Med & South
Between legality and reality: Mediterranean lessons for EU external action
The reaction to the European Court of Justice’s latest ruling on Western Sahara shows the Union can keep calm and carry on if it focuses on what it is able to achieve instead of aiming outside of its purview, writes Elena Valenciano.
Climate change a double blow for oil-rich Mideast, experts say
The climate crisis threatens a double blow for the Middle East, experts say, by destroying its oil income as the world shifts to renewables and by raising temperatures to unliveable extremes.
Lebanon restores power supply after complete halt
Lebanon’s power supplies were back to normal on Sunday (10 October) after a blackout the previous day when the country’s two biggest power stations shut down because of a fuel shortage, the Energy Ministry said. The closure piled further hardship...
Will the European Court derail the EU’s good relations with Morocco?
EU relations with Morocco have improved in recent years. Will they be derailed by a European court ruling later this week, asks James Moran.
Tunisia’s democracy faces ‘grave’ threat amid coup claims
Tunisia’s democracy faces its ‘gravest’ threat in the decade since the Arab Spring, opposition and civil society leaders in the country have warned, while the president set out plans to rule by decree and amend the constitution.
How Paris attacks prompted tougher Greek migrant checks
In a tented courtyard in the migrant camp on Greece's Leros island, a dozen new arrivals await registration after two weeks in COVID-19 quarantine.
We need more EU support for our democracy, Tunisia’s opposition says
Tunisia’s democrats need more support from the EU and European nations as the north African country faces up to months of government by presidential decree, said Ahmed Gaaloul, an Ennahdha party official and a former youth and sports minister.
Turkey cannot take new refugee burden, foreign minister says
Turkey cannot take the burden of a new migrant wave from Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday (29 August) after talks with his German counterpart, as concerns about a new migrant wave remain after the Taliban's taking of power.
UN, EU condemn Palestinian Authority over activist arrests
The UN and the EU expressed concern Tuesday (24 August) over a spate of arrests of activists by Palestinian security forces, as the death of a leading activist in custody sparked persistent protests.
Now more than ever – Tunisia’s democracy needs its friends
After the President's decision in July to suspend parliament, Tunisia's democracy needs support from the EU and other international allies, writes Rached Ghannouchi.
Greece must not become gateway to EU for fleeing Afghans, says minister
Greece does not want to become the entry point into the European Union for Afghans fleeing the escalating conflict in their homeland, Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said on Tuesday, calling for a common EU response to the crisis.
The Brief – Don’t ignore your neighbours
It is a truism that Europe is unstable if its North African neighbours are unstable. That being so, it should be of some concern to EU leaders that, on the bloc’s south Mediterranean border, Tunisia’s ten-year-old democracy appears to be on life support.
The Brief – Go home Erdogan
Cyprus is an excellent destination for holidays, but it is also a geopolitical volcano. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who doesn’t miss an opportunity to annoy the EU and infuriate Greece, is very active during this holiday season. Among other...
Facing triple crises, Tunisia is in trouble
Each crisis on its own would debilitate any country. In Tunisia, they add fuel to the others, creating a vicious cycle of inaction and instability that threatens to undermine the fragile democratic transition, writes Sarah Yerkes.
EU, US reject Erdogan’s plans for a two-state solution in Cyprus
Brussels and Washington have reacted strongly to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to partially reopen a coastal resort town emptied of its original Greek Cypriot residents as well as his proposal for a two-state solution on Cyprus issue.
Wanted: European re–engagement with southern neighbourhood
Ten years after the Arab Spring, a disjointed European policy approach to the region has resulted in the bloc losing influence in the countries in its southern neighbourhood.
EU relations in north Africa hampered by migration tensions
The EU’s role and political influence in North Africa has been hampered by economic and security policy priorities being trumped by the bloc’s desire to control migration flows.
Morocco the apparent winner after migrant skirmish with Spain
Morocco appears to have triumphed in its diplomatic joust with Spain two weeks after opening its borders for thousands of migrants to cross into the Spanish enclave of Cuelta.
Morocco, Spain trade accusations of violating good ‘neighbourliness’
Morocco and Spain traded new accusations on Monday (31 May) in a diplomatic row triggered by the Western Sahara territorial issue that led this month to a migration crisis in Spain's enclave in northern Morocco.
War-ravaged Syria heads to polls with Assad set to win
Polling stations opened Wednesday (26 May) across Syria for an election where few doubt that Bashar al-Assad will extend his grip on power for a fourth term, in a war-battered country mired in economic crisis.
At EU summit, Spain warns of ‘unprecedented crisis with Morocco’
Spain sent a clear message to Morocco Monday (24 May), insisting on respect for its shared borders a week after over 8,000 migrants entered its Ceuta enclave, with 1,000 minors still there.
Paris summit mobilises finance, vaccines for Africa ‘New Deal’
A Paris summit Tuesday (18 May) promised to help Africa overcome the COVID pandemic with a "New Deal" using global financial firepower to replenish depleted coffers and ramp up a sluggish vaccine rollout.
Brussels calls on EU countries to help Italy by taking migrants
The EU's commissioner for home affairs, Ylva Johansson, on Monday (10 May) called for the bloc's countries to show "solidarity" with Italy after it took on more than 1,400 migrants arriving on boats over the weekend.