Open divisions within the European Commission are emerging as President Ursula von der Leyen seeks to offer Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el Sisi a similar deal to her €785 million 'cash for migrant control' pact with Tunisia (AC Vol 64 No 19 Heart of the migration storm)...

In her annual State of the Union speech to the European Parliament on 13 September European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told MEPs that the EU needs 'to show the same unity of purpose towards Africa as we have shown for Ukraine' describing the Sahel as 'of direct concern for Europe – for our security and prosperity'...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Italian premier Giorgia Meloni and the Netherlands' outgoing premier Mark Rutte brokered a quid pro quo with Tunisia's President Kaïs Saïed in June...

Some of the proposals in the Nairobi Declaration backed by the 15 African leaders who attended the summit and others including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were standard fare; urging wealthy states to keep their 2009 pledge to provide $100 billion in annual climate finance and to operationalise the 'loss and damage' fund agreed on during COP27 last year to compensate the countries and communities worst hit by climate change (AC Vol 63 No 23 Delegates haggle in Egypt as the planet burns)...

A letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed by the MEPs and seen by Africa Confidential complains that 'the failure to address such concerns which include grave violations of the rights of migrants and asylum seekers as well as an escalation of restrictions on civil and political rights will put the European Union policies at risk of contributing to or perpetuating such violations and enabling impunity of those responsible...

With European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen finding common cause with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni such 'cash for migration deals' will be central to campaigning for the bloc's top jobs next year...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – flanked by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his counterpart Giorgia Meloni of Italy – swept up the steps of the Palace of Carthage on 11 June with €150 million in immediate budget support to President Kaïs Saïed – and a promise of a further €900m...