Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Rwandan President Paul Kagame participated in the High-Level Forum Africa-Europe in Vienna on December 18. More than 50 official delegations from member states of the African Union and the European Union attended the forum, along with 1,000 innovators and representatives of companies and start-ups from Africa and Europe.

The 79-member African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States on Wednesday urged “vigorous support” for the United Nations in what it regards a “turbulent” global environment. ” Vigorous support for the United Nations to advance multilateralism will loom large in all the programmes and projects of the ACP in 2019,” ACP Secretary General, Dr. P. I. Gomes told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

The European Union has signed a financing agreement of EC$18.35 million (€5.98 million) with the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines for a road management and rural road improvement programme.

The Horn of Africa is situated in the easternmost part of the African continent and is of strategic importance to a number of external actors, including the European Union. The EU currently conducts a military training mission (EUTM Somalia) and a civilian capacity building mission (EUCAP Somalia) as well as a military naval operation called ‘Atalanta’, safeguarding waters in the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean.

European Parliament

14-17 January: European Parliament plenary session

European Council

14 January: Ad hoc Working Party JHA financial instruments 
14 January: Ad-hoc WP on General Food Law 
14-16 January: Africa Working Party (COAFR) 
14 January: Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (Relex)