Framing The World, Numero LX

HUMAN RIGHTS

Pretoria, “Deadly Air” case highlights the negative health impacts of coal and air pollution. A legal challenge by two South African environmental justice organizations was heard in the Pretoria High Court started on May 17. The South African government is accused of violating communities’ constitutional right to a healthy environment. The case refers to the desperate situation of the city of Mpumalanga, in eastern South Africa, where coal industries are believed to be causing a strong increase in deaths and diseases related to air pollution. They ask the government to make concrete progress towards the abandonment of coal and an improvement in the overall air quality through politics that would target big coal polluters. “South African environmental justice groups hope a favorable ruling in the case will compel the government and coal industry to reckon with its devastating health impacts and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy”, reports Human Rights Watch.

(Edoardo Cappelli)

Brasilia, a study highlights the challenges faced by Venezuelans who attempt to build new lives in Brazil. More than two hundred and fifty thousand Venezuelans live in Brazil as a consequence of escaping the dangerous environment of their home country. Brazil provides a favourable legal assistance and social service system, a welfare granted to migrants of any status. This is also true for the time of the pandemic, but Venezuelans in particular suffer severe difficulties in accessing such social services, as well as entering the labour market and the education system. 64% of Venezuelans have lesser chances to be employed than Brazilians, the same goes for the 53% of their children going to school. For Venezuelans it is also much harder to be registered for such assistance than Brazilians. Nevertheless, the migrants that manage to enjoy such help from the State are those with a higher level of education and professional skills.

(Edoardo Cappelli)

Bogotà, the anger in the streets doesn’t seem to likely come to an end anytime soon. The right-wing Colombian President Ivan Duque introduced a tax reform one month ago. Many studied this reform and claimed that the working and middle classes were going to suffer the most from that. Since that, and also considering the economic damages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombians’ anger exploded. The protests have been marked by violence, but the correct number of deaths is impossible to define. “The attorney general’s office has confirmed 15 deaths connected to the protests, while one human rights group says the tally is at more than 40”, affirms the CNN. Duque has blamed armed groups for most of the violence, but the United Nations and several human rights groups have condemned Colombian police for disproportionate use of force.

(Edoardo Cappelli)

Sudan, first hearings on Darfur crimes. Today begin the first hearings of the International Criminal Court on the case of Ali Kosheib and the crimes committed in Darfur. Kosheib, whose nom de guerre is Ali Mohammed Ali, was leader of the militia "Janjaweed", was arrested in 2007 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Among the approximately fifty counts included rape, destruction of property, inhumane acts and attacks and killings of civilians. "The progress in Kosheib's case is important for justice for victims of atrocities committed throughout Darfur," says Elise Keppler, director of international justice at Human Rights Watch. “While there is great anticipation for the first hearings, at the same time the absence of some suspects such as former President Omar al-Bashir is a cause for concern".

(Federico Brignacca)

Ukraine, new law on international crimes. On May 20, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted a bill that should be able to help authorities in the investigation and prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity. "The new law will fill a gap," comments Liz Evenson, associate director for international justice at Human Rights Watch, "in Ukrainian law”. Ukrainian authorities will then have some additional legal tools to act more effectively in prosecuting these crimes. "Aligning domestic legislation with international criminal law and international humanitarian law could help bring justice to victims," Evenson continued. “This represents a new and additional step toward Ukraine's commitment to ensuring the rule of law and respect for human rights."

(Federico Brignacca)

Bangladesh, journalists arrested after corruption investigation. Human Rights Watch asks the government of Bangladesh to drop all charges against journalist Rozina Islam, accused of collecting sensitive government documents and taking photos at the Ministry of Health. Should she be convicted, she could face up to 14 years in prison and the death penalty.

"Bangladesh authorities should produce evidence of wrongdoing or release the journalist immediately and stop arresting journalists for doing their jobs," said Brad Adams, Asia director. The call for freedom of the press and the need to encourage it also comes from other journalists who have been protesting for days across the country for the release of Islam.

(Federico Brignacca)

Federico Brignacca e Edoardo Cappelli

ECONOMICS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

Europe, at last good news. The Commission has raised its growth estimates for both 2021 (from +3.7% to +4.2%) and 2022 (from 3.9% to +4.4%), primarily due to the realistic prospect of an almost normal tourist season and the consequent improvement in prospects for Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy. Moreover, an agreement was reached with the USA to suspend duties on Harley-Davidson, whiskey and motorboats produced in America for 6 months, pending a negotiated solution to be found by the end of the year, although the USA will maintain its tariffs on aluminum and steel for the time being. Further progress is expected next month, when Biden will visit Brussels on his first foreign trip as president.

U.S., there's work for everyone (?) U.S. labor market data is continuing to improve, with unemployment claims reaching their lowest level since the start of the pandemic at 440,000. However, there are still 9.8 million people unemployed, which is surprising considering that there are at least 8.12 million jobs currently vacant. The explanations for this discrepancy are varied: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Republicans accuse the generous federal and state subsidies ( in total, $100+/day) of encouraging unemployment and call for an early termination of federal assistance programs (as many Republican governors have already done for state ones), while the Democratic camp points to the inability of many parents to return to work until daycare centres and schools are fully open.

FED, a change may be in order. Despite the continuous and sustained improvement in economic conditions on the one hand, and the annual rate of inflation which reached +4.2% in April (even if measured against an April 2020 heavily affected by the effects of the pandemic) and the more significant monthly rate of +0.8%, the Federal Reserve confirmed its policy of quantitative easing to the tune of $120 billion per month, even if several parties are raising doubts about the appropriateness of this policy, above all due to the risk of unleashing inflation. The FED responds by pointing out that price increases are limited to certain categories of goods and are caused by transitory imbalances in supply and demand. At the last meeting, however, for the first time the Fed hinted at the possibility of reshaping its policies in the event of further rapid progress in the country's economic conditions.

Bitcoin, an abysmal spell. These are very troubled days for investors who believe in Bitcoin and who have seen the cryptocurrency's prices plummet to a bottom of $32,000 (compared to a high of over $63,000 in April) and then climb back up to $40,000. There are three events that led to this sudden drop. The first is Elon Musk's announcement that Tesla will no longer accept bitcoins as a method of payment for the purchase of its cars, as he worries about its environmental impact; the second comes from the Chinese central bank, which reminded that Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies are not real currencies and cannot be used for payments; the third, finally, comes from the United States, where the SEC has expressed concern about the use of bitcoin in illicit activities and where the Treasury has proposed that transactions over $10,000 must be declared to the IRS.

IEA, 2050 is already here. On Tuesday, the International Energy Agency (IEA), surprisingly, warned oil companies that in order to achieve the goal of zero net emissions by 2050 they should immediately suspend plans to explore for new oil and natural gas fields. This warning is all the more surprising given that the IEA has traditionally been very close to the interests of the energy sector, and it contrasts with the companies' plans to claim that they need to plan new investments to meet demand from emerging countries. However, the IEA claims that by 2050, demand for coal will fall by 90 percent, oil by 75% and gas by 50%, while solar and wind will account for 70% of energy production. This will require annual investments of $5 trillion by 2030, far more than the $2 trillion currently spent.

Leonardo Aldeghi

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Chad, demonstrations against the Transitional Military Council. The latter took control of the country following the death of the newly elected President Idriss Déby on 20 April. Military government, established without popular consultation, is therefore not tolerated by many. Among these are the opposition members of the late President and other members of civil society. The Transitional Military Council received the support of the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as President of the African Union (AU), and Emmanuel Macron. Its role should be to call for new elections and restore stability, but there is mistrust towards the Council’s real capabilities. On 12 May around 200 people took to the streets in N’Djamena to support the military government, while on 19 May opposition protests triggered violence and arrests.

(Sara Squadrani)

Nigeria, presumed death of Boko Haram leader. Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram, was reportedly killed during an armed clash between his forces and the Islamic State militias. The conflict took place near the Sambisa forest, in a north-eastern region of the country which is the stronghold of Boko Haram in Nigeria. This is the news that the Nigerian media have spread in the past few hours, citing intelligence sources. Following this indiscretion, the Nigerian Ministry of Defense has put its forces on alert, especially those deployed in the north-eastern region of the country, where it is feared that clashes could escalate between the militias loyal to the deceased Shekau and the men of the Islamic State.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Malawi, 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine destroyed. After the African Center for Disease Prevention and Control confirmed that the expired vaccine doses were ineffective, the Malawi government ordered the destruction of nearly 20,000 doses of expired AstraZeneca vaccine. The expired vaccines are part of a batch that arrived at the end of last March, of which nearly 80 percent was used. The expiry of the doses, which was April 13, was in fact too close to delivery and therefore did not allow a total use of the vaccine batch. The lack of use of the vaccines received also concerns South Sudan in Africa, which last month, due to an immunization campaign postponed due to logistical problems, let about 60,000 doses of AstraZeneca expire.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Sara Squadrani e Andrea Ghilardi

NORTH AMERICA

Austin, the governor of Texas signs a law banning abortion from as early as six weeks. Last Wednesday, governor Greg Abbott signed a legislation that marks the last moment available to have an abortion by the time of the “foetal heartbeat”, a term used by anti-abortion activists, but rejected by scientists and doctors. The law is also particular because it’s the first case in which a patient can sue a doctor for applying such procedure. Doctors and women's rights groups have heavily criticised the law, which will take effect in September’s elections if it is not stopped by a court. Texas is the latest and largest US state to pass abortion restrictions.

Washington, Joe Biden’s administration increases pressure on government of prime minister Abiy Ahmed to end human rights abuses. Senior Ethiopian officials may face restrictions on their travel to the US, as Washington increases pressure on the government of prime minister Abiy Ahmed as a worldwide concern keeps growing, about the atrocities and famine caused by the conflict in the northern region of Tigray. Though visa restrictions are likely to target only a small number of individuals, the symbolic attitude by President Joe Biden’s administration is significant, as it moves to a more direct strategy to force Ahmed to end continuing human rights abuses in Tigray and allow free flow of humanitarian aid, which have never been this needed as today.

Edoardo Cappelli

LATIN AMERICA

Chile, the first election results. Sebastián Piñera's centre-right suffered a heavy defeat in the elections for the Constituent Assembly, regions and municipalities, which took place between 15 and 16 May. The population punished the classic political forces and gave confidence to independent parties. Piñera's right wing failed to win even a third of the Constituent Assembly seats needed to hold negotiating and veto power, and lost many important municipalities in municipal elections. Although this was a historic event, unfortunately the turnout was much lower than in the October 2020 referendum. One of the reasons for abstentionism is the scepticism of many people who do not believe that the amendment of the Constitution will succeed. The left and centre-left lists, in particular, the Lista del Pueblo, Apruebo Dignidad and Lista de Apruebo, seem to dominate the Constituent scenario with more than two thirds of the seats in the Assembly. This result could affect the outcome of the presidential elections to be held in November 2021. However, it is possible that in the meantime the right wing will be able to rise from its ashes by entering into agreements with other coalitions.

(Ginevra Ricca)

Cuba, the Pearl of the Antilles begins financial measures. Because of the 240 sancion approved by Trump, during his presidency that Biden didn’t withdraw, of the current pandemic and, because of the ineffective cubanic politics, the island lacks essential products like food and medicine and it is in economic collapse. In 2020, GDP decreased by 11%. The price of wares also increased by 5 times. The queues outside the shops are very long. It seems to have returned to the 90s (period of crisis with URSS). The country needs drastic reforms and, a change of leadership. After 62 years, Raúl Castro (brother of Líder Máximo), during the VIII PCC’s Congress, announces his abandonment. He leaves Party, State and, population to the new President Miguel Díaz-Canel who will have to introduce reforms, guarantee the “historical continuity” of power. “If nothing is done soon the Cuban economy will collapse". warned economists. (Obama's deputy national security adviser) says that Bides is acting as his predecessor. The country has eliminated dual currencies (CUC and peso) and reduced subsidies to businesses and companies. Furthermore, it is slowly opening up to self-employment (i.e. the private sector).

(Giulia Patrizi)

Cocaine of the sea. Another risk for the Mexican ecosystem. Drug trafficking and the fight against it are two well-known phenomena in Mexico. Unfortunately, the conquest of the marketplaces causes that complex and often mistakenly identifying phenomenon of the continent, known as urban guerrilla, especially since the gourmet marijuana of Colombia is spreading in the Brazilian upper classes, causing Mexican and Paraguayan rivals to lose market shares. Added to this is another problem for Mexico. There is another type of cocaine known as c. of sea. This expression refers to the flourishing industry with the illegal fishing of the totoaba, a fish much desired by the Chinese who use the bladder in medicine. With the help of local fishermen and exploiting their poverty, the Chinese use trawl nets, hundreds of meters long, that are destroying the ecosystem and also capturing the vaquita (a porpoise), the main food source of the poor local fishermen, they are bought for a few dollars by Chinese people.

(Giulia Patrizi)

Peru, the electoral clash goes on. The clash between Keiko Fujimori, exponent of the extreme right, and Pedro Castillo, representative of the left, continues. The Fuerza Popular’s leader is trying to turn the tide by highlighting the difference between her party, which is a defender of private property and all those who own businesses, and its rival Peru Libre, which is communist and, according to Fujimori, unfit to lead the country because of the chaos in the left-wing party team. Pedro Castillo's political discourse, on the other hand, is mainly based on the defence of fundamental rights, such as education or health, and the protection of agriculture and the environment. According to current polls, Castillo has a preference index of 34.4%, with Keiko Fujimori right behind him with 32.6%. However, according to the Peruvian media the 15% of voters are indecisive and could make the difference. The clash is still open and will only close on 6 June. It is therefore certain that the preference indices will continue to swing in favour of one candidate or the other. In the meantime, a debate between the two political forces will take place on 30 May, at the request of the Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE).

(Ginevra Ricca)

Venezuela, a country without a future. Harsh words were declared by former Spanish President Felipe González in an interview released on Wednesday 19 May on Colombian TV NTN24. He raises sharp criticism of Maduro for holding an 'illegitimate' government and having little control over its territory. The press has little freedom, public freedoms, autonomy, the ability to act, everything has been liquidated, he says. Maduro explicitly took sides in favour of Iván Márquez and Santrich (FARC guerrilla who died on 17 May) in front of the dissidents who did not accept the peace treaties with Colombia. Maduro enjoys the consensus of ‘helenos’ and ‘paracas’ of drug trafficking. According to González, the dissidents rebelled against Venezuela and began (March 21) an armed conflict in the state of Apure (Colombian border). By failing to confront them, Maduro is jointly-responsible for the deaths of Venezuelan soldiers captured by dissidents. González asks the other EU countries and the international community for an immediate re-establishment of freedom and democracy and the sending of urgent humanitarian and health aid.

(Giulia Patrizi)

Ginevra Ricca and Giulia Patrizi

ASIA AND THE FAR EAST

India, west coast struck by “Tauktae” cyclone. Last week, the Indian coasts of Gujarat and Mumbai were struck by the violent passage of a powerful tropical cyclone category 4 nicknamed "Tauktae", defined by experts as one of the strongest and most destructive cyclones of the last 20 years. In its most active phase, the cyclone recorded wind gusts in excess of 200 km/h, causing strong tides with waves almost 10 meters high. The heavy rain and gusts caused enormous damage and disruption throughout the week: at least 2,500 villages were completely destroyed, 40,000 trees were uprooted by the wind causing damage to roads and houses, several vaccination centers were temporarily closed, and more than 200,000 people were forced to evacuate. To this day, there are more than 100 confirmed victims, but there are still several missing, including 50 workers of the barge P305, belonging to Afcon Infrastructure, capsized on the high seas by strong waves.

(Francesco Ancona)

Koreas, nuclear threat and vaccines: a rich agenda for the summit between the United States and South Korea. Between Thursday 20 and Sunday 23, Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in a series of meetings at the White House. There are two main issues on the table: the resumption of negotiations on North Korean denuclearization and the fight against Covid-19. The first point is a crucial objective for President Moon, now in his final year in office, who hopes to be able to take the opportunity of this summit to persuade his US counterpart to reconsider the North Korean nuclear situation more urgently. For its part, the Biden administration, despite having as its objective the denuclearization of the peninsula, does not seem to be too interested in resuming diplomatic talks. Proof of this is the fact that he has not yet been elected a US special envoy to Korea. Despite this, the South Korean administration is optimistic: ‘The United States has said it would pursue a diplomatic solution and bilateral dialogue, and was ready to offer concessions if North Korea takes meaningful steps, which is a very practical and flexible approach’, said a president’s official. Another priority for the Korean president is anti-Covid vaccines. With less than 3% of the whole South Korean population vaccinated due to severe delays in vaccine production, it is likely that Moon administration may use this summit as an opportunity to propose a vaccine swap: the U.S. would hand over a portion of its unused vaccine stockpile (300 million excess doses are estimated by the end of July) to South Korea, while the latter would commit to returning its excess doses in the months following national vaccination.

(Francesco Ancona)

China, the space race. Last week, China successfully landed a spacecraft on Mars, becoming the second country after the United States to meet this difficult goal. President Xi Jinping congratulated the mission team for the 'exceptional result'. This mission is just one of many initiatives of the Chinese space program that in recent years has begun to compete with the United States and Russia in the space race. For example, in 2018, China launched more vehicles in space than any other country and, more recently, the satellite navigation network Beidou (rival to the American GPS) was completed and plans were announced for the construction of a permanent lunar base.

(Margherita Camurri)

Taiwan, the sudden outbreak of Covid-19 infections. Taipei has imposed several restrictive measures in response to the highest peak of Covid-19 infections ever recorded in the country since the onset of the health emergency. The sudden peak of infections seems to have been caused by an outbreak among the employees of the national airline. Although the number of cases does not seem high when compared to data from other neighboring countries, the new wave alarmed Taiwan, which until now had managed to stand out for its success in dealing with the pandemic. Another factor that alarmed the Taiwanese government and that led to the adoption of severe restrictive measures is the fact that the country has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world (1%).

(Margherita Camurri)

Japan, the emergency of Covid-19. After recording almost 700 thousand infections and over 10 thousand deaths of Covid-19, Tokyo announced for the third consecutive week an extension of the state of emergency to new provinces. With the Tokyo Olympic Games scheduled for July 2021, the Japanese government has an urgent need to reduce the number of infections and to accelerate the vaccination campaign, which has so far benefited only 4.1% of the population. For this reason, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines have recently been approved, although the latter will not be immediately used due to concerns over certain cases of thrombosis.

(Margherita Camurri)

Margherita Camurri and Francesco Ancona

WESTERN EUROPE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

European Union, agreement over the Green Pass to travel in Europe. On the evening of Thursday 20 May, the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement over the much-discussed Green Pass. The deal between the three European institutions has led to the confirmation of the creation of a certificate, which will be available in both paper and digital form, which will allow people to move within the European Union without being subject to travel restrictions such as quarantine and self-isolation. This certificate will in fact certify if a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19, or if he has recently tested negative for a swab or, finally, if he has already recovered from the disease. This agreement is seen as an important step towards restoring the free movement of citizens in the greatest possible safety. To officially enter into force, however, the agreement on the Green Pass will have to pass the vote of the European Parliament.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Spain, tough responses to the migration crisis in Ceuta and Melilla. After thousands of people entered into the Spanish territories in North Africa between Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 May, the tough response from the Madrid government was not long in coming. In fact, Spain immediately deployed the army, thus blocking the arrival of new migrants. The Spanish Prime Minister Sànchez himself, after having urgently visited the enclave of Melilla, reiterated the need to stop irregular landings and to restore normality as soon as possible. On this matter however tough responses also come from Brussels, the vice president of the European Commission Schinas wanted indeed to underline how Europe does not intend to be intimidated by any country on the migration issue, underlining that the European Union will not fall into the blackmail of those countries which use and exploit migrants to obtain political favors. Josep Borrel, the High Representative for the Union's foreign policy, also expressed his closeness to the Spanish government, however also affirming the need to maintain a spirit of cooperation and dialogue with countries, such as Morocco, with which the European Union must address the migration issue.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

France and Austria, it is time for reopening. In France, after 6 months of closure, bars and restaurants reopen, immediately attracting many customers who have been waiting for this moment for months. However, President Macron stressed to the population the need to continue to be cautious, while affirming, however, that the numbers of infections go in the right direction. Even Austria, after seven months of more or less rigid lockdown, reopens restaurants, hotels, gyms, sports fields, theaters and cinemas. However, it remains necessary, for almost all sectors, to have a negative test. For the part of the population that has already received the vaccination, the “free pass” to such activities takes effect 22 days after the first dose and lasts for three months. For those who have already received the second dose, however, the validity is nine months. France and Austria are therefore added to the list of countries which, thanks to strict containment measures and the vaccination plan, can slowly move towards a normality that until now seemed distant.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Italy, Kerry's visit. John Kerry, the man in charge of climate change for the US administration and strongly backed by Biden, made a trip to Italy during which he met Minister Cingolani, Minister Giorgetti and Minister Di Maio, the latter of whom he had already met in Washington. His impression of the Italian government was very positive, so much so that, in various interviews, he said he was convinced that Italy would be a leading country in the ecological transition and that, thanks to the depth of Mario Draghi, it could also resume a leading role in Europe. Kerry recalled the importance of reducing emissions directly in this decade and that it is not enough to have zero emissions by 2050. His visit was important in view of the G20 presided over by the Italian government and where climate will be a central topic.

(Leonardo Cherici)

Italy, exiting the pandemic. In the past few weeks, the government has presented a further timetable to return to some kind of normality. The curfew has been moved to 11 p.m., at the beginning of June it will be 24 p.m. and it will be finally lifted on 21 June. In the meantime, reopenings have been planned for those activities that have been closed for some time, including the entertainment categories. The vaccination campaign is running at a fast pace and seems to be having the desired effect: the figures continue to improve, despite the reopenings at the end of April. The government, however, has launched an additional 40 billion euro budget transfer to support the categories that were forced to stop and did not benefit from these first weeks of May.

(Leonardo Cherici)

Leonardo Cherici and Andrea Ghilardi

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA

Albania, former premier Berisha and his family on the US black list. On 19 May, Secretary of State Antony Blinken posted a statement on Twitter: “Former President of Albania Sali Berisha’s corrupt acts undermined democracy in Albania. I am publicly designating Berisha and his immediate family members as ineligible for entry into the United States. We remain #UnitedAgainstCorruption with our partners in Albania.” The accusation against Berisha (former President and PM) leaves no doubts: grave corruption and interference in the judicial system. Specifically, he is accused of embezzling public funds and interfering in trials, using his power to protect himself, his family and his allies. That’s why the US confirmed its closeness and its support to the Albanian people and institutions, instead of Berisha.

(Giulia Patrizi)

Montenegro, among independence, desire for the EU and Chinese debt. On 26 June 2006 thanks to a referendum, Montenegro affirmed its independence from Serbia. In 2014, Premier Milo Djukanovic (now President of the Republic) stipulated a debt with China. He wanted to build a 165 km motorway between Boljare and Bar, which has become the most expensive in the world: 20 million euros per km. The EU and the IMF gave negative opinions and feared an increase in the public debt which now amounts to 103%. Furthermore, the stipulated contract lacked transparency and cases of corruption were suspected. Podgorica asks Brussels for help (but in vain) to repay the debt with EXIM (the Chinese bank) which holds a quarter. The EU parliamentarian Butikofer considers not to intervene in this situation irresponsible, leaving a country on the border with the EU that was making significant progress in the entry procedure to the Chinese mercy. The situation is fragile both from a geopolitical and a financial point of view.

(Giulia Patrizi)

Slovenia, problems with water? In December 2020, the EP approved a resolution to protect water, promoted by EU citizens, precisely because water is a fundamental good. Slovenian one incorporated legislation into its Constitution a long time ago to preserve it. In addition, in 2002 it passed a law for water’s protection that Janez Janša's right-wing government is trying to modify. Andrej Vizjak, Minister for the Environment, wants to sacrifice the common good for economic development. The law approved in March provides for two changes for the “installation of simple structures for common use” allowing the construction of buildings and dams near hydrographic basins (including cemeteries, bars, greenhouses, floating hotels that are unlikely to have a low environmental impact, thunder environmentalists). Vizjak wants to invest in hydroelectric and nuclear power plants. Oppositions and activists accuse him of a conflict of interest and argue that the legislative process is flawed. To abrogate the changes, they must collect 40,000 signatures by 25 May in order to schedule a referendum. They are already at 53,000.

(Giulia Patrizi)

China and Russia: a prosperous future Despite the choices made by the United States and the European Union towards both China and Russia, the two countries are both strengthening their cooperation both in the nuclear sector and probably in the railway infrastructure sector. Regarding the first aspect, reference is made to the remote ceremony that took place on May 19 between the Russian president and his Chinese counterpart to celebrate the construction of four new nuclear reactors, located respectively in Tianwan and Xudapu in China. Reactors designed by Rosatom in collaboration with the Chinese “China State Nuclear Industry Corporation”. As far as cooperation in the infrastructure sector is concerned, there are good conditions for the implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway line, 500 km long, which would make it possible to connect the countries of the Persian Gulf and Turkey through the Caucasus. Even if the main problem for this implementation is linked to the 4.8 billion dollar debt that Kyrgyzstan has contracted with Beijing and although China already has access to the Persian Gulf - we allude to the 10,000 km corridor that directly connects China to the 'Iran passing through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan - this new infrastructural line would make it possible to shorten travel times and therefore of commercial exchange.

Arianna Giannino

Russia and the USA: an "icy" dialogue The head of diplomacy of the Kremlin, Sergej Lavrov, and the secretary of state of the Biden administration, Antony Blinken, met on the sidelines of the last summit of the Arctic Council, organized in Reykjavik (Iceland) on 20 May and which marked the beginning of the Russian presidency of the organization. The face to face between the representatives of the Kremlin and the White House lasted two hours and was described as "constructive" by Lavrov, who explained that he perceived a willingness on the American side to overcome the stalemate that has arisen in recent years. The two, moreover, during the two hours discussed a great variety of topics, including the pursuit of "active cooperation" in strategic stability, in nuclear non-proliferation, in climate change, in the fight against the Covid19 pandemic and in the North Korean question. Blinken also presented to his Russian counterpart the US point of view regarding Ukraine and Donbass. Other issues, no less important, that were addressed by Blinken and Lavrov during the intense and effective two-hour period are the Afghanistan dossier, Syria and the Iranian nuclear agreement.

Arianna Giannino

Giulia Patrizi and Arianna Giannino

MIDDLE-EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA)

Turkey, multipliers and dividers. Faced with the renewing of tensions between Israel and the various Palestinian fronts in recent weeks, Ankara remains eager to capitalize on Middle Eastern instability. The rhetoric in defense of the Arab-Muslim world is nothing new for President Erdoğan and the ties between Ankara and Hamas are not an absolute secret. However, two details are now receiving attention. First, the sensational proposal of the naval circles close to the "Blue Homeland": a Turkish-Palestinian agreement on maritime jurisdiction on the "Libyan model". Second, a renewed diplomatic hyperactivity in search of support in both the Muslim and Catholic worlds with a phone call to the Pope. If a certain internal support for the cause is transversal, the domestic front remains polarized by economics and socio-political choices. In this context, comes the actions of the EU towards an official freeze on the accession negotiations and greater criticism on the rule of law.

(Samuele Abrami)

Iran, final rush on the nuclear issue? From the Vienna negotiations for a new JCPOA agreement, important steps forward have emerged. The EU mediators have shown "some clear confidence" for a satisfactory conclusion, while the Russian side expects rapid progress in the same direction. The assumption is that the informal and indirect channel between Washington and Tehran is bearing fruit, especially for the American hope that a gradual removal of sanctions would avert or limit a possible rise to power of the ultra-conservatives in the upcoming Iranian elections in June. Time is also running out for the current head of government, Rouhani, who sees in the negotiations and in the support of the Supreme Guide a possible success to revive his consensus. Certainly, giving new "economic oxygen" to the population would benefit the moderate front, but the current escalation in the Middle East and the increasingly heavy role of the Pasdaran remain elements of great weight.

(Samuele Abrami)

Israel, the eternal conflict returns. After 11 days of reciprocal bombardments, a truce brokered by Egypt has been reached between Hamas and Israel. During the course of the conflict, the terrorist organisation that controls the Gaza Strip, together with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, launched more than 4,000 rockets at Israel, some of which fell into the strip, causing the death of some 20 residents. Israel responded with “Operation Guardian” of the Walls, which included a massive bombardment of the strip with the aim of destroying various tunnels and neutralising as many units of the various terrorist groups as possible. Meanwhile, the Iron Dome system defended the skies over Israel with an interception effectiveness of 90%. The number of deaths in Israel stands at 13, while the number of dead Palestinians is 232, including many women and children.

(Michele Magistretti)

Libya, the path of transition continues with some uncertainties. The premier of the national unity government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, reiterated his support for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkey regarding the delimitation of the respective Exclusive Economic Zones. Moreover, Dbeibah is expected to make his first trip to Italy at the end of January. The issue of the presence of foreign mercenaries on Libyan soil and the reluctance of some fringes on both sides of the country to cooperate fully still causes tension. The Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, confirmed his support for the foreign minister, Najla al-Mangoush, one of the figures most involved in the attempt to demobilise foreign paramilitary units.

(Michele Magistretti)

Egypt, Cairo's soft power in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Thanks in part to its well-established relationship with Israel, with which it maintains a fruitful collaboration in the fight against terrorism, Egypt has succeeded in mediating the recent truce between Tel Aviv and Hamas. With this momentary success, Egyptian President Al-Sisi has won a diplomatic victory that allows him to stand out as a peacemaker and conciliator, particularly in the eyes of the new American administration, in a Middle East that has become heated again in the light of the outbreak of conflict between its neighbour and the terrorist organisation. Moreover, Egypt, during the days of the conflict, allowed Palestinian wounded to be treated in its hospitals and President Al Sisi promised financial aid of about half a billion dollars for the reconstruction of Gaza.

(Michele Magistretti)

Lebanon, demonstrations and protests on the border with Israel. Hundreds of protesters, primarily Palestinian refugees but also some Lebanese citizens marched to the wall that divides Israel from southern Lebanon to show solidarity with Palestinians residing in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza following the escalation of violence in Israel and between Hamas and Israel itself. Under surveillance by UNIFIL units and the Lebanese army, the demonstrators hoisted the flag of Palestine on the border wall, as well as banners representing Hezbollah and the Shiite Amal movement, which have particular influence in southern Lebanon. Moreover, 6 rockets have been launched from Tyre towards the north of Israel, but they fell into the sea; Israel has responded with artillery in the direction of the Lebanese rockets. The Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi called the parties to peace: Lebanon cannot afford another war.

(Sara Oldani)

Lebanon, Syrian refugees to vote. The country of cedars, home to at least one million Syrian refugees, is shaken by the electoral campaign in neighboring Syria. Indeed, Lebanon has allowed refugees and expats with Syrian citizenship to vote in presidential elections that will be held for Syrian residents on May 26. At the place of the vote, the Syrian embassy in Beirut, masses of voters poured in praising the current President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian Worker Association, a Lebanese group in favour of the current Syrian government, have organized transfers to allow as many Syrians as possible to participate. There were also supporters of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the only opposition party tolerated by the regime.

(Sara Oldani)

Tunisia, shipwrecks continue in the Mediterranean. At least 57 migrants who left Sfax, on the Tunisian coast, died from drowning, Tunisian Defense Minister Mohamed Zekri said in a press release. 33 migrants who left Libya were instead rescued thanks to the help of some workers from an oil platform. In the last week, there has been a substantial increase of the migratory phenomenon, caused by the worsening of the economic conditions of the most disadvantaged groups of both local population and migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, following new restrictions due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.

(Sara Oldani)

Samuele Abrami, Michele Magistretti and Sara Oldani

TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Afghanistan, Taliban advance in some territories worries. As the United States prepares to leave the Asian country by September, the Taliban continues to gain ground. On May 20, the group launched an offensive in the Alingar district in the eastern province of Laghman, taking control of the area. Two months ago, the Taliban had conquered other territories in the province, such as Dawlat Shah. Moreover, the situation is complex also in the surroundings of Kabul, in particular in the province of Maidan Wardak - south-west of the Afghan capital. Here, in recent weeks, several strategic districts have been occupied by the Taliban. Therefore, security concerns for Kabul are likely to increase.

(Vincenzo Battaglia)

Trial of a soldier suspected of planning attacks against political targets opens in Germany. The story of Franco A., an officer in the Franco-German joint forces who managed to obtain political asylum by posing as a Syrian refugee, had caused much controversy in Germany. According to reconstructions, he planned to attack political targets, including the foreign minister, the vice-president of Parliament and a Jewish anti-racist activist. The false identity was supposed to mislead the investigation on the attacks and induce the public to voice anger against a refugee. At the time of the arrest, A. was in possession of ammunition and a copy of Mein Kampf. The German intelligence services consider the threat of far-right terrorism to be particularly alarming. The presence of extremists in law enforcement has been a growing concern in Germany in recent years, leading to the disbanding of the special corps KSK last June.

(Laura Morreale)

Council of Europe, sixth meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. Held by videoconference between 18 and 20 May, the meeting resulted in the approval of two proposals for recommendations on two key issues in counter-terrorism cooperation. The first concerns the prevention of radicalisation among minors, a target group particularly vulnerable to extremist propaganda. The second one proposes a regulation on the use of information from war contexts in criminal proceedings for terrorism. Other topics discussed at the meeting aim at strengthening the already existing instruments for the monitoring of foreign terrorist fighters and for the legal defence of victims of terrorism.

(Laura Morreale)

Italy, 4-year sentence for foreign fighter Alice Brignoli. Escaped in 2015 with her husband and her children to join the cause of the Caliphate, Alice Brignoli had been tracked down in September last year by the Carabinieri of the Ros, while she was a guest in a refugee camp in Syrian territory. Left a widow, the 42 year old woman from Lecco ended up in the structure together with her 4 children. The latter, once repatriated, had been entrusted to a family home, while the woman had been arrested with the charge of ‘association for the purpose of international terrorism’. The sentence, which took place with an abbreviated procedure, condemned the former militant to a prison sentence of 4 years, during which - as underlined by the head of the Antiterrorism pool - she will continue to follow a process of de-radicalization.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Netherlands, suspected terrorist attack in Amsterdam. The toll is one dead and four people injured, after an individual attack led by a 29-year-old man in the De Pijp neighborhood. The bomber, in a state of confusion, was arrested immediately after the events. Police said they searched the latter's home and collected data storage devices. ‘The investigative team led by the public prosecutor's office is keeping all options open, but at the moment they have no direct indication that there is a terrorist motive’, added Marike Stor, a spokeswoman for the Amsterdam police.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Davide Shahhosseini, Laura Morreale and Vincenzo Battaglia

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

EASO, new perspectives for the Spanish reception system. This was discussed from 10 to 14 May in a series of meetings led by the Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), Nina Gregori. These saw the participation of the Spanish and Portuguese Ministers for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and Interior, the UNHCR representative and the IOM director in Spain, and local authorities such as the Spanish government delegate in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands. The discussions focused on the need to implement synergies between EASO and member countries. In particular, EASO will mobilize resources and personnel to improve reception capacity in the Canary Islands, support the transition to a new reception model, facilitate structural reforms to the same purpose, provide training and ad hoc tools, and support the Spanish authorities in the transfer of asylum seekers.

(Sara Squadrani)

UNDESA, what is the role of the Internet in rural development? The “World Social Report” by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) was published on Tuesday 18 May. This analyzed the role of new technologies in reducing rural poverty and inequalities with respect to urban areas, also in light of the social effects of the pandemic. Access to the Internet is considered one of the factors that can improve the living standards of approximately 3.4 billion people. Digital technologies can provide jobs remotely and connect local producers to the market and to global value chains. Beside this, the “World Social Report” emphasizes the need to implement land reforms, expand social protection and abolish the laws that discriminate, within rural communities, the minorities inside them.

(Sara Squadrani)

FAO, new panel of experts for the study and control of zoonotic diseases. On May 20, the Directors-General of several international organizations (FAO, WHO, OIE, and UNEP), together with the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany, met to formally launch the new panel of international experts called "One Health". The main purpose of the new body will be to analyze and study the main factors related to the transmission of diseases from animals to humans. The research work of the group, based largely on recommendations based on research carried out at global, regional and local level, will focus mainly on factors such as: the environmental impact of human activity, food production and distribution, urbanization and infrastructure development, international trade and transport, and finally all those activities related to climate change. The research method will be based on an entirely multi-sectoral approach, and it is precisely this multidisciplinary nature that has been defined as "critical for world health", and capable of "best anticipating all possible threats to health, and controlling their risks from animals", stressed Dr. Monique Eloit, Director General of the OIE.

(Francesco Ancona)

ICAO, exploring new horizons for air transport after the pandemic. During the International Transport Forum (ITF) summit in Montreal on May 17, ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu, ITF Secretary General Young Tae Kim, and Ministers of Transport from several countries discussed the long-term impacts of the post-pandemic effects on air transportation. According to Dr. Liu, the effects on air transport caused by COVID-19 will persist over time, in what many are now calling the "new normal". The Secretary General emphasized that there will be an evolution of consumer needs for the transportation sector in the near future. Specifically, Dr. Liu stated that "travelers will want their travel experience to be tailored to better defend against infectious disease transmission, including contactless booking and boarding solutions, new types of combined screening, and better equipped cabins." This evolution, the Secretary General continued, will need to be based primarily on “innovative solutions offered by the digital sector related to better, and more secure, exchange of data and documents”.

(Francesco Ancona)

Global Health Summit, a new multilateral health strategy? At the end of the event for G20 countries, organized by the Italian government with the support of the European Commission, the “Rome Declaration” was approved, a guideline for a multilateral response to health emergencies. Italian PM Draghi believes that an international treaty on health cooperation should be reached in the future. One of the key issues discussed is the suspension of vaccine patents. However, this should be implemented only on a temporary and voluntary basis by pharmaceutical companies, according to all major European leaders. A plan with further details on the matter should be submitted to the WTO by June, as declared by the President of the European Commission. In order to support the poorest countries in their response to the emergency, G20 countries have committed to allocating additional vaccine quotas to the “Covax” programme, in addition to aid funds.

(Laura Morreale)

UN experts call for an investigation on war crimes and human rights violations in Israel and Gaza. This is the appeal of a joint statement by nine Special Rapporteurs, independent experts working with the UN Human Rights Council, published on the OHCHR website. Calling on the parties to respect the ceasefire, the Special Rapporteurs urge the International Criminal Court to start investigating attacks on civilians and other international crimes, including the destruction of hospitals, water infrastructure and media offices in the Gaza Strip. But the events and policies that led to the escalation of the past few days should be investigated internationally, the statement says, referring explicitly to Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and forced displacement of residents. Finally, the statement calls on third states to suspend the supply of war material to the parties involved in the conflict.

(Laura Morreale)

Laura Morreale, Sara Squadrani and Francesco Ancona

Framing The World is a project conceived and created by the collaboration between members of the team of Mondo Internazionale associates.

Andrea Ghilardi: Western Europe and the European Union

Arianna Giannino: Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Davide Shahhosseini: Terrorism and International Security, Latin America

Edoardo Cappelli: Human Rights, North America

Elisa Maggiore: Latin America

Federica Sulpizio: Middle-East and North Africa

Federico Brignacca: Human Rights

Francesco Ancona: Asia and the Far East, International Organizations

Ginevra Ricca: Latin America

Giulia Patrizi: Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Laura Morreale: Terrorism and International Security, International Organizations

Leonardo Aldeghi: Economics and International Finance

Leonardo Cherici: Western Europe and the European Union

Lorenzo Bonaguro: North America, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Margherita Camurri: Asia and the Far East

Michele Magistretti: Middle-East and North Africa

Samuele Abrami: Middle-East and North Africa

Sara Oldani: Middle-East and North-Africa

Sara Squadrani: Sub-Saharan Africa, International Organizations

Vincenzo Battaglia: Terrorism and International Security