European Union - The African Mirror

Jun

27

2024

S.Africa says cases against EU citrus measures progressing at WTO

BUSINESS

SOUTH Africa expects the World Trade Organisation to set up adjudication panels in July to examine its two cases against the European Union over its phytosanitary measures for citrus imports, the country said on Wednesday. The world's second-largest citrus exporter after Spain is challenging changes made in 2022 to the EU's phytosanitary requirements for oranges and other citrus products. The new measures require enhanced cold treatment for fruit due to concerns over false codling moth, a pest commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa, and citrus black spot, a fungal disease that leaves dark spots on fruit. South Africa, which says the EU measures…

Jun

21

2024

By CHRIS CHANGWE NSHIMBI and INOCENT MOYO

EU migration policy is getting tougher: the 3 new tactics used to keep African migrants out

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

NEARLY a decade has passed since migration to Europe from Africa and the Middle East reached a peak in 2015, referred to as the year of the “migrant crisis”. Over a million people from Africa and the Middle East applied for asylum in the European Union (EU). Since then, numbers have continued to be high. In 2023 the number of migrants who reached Europe’s shores through the Mediterranean Sea was 275,000, up from about 180,000 in 2022. To control the influx of migrants, the EU and several of its member states have introduced closed-door policies – strict control measures at…

May

30

2024

By The African Mirror

Egypt unveils renovation of 14th-century Maridani mosque

NEWS

EGYPT'S Supreme Council of Antiquities held a ceremony to mark the completion of multi-year renovations to the grand 14th-century mosque of Altunbugha al-Maridani in Historic Cairo. Al-Maridani, chief of police and married to a daughter of the powerful Mamluk sultan al-Nasir Mohamed, built the mosque in 1338-40 A.D. on al-Darb al-Ahmar street, a thoroughfare connecting Cairo's Citadel to the walled city's southern gate. The mosque's main entrance is decorated in ornate inscriptions and fine marble. Its columns were salvaged at the time of construction from older buildings. The mosque's exterior and minaret were renovated in the first phase, which began…

May

09

2024

By DANNY BRADLOW

South Africa will be president of the G20 in 2025: two much-needed reforms it should drive

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

SOUTH Africa will play an important international role in 2025 as president of the G20. The G20 is a group of 19 countries as well as the African Union and the European Union. Between them they represent 85% of the global economy, 75% of world trade and 67% of the global population. The G20 defines itself as the premier multilateral forum for international economic cooperation. During its G20 presidential year, South Africa will host a summit of heads of state and government. It will also be responsible for organising and chairing about 200 meetings of ministers and officials. These will…

Apr

30

2024

By The African Mirror

EU restricts visa provisions for Ethiopian nationals

NEWS

THE European Union has decided to restrict its visa provisions for Ethiopian nationals due to a lack of cooperation from Ethiopia's government over repatriating those who stay illegally, the EU Council said. The move comes as European governments try to tackle the problem of refugees leaving war-torn countries in Africa and aiming to enter Europe via perilous crossings over the Mediterranean Sea, often organised by criminal gangs. "This decision follows an assessment by the Commission, which concludes that cooperation by Ethiopia in the field of readmission of its nationals illegally staying in the EU is insufficient," said the EU Council.…

Apr

27

2024

By The African Mirror

Ireland says UK’s Rwanda policy drives migrants over its border

WORLD

THE threat of deportation to Rwanda is causing migrants to head for Ireland instead of staying in Britain, Ireland's deputy prime minister told a British newspaper on Friday. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's flagship programme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda if they arrive in Britain illegally was approved by parliament earlier this week and the government wants the first flights to take off in 10-12 weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin told The Daily Telegraph that the policy was already affecting Ireland because people were "fearful" of staying in Britain. He said asylum seekers were seeking "to get sanctuary here and…

Apr

19

2024

By JAMES MACKENZIE and NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI

Israel will defend itself, Netanyahu says, as West calls for restraint

WORLD

ISRAEL will make its own decisions about how to defend itself, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, as Western countries pleaded for restraint in responding to a volley of attacks from Iran. The United States, European Union and G7 group of industrialised nations all announced plans to consider tighter sanctions on Iran, seen as aimed at mollifying Israel and persuading it to rein in its retaliation for the first ever direct Iranian strikes after decades of confrontation by proxy. Iran attacked in retaliation for a suspected Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1. Israel and its allies mostly shot…

Mar

18

2024

By PATRICK WERR

EU to bolster Egypt ties with billions of euros in funding

BUSINESS

THE European Union announced a 7.4 billion euro ($8.06 billion) funding package and an upgraded relationship with Egypt, part of a push to stem migrant flows to Europe that has been criticised by rights groups. The agreement, which lifts the European Union's relationship with Egypt to a "strategic partnership", was announced as a delegation of leaders visited Cairo. It is designed to boost cooperation in areas including renewable energy, trade, and security while delivering grants, loans and other funding over the next three years to support Egypt's faltering economy. The proposed funding includes 5 billion euros in concessional loans and 1.8 billion euros…

Mar

06

2024

By The African Mirror

EU disburses 150 mln euros to Tunisia to support financial stability

BUSINESS

THE European Union disbursed 150 million euros to Tunisia as budget support for financial stability and economic reforms, the European Commission said, as the North African country faces a financial crisis. "The EU continues its commitment alongside Tunisia ... This is an important step as part of our agreement concluded last year and good progress in our partnership.", the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said.

Feb

15

2024

By The African Mirror

Russia warns the West: we will be very tough if you ‘steal’ our assets

WORLD

RUSSIA warned the West that Moscow would be very tough if the United States and European Union seized hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Russian assets. After President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, the United States and its allies prohibited transactions with Russia's central bank and finance ministry, blocking around $300 billion of sovereign Russian assets in the West. The EU on Monday adopted a law to set aside windfall profits made on frozen Russian central bank assets, it said on Monday, in a first concrete step towards the bloc's aim of using the money to finance the reconstruction of…