Musings From Abroad

US withholds $85 million military aid to Egypt. Here’s why

Published

2 weeks ago

September 15, 2023

The United States has made bold its threat to Egypt with plans to withhold $85 million in military aid over the government’s refusal to free political prisoners.

The position was made public in a congressional notification obtained quoted by Reuters and a US senator. According to the report, the Biden administration was encouraged to withhold an additional $235 million by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, and two other sources familiar with the situation indicated a decision on those funds was anticipated soon.

“We are consulting with Congress as we finalize our actions,” said a State Department spokesperson when asked about Murphy’s comments on the Senate floor.

A State Department letter to congressional committees outlining the foreign military financing revealed that of the $85 million being withheld, $55 million will be sent to Taiwan and the remaining $30 million to Lebanon.

“The administration rightly decided to withhold that first tranche – $85 million tied to the release of political prisoners – because there’s just no question there has not been enough progress,” Senator Murphy said.

“I would urge the administration to finish the job and withhold the full $320 million … until Egypt’s human rights and democracy record improves,” he added.

According to US demand, Egypt must “make clear and consistent progress in freeing political prisoners, providing detainees with due process of law, and prohibiting the intimidation and harassment of American citizens” before receiving the $85 million.

Seth Binder of the rights organisation Project on Middle East Democracy noted that the $85 million that was withheld “is a notable turnaround from last year.” Yet, the administration would essentially be telling al-Sisi that it feels the Egyptian government has improved its record on human rights if it withholds less money than it has in the previous two years, which is just untrue.

Egypt has a depressing history of rights abuses in recent years as Egyptian authorities continued to crush all forms of peaceful dissent and stifle civic space.

“They’ve arrested tens of thousands of people, including journalists, human rights defenders, activists, protesters, artists, football fans, politicians – even very unlucky bystanders because some policemen suspected them of being Muslim Brotherhood members or critical of the authorities,” says Hussein Baoumi, Egypt researcher for Amnesty International, who now lives outside the country.

Related Topics:Egypt Featured Human Right President Joe Biden

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Musings From Abroad

Germany to support ECOWAS with $86 million

Published

2 days ago

October 1, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will receive 81 million euros ($85.9 million) in support from Germany’s Development Ministry for peacekeeping and economic growth.

“The crises in West Africa require regional solutions. In addition to actively mediating in crises, ECOWAS also actively works to prevent crises, according to Development Minister, Svenja Schulze, who met with an ECOWAS delegation on Friday in Berlin.

Germany enjoys a positive reputation in many African countries thanks to its long-standing alliance with nations like Niger and Nigeria, although it has fallen out with the Malian government, which is notorious for its counter-posture to the West. Hundreds of German soldiers are also on missions across the West African sub-region, which has now become a breeding ground for terrorists.

But the case is different when it comes to economic relations. In 2021, German companies invested around $1.6 billion (€1.68 billion) in Africa, which was “encouraging but still far from enough.” In terms of Germany’s total direct foreign investment around the globe, only around 1% ends up in Africa.

China has led the chart for investment into the continent in recent years. While Chinese investment shows the fastest growth, and expanding, the significance of German enterprises for African economies is shrinking.

Musings From Abroad

UN Security Council approves funding of regional force, EACRF

Published

4 days ago

September 28, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

A proposal to fund the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received official approval from the UN Security Council.

The EAC Secretary General, Dr Peter Mathuki, while speaking after a meeting with the Security Council during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, said the deal would be finalized soon after Monusco finally withdrew from the DRC by December this year.

“What has happened is that the UN Security Council is very keen and appreciative of the role of the EAC in supporting the security of the eastern DRC,” said Dr Mathuki.

“They have agreed to work a mechanism that will support our troops in DRC, and they said as Monusco closes down, and reduces their numbers in DRC, they will wish to strengthen the EACRF.”

Dr. Mathuki stated that he had asked the Security Council to assist in funding the EACRF, which at the moment has more than 4,000 soldiers from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan, as they prepare to scale down Monusco.

“We have proposed funding the EACRF, and the UN Security Council said they are meeting in December which we will be able to determine how much they can draw down from Monusco and how much they will be able to get to fund the EACRF,” Dr Mathuki said.

Last week, DRC President, Felix Tshisekedi, in his address at the UN General Assembly, argued that Monusco’s withdrawal was crucial to ending the conflict between the Congolese people and the mission.

“The acceleration of the withdrawal of the Monusco becomes an imperative necessity to ease tensions between the latter and our fellow citizens,” he said.

Meanwhile, there seems to be a rising tide of anti-UN peacekeeping forces in some African nations. Mail had earlier requested that the UN end its mission in the country and withdraw, and the UN complied, ending the MINUSMA mission there.