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WORLD NEWS Friday 5 august 2022
U.S. envoy: Africa trip isn’t to compete with Russia, China

By EDITH M. LEDERER tinent.”
Associated Press “They can try to do that.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — But my question to them
The U.S. ambassador to the is, how are you helping Af-
United Nations headed to ricans to address the food
Africa on Wednesday, say- insecurity issue, not whom
ing she was going to focus you’re blaming for the food
on how the United States insecurity issues,” she said.
can help Uganda, Ghana “We’re there to help Afri-
and Cape Verde deal with cans address those issues.
the food crisis that has hit Russia can deal with its own
the continent particularly problems.” As for China,
hard not to compete with while its trade with Africa
China and Russia. last year was dramatical-
Linda Thomas-Greenfield ly higher than U.S. trade,
said the long-planned trip is Thomas-Greenfield said “if
not part of global compe- you look at our figures, and
tition with either of Amer- how far back our engage-
ica’s rivals, but it is part of ment has been with the Af-
a series of high-level U.S. ricans, then we really are
engagements “that aim to far above those numbers.”
affirm and strengthen our Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, introduces U.S. Secretary of “As you look at what Chi-
partnerships and relation- State Antony Blinken before a town hall at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations with members of na’s doing in Africa, you
ships with African leaders staff on May 19, 2022, in New York. need to look at the debt
and peoples.” Associated Press trap that African countries,
Her trip from Aug. 4-7 will many of them, have faced
be followed immediately Greenfield said. “We have their wheat from Russia and heels of Lavrov’s visit. because of those relation-
by U.S. Secretary of State been engaging with this Ukraine.” The U.S. ambas- Refusing to call Russia’s in- ships with China,” she said.
Antony Blinken’s visits to continent for decades, and sador said the three coun- vasion of Ukraine a war, China has become one of
South Africa, Congo and even my own career is very tries she is visiting Uganda Lavrov said: “The situation the biggest lenders to de-
Rwanda from Aug. 7-11. It much evidence of that.” first followed by Ghana and in Ukraine did addition- veloping countries through
also comes on the heels of Thomas-Greenfield first Cape Verde all face seri- ally negatively affect food its Belt and Road initiative
Russian Foreign Minister Ser- went to Africa as a student ous food security situations markets, but not due to the to expand trade by build-
gey Lavrov’s visit last week in the 1970s, and in her ca- because of the significant Russian special operation, ing ports, railways and oth-
to Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda reer as a U.S. diplomat she rise in the cost of food and rather due to the absolutely er infrastructure across Af-
and the Republic of Congo rose to be assistant secre- energy. But she said Ghana inadequate reaction of the rica, Asia, the Middle East
where he accused the U.S. tary of state for African af- has been a leader in deal- West, which announced and Europe.
and European countries of fairs from 2013 to 2017. ing with it and she will be sanctions.” Wang, China’s foreign min-
driving up food prices. She said high energy pric- visiting a market, meeting Thomas-Greenfield coun- ister, insisted during his visit
China’s Foreign Minister es, climate change, CO- farmers and going to a tered: “Russia is there to de- to Kenya in January that
Wang Yi began 2022 with VID-19 and increasing con- grain factory in the country fend what they know they there is no “debt trap.”
a four-day visit to Eritrea, flict have pushed millions “to see how we can help have to defend that they “The so-called `debt trap’
Kenya and the Comoros, of Africans “to the brink,” them improve on their pro- took actions that are hurt- in Africa is not a fact, but
keeping a 32-year tradition and that Russian President duction.” ing Africans, and they’re a malicious hype-up,” he
that the country’s top dip- Vladimir Putin’s invasion of In an interview and at a trying to somehow defend said. “It is an ‘utterance
lomat make his first trip of Ukraine on Feb. 24 has add- news conference ahead of their actions and blame trap’ created by those ex-
the year to Africa. “We’re ed to the crisis, “especially her three-nation visit, Thom- somebody else for the im- ternal forces that do not
not catching up. They are since some countries in Af- as-Greenfield said her trip pact that their actions are want to see Africa acceler-
catching up,” Thomas- rica once got up to 75% of happens to come on the having on the African con- ate development.q

French PM announces the creation of new LGBTQ ambassador job

PARIS (AP) — French Prime identity. all those people. “ The re-
Minister Elisabeth Borne on She also announced the marks last month shocked
Thursday announced the creation of a 3 million-euro many LGBTQ people and
creation of a new posi- ($3.05 million) fund to fi- activists against discrimina-
tion of ambassador for LG- nance ten new LGBT+ cen- tion and abuse, and pro-
BTQ rights in efforts to fight ters, in addition to the 35 voked calls for her resigna-
discrimination across the already existing in France. tion.
world. Borne spoke while Borne’s announcements On Thursday, Borne said
visiting an LGBTQ center in followed criticism of the that “the President of the
Orleans, central France, on government after one min- Republic’s approach, my
the 40th anniversary of the ister made comments seen approach, the govern-
decriminalization of homo- as stigmatizing homosexu- ment’s approach is not am-
sexuality in the country. ality and LGBTQ people. biguous: we will continue
Borne said an ambassador Asked about her opposi- to fight to make progress
will be named by the end tion to France’s 2013 law on the rights of the LGBTQ.”
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne greets the media as he of the year and will notably authorizing gay marriage Borne added that the
leaves the Elysee Palace after the cabinet meeting at the Elysee be in charge of pushing for and adoption, the minister, minister “made unfor-
Palace, Friday, July 29, 2022. universal decriminalization Caroline Cayeux, said: “I tunate comments, she
Associated Press of homosexuality and trans have a lot of friends among apologized.”q