EUROPE

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 …

Spain has taken a bold step toward legalising the status of hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants, marking a sharp contrast to increasingly restrictive migration policies elsewhere in Europe. Announced in late January 2026, an extraordinary regularisation scheme aims to grant legal residence and work rights to migrants already living in the country without authorisation—among them many Africans who arrived …

As Cyprus assumes its six-month presidency of the European Union (1 January – 30 June 2026), the Mediterranean island is moving quickly to underline its priorities — with migration control and returns high on the agenda. These developments are being followed with concerns by refugee support groups. In recent weeks, Cypriot authorities have intensified the removal of people whose asylum …

Bulgaria officially joined the Eurozone on 1 January, adopting the euro as its national currency and becoming the 21st EU member state to share the common European currency. This development represents a major milestone not only for Bulgaria, but also for the broader European integration project. With Bulgaria’s accession, 21 of the European Union’s 27 member states now use the …

Veteran Zimbabwean journalist Faith Zaba, editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, has been named the 2025 Human Rights Tulip Award winner by the Dutch Embassy in Harare. Zaba is recognised for her outstanding investigative journalism and pioneering leadership in a traditionally male-dominated media landscape. With a career spanning more than three decades, she is widely regarded as a trailblazer and a …

Last week in Brussels, interior ministers of the European Union took decisive steps to advance a far‑reaching overhaul of the Common European Asylum System (GEAS) — a reform process that has been among the most contentious in recent EU political debate. The meeting resulted in concrete agreements on measures that could transform asylum procedures across the Union, reshape where and …

Accra is set to become the epicentre of Pan‑African engagement later this month as Ghana hosts the Diaspora Summit 2025 from 19–20 December at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). Under the theme “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region,” the summit aims to advance dialogue on reparative justice while redefining the role of the African diaspora in Ghana’s …

The African Diaspora Council of Switzerland (ADCS) is gearing up to host a major cultural and community gathering as it celebrates International Migrants Day alongside its End-of-Year Party on 20 December 2025 in Bern-Ostermundigen. The event, which begins at 4:00 pm at the Tell Kulturzentrum (Bernstrasse 101, 3072 Ostermundigen/Bern), is open to all members of the migrant and diaspora communities, …