The European Parliament has called for constructive international cooperation in the Arctic while issuing warnings over emerging threats to stability in the region. In a new report on geopolitical and security challenges in the Arctic, adopted on Wednesday, MEPs say that Arctic states and the international community should preserve the Arctic as an area of…
Defence
International community warned of Taliban “danger” to security and peace
The re-emergence of the Taliban threatens the peace and security of the “whole world”, an event in Brussels was told. The stark warning came at a conference which discussed the rise of extremism in South Asia, particularly in the context of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Junaid Qureshi, the Executive Director of European Foundation for South Asian…
Sakharov Prize Nominations
The Sakharov Prize was established in 1988 by the European Parliament as an honorary award for individuals or groups who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought. A shortlist of nominees was drawn up yesterday by the Parliament’s Committee of Foreign Affairs which will be further refined…
ECR Group Supports EP Afghanistan Resolution
The ECR Group says that it endorses the European Parliament’s resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, which deplores the violent takeover by the Taliban and expresses strong concerns about the future of the country. The MEPs stress their refusal to recognise the interim all-male Taliban government, made up of 33 mullahs, with many under US…
Is Equatorial Guinea Courting Russia for Security Support?
Last week, there were reports about the development of cooperation between Mali and Russia. In social networks, unverified sources posted news about the transfer of Russian military personnel from Syria to Bamako. But Mali is not the only country seeking the support of the Russian Federation. Yesterday, information about the visit of government officials from…
Algeria: Proxy Hitmen in Mali
In his The Dark Sahara (2009) and The Dying Sahara (2012), Jeremy Keenan argues that there is a danger of proxy hitmen in Mali, writes Abdelkader Filali. Keenan is an anthropologist and an associate professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London who works as a consultant on the Sahara and the Sahel for many international…
Poland Warns of Security Threat From Russia
Polish ECR MEPs Anna Fotyga and Witold Waszczykowski have labelled recent joint Belarusian and Russian activities around the EU-Belarus border as “hybrid warfare”, also warning against a further worsening of the situation. During a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, MEP Anna Fotyga stated that the situation caused by Belarusian attempts…
Bütikofer Appeals for Co-ordinated Humanitarian Action in Afghanistan
German Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer has voiced concern at the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. The MEP, foreign policy coordinator of the Greens/EFA group, was speaking in the context of frantic international efforts to airlift as many endangered individuals as possible out of Afghanistan before August 31. Said Bütikofer “President Biden is not only encountering severe domestic criticism over his…
How to Protect those fleeing the Taliban?
The head of a leading NGO has voiced concern at the unfolding situation in Afghanistan. Alva Finn, Director of Social Platform told this website, “As the world watches helplessly as the horrifying situation in Afghanistan unfolds, the EU must do whatever it can to protect those fleeing the Taliban – especially women and children.” This includes:…
NATO Concern As Afghanistan Government Collapses
Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has voiced concern at the current situation in Afghanistan. On Monday, he said, “NATO Allies met in the North Atlantic Council today to consult on the situation in Afghanistan. We continue to assess the developments on the ground, and we are in constant contact with the Afghan authorities and the…