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Le géant de la technologie affirme qu'il « conteste fermement » ces allégations et qu'il est « profondément engagé dans l'approvisionnement responsable » en minerais.

Das EU-Parlament hat dafür gestimmt, seine Unterausschüsse für Verteidigung und Gesundheit zu vollwertigen ständigen Ausschüssen aufzuwerten. Zusätzlich sollen zwei neue Sonderausschüsse für Wohnen und demokratische Resilienz eingerichtet werden.

Après des mois de négociations, le Parlement européen a approuvé mercredi 18 décembre la création d'une commission permanente de la santé publique (SANT) lors de sa dernière session plénière de l'année à Strasbourg.

"Having a full standing health committee was necessary," Danish MEP Stine Bosse (Renew) told Euractiv in an interview.  

The post European Parliament OKs full standing committee on public health appeared first on Euractiv.

Togo's President, Faure Gnassingbé

By Promise Eze
ABUJA, Dec 18 2024 (IPS)

In May 2024, Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé signed a new constitution, transitioning the country from a presidential to a parliamentary system. Under this new framework, lawmakers are responsible for electing the president.

Supporters of the reforms argue that this transition diminishes Faure Gnassingbé’s powers by making the presidency a largely ceremonial role. Human Rights Minister Yawa Djigbodi Tségan claimed the changes would improve democracy in the country. However, the opposition has called it a “constitutional coup,” accusing Gnassingbé of using it to entrench his power by removing term limits.

The new constitution extends presidential terms from five to six years and establishes a single-term limit. However, the nearly 20 years that Gnassingbé has already been in office will not be included in this count.

The reforms were passed by a parliament dominated by the ruling Union pour la République (UNIR) party, led by Gnassingbé. Despite public opposition, the president implemented the amendments after his party secured a majority in parliament.

A History of Power and Repression

The Gnassingbé family’s dominance began with President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who seized power in 1967, just a few years after Togo gained independence from France. Eyadéma ruled for 38 years, during which he removed presidential term limits in 2002. His regime was marked by severe repression and allegations of human rights abuses, including violent crackdowns on protests and political assassinations.

Human rights organizations like Amnesty International frequently condemned Eyadéma’s government for its brutality, but Eyadéma dismissed these claims as part of a denigratory campaign against him, insisting that true Togolese democracy was based on security and peace.

After Eyadéma’s death in 2005, his son, Faure Gnassingbé, was installed as president by the military, sparking widespread protests and violence. Faure has since won disputed elections in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. Despite reinstating term limits in 2019, they were not applied retroactively, allowing Faure to remain in office until at least 2030.

Gnassingbé’s Constitutional Façade

Many critics argue that the recent constitutional changes are simply a cover for Faure Gnassingbé to maintain control. Under the new system, the president will serve a largely ceremonial role, while real power will rest with the “president of the council of ministers,” a position that is expected to go to Gnassingbé himself.

In the period leading up to the vote in April, the government took measures to restrict civil liberties, including banning protests, arresting opposition leaders, and preventing the Catholic Church from deploying election observers. Foreign journalists were also barred from reporting on the events.

Abdul Majeed Hajj Sibo, a political analyst based in Ghana, told IPS that the reforms are a façade designed to give the illusion of democracy.

“Even the elections that keep bringing Faure back to power are manipulated. This constitutional façade is meant to deceive the Togolese people into believing there is change, but nothing has really changed,” Sibo said.

Faure’s rule is part of a broader trend of “strongman politics” in Africa, argues Sizo Nkala, a Research Fellow at the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg. He notes that, like many other African leaders, Faure has used a combination of patronage, violence, ethnic favoritism, sham elections, and bogus constitutional amendments to stay in power.

“This is a common playbook used by dictators across the continent,” Nkala said.

Nkala posits that while Togo has effectively switched to a parliamentary system, similar to South Africa, the environment in which the elections take place makes all the difference.

“South Africa is a vibrant, multiparty democracy where elections are reasonably free and fair. This is why the African National Congress (ANC), which has governed the country since 1994, lost its majority in the May elections and was forced to form a coalition government with other parties. Moreover, South African legislators do follow their party lines but also enjoy a degree of autonomy. The same cannot be said of the Togolese parliament and electoral process. Elections are rigged frequently, and parliamentarians do not have the latitude to act according to their own convictions. Unlike in South Africa, there is no real separation of powers between the executive and legislature in Togo, which has given rise to the dictatorship and authoritarianism we see today,” he added.

Opposition Under Fire

The opposition in Togo has long faced a harsh political environment. Protests demanding democratic reforms have often been met with government crackdowns. After Eyadéma’s death in 2005, Faure’s rise to power was met with mass protests that led to the deaths of up to 500 people, and many were displaced.

The slogan “Faure Must Go” has become a rallying cry, but government crackdowns have consistently stifled opposition efforts.

“The last thing the Gnassingbé regime will want to see is a formidable opposition outfit; hence it has thrown spanners in the operations of the opposition. This is part of the reason the opposition won only 5 out of the 113 seats in parliament in the April elections,” Nkala told IPS.

He adds: “The Togolese opposition has struggled to mount a unified challenge to the Gnassingbé regime because they work in a very difficult environment where their activists could be subjected to violence, jailed arbitrarily, abducted, or even killed without recourse to justice for merely exercising their constitutional rights of dissent, freedom of association, and speech.”

Analysts also say that cracks and disputes among the Togolese opposition are also a limiting factor.

“The opposition needs to unite and fight as a single bloc, but they have been unable to do so,” Sibo told IPS. Boycotts of elections by opposition factions in the past have only strengthened Gnassingbé’s grip on power, he added.

Kwesi Obeng, a socio-political and inclusive governance expert at the University of Ghana, told IPS that it would be difficult for the opposition to make any headway not just because of its fragmentation but also because a tiny political and economic elite with very close ties to the Gnassingbé family has effectively captured the state of Togo and all its institutions. This dominance over state power and resources, he says, has made it very difficult for any group to break through.

He argued that this situation has resulted in wealth being concentrated in the hands of a few individuals.

“Many people live below the poverty line. In fact half of the Togolese living in rural areas—about 58%—really live in poverty. Additionally, about a quarter of those living in urban areas also live below the poverty line. So, you have a significant portion of the population living precarious lives, with barely any jobs, income, or access to basic services,” Obeng said.

Despite the ruling party’s dominance, the resilience of the opposition shows that there are still those willing to risk their lives for change, Nkala notes, adding that the opposition’s persistence, despite the odds, is a testament to the determination of millions of Togolese people who want to see an end to the Gnassingbé dynasty.

International Response and France’s Role

France has maintained a close relationship with the Gnassingbé family, which has fueled resentment in Togo. After Faure’s re-election in February 2020—an election condemned as rigged by the opposition—France sent him a congratulatory letter, sparking controversy.

Critics, like Sibo, argue that France continues to support the autocratic regime for economic reasons.

Former French President Jacques Chirac once  referred to President Gnassingbé Eyadéma as a “friend to France and a personal friend,” despite the human rights abuses associated with his regime.

Sibo believes this loyalty to the Gnassingbé dynasty has contributed to France’s reluctance to challenge the regime.

“As long as it serves their interests, France will turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed by the Gnassingbé family,” Sibo said.

Obeng agrees with Sibo’s views. “France runs the port, a major contributor to the Togolese GDP, and many major businesses in the country are partly French-owned. Therefore, I think the French government is not interested in unsettling the status quo regarding the governance system and structure in Togo. With Sahelian countries having driven the French out of that part of the continent, France now has very little foothold. As a result, they are reluctant to destabilize a country like Togo, which could potentially join the ranks of nations that have expelled the French from their territory.”

Efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to address Togo’s political issues have been limited. ECOWAS’s failure to act on the situation in Togo damages its reputation as a leader in promoting regional stability and development, analysts say.

In 2015, ECOWAS attempted to introduce a two-term presidential limit across its member states, but this was blocked by Togo and Gambia.

Experts like Nkala are of the opinion that these organizations lack the legal authority to intervene effectively and that reforms are needed to give them real powers to enforce democratic protocols in member states.

Concerns are mounting over President Faure Gnassingbé’s role in the US-Africa Business Summit. Observers have pointed out that Western nations and organizations often do not authentically champion democracy in Africa. Critics claim these entities tend to prioritize their own agendas, often siding with questionable governments instead.

The Way Forward

With Faure’s party holding a strong majority in parliament, it seems unlikely that the regime will fall anytime soon, critics told IPS.

Nkala believes that unless Gnassingbé loses control of the military or faces a significant challenge from within his own party, political change is unlikely in the near future.

“The military is key to Faure’s power, and as long as they remain loyal, he will continue to rule Togo,” Nkala said.

Obeng says that as long as the elite continue to control the state machinery, including organizing elections, it will be very difficult for the opposition to unseat the government.

He added: “The opposition has made it clear that the elections were rigged, which is why some members chose not to participate. The Togolese opposition has already published its verdict that the elections were manipulated, and we need to take their charges seriously.”

However, Sibo remains hopeful that with greater unity, the opposition could eventually challenge the regime. “The opposition must focus on building a unified front,” he said. “If they can do that, there is still a chance for change.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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The newly-upgraded committees will now be able to lead negotiations on EU legislation.

Deutschlands umstrittene Gastransitgebühr, die von zentral- und osteuropäischen Ländern angefochten wurde, wird am Freitag (20. Dezember) abgeschafft, wie Euractiv erfahren hat. CDU-Chef Friedrich Merz hat zuvor diesem Schritt zugestimmt, um eine Mehrheit im Bundestag zu garantieren.

Europe’s all for cutting fossil fuels worldwide, but when it comes to its own use... not so much.

The post The Brief – Nobody will phase out fossil fuels for us appeared first on Euractiv.

Les verdicts n'ont pas encore été rendus, mais le procès a déjà commencé à changer les conversations sur le consentement dans le pays et au-delà.

Les verdicts n'ont pas encore été rendus, mais le procès a déjà commencé à changer les conversations sur le consentement dans le pays et au-delà.

La plus haute Cour d’appel de France a confirmé mercredi 18 décembre le verdict prononcé contre l’ancien président Nicolas Sarkozy pour corruption et trafic d’influence, lui imposant le port d’un bracelet électronique pendant un an, une première pour un ancien chef d’État.

Enfin le bout du tunnel pour Nabil Bentaleb. Le président du LOSC Lille a donné une date approximative sur le retour du milieu de terrain […]

L’article Bentaleb, enfin le bout du tunnel est apparu en premier sur .

A congested street in Bulawayo where public transporters pick up passengers at an undesignated point. Credit: Ignatius Banda/IPS

By Ignatius Banda
BULAWAYO, Dec 18 2024 (IPS)

As the population in African cities grows, governments are struggling to provide sustainable public transport solutions, conditions that have led to gridlock in major business districts.

Projections show rapid growth of urban populations across the continent, and town planners are hard-pressed for time on how new spaces and infrastructure will be created for efficient public transport.

A growing number of cities are expected to hit a population of more than 10 million people by 2035, but social services are failing to match the overload on existing infrastructure, with public transport being one of the major sticking points.

In countries such as Zimbabwe, where government-owned transport utilities have been overtaken by thousands of illegal taxi operators, local authorities are fighting an uphill battle to bring order out of the urban chaos.

In the country’s two major cities, Harare and Bulawayo, municipalities have put in place measures to decongest the public transport sector, but these have fallen flat as both registered and unregistered operators have routinely ignored the decrees to work from designated points.

For example, in 2015, the city of Bulawayo awarded a multimillion-dollar contract for the construction of what was hoped to be a futuristic public transport terminus, but operators have shunned it, claiming its positioning in the central business district is bad for business.

While the Egodini Mall Taxi Rank and Informal Traders Market was also expected to provide trading space for vendors in anticipation of business from travelers, it is marked by empty vending bays, with traders preferring crowded CBD sidewalks instead.

City mayor David Coltart has conceded that the project risks becoming a white elephant, and construction of the next phase of the project has been halted to deal with these challenges, highlighting the challenge growing cities face in their efforts to modernise amenities.

Zimbabwe’s public transport headaches come against the backdrop of the Second World Sustainable Transport Day this November, where policymakers and agencies rethink urban mobility.

Other pertinent issues include ways of incorporating public transport into the broader improvement of “safety and security, reducing pollution and CO2 emissions while increasing the attractiveness of urban environments,” according to a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) briefing during the 2023 World Sustainable Transport Day.

According to UN Habitat, the day was declared by the UN General Assembly “in recognition of the important role of safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all in supporting sustainable economic growth, improving the social welfare of people, and enhancing international cooperation and trade among countries.”

However, to achieve this, UNECA says African governments must put in place “remedial measures” that will ensure the continent’s transportation systems are more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

“African governments must prioritize inclusive urban planning,” said Atkeyelsh Persson, chief of the Urbanization and Development Section at the Economic Commission for Africa.

“Key areas of focus should include upgrading infrastructure such as roads and utilities,” Persson told IPS.

This comes as Zimbabwe and other regional countries seem to be going backwards in realising UNECA’s goals as they are struggling to cope with rapid urbanisation and provide sustainable urban transport solutions for city dwellers.

During last year’s inaugural World Sustainable Transport Day, UNECA said the continent was in urgent need of developing sustainable and resilient public transport infrastructure if Africa is to “optimise the development of interconnected highways, railways, waterways, and airways.”

The agency noted that Africa’s rapid urbanisation was also a call to escalate sustainable urban transport solutions, but with government cuts in public spending and also the drying up of private investors in the sector, public transportation has only deteriorated.

“Despite this growth in urban populations, the rate of growth in housing, infrastructure, and basic amenities has not kept pace with this urban growth,” said Nyovani Madise, a demographics professor and President of the Union for African Population Studies.

“This has resulted in mushrooming of urban informal settlements, waste and pollution, congestion on the roads and overcrowding,” Madise told IPS.

While UNECA has called for the optimisation of interconnected transportation, Zimbabwe’s once thriving railways has become virtually nonexistent, with the National Railways suspending its passenger train service citing operational challenges.

As part of desperate efforts to deal with the shrinking space for public transport, the Bulawayo municipality is planning to take over parking space at the National Railways of Zimbabwe train station for use as a long-distance bus terminus.

The unusual move was triggered by an increasing number of long-distance buses in Bulawayo who have joined smaller pirate taxis picking up passengers in undesignated points.

These developments have further highlighted the difficulties some African countries face in balancing urban population growth and public transport needs, which could be a missed opportunity towards UNECA’s proposed “socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and well-governed continent.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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The European Parliament and the ministers of Member States have formally endorsed the one year delay of the European Deforestation regulation (EUDR).

The post A note to the EU: The European Deforestation Regulation is delayed but this isn’t time to relax appeared first on Euractiv.

Des travaux d'envergure pour moderniser la voirie et l'assainissement dans 7 des 12 communes chefs-lieux de départements du Bénin dans le cadre des investissements municipaux portés par le Programme Building Resilient and Inclusive Cities (BRIC).

Le gouvernement a autorisé, en Conseil des ministres mercredi 18 décembre 2024, la réalisation des travaux de voirie et d'assainissement et construction d'équipements sociocommunautaires dans les communes d'Allada, Aplahoué, Lokossa, Djougou, Kandi, Dassa-Zoumé et Pobè.

Dans la commune de Lokossa, il est prévu de paver et d'assainir 3,9 km de voirie, d'installer 4,8 km d'ouvrages d'assainissement, ainsi que de construire 460 mètres linéaires de collecteurs d'assainissement.

Pour Aplahoué, le projet comprend 3,4 km de voirie principale à aménager, accompagnés de 1,2 km de bretelles. En outre, 889 mètres linéaires de collecteurs d'assainissement seront construits, renforçant ainsi l'infrastructure de drainage de la ville.

À Kandi, les travaux portent sur l'assainissement et le pavage de six rues, avec un linéaire total d'environ 3,9 km.

Allada bénéficie également de travaux importants, avec 4,46 km de rues à aménager, pavé et assainir. À cela s'ajoute 6,5 km d'ouvrages d'assainissement. Par ailleurs, des projets d'envergure sont prévus, tels que la rénovation du marché Saint-Michel, la construction de hangars, l'installation d'un éclairage public et la plantation d'arbres, contribuant ainsi à la modernisation de la ville.

À Dassa-Zoumé, les travaux concernent la construction d'une gare routière moderne et d'un parking pour gros porteurs, en plus des aménagements de voirie et d'assainissement. Ces infrastructures soutiendront la croissance économique et la fluidité du transport dans la commune.

Dans la commune de Pobè, 3,507 km de rues seront pavés et assainis, complétés par 5,5 km d'ouvrages d'assainissement. De plus, des travaux d'éclairage public et de plantation d'arbres sont inclus. Des aménagements spécifiques concernent le marché et la gare routière, avec la réhabilitation du hall IFA et l'aménagement d'un espace vert à proximité de l'hôtel de ville, visant à améliorer l'environnement urbain.

Le Conseil a instruit les ministres concernés aux fins d'accomplir les diligences nécessaires à la formalisation des contrats de marchés et de veiller à la bonne exécution desdits travaux.
M. M.

Un complexe immobilier sera bientôt réalisé au profit du ministère de la justice et de la législation. Le gouvernement a marqué son accord ce mercredi 18 décembre 2024, pour la réalisation du projet.

Bientôt un complexe immobilier au profit du ministère de la justice. La décision a été prise ce mercredi 18 décembre 2024, en Conseil des ministres. Ledit complexe selon le communiqué du gouvernement, abritera le Tribunal de commerce, la Cour d'appel de commerce, la Cour spéciale des affaires foncières ainsi que le siège de l'Agence nationale d'Equipement et du Patrimoine immobilier de la Justice. En autorisant la réalisation dudit complexe, le gouvernement entend offrir un environnement de travail plus confortable au personnel tout en améliorant l'efficacité des institutions judiciaires.

Un motocycliste roulant à vive allure avec un colis suspect sur l'axe Adakplamè-Kétou, département du Plateau, a été intercepté dans la nuit du 16 au 17 décembre 2024.

A la vue de l'équipe de patrouille du Commissariat de l'arrondissement d'Adakplamè aux environs de minuit, un motocycliste transportant un colis suspect sur l'axe Adakplamè-Kétou a pris la fuite abandonnant son engin de marque Haojue Xpress.

La fouille du sac de jute attaché à la motocyclette a permis de découvrir cinquante-trois (53) emballages de produits psychotropes.

La police a transféré les produits à l'Office Central de Répression du Trafic Illicite des Drogues et des précurseurs (OCERTID), pour des analyses.

L'opération de police a été menée dans la nuit du 16 au 17 décembre 2004. Une enquête a été ouverte pour retrouver le destinataire des produits, qui, selon les informations, étaient en transit vers un pays voisin.
M. M.

Le Conseil des États a avalisé mercredi une révision de la loi sans opposition. Il a décidé de serrer la vis sur les mesures disciplinaires contre les requérants.

Le Bénin affiche de grandes ambitions de levée de fonds en 2025. Le calendrier d'émission des titres a été publié lors de la 3e édition des Rencontres des investisseurs de Cotonou, ouverte mardi 17 décembre 2024.

En 2025, le Bénin envisage de lever au total, la somme de 720,142 milliards FCFA. Selon le calendrier d'émission des titres, le pays envisage de mobiliser 225,142 au premier trimestre. Au second et au troisième trimestre, le calendrier affiche respectivement 200 et 210 milliards de francs CFA. Enfin, au 4e trimestre, un objectif de 85 milliards de FCFA est fixé.
Selon Hubert Dossou, chef service de la dette, sur les 720,142 milliards de francs CFA à lever, 545,142 milliards sont destinés à financer le budget 2025 de l'État et 175 milliards d'émissions sont projetés pour les infra-annuelles.
Acteurs du monde économique et financier et des structures financières prennent part à cette 3e édition des Rencontres des investisseurs de Cotonou, organisé par le ministère de l'économie et des finances en collaboration avec la direction générale du Trésor et de la comptabilité publique. Elle vise à renforcer la confiance entre les parties prenantes afin de bâtir un avenir économique prometteur pour le Bénin. L'objectif visé étant d'offrir aux investisseurs, une vision claire et transparente tout en prenant en compte leurs attentes et suggestions afin d'adapter les dispositifs financiers aux réalités du marché et du terrain.
Les travaux ouverts ce mardi 17 décembre 2024, prennent fin le jeudi 19 décembre.

F. A. A.

France's highest appeals court upheld Sarkozy's 2021 corruption conviction.

The post France’s Sarkozy must wear electronic tag after losing graft case appeal appeared first on Euractiv.