What Assita spoke about.

24 Apr

2024

FR Question

Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response (debate)

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Dear colleague, I would just like to ask you the following question: How would you describe Hamas? What kind of organisation do you think it is? And in your opinion, how does UNRWA participate in terrorism in the Gaza Strip? And finally, in your opinion, what role did Iran play in the massacre that took place in Israel on 7 October, and instead of Israel, what would you have done and what would yo…

24 Apr

2024

NL Speech

Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response (debate)

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Mr President, how many components produced in the EU were used to build the missiles that were fired at Israel last week? It took you from November last year until this week to take action on the ban on the supply to Iran of components for the construction of ballistic missiles. It was always intentions, but those intentions do not protect anyone and make the EU irrelevant. Iran's support for Hama…

23 Apr

2024

EN Speech

Combating violence against women and domestic violence (debate)

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Mr President, dear colleagues, when we speak about women’s rights, we are speaking about real women and girls undergoing awful experiences and facing injustice too often. The perpetrators feel free to continue the violence inside the homes and outside in the streets as well. Women and girls are safe nowhere for sure. We must never get used to this or be too proud of what we have achieved, because …

23 Apr

2024

EN Speech

The transfer of proceedings in criminal matters (A9-0008/2024 - Assita Kanko) (vote)

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Mr President, better justice will mean safer countries and safer homes for our citizens. This legislation is a crucial step towards better judicial cooperation and faster law enforcement. This is particularly important when investigating cross-border organised crime such as terrorism, human drugs and firearm trafficking, migrant smuggling, cybercrime or money laundering. Together, we are about to …

22 Apr

2024

EN Speech

Approval of the minutes of forthcoming sittings

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Madam President, dear colleagues, I would like to wish a happy Passover to all Jews in Europe and around the world. The story of Passover and of its redemption and liberation is especially relevant today, as we cannot forget the hostages still held by Hamas and others. Passover also carries a message of hope and of time spent together as a family. Therefore, once again, a happy and peaceful Passov…

10 Apr

2024

NL Speech

Screening of third country nationals at the external borders - European Criminal Records Information System - Third Country Nationals - Common procedure for international protection in the Union - Establishing a return border procedure, and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 - Asylum and migration management - Addressing situations of crisis and force majeure - Establishment of 'Eurodac' for the comparison of fingerprints for the effective application of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013, for identifying an illegally staying third-country national or stateless person and on requests for the comparison with Eurodac data by Member States' law enforcement authorities and Europol for law enforcement purposes (recast) - Union Resettlement Framework - Standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection - Standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (recast) (joint debate - Migration and Asylum package)

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Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, would Alan Kurdi have been saved with the package of measures that we are about to vote on? Would all those thousands of drowning deaths have been prevented in the Mediterranean? I'm afraid not. The asylum and migration pact does nothing to prevent uncontrolled influx with the help of people smugglers. On this point, therefore, the agreement I have reached is fa…

10 Apr

2024

EN Speech

Order of business

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Madam President, I would just like to make a very short remark. It’s a very sad and disappointing that anyone who cares about humanitarian aid and human rights would speak to propose this debate without at any moment mentioning the situation of the hostages. You speak – do you know since how long they are there? Imagine the situation of the hostages, and you don’t say anything about UNWRA, who has…

13 Mar

2024

EN Speech

The immediate risk of mass starvation in Gaza and the attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries

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Mr President, dear colleagues, Hamas calls for ceasefire but consistently rejected to free the remaining hostages, hostages held in captivity in tunnels potentially funded by Western money, hostages to whom access by the International Committee of the Red Cross was denied. Recently there was a manifestation in Brussels calling for a ceasefire. But I heard nobody talk about the atrocities committed…

12 Mar

2024

NL Speech

Council and Commission statements - Preparation of the European Council meeting of 21 and 22 March 2024 (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, investing in defence often remains a taboo. Weapons are considered ‘non-ethical’. Is that the war? What naivety! In order to live in peace, we must be ready. On n’élève pas son chien le jour de la chasse. The recent statements of French President Macron about the war in Ukraine are quite loosening, because he has spoken the language that Putin can understand: Showing musc…

27 Feb

2024

NL Speech

War in the Gaza Strip and the need to reach a ceasefire, including recent developments in the region (debate)

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Mr President, the ECR Group wants the immediate release of all hostages, the dismantling of the Hamas terrorist group, followed by a ceasefire. Of course, everyone wants Gaza's access to humanitarian aid, as long as it is not averted by Hamas. I am appalled by the depravity within UNRWA. Yesterday I listened to a mother in Geneva. Her son was abducted from the music festival to Gaza lifeless by a …

7 Feb

2024

EN Speech

Need to fight the increase of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred (debate)

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Madam President, saying that anti-Semitism is unacceptable has nothing to do with Muslim hatred. It is sad and disappointing that these two topics have been connected for today’s debate. How cynical. We all know who needs protection today against whom: it is the Jewish schools, museums and synagogues that are guarded, and we all know why. But why is it so difficult to say it, to name the reality, …

12 Dec

2023

EN Speech

Need to release all hostages, to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and prospect of the two-state solution (debate)

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Mr President, I met families of hostages in Brussels that told me about life in a kibbutz. Before 7 October, they had a life. Since then, it has become hell, because their loved ones were kidnapped or killed in the most barbaric way, intentionally massacred and never to return because they are Jews – hunted like animals, especially the women, and slaughtered as if they were nothing. Even animals h…

22 Nov

2023

EN Speech

Humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need for the release of hostages and for an immediate humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire and the prospects for peace and security in the Middle East (debate)

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Mr President, today I have a question – a pressing question – for some western feminists: how can you remain silent when women and girls are raped, tortured, their bodies carried around naked and spat on by bearded men shouting Allahu Akbar? Then you can never call yourself a feminist again. Every day, including today, some western hypocritical feminists should be ashamed of their silence on the h…

9 Nov

2023

NL Speech

Outcome of the EU-US summit (debate)

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Mr President, for the first time since I left my native Burkina Faso, I see just as much insecurity and increased censorship on certain subjects here in Europe. I'm not the only one. Many fellow citizens are worried. Europe and the US must work harder together for our security and our future, for a safer home for our citizens. In these times of geopolitical conflict and increased global fragmentat…

8 Nov

2023

EN Speech

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 26-27 October 2023 - Humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for a humanitarian pause (joint debate - Conclusions of the European Council and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for a humanitarian pause)

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Madam President, first of all, it’s unacceptable that European politicians demonstrate alongside organisations who clearly support Hamas and carry flags of ISIS. Left-wing politicians like Mélenchon in France, Pineda in Spain or Ahidar in Belgium turn this into a political strategy that can only further divide Western societies. And colleague Pineda dares ask for the resignation of President von d…

18 Oct

2023

EN Speech

The despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, Israel’s right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law and the humanitarian situation in Gaza (debate)

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Mr President, dear colleagues, so many innocent people, including children, will never see the sun rise again because they were Jewish, in 2023. They were slaughtered by Hamas that a colleague MP of Ms Aubry called ‘a movement of resistance’ on French radio yesterday. Hamas is an Islamic terrorist organisation that still holds Israeli and foreign hostages today, in addition to the population of Ga…

16 Oct

2023

EN Speech

Order of business

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Madam President, I’m very shocked by the intervention of my colleague. We all here stand for human rights, we stand for the fact that all humans are equal. I really don’t know where you have been staying in the past days, but maybe you were on the moon or anywhere else, but have you seen what happened in Israel? Have you seen that people went into houses to find human beings, to bring them outside…

4 Oct

2023

NL Speech

Need for a speedy adoption of the asylum and migration package (debate)

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Mr President, I had a friend who said that we should always ask ourselves the right questions. He himself always asked questions. He knew a lot, but he never knew enough. Life was a school, every conversation an opportunity to move forward. My question to colleagues here is: Why haven't we come closer to a solution in 20 years? A solution for dying at sea. A solution that gives the man on the stre…

3 Oct

2023

NL Speech

Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia (debate)

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Mr President, will the EU become the servant of every dictator on this planet? We got stuck in the region. We have become the brunt of President Aliyev waving his gas in exchange for our principles. The EU ignored the signals that Azerbaijan wanted to take advantage of Russia’s weakened position in the region to bring Nagorno-Karabakh fully under its control. We did not take into account possible …

14 Sep

2023

EN Speech

Violence and discrimination in the world of sports after the FIFA Women’s World Cup (debate)

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Madam President, ‘No means no’, President von der Leyen said in her speech yesterday. Sadly, this basic principle is still something we need to fight for. I stand here today as a mother, as a woman, as a lawmaker working on the Directive on Combating Violence Against Women. I hope that together we bring closer the day that in our workplaces, streets and homes, nobody needs to be convinced that ‘no…

12 Sep

2023

EN Speech

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Situation in West and Central Africa in the light of the recent coups d’état

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Mr President, I have two points for the High Representative. First, you said in the newspaper Le Monde in 2021 the following sentence in French about the Sahel: «Nous avons peut-être signé trop de chèques en blanc». This is very clear. You said it. So, do you remember what you said in Le Monde? Second point, we had a debate here ahead of the 2022 EU-Africa Summit. I said in this plenary that we ne…

12 Sep

2023

EN Speech

Question Time (VPC/HR) - Situation in West and Central Africa in the light of the recent coups d’état

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Thank you very much for being here and being prepared to answer our questions. You know, all of us here know that first they will take Africa, who not only Russia, with their propaganda and disinformation, not only China with their modern economic imperialism, but also the jihadists right now with the carte blanche that they have to act to their own desires. We must wake up and understand that wha…

12 Sep

2023

NL Speech

EU-Tunisia Agreement - aspects related to external migration policy (debate)

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Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, panic football, amateurism, naivety: This is the only way to call the EU-Tunisia deal. ? No one is impressed by what the EU has done here. No one, and certainly not the smugglers or the Tunisian leader. Today we have the highest figures since 2016. Impact? Effect? The only effect is the explosive influx through Tunisia and the red cheeks of the EU.…

12 Jul

2023

NL Speech

The need for EU action on search and rescue in the Mediterranean (debate)

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Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, too many people will continue to die trying to reach Europe, because that is how our European asylum system works. Reaching the European mainland is a necessary condition for obtaining asylum. That's where the mistake is. Every death in the Mediterranean Sea is a victim of that system. When will we see that it doesn't work? Citizens have been tired of this for…

14 Jun

2023

EN Speech

Humanitarian situation in Sudan, in particular the death of children trapped by fighting

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Madam President, raped, starved, barred from education, forced off the land during the planting season. Their future is stolen. Millions of Sudanese civilians, including their children, are internally displaced or are trapped in their homes, without food, medical care and other essential services, while humanitarian workers are unable to deliver them supplies. According to UNICEF, more than 13.6 m…