Tag: EU in Africa
Some 30 migrants missing after shipwrecks off Italy’s Lampedusa – POLITICO
Around 30 people were reported missing after two shipwrecks occurred off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa in the night from Saturday to Sunday.
The Italian coast guard on Sunday said it recovered two bodies and rescued 57 migrants, Italian news agency Ansa reported. The two boats had set off from the Tunisian port of Sfax and sank on their way to Europe, the agency said, citing survivors’ accounts.
The first boat is said to have carried 48 people, the
Pressure grows on Niger coup leaders as deadline looms – POLITICO
Pressure is mounting on Niger’s putschists hours ahead of a deadline later Sunday set by a group of West African countries for the military to step down or face a possible military intervention.
ECOWAS, a bloc of 15 Western African countries, issued its ultimatum after Niger’s top military officers announced on July 27 that they had overthrown the country’s President Mohamed Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021. According to France 24, the deadline expires on Sunday evening; Reuters reported
France backs efforts to quash Niger coup ahead of Sunday deadline – POLITICO
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Saturday backed efforts to reverse a military coup in Niger, following a meeting in Paris with the African country’s Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou and Niger’s Ambassador to France, Aïchatou Boulama Kané.
France “firmly and resolutely supports the efforts of ECOWAS to thwart this attempted putsch,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement, referring to a group of 15 West African countries that has given the putschists in Niger until Sunday to step down
Niger junta revokes military pacts with France – POLITICO
Niger putschists said Thursday they will end military cooperation deals with France, dealing a major blow to French efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel region.
Junta representative Amadou Abdramane late on Thursday read on national television a decision to revoke five military deals with France dating between 1977 and 2020, Reuters reported.
France’s foreign affairs ministry on Friday said that the revocation of military pacts by the junta will have no effect on existing military deals as it does
France to evacuate nationals from Niger following coup – POLITICO
France is planning to evacuate its citizens from Niger, where a military junta ousted the Nigerien president last week in a coup.
“An evacuation is being organized” and “will happen rapidly,” France’s foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The announcement comes after Niger’s top military brass announced last week on national television that they had overthrown the country’s president Mohamed Bazoum.
Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021, is currently under detention.
A change in regime in Niger is seen as a
Macron warns against attack on French interests in Niger after coup – POLITICO
French President Emmanuel Macron said France will respond “immediately” to any violence against French interests in Niger following the coup in the African country.
The French government “will not tolerate any attack on France and its interests” in Niger, Macron said on Sunday, according to media reports.
Macron’s comments were in response to thousands of people demonstrating in front of the French embassy in Niamey, the capital of Niger. According to media reports, the crowds in front of the French
No cease-fire while Ukraine is on the offensive, Putin says – POLITICO
Vladimir Putin said he does not reject the idea of peace talks over Ukraine, but the Russian president added that there could be no cease-fire while Ukrainian forces are “on the offensive.”
Speaking after meeting with African leaders in St. Petersburg, Putin told a press conference that African and Chinese peace initiatives could serve as a basis for ending the war in Ukraine, but are “impossible to implement” at the moment.
“The Ukrainian army is on the offensive, they are
EU suspends Niger financial support, security cooperation after coup – POLITICO
The EU suspended security cooperation and financial support for Niger and declared that it will not recognize the leaders of a “putsch” that ousted the democratically elected president.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, called for President Mohamed Bazoum’s “unconditional” release from detention.
“This unacceptable attack on the integrity of Niger’s republican institutions will not remain without consequences for the partnership and cooperation,” Borrell said, confirming an “immediate cessation of budget support” and the suspension of “cooperation actions in