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Macron-Meloni spat reveals strained ties, as Draghi’s legacy start to unravel


An acrimonious back-and-forth between Italian Prime Minster Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron has laid bare how strained relations are between the two leaders and rolled back years of diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties between the countries.

The spat took place on Thursday after Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Macron and German chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Ukrainian leader’s request for dinner at the presidential Elysée Palace.
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Meloni, who was not informed about the dinner ahead of time –- or offered a seat at the table –- characterized the meeting as “inappropriate,” prompting Macron to retort that France and Germany have a “special role” in supporting Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) poses with France's President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz upon his arrival at the Elysee presidential palace for a working diner in Paris on February 8, 2023. Zelensky made today his first visits to Britain and France since the Russian invasion almost one year ago, pressing his allies for more weaponry and in particular fighter jets. (AFP)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) poses with France's President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz upon his arrival at the Elysee presidential palace for a working diner in Paris on February 8, 2023. Zelensky made today his first visits to Britain and France since the Russian invasion almost one year ago, pressing his allies for more weaponry and in particular fighter jets. (AFP)

Officials from both countries say the problem is that the leaders are fundamentally incompatible.

Macron sees Meloni as an Italian equivalent of the French populist Marine Le Pen, who has spent years attacking his pro-market policies. For Meloni, the French president is just the kind of arrogant elitist that she built her movement to bring down.

According to two people familiar with the dinner incident, such a failure of communication would not have happened when Meloni’s predecessor Mario Draghi was in power.

Within Italy, the dinner incident has revealed the vulnerability of Meloni’s governing coalition, particularly around the war in Ukraine and the government’s relations with France. While Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party has remained steadfast in its support for Ukraine, coalition parties the League and Forza Italia have in the past allied themselves with Russia and Vladimir Putin, and have clashed hard with Macron.

In 2018, a junior member of Macron’s cabinet said Italy’s migration policy “makes you vomit.” At the time, they were overseen by Matteo Salvini, Meloni’s current deputy and leader of the League.

The following year, France recalled its ambassador to Rome after Italian deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio met with anti-government Gilet Jaunes protesters.

Interpersonal tensions are undermining what should be a high point in relations between France and Italy. Earlier this month, the Quirinal Treaty, a cooperation pact that Macron signed to great fanfare in 2021 with Meloni’s predecessor, Mario Draghi, came into effect, easing the way for the counties to work together on issues such as migration, trade deals, and relations with Libya.

While the treaty stipulates that the leaders must regularly schedule bilateral government meetings, arrange embassy personnel exchanges and develop joint strategies on Mediterranean policy and security, the ideological gap between Meloni and Macron has made meeting even the most basic requirements more challenging.

A prime example, according to people involved in the planning, is Meloni’s first visit as prime minister to Paris, which has not yet taken place. French government officials say that Meloni has been welcome to visit since her first day in office; Italian officials say that planning conversations are still ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Italian government declined to comment on the matter.

“The bickering among the two will only impact Meloni, who has shown limited political ability to handle relations with Paris,” said Teresa Coratella, a political analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Rome. “This will increase Italy’s isolation in the European Union.”

To be sure, bilateral relations between Italy and France remain solid, with diplomats and defense officials collaborating closely on a daily basis. The two countries have also committed to providing Ukraine with an anti-missile system know as SAMP-T, which they jointly developed and produced.

Still, the clash at the very top is a stark reversal from recent years, as Draghi and Macron were personal friends, and relations between the countries hit an all-time high while the Italian was in office.

An early indication of the trouble to come happened at the end of last year, shortly after Meloni was sworn into office. In November, interior ministers from both countries clashed over Italy’s decision to refuse entry to a boat carrying migrants. Italian officials demanded that France step in and help, leading to a row between the countries, and the Ocean Viking ship ultimately docked in the French city of Toulon.

In a half-hearted attempt to ease tensions early on Friday, Macron referred to the joint SAMP-T project as an example of productive cooperation. But in a veiled criticism of Meloni, he added that he always respects other people’s choices.

In an indication of how much the dinner incident had bothered her, Meloni said on Friday that the gathering was “politically wrong” and that she likely would not have gone had she been invited.

Read more:

Italy’s Meloni pledges full support to Ukraine
Five challenges awaiting Italy’s next PM Giorgia Meloni

France’s Macron warns impossible to send Ukraine jets in coming weeks

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Saudi Fund for Development Celebrates 50 Years of Global Impact with Over $20 Billion in Development Contributions

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) celebrated its 50th anniversary in Riyadh today, under
the theme “50 Years of Global Impact.”The event brought together key development partners to
reflect on the SFD’s significant contributions to sustainable development worldwide. Over the
past five decades, the SFD has allocated over $20 billion, financing more than 800 development
projects and programs in vital sectors, including social infrastructure (education, healthcare,
water and sewage, and housing and urban development), communication and transportation
(roads, railways, airports and seaports), energy, agriculture, mining and industry, and others.
Since its inception in 1974, the SFD has been the international development arm of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia and has provided critical support to over 100 developing nations around the
world. With a strong focus on supporting countries to achieve the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), the SFD has played a pivotal role in driving sustainable development in Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
During the event, SFD Chairman H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb emphasized the importance of
collaboration in driving global development. He highlighted that SFD’s success is deeply rooted
in its partnerships, with 27 development projects and programs in 23 developing countries in
2023 co-financed with other funders. He also underscored the need to forge new partnerships and
strengthen existing ones to create a world where every individual has the opportunity to reach
their full potential.
Reflecting on this significant milestone, the SFD CEO , Mr. Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-
Marshad, stated: “As we celebrate five decades of impactful work, we are committed, now more
than ever, to supporting developing countries on their journey to economic self-reliance and
resilience. Our goal is to ensure that all children can go to school, that education is not a
privilege but something every child should have access to, and that families have access to
healthcare and basic vital services. Equally, we focus on critical infrastructure development, like
building roads and enhancing airports and sea ports, so that countries can thrive and engage in
economic activities and trade. This work is not just about financing; it’s about tangibly
improving lives, creating opportunities, empowering communities, and building a more
prosperous future.”
On the sidelines of the 50 th Anniversary Gala, the SFD and the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
signed a new $25 million agreement to co-finance a renewable energy development project in the
Solomon Islands. This marks the first project for SFD in the Solomon Islands. The primary aim

of the project is to develop renewable energy infrastructure, reduce dependency on fossil fuels,
and promote sustainable development in the region.
This agreement builds on SFD’50 years of transformative impact through development projects
that have spanned Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern
Europe.
This includes key projects such as the Metolong Dam in Lesotho, which received $25 million in
funding and now provides potable water to 280,000 people, enhancing water security and public
hygiene and health in the region. This is just one of the 433 projects across Africa, with a total
funding of $11.5 billion, which focuses on critical areas such as infrastructure and water security.
In Asia, the SFD has funded 271 projects with a total funding of $7.8 billion. One notable
example is the SFD’s contribution to the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project in Pakistan, which
has an overall project cost of $240 million. The projects contributes to the country’s energy
security and flood resilience by generating 800 megawatts of renewable energy and storing 1.6
million cubic meters of water.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the SFD has financed 21 projects, totaling $951 million
USD. This includes rehabilitating the Water and Sewage System in Havana, Cuba, where the
SFD has allocated $35 million to enhance public infrastructure. Another significant initiative is
the rebuilding of St. Jude Hospital in Saint Lucia, supported by $75 million funding, which will
contribute to providing high-quality health services to citizens in a modern and sophisticated
facility and providing sufficient medical supplies and equipment to support the effective
operation of the hospital.
In Eastern Europe, the SFD has contributed to 14 projects with a total investment of $303
million. A key initiative is the construction of the Tirana-Elbasan-Chokos-Chalf-Ploce Road,
where the SFD provided $73.8 million to rebuild essential roads and bridges, thereby boosting
regional economic activities.
During the celebration, esteemed speakers shared insights on the SFD’s pivotal role in global
development, and in championing critical partnerships and collective action and response.
Keynote speakers included:

 HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal
Foundation
 H.E. Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SFD
 H.E. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group
 H.E. Muhammad Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank

These global development leaders emphasized the SFD’s commitment to fostering sustainable
growth in countries and communities with the most pressing developmental needs. The gala was attended by more than 500 people, including ministers, heads of regional and international organizations, ambassadors, representatives of the United and other distinguished
guests. As the SFD looks to the future, it reaffirms its mission and pledge to drive international
development efforts, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to contribute to global
stability, social progress, and economic prosperity for future generations.

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Jordan warns of escalation in southern Lebanon

Jordan warned on Sunday of the increasing escalation in southern Lebanon and a potential regional war in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah discussed supporting Lebanon, its security, stability and the safety of its people and institutions, noting the need to adhere to Security Council Resolution 1701 to reduce and prevent further escalation and protect the region from the risk of slipping into a regional war.

Qudah added that the Israeli war on Gaza and the failure to reach an exchange agreement that leads to an immediate and permanent ceasefire puts the entire region at risk of the conflict expanding.

He discussed launching an effective international movement that imposes an immediate cessation of the aggression on Gaza.

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China issues guidelines for coordinated digital, green transformation

China’s Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and nine central departments have issued new guidelines for the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Published on Saturday, the guidelines focus on two main areas: promoting the green, low-carbon development of digital industries and accelerating the green transformation of various sectors through digital technology.

They aim to accelerate the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, promote the integration of emerging technologies with green, low-carbon industries, and enhance traditional industries using digital and green technologies.

Outlining fundamental principles, the guidelines specify the roles of authorities, industry associations, universities, research institutes and businesses in driving this transition.

They provide a three-part framework covering the basic capacity, technological systems and industrial systems for digital-green integration.

Regions are encouraged to focus on high-quality development, develop new quality productive forces, leverage local resources and create specialized industries and functional advantages to accelerate coordinated digital and green development.

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