Musings From Abroad

EU chief, von der Leyen applauds body’s migration deal with Tunisia

Published

1 year ago

July 24, 2023

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has claimed that the European Union’s migration pact with Tunisia can become an enduring template for solving migration challenges.

Leyen’s assertion follows the signing last week of a “strategic cooperation” agreement between the EU and Tunisia that calls for increased border security and the eradication of trafficking in persons.

Also, Europe committed to providing Tunisia with $1 billion in aid to revive the country’s ailing economy and public coffers.

Last month, a delegation from the European Union, led by Italian Prime Minister, Meloni, paid a visit to Tunisia and made a commitment to financial aid if the country agreed to an IMF programme that called for cutting subsidies and reorganizing state-owned businesses.

She told a conference in Rome on Sunday that the EU “wants our agreement with Tunisia to be a template. A blueprint for the future. For partnerships with other countries in the region.”

She cited the alliances between Europe, Egypt and Morocco in the field of hydrogen. “This Mediterranean region has vast natural resources like sun, wind, and immense landscapes in abundance. You have the potential and the ambition to be global energy powerhouses in a net-zero world,” she said.

There have been worries that the precarious economic conditions in the majority of African and Mediterranean nations may make the problem of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea in quest of a better life in Europe worse.

Related Topics:Featured Migration Tunisia

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Musings From Abroad

Brazilian meatpacker JBS invests $2.5 billion in Nigeria, builds six facilities

Published

10 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Brazilian meatpacker JBS says it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion investment plan that will include the construction of six new plants in the African nation.

Three of the plants would deal in poultry, two in beef, and one in pork, according to a statement from JBS.

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding, JBS stated that it would develop a five-year investment plan in Nigeria, which would include budget estimates, feasibility studies, and an action plan for the development of the local supply chain.

The Nigerian government would then guarantee the sanitary, regulatory, and economic conditions required for the project’s viability, JBS continued.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

11 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.