In Geopolitics Today: Thursday, September 29th
The US Agrees Deal with Pacific Islands, Afghanistan Signs Deal With Russia for Oil, Gas and Wheat Supplies, and other stories.
The US Agrees Deal with Pacific Islands
Leaders and representatives from 14 Pacific island states have travelled to Washington for a summit hosted by the United States, with Australia and New Zealand attending as observers. US officials stated that an agreement on a partnership for the future between the US and Pacific island nations that promises increased US investment going forward.
A yet unsigned draft of the declaration reportedly said the leaders found common ground to strengthen ties by moving forward with a shared a vision for the region, allowing “democracy will be able to flourish.” The draft is said to feature joint declarations in support of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and freedom of navigation and overflight. However, according to some reports, attempts at reaching a final text at the meeting ran into problems after the US State Department demanded the removal of clauses relating to the Marshall Islands nuclear issue.
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Egypt Seeks to Attract Chinese Telecommunications Companies
An escalating crisis between China’s smartphone producers and India has prompted Egypt to seize the opportunity and increase tech cooperation with China. Efforts to negotiate a number of deals with China’s smartphone producers promises Cairo a stream of foreign money that could boost Egypt’s civilian and military technologies.
President Xi has declared Egypt to be one of the key trade and transit hubs of his Belt and Road Initiative. With its strategic location, Egypt serves as a gateway to both the Middle East and Africa, functioning as a vital node in a larger trade and transit network connecting China’s companies to markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. China has shown that mobile tools can provide growth to a number of Egypt’s industries, with the potential to transform start-up businesses and stimulate the economy in the process.
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Russia to Annex Four Regions Of Ukraine
The Russian government has announced a decision to formally annex four regions of Ukraine this week. Russian-backed officials in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk said voters overwhelmingly supported joining Russia, but the votes have been dismissed by Ukraine and a number of other states as illegal under international law.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a ceremony in the Kremlin this week, officially incorporating the regions into Russia. This will reportedly involve the heads of the four regions signing treaties to join Russia. The four regions form a land connection between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which is otherwise only connected to the mainland by a bridge. The move by Moscow follows preparations by the EU to fully ban imports of steel, paper, machinery, appliances, and other commodities not yet covered by existing sanctions.
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Afghanistan Signs Deal With Russia for Oil, Gas and Wheat Supplies
Afghanistan has entered an agreement with Russia to procure energy and wheat deliveries. An economic crisis in Afghanistan has only worsened since the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces last year. The country’s banking sector has nearly collapsed and the Afghan state has struggled to maintain basic services for citizens after Washington froze $7 billion in Afghanistan’s assets.
Russia will reportedly supply 1 million tons of both gasoline and diesel, 500,000 tons of petroleum gas and 2 million tons of wheat every year to Afghanistan. In exchange, Afghanistan will be expected to barter herbs, dried fruits and minerals to Russian buyers, delivered through road and rail transport. Russian maintains an interest in facilitating a stable and peaceful Afghanistan and preventing insecurity from spreading to other Central Asian countries.