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Josef Síkela (Mayors and Independents Party, STAN) affiliated to the European People's Party (EPP), has served as the Czech minister for industry and trade since December 2021. In this position, his focus has been on reducing his country's reliance on Russian gas, developing the use of renewable energy sources and securing stakes in German and Dutch liquefied natural gas (LNG). Síkela has served in various banks, notably as the head of the Slovak Savings Bank and as board member of the Austrian Erste ...

Hadja Lahbib a member of the Mouvement reformateur (MR) party, which sits with the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, has been serving as Belgian minister for foreign affairs, European affairs and foreign trade, and federal cultural institutions since 2022. She was elected as a member of the Parliament of the Brussels Capital Region in 2024 but is currently on leave to fulfil her ministerial duties. Before joining the Belgian government, she co-led the Brussels bid for the title of European ...

On 8-17 July 2024, the UN high-level political forum on sustainable development assessed progress towards SDG 2: 'End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture'. It is unlikely this goal will be met by 2030. Instead, food insecurity, malnutrition and food prices have worsened globally. The primary causes of food insecurity are threefold: conflict, economic instability, and extreme weather conditions, which frequently intersect and exacerbate one another ...

On 10 April 2024, the European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of a new partnership agreement between the EU, its Member States and member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). The 15 November 2023 signing ceremony took place in Apia, capital of the Pacific island country of Samoa. The agreement is therefore referred to as the 'Samoa Agreement'. Owing to the multiple negotiation levels, the COVID-19 crisis and difficulties in agreeing sensitive ...

On 4 March 2024, the Council adopted a decision to conclude the first-ever sustainable investment facilitation agreement between the EU and a third country, Angola. The aim is to make investment easier and more sustainable by promoting transparency, streamlining procedures and encouraging responsible business practices.

At the end of January 2024, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their withdrawal (referred to as 'Sahelexit' by several media outlets) from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This withdrawal – with immediate effect according to the departing states, within a one-year deadline according to the ECOWAS Treaty – presents a complex set of challenges for the region. ECOWAS, initially designed to promote regional economic integration, has over the years adopted protocols to uphold ...

Conflict, food insecurity and climate shocks, among other crises, have destabilised African countries in recent years and curbed economic activity. Nevertheless, sub-Saharan Africa is seen as an emerging geopolitical force; and the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) are actively reframing their partnerships with the region.

This series of maps illustrates Russia's expanding diplomatic, economic and military engagement across the African continent. It also provides a visual representation of the deployment of hybrid tools, such as information manipulation campaigns, and the multi faceted presence of the paramilitary company Wagner, both of which are integral parts of Russia's current strategy in Africa. Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the subsequent open confrontation with the West in all ...

On 18 December 2023, the EU and Kenya signed an economic partnership agreement (EPA). The European Parliament has to give its consent for it to enter fully into force. The EU Kenya EPA will immediately provide duty-free, quota-free EU market access to all exports from Kenya, combined with a partial and gradual opening of the Kenyan market to imports from the EU. The text of the agreement includes binding provisions on trade and sustainable development, and a transparent dispute resolution mechanism ...

On 15 November 2023, the European Union (EU) and its Member States signed a new partnership agreement (referred to as the 'Samoa Agreement') with member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). The multiple negotiation levels, the coronavirus crisis and difficulties in reaching agreement on sensitive issues, such as migration management and sexual and reproductive health and rights, prevented the new agreement from being finalised by the initial expiry date set ...