Fittex
Understanding the triple nexus: The challenges of creating synergies between humanitarian, development and security policies
Hosting a substantial portion of the world's poor and displaced populations, fragile countries and territories ('fragile contexts') are characterised by weak governance and vulnerability to crises, and often prone to conflict. This creates challenges for identifying complex power structures, accessing the persons most in need and implementing long-standing development solutions. In these contexts, the UN and OECD pushed for a shift towards integrated, context-sensitive responses that consider humanitarian ...
Cuts in US development assistance
On 20 January 2025, President Trump halted all US foreign aid pending a review. By 10 March, 83 % of USAID programmes had been terminated, creating a US$60 billion funding gap that neither Team Europe – the EU and its Member States collectively – nor other donors can fill, amid declining global official development assistance (ODA). This infographic uses OECD Development Assistant Committee (DAC) data on 2023 ODA commitments and disbursements. Commitments are pledged funds reflecting donor priorities ...
Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Jozef SÃkela – International Partnerships
Jozef SÃkela (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). SÃkela has served in various banks, notably as the head of the Slovak Savings Bank and as board member of the Austrian Erste ...
Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Hadja Lahbib – Preparedness and Crisis Management; Equality
Hadja Lahbib a member of the Mouvement reformateur (MR) party, which sits with the Renew Europe group in the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾, 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 ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ 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 ...
Achieving food security: Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) - The EU's role in ending hunger and improving nutrition
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 ...
International Agreements in Progress - The Samoa Agreement with African, Caribbean and Pacific States
On 10 April 2024, the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ 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 ...
EU-Angola Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement
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.
'Sahelexit' in West Africa: Implications for ECOWAS and the EU
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 ...
EU and US strategies towards sub-Saharan Africa: EU-US Explainer
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.
Russia in Africa: An atlas
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 ...