US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will lead a delegation to three African nations next month as Washington boosts diplomatic efforts to counter Russia's charm offensive on the continent.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, will also also visit Ghana and Uganda in August. USAID chief Samantha Power, in a recent trip to Kenya and Somalia, underscored the rise in malnutrition exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The diplomatic push from Washington comes as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov embarks on his own tour of Africa, during which he has sought to blame western sanctions for soaring food prices. The US has strongly rejected this, saying that Russia is blocking Ukraine's ports, causing prices to skyrocket.
"It's the height of irony for him to go down there and and blame the West for the hunger that is caused by the food insecurity throughout the continent," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday.
"It would be laughable if it wasn't so tragic.
"We're not fooled and we suspect that many African nations are also not fooled by the Russian narrative here and the rewriting of recent history that they're attempting to do."
Mr Blinken said he had spoken with Mr Lavrov and reminded his Russian counterpart of the country's pledge to restart grain exports.
"I ... emphasised that the world expects Russia to fulfil its commitments under the deal it reached with Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations on grain shipments from Ukraine," Mr Blinken said during a news conference.
During Mr Blinken's trip to Africa, he will stress that African countries are "geostrategic players" in tackling the effects of climate change, food insecurity and global pandemics, the State Department said.
South Africa has become a key diplomatic battleground as it has remained neutral on the Ukraine war, refusing to join the West's calls to condemn Moscow. The US secretary of state will visit Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria from August 7-9.
From there, he will head to Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to show support as the country looks to move on from decades of conflict.
He will complete his trip in Rwanda, which has experienced a flare-up in tension with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has accused its neighbour of backing the rebel movement M23 - a charge Kigali denies.
The State Department said that Mr Blinken will also press for Kigali's release of Paul Rusesabagina, who is credited with saving scores of lives during the 1994 genocide and is the subject of the film Hotel Rwanda. Mr Rusesabagina was jailed on terrorism charges last year.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The National selections
Al Ain
5pm: Bolereau
5.30pm: Rich And Famous
6pm: Duc De Faust
6.30pm: Al Thoura
7pm: AF Arrab
7.30pm: Al Jazi
8pm: Futoon
Jebel Ali
1.45pm: AF Kal Noor
2.15pm: Galaxy Road
2.45pm: Dark Thunder
3.15pm: Inverleigh
3.45pm: Bawaasil
4.15pm: Initial
4.45pm: Tafaakhor
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
