TheNewsGuru

Tag: EU

  • Ukraine has to wait 20 years to join EU

    Ukraine has to wait 20 years to join EU

    Ukraine’s accession to the European Union (EU) will probably take at least 20 years, French politician and leader of the Generation Frexit movement, Charles-Henri Gallois, said.

    Gallois expressed the opinion in an interview with Sputnik.

    “Ukraine may have to wait at .east 20 years to become a member of the EU,” he said.

    He explained that it takes between seven and ten years to carry out reforms and implement all European standards in the country’s legislative and judicial systems.

    According to the expert, if the fight against corruption in Ukraine does not intensify, kyiv’s accession to the organization will be “postponed indefinitely.”

    Furthermore, he stressed that “the admission of a country in conflict into the European Union is a very bad idea.”

    Among other things, he described the decision of the European Commission (EC) to start negotiations on the country’s accession to the EU as a big mistake, since Ukraine is the poorest country in Europe and one of the most corrupt in the world.

    On Wednesday, the EC recommended starting negotiations on EU membership with Ukraine and Moldova, conditioning the process on the fulfillment of several conditions by kyiv and Chisinau.

    On Feb. 28, 2022, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed Ukraine’s application for membership in the community bloc.

    The heads of state and government of the EU at a summit held in Brussels on June 23, 2022 approved granting Ukraine and Moldova the status of candidates for entry into the bloc.

    Candidate status is the beginning of a fairly long path that must be followed to join the EU.

  • Netherlands, EU set to empower, create jobs for Nigerian youths

    Netherlands, EU set to empower, create jobs for Nigerian youths

    The Netherlands in collaboration with the European Union (EU) have expressed their desire to support Nigeria “to create jobs for its teeming youthful population as a means to eradicating poverty, unemployment and irregular migration.”

    This was made known by Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betty Edu, during a meeting at The Hague, Netherlands over the weekend.

    According to her, the two parties will ensure that more youths are trained in skilled jobs and empowerment.

    A statement on Sunday said Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betty Edu, secured these commitments during a meeting at The Hague, Netherlands.

    According to the statement, the meeting had in attendance the European Union Commission’s Director General for International Development, Erica Gerrestsen; the Minister for Justice and the Minister of Security of  Netherlands; Netherlands Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Paul Huijts; Netherlands Special Envoy for Migration, Peter Schuurman; and Head of Section, Sahel, West Africa and Great Lakes, Tijmen Rooseboom, among others.

    On the Nigerian government delegation was the Ambassador of Nigeria to the Netherlands, Dr Eniola Ajayi; the Federal High Commissioner on Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijani Ahmed; the representative of the Minister of Interior; among others.

  • EU set to invest additional €5.4 million euros on teachers’ training, capacity building in Nigeria

    EU set to invest additional €5.4 million euros on teachers’ training, capacity building in Nigeria

    More teachers in the Northwest of Nigeria will be trained to the tune of €5.4 million euro in training, building capacity and investment by the European Union.

    The EU is committed to reducing the high number of out of school children in the region by improving access to quality education and empowering youths in the region.

    The EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen made the disclosure in Abuja at the official launch of the €4O million intervention programme on education and youth empowerment in North Western Nigeria through the Global Gateway initiative.

    She disclosed that the additional fund was to ensure teachers get the necessary and upgraded skills and learning needed to nurture students armed with requisite knowledge to become an army of solutions to the many challenges confronting Nigeria and the continent in general.

    The EU Commissioner said: “Actually, this component is complemented by a €5.4 million euros separate programme that we signed today, which is dedicated to teachers for aiming to build their resilience and capacity in challenging environments. We have to remember that there is no education without teachers and that’s why we also have to invest in teacher training.

    “The third objective of our programme is really that it empowers youth with the skills they need, providing vocational education as promoting behavioral change campaigns to challenge harmful social norms and empower girls.

    Urpilainen also added that the European Union was set to provide vocational education and training for Nigerian youths in order to equip them with the necessary skills required to excel in the labour market.

    She said: “This ambitious programme launched today has been designed with Nigerian authorities to ensure ownership and an adequate response to the local needs. The EU is not only targeting the youth through this specific programme, it is also bringing the youth to the driving seat and this is why as the EU, we set up the Youth Sounding Board, also here in Nigeria, as well as in many countries to make sure that what we do is for the youth but also by the youth.

    “We have to include young people in the decision making, we have to create spaces and structures where young people feel that they are visible and they watch this and this is precisely what the European Union is doing.”

    Urpilainen, while noting that Nigeria was not only the economic powerhouse on the continent and the most populous country in Africa, but the country was also a strategic partner of the EU in the West region, described education as the most transformative sector with ability to change the fortunes of a country.

    She explained that the programme would focus on lifting out of school children off the streets to get the required education, especially girls through various components aimed at achieving one objective; access to quality education and youth empowerment.

    She said: “Education is the most transformative sector in which we can invest and it is the cornerstone for creating resilient societies and finding solutions to the biggest challenges of our time.

    “So the EU investment on access, skills and quality education and youth empowerment in Northwestern Nigeria brings actually all these different components together. It will be deployed in the Northwest Nigeria.

    “The programme which we are launching today supports access to education for out of school children with a specific focus on bringing and keeping girls in schools. It also includes direct assistance to families cash, cash, transfers, social protection, income generation, gifts and indirect assistance through agricultural practices. I think it’s important that we are able to provide access to education each and every child in Nigeria so no one is left behind.

    “Another talk and overall objective of our programme is that it really promotes validated teaching and learning in targeted schools. So it will support child centred medical, sexual reproductive health racial gender equality training and support community based and state level capacities to deliver on education.”

    Speaking on behalf of the Northwestern states, Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, while appreciating the EU for helping the region tackle the menace of out of school children, said they were committed to making education in their respective states a priority and have decided to invest heavily in the sector.

    He said: “The Northwestern states have the highest population in the country, we are more disadvantaged when it comes to education so this support is coming at the right time.

    “For each of us education is a priority and we have decided collectively and individually to invest in education and we are ready to change the narrative in next four years.

    “This support has come at the right time and I assure you that this support will go a long way in helping us to revamp education in our various states. This intervention we will utilize in the best way possible and I assure you that the outcomes would be something commendable to improve our educational system and other aspects of social development.”

    On his part, Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, warned that any attempt to downplay education would cost the country a fortune in terms of welfare and security.

    “If our youths are not properly catered for, trained and empowered, we are toying with the future of the country. Not catering for them will allow poverty to grow, insecurity to foster.”

    “Our focus is shifting to basic education, out of school children, adolescent girls who needs to be trained and empowered.

    “Our government is ready to commit 25% of the budget on education, all the President needs according to him is policies that will justify that budget and that is what we are working on.”

  • EU to invest 5.4m euros to train teachers in Northwest

    EU to invest 5.4m euros to train teachers in Northwest

    The European Union (EU) has announced the investment of an additional 5.4 million euros in building the capacity of teachers in the Northwest.

    The EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, made this known at the official launch of the 4O million Euro intervention programme on education and youth empowerment in North Western Nigeria through the Global Gateway initiative.

    According to Urpilainen, the investment is in line with EU’s commitment to crash the high number of out of school children in the Northwest region of Nigeria by improving access to quality education and empowering youths in the region.

    “This component is complemented by a 5.4 million euro separate programme that we signed today, which is dedicated to teachers for aiming to build their resilience and capacity in challenging environments.

    “We have to remember that there is no education without teachers and that’s why we also have to invest in teacher training.

    “The third objective of our programme is really that it empowers youth with the skills they need, providing vocational education as promoting behavioral change campaigns to challenge harmful social norms and empower girls,” she said

    Urpilainen said that the European Union was equally out to provide vocational education and training for Nigerian youths in order to equip them with the necessary skills required to excel in the Labour market.

    “This ambitious programme launched today has been designed with Nigerian authorities to ensure the ownership and an adequate response to the local needs.

    “The EU is not only targeting the youth through this specific programme, it is also bringing the youth to the driving seat and this is why as the EU, we set up the Youth Sounding Board, also here in Nigeria, as well as in many countries to make sure that what we do is for the youth but also by the youth.”

    Urpilainen said that young people had to be included in decision making creating spaces and structures where young people would feel visible.

    She said that Nigeria was not only the economic powerhouse on the continent and the most populous country in Africa, but also a strategic partner of the EU in the West region.

    She therefore, said that the programme would focus on lifting out of school children off the streets to get the required education, especially girls through various components aimed at achieving one objective; access to quality education and youth empowerment.

    “Education is the most transformative sector in which we can invest and it is the cornerstone for creating resilient societies and finding solutions to the biggest challenges of our time.

    “So the EU investment on access, skills and quality education and youth empowerment in North-western Nigeria brings actually all these different components together. It will be deployed in Northwest Nigeria.”

    Urpilainen said the programme launched, apart from tackling out of school children, would also include direct assistance to families, cash transfers, social protection, income generation, gifts and indirect assistance through agricultural practices.

    She added that another objective of the programme is to promote validated teaching and learning in targeted schools.

    She said the programme would support child centred medical, sexual reproductive health, racial gender equality training and support community-based and state-level capacities to deliver on education.”

    Responding on behalf of the Northwest governors, Gov. Umar Namadi if Jigawa, commended EU for supporting the region to address the scourge of out-of-school children .

    “The Northwestern states have the highest population in the country, we are more disadvantaged when it comes to education so this support is coming at the right time.

    “For each of us, education is a priority and we have decided collectively and individually to invest in education and we are ready to change the narrative in next four years.

    “This support has come at the right time and I assure you that this support will go a long way in helping us to revamp education in our various states.

    “This intervention we will utilise in the best way possible and I assure you that the outcomes would be something commendable to improve our educational system and other aspects of social development,” he said.

    The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, said that education was key to development and that youths needed to be empowered to succeed .

    “If our youths are not properly catered for, trained and empowered, we are toying with the future of the country. Not catering for them will allow poverty to grow and insecurity to foster.”

    Mamman called on the state governors to focus on prioritising education and youth empowerment, adding that the soon to be released education sector roadmap covered the same objectives of the European Union in revamping the sector.

    He said that the Ministry’s focus is to shift to basic education to tackle out-of-school children, adolescent girls who need to be trained and empowered.

    He added that the government is ready to commit 25 per cent of the budget on education.

    “All the President needs, according to him, are policies that will justify that budget and that is what we are working on,” Mamman said.

  • Tony Elumelu Foundation hosts delegation of EU partners

    Tony Elumelu Foundation hosts delegation of EU partners

    The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of young African entrepreneurs, hosted a delegation of esteemed partners from the European Union, at the iconic Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, on the occasion of the visit of the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, and the EU delegation to Nigeria.

    This event marked a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the European Union.

    In 2021, The Tony Elumelu Foundation partnered with the European Union to identify, train, mentor and fund 2,500 young African women entrepreneurs.  The partnership disbursed €20 million in financial and technical support for women-owned businesses, across all 54 African countries, in addition to providing increased access to market linkages, supply chains and venture capital investments.

    The partnership not only significantly strengthened and deepened the EU-Africa relations, but it also built on the transformative approach of the US$100m Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, and formed part of the EU External Investment Plan to support women economic empowerment within the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP III).

    During the event, Tony O. Elumelu C.F.R., Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, expressed their delight in reflecting on the resounding success achieved through the TEF-EU partnership, and the accomplishments of the young African women entrepreneurs who have thrived under their mentorship and support.

    Mr. Elumelu and Commissioner Urpilainen expressed their enthusiasm about the future of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s collaboration with the European Union. Both leaders underscored their commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development in Africa, paving the way for a prosperous future for the continent.

    Speaking at the event, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu said, “I speak for every young African entrepreneur when I say thank you [to the European Union] and welcome to Africa. Together, the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the European Union have economically empowerment thousands of women entrepreneurs across the continent, supporting each of them with a non-refundable seed capital of $5,000, because they share our belief that prosperity anywhere is good for all of us, and poverty anywhere is a threat to all of us everywhere.  This partnership has exemplified the transformative impact that can be achieved when like-minded organizations join forces to empower the next generation of African entrepreneurs. Together with the European Union, we have unlocked immense potential, enabling young women entrepreneurs to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s economic growth”.

    Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen remarked, “It is great to have this opportunity to hear the impressive stories of We’ve heard the impressive results and stories of beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s inclusive support programmes, backed also by the European Union. When I was appointed as the EU Commission of International Partnerships 2019, I had an objective, I really wanted to change the paradigm. The paradigm of our partnership with Africa, I wanted to get rid of the existing donor-recipient relationship, where donors tell and impose their expectations on Africans. We look forward to changing the paradigm and creating mutually beneficial partnerships and equal partnerships. ”

    As the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the European Union continue their collaborative efforts, they remain dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, driving innovation, and catalyzing positive change across the African continent. The partnership stands as a beacon of hope, inspiring future generations and demonstrating the immense possibilities that arise when organizations unite to uplift communities.

    The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and increasing women economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

  • EU leaders to hold talks on Israeli-Hamas conflict

    EU leaders to hold talks on Israeli-Hamas conflict

    European Union (EU) leaders are to discuss the raging conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has left more than 4,000 dead in the past 10 days, during a video conference on Tuesday.

    The EU summit is to focus on the next steps the regional body can take to avoid a regional escalation of the conflict and security consequences for the bloc.

    European Council President Charles Michel said this ahead of the meeting.

    The talks will also focus on humanitarian assistance for civilians and possible large-scale migration within the region amid Israel’s evacuation order for northern Gaza and its looming offensive.

    The EU “has always been and must always be a steadfast advocate for peace and respect for international law,’’ Michel stated.

    The talks also took place against the backdrop of a number of EU citizens that was held hostage by Hamas.

    In a joint statement published on Sunday, EU leaders called on Hamas to immediately release all hostages without any precondition.’’

    They condemned “Hamas and its brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Israel and deeply (deplore) the loss of lives.’’

    Leaders also stressed Israel’s right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law.

    The joint statement came after the European Commission first announced that it would suspend aid payments for Palestinians.

    This happened before changing its position to say that humanitarian aid would be disbursed and increased after criticism from some member states.

  • Asylum requests rise by 28% in EU

    Asylum requests rise by 28% in EU

    The number of migrants seeking assylum in the European Union has risen by 28 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, official figures released Tuesday showed.

    Findings show that between January and June, there were about 519,000 request in the 27-nation bloc and associated countries Switzerland and Norway, the European Union Agency for Asylum said.

    Between January and the end of June this year, there were 519,000 such requests made in the 27-nation bloc and associated countries Switzerland and Norway, the European Union Agency for Asylum said.

    That puts the EU on track to receive more than one million asylum-seekers this year – the biggest number since 2015-2016 when it saw a huge influx, mainly Syrians fleeing the war in their country.

    In 2015, the bloc received 1.35 million asylum requests, then in 2016, there were 1.25 million more applications.

    Numbers dropped in 2017 after the EU did a deal with Turkey to have it clamp down on irregular border crossings, and during the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021 when travel restrictions were in place.

    Numbers have since rebounded, with 2022 seeing a 53-percent rise in applications, putting many EU countries “under pressure,” the EUAA said.

    Accommodation and support is already stretched thin in many cases as several EU countries are hosting four million Ukrainian refugees who benefit from a protection status separate from asylum because of Russia’s war on their country.

    Syrians and Afghans account for nearly a quarter of asylum applications received so far this year.

    The next main nationalities seeking protection in Europe are those from Venezuela, Turkey, Colombia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

    Germany, which took in most of the Syrian refugees in 2015-2016, continues to be the top EU destination for asylum-seekers, principally those from Syria and Afghanistan.

    Germany received 62 percent of all asylum applications by Syrians in the EU in the first half of 2023.

    Spain was the main destination for Venezuelan asylum-seekers, who tended to be granted humanitarian visas rather than asylum status where their cases warranted protection.

    Overall, 41 percent of applicants received either refugee status or another form of protection allowing them to stay, but there were very different outcomes associated with different nationalities.

    Syrians and Afghans, with conflict and repression at home, were more likely to get such status, while Turks were more likely to be rejected.

    The EUAA said the number of Russians and Iranians being granted protection in Europe has increased compared to recent previous years.

  • Coup d’état: Niger cuts off French media

    Coup d’état: Niger cuts off French media

    With the military taking power in Niger, anti-French sentiment in the country is growing; the new regime has interfered with French media broadcasting in the country.

    A week after the coup d’état in Niger, according to various sources, the broadcasting of RFI and France 24 programmes in the country was interrupted.

    France Médias Monde, which supervises French media activities, has criticised the development, which it said was “taken outside any conventional or legal framework, which further deprives citizens in the region of access to free, independent and verified information”.

    RFI and France 24 said they had already faced censorship in Mali and Burkina Faso in recent months after those countries also suffered coups and where sentiments were similarly anti-French.

    The new government in Niger has banned France 24 TV and RFI radio. France has condemned the action.

    RFI radio claimed a weekly audience of 1.9 million listeners in Niger, or 18 per cent of the population, and said it was the number-one international broadcaster with opinion leaders. France 24 TV was reportedly followed by a quarter of Niger’s population.

    The French broadcasters pointed out that they are still accessible in Niger through direct satellite reception with certain channels and can be accessed via YouTube and elsewhere on the internet.

    The European Union strongly condemned the blocking of RFI and France 24 in Niger, considering it a “violation of human rights and freedoms”, EU spokeswoman Nabila Masrali said.

    Niger’s coup leaders further said they ended the mandates of ambassadors to the United States, France, Nigeria and Togo. The move was made public via national TV by a member of the new regime.

    Niger’s Ambassador to France Aichatou Boulama Kane asserted on August 4 that she was still in position despite the coup in the West African country. She expressed her continued loyalty to detained President Mohamed Bazoum.

    Kane, who has been serving as ambassador since July 2022, firmly rejected the coup leaders’ order to terminate her mandate, along with those of the Niger ambassadors to Nigeria, Togo, and the United States. She deemed the order “null and void”.

    In an interview with AFP, she stated: “I am still the ambassador of the legitimate [deposed Niger] President Mohamed Bazoum and I consider myself to be so.”

    She further insisted that the notification to cull her position, issued by the new leaders, was made by illegitimate authorities. “I am the ambassador of Niger in France,” she said.

    Bazoum published an opinion piece in The Washington Post asking for “the US Government and the entire international community to help us restore our constitutional order”.

    “Fighting for our shared values, including democratic pluralism and respect for the rule of law, is the only way to make sustainable progress against poverty and terrorism,” he added.

    “The Nigerien people will never forget your support at this pivotal moment in our history.”

     

  • EU withdraws financial support from Niger Republic

    EU withdraws financial support from Niger Republic

    The European Union (EU) says it has suspended its financial support and cooperation on security with Niger with immediate effect following the military coup there.

    EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell disclosed this in a statement.

    The coup leaders declared General Abdourahamane Tiani as head of state on Friday, ousting President Mohamed Bazoum.

    The EU, the United States, and other countries have called for the unconditional release of Bazoum from detention and the restoration of democratic order in the country.

    “In addition to the immediate cessation of budget support, all cooperation actions in the domain of security are suspended indefinitely with immediate effect,” Borrell said.

    Niger is a major recipient of Western aid and a key partner of the European Union in helping contain irregular migration from sub-Saharan Africa.

    The EU also has a small number of troops in Niger for a military training mission.

    The European bloc has allocated 503 million euros ($554 million) from its budget to improve governance, education and sustainable growth in Niger over 2021-2024, according to its website.

  • Putin mocks European leaders for being totally dependent on U.S.

    Putin mocks European leaders for being totally dependent on U.S.

    Russian state television showed a clip on Sunday of Russian President Vladimir Putin mocking European politicians, whom he described as being totally dependent on the United States.

    “If they are told tomorrow: ‘We have decided to hang you all!’ they will ask only one question, with their eyes down in surprise from their boldness: ‘Can we do this with the help of domestically made ropes?” Putin said, as cited by the state news agency TASS.

    “And this will be another bust for them, sorry.

    “I think it will be a fiasco for them because the Americans are highly unlikely to refuse … such a large contract for their textile industry,” Putin added.