Belgium

EU allocates nearly $150m to help Afghan people, focusing on women, girls

20 September 2023; MEMO: The EU announced, Wednesday, that it will release €140 million (nearly $150 million) in aid for education, healthcare, agriculture and women’s economic advancement in Afghanistan, Anadolu Agency reports.

The funds had been frozen in December 2022 due to the interim Taliban administration’s ban on women working in non-governmental organisations, the bloc said in a statement.

Belgium: Poland, Hungary, Slovakia to introduce bans on Ukraine grains

BRUSSELS/WARSAW, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced their own restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports on Friday after the European Commission decided not to extend its ban on imports into Ukraine's five EU neighbours.

Ukraine was one of the world's top grain exporters before Russia's 2022 invasion reduced its ability to ship agricultural produce to global markets. Ukrainian farmers have relied on grain exports through neighbouring countries since the conflict began as it has been unable to use the favoured routes through Black Sea ports.

Belgium: EU lifts sanctions imposed earlier on four Russian nationals, Council of the EU says

BRUSSELS, September 13. /TASS/: The European Union has decided to lift sanctions that had been imposed previously on four Russian nationals due to the alleged "threat to and undermining of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine," the Council of the European Union announced on Wednesday.

"In the context of a review of sanctions, the Council has also decided not to renew the [sanctions] listings of four individuals," the Council’s statement says.

EU economy to grow slower than expected: Commission

BRUSSELS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission cut the European Union's (EU) and the eurozone's 2023 economic growth forecast on Monday.

"While (the EU) avoided a recession last winter, the multiple headwinds facing the EU economy this year have led to somewhat weaker growth momentum than we projected in the spring," Paolo Gentiloni, European commissioner for economy, said as he presented the EU's "Summer 2023 Economic Forecast."

Belgium: NATO has no indication of intentional Russian attack on Romania

BRUSSELS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - NATO has no indication that drone debris found on Romanian territory was caused by a deliberate Russian attack on Romania, its chief said on Thursday.

Ukraine had said on Monday that drones detonated in Romania during an overnight Russian air strike on a Ukrainian port across the Danube River. Attacks have increased on the site since July when Moscow abandoned a deal that lifted a de facto Russian blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

Ukraine is gaining ground in its counter offensive, NATO chief says

BRUSSELS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Ukraine is making progress with a counter offensive started in June to reclaim territory seized by Russia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, even though it was slow going due to Russian fortifications and minefields.

"The Ukrainians are gradually gaining ground...They have been able to breach the defensive lines of the Russian forces, and they are moving forward," Stoltenberg told lawmakers in remarks at the European Parliament.

Top US and EU lawmakers say West is too soft on Serbia when it comes to easing Kosovo tensions

BRUSSELS (AP) — Senior lawmakers from the United States and Europe are calling for a change in the Western diplomatic approach toward Serbia and Kosovo amid concern that tensions between the two could rapidly spiral out of control.

In the letter, signed by U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his counterparts in Germany, the U.K., Ukraine and other countries, the lawmakers said U.S. and European Union negotiators were not putting enough pressure on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

EU sees 'no immediate risks' if Niger cuts uranium supplies

BRUSSELS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - EU nuclear agency Euratom said on Tuesday it saw no immediate risk to nuclear power production in Europe should Niger cut its deliveries of uranium.

Euratom told Reuters that Niger - a West African country where a junta seized power last week - was the second-largest supplier of natural uranium to the European Union last year.

It said utilities in the bloc had enough uranium inventories to fuel its nuclear power reactors for three years.

EU-Cuba project focuses on smart city model

BRUSSELS, July 16 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — The European Union (EU) and the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana (OHCH) are promoting a project to implement a smart city model in Havana, Nelys García, director of the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana, said.    

Invited to participate in the civil society forum “EU-Latin America and the Caribbean, partners for change,” which ended on Friday, the director of International Cooperation at the Office told Prensa Latina that the event is a space to address bi-regional collaboration.

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