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“Si la Procuraduría tiene dudas, hay que volver a hacer el proyecto”: MinTIC

En 6AM Hoy por Hoy de Caracol Radio estuvo Mauricio Lizcano, ministro de las TIC, para hablar sobre la razón por la cual se revocará el acto de apertura de la licitación Escuelas Potencia Digital, por las advertencias de la Procuraduría.




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Me preocupa la situación en Venezuela porque es garante en proceso con el EMC: Otty Patiño

En 6AM y el Desafío de Seguridad en las regiones del 2024, evento organizado por Prisa Media, habló Otty Patiño, alto comisionado para la paz, sobre el tema de las negociaciones con la Segunda Marquetalia y la situación que se vive actualmente en Venezuela. 




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La insuficiencia de recursos en salud es lo que nos preocupa: vocero de Pacientes Colombia

En 6AM Hoy por Hoy de Caracol Radio estuvo Denis Silva, vocero de la organización Pacientes Colombia, para habla sobre cuáles son los desacuerdos con el Gobierno, que les ha impedido llegar a un consenso sobre la reforma de salud.




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“Desde el 3 de octubre no se tendrán que preocupar por los pasaportes”: Luis G. Murillo

En 6AM Hoy por Hoy de Caracol Radio estuvo el canciller Luis Gilberto Murillo, para hablar sobre el tema de los pasaportes en el país.




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Petro no es coherente con la elección del procurador: candidato Luis Felipe Henao

En 6AM de Caracol Radio estuvo Luis Felipe Henao, candidato a procurador, para hablar sobre sus propuestas para llegar a la dirección de la entidad y su valor diferencial frente a los otros candidatos.




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Preocupa que alías ‘pichi’ sea nombrado como gestor de paz: alcalde de Bucaramanga

Jaime Andrés Beltrán, alcalde de Bucaramanga, habló con preocupación de la libertad y del nombramiento de uno de los cabecillas más temidos en esa ciudad




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Miguel Del Río estará preocupado por denuncias que hicimos en su contra: abogado de Uribe

Jaime Granados, abogado de Álvaro Uribe Vélez, habló en 6AM sobre qué detonó el abogado Miguel Ángel del Río en medio de la audiencia preparatoria contra su defendido




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Cryptocurrency's power players spent big on the election. Will it pay off?

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Punchbowl News reporter Brendan Pedersen about the cryptocurrency industry's heavy spending on the 2024 campaign and what it could mean for crypto regulation.




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Former airman Jack Teixeira sentenced to 15 years for leaking classified documents

The former Massachusetts Air National Guard member, Jack Teixeira, has been sentenced to 15 years in a federal prison for leaking classified documents about the war in Ukraine.




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Youth focus for Greens

WARRINGAH Greens candidate Clara Williams Roldan says as many as one-third of young voters will vote for the Greens because the major parties have ignored youth issues.




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mdBook - mdBook Documentation




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Ciutat Vella trata de blindarse contra los monocultivos comerciales que la asolan

El gobierno del alcalde Jaume Collboni está trazando un muy complicado plan para blindar el distrito de Ciutat Vella contra los monocultivos comerciales. via Pocket




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Exclusive — Speaker Johnson Orders Entire Biden Administration to Preserve and Retain All Records and Documents

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday ordered the entire administration of President Joe Biden to preserve all records and communications in the waning days of the outgoing Democrat administration as former President Donald Trump’s team prepares to take over.

The post Exclusive — Speaker Johnson Orders Entire Biden Administration to Preserve and Retain All Records and Documents appeared first on Breitbart.




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More Ozzy TV- Arctic Monkeys 'Four Out Of Five' Video, Muse Concert Film Preview, Cliff Burton Documentary, Sevendust, Free Volbeat Show and more

More Ozzy TV- Arctic Monkeys 'Four Out Of Five' Video, Muse Concert Film Preview, Cliff Burton Documentary, Sevendust, Free Volbeat Show and more




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WATCH: Donald Trump focuses on immigration at Colorado rally, says Democrats “are ruining your state”

Live updates from former President Donald Trump's rally in Aurora today. Speakers have included U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and state Rep. Gabe Evans, a congressional candidate.




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WATCH: Donald Trump focuses on immigration at Colorado rally, says Democrats “are ruining your state”

Live updates from former President Donald Trump's rally in Aurora today. Speakers have included U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and state Rep. Gabe Evans, a congressional candidate.




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“Most of us came from the inner city” — 75th Warren Miller film focuses on inclusivity in snow sports

One of the most beautiful and powerful segments in this year's Warren Miller film begins with family footage of a little boy of Dominican descent, born in Brooklyn and raised in New Jersey, learning how to snowboard with his dad.




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Dentro de los apartamentos de Aurora que se hicieron famosos por las afirmaciones de ocupación de pandillas, los residentes se preguntan qué sigue

Los representantes de CBZ Management han creado una campaña pública para culpar los problemas del complejos de apartamentos de Aurora a las actividades recientes de las pandillas.




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Russell Westbrook To Star In Showtime Sports’ ‘Passion Play’ Documentary

The NBA star also executive produced the film.




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Shotocup Kata Classic To Be Held On Sept 29

The Shotocup Kata Classic returns for its 5th year and will be held on September 29 at the Whitney Institute. A spokesperson said, “The Shotocup Kata Classic is back for its 5th year, and we are excited to announce this landmark event will be held on September 29, 2024, at the Whitney Institute, Bermuda. This […]




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Photos & Results: Annual Shotocup Kata Classic

The 5th Annual Shotocup Kata Classic was recently held at the Whitney Institute. A spokesperson said, “The 5th Annual Shotocup Kata Classic, held at the Whitney Institute, marked another significant milestone in Bermuda’s martial arts history. With fierce competition, remarkable performances, and breakout stars, the event showcased the immense talent and dedication of karateka from […]




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Shotocup To Host Kazumi Karate On Nov 17th

Shotocup will host the 3rd Annual Bermuda Kazumi Karate Open on November 17th at the Whitney Institute. A spokesperson said, “Shotocup is excited to announce the 3rd Annual Bermuda Kazumi Karate Open, taking place on November 17, 2024, at the Whitney Institute in Bermuda. Hosted in collaboration with the Tabata-Ha Dojo of Bermuda, this event will […]




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Asia-Pacific mostly lower with data in focus

Major stock market indexes in the Asia-Pacific traded mostly lower on Wednesday, partly mirroring the decline in Wall Street that preceded the newest report on the United States' inflation. The region...




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European markets head for higher open; U.S. inflation data in focus

European stocks are expected to open positive territory Wednesday, with global markets focused on upcoming U.S. inflation data. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 36 points higher at 8,056, Germany's DAX up 38 points at 19,081, France's CAC up 11 points at 7,356 and Italy's FTSE MIB up…




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Europe opens mostly lower with US inflation in focus

Major European stock markets opened mostly lower on Wednesday as investors' main focus shifted to October's inflation figures from the United States, pivotal statistics in shaping the Federal Reserve'...




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Bitcoin Fog Founder Sentenced to 12 Years for Cryptocurrency Money Laundering

The 36-year-old founder of the Bitcoin Fog cryptocurrency mixer has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for facilitating money laundering activities between 2011 and 2021. Roman Sterlingov, a dual Russian-Swedish national, pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business earlier this March. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ)




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Yet another danger of cryptocurrencies ...




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Mapping brain function, safer autonomous vehicles are focus of Schmidt Transformative Technology fund

Two projects — one that maps the function of the brain’s neuronal network in unprecedented detail and another that combines robotics and light-based computer circuits to create safe self-driving vehicles — have been awarded funding through Princeton’s Eric and Wendy Schmidt Transformative Technology Fund.




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Which of the World’s Stars Invested in Cryptocurrencies and What Happened to Them?

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not only of interest on Wall Street. Who among the stars of show business and sports has already invested in digital assets and who promotes them? Bitcoin and altcoins have long ceased to be the domain of technologists and venture capitalists from California. In addition to the Forbes list and ... Read more

The post Which of the World’s Stars Invested in Cryptocurrencies and What Happened to Them? appeared first on Star Two.




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NOVA’s most popular science documentaries of 2022

Explore the cosmos, delve into ancient history, and follow an extreme rescue with NOVA’s most-watched documentaries released in 2022.




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8 Mind-Blowing Space Documentaries to Watch Now on NOVA

Check out some of NOVA’s best space documentaries available for streaming.




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8 wild nature documentaries to watch now on NOVA

Check out some of NOVA’s best nature documentaries available for streaming.




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Visit Ancient Civilizations in These 9 NOVA Documentaries

From Petra to the Amazon to ancient China, NOVA has you covered.




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5 NOVA Documentaries for Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day with NOVA films about animals, nature, and the wonders of our planet.




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7 NOVA Documentaries on Iconic Landmarks

Learn how some of the great structures of the world—the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramids, and more—were built.




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9 NOVA Documentaries on Human Genius

Stories of brilliant innovations and inventions by the world’s greatest minds.




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STAFF PICKS: Favorite NOVA Documentaries

Enjoy these NOVA staff favorites.




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How to split multi-page PDF documents into single PDF pages

Repeat Signage software has a number of free tools including the Batch PDF splitter. This shows you how to add your PDF to a folder and create an empty output folder. Then click run and in seconds, individual PDF pages appear in your output folder, leaving the original PDF as it was.




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'On October 8, American Jews woke up': New documentary 'October H8TE' explains what's at stake


Director Wendy Sachs attributes the steep rise in antisemitism to social media, from where so many young people get news that has no validation.




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Netanyahu says focus on hostages after Sinwar death

Sinwar, who topped Israel's most-wanted list, was a key figure believed to have been behind the 7 October attacks.




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Botswana to legalise undocumented Zimbabweans - president

The new president tells the BBC thousands of illegal Zimbabweans should be given temporary permits.




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Missing boy's dad praises train firm's focus on vulnerable

Doncaster teenager Andrew Gosden was last spotted on CCTV leaving Kings Cross in September 2007.




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Trump ally says Ukraine focus must be peace, not territory

Bryan Lanza tells the BBC there needs to be an "honest conversation" with Kyiv and returning Crimea is not a US priority.





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Newsroom: 34 Million US Adults Own Cryptocurrency

3.6 million will pay with crypto in US; payment value to spike 70% in 2022   April 20, 2022 (New York, NY) – Cryptocurrency usage will continue its meteoric rise, […]




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Health not independence is focus for Sturgeon successor

Health not independence is focus for Sturgeon successor Expert comment NCapeling 15 February 2023

Nicola Sturgeon’s star may have been fading, but Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be relieved at the exit of one of the UK’s most influential politicians.

Nicola Sturgeon has left at the right time, maybe even a bit late. Although one of the most influential politicians the UK has seen in recent times, she was also one of the most divisive.

Her ability to fan Scotland’s sense of difference from England brought new hope to the independence movement, but this cause – by which she measured herself above all others – has been losing ground and for now, looks to be in abeyance.

Neat and disciplined, Sturgeon could not have presented a greater contrast to Boris Johnson in the first months of the pandemic. That was one of her finest moments.

She used the powers of the devolved government to make different lockdown decisions for Scotland – never all that different from those in England but often announced just a few hours earlier.

Although analysts surmise that these made little difference to the death rate – although poverty and other health support factors make comparisons hard – she used the platform, with the cameras on her, to ram home the point that Scotland could set its own rules.

Rallying young voters to independence

Her second greatest moment was in the aftermath of Brexit. Scots voted overwhelmingly to stay in the European Union (EU) and so, she argued, they should have the right to leave the UK to join that other union. Younger voters in particular responded, rallying to the independence cause.

Neat and disciplined, Sturgeon could not have presented a greater contrast to Boris Johnson in the first months of the pandemic. That was one of her finest moments.

But two recent setbacks showed her star was fading. She lost the Supreme Court battle to hold a second independence referendum in November, when she was told Scotland simply did not have the powers to hold one on its own if Westminster said no – and the UK government did just that. It was hard to see how her campaign for independence could move forwards.

And her planned reforms to the gender recognition process in Scotland have been blocked by the UK government – but unease about her reforms within Scotland meant this rebuff did not win her the support at home she hoped for. She was also accused of playing politics by pressing ahead with unpopular reforms simply because of their potential to discomfit the UK government.

Health, education, and public services need attention

Other challenges were also building up and, even if less eye-catching, her successor is likely to focus on health and education above the birth of a new nation. Sturgeon’s critics have long argued that under Scottish National Party rule, health, education, and other public services have declined.

In elections, these factors can be eclipsed by passions about independence but it is rare in political life for a leader to be insulated from public anger on this front. This is almost certainly where her successor will want to focus first.




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The UK must focus on how the Chagos decision is implemented to gain its benefits and minimize risks

The UK must focus on how the Chagos decision is implemented to gain its benefits and minimize risks Expert comment jon.wallace

The UK decision was welcomed by India and the US, and shows a capacity for fresh thinking. But the transfer of sovereignty must be handled carefully.

The UK announced on 3 October that it would cede sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.

There are potential strategic and reputation-related upsides for the UK from the decision – but these can only be realized if the deal is implemented in ways that meet the UK’s stated goals.

First, the UK aims to safeguard the utility and security of the joint US–UK base on Diego Garcia. It also intends for the decision to benefit the Chagossians, who were displaced by the British decision in 1965 to separate the Archipelago from Mauritius as part of a deal to grant Mauritian independence.

The decision has already proved deeply controversial in the UK, provoking sustained criticism from former Conservative government ministers and commentary that has branded it naive, dangerous, and a blow to British prestige.

Part of the reason for the welter of criticism may be the apparent suddenness of the announcement. The impression that this was a hasty decision is likely because it came just three months after the Labour government came to office. But this belies the far longer gestation period around the decision.

World opinion

In fact, the previous Conservative UK government decided to begin negotiations over sovereignty of Chagos – following Mauritius bringing the matter to the International Court of Justice. In 2019, the court issued a non-binding opinion in favour of Mauritius.

The same year the UN General Assembly voted 116 in favour to 6 against, and with 56 abstentions, for a resolution ‘welcoming a 25 February 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the legal consequences of separating the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, demanding that the UK unconditionally withdraw its colonial administration from the area within six months’ to ‘enable Mauritius to complete the decolonization of its territory.’

But returning the islands will not necessarily boost the UK’s international standing. Issues relating to the Archipelago are complex, and it will take work to convince interested international parties that the UK is acting fairly against a colonized and displaced population.

Mauritius has no pre-colonial history of controlling the Chagos islands, which are located some 1,500 miles away from Mauritius across a vast sprawl of the Indian Ocean. It is true that the Chagos Islands were a colonial remnant, but to ensure that UK is seen by global audiences to be acting fairly, the handover of sovereignty must be carefully handled. Perhaps the greatest reputational risk will come from failing to adequately account for the rights of Chagossians.  

The more pertinent historical injustice has been to them. And reporting by the BBC has shown that at least some Chagossians were dismayed by not having been consulted in negotiations between the UK and Mauritius.

This deal was reached in close consultation with US officials and puts the (Diego Garcia) base on legally safe ground for the first time in decades. 

The UK government announcement on the deal did state that that ‘the welfare of Chagossians’ will be paramount and that ‘the UK will capitalize a new trust fund, as well as separately provide other support, for the benefit of Chagossians’. But for the Chagossians, there will be a clamour to see this realized in full.

Strategic interests

On the strategic question, the utility of the joint US–UK military base on Diego Garcia has been guaranteed in a 99-year lease. As the UK negotiator Jonathan Powell has explained, this deal was reached in close consultation with US officials and puts the base on legally safe ground for the first time in decades. 

Indeed, Powell has explained that Joe Biden was keen to reach agreement ahead of the US elections so that US military access to Diego Garcia was safeguarded against any possible contrary decision by a possible returning Trump presidency.

There are understandable concerns that, as a result of the decision, China may develop commercial ports in the region and seek to compete with India for economic and strategic relationships. But this is a long-term matter of concern to monitor, regardless of the UK’s decision on Chagos.

Chinese naval influence in the Indian Ocean is currently limited, compared to its assertiveness in the South China Sea, where it is building artificial islands, or in the South Pacific where it is pursuing policing assistance deals like that secured with the Solomon Islands.

And the strategic situations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans are not at all alike. Indeed, the Chagos Islands are far closer to India and its economic influence than they are to any other major economic power. 

The fact that India has welcomed the UK’s decision over Chagos sovereignty is noteworthy, given the UK’s separate attempts to modernize and expand its bilateral relations with New Delhi.

In the long run, it is likely that India will play a leading role in Indian Ocean security, and the UK will want to be well-placed to explore how to play a role as an effectively partner.

There are legitimate questions to be raised over setting a precedent that could undermine RAF Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus.

The more pertinent immediate concern is the implications for other overseas UK territorial responsibilities. There are legitimate questions to be raised over setting a precedent that could undermine RAF Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus, which remained sovereign UK bases after Cyprus’s independence in 1960.





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UK Should Focus on Better Defining Objectives in the Sahel

22 July 2020

Dr Alex Vines OBE

Managing Director, Ethics, Risk & Resilience; Director, Africa Programme
The Sahel is one of Africa’s poorest and most fragile regions witnessing an escalation in jihadist activity and illegal migration, writes Alex Vines.

GettyImages-1204470166.jpg

Pictured is a Nigerian refugee living in the Awaradi settlement that houses some 9,000 displaced people fleeing violence from Boko Haram. Image: Getty Images.

The UK has been redeploying diplomatic, defence and development capabilities towards the Sahel since 2018 – a strategic pivot intended to deliver development impact, address long term security threats to UK interests and support alliances with international partners.

The Sahel is one of Africa’s poorest and most fragile regions and has witnessed an escalation in jihadist activity, illegal migration and trafficking since a security crisis erupted in Mali in 2012.

The crisis spread to Niger and Burkina Faso and may now spill over into Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal. With Nigeria also facing insurgency in the Lake Chad basin, all major regional security and economic anchors in the region are under threat including key UK partners. 

Reviewing the Sahel pivot

This pivot has already resulted in the expanding of UK embassies in Senegal, Mauritania and Mali and public commitments to opening new ones in Chad and Niger.

Back in London, there has also been a large uplift of staff including the setting up of a cross-Whitehall Joint Sahel Department in late 2018 and plans for more UK civil servants to have placements with the French government on the Sahel.

Yet in light of looming economic shocks from Brexit and Covid-19, there has been a lively debate in Whitehall on whether this is stretching UK resources too thin in an area of Africa that does not have close ties with the UK.

UK ministers are this week reviewing the Sahel pivot and will decide if it continues or grinds to a standstill including whether full embassies are opened in Niger and Chad.

This debate is not new. The UK has opened and closed its diplomatic missions in the Sahel in fits and starts since the early 1960s. More recently, MI6 pushed the re-opening of the embassy in Bamako in 2010 foreseeing Mali’s fragility before the current crisis started.

Partnering with the French

But though the Sahel is likely to dominate the Africa peace and security agenda for decades to come, the UK’s serious engagement in the region is not just about strategic foresight.

It also fulfils two other objectives: of partnership with two key bilateral allies, particularly France, and authority and leverage in multilateral fora such as the United Nations, African Union and the EU.

Partnering with the French in the Sahel has become even more important due to Brexit and the need to reinforce relationships with key European partners.

In 2012, David Cameron concluded that the rapid French response to stop a jihadist advance on the Malian capital Bamako was 'in our interests' and authorized the deployment of 330 UK military personnel, two cargo aircraft and a surveillance plane.

In July 2018, the UK announced further support to French led Opération Barkhane sending three Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters – supported by almost 100 personnel  which remain in theatre to this day.

UN commitment

Demonstrating the UK’s commitment to UN peacekeeping has also resulted in the deployment of 250 troops to join a UN peacekeeping mission to Mali later this year.

Based in Gao, these troops will form a long-range reconnaissance capability providing threat awareness, contributing to the protection of civilians and helping to prevent conflict from spilling over to neighbouring states.

This represents one of the biggest British peacekeeping deployments since Bosnia and it will be the most dangerous mission for British forces since Afghanistan.

The UK is also one of the largest humanitarian donors to the region and has contributed over £500 million in bilateral development and humanitarian assistance since 2015.

With COVID-19 now an additional challenge in the Sahel, a significant part of the UK’s £764 million contribution to the global COVID-19 effort will be channelled to the region.

New embassies are 'global Britain' strategy pillars

Keeping an eye on the impact of these initiatives requires a meaningful UK diplomatic network on the ground.

New embassies in the Sahel cost a fraction of maintaining three Chinook helicopters in the region providing the government real time insight in the post-Brexit absence of a regular supply of country analysis from the European External Action Service and support for the UK’s international relationships.

It also underlines the UK’s commitment to UN peacekeeping and standing as a permanent member of the UN Security Council in light of regular discussions of the Sahel.

The tripartite ministerial review of the Sahel pivot by the secretaries of state for foreign affairs, international development and defence that is underway should not penny pinch by reversing the opening of small embassies in Niger and Chad nor threaten the overall strategic focus on the Sahel – most recently welcomed by the House of Lord’s Select Committee on International Relations and Defence in its July report on UK Africa policy.

Instead, UK ministers should focus on better defining what the UK’s specific objectives are in the Sahel and particularly what the UK plans to do about Burkina Faso whose rapidly deteriorating security threatens to over-spill into key UK partner Ghana.

This article was first published in the Daily Telegraph.




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Saudi Leadership Must Focus on Innovation for the Future

16 September 2020

Dr Neil Quilliam

Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme
A glorious year beckoned for Saudi Arabia, in leading the G20 and hosting the G20 Leaders' Summit in Riyadh in November. Instead, empowering its people and capitalizing on its youth should become the focus for an embattled leadership.

2020-09-16-Saudi-G20

Meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 nations in the Saudi capital Riyadh on February 23, 2020. Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images.

The G20 summit in November was to be a moment when the world focused its attention on Saudi Arabia. As the leaders of the world's 20 largest economies came together for the first time in an Arab capital and presided over the world’s greatest challenges and opportunities, King Salman would have taken centre stage with his son and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman not far behind in the spotlight.

However this will now be a virtual summit, and that is probably a blessing in disguise for the kingdom and its leadership which has not enjoyed a good year. It shares responsibility for crashing the price of oil, which, in conjunction with COVID-19, has brought the global economy to its knees. And it continues to be mired in the Yemen conflict, whereas its ally the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has, by and large, managed to extract itself while also seeking to rescue its reputation by signing a ‘peace deal’ with Israel.

More recently, it has been forced to push back plans to host the next instalment of ‘Davos in Desert’ until 2021 and the crown prince’s flagship charity Misk is currently under review. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) made a wholly unsuccessful bid to secure a major stake in Newcastle United Football Club which brought an unfavourable ruling at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a heap of damaging media attention.

Squandered opportunity

Nothing washes away the stain of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder or the continuing imprisonment of women and men charged with being traitors. But in many ways, leading the G20 offered the Saudi leadership, especially Mohammed bin Salman, a chance to press reset and atone for some of the excesses of his more controversial policies, such as the war in Yemen and blockade of Qatar. But he appears to have squandered the opportunity so far and there are no signs that is about to change.

Hosting the summit in Riyadh would have given Mohammed bin Salman an opportunity to try and recapture the heady days of 2018, when many of the world's leaders and even the media still viewed him as a force for good. He would have had a captive audience and, instead of staying away from Western capitals which he has chosen to do recently, he could have been feted by world leaders on his home turf. Moreover, the presidency agenda — empowering people, safeguarding the planet, and shaping new frontiers — would have lent itself to meaningful engagement on key policy issues.

Although many analysts and commentators quite rightly argue that Riyadh’s focus on empowerment and safeguarding the planet is widely hypocritical given the kingdom has lurched further towards quashing any signs of opposition and remains highly dependent upon hydrocarbons, at least the ambitious goals of Vision 2030 ought to align with the G20 agenda. The goals of Vision 2030 remain aspirational and are far from ever being met, but there is synchronicity between the two agendas. In fact, the overview of Saudi Arabia’s G20 Presidency documentation states ‘the G20 agenda has a strong echo in the daily lives of the people in the Kingdom’.

Saudi Arabia really needs to empower its people and capitalize upon its youth dividend but that requires, as so many have argued persuasively, long-term investment in education, training, and skills acquisition, and will not be achieved overnight. It needs strategic thinking, capacity-building, commitment, scope for course correction, and patience. There are no quick wins, no shortcuts.

Safeguarding the planet is common to one and all but breaking a dependency upon hydrocarbons, diversifying its economy, and mitigating against the growing impact of climate change are all pressing issues Saudi Arabia needs to address. A failure to achieve these goals in a time-sensitive fashion poses a threat to the well-being of the kingdom and, in order to do so, it must empower its people and use technology wisely to advance the process. Saudi Arabia should be at the front of the pack, but is being surpassed by its neighbours and is in danger of being left way behind.

With its wealth and youthful population, the kingdom can be at the cutting edge of shaping new frontiers. It can deploy its substantive funds to support its own innovators and — to borrow the jargon — create an ecosystem that not only offers Saudis an environment fostering creativity, but also one that draws talent into the kingdom.

This does not mean investing in ‘white elephant’ projects that fail to spark the imagination of Saudis, or following the crowd to buy football clubs without rhyme or reason. It means gearing up to address everyday issues that preoccupy minds of Saudis, such as employment, housing, healthcare, and the well-being of family members. It is notable how the excitement of ‘bread and circus’ issues has abated and the focus moved once again towards family, faith and finance.

The Saudi presidency of the G20 is in danger of passing by with a whimper and the November summit may now be unremarkable. This does not mean the hard work of the continuously active engagement groups will go unnoticed or to waste, but it does mean the photo-opportunity will be passed up and the joint statement garner less interest than usual.

While it may feel like a lost opportunity for the kingdom and, in particular, Mohammed bin Salman, they should both breathe a sigh of relief. In many ways, they will be let off the hook by avoiding the direct scrutiny of the world’s media and human rights organizations. However, the crown prince could still seize the initiative given the spotlight will be on him, albeit from afar, and take bold steps towards resolving the thorny issues that have come to mar his pathway to power.