Framing The World, CV Edition

Framing The World, CV Edition

In the new issue of FtW we analyze the state of human rights in the world, from the war in Ukraine to the anti-LGBT law in Uganda. Furthermore, the recent meeting between Beijing and Moscow and its developments are analysed. The news also comes from Israel of Netanyahu's willingness to suspend the approval process of the reform of the judiciary. All this and more in the 105th issue of Framing the World!

HUMAN RIGHTS

ECONOMICS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

NORTH AMERICA

LATIN AMERICA

ASIA AND THE FAR EAST

WESTERN EUROPE AND EUROPEAN UNION

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA)

TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

HUMAN RIGHTS

Pakistan, prisoners deprived of adequate health care. On 29 March, Human Rights Watch released a report denouncing the Pakistani authorities for systematically depriving prisoners of adequate health care and subjecting them to torture and mistreatment. Moreover, due to outdated and discriminatory bail laws, inmates - most of whom yet to be tried or convicted - are forced to live in overcrowded prisons that expose them to communicable diseases. “Pakistan’s prison system is in need of urgent, systemic reform,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Successive governments have acknowledged the problem and done nothing to address the most critical needs to overhaul bail laws, allocate adequate resources, and curb corruption in the system.”

(Lorenzo Franceschetti)

Russia, houses of the Russian organization "Memorial" raided. On March 21, Russian security forces carried out a series of searches in the homes of nine members of the human rights organization "Memorial," as well as in its headquarters in Moscow. Among the people searched, there was the president of the organization, Yan Rachinsky. The Russian authorities justified these actions stating that they were necessary to verify the accusation of "rehabilitation of Nazism" that hangs over the organization. The source of the accusation lies in Memorial's database, which contains the names of about 4 million victims of Stalinist political terror, including some individuals who, according to authorities, collaborated with the Nazi regime. Memorial was founded in 1989, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and is the oldest human rights organization in Russia, shedding light on the crimes committed by Stalin's totalitarian regime and human rights violations in Russia.

(Sofia Ena)

Uganda, passed bill anti-LGBT+. On 21 March, Uganda’s parliament passed almost unanimously - only two votes against out of 289 - a bill that proposes the death penalty for the offense of aggravated homosexuality, life imprisonment for the “offense of homosexuality”, up to 14 years for being homosexual, and up to 20 years in jail for promoting homosexuality. Across the continent, only South Africa has legalized marriage for all, while Botswana canceled the criminalisation of homosexuality in 2019. The final decision now lies with President Yoweri Museveni, who must decide whether to veto or sign the measure. The immediate reaction from around the world expressed grave concern for the country's future and urged President Museveni not to sign this regressive and oppressive law.

(Lorenzo Franceschetti)

UN, published the investigation on human rights violations in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The UN has announced that in May 2022 it launched an investigation into serious human rights violations committed in Ukraine during the conflict, with particular attention to the regions of Kiev, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have been accused of committing crimes and human rights violations such as "summary executions," "forced disappearances," torture, and rape of soldiers and prisoners of war. UN data indicates that at least 300 summary executions have been committed, but the situation could be even worse than currently estimated. The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has emphasized that the number could increase as the investigation continues. The UN investigation confirmed the involvement of both parties in the conflict and highlighted the need for justice and accountability for those responsible for these crimes.

(Sofia Ena)

Sofia Ena and Lorenzo Franceschetti

ECONOMICS AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

Technology, the layoffs continue. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has told employees that a further 9,000 jobs will be cut from the company's AWS, People, Experience and Technology Solutions (PXT), Advertising, and Twitch divisions, following the 18,000 layoffs announced in January. In his letter to employees, Jassy explained that the need to make the company leaner was motivated by the economic uncertainty facing Amazon and the desire to address those difficulties with streamlined staff and business costs. Meanwhile, Accenture plans to cut 19,000 jobs, or 2.5% of its 738,00-strong workforce, and set aside $1.2 billion in severance payments. The company also reported a 7% drop in quarterly profit and a slight downward revision to its growth forecasts.

Switzerland, UBS buys CS. A weekend of frantic negotiations, with the opening of Asian markets the deadline to avoid market panic, resulted in the creation of a single Swiss banking giant. UBS finally bowed to pressure from the federal government and agreed to buy historic rival Credit Suisse for $3.2 billion ($0.76 per share), less than half CS's capitalisation at Friday's close and a fraction of what it was a few years ago. The government and the Swiss National Bank will provide $200 billion in liquidity guarantees and a $9 billion reimbursement of any losses arising from the deal (after UBS has absorbed the first $5.4 billion in costs), given the impossibility of conducting the usual due diligence required for such acquisitions. It was then announced last week that Sergio Ermotti, CEO until 2020, will be back at the helm of UBS as of 5 April in place of Ralph Hamers.

Wall Street, a good quarter. The US indices ended the month of March and the quarter on a positive note, thanks in part to the PCE data that came in below expectations (0.3% against 0.5% expected) and that bodes well on the inflation front. For the quarter, the Dow Jones rose only 0.4%, while the S&P500 (+7.5%) and especially the Nasdaq (+16.8%), in its best quarter since 2020, did better. Noteworthy is Tesla's rise of 6% (+91% since January) after the news that it is planning a new battery production plant together with CATL, and that of Intel (+7.6%, and marking the best month since 2001) after announcing that the new Sierra Forest chips for data centers will be delivered earlier than expected.

Inflation, mixed data. European inflation slowed markedly from 8.5% in February to 6.9% in March as energy prices fell for the first time since the Russian invasion, but the data are not entirely positive. Indeed, the core index, which excludes food and energy, reached a new record high of +5.7% year-on-year, a figure that confirms the need for the ECB to continue raising interest rates, especially now that fears about the soundness of the banking system seem to have dissipated. The trend was similar in Germany, where food prices rose by 22.3% and consumer prices rose by 7.8% year-on-year (1.1% month-on-month), above expectations, while in France this index slowed from 7.3% in February to 6.6%, with food prices rising by 15.8%..

Fed, another hike. The Federal Reserve continues to battle inflation and does so by raising interest rates by 25 basis points, despite uncertainties related to the soundness of regional banks after the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank. Chairman Powell explained that the economic data would have suggested a 50 basis point increase, but that the collapse of the two banks and the resulting stress on the banking system was likely to have an equivalent effect, tightening credit to households and businesses and 'cooling' the economy in a manner not dissimilar to an increase in interest rates. The rates set by the Fed have now reached a range between 4.75% and 5%, the highest level since 2007.

Leonardo Aldeghi

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Gulf of Guinea, Danish oil tanker seized by pirates found by the French Navy. The Danish oil tanker, flying the Liberian flag, which had been attacked by pirates south of the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of Sao Tomé and Principe, was intercepted on 31 March 2023. On the night of 25 March, the security guard of the port of Pointe-Noire was contacted by the tanker, reporting that three armed men had just boarded and taken possession of the vessel. A few moments before communications were finally cut off, the crew managed to communicate that all 16 members would take refuge in the citadel (a sector of the ship that is protected and able to withstand gunfire). The French navy then managed to locate the tanker, but unfortunately part of the 16 crew members was kidnapped by pirates. Work is now underway to track down the pirates and free the kidnapped crew members. The Gulf of Guinea is today the maritime area with the highest piracy rate in the world.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

The hero of the 'Hotel Rwanda' movie returned to freedom. Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, who saved the lives of 1268 people, had been sentenced in 2021 to 25 years in prison for terrorism. Rusesabagina had in fact admitted to having participated in the founding, in 2017, of the Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD), of which FLN (Forces de Libération Nationales) is considered the armed wing. However, Rusesabagina has always denied any involvement in the attacks committed in the country between 2018 and 2019, which killed nine people. Following an agreement between the Washington and Kigali governments, brokered by the help of Qatar, after more than 900 days in prison, Rusesabagina was released. He then took a flight to Doha, where he underwent medical examinations before departing for the United States, where he resides in Huston. In a brief statement, US President Joe Biden thanked the governments of Rwanda and Qatar for making Rusesabagina's release possible.

(Andrea Ghilardi)

Zambia: The African tour of Kamala Harris ends in Lusaka. On March 26, Kamala Harris' tour of Africa ended in Zambia after visiting Ghana and Tanzania. Upon landing in Lusaka, Harris met with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and visited the site of her grandfather's old home. During the ensuing press conference, she again recommended a rapid finalization of the southern African country's debt restructuring. This is a reminder not only for Lusaka but especially for international competitors to help the nation reduce debt. In particular, US statements are directed at China, the largest creditor of numbers in African countries, including Zambia.

(Giulio Ciofini)

Kenya: inflation remains at 9.2%, protests continue. The inflation rate also remained stable at 9.2% in March, according to the latest statement issued by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Therefore, the price of goods continues to suffocate the Kenyan people who have recently fallen en masse to protest against the government headed by William Ruto. According to published data, housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel prices have increased by 0.6% compared to last month. This continuous increase, accompanied by a rapid decrease in the strength of the local shilling, has convinced part of the population to take to the streets led by opposition leader Raila Odinga since March 20.

(Giulio Ciofini)

Giulio Ciofini e Andrea Ghilardi

NORTH AMERICA

United States, Wall Street journalist arrested in Russia. On the 30th of March, Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal correspondent in Russia, was arrested and detained in Yekaterinburg on charges of "espionage in the interests of the American government" and for trying to obtain secret information, as stated by Russia's Federal Security Service. Since the outbreak of the war Russian authorities have tried to counter foreign reporter's work by denying and delaying visas, but this last episode opens up to a new level of hostility toward foreign media. White House and American State Department officially condemned the Russian government's "repression of journalism and freedom of speech" and is actively trying to secure consular access to Evan Gershkovich.

Canada, new sanctions package against the Iranian regime. Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly has announced a new package of sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations on March 27. The new sanctions will affect entities that support the Iranian regime disrupting and manipulating the online communications of the protestants and that supply the Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) with military equipment. The list includes senior officials in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and in the LEF, accused of systematic human rights violations in Tehran and other Iranian northwest areas. Those measures will prohibit dealing with the listed individuals and entities and will instantly freeze any assets they may hold in Canada.

Lorenzo Graziani

LATIN AMERICA

Peru withdraws its ambassador in Colombia. The Peruvian government just announced the withdrawal of its ambassador in Colombia after Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, defended Pedro Castillo, the former Peruvian president, and criticized the actual government of Perù. Perù is going towards an isolation from the world and international relations as recently it cut off the diplomatic relations with Mexico and with other Latin American countries. Moreover, this fact is one of the main reasons for more protests in Perù against the government. Indeed, in Lima there are currently massive demonstrations. This is the first time that Colombia and Perù in their history are cutting diplomatic relations.

(Francesco Andrea Rossi)

Mexico, 39 migrants died in a fire. In a US border town north of Mexico, 39 migrants died in a fire after protests at the detention center. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he was personally devastated by Monday's tragedy in Ciudad Juarez, which is across from El Paso, Texas. Human rights groups have blamed the poor conditions and overcrowding in which migrants attempting to enter the United States are forced to live.

(Ludovica Costantini)

Chile, a new law’s proposal boosts the power of the police. The Chilean deputies approved a new proposal for a law called ‘’Naín Retamel’’, with the aim of giving more power regarding self-defense to the police. The senate proposed this law following the murders of many police officers between the years 2020-2022, and especially after the murder of a police woman in the Chilean town of Valparaíso last week. This new law has been criticized by many politicians in Chile, because they believe that authorities want more power, although it has been justified for reducing crime and violence around the country.

(Francesco Andrea Rossi)

Brazil, Bolsonaro is back in the Country. Former President Jair Bolsonaro returned Thursday to Brazil after a three-month “vacation” in Florida following his election loss, and the former president told his supporters he doesn’t think leftists will be in power in Brazil for long. Hundreds of supporters dressed in Brazil’s national colors chanted for Bolsonaro as they awaited his arrival, but his return did not draw the crowds that many of his allies expected. That appeared to please his opponents; current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s minister of institutional relations, Alexandre Padilha, called the reception a “flop.”

(Ludovica Costantini)

Ludovica Costantini and Francesco Andrea Rossi

ASIA AND THE FAR EAST

Myanmar, the junta dissolves political parties. On March 28, the coup military junta led by Min Aung Hlaing announced the dissolution of 40 political parties in the country, including the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. The dissolution of parties is due to the political party registration law. The law, which came into effect on January 26, 2023, not only bars anyone who has previously been convicted of a crime or is serving a prison sentence from joining a political party, but it also warns that political parties would have to register within 60 days of enactment of the law and demonstrate funds of at least USD 47,000 , for national parties, or USD 4,700, for regional parties to qualify for registration. Such requirements would make registration virtually impossible for most parties, especially minor or ethnically based ones.

(Alessandra Tamponi)

China, Xi meets Putin and Moscow. A few days after the decision of the judges of the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin. The Russian president hosted the leader of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping in Moscow. For Xi, the visit to Moscow, held between March 20 to 22, is the first state visit after the plenary session of the National People's Congress, which saw his role at the helm of the party and the country reconfirmed. The meeting was an opportunity for the two leaders, who described themselves as close friends, to showcase not only their personal relationship but also to speculate on a series of actions aimed at promoting further cooperation between their respective countries. Russia, Putin said, is ready to use the Chinese yuan in payments with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. During the meeting the Ukraine question was also addressed, the Chinese President underlined how China will continue to "use the principles of the UN Statute” adding that “ our position aims to contribute to the negotiation process". The state trip concluded with the signing of more than a dozen agreements strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade and technology.

(Alessandra Tamponi)

Taiwan, Taipei lost another ally to Beijing. Perceived as de facto independent, the Republic of China (Taiwan) is officially recognised by only 13 sovereign countries. This is due to the mutual exclusivity between the recognition of Chinese or Taiwanese sovereignty. Among the few states that entertain diplomatic relations with Taipei, for a long time Honduras has stood out as the third largest economy (after Guatemala and Paraguay). Something changed about a year ago, when Tegucigalpa saw for the first time in its history the election of a socialist president who presented himself as such, drawing the attention of Beijing. The long 'courtship' based on economic promises - that the Taiwanese executive judged as illusory - resulted in a rapid succession of diplomatic initiatives by the Castro presidency. In the space of a few days, the Honduran foreign minister announced the termination of diplomatic relations with Taipei and the start of those with Beijing, putting an end to a position that had lasted since the 1940s. Meanwhile Washington, worried about the Chinese presence in its 'backyard', has renewed its commitment to Taiwan, while recognizing the sovereign legitimacy of the Honduran choice.

(Rocco Salvadori)

Alessandra Tamponi e Rocco Salvadori

WESTERN EUROPE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

EU, regulation banning the registration of vehicles with combustion engines from 2035 approved. On March 28, the Council of the European Union approved the regulation banning the sale of petrol, diesel or hybrid cars in EU countries from 2035. All countries voted in favor, with the exception of Poland, which voted against, and Italy, Bulgaria and Romania, which abstained. The approval came after an agreement was reached between the European Commission and Germany, which had demanded that the regulation allowed the registration of thermal engines powered by "e-fuel". The Italian government's proposal to also include biofuels was declined, given their impact on water resources and soil. The measure is part of the Green Deal, the European Union's plan against climate change.

(Bianca Franzini)

Italy, European Parliament condemns instructions on stopping the registration of children of same-sex couples. The European Parliament approved an amendment, tabled by Renew Europe and supported by the Greens, Socialists and the Left, to a resolution on the "Situation of the Rule of Law in the European Union". The European Parliament "condemns the instructions given by the Italian government to the municipality of Milan to no longer register the children of homosexual couples". The European Parliament added that the Italian government's decision “will inevitably lead to discrimination not only against same-sex couples, but also and above all against their children”. The Parliament considers that “such action constitutes a direct violation of the rights of minors, as listed in the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Adolescents”. The Italian government was therefore called to immediately revoke its decision.

(Bianca Franzini)

EU, Borrell announces arms supply to Niger and Somalia. During the Schuman Forum on March 20-21 for security and defense, EU High Representative Josep Borrell announced the intention to provide military aid, including ammunition and helicopters, to Somalia and Niger through the European Peace Facility. The program has been used to counter Russian invasion in Ukraine and for military operations in various African countries - such as in Nigeria under Italian leadership - as well as in Lebanon, Jordan, Moldova, and Georgia. The strengthening of the European defense sector and its goal of providing weapons to countries at war has attracted the attention of African countries that are seeking support from the EU. The leaders of 50 countries gathered at the forum expressed their concern about the growing presence of Russia and China in the African continent, particularly due to the actions of Russian military instructors and the Wagner group, and confirming their effort not to give ground to Russian-Chinese authoritarianism.

(Sofia Ena)

European Council, the conclusions of the summit on Ukraine. The European Council meeting on March 23-24, 2023, focused on the situation in Ukraine with particular attention to the themes of peace, defense, and Russian war crimes. During the summit, support for Ukraine was reiterated through a funding of EUR 2 billion for the purchase of ammunition and missiles to be sent to the Ukrainian army. Additionally, new sanctions against Russia were introduced with the aim of holding it accountable for its war crimes, particularly for the sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated by the invading army on the civilian population. EU leaders confirmed their support for the peace plan presented by Ukrainian President Zelensky, committing to working with Ukraine on its 10 points of peace and welcoming the United Nations resolution on the principles of a global, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine, approved on February 23.

(Sofia Ena)

Finland, the country officially joins NATO. On March 30, the Turkish National Assembly unanimously ratified Finland's NATO accession protocol. Turkey was in fact the last nation among the 30 members of the Atlantic alliance to approve Helsinki's accession, after the Hungarian legislature passed a similar bill earlier in the week on March 27. Indeed, official membership now lacks only a few formal steps culminating in the delivery of a Finnish acceptance document to the U.S. State Department. What was being demanded of the two northern European countries (Finland and Sweden) for Turkey to approve entry into the military alliance was the undertaking of concrete actions against two terrorist groups, the Kurdistan’s Workers Party (PKK) and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO). However, Turkish Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar, says that while Finland has done the necessary in demonstrating its willingness and determination to fight terrorism in practice and regulation and thus gaining membership, in contrast to Sweden it still has work to do.

(Francesca Pasqualino)

Bianca Franzini, Francesca Pasqualino and Sofia Ena

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA

Russia, new global anti-West strategy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new global foreign policy strategy, encapsulated in a 42-page document with an anti-West slant and which thus sees "cementing" an even deeper Cold War-style rupture. Indeed, with such a strategy, the Russian president establishes geopolitical changes according to his own worldview whose goal is to reduce Western "dominance." The document talks about prioritizing "the elimination of the vestiges of the domination of the United States and other hostile countries," referring to the EU and the sanctions it has adopted against the Russian Federation itself. This strategy also reflects Russia's attempts to strengthen political and economic ties with countries in Africa and Asia, such as China and India. These latter in the document itself, published on the Kremlin's website, are identified as key partners for the future.

Belarus, Russia demand nuclear weapons due to "invasion" threats. Belarusian President Lukashenko in his annual speech to lawmakers and government officials, on March 31, said he had intensified talks with Russia on deploying tactical nuclear weapons in the country to counter invasion plans planned by neighboring Poland. Putin said last Saturday Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for the first time since the collapse of the USSR in 1991, in response to the West's increasing military aid to Ukraine.

In the same speech on Friday, Lukanshenko also called for an immediate ceasefire in the war in Ukraine with the warning that Russia, if threatened, would be forced to use "the most terrible weapon." In addition, Kiev continues to claim that Russia is using Belarusian airspace for drone and missile strikes against Ukraine because Minsk is a close ally of Moscow.

Francesca Pasqualino

MIDDLE-EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA)

Israel, on the brink of the abyss(?): after weeks of incessant and oceanic demonstrations, Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to suspend the approval process of the controversial reform of the judiciary put forward by his governing coalition. The main opposition leaders, Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, welcomed the government's decision, but promised they would not breach the rule of law. At the same time, Netanyahu's most extreme allies, Ben Gvir and Smotrich, threatened to bring down the executive and obtained a postponement of approval, preventing the reform from being scuttled. In addition, Ben Gvir obtained Netanyahu's approval to set up a national guard directly under his command, most likely to suppress future demonstrations of dissent.

(Michele Magistretti)

Tunisia, official visit of Gentiloni to Tunis. The EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs Paolo Gentiloni was in Tunisia on 27 March to discuss the serious economic situation in the Maghrebi country. The meeting with the Tunisian President Kais Saied, initially canceled although foreseen in the agenda, was then rescheduled and regularly took place. The EU supports Tunisia in the negotiations with the IMF for the granting of a loan of 1.9 billion dollars and Gentiloni reiterated that "the Commission is ready to consider further macro-financial assistance if the necessary conditions are met”. However, the Commissioner specified how the visit was "also an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the values ​​of democracy, inclusion and the rule of law".

(Francesco Lorenzini)

Michele Magistretti e Francesco Lorenzini

TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Japan, semiconductor export limits announced. There are 23 high-tech machines, used in the manufacture of semiconductors, in respect of which Tokyo has announced that it has imposed export limits. According to Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, the decision was made against the backdrop of national interest: preventing third countries, which pose a military threat, from acquiring such technologies. Although it was not specified which countries this measure is aimed at, the reference to China seems unquestionable. The last few months have seen a deterioration in relations between Tokyo and Beijing; the increasingly assertive and revisionist posture in the East China Sea theatre, emphasised by Xi Jinping's post-re-election declarations on the subject of Taiwan's reunification, have rekindled the historical disputes between the two Asian giants.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Russia, American journalist arrested on espionage charges. Evan Gershkovich, correspondent in Russia for 6 years for the Wall Street Journal, was arrested last Thursday on charges of military espionage while in Yekaterinburg. According to the FSB - Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation - the American reporter had come into possession of secret information about military operations conducted by Russian forces in Ukraine. Specifically, Gershkovich was apparently investigating the activities of the paramilitary group Wagner, which has been operating in parallel with the regular forces since the beginning of 'Special Operation'.

(Davide Shahhosseini)

Mali, the ruling junta received military supplies from Russia and Türkiye. The Malian Army General Staff has confirmed that it has received a batch of twenty Russian military aircrafts and a dozen Turkish drones, the famous Bayraktar-TB2d already used in the war in Ukraine. The supplies were formalized in an official ceremony in the presence of the head of the ruling junta in Mali, Assimi Goita, and both the Russian and Turkish ambassadors. The Kremlin had already supplied weapons to Mali during 2022 and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov - who visited Bamako last February - had promised further military aid. These military supplies have occurred in a context characterized by an escalation of the conflict between government forces and jihadist rebels: civilian casualties in 2022 increased by 118% compared to 2021 according to reports from the United Nations.

Niger, Blinken visits Niamey. On March 16, Antony Blinken went to Niamey, becoming the first US Secretary of State to visit Niger in history. Blinken has pledged a $150 million humanitarian aid package to the Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum. The visit is part of the tug-of-war currently underway between the West and Russia in the Sahel. After the French withdrawal from Mali and Burkina Faso - currently governed by pro-Moscow military juntas - Niger has become the epicenter of Western military operations against jihadists

Davide Shahhosseini and Francesco Lorenzini

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

Alessandra Tamponi: Asia and the Far East

Andrea Ghilardi: Sub-Saharan Africa

Bianca Franzini: Western Europe and the European Union

Carlo Padiglione: Asia and the Far East

Davide Shahhosseini: Terrorism and International Security

Elisa Maggiore: Latin America

Francesco Lorenzini: Middle East and North Africa, Terrorism and International Security

Francesca Pasqualino: Western Europe and the European Union, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Francesco Rossi: Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia

Giulio Cofini: Sub-Saharan Africa

Leonardo Aldeghi: Economics and International Finance

Lorenzo Franceschetti: Human Rights

Lorenzo Graziani: North America

Ludovica Costantini: Latin America

Michele Magistretti: Middle-East and North Africa

Rocco Salvadori: Asia and the Far East

Sara Oldani: Middle-East and North-Africa