Jose Edgardo Cruz’s Post

🗞️The United Nations is urging donors to renew support for Ukraine in 2024, planning to allocate $3.1 billion in humanitarian aid. Building on the success of the previous year's $2.5 billion Humanitarian Response Plan that assisted nearly 11 million Ukrainians, the new UN Response Plan launching on January 15 aims to help 8.5 million Ukrainians. However, concerns persist about corruption in Ukraine's political structure and foreign aid administration. 🔗Join the conversation about Eastern Europe. #EuropeanCorrespondent

🗞️Asylum seekers have been unlawfully detained in EU-funded facilities on the Greek island of Samos. Now, we run the risk of turning Samos into a blueprint for how the EU 'manages' its borders, which isn't too good. This week's EU Affairs newsletter explains what Samos means for the EU, how Russian espionage is back on the agenda, and how the ongoing investigation into X is taking shape. 👀Russian spies have been busy over the past 2 years, and a new immigration law for Russian and Belarusian citizens might not help to mitigate that. Lorenzo Di Stasi writes about the risk of espionage through Hungary and the EU's reaction. 🇬🇷 A (de facto) detention facility on the Greek island of Samos shows how the Migration and Asylum Pact could look like in action.The Samos Closed Control Access Center unlawfully detains asylum seekers and lacks basic services and hygiene. I spoke to the researchers and NGO workers behind the report that details what happens in Samos to find out if the center can become the blueprint for how the EU treats asylum seekers. 🧑🏻💻Everyone's favourite billionaire and increasingly infamous conspiracy theorist Elon Musk added fuel to the unjustly lit fire of the racist UK riots. Thibault W. B. Krause writes about how X's role in the riots has not gone unnoticed to EU regulators, who are likely to include the events of the past few weeks in their ongoing investigation into the platform. Read these and more stories in today's edition of the European Affairs newsletter here 👀 https://lnkd.in/eUYMzhhq Or listen to this edition https://lnkd.in/evq9VS-b And subscribe to the The European Correspondent https://lnkd.in/esh8sVDB

Amidst escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, this article examines the latest developments and potential implications, while highlighting diplomatic efforts towards de-escalation. #peace #diplomacy #MiddleEast

One year ago, Hamas launched its 7 October attack, claiming the lives of at least 1200 Israelis and taking hundreds of hostages. Israel responded with a massive military campaign in Gaza, killing at least 41,000 Palestinians. European leaders continue to back Israel economically and militarily while sending humanitarian aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), bandaging the people hurt by the bombs they fund and the systems they support. The European Union is the largest donor of aid to Palestine. However, hostilities, access restrictions, damaged infrastructure, and Israeli evacuation orders severely hinder the delivery of lifesaving aid in Gaza. Furthermore, EU member states are the second-largest arms suppliers to Israel after the United States, providing ammunition, weapon-firing equipment, and components for military vehicles. Germany alone was responsible for 30% of Israel's imports of major arms between 2019 and 2023. Europeans are questioning how their governments claim to support peace while fuelling the conflict; an April 2024 poll shows that at least half of people of voting age support a ban on arms trade with Israel. While European military support is deadly, any gap that arms embargoes could leave can easily be filled by the US' unwavering support. But the EU has an untapped leverage tool over Israel: trade. In 2022 alone, the trade volume of goods and services between the EU and Israel amounted to €46.8 billion. The free trade zone between EU states and Israel governs this, established under the EU-Israel Association Agreement in 2000. Shifting to other foreign trade partners, as the European Commission has previously done, would allow the EU to decrease its dependence on controversial partners like Israel. Israel's economy is more fragile than a year ago, with heavy losses in industries like tourism and a significant decline in GDP growth. Without sustained trade, financing the costly war will be a struggle. But what’s next? Both international pressure and domestic opposition in Israel have been fragmented and insufficient to bring about a permanent end to hostilities. However, foreign actors hold serious leverage: "Sustaining the current level of military operations, without help from the US or EU, is a real challenge," Israeli labour experts Assaf Bondy and Jonathan Preminger said. Read the story by Belle de Jong, Emma de Ruiter, Hazar Deniz Eker, and Hanna Huld here:

🗞️In 2024, Belarus remains a focal point in European politics due to Russia's war against Ukraine. Facing domestic challenges, Lukashenka seeks to consolidate power amid increased militarization, economic pressures, and global sanctions. The Belarusian opposition and youth encounter obstacles, with potential migration to Russia, posing risks to the country's workforce and budget revenues. 🔗To gain more insights into this matter, we recommend reading Denys Deli-Slavov’s commentary. #EuropeanCorrespondent

🗞️ No #PressFreedom, no democracy. Allowing journalists to work freely and independently, is a fundamental cornerstone for a well-functioning and open democracy. 🇧🇪 On today's #WorldPressFreedomDay, #Belgium stands up for the rights of journalists! Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada Delegation of the European Union to Canada Délégation générale Wallonie-Bruxelles au Québec/Canada

France's decision to alter its immigration policy on the island of Mayotte, requiring at least one parent to be French for a child to obtain a passport, has stirred controversy. The move is driven by concerns of a social crisis attributed to immigrants from nearby Comoros seeking refuge from poverty. While this change is specific to Mayotte, it has ignited debates, with far-right politicians in France advocating for similar policy reversals nationwide. This shift raises questions about the broader application of the "droit du sol" immigration policy across French territories. A poll indicates that 65% of respondents believe this policy should be revoked on all French territory. Meanwhile, the West African region faces complexities within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This development raises uncertainties about the region's security and the enduring influence of "Francafrique," signifying French soft and hard power over former African colonies. The shift might potentially lead to more coups with anti-imperialist undertones, challenging the historic dominance of French influence in the region.

👉 Check out ARTICLE 19's campaign #CheckitFirst to promote ethical journalism and prevent the spread of fake news in the Western Balkans! ❗Media in BiH, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia often serve political interests, risking democracy and spreading disinformation. This initiative collaborates with journalists to enhance news accuracy, promote media literacy, and uphold integrity in reporting. 🔗 Learn more about the campaign here https://cutt.ly/4erPvG3Y

🌐 #Recap: "Exploring EU Foreign Policy in the Israel-Palestine Conflict." Dive into the complexities of France and Germany's perspectives, uncovering shifts in stance and the delicate balance of values. Speakers Charillon and Lintl discussed the challenges and call for EU unity. #Webinar #EUForeignPolicy #Palestine #Israel #France #Germany OFAJ/DFJW Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung / Federal Agency for Civic Education

The European Commission is gearing up to propose the 13th sanctions package against Russia, marking the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. And it won't be the last, as the 14th package is forthcoming. However, according to information obtained by The European Correspondent, the EU fails to properly prevent the circumvention of such sanctions. Sanctions are likely to become more frequently used instruments of the EU’s foreign and security policy as we are finding ourselves in a state of permanent crises. If the EU cannot keep its ducks in a row, how can we expect third countries to commit to the cause? ✍️ Exclusive report by Viktorya Muradyan 📷 Image Credit: Meeting of Volodymyr Zelenskiy with Ursula von der Leyen President gov.ua, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons