First Independent Mena Newspaper
The European Union is “very concerned about the consequences” of the latest decision by Niger’s military leaders to revoke an EU-backed law criminalizing transportation of migrants north from Agadez to Libya and Algeria for onward transition to Europe. Over the weekend, Niger’s junta government signed an order abrogating the controversial legislation, known as Law 2015-36, […]
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) have partnered with Moroccan bank for Commerce & Industry (BMCI) to support women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). EBRD will provide up to €20 million unsecured loan to BMCI for women entrepreneurs digitalization and MSMEs located in the regions affected by […]
The European Union has committed 24.4 million Euros to fight against the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons (SALW) and strengthen cross-border cooperation in West Africa, as announced during a recent roundtable on this pressing issue held in Abuja, Nigeria. Held under the theme of “Mapping the Landscape of SALW Proliferation in Nigeria: […]
The two-day Global Gateway Forum that wrapped up in Brussels on Thursday (26 October 2023) saw the European Union sign three strategic partnerships with its partners to develop critical raw materials value chains and boost transport connectivity. During the event, the 27-member bloc signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) — for a partnership on critical […]
Over the past two decades, Africa’s trade partnerships have significantly shifted away from Europe, with Asia emerging as the primary trading partner, a recent analysis by Mo Ibrahim Foundation noted, whereby this development is underpinned by high‑growth corridors both between African regions and with regions beyond including Asia and the Middle East, according to a […]
To offer developing countries an “alternative” to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the EU launched, in 2021, its €300 billion Global Gateway scheme but as Kenya’s case shows, the EU’s initiative struggles to challenge its Chinese rival. For the European Union, investing in trade routes is about economic development and a way to push […]
EU’s top diplomat has rejected a claim that migration in Africa is being caused by the war against Ukraine, saying that “the root causes of migration in Africa are lack of development, economic growth and bad governance. “We are living in a circle of instability from Gibraltar to the Caucasus and this happened before the […]
During a major foreign policy speech to ambassadors gathered in Paris on Monday (28 August), French President Emmanuel Macron said his country refuses any “paternalism” but also any “weakness” in Africa, as the Sahel faces an “epidemic of putsches” amid a wave of anti-French sentiment. In his speech, Macron called for a strengthening of France’s […]
Despite setbacks from military coups in Mali and Niger, the European Union is planning to launch a new military-civilian mission in Africa in the fall, whose aim is to prevent instability triggered by jihadi groups, a German newspaper has reported. EU member states have agreed to launch the mission in the Gulf of Guinea in […]
Japan has provided Madagascar with 900,000 euros to go into the basket Fund set up by the UNDP, earmarked to back the electoral process. The African country is set to hold presidential elections in November 2023 and subsequent legislatives and municipal polls. The UNDP has set up the basket to mobilize funds for the electoral […]