EUROPEAN UNION – KMAUPDATES

May212020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Kenya: EU boosts Kenya National Commission on Human Rights’ (KNCHR) fight against human rights violations

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, EAST AFRICA, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION, KENYA

On 20th May 2030, the EU delivered an urgent support packet of Ksh 52.2 million (EUR 450 000) to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights to boost its efforts to counter human rights abuses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This partnership will allow the KNCHR to take up urgent public interest litigation cases that benefit the vulnerable and marginalised members of society in particular. It will also facilitate enhanced public education and awareness programmes through community radio stations and social media campaigns encouraging citizens to report violations. It will enhance technology infrastructure that will enable the KNCHR receive information and analyse it at the click of a button through systems specifically adapted for the COVID-19 pandemic. At the launch of the event, t...

May212020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Tunisia: EU Council adopts €3 billion assistance package to support neighbouring partners

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, Covid 19 Donations, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL NEWS, TUNISIA

EUROPEAN UNION --- On 20th May 2030, the Council adopted a decision to provide up to 3 billion euros of macro-financial assistance to ten enlargement and neighbourhood partners to help them cope with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial assistance will be provided in the form of loans on highly favourable terms and allocated as follows: Albania: €180 millionBosnia-Herzegovina: €250 millionGeorgia: €150 millionJordan: €200 millionKosovo*: €100 millionMoldova: €100 millionMontenegro: €60 millionRepublic of North Macedonia: €160 millionTunisia: €600 millionUkraine: €1200 million. EU assistance will help these jurisdictions cover their immediate financing needs which have increased as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Together with the support from the Intern...

May82020 by ShafiqNo Comments

Coronavirus – Somalia: WHO and European Union unite to fight a common enemy to humanity

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL, somalia, World Health Organization

The WHO country office and the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Somalia have joined hands under a new collaboration in the country to strengthen operational response activities for COVID-19. The new collaboration aims to accelerate support for the frontline work of WHO in combating COVID-19 in a seemingly vast country where transportation of vital medical supplies and personnel needed for rapid response to the outbreak remain a perpetual challenge owing to suspension of commercial and cargo flights and the lockdown, which has cut off the capital city from rest of the country. In this challenging and testing time, WHO has been offered EU flights to airlift critical medical equipment and supplies from Mogadishu to its final destination in Kismayo, the capital of Jubaland state. T...

May32020 by ShafiqNo Comments

Chad – COVID-19 Crisis: Over 2,000 Stranded Chadian Students return Home through the European Union (EU)-International Organization for Migration (IOM) Joint Initiative

AFRICA, CHAD, CORONAVIRUS, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL

The Chadians, who were studying in neighbouring Cameroon, decided to come home after the COVID-19 spread to that country Almost 2,000 stranded Chadian students are receiving assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to return home safely from Cameroon. IOM is working in partnership with the European Union and the government of Chad. The Chadians, who were studying in neighbouring Cameroon, decided to come home after the COVID-19 spread to that country. Many reached the border on foot, crossing into the Chadian provinces of Logone Occidental and Mayo-Kebbi Ouest. Upon their arrival, the students were quarantined for 14 days along the border. None tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Nonetheless, most now find themselves without resources to continue the...

May12020 by ShafiqNo Comments

Coronavirus – Sahel: European Union (EU) announces €194 million additional support to the Sahel

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, Covid 19 Donations, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell participated in the EU-G5 Sahel videoconference. The videoconference provided an opportunity to reaffirm the EU's support to the region, including in facing the coronavirus pandemic and its impact. On this occasion, the European Commission announced an additional €194 million to support the security, stability and resilience in the Sahel. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen The new financial commitments announced today are composed of €112 million to help strengthen the security and defence capabilities of the G5 Sahel countries, while ensuring respect for h...

Apr222020 by ShafiqNo Comments

Coronavirus – Nigeria: European Union supports United Nations with lifesaving assistance to fight COVID-19

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, Covid 19 Donations, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL NEWS, Nigeria

As the number of cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria continues to increase, along with concerns around the need to drastically scale-up public health preparedness and response, the United Nations (UN) today announced that it received EUR 1.2 million from the European Union for the provision of lifesaving preparedness and response activities for COVID-19 in Nigeria. The humanitarian funding received will further the UN’s COVID-19 response in Nigeria, by engaging with communities on how to best protect themselves from the virus and providing essential health supplies where they are needed most. “With these critical funds from the EU, the UN as a whole in Nigeria is in a better position to do the important work of engaging with communities on how they can prevent the spread of this virus,...

Apr162020 by ShafiqNo Comments

EU Releases Shs 120Billion to Help Uganda’s Fight Against Covid19

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, EAST AFRICA, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL NEWS, UGANDA

The European Union delegation to Uganda has said it will release Euros 30 million about (Shs120 billion) in budget support to Uganda amidst COVID-19 pandemic. In a press statement, EU said their priority is to save lives and heal the sick but above all support health and economic systems. “To help Uganda address both the health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and its longer-term socio-economic impacts, the European Union (EU) Delegation to Uganda is re-focussing its existing cooperation and mobilizing additional funding. The EU will disburse a total grant amount of Eur30 million (around Shs120 billion) to Uganda’s National Treasury. This sum will be made available by urgently speeding up budget support disbursements due later this year. Part of this amount will be directed...

Mar272020 by ShafiqNo Comments

ESMA issues guidance on financial reporting deadlines in light of COVID-19

CORONAVIRUS, ECONOMY, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL NEWS

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, has issued a public statement on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the deadlines for publishing financial reports which apply to listed issuers under the Transparency Directive. The Statement acknowledges the difficulties encountered by issuers in preparing financial reports and the challenges faced by auditors in carrying out timely audits of accounts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may impair the ability of issuers to publish within the legislative deadlines. On that basis, the Statement recommends National Competent Authorities (NCAs) to apply forbearance powers towards issuers who need to delay publication of financial reports beyond the statutory deadline. At the same tim...

Mar212020 by ShafiqNo Comments

European Union (EU) funding supports WFP’s lifesaving operation in Niger

AFRICA, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL NEWS, niger, REFUGEES

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) provides food assistance to nearly one million people in Niger ROME, Italy, March 20, 2020/ -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a €3.2 million (US$3.5m) contribution from the European Union, which will help provide lifesaving assistance to the most vulnerable people affected by hunger and violence in Niger. EU funding enabled WFP to reach refugees, internally displaced people and host communities in the conflict-affected regions of Maradi, Diffa, Tahoua and Tillaberi with food assistance. Humanitarian agencies and the government are scaling up emergency response in these regions, where tens of thousands of people have sought refuge and support after fleeing violence instigated by non...

Mar202020 by ShafiqNo Comments

The UK to control food supply sharing

CORONAVIRUS, ECONOMY, EUROPE, EUROPEAN UNION, HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL NEWS, UK, UNITED KINGDOM

Major UK supermarkets are struggling to cope with increased demand, with many introducing rationing over the past few days due to Covid-19. The bill, which is widely expected to be tabled in the UK parliament in the coming days, would let government authorities compel persons in the food supply chain to disclose information relating to their activities. The powers would only apply if persons such as producers of food and drink, intermediaries and suppliers – but not individuals – have failed to provide requested information, or have submitted materially false or misleading information. The authorities can only force disclosure for the purposes of establishing whether food chains are being disrupted or are at risk of disruption, or to establish the nature of existing disrupti...

Feb12020 by ShafiqNo Comments

INTERNATIONAL: Brexit is finally official as Britain leaves the European Union.

EUROPEAN UNION, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL NEWS

With little fuss and not much fanfare, Britain left the European Union on Friday after 47 years of membership, taking a leap into the unknown in a historic blow to the bloc. The UK’s departure became official at 11 p.m., midnight in Brussels, where the EU is headquartered. Thousands of enthusiastic Brexit supporters gathered outside Britain’s Parliament cheered as the hour struck. They had been hoping for this moment since Britain’s 52-48 percent vote in June 2016 to walk away from the club it had joined in 1973. Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Britain’s departure “a moment of real national renewal and change.” But many Britons mourned the loss of their EU identity, and some marked the passing with tearful vigils. There was also sadness in Brussels as British flags wer...