The rival leaders of Libya, a departure point for thousands of refugees to Europe, agree to election plan

In a summit in France on Tuesday the 30th of May, the rival factions of Libya, a country with an estimate of 43,113 refugees according to the UN from which 90 percent cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, agreed to hold parliamentary and presidential elections. The summit was hosted by the French president Emmanuel macron, who called the summit ‘historic’. However, others raised critical questions about the breakthrough of the conference.

News Highlights: UN official: no improvement in South Sudan; Amnesty International condemns EU; Eritrea accuses Sudan, Ethiopia, Qatar

In this week’s news highlights: New data protection regulation; UN official says things in South Sudan are getting worse; Eritrea accuses 3 countries of supporting opposition Jihadist groups; UN and human rights groups support Noura Hussein; EC calls for further work on immigration; Amnesty International criticize the EU’s support to Libya; Report describes IDPs in Africa; New Greek Bill for Asylum seekers; Eritreans plan rally in Switzerland for asylum rights; Eritreans’ demonstration in Egypt.

UNDP speaks about improving SDGs at the European Parliament

In a sitting of the Development Committee (DEVE) of the European Parliament on Tuesday 20 February 2018, Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), discussed the shortcomings of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ways in which these need to be reestablished. He talked about the mounting pressure on people and the environment, including from ongoing conflicts and displacement as well as extreme weather phenomena such as in the Horn of Africa.