Mali just took a huge step towards universal healthcare

This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Douglas Broom, Senior Writer, Formative Content When the World Health Organization reports that half the global population does not have access to essential healthcare, it’s easy to be pessimistic about the chances of giving all of Africa’s children a […]

Mali facing ‘alarming’ rise in rights violations, warns UN expert

This article is brought to you in association with the United Nations. In Mali, a senior United Nations rights expert on Wednesday described an “alarming” deterioration of the security, human rights and humanitarian situation in northern and eastern areas of the country. Alioune Tine’s comments follow two deadly attacks in recent days on international forces in […]

UN chief condemns attack targeting international forces in northern Mali

This article is brought to you in association with the United Nations. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned an attack in Gao, northern Mali, targeting international forces that left at least two civilians dead and over fifteen injured. Some personnel from the French military operation, Barkhane, were also wounded in the suicide attack that took place […]

Mali: UN chief calls for calm as clashes leave over 20 dead in Mopti

This article is brought to you in association with the United Nations. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appealed for calm and restraint in the Mopti region of central Mali, where over 20 people are reported to have been killed in intercommunal clashes over the weekend. In a statement, on Tuesday, issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General […]

Mali: Presidential elections critical to consolidate democracy, says UN peacekeeping chief

This article is brought to you in association with the United Nations. Though the past 12 months had been the most encouraging in terms of advancing the peace process in Mali, security challenges still pose a dangerous threat, with civilians and security forces still being attacked, the top United Nations peacekeeping official told the Security Council […]

EU prepares for the worst case scenario as Turkey seems to be withdrawing from the migration deal

The EU Foreign Ministers convened in Brussels two days ago with Austria calling for a tougher stance towards the Turkish membership urging the EU to freeze negotiations due to the recent security crackdown in Turkey. The EU leaders will discuss the EU-Turkey refugee deal on Thursday which is directly linked to the Turkish accession talks. Erdogan […]

The impossible end of the war in Syria

The United States and the Russian governments without the slightest remorse announced that it was with their guns the Syrians have been killing each other for the last six years. This is the translation in plain English of last weekend’s news, which is that Washington and Moscow agreed on a truce in Syria, after very […]

Unemployment and immigrants haunt the EU; who can offer relief?

On Tuesday 1st December, Eurostat the EU statistical service reminded us all that in the euro area the October unemployment rate still remained in the double digit region with 10.7%. Understandably, this is the official percentage of people without a job, while the real unemployment rate may be double that, as this newspaper has proved, […]

EU out to conquer African Union summit

The European Commission will be represented in force at the African Union (AU) summit of African heads of state and government to be held on 27–28 January. Among other dignitaries from Brussels and other EU capitals, EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs will be also present in this African summit. But what will he be carrying […]

The West unites against Mali desert rebels

It was very characteristic that the European Commission press release issued yesterday about the EU’s support for the French military operations in Mali was available only in the French language. On the same day 17 January the Council of the European Union found the opportunity to announce the opening an EU military training mission in […]

Dark spots on EU humanitarian aid spending

The European Commission published an announcement on Thursday 10 January to inform us all, “Where the European Commission’s humanitarian aid will go in 2013”. A lot of people went through the text and what they got was just general information on how much money will go to a number of Sub Saharan African countries.Only one […]