The absence of heavyweight leaders will not diminish the geopolitical shading around the negotiations; above all the US's probable exit from the Paris Climate accord under a President Donald Trump administration...

As shockwaves reverberate with the prospect of a second presidential term for Donald Trump after the 5 November elections African banks and businesses are regrouping to cope with a more protectionist trading system and less funding from the US for Multilateral Development Banks...

SUDAN'S GENERAL BURHAN SIGNS UP WITH TRUMP LOBBYISTS The Sudanese embassy in Washington DC loyal to General Abdel Fattah al Burhan's regime in Port Sudan has signed up with Ballard Partners the lobbying firm run by Brian Ballard a leading fundraiser for President-elect Donald Trump's political campaign...

And a second presidency for Donald Trump in the US is likely to put a squeeze on both climate finance and progress on reforming the multilateral financial institutions...

Sisi was Donald Trump's ‘favourite dictator' in the words of the former US President...

The interim French government's decision on 29 July to in effect recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara is another victory for Rabat – following a similar decision by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in 2022 and then United States President Donald Trump's tying of a Moroccan Sahara to his Abraham Accords normalising Arab relations with Israel (Dispatches 24/3/22 Dropping the Polisario Front Madrid backs Rabat AC Vol 63 No 7 Rabat strengthens Sahara grip & AC Vol 61 No 25 King reaps Saharan dividend)...

Even the prospect of another US presidential term for Donald Trump who is strongly sceptical about supporting Ukraine against Moscow would not be wholly negative for South Africa...

Should Donald Trump be elected President again several of the pro-Democratic Party DC lobby shops currently riding high may struggle to service their accounts...