In Geopolitics Today: Friday, July 29th
France Seeks to Reaffirm Interests in Central Africa, Colombia and Venezuela to Restore Diplomatic Ties, and other stories.
France Seeks to Reaffirm Interests in Central Africa
French President Emmanuel Macron has met with Cameroon President Paul Biya as part of a tour of Africa. The visit saw Macron express support for the FARM initiative and emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation in counterterror operations. Macron also raised concerns with Biya about “foreign interference” in neighbouring Central African Republic.
Macron’s second term will likely see him recalibrate France's diplomatic and military footprint in its former colonies in an effort to counter growing Russian influence in the region. As such, France's renewed focus on Central Africa is likely to result in increased competition between Paris and Moscow across the region, with local governments looking to maximize investments and security commitments from both powers. Macron will now travel next to Benin and Guinea-Bissau as he continues his tour of Africa with a new approach to the continent following the departure of French troops from Mali.
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Pakistan Seeks Assistance from the United States
The Foreign Office of Pakistan has confirmed that Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff has held discussions with US officials. The Foreign Office's statement comes amid reports that the Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, reached out to Washington requesting help in securing a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier than previously agreed.
Pakistan has been mired in economic turmoil and a depreciating local currency, inflation and a spiralling energy crisis. In response, officials hope to revive the IMF programme to stabilize the country’s finances. Last month, the IMF confirmed it had reached an agreement with Pakistan on the combined seventh and eighth reviews for a $6 billion loan, a development that paves the way for the release of an initial $1.17 billion. However, the payment will only be released after an executive-level agreement, which for now has been delayed. It is believed that Bajwa contacted US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in order to facilitate the early release of this initial 1.17 billion.
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Colombia and Venezuela to Restore Diplomatic Ties
Diplomatic ties are set to be restored between Caracas and Bogota as the Colombian President-elect Gustavo Petro has signalled he intends to pursue a more constructive bilateral relationship. Colombia and Venezuela will appoint ambassadors in their respective capitals when Petro takes office next month, promising to rebuild diplomatic relations after years of tensions.
Relations between Colombia and Venezuela have been tense for years, and disagreements have emerged over a range of issues. The 2,219km (1,379-mile) border the two countries share has seen confrontations between armed groups, with Colombia’s outgoing President Ivan Duque accusing his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro of harbouring some of these armed groups on Venezuelan territory. Maduro’s government has had its share of grievances too, with officials claiming Duque took part in US-led efforts to topple his government. Now, as relations improve, the security forces of both countries will gradually resume joint operations to recover State authority in the border regions.
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Turkey’s Delicate Energy Ties with Russia
Turkish-Russian energy ties have been marked by confrontational disputes, with Russia’s recent cut of gas flow to Turkey offering a rare insight into the nature of the complex relationship. While Turkish and Russian officials have remained silent on any natural gas disputes, the few details to have emerged signal that recent energy talks between the two countries have been tense.
Turkish and Russian officials rarely publicly comment on energy disputes, yet behind closed doors discussions have been held regularly. With close to half of Turkey's gas coming from Russia and upwards of 34% of Turkey's electricity generated by power plants burning natural gas, the effect of a gas cut-off by Moscow would have a very serious impact on Turkish industry and the wider Turkish economy. This incentivizes Ankara to pursue compromises with Moscow to avoid disruptions in the energy relationship.