flores, the method, and patterns of foreign policy all around the world, and the history that reverberates in our lives today. now on this episode of the ammo will explore the continent of africa, the world's mind for everything from precious gemstones and diamonds, to ever increasingly critical minerals such as cobalt and lithium needed for modern day tech gadgets. so who's cozying up to the still developing region? then later, 10 years latest presidential elections were fraught with drama and debate. accusations of balance, staffing and stolen election sounding more like the u. s. 2020 elections than not. so who will lead one of africa, top economies for the coming years? we'll discuss all that and more coming up. all right, let's get into the ammo. me the recent passing of queen elizabeth the 2nd has revive the decades old conversation about precious gems being returned to africa after what some described as having

been stolen from the continent during the colonization period from the 1800s to around the start of world war one the star of africa diamond, which currently rest the top, the sceptre of the british royal family is a $500.00 carrot, clear cut, diamond mind in south africa. 19 o. 5. it's slightly smaller sister diamond clapped from the original 3100. carrots fits in. the royal crown, but today the minerals being mined and africa are owned by what seems like just about everyone on the planet there in your cell phone, lithium and cobalt to vital minerals needed for every electronic gadget in the world. from your phone to laptop your tablet, chances are pretty good. that you have a little piece of africa in your possession and don't even realize it. to discuss this, we'll turn to koala who seni. she is a ph. d, student in environmental science and engineering with

a focus on the impact of resource extraction for low carbon technologies at the shanghai jour tongue university cola, the d r. c, the democratic republic of congo, supply some 70 percent give or take the world's cobalt. now, cobalt is an essential or used in lithium batteries. china seems to be the number one contract and buying up this resource. does this effectively also give china more influence in the country from a geopolitical perspective? so as you fad, actually, it's correct. on the r c provides more than 60 percent of the global calls because of course, a large shares estimate global level and college is extremely important for the global transitions towards low carbon technology. and it's used in the tim, i'm batteries. it's also used like super allies and other key industries that are

needed at the global level, actually not on the china, but also other of flooring mining merch. national industries are involved in the market. and for instance, land core is the major mining industry that extracts a cobalt and it starts with british. what you national in addition of is there is china molybdenum, which is a states owned company and it's extract around 10 percent of the total couples in china. how we're in is sorry, in the r c. however, what is important to not to hear that once the college is extracted in the are see 90 percent of fits is been processed in

china. so the largest recession and but to say sions of the r c happens in china and been, or is not on the affecting the r c, but is affecting the globals like chain for couples. how long? how many more years in the future can countries like d, r c, depend on cobalt as their main export? i mean, will. these economies in africa have to switch perhaps to another mineral resource to sustain their economies? so the importance of the college ins, mccracken republic of congo will be significant also in the following years. and it's his actually projected the demand of the public is projected to increase we years and to reach a peak around 2050. what can the other countries

do is actually to us hearts, recycling cobbles and recycling. it's like from spectrum to resources and other, for example, used to me i and batteries. and these will actually reduce the mining impacts in the mac republic of congo. the african continent has been basically the world jewelry store for more than a century is demand for precious stones like diamond specifically, that's still a core export for the continent. and what changes have been made in that industry over the years as it pertains to human rights and other working conditions. so it depends of course of the country and it depends of the resource which is mind in specific. there are claims that there was abuses in the mining

industry, mostly like in the are choosing all mining that are run by cuts, most scale and where miners works. we've been regulated. and because of the global low carbon transition needs on increasing demand of critical minerals in which like the african continent, is abundance. the chad problems such as the flashing on groups such as such as like there are commune, rubidium, aluminum, always minerals are importance of 4 of the industries at global level and the african nation share a large like like a percentage in the global supply chain. there, there where negative impacts related to the mine and industries, but at the same time, positive one. because countries in africa have a strong institutional framework,

actually are getting benefits from it's for instance in morocco, more than 10 percent of the mining industry represent the local g, d p. and this figure is around 7 percent in south africa. so we believe it's through portland to have a strong institutional framework and to integrate our regulations and policies to make the mind industry more sustainable and more inclusive so that the local communities can be protected. and also the rights of minors. colo, we know that africa is the 2nd largest continent on earth, only behind asia. there is a tremendous amount of land with what one must imagine is for a valuable earth, minerals. can you give us sort of

a broad sense of the mineral resource wealth of africa, like as a continent the africa nations are reach in resources and for, for instance, as we have mentioned earlier, more than 60 percent of cobbled is mind in the r c. and if you think about like platinum group, more than 90 percent alone is mind in south africa in addition to a large share of manganese and chromium. and there are several minerals that we need in our daily life that we need for providing a solution to climate change. because these minerals are used and implemented in our clean technologies. the issue here is how we can actually promote other resorts in dormant in the african nation,

and how we can lower the mining environmental damages still. but the african nations can in the modern time, avoid scores. and historically speaking, how much of africa's resource wealth has actually gone to native africans versus say, international powers? so it started clear speaking as we might all be familiar with in the all centuries, the african nation were attracted with mineral or wealth and also with the natural and human capital and those so many imperialistic countries have actually exploiters, african resources. nowadays, the african nations are more aware about the importance of protecting the

ecosystem and giving benefit to their local communities. for instance, the african union into 2009 lounge, the african mine and vision. the objective is to provide a series of guidelines and strategist to make their industry more sustainable. however, one key issue here is that actually most of the african nations of they explore the minerals as or as the concentrate. and they lack of we're going to take a break from our normal schedule because president putin is hosting an informal, traditional year and meeting with the leaders of the commonwealth of independent states in st. petersburg. let's listen and see what to say to it is 1000000. you

good indicator of our willingness of our commitment to continue to build corporation across the ass, within this area of the true strategic partnership considering going to transfer all the parties to again. so i suggest, moffat was brief. all of our work in the us in 2022 in 2 discounts plants and prospects and to discuss matters of regional and international agenda that are a concern. tolliver on the way they might be doing this is in the outgoing he or them all collateral corporation. among our countries was that were largely successful, which is brewed by the growth of trade. mr. on the missing between russia and all the c s countries in the period of january, october, it grew by 6.6 percent and rates $81500000000.00. and there is every reason to hope that would opt for this year. it will reach $100000000000.00. the price would

you know when you do it all, it is happening against the backdrop of the volatility in the global markets. can you speak when you to that situation across the world and sanctions? brasher, that is exerted by certain countries in the states have become more active in using kind of sure none of the national occurrences and mutual settlements put any money in the commonwealth. we have coward, he, unaided our efforts to work on him for a subsidy ocean into enhanced technological, the sovereignty and independence to work together on enhancing industrial capacities and scientific capacity. as a result, they cannot make the financial sovereignty of the sand states as enhance. we have dynamically developed internal markets up commodities. sure. this is and the regional integration has deepened. another carrier corporation of the cs countries is enhancing the security and stability in our common,

your ration ration. unfortunately, the challenges in france in bits regard is coming from the outside are growing with here and we have to meet unfortunately that among the states there are some differences as well. but the main thing, however, is that we are ready and we will cooperate and even even though there are certain issues that we always try to resolve them together, which is moved by you. but helping each other and even the helping to meet aid among each other. within these constructive key, the countries are fighting against extremism and terrorism. friends, border rock, trafficking, and other crimes to these here, close contact is supported among the regional security services and special services. and not our agencies that are responsible for preserving stability and law because that year, which is my pleasure to state that the corporation of sci s,

country. so to cover it's such an important area is preserving common humanitarian and cultural. the space expanding various exchanges among our peoples. our peoples are connected by a large company. history is very chilled. rhodes, your video deepened, are twining of cultures and traditions values. and of course, the rational language has that it is the strong uniting some of the power that is bringing our multi ethnic states together. i would like to remind you that early earth, one of the summit, we made a decision to hold in 2023 at here of russian language in this country. and i would like you to support this initiative. i would like to thank you for supporting this initiative. are going to be a lot of events to preserve this language status. so this language has a language of multi ethnic communication with and help those who would you specify

to popularized achievements of recall trip. it will help us to develop called, truly here in this. and in conclusion, i would like to grasp it could show that the development within this young s someone is within the interest of the people in all countries and help us to develop socially and economically. and to enhance regional stability and security issue of your friends. once again, i would like to thank you for your accepting this invitation to come to saint petersburg. usually it was something we all wish that i shall as we discussed, that number of occasions, but nevertheless, technically it's the russian initiative. and i thank you for your support, and i would like to wish you a happy new year from the bottom my heart. i would like to wish your families and people is help your countries all the bass press, parity and happiness. thank you for the attention. maybe someone wants to add something please. we're just going to come away from that speech said the president

putin addressing the leaders of the countries in saint petersburg and traditional yet informal meets. and during the speech, you did just need to maintain the corporation and cultural routes as well and hands the national economies as well as overcome any differences that they may have so they can develop both culturally and socially. so that was that meeting of president putin would say, as leaders, we're going to continue with the news. now i'm going to start off in central rushes . serat the region. so and throughout the where the country's defense minister has confirmed the death of 3 service men falling a drone attack by ukrainian forces. now as the 2nd time, the base has been targeted, this month sees roma. causative has more details. according to the russian defense ministry, it deploys air defense systems in a city of angles in serrato region against a ukrainian drone that said,

try to at sack a strategic air field in that's a region. as result, 3 military personnel had been killed after that attack. now is the 2nd such attack of ukraine using a drone against this air field. on the 5th of december, 3 people were killed and 4 people were wounded at the same place in place when ukraine attacked the same airfield. now, according to the governor of the region, a panic ensued right away in local social media. as the fake news began to spread regarding an evacuation of all local residents and massive sandwich to civilian infrastructure. now, according to the governor, oldest use was a fake, and it was being spreaded from outside of the region. and even outside of the country, the, according to the hacker, the published this or information, a lot of for information regarding the placement of russian strategic her bombers

and her naval fleets and other military positions of importance have been leaked. and that information is being used by ukraine and in this instance as well. and this is a quiet said dangerous because this could provoke her nuclear response because of this particular airport houses for teaching bombers that are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. and according to russia's doctrine, if it says for teja, co and nuclear forces are being attacked. and that could mean that could make, that allows russia to provide a nuclear response. so ukraine is indeed playing with the fire here by trying to attack a russian strategic air force. well, this comes as russia's domestic security service. the f s b has killed 4 ukrainian suburb thurs as they were trying to cross the russian border in the big guns region

on monday. wanting you may find the following image is disturbing. the f s b says the ukrainian sub a 3rd group, part of foreign supplied weapons, include in german, machine guns, and ammunition, as well as western made a communication and navigation devices. the group was apparently planning terrorist acts on russian territory. they were found with 4 improvised explosive devices, with a capacity equivalent around 40 kilograms of cmc. another news, india's defense forces are set to deploy around a $120.00 domestically produced quays. i ballistic missiles on his borders with pakistan and china. arthur correspondence wound in sama as more. yes defenseless she half scared to procurement over on $120.00 ballistic missiles for the indian armed forces to illinois to the inn yet china india pakistan borgia. now these are in the jews. he developed dublin stick the science and they've been tested twice

successfully. 7 last year, in fact, the 2 consecutive days they were destined on 21st 22nd december 2021. the super bow for boosting the father began talking about. these are self with the surface in the south. a we had talking to round 150 to 500 kilometers. we also can carry around 35700 pages. oh hi. green explosives are so of course are a very, very powerful losing the thought of your talking about you. also this development of procurement of clarence law on 120 ballistic precise gums at a time when the defense forces in india are already working towards a dedicated rule. it force not force design development seen as big by defense watches. oh, south korea's ministry defense says it's 5 shots as 5 north korean drones crossed

into his territory. and in toward sol, the south korean military also struggled attack helicopters on fighter jets, one of which even crushed footage, provided by local tv channels, appears to show the crash sites of one of the unmanned aerial vehicles. the drones violates itself korean s based in 3 border regions close to soul, one of which flew over the capital city before returning to north korea, while another for disappeared from south korean re dos. the minister defense reports at young young has not yet commented on dots incidence. south korea's joint chiefs of staff cited by local media called the incursion. a provocation solved, deployed its own recognizance aircraft north of the border, photographic major north in military facilities. commercial flights have been suspended. other faults close to south korea as border regions. and now to west africa, where between a fossil government has expelled a top u, an official for quote, discrediting the country. the explosion comes just days after 2 french nationals

were asked to leave the country. i mean, accusations of espionage radio france international has already been banned by the interim military administration. and the local reporter. since the details become 3 representative will be you in, in book, in a fossil is no longer will come into the country. the government over transition decided to expel by borrow, mainly because they believe she's going to kill his group. and she's painting will killer fossil with dock carlo garment command that the you and bustle will, killer, has decided it. plus, if i walk i do as a loan, a company place for the you and stuff enough the, the love believe some will cannot be called about the impact of this decision. somehow, watson, this is all for me, it's the right decision. even if it's not necessarily welcome because given the way the un representative behave should be replaced,

i read the articles antonio terrorist uses in defense of her with i don't think the us should have priority in such issues. but kena foster is sovereign and has a right to make some decisions. i would say that booking for solar mature without really know where we stand and where are we going? currently we need partners, so not people who come to dictate the law to us or gave us their opinions. booking, i decided friday to expel, but is it under preventative of the you any? what get do? saturday, the un general secretary replied governor will keena think that it's not possible for the government to think that in the past when i grabbed in other words about a man, it cannot be expelled by the goblet of looking at the doctrine of persona, non grata does not apply to united nations officials, only the secretary general has the authority to decide after careful investigation with respect to the withdrawal of any united nations official for

a late gallo political analysts and civil society leader. the fact that she is that kit will be in touch with groups is not there. good reason to complain. and just a couple of people say i've heard that senior un official. barbara massey was in touch with some terrorists, but i don't think it's accurate. humanitarian workers have to communicate in many countries grips with conflicts as they're there to provide relief. and therefore sometimes they encounter armed groups in order for them to access people in need. so if it's not explained, well, it can give the impression that there's complicity. personally, i think it's unbelievable that a senior united nations officials would team up with arms militants. it has also been said that she regularly goes to this. it's a disaster area, an area with strong humanitarian needs. so it's normal that the united nations who are involved in humanitarian issues will be there. the arguments are not valid. burkina faso is weak at the moment to launch

a show down with the united nations. were too fragile. were one of the most fragile countries. this is ridiculous, at the same time, among the 3 countries, molly niger and burkina, we have 10 times more displaced people than niger and molly. 5 western countries have reportedly issued an ultimatum to belgrade to remove the barricades in the north of costco. by the end of the day, it fails arts. christina will be given permission to use force to understand off the ultimate incomes and shootings in the north of costs. vote in the early hours of the morning on costs of and special forces allegedly tried to dismantle a serbian barricades and are said to have fled following warning shots fired by local serbs. possible media claims that local starts of the offensive shooting at troops that had been deployed to the region. so the leader alexander church, called an emergency meeting in response to the escalating tensions and sent the top general to the border while increasing belgrade military presence. the sanctions

fled in kosovo earlier this month when the local, serbian majority in the north blockaded the roads, leading to the capital. christina, the move was in protest as to the arrest of a prominent serbia national, a former police officer who was accused of attacking a coffin, law enforcement patrol barricades. i've now been in place for 17 days with protest is demanding the release of their compatriots. withdrawal of special units of the kosovo police from the north of the province and to stop the oppression of service . to get more on this story were joined in the studio by dr. stephen gauge. professor at the institute of european studies in belgrade can think of anyone better focus through the story. thanks for joining us as the run. thank you for inviting again. can you tell us about this overnight escalation, please? what happened? this is one of the provocations i guess the done again by de la costa wellbeing authorities. so what they are doing is they're constantly provoking the serbs and

for some reason they want to escalate. i don't know why, because this is not in the interest of neither the serb nor the albanian local population. so there obviously must be an agenda behind this. it all started with serbs withdrawing from the costumes are here in trim institutions, which happened was followed by the albanian authorities not fulfilling the brussels agreement for almost 10 years. they have signed it and ratified it twice in their parliament, but they don't want to a stablish the so called community of serbia municipalities. so the 3rd out of protest left is the fusions. and then the, the albanian majority is the usual started to arrest the serbian policemen who were in their system of government, of government. so this is really and in the kangaroo course,

i can't call them anything all started inventing these indictments or how policemen were involved in war crimes during the ninety's. but i'm thinking, where were they have a double track when they employed them in years ago. so how come this comes all of a sudden, so there for service, policeman that are arrested and that was the reason for the barricades to be established in the firstly. but it seems that that serves are been blamed for this . why, why do you think that is because unfortunately, what we call an international community, which i think is a rather race is term because it always only applies to their political west. so because they treat serbia and serves as enemies and have been treating us like that for the last i say 30 years because in every single conflict on the policy was love space ah, they were against the serbs. the main, a mistake may be by the serbian government is to,

out of good will let the negotiations process go down from the level of the united nations to level of the european union, which was constantly behaving as a side in the conflict and not as a on bias, you know, by standard that is trying to mediate between the sides. and this is very unfortunate, of course. so again, instead of us calling god things as they are, again, we have this on 2 sides should or should calm down. whereas only one side is escalating constantly. serves are trying to defend themselves and what they know from you know, recent and, and then more different historical perspective is that that they were constantly expelled in 2004 while later was there, there was a program against the serbian churches, villages. others were expelled and murdered. that happened in 1999 as well during

d, a one an angel entered. and if we go further to the history, unfortunately a got some albinos are supported. hitler. they used the occupation to expel serbs before that they supported the author and carry an empire before that the ottoman empire. it so that the history of course, always the history of constant exalt us, exit us of serbs from there. i think holy land, because most of our medieval churches are monasteries that are dearest to us, are in casa, latasha will, will fast forward into today. obviously, belgrade has been issued with this ultimatum. there are some nato troops in kosovo . what do you think is right that serbia isn't logs or find it difficult to protect? neat ethnic serbs in kosovo? yeah, i the therapy i have a right according to the un resolution, 1244 to a to bring in a.