Daily News Brief

February 1, 2023

Top of the Agenda

Pope Francis presided over mass (WaPo) for an estimated one million people in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, today as part of a six-day tour through the DRC and South Sudan. In a speech yesterday, Francis criticized the “economic colonialism” (NYT) he said has replaced overt political exploitation in the region. He has also repeatedly called for peace in the long-running conflict in the eastern DRC.

The growing number of Catholics in Africa accounts for one-fifth of global adherents to the faith, Vatican news agency Agenzia Fides estimated in 2022. The last papal visit to the DRC was in 1985, by Pope John Paul II. In South Sudan, which Francis will visit on Friday, the pope has been personally involved (WaPo) in brokering peace between rival factions. 

Analysis

“Francis—even without the rock-star status of his early years—can still bring a nation to a joyful fervor, particularly one that is heavily Catholic and has long felt overlooked. Congo’s myriad problems cannot be solved by a papal trip, but Francis on Tuesday was offering something else—the chance to have those problems seen,” the Washington Post’s Chico Harlan and Katharine Houreld write.

“Pope Francis intends to be in dialogue with African Catholics—but also to listen to political leaders and young Africans. This visit comes at a defining moment in what is regarded as a fairly progressive papacy,” DePaul University’s Stan Chu Ilo writes for the Conversation.

The Why It Matters podcast discusses the power of the pope.

Pacific Rim

Speaking in London, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said all countries should work to avoid “catastrophic conflict” (The Guardian) in the region. To this end, she said she recently urged Beijing to accept Washington’s offer to place “guardrails” on U.S.-China competition.

China: Several local governments introduced tax breaks (SCMP) and other incentives for foreign investment to help accelerate China’s economic recovery from its COVID-19 lockdown.

South and Central Asia

U.S. and Indian security officials said the countries will work together (WaPo) in sectors including semiconductors, wireless infrastructure, and military goods. The initiative comes as both countries manage tensions with China and as India seeks to reduce its dependence on Russian military equipment.

Pakistan: Police made arrests in relation to Monday’s suicide bombing at a Peshawar mosque and have not ruled out the possibility that the attacker had help from within the security forces, Peshawar’s police chief told Reuters.

Middle East and North Africa

The new official rate of fifteen thousand Lebanese pounds to the dollar aims to stabilize (AP) the country’s falling currency and fulfill an International Monetary Fund (IMF) requirement for a bailout package. 

Iraq: The Islamic Resistance Ahrar al-Iraq Brigade, one of several Iran-backed militias in Iraq, claimed responsibility for an attack on a Turkish military base in Iraqi Kurdistan. An unnamed Turkish defense official told the Associated Press there were no casualties.

This In Brief looks at Iran’s influence in Iraq.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Russian troops will help forces from the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, and Sudan fight off armed groups along those countries’ shared borders, CAR’s livestock minister told Bloomberg. 

Europe

Russia is breaking the pact (FT) by failing to allow inspections and attend compliance meetings, the U.S. State Department said in a report to Congress. Last week, Russia’s deputy foreign minister said Moscow is unlikely to meet the conditions of the treaty while Washington continues “cultivating threats to Russia’s national security.” 

UK: An estimated half a million workers are on strike today (The Independent) in the biggest walkout the United Kingdom (UK) has seen in over a decade.

Americas

Canada changed its dairy tariff policy after a December 2021 panel found that Ottawa was violating the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, but Washington says those changes are insufficient (Bloomberg).

This Backgrounder looks at the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement.

U.S./Haiti: The U.S. Department of Justice charged three Haitian Americans and one Colombian in relation to the 2021 killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. The men are due to appear in court (NYT) in Miami today.

This video explains how Moïse’s assassination added to instability in Haiti.

United States

California, the largest water user of the seven Colorado River basin states, was the only one to decline proposed water usage cuts (WaPo). If an agreement is not reached, the federal government could make unilateral cuts later this year.

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