World Tour: China increases support to African leaders

NICK EICHER, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: World Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Oduah.

AUDIO: [Applause]

China-Africa Forum —Today’s roundup takes off in Beijing where more than 50 African leaders welcomed more offers of economic and financial assistance.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation happens once every three years. This year, China’s President Xi Jinping pledged to give the leaders more than $50 billion over the next three years.

Xi said the funds would go toward agriculture, infrastructure, trade, and investment.

XI: [Speaking Mandarin]

He says here that modernization is an inalienable right of all countries. But he blamed the Western approach for inflicting suffering on developing nations.

China has positioned itself as a leader of the Global South or developing countries.

Xi proposed elevating diplomatic relations with African countries to a “strategic” level. He also outlined 10 partnership actions with the countries, such as opening more Chinese markets, training for African politicians, and $140 million in military assistance grants.

China is also the lead bilateral lender on the continent, amounting to an $80 billion debt before the new pledges made last week.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the new support from China. He rejected the notion that China’s assistance seeks to leave countries in a debt crisis.

RAMAPHOSA: I don't subscribe and believe that it's a relationship that is oppressive, that is also neocolonial. It should be seen as a mutually beneficial relationship that is based on recognition, respect, and also of advancing each country's own development. China is much more focused on the development of countries on our continent.

AUDIO: [Sound of authorities leaving]

Philippine cult leader — Over in the Philippines, authorities have ended a 16-day siege outside the compound of a religious sect after the leader surrendered.

Apollo Quiboloy leads the Kingdom of Jesus Christ sect and proclaims himself as the “appointed son of God.” The sect has more than 7 million members globally.

U.S. federal prosecutors indicted Quiboloy three years ago on charges that include child sex trafficking, fraud and coercion, and bulk cash smuggling.

The Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said authorities have rejected his request for extradition as they focus on similar local charges of child and sexual abuse and human trafficking.

The 74-acre church compound includes a network of underground tunnels and an airplane hangar with a taxiway that connects to the international airport.

Police deployed more than 2,000 officers to detain Quiboloy, but his supporters organized a stand-off. He surrendered after police threatened to raid another building in the complex.

Nicolas Torre is the regional police chief.

TORRE: [Speaking Tagalog]

He says here that police would have arrested Quiboloy whether or not he surrendered.

AUDIO: [Cars honking]

Algeria election — And in Algeria, cars honk in celebration after President Abdelmadjid Tebboune clinched a second-term electoral victory.

Algeria's National Independent Election Authority said Tebboune won nearly 95 percent of the votes.

Despite his victory, Tebboune joined his two main opponents in an unprecedented move to question the electoral process. In a joint statement, they disputed the electoral agency’s report of a 48 percent turnout rate. The opposition also reported proxy voting and pressure on poll workers to inflate some results.

AUDIO: [Flooding]

The poll comes as the typically arid northern Algeria and neighboring Morocco face heavy rainfall and flooding.

AUDIO: [Music]

Paralympics — We wrap up in Paris where rainfall did not stop the closing ceremony of the Paralympics.

Athletes extinguished the Paralympic flame and cauldron and handed over the flag to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The California city is hosting the next Paralympics in four years.

More than 4,400 athletes joined the ceremony, featuring French classics and electronic music.

Anastasia Skampardoni arrived from Greece to attend the ceremony.

SKAMPARDONI: Amazing. I'm so, so happy. I feel blessed for having the opportunity to come with my friend. I can't wait for the next Olympics and Paralympics.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Oduah in Abuja, Nigeria.

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