Week 155-156 (23/05-05/06/2022)

The government of Saudi Arabia has banned its citizen from travelling to 16 countries, citing COVID-19 reason (23/05). | Picture: Reuters.

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

The government of Saudi Arabia has banned its citizen from travelling to 16 countries, citing COVID-19 reason (23/05). The countries are Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Libya, Lebanon, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Armenia, Belarus, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Venezuela. The ban is one-way and currently for Saudi passport holders only.

The national authority of Rwanda accused Congo’s military for shelling people and crossing border illegally (24/05). The Rwandan government has asked the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism to check Congolese authorities. In response, the Congolese authorities accused Rwanda forces of supporting armed rebels in mineral-rich eastern Congo.

The foreign minister of Somalia, Abdisaid Muse, has been suspended by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble (25/05). Roble said that Muse was being suspected of illegal shipment of charcoal to Oman. Charcoal exports have been banned by the Somalian government 10 years ago to prevent deforestation and conflict fundings.

Israel’s Air Force has conducted a military drill over the Mediterranean Sea (01/06). The drill, which involved more than 100 aircrafts and navy submarines, simulated attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Israel has been increasing its efforts to prepare a military attack against Iranian nuclear facilities and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon in light of the growing uncertainty of Iran’s return to the 2015 nuclear deal.

Since the beginning of 2022, Seychelles have captured at least six foreign vessels suspected of illegal fishing (01/06). The statement was delivered by the country’s Fisheries Minister Jean-Francois Ferrari in front of the National Assembly. Ferrari also warned other countries that their boats would be caught and their fishermen imprisoned if entering Seychelles’ waters without a fishing license. At the moment, Seychelles is processing two cases involving Indian and Sri Lankan boats.

ASIA 

Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, arrived in Vanuatu from Tonga on Wednesday (01/06). Wang Yi attempted to agree on bilateral agreements with the Pacific nation. Previously, China failed to agree with 10 South Pacific nations after several countries voiced concerns over multilateral security agreement.

COVID-19 surge continues in North Korea. The country has reported more than 79,100 people with fever on Saturday (04/06). However, the concerns over lack of vaccines and medical supplies remain the same.

Saudi Arabia began to receive the first foreign Hajj pilgrims for the first time since the pandemic on Saturday (04/06). The first group of Hajj pilgrims that has landed in Medina came from Indonesia. The Kingdom said that it would allow one million people to perform the Hajj.

Most of the Gulf countries—including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain—threatened to boycott products from India after controversial comments about Prophet Muhammad. As of Sunday (05/06), most of the countries have summoned Indian envoys to express their condemnation and rejection towards the comments. The BPJ party also has temporarily suspended their national spokesperson after the comment.

AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA

In a meeting in Tokyo, the leaders of the Quad—Australia, India, Japan, and the United States (US)—pledged to invest more than USD 50 billion in infrastructure in bid to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region (24/05). The Quad also launched an initiative to combat illegal fishing as well as talking about climate change, technology, COVID-19, and the fallout from Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Russia-Ukraine issue has a potential to divide the informal alliance as India has a close relation with Russia and has refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine. 

A leaked document showed that China and Pacific nations could “strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of traditional and non-traditional security”, including in telecom cooperation (26/05). China is reportedly seeking to seal the deals as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits East Timor, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu between May 26 and June 4. The report raised an alarm in at least one Pacific country, the Federated States of Micronesia, a close US’ ally. Micronesia’s President David Panuelo warned that the deals could rise the tensions in the Pacific as well as fueling another “Cold War” between the US and China.

The government of New Zealand decided to extend the deployment of its five Defense Force personnel in the Solomon Islands by one year (27/05). Minister of Defense Peeni Henare said the move was taken to continue the security support in the Solomon Islands. The extension also came amid the growing tensions between Australia and China, which started after Honiara and Beijing signed a controversial security pact last month.

Samoa signed a deal with China to strengthen diplomatic relations amid the latter and Australia’s competition to woo the Pacific countries (28/05). Meanwhile, Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama met newly sworn Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong. In his tweet, Bainimarama said that Fiji’s greatest concern was climate change, not geopolitics. In that spirit, Bainimarama had a “wonderful meeting” with Wong to strengthen their Vuvale Partnership.

Despite failing to reach consensus on security agreements with 10 Pacific countries, China managed to sign smaller bilateral agreements with the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Samoa (30/05). China’s growing interest in the Pacific region has alarmed Australia and the US. One of the Pacific nations, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), also opposed China’s proposed deal in free trade, climate change, and health areas, arguing that it could destabilize the region.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta faced increased pressure over the country’s approach to the Pacific countries as Chinese foreign minister toured the region (31/05). Many questioned why Mahuta could not toured the Pacific before her Chinese counterpart. In her address to reporters, Mahuta said that New Zealand’s relationship with the Pacific nations was “very good”. She added that China had the resources to do a full Pacific tour in a short time, but it did not mean that she was not looking forward to meet her Pacific counterparts. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Pacific Minister Aupito William Sio is set to visit Fiji on June 1 to meet the Pacific ministers.

Despite having signed bilateral cooperation agreements with China, Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said that it was “unreasonable” for Beijing to rush a Pacific trade and security agreement during Chinese foreign minister’s visit to the Pacific nations this week (02/06).  Mata’afa said, “It just seemed a bit abnormal because the minister of foreign affairs was here and there was this particular proposal from the Chinese, that they were seeking regional agreement on. Our position was that you cannot have regional agreement when the region hasn’t met to discuss it, and to be called in to have that discussion and to have an expectation that there would be a comprehensive decision or outcome was something that we could not agree to.” Her statement was made as she warmly welcomed Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong. Wong’s visit signalled Australia’s rising competition with China for influence in the Pacific.

Australia’s new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo face-to-face on Monday morning (06/06) in Jakarta, reported The Guardian (05/06). Since the Keating era, it has been a tradition for a newly appointed Australian prime minister to make Jakarta their first foreign visit. Albanese said that his initial conversations with Widodo about China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region had been “cordial and positive”. He added that he would talk with the leaders of Timor-Leste on his flight to Indonesia.

EUROPE 

Jean-Pierre Thébault, France’s ambassador to Australia, said that he was looking forward to rebuild the relationship between the two countries (25/05). Tensions between France and Australia rose after the latter cancelled its submarine deal in favor of a security pact with the United Kingdom (UK) and the US—known as AUKUS. Thébault suggested that the upcoming Albanese government would take more responsibility in fighting the climate change crisis as well as helping forging a path for the long-awaited free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Australia.

Moldova’s former president and pro-Russia Igor Dodon has been put under 30-day house arrest (26/05). He is facing charges on suspected treason, corruption, illicit enrichment, and illegal party financing. The arrest came as Moldova and Russia’s relation became increasingly strained amid the invasion of Ukraine. Dodon denied all charges and argued that his arrest was a “political issue aimed at neutralizing the opposition”.

Despite claiming to want to take Serbia into the EU, President Aleksandar Vucic has just announced that he had secured a three-year natural gas supply agreement with Russia (29/05). Vucic also refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to sanction Moscow. Serbian officials said they have to resist the West’s pressure even if that means they will have to abandon their plan to join the EU.  

Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Finland and Sweden should change their laws if they want Turkey to support their bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (31/05). Turkey vetoed the Nordic countries’ bid because they protected people with link to groups that Ankara deemed as terrorists, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Finland and Sweden are reportedly seeking to negotiate a solution to Turkey’s demand.

Hungary objected to the inclusion of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill to the list of sanctioned individuals by the European Union (EU) (01/06). The move effectively halted the finalization of the bloc’s latest sanctions against Russia. Previously, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had won a carve-out for pipeline deliveries from Russia after arguing that a ban on Russian fuel would devastate his country.

In a historic referendum, Denmark voted to join the EU’s defence policy (02/06). The vote came amid the latest shift of Europe’s security landscape caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Some analysts believed that Danish referendum and Finland and Sweden’s bid to join NATO could be a way for the Nordic countries to strengthen their influence in Europe.

To mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign, more than 3,500 beacons were lit up across the United Kingdom (UK) and in Commonwealth countries around the world (03/06). Despite attending the lightning ceremony, the monarch did not attend the service at St Paul’s Cathedral due to discomfort. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is celebrated for four days, beginning on Thursday morning (02/06).

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 

Seven-point two SR earthquake hit southern Peru on Thursday (26/05), with the effect also felt in Bolivia and Chile. The US Geological Survey said that the quake was 218 km deep beneath the surface in the west-northwest of Azangaro. Local authorities and news stations reported no damage or victims in the aftermath of the quake.

Mexico reported its first monkeypox case on Saturday (28/05). The patient - who is being treated in Mexico City – was suspected to be infected in the Netherlands. This move came after Argentina became the first South American country to report its first monkeypox case on Friday.

Hurricane Agatha formed on Mexico’s southern coast on Saturday (28/05). The center of the storm was located 175 miles from Puerto Angel and was moving towards land. A hurricane watch was issued and Agatha could land in either Puerto Escondito or Huatulco, Mexico.

Death tolls from the flooding and landslides in northeast Brazil continue to increase. As of Tuesday (31/05), local authorities reported that at least 100 people died and 14 remain missing. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had flown to the area on Monday (30/05) and promised the survivors to do everything possible to help them.

Fourteen crew members and a dog of an oil tanker were rescued by the US and Dutch authorities on Thursday (02/06) near Curaçao. Two crew members are still declared missing. Meanwhile, the rescued crew will be transported to Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago before heading home to their home countries.

Peru’s government failed to find a solution to the ongoing mining conflict on Friday (03/06). Previously, mining operations at La Bambas have paused their operations since April because of the protests from the indigenous Huancuire community. The conflict worsened this week after clashes between the police and community members.

The tropical storm “Alex” hit the Gulf of Mexico on Friday (03/06). The storm will bring soaking rain to parts of Florida in the US and also Cuba and the Bahamas. In the latest news, tropical storm warnings have not been issued by the local authorities.

THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA 

A school shooting massacre occurred in Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday (24/05). Authorities announced 21 lives were lost, which includes 19 children and two teachers.  This became the deadliest school shooting in the US since 2012. The shooter also barricaded himself alongside students and teachers before the police stormed in.

A woman’s quick reaction prevented a mass shooting in Charleston, West Virginia, the US on Wednesday (25/05). The woman fatally shot a man who opened fire on a group of 40 people with a semi-automatic rifle. The shooter, Denis Butler, was found dead at the scene from multiple gunshots to his body.

Critical baby formula shortage happened in the US and Canada. Human Milk Banking Association of North America said (26/05) that the demand for human breast milk increased over the last few years in the US. Meanwhile, Canada has not seen a sharp increase in demand and also got helped by the number of mothers honoring their extra breast milk. One of the reasons why Canada is doing better is because the maternity leave in Canada is so much longer than in the US.

The prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, proposed a freeze on handgun ownership in Canada on Monday (30/05). This means that Canadians can no longer buy, sell, transfer, or import handguns in Canada. This measure was taken after the recent mass shootings in the US. Trudeau’s proposal must still be passed by Parliament.

US President Joe Biden called for a ban on assault weapons and their magazines on Friday (03/06). His speech came after the mass shootings in at least three states which killed at least 35 people. The President’s plea was received divisively among senate members. While the Democrats support Biden, the Republicans called Biden’s comment “divisive”.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) said that the US has identified at least 20 confirmed or suspected monkeypox cases per Friday (03/06). Most of the patients had a history of international travel and they likely caught the virus outside the country. The CDC focused on preventing community-level transmission by increasing surveillance efforts.

Dozens of monkeypox cases were also identified in Canada on Friday (03/06). Dr. Theresa Tam said that most of the cases are in Quebec, while others spread in Ontario and Alberta. Furthermore, the government also investigated the origin of monkeypox cases, rumored to have originated from a local sauna in Montreal