sergei skripal, probably came into contact with the nerve agent that poisoned him and his daughter at his home. forensic analysts have found the highest concentration of novichok on his front door. both victims are still in critical condition. north and south korean officials are meeting to discuss denuclearisation ahead of next month's historic summit. and one of china's top diplomats has been sent to seoul to brief the south korean government on kim jung un‘s surprise trip to beijing earlier this week. the first funerals have been held in russia for some of the 64 people who died in sunday's fire at a shopping centre in kemerovo. most were children. relatives say dozens of other people are still missing. moscow has declared a national day of mourning. now on bbc news, it's time for hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk i'm steven

sackur. donald trump's mantra is america first but in his mental map of the world, which continent comes last? africans see signs that they are at the bottom of the presidential priority list. mr trump wa nts to presidential priority list. mr trump wants to slash the aid budget, he slept key diplomatic posts in africa unfilled anti— veide his secretary of state, rex tillerson, halfway through an important mission to the continent. my guest is acting assista nt continent. my guest is acting assistant secretary of state for african affairs donald yamamoto. is america fast losing friends and influence in africa? donald

yamamoto, in washington, dc, welcome to hardtalk. thank you very much, sir. let me start with the personnel situation inside your department, the state department. from the outside looking in, it seems there isa outside looking in, it seems there is a profound personnel crisis with too many very seniorjobs, and many of them concerning africa, simply left unfilled. for our side, the africa bureau, we have about 46 and the season five consulates in the field. we only have five embassies about an ambassador. it's true that we have in the domestic area, still looking for permission to hire people at deputy levels but we

continue to carry on our work, our important work in africa with really a very good staff. the issue but the state department is that we are undergoing a generational change and unlike other parts of the government, will we are less than 19% of our workforce is over 50, which means it's a very young department of state. you are a vetera n department of state. you are a veteran of african affairs, a vetera n veteran of african affairs, a veteran diplomat and i wonder if it troubles you that key embassies in africa, south africa, egypt, the democratic republic of congo which of course is torn by internal conflict, somalia were of course there is a very great security situation which sees hundreds of military personnel on the ground, tanzania as well. these are countries where the trump administration has not got around to appointing an ambassador. the ambassador is important but the other aspect as well is we continue

with our programmes and projects particularly in the drc with the elections in december. stomach —— somalia, stabilisation is on the assistance level and transitioning that government onto a firm footing so that government onto a firm footing so in those areas, we are making continued progress. progress is one way of putting it. you are the top man in the state department, in many ways, the point man for africa. you are only acting. you won't get the job on a permanent basis that if i may put it this way, you are an interim guy. this is my 10th year in the front office for the african bureau so given my experience in the region, i'm pretty much the most senior person dealing on africa. what do you think african nations, there politicians and diplomats make of the fact, and i don't mean to be disrespectful, you are serving time

until donald trump gets around to appointing a permanent assistant secretary for african affairs, and he has appointed a new secretary of state who as far as i can tell, and i've looked at his record, is absolutely no experience or frankly absolutely no experience or frankly a record of interest in africa at all. in my nearly 30, going on 39 yea rs all. in my nearly 30, going on 39 years in the diplomatic service, africa is a very unique continent in the sense that everything is very personality driven. during the un general assembly during my years, i met and interacted with many of the leaders so we developed a very personal relationship. during that time, they feel comfortable calling me and we call them... i get time, they feel comfortable calling me and we call them. .. i get that, mryamamoto, your me and we call them. .. i get that, mr yamamoto, your record speaks for itself but i'm concerned about your feelings of secretary of state, the leader of your organisation who not one single evidence of interest in

all record of involvement with africa. i think we look at the secretary of state not only for leadership skills and bringing people together but their ability to work within the agency and with the white house. you really do need need strong leadership at the front to work with not only the president but also the secretary of defence, the cia and other agency heads. i think with mike pompeo designate, you have someone with mike pompeo designate, you have someone close to the interagency and others. but what of the fact that over the past 12 months, donald trump has pushed consistently to seek a massive cut in the state department budget. he wanted a 29% cut originally. more than 30% out of the aid and assistance budget. what do you make of those proposals? as you know, sir, during the 2018 proposed budget, we were going to

ta ke proposed budget, we were going to take a 35% budget cutjust on africa. the congress of course, the president signed a $1.3 trillion budget. we got almost all but 4%. the issue is, we can't look at assistance in and of itself as sustainable. we need to look at a transition to a more permanent basis and the programmes and partners we have are geared at that. it's developed over the last several administrations and this one as well. i wonder about morale. if you can be frank with me. sure. the office of the management of the budget over the next, i think it is, 2023, the next 5— year span, still wa nts to 2023, the next 5— year span, still wants to see very serious cuts in both state department budget and in particular in the aid and assistance budget, what does it do for morale in your department? just the africa bureau, do we have the assets and

resources to do ourjob and do we have the leadership skills to direct us have the leadership skills to direct us into shaping how we really deal with dwindling budgets. budget cuts at the end of the 0bama administration, we were looking at severe cuts on assistance levels and personnel levels as well and the reason why are personnel levels as well and the reason why are we personnel levels as well and the reason why are we have so few people in the over 50 group is the actual total numbers, we have is many senior officers as we had really prior to the bush administration.” prior to the bush administrationlj would prior to the bush administration.” would really appreciate some direct a nswe i’s. would really appreciate some direct answers. how was your morale in the context of what trump is doing to foreign policy? how was your morale, as the point man on africa? yes, if we can move forward on the projects that we have been working on for yea rs, that we have been working on for years, that's going to be a telling point and so far we have. before secretary rex tillerson left, we we re secretary rex tillerson left, we were focused on positioning the united states for the future of africa. interesting that you talk

about a visit of tillerson. it was supposed to be the high—profile connection of the prompting with africa. he was informed during the trip he was to be fired, a humiliation, he came home early, half the trip was abandoned. what does that say about donald trump's view of africa? the trip was always going to get cut as the demands from washington became heavier but director mike pompeo was also in africa just before the secretary went out there. secretary mattis was out there and we had a lot of visitors. so the trip of secretary tillerson was to highlight all the programmes we were looking at and thatis programmes we were looking at and that is to position the united in africa as we position ourselves for 2100 when africa will form 40% of the world's population. you seem very sanguine. former senator tom daschle, who takes interest in

african affairs. he says there is a dangerous misconception in the trump administration that african policy can be handed over to the generals. this vision sees an entire continent and its people simply in terms of a threat, a place from where the problems emanate and he says, we are neither addressing the real crises facing africa today nor positioning the us to benefit from more dynamic trade and growth on the continent. but we correspond. before coming, i was the vice president of the national defence university and i was asked to come back to the africa bureau last september because of the staffing sort —— shortages in the bureau but we teach all our military and diplomats who study side—by—side about diplomacy, defence and development and in that context —— context, general mcmaster, one of our core teachers, general kelly, the chief of staff, he and i taught courses together and we looked at how we manage the future of the

united states and it depends on diplomats itself. general mattis. .. it doesn't really seem to revolve around the diplomats. i seem to wonder if you care about the perception in washington and here is a powerful quote from grant harris, the guy who used to be the senior director of african affairs in the white house. he says, the trump administration's persistent neglect of africa constitutes nothing less than foreign policy malpractice.” andi than foreign policy malpractice.” and i have great expect ——i have great respect for him and the others. i've been through seven different administrations and in the beginning of each one, the focus is on asia, europe, russia, iran. africa gets sidestepped. but look at president bush. he now becomes the leadership model on africa. 0bama was the banking crisis. interesting.

at its background reading. george bush met with 25 african heads of state in his first two years. donald trump is well into his second year. what is the number for donald trump? yes, we are looking. he met with the african union president in geneva. well, he is not technically a head of state. how many heads of state from africa has he actually met? and that's the issue. have you got a numberfor that's the issue. have you got a number for me? no, i don't. on regional levels and subregional levels, we a re regional levels and subregional levels, we are meeting on a regular basis. i meet with the leadership in africa. well, you do but you are an interim is assistant secretary of state and i don't need to be disrespectful, but is it not time you to admit that donald trump is a problem for you guys in diplomacy, not least because of the language he uses. you remember when in that

meeting with congressional figures in the white house, he is alleged by many of them, more than one source, to have used an extraordinarily derogatory word beginning with ‘sh‘, and i'm not going to repeat it, from countries he felt too many immigrants —— immigrants were coming, and he mentioned african natures —— nations, countries where people don't have white skin. african leaders responded badly to that and that is a problem for you. that's a very good point. it was based on the press reports coming to africa. the african leaders look at any comments from the united states ona high any comments from the united states on a high level and they see hurtful state m e nts on a high level and they see hurtful statements but the bottom line for the african leaders, and many of them called me and talked about it, they said, we africans are committed to the united states. is the united states is committed to us as we are to you? in that context, we are. through the visits from the cabinets

and sub cabinets and the way we were looking at it, based on secretary rex tillerson's ministry in november, we were shaping a new approach to africa. that was during the african union summit, when these words were alleged to have been made, it angered them but they stepped back and said, the united states is our top relationship and thatis states is our top relationship and that is the most important thing and we have to bailiwick, we have to support it and that is what we are doing. as you say the african union was infuriated by those comments and in the wake of them, i'm looking at the comets of one influential kenyan commentator, who said, this trump administration is floundering, it doesn't have a coherent response to any of the major challenges on our continent. frankly, it would be better for africa at the trump administrationjust better for africa at the trump administration just ignored us because of the chaos and dysfunction we see in washington. that seems to be reflective of a lot of feeling in africa today. africa faces a lot of

challenges as well but the benefits that have come from fellowship with the us and other countries has been monumental. this is what the african leaders have told us, they need to continue these efforts. how about security? we discussed already whether donald trump views africa as mostly a security problem which he needs to have some sort of military solutions to. there are real issues that i am sure cross your desk. the fallout, for example, the incident last august in amalia where very compelling evidence, not least evidence unearthed by reporters working for the daily beast organisation on the ground in somalia discovered evidence of us special forces opening fire on an armed somalis citizens, leading to the death of ten including at least one child. the us military

authorities did order a fresh probe, i believe, in november last year. i have no idea what happened to that investigation. can you enlighten me? it still continues. we are in regular contact with the commander and, a fortnight, he and i were classmates once. that relationship, we are looking at any problems that result not just from we are looking at any problems that result notjust from us troops etc and allied troops and, remember, we have trained around 300,000 african troops for peacekeeping operations but we are also look looking at the totality of challenges that we face. not least the rise of ices in west africa but challenges other. we are trying to come and bring stability and restore order and, more importantly, to give... give them an opportunity... somalians want

accountability. as i fear there has been no accountability for this terrible incident that left ten an armed civilians dead. and we have gone to the villagers, we have spoken to the leadership. i have spoken to the leadership. i have spoken to the leadership. i have spoken to the leadership. pompeo was in mogadishu as well. we spoke and looked at the high priority that it has become for us we do not want civilian categories. -- casualties. it does seem without a doubt there we re it does seem without a doubt there were civilian casualties. the problem is it has a knock—on effect. we have seen huge protests in ghana because the government there signed a controversial military agreement with the us government that brings that us forces into ghana on the basis that they and their contractors and other related service personnel will not be party or subject to a more. but does not go down well. the issue there, that is still in the bitter, discussion

and negotiation, it is a standard member armed them of understanding that we have with countries around the world, particularly with strong partners like ghana, to give, really, legal protection for military troops and, more importantly, to help advance our ability to provide the training that the countries have asked for. ghana is one of our top truth contributing countries in peacekeeping operations and we want to continue that relationship. what underpins a lot of the debate we are having is the us is losing out in terms of power, influence and leveraged to china in africa. may be one symbol of that is what is happening in djibouti where the us has had a long successful military presence. and now they have allowed the chinese to establish their first military base in djibouti and i believe it is pretty much next door to the american —based. your senior command seems to

be quite worried that china is moving in in so many different ways ina moving in in so many different ways in a significant way across africa. that is correct. we need to look at all other countries. russia, iran, north korea, china, even other established states. we are seeking discussions and speaking with the chinese as we are with all states. the issue comes in as on the one hand, yes, we welcome investment and support in the development of africa because it helps the people of africa. that is on one side. the other side is we want a very strong and productive relationship so we do not want predatory loan practices, we also want support for development and resources are not the extraction of resources that does not benefit the people. those are the issues we discussed. you say you want a positive relationship with china when it comes to africa. frankly, that does not ring true when rex tillerson, of course, no longer secretary of state, on his way to

africa made a point of making a speech and warning africans are not to get too close to china because they risk great indebtedness and that would undermine african democracy. it seems you are trying to poison relations between china and african states. we worked long and african states. we worked long and hard with the united kingdom and other countries to get countries on debt relief and others off debt to give them an opportunity. we do not wa nt to give them an opportunity. we do not want to see them return to being in debt based on predatory loan practices. notjust by china, russia, iran, other countries as well. but for the africans themselves they need to look at theseissues themselves they need to look at these issues and behold so they do not get into dead. that concern we are addressing in response to what happened. -- into debt. it is interesting you put it as a selfless american asset. looking at the fa cts , american asset. looking at the facts, the chinese investment commitment to africa now far

outweighs the american and china deliversjobs. look at outweighs the american and china delivers jobs. look at the ernst and young report. american foreign investment in africa fell 52% in 2016. chinese backed projects increased by over 100%. in 2016, jobs created by china reached an all—time high, over three times the number ofjobs all—time high, over three times the number of jobs coming from all—time high, over three times the number ofjobs coming from chinese investment compared with us. finally on this point, you speak about african leaders. i will quote you a long—running president of uganda who said that western ruling groups are conceded, ignorant of our conditions while the chinese, well, theyjust deal with us as the one who represent your country. he likes to deal with them much more than the us. i have known the president for quite sometime and we have challenges and issues and, of course, the establishment of strong institutions. not strong leaders. i defer to the new leadership that is

rising out in senna gaal and other places such as angola. these leaders are based on the use playing a significant role and the fundamental changing and reshaping of africa. what they are looking at if they wa nt what they are looking at if they want new ideas, new solutions and new projects. that goes back to the china issue, we are looking and talking with the chinese on a wide range of issues. yes, they are creating jobs but are they sustainable jobs? the us creating jobs but are they sustainablejobs? the us wants creating jobs but are they sustainable jobs? the us wants to create threat to millions jobs, sustainable, long—term working. if you look at many of the jobs that are created around chinese issues, it is based on chinese banks and chinese companies giving chinese labourers working in africa. were speaking to the chinese in saying that we should work together to make ita that we should work together to make it a better opportunity for africa but also for you, in china, because you are dependent on a lot of resources in africa. it seems to me

that america may be making a fundamental strategic mistake when it appears to be neglecting africa ata time it appears to be neglecting africa at a time when notjust china and russia, turkey, you mentioned iran, the gulf states are all investing much more at a time when the prompt administration seems disinterested. —— the trump administration. administration seems disinterested. -- the trump administration. the issueis -- the trump administration. the issue is that many things... in the us, we do not build things. we do sustainable growth and programmes that you may not see but you will fill the fact. for example, girls education. we have now 66% of girls now in africa ago through primary school education. we are up to 34% at the secondary level. translates in fewer girls marrying below the 18, which is a problem in creating insecurity and lack of economic growth. we are now giving opportunities and hope for the people of africa. this is something that they asked for. 8% of our

system that they asked for. 8% of our syste m goes that they asked for. 8% of our system goes to healthcare. we have 12 countries now that will epidemic controlled in hiv/aids. so now we see growth and support in addressing the demographic problems. but to return to one point, looking at the next 30 years. forget about 100. right now in africa, they are part of the population. they are going to .2 billion. that means over 50% of the population group will be in —— growth will be in africa. as will the labour force. it is a dynamic and growing continent. as the others age more. africa will play a significant role. more importantly, researchers. look at where china is investing. they are investing only in the countries that have high rates of cobalt. to titanium, tungsten used the military weapons. . . tungsten used the military weapons... we can go on. u nfortu nately we

weapons... we can go on. unfortunately we cannot go on because we are almost out of time. we do get the message. donald yamamoto, thank you for being an hardtalk. -- yamamoto, thank you for being an hardtalk. —— on hardtalk. hello again, good morning. the easter weekend will not be a washout but quite mixed weather on the way as we saw yesterday the rain in england and wales eventually clearing the way to give a little more sunshine. over the easter weekend we will see some spells of sunshine around. however, there will also be some spells of rain that could be heavy at times and cold enough for snow

over the northern hills. temperatures are disappointing for this time of year. weather starting to come in from the south—west where the pressure is lower in this area will remain dry. an all—weather front is sitting to the north—east of scotland between a frosty start and clear skies it will be a bright and sunny start, but this weather is pushing up and moving north and east across england and wales. a few showers breaking ahead of that but sunshine as well. still cool and damp in the north—east of scotland. some snow over the high ground. heavy rain further south will work its way northwards during the evening and overnight. will work its way northwards then it sort of stops, really, around the borders of northern england into northern ireland. the rain tending to peter out. not as cold on friday morning but there is more rain arriving perhaps into the far south—west right at the end of the night. it may move to the north more slowly but we are looking at some wet weather again to drive up across inward and wales. bright skies further north and once the earlier rain or drizzle and hills now tends to peter out, that lets the sunshine in because the wind

is coming in from the east. never a good direction as you saw, 7—9 degrees, nothing good at all. weather front will move northwards and peter out. this low pressure area moves away. on saturday it should be a drier day for wales, the midlands and southern england. there will still be rain and drizzle and hill snow in scotland. mainly for eastern areas. should tend to peter out more through the day but there will be a lot of cloud around and again, temperatures struggling in northern scotland and southern parts of england. not regular sunshine as we head into easter sunday. we are between the weather systems so this is probably the quietest day of the next few and there will not be much rain around. it will still probably be a lot of cloud, mind you. north—west scotland see some sunshine, perhaps across southern counties but generally dry and cloudy and generally disappointing temperatures again so we can't even make double figures through the central belt of scotland. as we head into monday where we have some strengthening wind, rain coming in from the south—west followed by showers on tuesday. this is the briefing.

i'm sally bundock. our top story: poisoned at home — uk police reveal a deadly nerve agent was on the former spy‘s front door. one year to go until brexit. as theresa may embarks on a whirlwind uk tour, we ask: what's agreed? and what's not? laying the foundations — officials from north and south korea meet to discuss denuclearisation ahead of next month's historic summit. it helped build the spitfire — but can it fight off the biggest hostile takeover bid britain has seen for a decade? shareholders will decide the fate of engineering giant gkn today.