Sweden assumed the rotating Presidency of the European Union on 1 July 2009.

The Swedish presidency of the European Union kicked off on Wednesday against a very tough backdrop: the outright fiasco of the six-month presidency by the Czech Republic, whose government collapsed half-way, and the very energetic presidency of France in the second half of 2008.

From Stockholm, the message now is humility and optimism.

With the economic crisis, the situation in Iran and the talks on climate change pulling together to create a global perfect storm, the modest Swedes are set to deploy considerable diplomatic efforts, to respond to the global crisis, to prepare for the interior changes in the union – assuming of course Ireland will ratify the Lisbon Treaty, and to further deepen existing strategies.

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Oil companies are claiming that oil finds in Uganda will be the biggest onshore reserves in Africa. The country’s western part reportedly has the potential of producing billions of barrels. Uganda and the oil executives insist that mistakes in past oil booms will not be repeated.

But those those dangers are all too evident – the expectations of a poor local population, a natural environment and the potential for conflict.

Al Jazeera’s Andrew Simmons reports.

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Indonesians will head to the polls on July 8 in only the second direct presidential elections in the secular country with the largest Muslim majority in the world. President Yudhoyono should cruise easily to re-election.

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