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Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

DRAFT REPORT on EU political strategy on Latin America
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Davor Ivo Stier

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about Breaking Bad in Bohemia as Czechia tops European meth charts, Europe of Sovereign Nations and a possible Bulgarian split, and so much more.

Following the runoff election on 18 May, the newly elected president will begin party negotiations to form a new governing coalition.

The water from the Arda River is critically important for agriculture in Northern Greece.

The business groups argue that the current implementation timeline poses “a serious risk to the stability and competitiveness” of Czech firms.

COP30 must be a turning point – led by the Global South, backed by the EU. Climate, trade, and finance must align, and action must replace promises. With unity, urgency, and a clear agenda, real progress is not just possible, but essential.

As Merz is crowned chancellor, Europe should prepare for its most French-style German leader in decades. 

Just over half of the bloc's 27 member states have heeded the European Commission's call to request more fiscal space to ramp up defence spending.

LDC Future Forum Banner. Credit: The Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UNOHRLLS)

By May Yaacoub
LUSAKA, Zambia, May 6 2025 (IPS)

The 3rd LDC Future Forum, held from April 1-3, 2025, in Zambia, brought together global leaders, policymakers, and experts to address the urgent need for resilience in the world’s 44 Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Under the theme of enhancing resilience, the forum emphasized innovative financing, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable infrastructure, circular economy and multi-stakeholder partnerships to combat systemic shocks.

A Call for Proactive Resilience

The forum opened with a powerful speech by Ms. Rabab Fatima, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the UN-OHRLLS, who highlighted the vulnerability of LDCs to climate change, economic instability, and ongoing geopolitical crises, underscoring that the theme of this year’s Forum is both timely and urgent.

Ms. Fatima highlighted Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme and Cambodia’s digital IDPoor database that show how timely, targeted, digitally enabled, and shock-responsive mechanisms can break cycles of vulnerability. In this regard, she asserted that “LDCs possess immense potential for transformation, but this requires stronger financing mechanisms, climate-smart agriculture, and inclusive social protection systems.”

Rabab Fatima, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the OHRLLS. Credit: OHRLLS

Zambia’s Leadership on being proactive and developing Resilience

Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, the 7th President of Zambia, emphasized the need for Zambia and other LDCs to transition from dependence on foreign aid to achieving proactive self-reliance. He highlighted how evolving geopolitical dynamics have led to reductions in aid, signaling that traditional reliance on external assistance is no longer a sustainable strategy for development.

President Hichilema stressed the importance of building resilience by leveraging domestic solutions and greater solidarity among LDCs. The LDC Future Forum, he explained, embodies this shift—preparing Zambia to face emerging challenges internally rather than relying on external aid.

The President highlighted his administration’s efforts in navigating crises, including the pandemic and a severe drought. Key advancements include enhanced irrigation for food security, expanded hydroelectric infrastructure, and greater solar energy adoption—all driving the nation toward self-sufficiency.

He said times have changed, stressing that “resilience is an absolute must.” and underscored the country’s desire to graduate from the LDC category in the years ahead.

Group Photo at 3rd LDC Future Forum, Lusaka, Zambia. Credit: OHRLLS

Finland’s Model for Development

Mr. Ville Tavio, Finland’s Foreign Trade and Development Minister, highlighted Finland’s enduring commitment to supporting LDCs and advancing the SDGs with a focus on inclusivity—ensuring no one is left behind, saying “The Future Forums bolster LDCs in harnessing their full potential to achieve social and economic growth”.

Mr. Tavio noted that Finland has developed a comprehensive model to strengthen resilience at home but acknowledged that this approach may not be universally applicable. Reflecting on his country’s journey, he noted that at independence in 1917, only 5% of its population had more than basic education, and much of the country was rural farmland.

Today, Finland has achieved developed-nation status, with education and social services accessible to all, pointing out that, with the right support and innovation, LDCs can also make fast progress in enhancing their resilience.

Key Highlights of the High-level dialogues and the thematic sessions:

1. Innovative Financing: Discussions revealed that developing countries including LDCs need $4 trillion annually to meet the SDGs. Blended finance and green bonds were proposed to bridge gaps, with examples like the Nordic Development Fund’s work in a select number of LDCs.

2. Climate-Smart Agriculture: Digital tools and AI for farmers took center stage, alongside calls for regional cooperation to combat food insecurity. Anticipatory action and resilience-building emerged as critical pillars of climate-smart strategies, including strengthening early warning systems, improving risk analysis, and tailoring solutions to each region’s specific environmental and socioeconomic conditions.

3. Water management and renewable energy: Participants highlighted scalable, innovative strategies for sustainable water management and renewable energy integration, emphasizing their critical role in enhancing resilience. Discussions also explored pathways to achieving water and energy security, with a particular focus on gender-sensitive approaches.

4. Circular Economy: Success stories in waste reduction and green industrialization were show-cased for Rwanda, Bangladesh and Ethiopia. These efforts, powered by partnerships, advanced technologies, and integrated approaches, pave the way for resilient and prosperous futures for LDCs.

5. Social Safety Nets: Tanzania’s TASAF program—which integrates cash transfers with public works—was highlighted as a successful model for supporting vulnerable communities while fostering long-term development. Similarly, Burundi’s use of social protection programs to mitigate the effects of recurring climate shocks, such as droughts and floods, showcased how targeted interventions can both lift people out of extreme poverty and strengthen community resilience.

The Road Ahead

The forum concluded with a consensus on accelerating the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA), prioritizing climate resilience, and strengthening partnerships. USG Fatima closed with a rallying call saying, “by working together, we can ensure that LDCs have the necessary tools and resources to achieve sustainable development and graduate from the LDC category with resilience and stability”.

As LDCs face escalating climate and economic threats, the forum’s outcomes offer a roadmap for sustainable development—one built on collaboration, innovation, and unwavering resolve.

Based on those outcomes, and to advance the Doha Programme of Action and build resilience in LDCs, it is crucial to expand innovative financing, and invest in climate-smart agriculture, sustainable water management, and renewable energy, and enhance monitoring and accountability.

Promoting economic diversification, circular economy models, and adaptable social protection systems-alongside strong multi-stakeholder partnerships-will reduce vulnerabilities and support sustainable growth amid ongoing challenges.

These steps aim to help LDCs build resilience, achieve sustainable development, and progress toward graduation from LDC status.

About the LDC Future Forum
The annual forum convenes leaders to address LDC vulnerabilities and solutions. Zambia’s hosting marked the first time the event was held in an LDC, amplifying local voices in global dialogues.

For more information, click here.

About UNOHRLLS
The Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UNOHRLLS) is dedicated to advocating for the sustainable development of LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS. It promotes global awareness of their unique challenges and mobilizes international support for their development priorities.

Key Links:
• Op-Ed by USG Rabab Fatima
• Curtain Raiser Video
• Previous editions of LDC Future Forum
• Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries
• Roadmap to Doha Programme of Action

May Yaacoub is Head of Advocacy and Outreach, Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS)

IPS UN Bureau

 

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The centre-left party will send four women and three men to the cabinet of incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Experts attribute the trend to a long-standing tradition of home-based production dating back to the communist era.

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 6 2025 (IPS)

US President Donald Trump has deliberately sown discord worldwide in attempting to remake the world to serve supposed American interests better. He will not cede influence, let alone power and control, to other nations, let alone people.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Mar-a-Lago Accord
His chief economic adviser, Stephen Miran, has offered some rationale for Trump’s tariffs besides promoting his ‘Mar-a-Lago Accord’ plan for US imperial revival. But even if most governments comply, the US deficits dilemma will not be resolved.

For Miran, Trump is reshaping the US-led unipolar world more equitably by getting others to bear more of the costs of ‘global public goods’ that the US ostensibly provides.

As geopolitical economist Ben Norton has noted, the US spends trillions on its global empire, with around 800 military bases abroad! While influential US corporate interests have benefited most, others have also gained.

The US contributed to the Global North’s reconstruction boom after World War II (WW2). After pre-empting growing Soviet influence from the last year of WW2, the US enhanced its hegemony by strengthening allies during the first Cold War.

However, Miran complains it is too “costly” to maintain the post-Cold War unipolar order without others bearing their “fair share” of the US costs of providing a “global security umbrella” and international dollar liquidity.

1985 Plaza Accord
In the 1980s, many complained about how Japan and Germany, which had lost WW2, had benefited from imposed military spending constraints and US occupation to gain industrial leadership worldwide.

At its second meeting at New York’s Plaza Hotel, the US-led Group of Five (G5), of the largest Western economies, agreed that the yen and Deutschemark should greatly appreciate against the US dollar.

This would ensure US recovery from its slowdown following dollar strengthening due to the Fed’s high-interest rate policy to quell inflation after the second oil price hike.

As the yen appreciated, Japan’s 1989 ‘Big Bang’ financial reforms sealed its fate. Its asset price bubble burst, also ending the post-war Japanese miracle boom.

Miran acknowledges US dollar “overvaluation has weighed heavily on the American manufacturing sector while benefiting financialised sectors of the economy in manners that benefit wealthy Americans”.

From Plaza to Mar-a-Lago
Unlike Plaza, Miran’s proposed Mar-a-Lago Accord, named for Trump’s private Florida retreat, will be imposed on all, especially allies in the Global North.

The Global North must improve the US trade balance by deterring imports and increasing exports by letting the dollar depreciate. Allies have been threatened with tariffs and unilateral withdrawal of the US security umbrella.

Miran’s proposal also envisions foreign governments holding 100-year US Treasury bonds. This should transfer long-term losses due to inflation to bondholders abroad.

He also wants a US sovereign wealth fund financed by revaluing US gold reserves to market prices. Meanwhile, his proposed cryptocurrency stabilisation fund already threatens to disrupt international finance.

His plan claims to reduce US trade deficits and bring back good jobs. Miran expects it will significantly shrink the US current account and fiscal deficits without requiring more tax revenue or spending cuts.

Weaker dollar not enough
Jenny Gordon has challenged Miran’s argument. She reasons that his plan is unrealisable without significantly shifting US resources from non-tradables to tradables.

Manufacturing investments needed to substitute imports and increase exports have to be financed. But the US has been a net borrower for almost half a century!

Its current account deficit reflects these savings-investment imbalances. The US would have to cut its capital account surplus by borrowing much less from others to reduce its current account deficit.

Making manufacturing more competitive requires a weaker dollar and new investment. The US must encourage Americans to save more, consume less, divert investment from elsewhere, and cut its fiscal deficit.

Otherwise, foreign borrowings financing manufacturing investments will strengthen the US dollar. Worse, a weaker greenback is needed to boost US competitiveness.

Miran may prevail
Even if US manufacturing recovers, well-paid jobs in depressed areas remain unlikely. Besides ageing, changing technology, consumption, and incomes have adversely affected prospects for reviving US manufacturing.

Government spending cuts have hurt state-sponsored research, which enabled the US to lead technological innovation worldwide until early this century.

Miran’s proposed forced conversion of US Treasury bonds held in official reserves to ‘century bonds’ will reduce confidence in the dollar and its liquidity value.

Besides lowering US borrowing costs, it would undermine the deep secondary market for US T-bills and dollar-denominated trade and financial flows—all key to dollar privilege.

The dollar’s status as a reserve currency has enabled the US to maintain massive fiscal deficits without high interest rates or the threat of currency collapse. But it has also constrained US economic options, favouring finance and other modern services.

Trump does not want to lose the dollar’s status as a reserve currency. His threat to the BRICS suggests likely harsh retaliation against efforts to reduce reliance on the US dollar.

The dollar’s status in international finance also enables the US to threaten others credibly. However, Trump’s treatment of allies reminds us that compliance does not ensure stability.

Miran presumes that trade and investment partner countries will do as he wants. While few may agree to his proposal, which will not work, not many may stand up to Trump. Worse, some are already giving lip service to the proposal.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries – Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, has received an $81.2 million contract modification from the USNavy. This funding continues previous work to support and maintain several types of Navy ships, including amphibious transport docks (LPD 17), amphibious assault ships (LHD 1 and LHA 6), dock landing ships (LSD 41 and 49), and an amphibious command ship (LCC 19). Most of the work (75%) will take place in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Additional technical support will be provided in Norfolk, Virginia (24%), with very small portions in San Diego, California, and Sasebo, Japan. The project is expected to be completed by May 2026. No money is being paid upfront, and the contract was awarded through a competitive process by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC. Bollinger Shipyards has received approval to begin full production of the US Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter (PSC). This initiative replaces the force’s aging icebreaker ships operational since the 70s with new vessels, all of which are to cover maritime security and logistics support across the Arctic, Antarctic, and similar domains. Middle East & Africa The US Army has deployed its Avenger air defense system to the African continent for the first time, joining […]

Staying the course would mean the Netherlands would lose out on around €70 million in R&D investments each year, said pharma association, VIG.

Czech Deputy Health Minister tells Euractiv he's backing calls for a longer regulatory data protection (RDP), using conditional incentives.

BERICHT über die Berichte 2023 und 2024 der Kommission über das Kosovo
Ausschuss für auswärtige Angelegenheiten
Riho Terras

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2025 - EP

A Houéyiho 1 dans le 11è arrondissement de Cotonou, plusieurs lots, environ 15 hectares, sont déclarés d'utilité publique. Résidences, commerces, une école, un temple vodun... tous seront bientôt rasés pour faire place à une nouvelle gare routière. Derrière la décision municipale, c'est une douleur discrète qui submerge les habitants du quartier.

A l'entrée d'une maison du lot 1978 de Houéyiho 1 ce vendredi 2 mai 2025, est assis un homme aux cheveux grisonnants. L'homme âgé de 85 ans a acquis cette parcelle en zone inondable pendant la période coloniale. Mais ce lot et plusieurs autres du quartier seront bientôt rasés, selon un arrêté de la mairie de Cotonou en date de 25 septembre 2024. Comme un couperet, la nouvelle de l'expropriation parvient aux habitants cinq mois après.

« Le 4 février 2025, le gongonneur (crieur public, NDLR) a annoncé qu'on devait se rendre à l'arrondissement. Là-bas, on nous a expliqué le projet. Mais pourquoi ne pas nous avoir informés avant ? Pourquoi ne pas nous avoir consultés ? Tout ça est tellement brusque », se désole Bidossessi, la fille d'un des propriétaires de terrain dans le secteur exproprié.

Certains propriétaires ont reçu par voie d'huissier la notification de l'arrêté municipal portant déclaration d'utilité publique du site retenu pour la construction de la gare routière. Pour d'autres habitants, comme Serge (nom d'emprunt), gérant d'un petit restaurant dans le secteur concerné, la situation est encore floue. Son bailleur ne l'a pas encore informé. « Moi, on ne m'a rien dit. Je n'ai reçu aucun avis officiel, pas même une lettre. Je n'ai entendu parler de ce projet que par les rumeurs. Qu'est-ce que je vais devenir si c'est vrai ? », confie-t-il visiblement inquiet.

« On doit penser également à la paix sociale »

Les propriétaires de terrain ont été invités à l'arrondissement pour les formalités de dédommagement, selon leurs dires. Mais pour eux, il ne s'agit pas uniquement de question d'argent. Le fondateur d'une école privée dans la zone, installé depuis plus de vingt ans, parle avec amertume. « J'ai un titre foncier ici depuis 2013, j'ai vidé ma famille de la maison pour y faire école (…). On me demande de fermer ce qui me nourrit et que je serai dédommagé. Je n'ai pas de problème avec l'argent. Mais mon problème, c'est l'école, les enfants, le personnel. Où vais-je les envoyer ? Acheter une parcelle aujourd'hui, c'est compliqué, et même si je pouvais, déplacer l'école, ce n'est pas comme ça. Il faut des autorisations, il faut du temps », se lamente-t-il.

Le vieil homme du lot 1978 s'interroge sur ce qu'il pourra faire avec l'indemnité qui lui sera versée dans un contexte économique où les matériaux sont hors de prix ? Il doute d'autant plus qu'il est un chauffeur qui a cessé toute activité. « J'ai consacré ma vie à cette maison. J'ai élevé mes enfants ici. Combien vais-je recevoir pour reconstruire ma maison ? Ce n'est pas qu'une question d'argent. J'ai dépensé beaucoup pour rendre cette parcelle habitable. C'est une zone où l'eau arrivait jusqu'au nombril en saison des pluies », se rappelle-t-il le souvenir encore vivace.

Coordonnées de la zone objet d'expropriation à Houéyiho1

Pour Bidossessi, le quartier n'est pas qu'un simple ensemble de parcelles, mais un lieu chargé de souvenirs, d'émotions et d'attachements profonds. « Force reste à la loi mais on doit penser également à la paix sociale », suggère-t-elle.

La nouvelle gare routière facilitera le transport interurbain et permettra de désengorger la ville de Cotonou.

Marc MENSAH

Vue partielle de quelques parcelles de la zone

Dans un contexte marqué par la recrudescence de la spéculation sur les véhicules neufs, le président de la Chambre nationale des notaires, Bougoufa Ramdan, a […]

L’article Revente de véhicules neufs : les notaires coupent court à une pratique très populaire est apparu en premier sur .

Une apprentie couturière de 18 ans a volé 60.000 FCFA à sa patronne pour financer sa dot.

A Tchanhoué (commune de Bopa), dans le département du Mono, une apprentie couturière a volé l'argent de sa patronne. Selon les informations, la jeune fille aurait avoué avoir utilisé l'argent pour acheter des biens pour son mariage.

Mais son plan a échoué. La patronne exige le remboursement de la somme et convoque l'apprentie au commissariat de Bopa. C'est là que la situation prend une autre tournure Le compagnon de la jeune fille, embarrassé, a promis de rembourser les 60.000 FCFA.

Les parents de la jeune couturière sont choqués. Sous pression, la jeune apprentie a quitté la maison familiale pour rejoindre sa belle-famille.
M. M.