Musings From Abroad

US Deputy Treasury Secretary Adeyemo to visit South Africa next week

Published

2 months ago

March 8, 2024

According to a Treasury spokeswoman, United States Deputy Treasury Secretary, Wally Adeyemo, will travel to South Africa next week. The visit is scheduled despite recent strains in their relations, as the US hopes to strengthen economic ties there.

According to the spokesperson, Adeyemo’s tour will cover topics such as U.S. sanctions, work against wildlife trafficking, investments in young leaders and entrepreneurs, sustainable energy transition, and illicit finance.

Among the people he will be meeting with during the March 11–15 trip are students, business executives, and peers in government, according to the spokesman. Visits to Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town are planned throughout the trip.

The journey coincides with strained relations between Washington and the most developed nation in Africa for the previous 24 months.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, representatives from the United States and Europe have made an effort to mobilise African states against Moscow’s actions. However, the majority of African states have refrained from choosing a side.

The perceived strong relations between Russia and South Africa, a significant commercial partner of the United States in Africa, have caused dispair in Washington, even though Pretoria has professed its neutrality.

Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the US and its allies have slapped a wide range of sanctions on the country, targeting its financial sector, military industrial base, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the spokeswoman, Adeyemo will talk about sanctions during the visit, especially recent adjustments to the Zimbabwe sanctions programme. He will also attend an interagency discussion on combating illicit finance on Thursday and meet with counterparts in government while in South Africa. Also, he will participate in a roundtable discussion about efforts to combat wildlife trafficking with representatives from the public, business, and non-governmental organizations.

Relationships are further strained because South Africa is one of the most vocal opponents of Israel’s Gaza offensive. South Africa has accused Israel of state-led genocide in the Palestinian enclave in a case it has launched before the International Court of Justice; Washington has dismissed this accusation as unfounded.

Related Topics:Featured South Africa Wally Adeyemo

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Musings From Abroad

China’s Hailiang, Shinzoom to establish vehicle battery installations in Morocco

Published

3 days ago

May 16, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Hailiang and Shinzoom, Chinese car battery makers, will establish two separate operations in Morocco as the country strives to adapt its burgeoning automotive sector to rising demand for electric vehicles, Moroccan officials announced on Tuesday.

Tanger Tech, the Moroccan northern industrial zone’s development authority, said Hailiang intends to establish a $450 million copper facility on a 30-hectare plot of land. Shinzoom, a subsidiary of Hunan Zhongke, plans to invest $460 million in an anode plant spanning 20 hectares, according to a statement.

In April, the Moroccan government approved Chinese electric battery company BTR New Material Group (835185.BJE)’s plans to build a factory in Tangier to manufacture crucial component cathodes.

Another Chinese firm, CNGR Advanced Material (300919.SZ), plans to develop a cathode plant in Jorf Lasfar, 100 miles south of Casablanca, where the government has set aside 283 hectares for electric battery sectors.

Last year, the Moroccan government and China’s Gotion agreed to examine establishing an electric vehicle battery plant in the country, with a potential investment of up to $6.3 billion. Last month, Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour told Reuters that the Gotion project was moving forward, with conversations over its footprint and location.

Morocco’s strategic location on the Strait of Gibraltar, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and existing automotive sector cluster all attract Chinese enterprises.

In 2023, the automotive sector topped Morocco’s industrial exports with $14 billion, a 27% increase. Morocco is home to Stellantis (STLAM.MI) and Renault (RENA.PA) production factories with an annual combined capacity of 700,000 automobiles, as well as a network of local suppliers.

Musings From Abroad

Prince Harry, Meghan treated to street-style dances in Nigeria as their trip winds down

Published

6 days ago

May 13, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

On Sunday, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were treated to street-style dances in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, where they announced a partnership between their Archewell Foundation and the non-profit Giants of Africa, which utilizes sports to empower young people.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are making their first visit to Nigeria, where they were welcomed by the country’s chief of defence staff. The couple watched basketball practice at Ilupeju Senior Grammar School on Lagos Mainland, where Harry participated in ball-bouncing drills and shot a hoop.

“What you guys are doing here at Giants of Africa is truly amazing,” he said. “The power of sport can change lives. It brings people together and creates community and there are no barriers, which is the most important thing.”

The couple watched basketball practice at Ilupeju Senior Grammar School on Lagos Mainland, and Harry stepped on the court for some ball-bouncing drills and to shoot a hoop.

Former Toronto Raptors star Masai Ujiri, president of Giants of Africa, wished Meghan a happy Mother’s Day and said his organization was uniting communities and uplifting young people through sport, especially. Archewell Foundation and Giants of Africa will construct a basketball court in Nigeria’s capital Abuja.

“Talk about full circle again – never did I think we would be able to be here all those years later supporting the expansion of this incredible organization,” she said.
Harry and Meghan were set to round off their Lagos trip by attending a reception for a local charity. The couple live in the United States with their two children after Harry gave up working as a member of the royal family in 2020.