PARIS – A row over Covid-19 vaccine access escalated Friday, with France accusing Britain of “blackmail” in its dealings with the EU, and Russia and China of misusing vaccines to boost their foreign policy clout.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian’s salvo came a day after the European Union threatened to ban pharma firms from exporting coronavirus vaccines to the UK and other well-supplied countries until they make good on their promised deliveries to the bloc.
British-based AstraZeneca would likely be the first target of any such restrictions.
The UK was under pressure because it lacked doses for second vaccine shots, said Le Drian.
“The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose,” he told France Info radio.
“You are vaccinated when you have had both doses. Today there are as many people vaccinated with both in France as the United Kingdom,” he added.
According to data compiled by AFP, Britain has administered two vaccine doses to 4.1 percent of its population, against 3.9 percent overall in France.
“You can’t be playing like this, a bit of blackmail, just because you hurried to get people vaccinated with a first shot, and now you’re a bit handicapped because you don’t have the second one,” Le Drian added.
Le Drian did not say what precisely constituted the alleged British blackmail, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson had warned earlier in the week that trade “blockades” would chill investment.
“I would just gently point out to anybody considering a blockade, or interruption of supply chains, that companies may look at such actions and draw conclusions about whether or not it is sensible to make future investments in countries where arbitrary blockades are imposed,” he told lawmakers.
The latest EU-UK row centers on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Johnson’s government claims as part of the British vaccine supply chain.
Any suggestions of British vaccine selfishness have found robust responses in British media, with The Times accusing President Emmanuel Macron of “evident anglophobia” and “petty jingoism,” and The Sun calling him “arrogant.”
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s stark warning of a vaccine export stop came after a video summit of all 27 EU leaders and stoked fears that cross-Channel rivalry could damage global efforts to combat the pandemic.
France has made clear it sees vaccine policies feeding not just European, but global competition for influence.
“We are looking at a new type of world war,” Macron said after the EU summit. “We are looking in particular at Russian and Chinese attacks and attempts to gain influence through the vaccine.”
This situation, he said, meant the EU had to strengthen its own vaccine capabilities.
His foreign minister on Friday also accused Russia and China of using their vaccines to gain influence abroad even before they had finished inoculating their own populations, a claim rejected by Moscow.
“We absolutely disagree with the fact that both Russia and China are waging some kind of war,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
“And we absolutely disagree with the fact that Russia and China are using the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines as tools of influence.”
Russia and China have, for their part, accused Western countries of hoarding vaccines to the detriment of poor nations.
Russia has applied to Europe’s medicines regulator EMA to gain approval for the use of its Sputnik V vaccine in the 27-nation bloc, but is still waiting for an answer.
The German government said Friday that it would be open to using Sputnik V once it had EMA approval.
In the meantime the developers are pushing Sputnik V — named after the Soviet-era satellite — in other regions and say the jab has been registered in 55 countries around the world.
Vaccine row escalates as France accuses UK of ‘blackmail’
https://arab.news/gnknu
Vaccine row escalates as France accuses UK of ‘blackmail’
- Latest EU-UK row centres on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Boris Johnson's government claims as part of the British vaccine supply chain
- Macron said after the EU summit “We are looking in particular at Russian and Chinese attacks and attempts to gain influence through the vaccine”
US Embassy marks 248th Independence Day with shared US-Saudi vision for space exploration
- Ambassador Michael Ratney welcomes hundreds of Saudi guests to space-themed Riyadh reception
RIYADH: The US Embassy in Riyadh celebrated the 248th anniversary of Independence Day on Thursday with a reception hosted by US Ambassador Michael Ratney.
The ambassador welcomed guest of honor Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Riyadh Region mayor, along with Saudi officials, and hundreds of Saudi guests, as well as visitors from Washington, including members of the US Congress.
The space-themed Independence Day reception served as a symbolic celebration of the future of the US-Saudi cooperation in space, highlighting the profound benefits and possibilities of space exploration, research, and commercial development.
Ratney said the theme reflects the “shared ambition of the United States and Saudi Arabia to embrace opportunities in space, positioning both countries as pioneers in this frontier of innovation.”
The event evoked nostalgia for past achievements, such as the 1969 moon landing, while emphasizing ongoing advancements in space sciences, particularly commercial space exploration.
Ratney highlighted Saudi pioneers in space travel, such as Prince Sultan bin Salman, and astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni.
An art installation, “Museum of the Moon,” by artist Luke Jerram, featured NASA’s high-definition imagery of the lunar surface.
According to the US Embassy’s statement, the collaboration between the US and Saudi Arabia continues to advance shared interests in diplomacy, commerce, culture, and more.
The US remains dedicated to enhancing shared US-Saudi shared interests in security and in fostering prosperity in the region, while also exploring new avenues for partnerships in areas such as the arts, education, entertainment, and tourism, it said.
Both countries are poised to explore further cooperation, including potential joint ventures in space, reflecting a vision for an even stronger US-Saudi relationship in the future, the statement added.
Where We Are Going Today: Mr Chow, a Chinese restaurant in Riyadh
If you are a fan of Chinese cuisine, you must check out Mr Chow’s restaurant, which opened in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh.
Specializing in real Chinese food, Mr Chow is located in the district’s upscale neighborhood, close to Zuma Lounge. Valet parking is available for your convenience.
The smart venue is open daily for dinner and it’s exactly the sort of grand, modern spot you’d expect in the area. The glossy black entrance with neon artwork opens up to two floors of sprawling seats with white tablecloths, a spiral staircase, and staff in immaculate white outfits.
Entering this establishment, you will be greeted with excellent service and a romantic atmosphere.
The appetizers are a taste adventure in and of themselves You can begin your culinary journey with an appetizer of pot stickers, chicken satay, or glazed prawns with walnuts.
Following starters, opt for the Ma Mignon, a traditional tender fillet mignon served with fried rice on the side, or the fresh lobster. For dessert, be sure to try the rich chocolate cake.
The food is presented wonderfully. You will love watching the chef skillfully work the dough live to make noodles. While enjoying your dinner, you can choose to sit outside and take in the stunning view of the financial district’s tall buildings and contemporary architecture.
Who is Mr Chow?
Michael Chow, founder and owner of the Mr Chow restaurant chain, is an actor, interior designer, artist, and British-Chinese restaurateur.
On Valentine’s Day 1968, London saw the opening of the first Mr Chow restaurant, where elite chefs served real Beijing cuisine along with novel creations, including Ma Mignon.
For half a century, clients have enjoyed watching the nightly handmade noodle show at all of the locations, and on the menu is one of the best-prepared Beijing ducks in the world.
For more details, visit @mrchowriyadh.
Saudi, Cypriot foreign ministers discuss relations
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan received his Cypriot counterpart, Dr. Konstantinos Kompos, at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh on Thursday.
During the meeting, the ministers reviewed the advanced bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus, and ways to promote them in a variety of fields.
They also discussed ways to increase bilateral coordination on issues of common interest and reviewed international developments.
What We’re Reading Today: Work Life Well-lived
Author: Kelly Mackin
This book will disrupt how you think about creating your best work life and workplace and give you a road map to get you there, says a review published on goodreads.com.
Through years of research and truth-finding, Kelly Mackin and her company, Motives Met, have discovered a completely new mindset and approach around what well-being at work is all about, how to get there, and why it’s so important that we do get there.
This book is a personal guide and a call to action for a shift in our approach to work.
Saudi Vision 2030 changed everything, says CEO of Publicis Communications KSA
- Adel Baraja brought over 2 decades of global experience
- Role includes overseeing the group’s Saudi operations, fostering talent
DUBAI: Advertising and marketing network Publicis Groupe appointed Adel Baraja as CEO of Publicis Communications Saudi Arabia in late February as part of its efforts to strengthen its presence in the Kingdom.
Publicis Communications is the creative communications arm of the network housing agencies such as Leo Burnett and Saatchi & Saatchi.
The appointment reinforced Publicis Groupe Middle East’s commitment to accelerating growth within Saudi Arabia while enhancing collaboration and expanding capabilities to deliver transformative work for clients.
Baraja brought with him 22 years of global advertising and brand-building experience.
He had started his professional life in engineering before realizing it was not for him.
He told Arab News: “I wanted to be with clients and that’s when I took my first pivot toward client management (and) sales, and I found my calling in marketing.”
He spent his early days working across advertising agencies in Germany, Spain, and Portugal, before returning to Saudi Arabia where he first interacted with Publicis Groupe. At the time he was hoping to find a job at Leo Burnett, but turned out to be a better fit for one of its clients, Saudi Telecom Company.
He then took a break from advertising agencies to work across industries in companies like Dow Chemical and Volkswagen.
And then, he said, came a “critical moment” in his career.
He added: “I never considered (working in) government before, but six months prior Vision 2030 was introduced, and that was everything.
“It was a meticulous plan — a road map towards something that I had never experienced or seen before. So, I got my first role in government in 2017.”
He led the newly established promotion and nation-branding sector at the Saudi Export Development Authority, growing the Saudi Made portfolio of companies from 20 to more than 2,000 companies during his tenure.
He also held the position of deputy minister of investment promotion at the Ministry of Investment before joining Publicis Groupe Middle East.
Communications had always been a “savvy topic” in the Kingdom, but it was heavily focused on and driven by the private sector, he said.
Vision 2030 changed it all, and “the government sector became a big spender in the communication sector and a driver to creativity,” he added.
With these changes, the demand for local talent is higher now than ever before, and fostering that talent is a strong priority for Baraja and Publicis Groupe.
Baraja is tasked with overseeing the integrated growth strategy of Publicis Communications in his new role, as well as working with educational institutions to empower Saudi youth for careers in advertising, media, and digital marketing.
He said that Bassel Kakish, CEO at Publicis Groupe Middle East and Turkiye, told him that the company needs to be developing and fostering local talent, hiring more locally, and ensuring gender equality, training more women in the advertising and creative industries.
Baraja said: “We are competing against other industries to get that share of talent, so we need to promote our industry and our company.”
Looking ahead, the company is investing in the future, which means increased focus on technology through acquisitions such as that of tech company Epsilon in 2020 and e-commerce company Corra in 2023.
Publicis last year announced the acquisition of a full stake in Publicis Sapient AI Labs, an artificial intelligence research and development joint venture launched in 2020 which aims to strengthen Publicis Sapient’s data and AI capabilities.
Baraja added: “That kind of investment shows the focus toward the future and the transformation of the business.”
There is a lot of discussion around AI replacing marketing and agencies, he said, but he believes: “We are well equipped to address this challenge and to prove that we can deliver even better communications, and better and well-designed campaigns and media performances.”
