while reporting on the war rounds. this foreign ministry is called for an investigation the governor lance wage and says he was hit by shrapnel from the russian artillery shell. a french foreign minister is visiting ukraine. she travelled to boucher where mass graves were discovered off the russian troops withdrew. catherine colona saw exhibits of photos documenting alleged crime

e leaders had gathered in brussels where ukraine is on top of the agenda. but there is disagreement over sanctions and russian oil with hungry, demanding exemptions. okay, those are headlines. nice continues on here and i'll to 0 to con, counting the cost. but before that we leave you with memories of sharing a block lay the voice of palestine. while i'll desert media that will continue to demand a rapid, independent, and transparent investigation into her killing me the what. what do we need to know that on this we don't need to be nuclear llc and i'm just going to put them in when you get this message. can you open the

home and ya today? and we're going to be what we said as well. they didn't put, put this for the other guy and i'm a lot of them at the book. if you're the one i know, i mean, i mean i shooting them off and i

ah ah ah ah, ah ah hello there i'm the styles the attain. this is counting the cost on al jazeera, your weekly look at the wealth of business in economics this week, the push to counter china in asia. u. s. president joe biden launch is the indo pacific economic framework. so what's in the new pot, and will it help build washington's relations in the region? also this week, ukraine's economy as running on fumes. the u. u. s. and the g 7 of come to the nation's aid with billions of dollars. but is it enough to keep the country running and a wealth of mineral resources and africa? minors are increasingly looking to the continent. has the wild scrambles for metals

. so we'll africa's mining industry. you see a boom from the war in ukraine? ah. while the u. s. has lacked a defined economic plan with the indo pacific region since former president, donald trump quit a multinational trans specific trade agreement back in 2017. now president joe biden is attempting to re engage the region that's increasingly come under china's influence. by the has launched a new trade deal with 12 countries that represent 40 percent of the wilds economy. that's almost $35.00 trillion dollars in global output. it includes australia, india, japan, south korea, and new zealand, along with 7 southeast asian countries. but the us didn't ask, tie one which is seen by china as part of its territory to join the new trade deal . the indo pacific economic framework for prosperity or i path aims to increased trade links in the region, strengthen a global supply chains, promot infrastructure investment and keen energy,

and establish new rules on tax and anti corruption. but it doesn't include any tariff reductions and the founding countries will still need to negotiate what standards they wish to abide by how they'll be enforced and how to consider potential future members. the initiative comes less than 5 months after the china lead regional comprehensive economic partnership went into force linking 15 asia pacific economy isn't the world's largest trade block. most of the country is which signed up for the u. s. lead framework already belong to the block with china. meanwhile, beijing has criticized the u. s. packed as an attempt to create a closed club. this is what the chinese foreign ministry spokesperson had to say. lucia mommy with a chew, you're going to pump devil the whatever the name of the regional cooperation framework. it should promote free trade instead of engaging in protectionism in disguise. it should contribute to the world's economic recovery rather than destabilizing the industrial chain. it should promote open cooperation instead of

geopolitical confrontation of the u. s. should earnestly act in compliance with the rules of free trade. now by and has also held the summit with the so called quad group, where the leaders of the u. s. and japan, india, and a straightly unveils and endo pacific maritime surveillance plan and pledged $50000000000.00 an infrastructure investment. now to discuss all of that, i'm joined by in preston. he's the se is an expert and associates director at global council. that's a strategic advisory business firm. he joins us now from london. young, thanks so much for your time today. and now i pass isn't a free trade agreement. we're not talking about power production or necessarily opening up us market. so what does it actually do? look a, you're right, it's not a free trade agreements. and the main purpose is more to put that for the countries in integrate in to seek to align on things like technology, standards and regulations. and for these countries to make real commitments,

to improve conditions on things like supply chain, resilience on clean energy, infrastructure corruption and labor and competition policy. and it's more about the technology standards and coming together to to, to align on regulations. so that all sounds like it would potentially require countries to change rules at home or other incentives for them to do that. so exactly for that's the points. that's one of the, one of the issues with disagreement in a lot of these countries do probably not see eye to eye on a lot of things. and so the complication is that they might not come to an agreement in terms of incentive. so right. there's no incentive in terms of better access to, to the, to the american market for lobby's countries. but that's not to say that that bid might not be combat in the future. obviously it might become something more tangible, perhaps motor free trade agreement, but something more tangible in the future. it not is not something a lot of these countries. countries like the nom, denise,

i would like to miss out. so i think it's important to note that this is more about what is actually in the agreement. it also has a lot of symbolic value to the sign that the us wants to become more economic involved in the region. just something pretty much all of these countries have called for a long time and which you hadn't been doing in one of them wants us to become more of that account to, to, to, to time has influence and for them to be able to, to balance out for instance, $4040.00 countries into solving face and region and being able to play both the us . i'm china, it's been a lot elaborate. you can argue. so, speaking of countering trying to influence, i notice that it obviously experience taiwan. now, given taiwan roll is a leading manufacturer of semiconductors, for instance, how meaningful would any agreement on say supply chains be given that taiwan is not being included? yeah, so 1st on the exclusion of so on that was probably not a big surprise to us. it's been pretty clear that he wants to focus its relationship with someone, but actually i think a lot of these countries in solving face, especially as well,

would have been uncomfortable with being in a group including time on that is so clearly set out to count to chinese influence and i still think you've had some importance. obviously it's a negative. one is not included, but you still have countries like south korea and japan, which obviously are huge semi conducted manufacturers themselves and not just now, but we'll all to be in the future. so in that sense, it could, it could really have any impact as well. so if this was about the u. s. trying to restructure its engagement with the region to count to china, to, to show its strength. why not just rejoined the trans pacific partnership for t p p. and so i think they're mainly domestic constraints that i'm holding to you back from from lead, from joining the new c p p p. if you look at the economic agenda is both the trump administration, the by the space and it's been very focused on string thing, the american manufacturing base. it's been about building american, it's been about buying american. and if you join a new launch,

a free trade agreement, which will open up an already very open american economy. and i think that is something that could potentially road the american manufacturing base, which has been a key speaking point, micky issue in domestic debate. and obviously that can potentially be highly unpopular and it's not something you really win elections on where you have the midterms coming up later this year. and that's, that's a sensitive issue and hope young. so i want to ask you though, about how this might affect china, because i was looking at the list of the countries you've signed up to pests. and huge number of these countries are also part of the world's biggest trade block with china. well, this actually have any kind of an impact on beijing's influence in that case. and so it's actually interesting, that's if you look at the, and if you look at the, the statement when they announced the deal. it was made a point that this, that this group comprised of 40 percent of world to dp and r c with chinese

membership is only 30 percent. the, even though it's not a free trade agreement. and i assume the u. s. still wanted to make a point, the thing, this is a big group more important and it could become a free trade agreement in the future. and but to your question, i think i think the fact that some of these countries in the region, cambodia laws and did not join tells you that becomes a didn't want to be part of it. and how old are they to, to, to, to not be included. and the other countries that sitting a bit on defense wanted more youth involvement at, they've still opted to join. and i'll tell you something about that. it actually has a future and they build something that's and that can be real data. so yes, i want to get your thoughts. finally, on the u. s. perspective on the whole region. it's obviously a sensitive region. both the trade and security, which you think is trumping the other, especially now given the war in ukraine and biden's, most recent comments on taiwan. he security still is still trumped everything. and

not just because domestic politics is constraining the americans from, from being like, normally involved. but that is ultimately what they, what they come back to. it's about protecting ceiling. it's about protecting, and it's about protecting too long and other allies in the region. so security is probably more important for the american, even though they, they kind of for us to, to show that they also want to, to be more economically multi data. and all of it's very much related one to the other young process, the se, asia expert joining us from nuns. and thank you so much for your time. and thanks for having me. the, let's turn now to ukraine. buildings and bridges destroyed farm land turns into battlefields and ports blocked from exporting grain and goods. ukraine's economy is in ruins, as a result of russia's invasion, and he desperately needs money to pay salaries, finance, public services, maintain infrastructure. president voting news. lensky appealed to wild leaders

that the well decimal mac for him and doubles to increase funding and help rebuild his shattered country after the war ends. the european union has pledged more than $10000000000.00 and financial. it's just 24 hours after the ukrainian president made his appeal, the group of 7 leading economy. so g 7 has pledged almost $20000000000.00. while the u. s. approved an additional $40000000000.00 and military humanitarian and economic aid, bringing the total u. s. assistance to ukraine to almost 54000000000 dollars this year. that's the largest package of foreign aid passed by congress and at least 2 decades. but the ukrainian government estimates the country needs an additional 5000000000 dollars each month to cover essential services and pay for the salary. the well bank says the economy is set to shrink by as much as 45 percent this year. now you can export $4500000.00 tons of agricultural produce per month, but grant exports have more than half this month. customs revenue, the significant part of the government's tax take. it also crashed to around

a quarter of the pre war level. the direct damage to ukraine's infrastructure alone is estimated at more than $94000000000.00. and the overall reconstruction effort is expected to cost at least $600000000000.00. now, in addition to the aid packages, the u. s also says it will suspend tariffs on ukrainian steel for one year, citing the damage that russia will in ukraine is done to the industry. ukraine is the 13th largest steel producer and exports at least 80 percent of its production. and the you will lift import duties on ukrainian goods, including industrial and agricultural products for a year. well, joining us now from london, is it again yes, lip service. she is a senior economist at oxford economics. again, you thank you for joining us on counting the cost today. it really feels like ukraine's economy in itself has become a bit of a frontline of its own. what you're reading is how kids is handling things. well indeed, yeah, ukraine striking the war on, on all fronts. military social,

economic, the economy has constructed by about 45 percent in the 1st month, which is well, basically nearly housing. and there are signs, however, that the economy is adjusting since then. so from april on awards, and there are signs of economies just thing and some regions have been liberated, though usually the military response has been quite remarkable and economic one as well. and both the monetary and fiscal response has been quite professional and unable to stability, financial stability, stability off currency. and but there are challenges, of course, because there are huge costs involved, both wither related to the collapse and revenue. but also the additional expenditures required. it required for the width cell, so this estimate of needing what $5000000000.00 every month just for salary is an

essential services. how far will or the aid go, especially given that we don't actually even know how long this wall will last. yeah, that's a very good question and is a big amount of money. i mean, $5000000000.00 the estimate of $5000000000.00 per month includes the fiscal deficit and dead service cost. so it's not just the, you know, that, but the daily costs related to social spending and et cetera, but also that, that service cost and it's split around around $3000000000.00 deficit we've seen so far in about one and a half to 2000000000. that service costs, and in so far the and the mounts that have been pledged by the international community and, and partners are bigger than what has been coming in. and so for example, in march there was 3000000000 in april to it's very little. there was less than a 1000000000, and in march in may again. so far there's been a scale up, so there's about 2800000000 received. but it's certainly short been assured to

5000000000 that is necessary. and as a result the central bank had to switch on the money printing machine, essentially, and monetized are the deficits. and it doesn't like doing that. and it can, it is already putting pressure on the currency and will be potential increasing inflationary pressures. well, given that the world itself is potentially staring down the barrel of a recession, given the pandemic, given what they've now committed to ukraine at, what's your reading then on whether the west can actually even afford any of this right now? well, i think these amount to certainly of, for the bull, and, you know, we're seeing a lot of numbers in the media like a 40000000000 package from the u. s. or 19000000000 package from the g 7 and 9000000000 from the you. we need to understand that the real cash is much

smaller. so from the us, we're speaking about a 1000000000 and it can be stretched over several years, according to the law. again, it's not clear over what period of time you plans to allocate 9000000000 euros. still, you know the amount not as big as we're hearing and it is affordable. and also ukraine has been asking for an international partners reach countries in particular to use their as d r, a location that was given for and basically overcoming the corporate crisis and recession and. and there is about 295000000000 and allocated into in as d r a. m f. reserve currency to to reach countries which has not been used. so your ring has been long being for at least part of that money to be allocated to ukraine . that's very interesting because we have seen this huge show of solidarity from

the west. and do you think that to some extent, we're seeing an even bigger rift being driven between east and west, say, between the western russia and china not only politically, but also economically here. well, economically, obviously sanctioned by having a huge impact and russia is becoming more and more isolated. so, and clearly yes, it hasn't served well for us. it's place in the world economically and it will see it's done exports of gas and oil also reduced by the u. even i'll be gradually with china, you know, china east playing a balancing game. china has not taken a very clearly pro russian stance. it is still realizing that it's very much integrated comically with the west. oh, very interesting indeed. we'll see how this all continues to play. out of guineas,

that's over there, a senior economist at oxford economics, thank you for sharing your insights with us here on counting the cost. thank you for reaching out. well from battery is to semiconductors, 'cause and mobile phones, minerals such as copper nichol, vital parts of most of the products that many of us use every day. but they've suddenly become much more expensive and red because of the war in ukraine and sanctions on russia disrupting supply chain. many mining companies scrambling for new alternatives, and now looking to africa. so that's going presidents or i'm a person says his country is boys to take advantage of this growing demand for platinum. group metals from africa, producers, half of the world's palladium, at least 75 percent of the welts, platinum, almost 90 percent of a wild radio. that is also a major cold producer, but up to $2.00 trillion dollars worth of mental reserves remain unexpected. and the government aims to increase investment and it's mining sector to fold, to create more jobs and more foreign exchange. and it's not just south africa. the

continent produced almost $1000000000.00 tons of minerals with $406000000000.00 in 20. 19, about 63 percent of the well, couple production came from the democratic republic of congo, the d, r. c and one. the other well largest producers of tangela months and other metal used in electronic equipment together, they produce half the wilds output. 11 african countries are the main produces of metals, including gold, ion titanium is inc, and copper with gonna the continents largest producer of gold and botswana is the continents largest diamond producer. while joining us now from london is henry saunderson. he is the executive editor at benchmark mineral intelligence. that's a price reporting agency and consultancy focused on the metal supply chain. henry, thanks so much for joining us here on out of there today. should african countries be looking at this as a huge opportunity? yeah, they all are here, there's no chance you can talk because laugh with pretty much all the math book and

minerals that we need to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy. and that's because batteries, they're all working out now help us to capitalize on this opportunity. henry, given the security situations and a number of these countries, just how reliable all these supply chains, you know, in a method like cobo, which is used in electric, teresa supply chain, it's highly concentrated from democratic republic of congo. gets truck out of the country to africa and then it goes to china. we came out the point to come under stress when our floods in durban. so that's an example of concentrated supply chain that perhaps needs to be seen time via following the action last year. now saying they want to look the cobalt in time. yes, we could see that supply chain which is what we need, right? we don't want to rely on one country, one single supply chain, and we given the amount of opportunity that we're talking about here for both

african governments and perhaps some other axes here. is there a greater risk of it? say labor law is all good labor practices might be flouted or that we might see increased political risk in some scenarios. has been a lot of your ryan in mining activities across the continent in which i mentioned, you know, that being concerns about people getting paid. you know, the right wages about child labor that you know, there's also about to which i think the reference might be, which is going to become a source of graphite. the tesla, there's also concerns about an insurgency. so there are all sorts of political risks, labor, low risk that are going on. these do need to be tackled for africa to become a part of the supply chain. because the other end, the customer, the comic has. they wants to know that the chain is audited and meet standards g standards which are becoming more important sort stopped gap while the war and

ukraine rages on or is this potentially a longer term shift? i think because they've got to do this is the longest time and we've seen china, you know, the last 2 years very heavily invested in africa and even recently it's been chinese invested by assets in africa. and i guess the question is, weston mining companies? reckon company is going to follow china and we're seeing that happening already. and if they do that, and i saw that by the chinese side of the supply chain on the west side by chain depend on africa from a longer term perspective. but we're seeing western invest will come back to some of these countries, but you know, it's at the beginning stages. all obviously then have foreign policy implications going forward as well. so do you see this is part of the new scramble for africa from the west. again, i think the west has woken up. definitely. countries like the d. b. that's pretty

much tiny back man. i think now the west is it the way you know way does that. can you know my so the cobalt is controlled by it by chinese companies. you know, may we need to engage with these countries and needs to go back to these countries . i'm a big problem for the west, but a lot of west and mining companies left. you know, left countries like the d, r c or, you know, be able to shoes because they became quite risk and away some of that investors with telling them not to get, not to get engaged. but now i think by companies and government. so looking, again, africa realizing, you know, we have to be that we have to be party supply chain. so it, is it, the scramble, i think, demand for these minerals is just increasing rapidly. and we don't want, you know, trying to control a lot of the supply chain it and yeah, it is a sort of probable guy on henry sanderson. they're the executive editor at benchmark mineral intelligence. thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us on counting to cost me. now. clause spinners,

and scientists and bangladesh has been working together to revive a special fabric doctor muslin was made for royalty. but the technique for producing it was last for more than a century. now it's back thanks to a red cotton plant, tons of reports now from neuron guns. this red cotton planned his native to bangladesh and for more than a century was belief to be extinct. but now it's been grown on farms to revive trade in the find carbon scientists who lead to such for the plan save it as fit as not found in other spaces. looking t t took us around 5 years to find the genetic match for this cotton plant. we collected 39 variants of cotton plant samples from different parts of bangladesh. eventually, we found a dna much of the food comp is cotton. from the compazine region near dhaka university. now new generations of weavers are re learning. this one's forgotten

craft, but it's not been easy. um i was initially i was skeptical of my ability, but eventually after many months of steady training and encouragement, we managed to learn and create the 1st muscle of sorry, after 5 months of hard work and presented it to the prime minister. it was a proud moment for us. the fabric is so light and find that plates. i've described it as will been the air spinners using traditional odin whales and hand drawn loan have to work for longer to produce muslims than other hand made fabric. wanting to close could take 8 hours by 2 people to make the acquiring, at least 6 to 7 months to make a full and sorry, the work is highly demanding. requests extreme concentration of attention to detail, many and bung with their blame. its former british colonial rulers, for killing of the muslim living industry by the late 1900 century,

to make way for their own textile traits. but they're excited. it's returning. and they look like we are very proud to be part of this great endeavor as the world will now get to know about our centuries old fame and heritage. since we're reviving this craft again in this day and age issues many hope the revival of muslim will be welcomed by the world. hi freshen industry. that one's health turned again, just delta into one of the most prosperous parts of the globe. oh that's. i'll show for this week, do you get in touch with us by treating me atmosphere and the hash tag a j t t c. when you do or the office and email counting the cost l 0 dot net is our address for there's also more few online at alpha 0 dot com, forward slash tv. that will take you straight to our page that has individual report links and entire episodes. that's it for this edition of counting the cos. i'm the se in the whole team here. thanks for joining us. the news on alpha here

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