EUROPE

Ghana says at least 62 of its citizens have been killed and 15 others remain missing after travelling to Russia and becoming involved in the war against Ukraine, prompting Accra to seek Moscow’s help in stopping what it calls the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian nationals. Ghana says 62 of its citizens have now been killed and 15 more remain missing …

Many Nigerians living abroad know the frustration of trying to build or buy a home back in Nigeria through family members, friends or intermediaries — sometimes with disappointing and costly results. A newly launched diaspora mortgage scheme by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) aims to offer a safer, more transparent and institutional route to home ownership for Nigerians …

Nigeria has deployed a special Passport Intervention Team (PIT) to the United Kingdom to help clear a backlog of passport applications and make it easier for Nigerians in one of the country’s largest diaspora communities to get pending, new and renewed passports. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) announced the deployment in a statement issued on Sunday, 9 August 2026. The …

A summer visit home to Nigeria became much more than a family reunion for Belgium-based writer Collins Nweke* and his wife, Tonia. It turned into a deeply moving journey of gratitude, memory and rediscovery — one that reminds all of us, especially those living in the diaspora, of the people whose quiet influence shaped our lives. This heartfelt essay will …

As Nigeria continues to grapple with the migration of doctors and nurses, this year’s National Diaspora Day will focus on how medical professionals abroad can help strengthen the country’s healthcare system. Nigerians around the world are invited to participate online in the two-day event. _____________ The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has invited Nigerians living around the world to participate …

The European Union has tightened its short-stay visa policy for Guinean nationals, accusing the West African country of failing to cooperate in taking back citizens who are staying irregularly in EU member states. The move marks the first time Guinea has been subjected to such measures under the EU’s visa leverage mechanism and signals Brussels’ growing willingness to use visa …

Europe has reached a demographic turning point. According to the European Commission’s latest Demography Report 2026, the continent’s population has reached its peak and will begin to decline in the coming decades. The report concludes that without immigration, the European Union’s population would shrink by around 130 million people by 2100, highlighting the crucial role migration plays in sustaining Europe’s …

As geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty reshape the global landscape, a new EU-wide survey shows that Europeans are looking increasingly to the European Union for stability, security and collective action. Nine out of ten Europeans believe EU member states should stand more united in responding to global challenges, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey commissioned by the European Parliament. The …

By Collins Nweke On a recent evening in Brussels, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address at the launch of The City He Never Returned To, a remarkable new novel by a Nigerian-born Belgian writer, Ibekwe Paul Chukwuemeka. The book is ostensibly about the Nigerian Civil War, memory, healing and national repair. But as I reflected afterwards, I …

Swiss voters have rejected a controversial proposal to cap the country’s population at 10 million people, delivering a setback to anti-immigration campaigners and reaffirming Switzerland’s reliance on migration to support its economy and labour market. In a nationwide referendum held on 14 June, about 55 percent of voters opposed the initiative, while 45 percent supported it. The proposal, championed by …

Nigeria and the European Union are set to strengthen their longstanding economic partnership as policymakers, investors and business leaders gather in Lagos for the 10th Nigeria–EU Business Forum on 25 June. The landmark event reflects growing efforts by both sides to transform diplomatic relations into concrete business opportunities and sustainable investments. Organised under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, the forum …

In a landmark ruling issued on 4 June 2026, the European Court of Justice has found that Germany’s practice of cutting basic benefits for rejected asylum-seekers violates EU law, a verdict hailed by refugee advocates, but one whose impact may prove short-lived as sweeping new migration rules take effect just eight days later.____________ The case originated with an Afghan national, …

The United Nations General Assembly’s recent recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity marks a historic moment, but it also raises uncomfortable questions, writes Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana. The muted response and abstentions by many European countries reveal a persistent reluctance to fully confront the legacy of slavery and its lasting consequences, the former European MP …

Swiss voters will head to the polls on 14 June to decide on Europe’s most controversial immigration referendum this year: a constitutional initiative that would place a hard ceiling on the country’s population. The proposal, titled “No to Ten Million Switzerland,” was launched by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), Switzerland’s largest political force. It seeks to ensure that the …

The United Nations General Assembly has taken a significant symbolic step in confronting one of the darkest chapters in human history. On 25 March 2026, the Assembly adopted a resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity,” a move widely welcomed by advocates of historical justice and reparative action. The occasion was the UN Plenary to …

COMMENTARY By Amal Abbass* On 25 March 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement as the “gravest crime against humanity.” Though non-binding, the resolution explicitly links historical recognition to reparative justice, including apology, restitution, compensation, institutional reform and the return of cultural property. This article argues that …

A growing number of African nationals are being drawn into Russia’s war against Ukraine. What investigators, journalists and governments have pieced together is a troubling picture of systematic deception. Young men targeted in countries where unemployment is high and poverty is prevalent are lured with the promise of well-paid civilian jobs and then coerced into military service on some of …

For the first time in 37 years, a Nigerian head of state has been received at Windsor Castle — and the visit has yielded concrete economic rewards, from a landmark ports financing deal to fresh commitments on trade, security and cultural exchange. When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu stepped out of a royal carriage at Windsor …

After nearly three years of operating without ambassadors in many diplomatic missions, the Nigerian government has finally begun redeploying envoys to its embassies around the world, including several key posts in Europe. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently approved the posting of 65 ambassadors and high commissioners to Nigerian missions worldwide, bringing an end to a prolonged period during which many …

The European Union and India formally signed a far-reaching Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at a high-level summit on 27 January 2026 in New Delhi, after almost two decades of intermittent negotiations. Once ratified by the European Parliament, EU member states and India’s institutions — a process expected to run through 2026, with entry into force likely in 2027 — the …