Daily News Brief

July 18, 2023

Top of the Agenda

During a three-day visit to Beijing, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told China’s top diplomat Wang Yi that he hoped improved climate cooperation (Reuters) between the countries “can begin to change the broader relationship.” High-level climate talks between the two countries were put on pause last year amid deteriorating bilateral relations. Kerry’s visit comes as China experienced its hottest-ever temperature (Guardian) yesterday and after a series of record-breaking heat events around the world over the past few weeks, including wildfires in Canada and southern Europe. 

Kerry also met with his Chinese climate counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, yesterday. During the visit, he praised China’s progress on solar energy (WaPo) and warned against its use of coal-fired power plants.

Analysis

“The lack of face-to-face contact is not the source of tensions between their two countries, but it is an obstacle to stabilizing ties, avoiding a crisis, and cooperating on bilateral issues and global challenges such as climate change and public health,” the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Scott Kennedy and Peking University’s Wang Jisi write for Foreign Affairs. 

“The dynamic cannot be just one side acting as the moral arbiter—telling the other what to do and then penalizing it for not responding. Both have to ask more of each other, separately and jointly,” writes the Quincy Institute’s Sarang Shidore.

Pacific Rim

Leaders of the United States and South Korea agreed in April to create the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group (Yonhap) focused on curbing the North Korean nuclear threat. Their first meeting follows North Korea’s test fire of an intercontinental ballistic missile last week.

This Backgrounder looks at North Korea’s military capabilities.

South and Central Asia

Finance ministers of Group of Twenty (G20) nations have been meeting for two days in Gandhinagar, India. An Indian official told Reuters that they agreed on a common agenda, but did not reach a joint statement due to differences over the war in Ukraine. China and Russia objected to a potential statement condemning the war.

This Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and CFR’s Noah Berman and James McBride explains the role of the G20.

India: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition coalition are each holding meetings (Bloomberg) today in different cities with the aim of rallying local parties to join their side ahead of 2024 elections. In addition to six national parties, India has more than 2,500 local unrecognized parties, which have considerable weight when they align their votes with major candidates.

Middle East and North Africa

A rift has opened up between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Emirati leader Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan over competition for economic and political power in the Middle East and global oil markets. U.S. officials worry that this rivalry will complicate efforts to bring peace to Yemen, build unity against Iran, and facilitate Israel’s diplomatic rapprochement with Arab nations, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Israel: Protesters who oppose Israel’s controversial judicial overhaul bill have blocked roads across the country (Times of Israel) to pressure the government to slow down the legislation. The Knesset Constitution Committee chairman said the committee intends to send it through to the plenum for final readings by next week.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Fighters from the Russian private military company Wagner Group stationed in the Central African Republic (CAR) withdrew after the group’s founder launched an attempted mutiny in Russia last month. The CAR government called their movement a “rotation” of forces rather than a withdrawal. Wagner has returned (Reuters) to CAR ahead of the country’s constitutional referendum on July 30.

This In Brief by William Rampe explores what Wagner is doing in Africa. 

Kenya: The International Monetary Fund approved nearly $1 billion in loans (Bloomberg) for Kenya, including $551 million to help the country build resilience against climate change, and a $415 million disbursement from a preexisting loan program aimed at bolstering the economy.

Europe

The bill would deny people (AFP) who arrived without prior authorization the chance to request asylum if they previously passed through a different country where they did not face persecution. It has been passed by the United Kingdom’s (UK) legislature and awaits King Charles III’s signature before it becomes law. 

Russia/Ukraine: Russia said it struck a fuel storage facility (Reuters) and a weapons plant in the port city of Odesa in Ukraine today in retaliation for yesterday’s attack by Ukrainian forces on a bridge leading to Russia-occupied Crimea. 

Americas

The countries’ leaders met on the sidelines (Bloomberg) of a Brussels summit with representatives of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro government and the opposition in an effort to break Venezuela’s political standoff. Negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition have been stalled since last November. 

Peru: The economy is on the brink of a technical recession (Bloomberg) after shrinking in the first five months of the year. Peru’s economy usually performs above average in Latin America, but it has struggled recently with political turmoil and a decimated fishing industry due to the effects of the El Niño weather pattern.

United States

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is visiting the White House (WaPo) today for the second time in the past nine months amid tensions between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two leaders are expected to discuss Iran’s nuclear ambitions, climate change, and security issues.

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