World Tour: The EU and Egypt sign an aid agreement

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

SOUND: [Arabic, camera shutters]

Egypt-EU deal — We start today in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, where leaders from the European Union and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signed an 8-billion-dollar aid package for the country.

The package includes both grants and loans spread out over four years. Egypt is in the middle of an economic crisis and already hosts more than nine million migrants and refugees.

Here’s European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

VON DER LEYEN: Given your political and economic weight as well as your strategic location in a very troubled neighborhood, the importance of our relations will only increase over time.

The EU will help Egypt strengthen its borders and stem illegal migrant flows. Egypt, in turn, will also step up gas and other energy shipments to Europe as many countries on that continent move away from Russian gas.

Niger-U.S. relations — Over in Niger, relations between the military junta and the United States worsened further over the weekend.

In a televised Saturday statement, the junta’s spokesman said Niger was suspending military cooperation with the United States. He called U.S. flights over Niger’s airspace illegal.

The comments follow high-level talks between senior officials on both sides. The U.S. delegation had raised concerns over Niger’s partnership with Russia and reports of secret deals in the works with Iran.

ABDRAMANE: [Speaking French]

Col. Amadou Abdramane says here that Niger also rejects what it calls condescending attitude and threat of reprisals from the U.S. delegation.

The United States had invested hundreds of millions in training Niger’s military and operates a major airbase in the Nigerien city of Agadez.

The junta has already suspended relations with the European Union and France.

AUDIO: [Cheering crowds]

India elections — In India, cheering crowds attend a mega rally organized by an opposition alliance in Mumbai, one day after the world’s largest democracy announced its electoral calendar.

The Election Commission of India on Saturday said the general elections will start on April 19 and run for six weeks.

Different states are scheduled to vote at different times and the country should announce the results on June 4.

India has nearly 970 million registered voters—more than 10 percent of the world’s population.

Rajiv Kumar is India’s chief election commissioner.

KUMAR: I would like parties to again appeal that please maintain decorum in campaigning and refrain from abuses and personal attacks.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of his Hindu nationalist party are widely expected to retain their hold on power. Modi has spent recent months inaugurating projects across the country, including a Hindu temple he opened in the northern city of Ayodhya back in January.

AUDIO: [Bus sounds]

Uzbekistan bus driver — We close today in Uzbekistan where women have started driving buses and trucks after the government lifted a ban.

Authorities last month scrapped the restrictions that kept women from driving trucks weighing more than 2.5 tons or vehicles with more than 14 people.

Women are still barred from many professions across parts of Central Asia.

Saodat Shermatova tells reporters she cried with joy when she heard the ban was lifted. She now drives an electric bus around the capital city of Tashkent.

SHERMATOVA: [Speaking Uzbek]

She says here that some passengers look at her with disapproval or question if the job is too difficult, but she doesn’t care.

That’s it for today’s WORLD Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

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