Speeches

– Madam President, Commissioner! For Europe, quick action is the order of the day. In order to ensure that the coup does not continue in Africa and that there is no domino effect, the European Union must strongly condemn and react to the military's violent takeover of power in Burkina Faso, but also help to combat the causes of this development. Since 2015, armed Islamist groups have been terrorizing the population with attacks. Thousands of people were killed in violent attacks in Burkina Faso. One and a half million people were displaced, mainly to the country triangle of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. This destabilization is fueling civil unrest and protests. The local security forces could hardly oppose the terrorists. Uncertainty and fear of Islamist terror are shaking the entire Sahel and preparing the breeding ground for anti-democratic developments. The result: With Burkina Faso, another West African state has left the path of democracy. The new military leadership has set up a commission for the return to constitutional order, but now actions must follow. Imprisoned President Kaboré and other political prisoners must be released immediately, a concrete timetable must be set for free elections. Burkina Faso must receive every support to protect its population from the ongoing terrorist acts of the jihadists, so that people do not have to flee violence, hunger and lack of prospects.

Madam President, Mr High Representative! Not quite a year ago, here in the European Parliament, we adopted the new EU-Africa Strategy for a Partnership for Sustainable and Inclusive Development. Now is the time to implement it. Our close cultural and economic relationship with Africa is threatened by natural disasters, political crises, violent conflicts, the influence of Russian and Chinese actors. The stability of Africa has an impact on Europe. It must be our common interest that young people want to and can stay in their home countries. If we saw only one side of Africa, we would be on a completely wrong path. The EU is already one of the most important partners and the African continent is in a dynamic and powerful development. We can support them in our own best interests by participating in the development of health, social and educational services, democracy, the rule of law and the rule of law. Good governance It also promotes freedom of the press and media, as well as vibrant parliamentarism. And Europe can and will also benefit from the promotion of the economy and the green and digital transitions. Let's put data!

Madam President, thank you very much, the joy is on my side! Commissioner! The European Union must have the greatest interest in the current developments in Sudan. The entire region is affected by political crises, armed conflicts and refugee movements of gigantic proportions. In order to take this into account, the European Union has, since September 2019, expelled Sudan from the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa More than 88 million euros have been made available to promote political and economic reforms. These funds must not under any circumstances contribute to the support of the military rulers, but must reach the people in need, especially children and young people. They shall be used to build and secure democratic structures based on human rights, independent judiciary, separation of powers and free and fair elections. Instead, the spiral of violence continues. Civilian protests in Khartoum, which the security forces responded to with tear gas and massive violence, killed at least seven people last Monday alone. These incidents highlight the need and usefulness of an EU-wide export ban on security equipment, especially digital surveillance technologies, to states that are not even willing to comply with minimum democratic standards. Clear signals and measures are needed. In any case, the democratic transformation in Sudan that civilian and military forces had already initiated – there was even a date for elections – needs to be relaunched.

Madam President, Commissioner, it is time that the European Union has a close eye on the ongoing conflict in Cameroon that has expanded permanently within the last five years. It has left more than one million people internally displaced. More than 3 000 have lost their lives. 2.2 million people are requiring humanitarian assistance. 66 000 have fled into neighbouring Nigeria. 700 000 students do not attend school because of a boycott across the Anglophone regions. 50% of the children in Cameroon are reportedly being abused. Homosexuality is threatened with prison sentences up to five years. Initially, peaceful protests by Anglophone civil society were suppressed with extreme violence. I hope and wish that there is still a possibility for mediation in the armed conflict in the Anglophone region, and aid organisations must get unrestricted access. Rule of law and fair trials have to be re-established and military courts for civilians abolished. It is the bilingualism of its people that has made Cameroon so special. It is our task to contribute that the people of Cameroon can live in freedom and without repression.

Madam President, Commissioner! Particularly in the COVID crisis, the importance of sport is once again becoming clear. Sport is physical activity, a contribution to health and a social, economic and cultural factor in Europe. Almost half of Europeans engage in sports at least once a week, children and young people especially in associations that make an invaluable contribution to our society through voluntary work and the promotion of young talent. However, they were also particularly hard hit by the pandemic. While sport plays a central role in everyday life, also in the form of immense interest in the transmission of sporting events in the media and in fan culture, it is unfortunately only a sideshow in European politics. In the only sports report of this legislative period, we give sports policy a strong profile. The historically developed European sports model is based on solidarity, open competition and financial balance between professional and amateur levels. Precisely because it is being attacked by the Super League, the European sports model must be protected from privatisation and further commercialisation. But public-law associations also need reform, and more transparency is needed. When it comes to the awarding of major sporting events, human rights and democratic standards must be the basis for decision-making. There needs to be more women in leadership positions in the associations, premiums and salaries for athletes need to be aligned. Sufficient financial resources for sport for the disabled and active support for members of minorities must be created. The fight against discrimination, sexual harassment and racism must be pursued intensively. Children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds must not be excluded from costly sports, such as skiing. More physical education at school and greater investment in sports infrastructure are also the basis for easier access to a wide range of sports. Of course, the objectives of the European Green Deal, especially in winter sports, must also be taken into account. Investments in sport are investments in our society.

Madam President, Commissioner! Already in May of this year, we debated the situation in Haiti and demanded that the rule of law be restored and that aid money arrive where it is most needed. At the time, we couldn't and didn't want to imagine that everything could get worse. But, just a month after our debate, President Moïse is murdered, and on August 14, the earthquake claimed 2,200 lives. Violence, corruption and gang crime are still on the agenda. Just a few days ago, 17 American missionaries were kidnapped with their family members, including children. All these developments complicate relief and reconstruction efforts following this devastating natural disaster. 650,000 people are in need of emergency assistance. Children can not go to destroyed schools, COVID-19 exacerbates the already dramatic food insecurity. The European Union must do everything it can to ensure stable conditions in Haiti. Only then will it be possible for help to reach the people who lack everything.

Madam President, we have to recognise that Kenya remains the only country in the region that grants asylum to people fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Since March, Kenya has been hosting more than 500 000 refugees, including an estimated 1 000 LGBTIQ+ refugees. Therefore, I want to express my explicit appreciation for Kenya’s willingness to accept this huge amount of refugees. Nevertheless, same-sex relationships are still illegal and even punishable by up to 14 years’ imprisonment in Kenya. In addition, a major problem in refugee camps is the lack of security for LGBTIQ+ people. We have to view the human rights situation in Kakuma refugee camp with great concern. In recent months, there have been repeated violent attacks on LGBTIQ+ refugees by other refugees and locals, many of them reported by the UNHCR. The refugees were attacked and injured. As a result, people who had already fled their countries have been forced to flee once again. In some cases, resettlement programmes have been carried out, which have not improved the situation of the discriminated person. The refugees end up in an area where they are not protected and where they are not allowed to stay legally. Chriton ‘Trinidad’ Atuhwera, a 22 year old, was killed by a firebomb after a homophobic attack in the Kakuma refugee camp. This case clearly shows that the situation is at a dramatic point. I call on the Kenyan Government and the African Union to consider its approach on LGBTIQ+. I welcome Kenya’s commitment to be a country of refuge, but I also request strongly that the Kenyan Government ensures adequate security in refugee camps and launches full investigations into the attacks on refugees, including the death of Atuhwera, and holds those responsible accountable.

Mr President, Commissioner! The day after the devastating floods in Belgium and Germany, I heard the mayor of an affected municipality speak on the radio. And he said: “The highest level we have ever measured was 5.05 metres. Today we are at 7.70 metres’. This shows quite impressively and is haunting: Such disasters as this year – be they severe floods, droughts, forest fires, tornadoes or a heat wave – are not something that has always been the case – this is something that has never been the case before. The consequences of these terrible disasters: Damage in the billions, but above all, they claimed countless lives. In this emergency situation, however, European cohesion was also demonstrated through civil protection measures in which forces from European countries jointly provided disaster relief. Austria also sent firefighters and soldiers to disaster areas. This is lived European solidarity, which we must also take as an example at the political level. I would therefore like to express my heartfelt thanks, especially to the volunteers who do unpaid professional work. Such natural disasters are becoming more intense and occur at shorter intervals. It is high time to allocate the necessary funds for prevention measures: Money for risk management, danger zones and emergency plans, flood protection, early warning systems, the purchase of necessary equipment. It must not be the case that a flood protection project is not implemented due to its costs. It cannot be that a fire engine cannot be purchased because of its cost. Above all, we need prevention through climate protection. Only by reducing CO2 emissions can we tackle even worse disasters.

Mr President, Commissioner, Mr Foreign Minister! For the third time since November last year, we have been discussing the current situation in Tigray, and that does not mean anything good. The situation remains catastrophic and can worsen at any time. Hunger and sexual violence are used as weapons. 60,000 refugees have crossed the border with Sudan, which now hosts one million refugees. Over 1.7 million people with a population of 6 million have been displaced from their home in Tigray. The United Nations warns that 5.5 million people in the region are in need of food aid and 400,000 people are at risk of starvation. UNICEF reports that approximately 10% of children under the age of five suffer from severe malnutrition. That's over 70,000 children. Therefore, full access by international organisations to all regions is necessary to enable humanitarian aid to save the population, especially women and children, from starvation. The European Union must impose targeted sanctions on those Ethiopian and Eritrean individuals responsible for the suffering and massacres. There must be consequences for this suffering.