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Zawya
16-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
European Union and Zambia Partnership Dialogue marks the 50 years of strong and committed partnership
The Partnership Dialogue meeting between the European Union and the Republic of Zambia took place in Lusaka on 16 April 2025. The dialogue was co-chaired by Ms Rita Laranjinha, Managing Director for Africa of the European External Action Service, together with Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Heads of Mission of the European Union, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy and Sweden, as well as non-resident Heads of Mission of Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Poland and Spain took part in the dialogue. The European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships was represented by Hors-Classe Adviser Henrik Hololei. Partnership dialogue is a yearly formal high-level engagement where the EU and Zambia discuss strategic priorities of their partnership. 'Africa is high on our agenda. In the current geopolitical context, partnerships grounded in shared values and interests are more important than ever. The European Union and Zambia are natural partners – committed to democratic governance, peace and security, inclusive and sustainable development, and a rules-based international order ', stated Rita Laranjinha. This year marks the 25th anniversary of partnership between the EU and the African Union and 50 years of EU cooperation with Zambia, a key partner in Southern Africa. The Partnership Dialogue covered a broad range of issues. Partners discussed the rapidly evolving geopolitical context and exchanged views on global challenges, from peace and security to climate change and environmental protection. Partners confirmed their commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and exchanged views on reforms of multilateral institutions. Significant part of the Partnership Dialogue was dedicated to governance and human rights, legislative and electoral reforms and the role of civil society. Regional security was prominent in the discussion. The EU reconfirmed its strong relations with the region, including the recent EU-SADC Ministerial meeting and the long-standing support to COMESA with almost EUR €100 million to develop circular economy, trade in services, digital policies with a focus on intra-regional trade competitiveness and markets access. Discussion focused also on business enabling environment and necessary reforms to facilitate foreign investment and local entrepreneurship. The EU and Zambia celebrate 50 years of strong partnership, with a positive agenda contributing to Zambia's sustainable and inclusive growth, green transition, human development and social resilience. The European Union is Zambia's first development partner. Collectively, as Team Europe, the EU and Member States provide around 140 million EUR annually in grants. Through its Global Gateway Strategy, the European Union mobilises investment from private sector and European financing institutions. In the period of 2021-2027, the EU provides over EUR 500 million in grants, with EUR 153 million earmarked for 2025-2027 to support sectors of energy, water, transport, raw materials value chains, as well as education and access to justice. 'Global Gateway represents a shift in the EU strategic approach to partnerships. We are offering quality investment in areas where both the EU and Zambia share interest to work together. Investments that enhance local value addition, benefit local communities, create quality jobs, promote highest environmental, social and governance standards', explained Henrik Hololei. EU and Zambia have concluded Strategic partnerships on Critical Raw Materials, on the development of the Lobito Corridor and on Forestry. EU invests in development of economic activity around strategic corridors, from agriculture and support to start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises, circular economy, to local value chains related to critical raw materials. Education, skills development and governance are key elements of EU support. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to Zambia and COMESA.
Euronews
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Sources: Luxembourg surprises EU foreign ministers by opposing Rwandan sanctions for now
EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to impose political sanctions against Rwanda and the rebel group M23 it is supporting to capture more territory in DR Congo. The details of these sanctions are still to be determined. The EU will however not suspend its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Rwanda regarding access to raw materials. The EU foreign ministers agreed to 'review' the MOU on critical commodities. But sources close to the European External Action Service (EEAS) have told Euronews on Tuesday that Luxembourg now opposes the Rwanda sanctions, asking EU partners to withhold them until Friday, while African foreign ministers are still trying to secure a ceasefire in DR Congo. Luxembourg's position at the EU Foreign Ministers Council on Monday was that sanctions against Rwanda are counterproductive. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel surprised his counterparts by being the only EU foreign minister to speak out against the Rwandan sanctions, while he agreed to sanctions against the M23 rebels. The EU has been mulling whether to freeze a mineral resources deal with Rwanda over its involvement in the fighting in the eastern DRC, part of a decades-long conflict which has its roots in ethnic tension. The Rwanda-backed M23 fighters say they are protecting the rights of the region's Tutsi ethnic group. However, the DRC's government accuses Rwanda of supporting the rebels in a bid to take control of the mineral-rich region. M23 fighters took Goma, the region's largest city, in late January, before seizing Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, earlier in February. The UN has called on the M23 and its Rwandan backers 'to immediately halt violations of human rights'.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump, Putin prepare to begin Ukraine peace talks as Europe pleads for unity
Ukraine and key European nations demanded a role in any negotiations to end Russia's war on the country, after President Donald Trump announced an immediate start to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said in a post to social media on Wednesday that he spoke with Putin by phone, adding the two leaders "agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately" to end the fighting in Ukraine after nearly three years of full-scale war. "I think we're on the way to getting peace," Trump said. The president did not clarify whether Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be directly involved in any peace talks. Putin has repeatedly suggested that Ukraine should be excluded. Trump also said he would meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia, though did not set a date. Kyiv's omission could represent a major break from years of U.S. and allied policy, which under former President Joe Biden was guided by the "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine" principle, with the former president also refusing to speak directly with Putin while the war continued. Ukraine and American allies in Europe were quick to call for a unified negotiating front. "We are looking forward to discussing the way ahead together with our American allies," said a joint statement from the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Ukraine, the European Union's European External Action Service and the European Commission. "Our shared objectives should be to put Ukraine in a position of strength," the statement added. "Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations." Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign affairs chief, said on X, "Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity are unconditional." MORE: Full Ukrainian liberation from Russia 'unrealistic,' Hegseth tells allies Trump spoke with Zelenskyy shortly after his phone call with Putin. The Ukrainian leader said in a post to social media that the two discussed "opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together at the team level, and Ukraine's technological capabilities -- including drones and other advanced industries." Addressing the conversation, Trump said on Truth Social that Zelensky,"like President Putin, wants to make PEACE." The president said a meeting between Zelenskyy, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio was scheduled during the weekend Munich Security Conference event in Germany. The State Department said that Ukraine-Russia envoy Keith Kellogg will begin a 10-day visit to Germany, Belgium and Ukraine on Thursday. Trump's announcement of direct D.C.-Moscow talks came shortly after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told allies in Belgium that Ukraine cannot liberate all territory occupied by Russian forces and will not be given NATO security protection as part of any peace deal. "The bloodshed must stop and this war must end," Hegseth said. The pro-talks signals from the U.S. have raised concerns in Ukraine and abroad that Kyiv will be forced into territorial and political concessions in exchange for an end to the fighting. John Bolton -- Trump's former national security adviser -- for example, said on X that the president's approach is tantamount to a "sell out" of Ukraine. "Trump has effectively surrendered to Putin on Ukraine." "It's a bad sign that he has talked first to Putin, not to Zelenskyy," Oleksandr Merezhko -- a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the chair of the body's foreign affairs committee -- told ABC News. "Such a phone call is in itself a reward for Putin," he added. "It's sort of a break in his political isolation." MORE: Putin 'not preparing for peace,' Zelenskyy says after deadly ballistic missile strike Still, Merezhko said Trump's approach does "not quite" mean a total exclusion of Ukraine. "The principle 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' is more about not taking decisions without Ukraine which have influence upon Ukraine," he said. Pressure for peace is building within and without. A Gallup poll published in November indicated that most Ukrainians favored a rapid end to the devastating war. Zelenskyy's public rhetoric largely reflects this sentiment, though the president has warned that no peace deal is sustainable without concrete U.S. security guarantees. "This war of attrition is only going to make us weaker," Iuliia Mendel -- Zelenskyy's former press secretary -- told ABC News. "For a long time, Ukraine has been at the stage when negotiations are urgent to save the nation." The Kremlin confirmed that Trump had spoken with Putin. "The topic of a settlement in Ukraine was discussed," spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters after the call on Wednesday. "President Trump spoke in favor of an early end to hostilities and a peaceful solution to the problem," he added. "President Putin, for his part, mentioned the need to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement can be achieved through peaceful negotiations." On Thursday, Peskov told reporters that Moscow had begun preparing a negotiating group to organize a meeting between Trump and Putin. "Definitely started. And as the president makes the appropriate decisions, we will inform you," Peskov said. When asked if a visit by U.S. representatives to Moscow is expected in the near future, Peskov said: "Not yet. So far, there are no specific agreements in this regard." Both Moscow and Kyiv are maneuvering for leverage in preparation for revived talks. This week, Russia and the U.S. concluded a prisoner swap described by Trump as a goodwill gesture that could help advance peace talks. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, met with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv to discuss a potential deal to secure U.S. access to hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Ukrainian minerals. Russian and Ukrainian leaders have both expressed readiness to resume negotiations, though neither side has indicated willingness to make significant concessions. MORE: Kremlin riffs on Trump suggestion that Ukrainians may one day be Russian This week, Zelenskyy suggested Ukraine would be ready to give up territory it seized in Russia's western Kursk region in exchange for the liberation of some Ukrainian territory occupied by Moscow's troops. Peskov dismissed the idea as "impossible" at a Wednesday briefing with journalists. "Russia has never discussed an exchange of its territories and never will," Peskov said. "Naturally, Ukrainian units will be ousted from this territory. Everyone who is not eliminated will be ousted," Peskov added. ABC News' Will Gretsky, Anastasia Bagaeva, Nataliia Popova, Zoe Magee and Tanya Stukalova contributed to this report. Trump, Putin prepare to begin Ukraine peace talks as Europe pleads for unity originally appeared on
Russia Today
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
European states want in on Ukraine peace talks
The Weimar+ group of European countries have demanded to be part of negotiations on the Ukraine conflict agreed on by the US and Russia. In a joint statement released by France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, the UK, the European External Action Service, and the European Commission on Wednesday, the group said lasting peace in Ukraine is a 'necessary condition for a strong transatlantic security.' The statement came shortly after reports emerged that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, had a phone conversation. Following the call, Trump said the two leaders agreed to have their teams begin negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict 'immediately,' in a post on his Truth Social platform. 'Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations,' the Weimar+ group said in the statement following the call, adding that Kiev 'should be provided with strong security guarantees' in any settlement. They insisted that the 'shared objectives should be to put Ukraine in a position of strength.' 'We share the goal to keep supporting Ukraine until a just, comprehensive and lasting peace is reached. A peace that guarantees the interest of Ukraine and our own,' the statement read, adding that the 'security of the European continent is our common responsibility.' READ MORE: Trump 'OK' with keeping Ukraine out of NATO It is currently unclear when the negotiations will begin. In a statement following the call between Trump and Putin, the Kremlin indicated that Moscow is ready to start the peace process, but said it is necessary to eliminate the root causes of the conflict. Moscow is firmly opposed to Ukraine's NATO aspirations, which it considers to be among the reasons for the escalation of the conflict in early 2022, insisting that any settlement must include Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification. Trump said he also had a phone conversation with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky immediately after his call with Putin. According to Trump, Zelensky is eager to put an end to the hostilities and that he, 'like President Putin, wants to make PEACE.' The US president said that he and Zelensky set up a meeting between the Ukrainian delegation, and US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Friday in Munich, calling it a first step in the peace process. In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky confirmed that he had a phone call with Trump, describing it as 'very substantive.' READ MORE: Putin and Trump agree on Ukraine talks: As it happened Speaking to reporters at the White House later on Wednesday, Trump said he plans to meet with Putin in the 'not so distant future,' naming Saudi Arabia as a potential host for the meeting. He also indicated that several meetings with Putin could take place in the coming months, confirming that the two leaders agreed to 'work together, very closely, including visiting each other's nations.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
EU: Legal foundations laid in Europe to hold Russia account for Ukraine war
Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Senior legal experts have laid the foundations to establish a special tribunal to hold Russia accountable for its war against Ukraine, according to officials, who said the move represented a major step toward securing justice for the victims of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war of aggression. "When Russia chose to roll its tanks over Ukraine's border, breaking the U.N. Charter, it committed one of the gravest violations: the Crime of Aggression," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday in a statement. "Now, Justice is coming, Justice for Ukraine." The European Commission explained the legal foundations were laid by experts within the commission, the European External Action Service, the Council of Europe, Ukraine and 37 states. They have also set out the key elements of the core legal text called the Schuman draft Statute that will govern the Special Tribunal. Once operational, the tribunal will have the power to hold Russian political and military leaders, including Putin, to account for their crimes against Ukraine. Kaja Kallas, high representative for foreign affairs and security policy at the European Commission, called the advancements at Tuesday's meeting "an important step" in the march toward justice. "There is broad international support for this and a broad international commitment to accountability," she said. "Unpunished crimes only encourage new atrocities. This is a signal to the world that no one from Russia's leadership is untouchable." Once the tribunal is operational, Ukrainian authorities will be able to refer it to ongoing investigations and prosecutions related to the war, as well as transmit relevant information and evidence gathered. The European Union has been working to investigate alleged crimes committed by Russia in the war since it began on Feb. 24, 2022. Following the discovery of atrocities in Bucha in March of that year and in other areas of Ukraine that were liberated following Russia's initial advancement, the European Commission pledged support to investigate and prosecute war crimes against humanity committed in the eastern European nation. In 2023, a group of senior legal experts from around 40 states, working with Ukrainian authorities and the EU commission, was formed to establish the special tribunal. Tuesday's meeting was the 13th of this international Core Group. Iryna Mudra, deputy head of the Office of the President and the Ukrainian delegation to the meeting, emphasized that this tribunal is not only about Ukraine but about global justice and is a message sent to the world. "Launching this tribunal will demonstrate our commitment to peace and international law, ensuring that those responsible for the crime of aggression will be held accountable and justice will be restored," Mudra said in a statement. The European Commission on Tuesday also adopted a recommendation to participate in negotiations to establish an International Claims Commission for Ukraine that will review, assess and decide eligible claims recorded in the Register of Damage and determine the amount of compensation in each case. The Register of Damage was opened in April to function as a mechanism to provide compensation for Russia's aggression. Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset said the European Court of Human Rights, also known as the Strasbourg Court, is currently dealing with more than 4,000 such cases against Russia. "Today, we have seen important progress, which will have a major impact on the people of Ukraine for generations to come," Berset said in a statement. "However, the hard work is only just beginning. We will not stop until Russia is held fully accountable and justice is done." Next, the Special Tribunal will be established via agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe. Concerning the Claims Commission, the first round of negotiations on the international instrument will begin around the end of March.
