Post-Cotonou Agreement: the EU should not downgrade the ACP, African officials urge

Yesterday, 20 March, the Development Committee (DEVE) of the European Parliament (EP) held a public hearing regarding the negotiations between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states and the European Union (EU) for a new comprehensive agreement that will manage their relationship after the Cotonou Agreement expires in 2020. According to the two parties,the post-Cotonou Agreement will have to address the possible gaps of the already existing document and it is expected to renew the relationship between the signatories. However, the exchange showed that the relationship of the two is fragmented, with the EU seeming optimistic and the African Union (AU) feeling left out.

News Highlights: More money for Turkey deal, Eritrea in Human Rights Council, Video of Hajji Musa’s funeral

 In this week’s news highlights: The UN Human Rights Council discussed Eritrea; video emerges of respected Eritrean elder’s funeral; letter of an Eritrean citizen to his President; South Sudan runs out of money; EU announces stricter migration measures and more money for Turkey; European Parliament urges release of human rights defenders in Sudan; EEAS updates on migration actions; and data should be used cautiously when it comes to refugees and migrants, expert warns.

Libya-discussions in the European Parliament highlight key issues

The key players believe that the core difficulty in shaping policy on Libya is the division between the structure of the Libyan Political Agreement and the external issues the country is facing, as well as the geopolitical interests of the various groups involved and (human) trafficking. However, the European Parliament makes an important addition to the discussion regarding security.