https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:44:50 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230803-brazil-president-supports-accession-of-saudi-arabia-uae-to-brics/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 11:41:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657845 Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has expressed his support for more countries joining the BRICS group. Lula said in the capital, Brasilia, yesterday that he supports countries such as Argentina, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joining the group. BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is due to hold a summit in Johannesburg from 22-24 August. He also described the seven leading industrialised countries as a "club" that should not exist, considering that its form in terms of geopolitical affairs is outdated. The UK, US, France, Italy, Japan, Canada and Germany make up the group of Western industrialised countries, known as the G7. Some 22 countries have "formally" asked to join the BRICS group, while […]]]> 657845 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230802-will-egypts-coup-leader-escape-scrutiny-in-south-africa/ Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:09:42 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657515 Has South Africa overlooked Egypt's problematic participation at the forthcoming BRICS summit? Dignifying its military leader Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi with the expected red-carpet treatment will in effect be an endorsement of regime change via military coup, which is how Cairo's despot overthrew the democratically elected Morsi government to gain power. This month marks a decade since Al-Sisi appeared on TV in a military beret to announce the constitution's suspension and the end of Morsi's presidency. RSF (Reporters Without Borders) documents that as he spoke, security forces were preparing to storm the Cairo bureaus of the Qatari TV channels Al-Jazeera and Al-Jazeera Mubasher and arrest their journalists. That same evening, Al-Sisi's military goons led a purge against many more media outlets and shut them down for allegedly supporting Mohamed Morsi's party, […]]]> 657515 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230728-africa-leaders-press-putin-to-end-ukraine-war-and-restore-grain-supplies/ Fri, 28 Jul 2023 19:40:18 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=656142 African leaders pressed Russian President, Vladimir Putin, on Friday to move ahead with their peace plan to end the Ukraine conflict and to renew a deal on the safe wartime export of Ukrainian grain that Moscow tore up last week, Reuters reports. While not directly critical of Russia, their interventions on the second day of a summit were more concerted and forceful than those that African countries have voiced until now. They served as reminders of the depth of African concern at the consequences of the war, especially rising food prices. "This war must end. And it can only end on the basis of justice and reason," African Union Commission Chairman, Moussa Faki Mahamat, told Putin and African leaders in […]]]> 656142 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230726-arab-leaders-use-palestine-to-boost-their-popularity/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:58:26 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655191 Early this week, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that his country's independence would never be complete as long as Palestine is occupied. Echoing the words of the late South African freedom fighter and President Nelson Mandela, he also pointed out that this has been the position of his predecessors as well. "Palestine's strength can only be achieved through its unity," he told CNN China. "The Palestinians know this very well." He added that some Arab states, and China, are striving to get Palestine accepted as a full UN member state "even if it is still occupied." In fact, most free people around the world appear to support the Palestinians and wish to see the Israeli occupation ended as soon as […]]]> 655191 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230725-brics-endorses-the-defunct-two-state-compromise/ Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:09:43 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655015 The BRICS Summit in South Africa has given further unwarranted validation to the two-state compromise for Palestine-Israel. The Palestinian Authority's official news agency Wafa promoted the reaffirmation by international diplomacy as calling for "the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital." While BRICS is seen as an economic alternative – 22 countries have formally applied to join the bloc, while another 20 have expressed interest – its diplomacy for Palestine only promises more of the same defunct premises which have accelerated Israel's settler-colonial expansion on Palestinian territory. Economic inequalities may be addressed through BRICS, although the number of countries applying or expressing interest will inevitably veer the group away from the alternative economic policies which […]]]> 655015 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230722-abbas-updates-south-africa-president-on-israel-palestine-conflict/ Sat, 22 Jul 2023 10:20:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654454 In a letter sent to President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas outlined the latest updates on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Azzam Al-Ahmad attended the BRICS conference in Pretoria, submitting the letter to Ramaphosa. In the letter, Abbas explained how the Israeli occupation is committing violations of human rights and international laws and conventions. Abbas reiterated the "strong relationship" between South Africa and Palestine, thanking Ramaphosa for inviting Palestine to the BRICS conference. During the conference, Al-Ahmad confirmed that Abbas is looking into reinforcing cooperation between the two countries. Ramaphosa, according to Wafa News Agency, meanwhile praised Abbas and expressed his desire for continuous coordination and […]]]> 654454 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230722-algeria-president-country-applied-to-join-brics-offered-1-5bn/ Sat, 22 Jul 2023 09:02:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654442 Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced on Friday that his country had submitted a request to be a shareholder in the BRICS group to the amount of $1.5 billion. President Tebboune revealed, for the first time, the value of the contribution in an interview with China Central Television broadcast on Friday. Tebboune disclosed: "We officially applied to join the BRICS group, we sent a letter asking to be shareholder members of the bank… Algeria's first contribution to the bank will be $1.5 billion." The BRICS Bank, formerly referred to as the New Development Bank, is run by BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with its headquarters in Shanghai, China. READ: Algeria President to pay 2-day visit to Turkiye The […]]]> 654442 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230721-south-africa-22-countries-officially-requested-to-join-brics-group/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 13:06:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654338 Some 22 countries have "formally" asked to join the BRICS group, while an equal number has informally expressed interest in joining the bloc, South Africa announced yesterday. BRICS, a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is due to hold a summit from 22-24 August in South Africa and has previously hinted that it was open to expansion. South Africa's top diplomat in charge of relations with the bloc, Anil Sooklal,  told reporters in Johannesburg that 22 countries have officially asked to join the BRICS group while there was "an equal number of countries have informally expressed interest in becoming BRICS members … [including] all the major global south countries." READ: BRICS summit issues special resolution in favour of […]]]> 654338 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230721-brics-summit-issues-special-resolution-in-favour-of-palestine/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:35:50 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654329 The BRICS summit called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the Wafa news agency reported. BRICS, a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, issued a resolution following its conference in the South African capital, Pretoria, yesterday calling for the implementation of United Nations and UN Security Council resolutions related to the Palestinian issue, including Resolution No. 2334 on the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict within the framework of the two-state solution, by establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. A delegation from the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), headed by Azzam Al-Ahmad, and senior Palestinian diplomat Salman Al-Harfi attended yesterday's session. On the sidelines of the conference, the delegation […]]]> 654329 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230714-irans-diplomatic-drive-raisis-focus-on-the-global-south/ Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:55:35 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=652188 It's been quite a busy year for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in terms of diplomatic engagement. In February he made an official state visit to China, where 20 agreements were signed, in addition to receiving pledges from President Xi Jinping to strengthen security and economic cooperation – more on that later. Beijing was also the venue where Raisi's administration agreed to resume diplomatic relations with regional rival Saudi Arabia the following month. In May, Raisi visited close regional ally Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and signed long-term cooperation agreements. During his visit, Raisi also symbolically prayed at the historic Umayyad Mosque, achieving a gesture that Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once famously vowed to do in 2014 at the height of […]]]> 652188 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230708-from-icc-to-sportswashing-the-wests-self-serving-narratives-must-be-combated/ Sat, 08 Jul 2023 13:07:41 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=650592 In March, the South African Communist Party (SACP) denounced what it described as the "imperialist bias" of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The denunciation of the ICC as a "supranational institution at the service of imperialist states" came two days after the Hague-based court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and another Russian official for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The speed with which the case against Putin was lodged, discussed and followed by concrete action raised many questions about the integrity, balance and political agenda of the Western-inclined court. While Palestinians immediately, and rightly, protested the hypocrisy of the ICC as it continues to treat alleged Israeli war criminals with kid gloves, Iraqis, Afghans, but mostly […]]]> 650592 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230705-corbyn-anti-bds-law-reminds-me-of-support-for-apartheid-south-africa/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 17:34:08 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=650017 READ: Anti-BDS bill shielding Israel will have 'profound detrimental' impact on UK, says top lawyer]]> 650017 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230629-turkish-charities-spread-eid-al-adha-joy-of-millions-across-africa/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:15:55 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=647978 Turkish charities brought joy and happiness to millions of Muslims across the African continent on Wednesday, providing meat to be used in celebrating Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, Anadolu Agency reports. Ilyas Bulut, coordinator for Turkiye Diyanet Vakfi (TDV), told Anadolu that 5,750 cows would be slaughtered in 11 locations in Uganda and distributed to the needy. Bulut said the meat will be packed and distributed to the needy with the assistance of mosque imams. He said his organization will also reach out to correctional services facilities. Muslims with financial ability are required to sacrifice animals for the holiday which marks the conclusion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The significant religious observance commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's act […]]]> 647978 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230624-weighing-expansion-brics-increasingly-draws-membership-requests/ Sat, 24 Jun 2023 15:36:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646894 The BRICS group, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, continues to attract applications from numerous countries as it explores expansion opportunities, Anadolu Agency reports. Anadolu compiled the developments regarding the enlargement process of BRICS. Amid the search for a multipolar world, Brazil, Russia, India and China laid the foundations in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010. BRICS, while criticising the unequal structures and resolutions of the Group of Seven (G-7) and the UN Security Council, calls for reforms in international structures and norms to establish a multipolar order. With a combined population representing nearly 42 per cent of the world's population, the BRICS countries control 18 per cent of global exports. The collective gross domestic product (GDP) of […]]]> 646894 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230615-tebboune-urges-acceleration-of-algeria-brics-accession-process/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:49:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=644998 Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has called for an acceleration of Algeria's accession process to BRICS, a bloc composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Anadolu Agency reports. During a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Moscow on Thursday, Tebboune expressed his intentions regarding Algeria's potential membership in BRICS. He said, once Algeria becomes a member of BRICS, it would facilitate the process of switching to payments "not in dollars, not in Euros". Tebboune thanked Putin for the military cooperation, saying Russia's support is "crucial" for maintaining Algeria's independence in the current conditions. READ: BRICS foreign ministers pledge to build up New Development Bank "As for the geopolitical situation and relations here, we should touch on the Libyan […]]]> 644998 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230613-uk-labours-major-donor-is-israel-lobbyist-who-profited-from-south-african-apartheid/ Tue, 13 Jun 2023 08:50:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=644354 The UK Labour Party's latest corporate mega-donor is a pro-Israel businessman whose company profited from South African apartheid, the Electronic Intifada has reported in a sensational article exposing the morally questionable past of the party's bankrollers under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer. A report in the Financial Times revealed that the Labour Party landed Gary Lubner as its new megadonor. The multimillionaire donated £5 million ($6.29m) to become the party's biggest donor and one of the biggest political donors in Britain. Under Starmer, Labour has been plunged into a financial crisis largely as a result of its purge of left-wing members. It has reportedly lost around 200,000 members since Jeremy Corbyn was leader, costing the party more than $10.5m […]]]> 644354 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230612-iran-saudi-arabia-ties-what-comes-next-after-smooth-restart/ Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:00:56 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=644162 Less than three months after agreeing to restore diplomatic ties, long-time regional rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia, have recently taken another significant step toward full reconciliation. In the presence of senior officials from both sides, the Iranian Embassy in the affluent diplomatic enclave in north-western Riyadh was re-opened last week, seven years after it was locked down. A day later, Iran's Consulate-General and its permanent mission to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the port city of Jeddah were also re-opened. The Consulate-General in Jeddah had been active ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, but a formal re-opening took place on Wednesday in the presence of Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Alireza Begdali, and other officials. Although Saudi Arabia is […]]]> 644162 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230608-us-churches-campaign-to-end-israels-apartheid-system/ Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:03:29 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=643381 Some 100 North American congregations, faith groups and organisations have launched the Apartheid Free Communities campaign aimed at ending the crime of apartheid committed by Israel against Palestinians. The campaign's founding statement said it draws inspiration from the anti-apartheid movement that overthrew the apartheid regime in South Africa. It called for building "societies free from apartheid within societies of faith and societies of conscience by moving away from any support for Israeli apartheid, occupation and settler colonialism." "For decades, the Palestinian people have faced Israeli occupation and systematic human rights abuses that constitute apartheid," the statement said. The campaign is open to individuals and societies who agree to take a pledge to dismantle apartheid. A similar campaign was launched in Canada in July last year […]]]> 643381 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230602-brics-foreign-ministers-pledge-to-build-up-new-development-bank/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 19:25:07 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=642200 The foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – BRICS – said that building up the New Development Bank is one of their priorities, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement on its official website, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, following the 2-day meeting in Cape Town, the ministers agreed to ensure the sustainability of operational activities of the Bank, established by BRICS countries in 2015, to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the developing and member countries. On the second day, June 2, an expanded meeting was also held with the participation of the foreign ministries of 12 developing countries – the "friends of BRICS" – Argentina, Bangladesh, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, […]]]> 642200 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230602-brics-meet-with-friends-seeking-closer-ties-amid-push-to-expand-bloc/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 16:40:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=642181 Senior officials from more than a dozen countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, were in talks on forging closer links with the BRICS bloc of major emerging economies on Friday, as it met to deepen ties and position itself as a counter-weight to the West, Reuters reports. BRICS, which now consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is considering expanding its membership, and a growing number of countries have expressed interest in joining. Once viewed as a loose association of disparate emerging economies, BRICS has, in recent years, taken more concrete shape, driven initially by China and, since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022, with added impetus from Russia. In remarks opening Friday's discussions, host […]]]> 642181 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230602-brics-foreign-ministers-gather-in-south-africa/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:34:44 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=642177 A meeting of foreign ministers of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – countries was held in Cape Town, South Africa on Friday, Anadolu Agency reports. Hosted by South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Naledi Pandor, the meeting gathered Brazilian Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. The ministers addressed regional and global issues, the UN Security Council reform, protection of multilateralism, security, sustainable development, counter-terrorism, climate, energy security and mutual cooperation. Unilateral international sanctions' violation of international law and their effects on the world economy were also discussed. The meeting also addressed introducing a common currency for the BRICS countries and […]]]> 642177 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230525-un-africa-bank-work-to-ease-russia-grain-fertiliser-exports-un-official/ Thu, 25 May 2023 15:32:10 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=639894 The United Nations is working with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to create a platform to help process transactions for Russian exports of grain and fertiliser to Africa, the top UN trade official told Reuters on Wednesday. An agreement struck in July last year requires the UN to help Russia overcome any obstacles to its grain and fertiliser exports for three years. It was reached at the same time as a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of food and fertiliser from Ukraine following Russia's February 2022 invasion. The deals were intended to ease a global food crisis that the United Nations said was worsened by the war because both countries produce grain and fertiliser for world markets, particularly in Africa […]]]> 639894 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230518-saudi-arabia-to-open-embassy-in-eswatini/ Thu, 18 May 2023 08:54:15 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=637760 Saudi Arabia has announced the establishment of a full-fledged embassy in the Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, a tiny landlocked country in Southern Africa with a population of slightly more than a million people. The announcement was made by Saudi Arabia's Royal Court Advisor Ahmed Qattan during his meeting with King Mswati III on Tuesday evening, in which the strengthening of bilateral relations was also discussed, explained Eswatini's Foreign Affairs Minister Thuli Dladla in the capital Mbabane on Wednesday. "We have received His Majesty and the important issues were discussed with the king concerning improvement in the relationship in all aspects," Qattan was quoted by the minister as saying. "The king has been informed that the Kingdom of […]]]> 637760 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230428-israel-exclusion-from-south-africa-rugby-tournament-is-not-discrimination-says-world-rugby/ Fri, 28 Apr 2023 15:33:29 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=632091 Rugby's global governing body, World Rugby, has announced that the South African Rugby Union's (SARU) decision to exclude the Israeli rugby team from the international competitions was not discriminatory move. In response, the CEO of the Israeli team, Pete Sickle, rejected the claims that the decision was due to security threats, as he told JTA: "We expected World Rugby to take a closer look at the events leading up to the withdrawal of the invitation." "We still have not seen tangible evidence of credible and significant threats to public safety. We haven't seen any evidence of SARU or South African security forces analysing those threats before making this decision." The Tel Aviv Heat rugby team was scheduled to compete in […]]]> 632091 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230428-brazils-president-the-un-was-so-strong-enough-to-create-israel-but-now-cant-create-a-palestinian-state/ Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:43:25 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=631970 Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva this week slammed the UN's inability to create a Palestinian State in the same manner that it established the state of Israel in 1948. "The UN was so strong that, in 1948, it managed to create the State of Israel. In 2023, it fails to create a Palestinian state," Lula said. Speaking during an official visit to Spain, Lula continued: "We live in the world where the UN Security Council, the permanent members, they are the ones who sell the most weapons in the world, they are the biggest participants in wars in the world." "When the United States invaded Iraq, there was no discussion in the Security Council. When France and England […]]]> 631970 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230428-egypt-saudi-uae-algeria-bahrain-seek-to-join-brics-bloc/ Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:48:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=631965 Five Arab countries are among 19 who have expressed their interest in joining the BRICS group, Bloomberg reported. Anil Sooklal, South Africa's ambassador to the group, said that the emerging market bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa would meet in Cape Town on 2-3 June to discuss its expansion. "What will be discussed is the expansion of the BRICS group and the way this can be achieved." "Thirteen countries have formally requested to join, while six others have informally requested. We receive requests to join every day," he added. China launched discussions on expansion when it chaired the BRICS group last year, as it attempts to build a diplomatic influence to counter the dominance of developed countries […]]]> 631965 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230420-the-tragedy-of-refugees-in-africa-and-the-west-how-did-we-come-to-hate-ourselves/ Thu, 20 Apr 2023 08:24:11 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630331 Asylum seekers, in various parts of the world, have always been subjected to smear campaigns, hatred and accusations, the source of which is often the economic deterioration represented by the increase in unemployment rates, high prices and the lack of basic services for the general public in the country of asylum. This prompts the authorities to encourage blaming the refugees to cover up their political and economic failures and promotes this by adopting populist media campaigns based on provoking feelings and emotions against the "others". These campaigns are not limited to Western countries, especially when it comes to refugees from Arab countries, Asia and Africa, i.e. what is known as the Third World. Instead, contrary to all expectations and the […]]]> 630331 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230419-conflict-in-sudan-undermines-africa-democratic-gains-peace-analysts/ Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:47:20 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630270 The conflict that erupted in Sudan last weekend undermines democratic gains made by the continent, as well as the African Union's agenda of "silencing the guns" in Africa, according to regional analysts, Anadolu News Agency reports. "The ongoing conflict undermines efforts to ensure huge democracy prevails in the region in countries such as Sudan, which has previously seen violence and instability and which was now expected to turn to a peaceful era," Kealeboga Maphunye, a political scientist at the University of South Africa, told Anadolu in an interview Tuesday. Maphunye said the conflict also undermines the African Union's long-term goals of peace, stability and "silencing the guns", an AU flagship initiative of Agenda 2063, which aspirates to end all wars […]]]> 630270 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230413-the-rise-of-the-south-can-brics-weaken-the-dominance-of-the-world-bank-and-imf/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:40:28 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628837 Who would have expected that the BRICS nations could rise and become the potential rival of the G7 countries, the World Bank and the IMF combined? That once seemingly distant possibility now has real prospects which could change the equilibrium of world politics. BRICS — an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — was supposedly coined by the Chief Economist of Goldman Sachs in 2001, as a reference to the world's emerging economies. It was then known as BRIC; the "S" came later, when South Africa formally joined the group in 2010. The group's first official summit was held in 2009. Back then, the discussion seemed largely abstract. It wasn't until 2014 that BRICS began taking serious […]]]> 628837 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230406-south-africa-condemns-israeli-attacks-on-palestinian-worshippers-at-al-aqsa-mosque/ Thu, 06 Apr 2023 10:05:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=626938 The Government of the Republic of South Africa has "noted with concern" the Israeli occupation forces' assault on Palestinian worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. In a media statement issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the government in Pretoria said that it "condemns these violent acts by the Israeli government against the worshippers and calls for calm and the withdrawal of the forces from Al-Aqsa Mosque." At least seven worshippers were injured during the attacks and more than 400 Palestinians were arrested. Most have since been released on condition that they do not enter Al-Aqsa Mosque. "The use of stun grenades and tear gas on worshippers is unjust. These actions threaten the internationally agreed status quo […]]]> 626938 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230406-south-africa-protests-against-israeli-violence-at-al-aqsa-mosque/ Thu, 06 Apr 2023 09:41:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=626928 Dozens of people in Cape Town staged a vigil in front of the city's Jewish Museum yesterday in protest against Israeli aggression at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. According to local media, the protest was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Alliance and the Anti-Racism Network South Africa. The protestors called for "mass marches" on Friday to express their rejection of the Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites in the occupied city. Israeli raids on Al-Aqsa have continued for the second day in a row as they seek to evacuate Palestinian worshippers. Police again used stun grenades and fired rubber bullets against Muslims in the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa. Palestinians have since been calling for a strong stand […]]]> 626928 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230321-african-countries-are-challenging-israels-plot-across-the-continent/ Tue, 21 Mar 2023 08:59:57 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=623638 The sight of Israeli Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li and other Israeli delegates being escorted out of the opening ceremony of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on 18 February was historic. The very moment that was meant to crown twenty years of Israeli diplomacy on the African continent turned within a few seconds to represent Israel's failure in Africa. Unable to fathom the breakdown of its diplomatic and political efforts, Tel Aviv responded to Bar-Li's removal with a war of words against African countries, accusing them of spearheading a campaign aimed at blocking Israel's observer status. Referring to a "small number of extremist states like South Africa and Algeria," a spokesperson for the Israeli foreign ministry alluded to a plot, […]]]> 623638 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230310-brics-bank-ndb-to-change-its-brazilian-head-at-governments-request/ Fri, 10 Mar 2023 15:56:56 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=620915 The New Development Bank, the multilateral bank set up by the BRICS states, said on Friday it had agreed to elect a new Brazilian Head at the request of the government of Brazil's new President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Reuters reports. Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the NDB until 6 July, 2025. NDB said the Bank's current President, Marcos Troyjo, would step down by 24 March and the NDB's governors would elect a successor nominated by Brazil to complete the term. READ: Israel urges Brazil to undock Iranian warships Lula has proposed former Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff, to head the Bank, which the BRICS group of emerging economies set up in 2015. Lula is including Rousseff in his delegation […]]]> 620915 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230308-south-africa-parliament-votes-to-downgrade-embassy-in-israel/ Wed, 08 Mar 2023 14:16:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=620530 South Africa's parliament voted yesterday to downgrade the country's embassy in Israel due to the ongoing Israeli occupation and abuses of international human rights law in occupied Palestine. The resolution to downgrade the embassy to a liaison office was proposed by the National Freedom Party (NFP), in alliance with the African National Congress, which holds 57.5 per cent of the seats in the South African parliament. According to Israel Hayom, 208 parliamentarians approved the decision, while 94 rejected it. "We are ecstatic that the draft resolution to downgrade South Africa's embassy in Israel has been passed by Parliament," said the NFP. "While many will argue that this will impair our ability to act as a neutral mediator in the conflict, […]]]> 620530 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230303-israels-right-to-exist-challenged-in-expert-testimonies/ Fri, 03 Mar 2023 15:30:28 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=619173 "Israel's right to exist" has been challenged in expert testimonies by leading scholars Professor John Dugard and Professor Avi Shlaim. Dugard is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. He has served intermittently as Judge of the International Court of Justice. His other high-profile appointment was at the United Nations where he served as Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 2001 to 2008. Shlaim, who is an author of several books on Israel and Palestine, is an Emeritus Fellow of St Antony's College and an Emeritus Professor in International Relations at the University of Oxford. Dugard and Shlaim issued their testimonies in response to the UK government's prohibition on schools […]]]> 619173 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230223-us-supreme-court-declines-to-review-pro-israel-pledge-requirements/ Thu, 23 Feb 2023 14:42:34 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=617107 The US Supreme Court has declined to review a law in the State of Arkansas which requires every government contractor to pledge loyalty to Israel by not supporting the global Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign against the apartheid state. The justices turned away a challenge to the anti-boycott pledge by the Arkansas Times. The newspaper was represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The not-for-profit organisation founded in 1920 was set up to defend and preserve rights guaranteed by the US Constitution including the First Amendment, which protects the right to free speech. The ACLU asked the court to overturn the Arkansas law on the grounds that it is not only a violation of the First Amendment, but it […]]]> 617107 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230221-israel-has-never-had-a-democracy-so-how-can-it-lose-it/ Tue, 21 Feb 2023 15:23:29 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=616634 What should we make of the daily warnings issued about democracy being in peril in Israel? Over the weekend it was US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides who sounded the alarm. "What unites America and Israel is the love of democracy and democratic institutions," said Nides while calling on the far-right government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay its planned legislation to overhaul the judicial system. "This is what makes us defend Israel time and again." He was speaking a day before the Knesset — Israel's parliament — passed the draft legislation on its first reading in the very early hours of Monday morning, with 63 MKs in favour, a simple majority in the 120-seat chamber. Nides joins […]]]> 616634 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230220-palestine-welcomes-au-expulsion-of-israel-delegation/ Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:42:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=616100 Palestinian movements have welcomed the expulsion of the Israeli delegation to the African Union Summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and called on countries that have recently normalised ties with the occupation state to correct their course and end the process. On Saturday morning, an Israeli diplomatic delegation was kicked out of the African Union conference hall in Addis Ababa, triggering a fierce denunciation from Tel Aviv. The team included Sharon Bar-Li, the deputy director for Africa at the Foreign Ministry, as well as other participants. The Fatah movement lauded the positions of South Africa and all African countries, which it said "stood by the Palestinian right and opposed Israel's accession to the African Union." The movement also praised […]]]> 616100 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230220-israel-summons-south-africa-envoy-after-israeli-diplomat-expelled-from-au-meeting/ Mon, 20 Feb 2023 09:11:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=616044 The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it would summon the South African ambassador for a reprimand after the ministry's Deputy Director of African Affairs, Sharon Bar Li, was expelled on Saturday from the African Union summit in Addis Ababa at the request of South Africa and Algeria. The ministry "looks harshly upon the incident" in which the high-ranking Israeli representative was expelled from the meeting even though she had the required credentials and entry badge, according to the Foreign Ministry statement The ministry also said that the South African charge d'affaires would be summoned for a reprimand by the Israeli ministry's Director General, Ronen Levy. "There is no basis in the organisation's rules for the attempt to cancel […]]]> 616044 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230217-hamas-official-says-revoking-israel-observer-status-in-african-union-is-top-priority/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 08:09:41 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615689 A member of the Hamas Political Bureau and head of the International Relations Office, Dr. Musa Abu Marzouk, said that revoking Israel's observer status in the African Union should be a top priority for the upcoming African summit, given its danger on the African continent, in general, and the Palestinian national cause, in particular. "Granting the [Israeli] occupation any status in a large international organisation such as the African Union makes it more persistent in committing more crimes against our Palestinian people in the Occupied Territories, claiming that it gets political cover and diplomatic immunity," Abu Marzouk said in  a statement on Wednesday. READ: Hamas welcomes Saudi release of Palestinian citizens He noted that Israel is seen as a pariah state […]]]> 615689 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230216-brics-discussing-decision-on-saudi-arabia-iran-memberships-this-year/ Thu, 16 Feb 2023 18:30:57 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615664 The BRICS group of nations is to decide this year on whether to admit new member states into the bloc, as Saudi Arabia and Iran formally seek to join. According to South Africa's ambassador to BRICS, Anil Sooklal, the proposal to expand the bloc will be one of its main focuses this year. Speaking in an interview with the Russian news agency, TASS, this week, Sooklal said that at a meeting "in early February in South Africa, we started discussing the expansion of BRICS, thus beginning to carry out the decision made in June 2022 at the BRICS summit to develop criteria for accepting new countries into the group." Another three meetings will be held within the next three months […]]]> 615664 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230209-russia-lavrov-visits-sudan-on-diplomatic-push-in-africas-sahel/ Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:10:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=613441 Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, was due to meet officials in Sudan on Thursday, part of an African tour seeking to expand influence at a time when Western nations have sought to isolate Moscow with sanctions over the war in Ukraine, Reuters reports. Lavrov arrived in Khartoum late on Wednesday, seeking to bolster the two countries' economic ties, especially in infrastructure, state news agency, SUNA said. Lavrov's tour has also included Iraq, Mauritania and Mali and, last week, he visited South Africa. Sudan was cut off from billions of dollars in international financing after military leaders ousted a Western-backed transitional government in 2021. At the same time as receiving Lavrov, Sudanese authorities were, this week, hosting envoys from the United States, […]]]> 613441 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230208-south-africa-rescue-medical-teams-arrive-in-turkiye-to-help-earthquake-victims/ Wed, 08 Feb 2023 18:24:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=613288 South African search and rescue experts, as well as medical teams arrived in Turkiye on Wednesday to help victims of Monday's deadly quakes in which over 9,000 people have, so far, died, a humanitarian organisation said, Anadolu News Agency reports. "Gift of the Givers teams landed this morning in Turkiye … the Turkish government and their agency, AFAD, Turkish Airlines, police and people at the airport received us with open arms," Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, head of the South Africa-based humanitarian organisation, told Anadolu via telephone. Sooliman said Turkish officials set up a dedicated flight for them and their equipment to fly to Adana, where they will land and later travel to the earthquake zone. The South African team includes 27 search […]]]> 613288 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230202-german-official-targets-jewish-artist-over-alleged-anti-semitism-for-criticising-israel-occupation/ Thu, 02 Feb 2023 09:35:29 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=611443 An anti-Semitism commissioner of a major German city is launching a targeted campaign against a Jewish artist and photographer over anti-Semitism allegations for criticising the ongoing Israeli Occupation, threatening his life and career future in the process. Stefan Hensel, Hamburg's first anti-Semitism commissioner, has accused Adam Broomberg, a Jewish photographer raised in South Africa and now living in Berlin, of being someone who "repeatedly defames [Israel] as an apartheid state and advocates a boycott against Israel". The commissioner also claimed that the artist "seems to hate Israel", and "does not shy away from legitimising terror against Jews." Having been appointed to the post in July 2021 for a three-year term after serving as Chair of the German-Israeli Society in Hamburg, Hensel condemned Broomberg's […]]]> 611443 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230118-moroccan-fans-respond-to-mandela-western-sahara-speech/ Wed, 18 Jan 2023 11:29:18 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=607218 WATCH: Mandela's grandson says 'Free Western Sahara and Palestine']]> 607218 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230116-mandelas-grandson-free-western-sahara-and-palestine/ Mon, 16 Jan 2023 12:32:05 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=606443 READ: Tebboune: 'Mandela joined Algeria revolution to train to overthrow apartheid regime']]> 606443 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230114-tebboune-mandela-joined-algeria-revolution-to-train-to-overthrow-apartheid-regime/ Sat, 14 Jan 2023 13:05:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=606218 Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune spoke about the strong relationship between South African leader Nelson Mandela and Algeria. This profound relationship was the reason for naming the new stadium in the Algerian capital after Mandela, which will host the African Nations Championship (CHAN) opening. In an interview with journalists during his inauguration of the new stadium located in the capital's southern suburbs, Tebboune shared a little-known fact that Mandela joined the Algerian revolution in 1961. He came to be trained by the Mujahideen of the National Liberation Army with his comrades when they were preparing for the revolution in South Africa to overthrow the apartheid regime. When Mandela returned to his country from Algeria, he was arrested and imprisoned. Tebboune added […]]]> 606218 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230113-algeria-tebboune-inaugurates-nelson-mandela-stadium-in-the-capital/ Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:29:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=605969 Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune yesterday inaugurated the Nelson Mandela Stadium in the capital in the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, and Mandla Mandela, the grandson of the South African leader. According to the Anadolu Agency, the Algerian president was received by several officials, including the Chief of Staff of the Army, Said Chengriha, and the Governor of Algiers, Abdelnour Rabhi. Mandela's grandson and the Algerian president unveiled the inauguration banner at the stadium. The new stadium has a capacity of more than 40,000 spectators, and it will host the opening of the African Nations Championship today until 4 February. Eighteen teams are due to take part in the games. Algeria […]]]> 605969 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230110-turkish-fm-turkiye-and-south-africa-share-a-bright-future/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 13:37:57 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=605196 The future of cooperation between Turkiye and South Africa is bright owing to their historical, cultural, and shared values and global vision, the Turkish Foreign Minister said Tuesday, Anadolu News Agency reports. "We will continue to be in unity and solidarity with South Africa to generate peace, stability and prosperity in our regions and beyond,' Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote in an opinion piece for South Africa's IOL news site. Cavusoglu is currently on a five-nation Africa tour which began Sunday, with his first stop in South Africa, where he visited the Nurul Hamidiye Mosque in Cape Town, named after Sultan Abdulhamid II. The mosque was renovated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). He also visited the Tana Baru Cemetery, […]]]> 605196 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230109-fm-turkiye-strives-to-boost-ties-with-all-africa-countries/ Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:45:26 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=604671 The Turkish Foreign Minister, on Monday, said Turkiye "works hard" to strengthen its ties with all African countries, stressing in particular, South Africa, his first stop on a five-nation African tour, Anadolu News Agency reports. "Today, we maintain strong ties with the descendants of Abu Bakr Effendi, who laid the foundation of our friendship with South Africa," said Mevlut Cavusoglu at the inauguration of a new chancellery building at the Turkish Consulate in Cape Town, South Africa. Effendi was a prominent Turkish scholar sent to South Africa in the 19th century by Sultan Abdul-Aziz Khan to spread the message of Islam. The legacy of Effendi and other Ottomans who came to reside at the Cape can still be felt after more […]]]> 604671