and improving african infrastructure is essential to our vision of building a stronger global economy that can better stand the kinds of shocks that we've seen in the past few years. sir, we're continuing to support innovation entrepreneurship across africa, investing in the african invest in africa, paypal developing yeoman, capital, long side. physical infrastructure is another core aspect of the partnership for global infrastructure investment or aspect of the partnership for global infrastructure investment. today, i'm announcing that the u. s. international development finance corporation is invest in nearly $370000000.00 in new projects. 100000000 to increase the reliable, clean energy for millions of people in sub saharan africa. 20000000 to provide financial fertilizer. 12 small holder farmers, particularly women farmers, increase the yields of their crops $10000000.00 to support small, medium size,

and small and medium sized enterprises that help bring clean drinking water communities all across the continent. just to name a few examples. and we also know well, so no one of the most essential resources of any entrepreneur, a small business owner who wants to participate in the global economy is reliable and affordable access to the internet. so today i'm announcing a new initiative, the digital transformation with africa war here with congress to invest $350000000000.00. to facilitate more than almost a half a $1000000000.00 in financing to make sure people across africa can participate in a digital economy. that includes partnerships like new collaboration between microsoft and visa to

bring in internet access to $5000000.00 africans. part of microsoft's commitment to bring access to 100000000 people across africa by the end of year 2025. that means that means program to train african entrepreneurs with a focus on women entrepreneurs to code and bill skills that need to start their own businesses to secure good paying jobs and technology with technology firms. in the ssl included partnership between african american african american companies to provide cyber security services to make sure africa's digital environment is reliable and secure. that brings me to my final announcement. i sat at the top of this for about closing deals and we've delivered. so just give me a few, give you a few highlights from the deal room to the benefits they will delivered africa. cisco systems and cyber sebastian, a diaspora own small business,

is jointly announcing $800000000.00 a new contract to protect african countries from cyber threats. these as committee to plenty more than $1000000000.00 in africa over the next 5 years to further expand the operations on the continent, including providing mobile payment services for more micro, small and medium sized businesses across africa. joe, to his standard bang will provide $80000000.00 to improve health care services provide access to cutting edge health care equipment altogether. the form has spurred more than $15000000000.00 in new deals, which will turn, lift up and improve the lives of people all across the continent. and that's the

biggest deal of all. these are long term investments are gonna deliver real benefits to people, create new good paying jobs, including here in the united states and expand opportunities for all our countries . for the years to come. all of you, all of you, the deals, you've signed investments, we've made together our concrete proof of enduring commitment. we're making to one another government to government, business to business people, to people. the most important. and this is just the beginning. there's so much more we can do together and that we'll do together. so thank you for your participation today. remain. 1 part of another historic us african leaders summit. we've got a lot of ground to cover in the coming days and i may to listen to the priorities you have for the future of the partnership between our nations. so thank you all, may god protect our troops. thank you. very good. thank. yes,

we've been listening to us president joe biden speaking in washington d. c. where he's been hosting leaders in delegate for a 3 day summit. really focusing on making a pitch to african leaders, renewing ties with the continent, a very wide ranging discussions. and he was making a point to saying that a number of deals have been announced. and pretty much every arena from security development mentioning investment in cyber security, particularly, which is more of an issue now with, with the war between russia and ukraine. also speaking about investment in trade, climate change and economic development. of course, all this is us try to make a push to count her influence from its competitors, russia and china on the continent. shabury time c joined us live now from washington. i guess shop for a bit of perspective. if we look back at previous presidencies, form a present, donald trump was quite derogatory in his language whenever he cited to africa

present, braca bama was very eloquent, but perhaps lacking in any sort of practical strategy towards the continent. why is african now a priority again for the, for the united states? right, and in fact, joe biden mentioned the last african summit in 2014 when he was vice president. and in fact, off to bad despite the president obama's eloquence, us investment in africa, drops off to that. i think them the main very clearly that recognition here that the u. s. is way behind other nations, china, russia, and others in investment and strategic partnerships. there appears to be a recognition that the u. s. can't go on simply lecturing africa on who it can and can't do business with those clear recognition that it needs africans, national natural resources. lithium has come up quite a bit for electric batteries, for example,

for electric cars. and so it really didn't. it was jeopardy of losing it, stake it, a lot of these, a lot of these natural resources, this has been structured of minerals and so on because so many other countries are away ahead. so what we've seen that as we saw not speech was bite and being very careful say, look, this is all about business. this isn't going to be meddling in your affairs. i mean, you mentioned good governance once i noticed but, but it's like, you know, we like china. we could be like that sort of thing. you know, we, we just want to do business or shed prosperity. and so on the outline to a vision of a free trade zone, that is, it's been, so i know lisa memorandum of understanding for i sort of holmes free trades. i. the problem is most the history that's in the past. it is the us and it's institutions that leaves like the i m f who have been integrity to, to destroying agriculture and africa makes them make jaeger african countries grow cash crops wrecked school, well flooding us, exports, agricultural exports into africa. agribusiness agri, business is give

a get sort of painted seeds which has led to, to famine in africa. and so we have to look at the details about these, about these deals. but clearly this was, this wasn't going to be and it shouldn't have been. i lecture, i look, do business with china, do business with us. it was, look, we just wanna do business with you as well. all right, thank you very much. every can bring us on agents from washington, dc and our senior political analyst, marwan bashar joined us live now from dough hard. more while much of the infrastructure that has sprung up across africa is really been built by china, which seems to be the main investor and the main trading partner in the continent. can the united states really match that they, they just too late? well, they certainly trying to play catch up, and i think they're almost desperate to do so. because in the last 2 decades, china was able to build so many of africa was infrastructure,

whether it is roads on highways, ports, and airports, and even so, it's telecommunication networks that it's really becoming more and more difficult for the united states to compete. and yes, of course, africa needs a lot. and here, as you heard my m. e through so many millions, i think i probably heard the 2 dozen times, 100000130 sounds like he's an option house. but the point is that he's trying, in the spirit of the woke up, he's trying just to score a few goals against china in africa without even mentioning name china. he's basically saying we're not bringing one neighbor. we're not going to hold you accountable to this loan. we are investing, we're bringing our private sector. we are good about that and so on, so forth. so they're trying to pick up shop there optimistic that they were there is some good dwell for the united states in africa,

and they're hoping to build on that. what about russia is war in ukraine moran? because it really seems as though the russian narrative has been the one that is winning and the global south. particularly among many african countries that have seen food supplies and other commodities effected as a result of this war and the sort of sanctions in place. how much of this is about trying to win them over? absolutely, this is probably the most important point, right? because we've heard the speech of geo economics, geo business. what impact behind it, there is a geo political logic, geo political objective. and that is to put it into words limiting russian influence on the short term and limiting chinese influence on the long term. as you said, africa did not align with the united states on the question of the russian envision

of, of ukraine. and that 2nd late shock, the united states, more than 35 countries within bit from 54, did not even participate or abstained in the vote in one of the boards against russia. so clearly the united states wants to take charge about such issues, but also it's clear and that's important to underlying african agency here. whether they are dictators or democrats, africans, once to choose and mix for themselves which foreign power they went associate with . whether it's russia, the united states, china, even turkey, friends or, or whatever. and they don't want to be dependent on one particular power. and hence, this yield as they go in the hybrid, that they're not going to follow in the footsteps of one country or another like the united states. and many of them do believe that issue. ukraine is one of

a proxy war between the united states and russia. whether that's true or not, that's almost beside the point, but that's the perception, a good number of countries in the global south, notably nafrica. and they don't want to take part on that. they want to be, you know, not online if you want, when it comes to such a global north, north conflict in ukraine. and since they have been at the receiving end of it, some of its misery, like food security, also for they want to make sure there aren't able to protect themselves. and hence, it was a kind of a wake up call to the, to the, by the ministration. when we saw that kind of a, you know, principle pragmatic, african, a position that said that we're not going to get involved, that we have our own interest to, to take care of. now the united states is coming around and say, look, we hear you. we also want to help and we're not putting any conditions, but we are better than the others. all right, thank you very much out there,

a senior place congress more while i'm speaking to a staff. thank you, my one. ah, the 2nd well kept sammy finalized kicked off at the out based stadium and cattle. morocco is hoping to defeat current champions, france, and become a fast african and the arab site and make it to the final. although france is currently one out the when it will face argentina on sunday. the tasha butler is standing by 1st in paris. first though tash may, how barbara in the moroccan capital robot, what's it like that hash in well, as you can see, the gold moroccans can see the early in the game dump. and somehow the enthusiasm of the people was so excited at the very beginning of this game, hoping that this could be the opportunity for the moral conventional football team to move forward, defeat friends,

and go to the fight as my they do understand that the same time that we have one on one and a half to move forward before the could achieve that goal. they also understand that this is one of the most friends is one of the most impressive football teams all over with a in the world with superstars likes them barely like and bobby graceman zeros and the others. this has been a spectacular journey for the moroccan national team and full moral says, and when you talk to people, they say we just wish that the dream will continue on. there's still time as a hush my will leave you there and i certainly everyone's a eyes transfixed to those screens behind you for now hush marlboro bring us all the latest from. rather i do appreciate to ash him is ashley butler joins us live from paris. so at no doubt there is extensive excitement. france a one out natasha. yeah, i think it's i would say none to say absolutely. while day when on day school,

that goal in the 1st 5 minutes, people getting pretty confident getting into this game. if i continue a to the final and even when this will come up with the funds behind me, so i need feel that they're on their way. but of course this is paul from over. but adding to the excitement of my questions in my know michael is in today. he's working on this march and michael said at the beginning of this tournament that it was to go through to the semi finals, but he would be back. the french team really happy. they imagination in order to play in. this woke up and got to work with a big french more open community involved. and you know, even the people home supporting morocco mainly behind me cuz they all, maybe

a lot of people go to football. fans have been watching americans journey in this world cup and they be titled they feel the market in the state that has both so far and it wasn't good. walker was to win tonight. a lot of things for back to right thanks very much from paris. natasha about love. now at least 4 people have died and more than 40 rescued after a migrant boat capsized and freezing waters between france and england. search and rescue operations is still on the way, and it is the number of dead could rise under simmons reports now from the search control center. and does that not for the 1st time refugees and migrants dying at sea, but more lives would save them lost as fishermen pulled people to safety from the icy waters of the english channel. richard inflatable boat with people on board migrants i was crossing and was sinking very,

very near to where he was fishing. so amazingly got right in next to the, the sinking boat and managed to come alongside and face. he get 31 people on board. this latest tragedy is once again down to people, traffickers, they're not deterred by freezing whether neither. it seems other migrants. channel crossings is ongoing, humanitarian crisis and people traffickers have never been busier. at the same time, politicians are running short of ideas on how to stop them. it is not cruel or unkind to want to break, strangle hold of the criminal gang who trade in human misery and who exploit our system and dollars. i'm sure the whole house will show my sorrow at the capsizing of a small boat in the channel in the early hours of this morning,

and the tragic loss of human life, our hearts go out. all those effects no less than 24 hours before these death, u. k. prime minister richie soon, i have been talking about new measures to curb the channel crossings, but so far, every measure the u. k. government introduces, has failed. there needs to be 5 legal rates. that's the biggest issue that we've got the my name is the people are making the journey from can i because there is no other way of doing it. you have to be on versus oil on the island in order to seek asylum as no center and tell i want you to find this item. so people have a choice, but to make this journey, i'm not the single biggest thing that the government could do in order to prevent people having to risk their life. here, dover, lightfoot, station they've seen is all before people trafficking across the channel is that record levels 40000 this year. under the weekend alone, 500 risk their lives, tragedies are all too frequent. this time more lives were saved, the lost. but that isn't always the case. must november 27 lives were lost in the

channel. the highest number ever recorded. a diplomatic spat followed between france and the u. k. with the british saying the french should do more to stop the small boats from leaving their shore line. as the life boat crews will tell you, the crossings are ever more frequent and dangerous. andrew summons al jazeera dover ist ambles, nay, as, as his prison sentences unlawful and political art. he was ordered to spend nearly 3 years in jail for insulting members of the tack. a supreme electoral council critic say the conviction which all templates a political band is an attempt to remove him from office seen as a strong potential challenge yet attack his present worship type ad one and next year's elections. who argument? dora, he, in this court case, has proven there is no justice left in took here. this case is led by people who do

not want to bring the values such as justice and democracy to took here. in fact, this is a case which was shamelessly influence and decided by the people who claim ownership of everything see themselves as the state and the nation. officials in a capitol every time crash republic of congo say at least a 140 people have been killed in flooding. that the land slides across the capital can chelsor, which is home to around 15000000 people. roads have been destroyed and nearly 40000 houses, inundated president felix tissue. katie's in washington for that summit has blamed climate change for this disaster is saying that the big pollution need to do more to help developing countries. at least $166.00 civilians have been killed in south saddam since the month of august. according to the united nations spin an escalation in fighting between armed groups and the nile state, more than 20000 people have left times to escape it. disputes of the grazing areas, water cultivation grounds,

and other resources of fueling the violence. the anti commission of the human rights folk. a turk says he is a poor by attacks on civilians and called for an end to the violence. facebook's parent company matter is being sued for $2000000000.00 for not doing enough to stop violence and hate speech to spreading and africa filing and kenya's high court alleges, matter in that inadequately responded to hateful content on its platform, particular reaction to the war. and if you're appears more than to grow region, the son of an ethnic to grind academic who was shot dead off to being attacked on facebook is among the plaintiffs. abram mirror eggs says his father's death was a direct result of misinformation shed on the platform. wars killed thousands of people and displaced millions. ukraine's government is saying its forces have shut down 13 russia drones that were launched towards the capital. keith rush and shells of also hit a regional administration building in the recently retaken city of harrison. russia has been targeting you quite critical, critical infrastructure for weeks,

leaving millions of people without regular access to power water and heating and sub 0 temperatures. meanwhile, the kremlin says, christmas cease, fire is not on the agenda or a challenge reports from cave. it looks bad, of course, but it could have been so much worse. thankfully no one was underneath the drone when it was shot down and crashed into this key of building early on wednesday morning. spit lorna cleared up the damage at her father's flat. just across the way i saw the good morning guys who had alive and visit the does last. it can be removed under place. it's not that big. it's a stoicism form of experience for months. russia has targeted ukraine, cities and power infrastructure. but stoicism does not mean apathy. it just makes us very much angry. angry. this time the attack was a failure, operating liaison, preliminary information. all 13 drones will shut down by ukraine. an air defense

molds, well done. i am proud of you here, citizens. we are grateful to be a defense, so, and don't ignore the sirens. but previous drones strikes, particularly when paired with cruise missiles. but the more successful since mid october, russia has damaged every one of ukraine's them and the russian strain of choice is this. they call them guarantee, but despite russia and iran's denials there, why be believe to be the iranian made, shar had 136, and it's smaller version the 131. so troy earth out a 0 was given rare access to recovered examples being studied by ukraine's military intelligence. those same as the thank ma'am some additional said yes, these you does, the more damage to us are russia uses him or furthermore, was around and there was head of 1120 around the gun almost to leave, not keeping his real identity secret with actual told me what's inside them despite

the drones assumed iranian origins, almost all the components of foreign, some or even ukrainian policeman, canada. this is kind of the 1st canada. so that's interesting because it shows that despite being on the sanctions, iran is still managing to get hold of components like this. some suggest rushes use of imported drones, means it has diminishing stocks of its own precision miss of but he crane knows it can't be complacent. despite the destruction, you see here it was a lucky day for key if 100 percent of the dry and shut down no deaths and no injuries. but he's to say the next on this happens, they'll be so fortunate and that's why the crane is making better ad offense. one of the most important requests is making of its friends and allies. rory, challenge out era give more than 60 ukrainian soldiers, and a us citizen had been freed in a prisoner exchange with russia. ukraine official says the u. s. air force veteran

has been helping his people before falling into rush and custody. the white house concerns in america was among those exchange, but didn't give any further details. forties of 4 ukrainian soldiers were also handed over. well, keith did not say when the thought took place or how many russians were returned. now cause i was formerly applied to join the european union despite tensions with, with its ethnic. so population process is expected to take years and will depend on cost of a normalizing relations with serbia. call surveys moved to ban license plates issued by siberia, inflamed tensions in the northern district of mithras. it's up until now. castillo is the only balkan territory that not applied to join the u. brussels. expected to grant bosnia official candidate status on thursday. peru is declared a nationwide state of emergency of mass protest and wanting else to go to pedro castillo, be freed. he has cartney detention charged with rebellion and conspiracy. after

trying to dissolve congress last week earlier hearing to decide whether he would stay behind bars was postponed. marianna sanchez has moved from outside the jail where the former president is being detained. there were a number of those protest as it also gathered were outside the deal were from a precedent dated august years being detained. there's a small group of protest. i come here. they were waiting to hear from the a for thursday. in the meantime, just a letter where you said that he's reading with me, he pulled on the inter american permission. i have to look after he's a state of emergency in all the country. she has sent her ministers of interior a dialogue to the good area,

especially in the south that it gave by my wife and who school. the situation has gone on much worse. a tried to take over the airport. they've had some stands. they've all made up the prosecutor's office on television station. so president and i will want the ones to ask for coleman has sent her ministers to begin a dialogue with these protesters, the founder of collapse crypto currency, exchange f t. x remains and custody, and the bahamas having been denied bail sam bagman freed, is facing multiple criminal charges, accused of committing one of the biggest financial frauds in u. s. history. he remained behind bars until february, as he's been declared a flight risk. f t x off bankruptcy in the u. s. last month. even many customers unable to withdraw their funds for us to see about. december 17th mark's 12 years

since a street van de sat himself on fire. antonia the incident triggered a wave of revolutions known as the arab spring, the sea, and the day kind size with parliamentary elections. as a sense of dissatisfaction with the progress, nino, lack of it since the revolution. i said, bank reports to the bows. it is where the revolution to nicea began, and the man whose actions spoke to told is still remembered here. mohammed bos easy was a street vendor who set himself on fire after his good were confiscated. a protest against state corruption and brutality demonstrations followed, spreading across the country and were met with violence from the state. are you are sharp, don't ye? finally president zayna law, but then ben alley was forced out. and 3 years later, democratic elections were help. but 12 years on the birthplace of the revolution, there's a sense that nothing has changed lives or who her mom can i learn what happened

after the revolution is the complete marginalization of the use of the revolution and those people who sacrificed via blood fair life and their freedoms for this revolution near at a local cafe man discuss politics. some hot that we hadn't missed. no one has salvage museum, people's problems development, employment, health, transportation and daily necessities to nicea witnessed a huge collapse and values that damaged everything. jobs loyalty, patriotism, and many other values and who paid the price the youth, they fled the country and crossed the borders illegally and died in the process, momentum out on the streets, the frustrations of familiar manella, helen in about 12 years. nothing has happened, but only the increase in unemployment and corruption fina if you apply for a government job or any job, actually, you won't get it unless you have relatives or money to buy your way in. rights activists say,

authorities buried bows easy on the outskirts of the city. so his grave does that become a symbol of resistance. his memory lives on city posey, although many people feel his home city has not reap the benefits of the revolution . i said bake of dessert. there's more in everything we're covering right here. al jazeera dot com is the address. ah, we count the main stories this hour. the. the 2nd well cup semi final is underway at the out bade stadium incatel oral cose hoping to defeat raining champions, france and come fuss african an arab site to make it to the grand final. the winter is set to face argentina on sunday half an hour into the much france.