Even though the security landscape has changed drastically since the Cold War, the main goals for Swedish arms cooperation have stayed roughly the same. Cooperation is seen as valuable for gaining access to competence, for preserving domestic competence, and for decreasing unit costs for procured equipment.
The Swedish experiences of international arms collaboration vary. Success factors include constructive dialogues and relations with the partner countries and companies, and trust. Challenges include country specific equipment requirements, protection of domestic defence companies, and the differences in export regulations.
Sweden will, like other countries, continue to seek the arms cooperations that benefit its national security and its defence industry. More specifically, Sweden is interested in exploring the potential of NATO collaboration, in the light of the newly acquired membership. Sweden also recognises the potential of the EU initiatives like the EDIP and the EDF, but it is through the combination of NATO and EU initiatives that real impact can be achieved. Upcoming strategic procurement decisions will also form the Swedish industry and what collaborations Sweden will pursue in the future.
À téléchargerL’article Which Type of Armament Cooperation Do We Want/Need? The Case of Sweden est apparu en premier sur IRIS.
Written by Marketa Pape
While the right to housing is recognised by the European Pillar of Social Rights, the supply of housing in the EU has not kept up with demand. The recent cost-of living crisis has made the lack of adequate, affordable and sustainable housing more palpable. While the responsibility for housing provision lies with EU Member States, regions and cities, the debates around the 2024 European elections showed that citizens expected the EU to step up its action beyond guidance and funding.
In response, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made housing part of a Commissioner’s portfolio. In parallel, all EU institutions started work to contribute to the new EU policy.
More than a year later, the basis of a coordinated EU approach is in place. European leaders have for the first time discussed the challenge of affordable housing in the European Council. Existing EU rules have been reviewed and EU funding possibilities made more flexible.The European Investment Bank has stepped up its investment support and, together with partner banks, is finalising a pan-European housing investment portal.
The Commission has put forward the European affordable housing plan and accompanying initiatives, which included changes to State aid rules, a housing construction strategy and a proposed recommendation on the New European Bauhaus policy and funding initiative. The Commission also outlined further steps, including legislative ones.
For its part, the European Parliament has put forward a set of recommendations prepared by its Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, ranging from simpler and digital procedures for granting housing permits – within a 60-day deadline – to tax measures to support low- and middle-income households.
Read the complete briefing on ‘Developing a coordinated EU approach to housing‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.
Également dans l'édition de mardi : l'Eurogroupe, 42.7, Puzder, les Balkans occidentaux, la Hongrie
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Les médias de la capitale congolaise ont largement commenté, ce mardi 5 mai, la marche organisée par l’UDPS, parti du chef de l’État Félix Tshisekedi, en soutien aux sanctions américaines visant l’ex-président Joseph Kabila.
Infos 27 : Kinshasa : la rue acquise à l’UDPS réclame des poursuites contre Kabila
Written by Alessandro D’Alfonso, Marin Mileusnic and Tim Peters.
CONTEXTOn 16 July 2025, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework and other horizontal rules for the Union programmes and activities (‘performance regulation’), as part of a wide-ranging package on the next EU long-term budget – the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF). The proposal aims to simplify and harmonise how EU spending is tracked and its performance measured, moving towards a single system with standardised indicators. It defines horizontal spending principles with a view to streamlining their application across the EU budget: climate and biodiversity, ‘do no significant harm’ to the environment, social policies, and gender equality. Although competitiveness and preparedness play a major role in the next long-term budget, and the European Parliament had requested to include them as horizontal spending principles, the Commission did not include them.
Ahead of the proposal, Parliament had called for further improvements in performance reporting under the EU budget, while underlining that the ‘implementation of horizontal principles should not lead to an excessive administrative burden on beneficiaries’. A stronger performance framework can improve Parliament’s decision-making on EU spending through more transparency. However, increased transparency from a proposed single portal to access EU budgetary data will depend on what information is made available. A briefing requested by Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control underlined that improved access to information – such as exchanges between the Commission and Member States, or to information about suspended milestones – was essential for public accountability. According to the European Court of Auditors, the proposal can improve processes for performance reporting and integration of EU horizontal policy priorities, but has design weaknesses to be addressed, including vague indicators, lack of clear results-based linkages, and risks of measuring implementation rather than achievements. The Court estimates that the proposal may achieve simplification between the Commission and the Member States, but that the administrative burden at national, regional and beneficiary levels may remain unchanged or even worsen.
Legislative proposal2025/0545(COD) – Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework and other horizontal rules for the Union programmes and activities – COM(2025) 565,
NEXT STEPS IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTFor the latest developments in this legislative procedure, see the Legislative Train Schedule: 2025/0545(COD)
Read the complete briefing on ‘Budget expenditure tracking and performance framework‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.
On the sidelines of the UN Youth Forum, four climate leaders from across the continent and diaspora unite to call for stronger protection of Africa’s environment and vital resources.
Sibusiso Mazomba (far left), member of the UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change; Eugenia Boateng (second from left), Founder and Executive Director of the African Diaspora Youth Hub, FABA Institute; Jabri Ibrahim, also of the UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change; and Damon Hamman, Graduate Student, New York University, Centre for Global Affairs. Credit: UN Photo
By Alexandra del Castello
UNITED NATIONS, May 5 2026 (IPS)
Africa is on the frontlines of the climate crisis, warming faster than the global average and facing disproportionate climate impacts, despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions.
This is particularly evident in the growing pressures that climate change is placing on water resources and systems across the continent. As water underpins agriculture, livelihoods, ecosystems, and energy production, water-related climate impacts are deepening inequalities and threatening sustainable development across Africa.
At the forefront of this year’s ECOSOC Youth Forum – the largest annual UN gathering of young people – four African climate youth leaders led a dynamic discussion spotlighting the key role that African youth play in driving climate solutions across the continent, building community resilience, strengthening water security, and advancing locally led adaptation efforts.
Their insights highlighted how young people are not only responding to the climate crisis but reshaping the development agenda through innovation, advocacy, and community rooted action.
African youth are charting bold new pathways for climate leadership and proving that the future of climate action is being shaped by their vision and determination.
Learn more about the speakers:
Eugenia Boateng is an African diaspora strategist and founder of the African Diaspora Youth Hub (ADYH) and FABA, a production strategy lab building systems to make African economies more visible, structured, and investable.
Her work focuses on translating informal economies into institutional intelligence, connecting diaspora resources to African production, and designing systems that enable value retention on the continent.
Jabri Ibrahim is a climate and energy policy expert with an extensive network across Africa, connecting youth movements, policymakers, and private sector leaders. Jabri has played a central role in mobilizing African youth for climate action, particularly through the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC).
Sibusiso Mazomba is a climate justice activist, advocate, and researcher. He leads youth advocacy at the African Climate Alliance, driving initiatives to ensure meaningful youth participation in decision-making.
A junior negotiator for South Africa’s UNFCCC delegation since COP26, he has contributed to negotiations on adaptation, oceans, and loss and damage, representing youth and national interests on the global stage.
Damon Hamman is a Master of Science candidate in Global Affairs at New York University, concentrating in transnational security, intelligence, and conflict analysis. His work centers on the intersection of human security, diplomacy, and data-driven policy research.
He has served with the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, where he built an AI-assisted thematic analysis pipeline for Voluntary National Reviews, contributed to policy briefs aligned with Agenda 2030 and AU Agenda 2063, and supported diplomatic engagement with African missions.
Source: Africa Renewal, United Nations
IPS UN Bureau
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Les prix flambent déjà, et beaucoup de Serbes s'attendent à des temps difficiles. Les prévisions du FMI et de la Banque mondiale sont inquiétantes et la crise touchera surtout les plus pauvres. Le blocage des taxes sur les carburants pourrait même se révéler contre-productif.
- Articles / Economie, Serbie, Radio Slobodna Evropa, Guerre Moyen OrientLes prix flambent déjà, et beaucoup de Serbes s'attendent à des temps difficiles. Les prévisions du FMI et de la Banque mondiale sont inquiétantes et la crise touchera surtout les plus pauvres. Le blocage des taxes sur les carburants pourrait même se révéler contre-productif.
- Articles / Economie, Serbie, Radio Slobodna Evropa, Guerre Moyen Orient