On 10 December, we celebrate Human Rights Day. This day deserves our attention as it marks the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Today it is more important than ever to recall that human rights are universal and indivisible, and that our efforts to defend them can never stop.
75 years ago, major leaders of the Nazi regime were prosecuted for crimes against humanity and war crimes during the Nuremberg trials. This paved the way to the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide on 9 December 1948, punishing genocide as a crime and setting out the legal basis for action by States to prevent such atrocities.
The legacy of Nuremberg lives on. Since 2002, the International Criminal Court stands as the world’s only permanent, independent court for the investigation and prosecution of the most heinous crimes.
As we approach Human Rights Day on 10 December, the European Union and its Member States reaffirm their strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. The establishment of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime is a landmark initiative to underscore the EU’s determination to enhance its role in addressing serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide.
Today, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched a new partnership initiative to strengthen the capacity of Africa CDC to prepare for and respond to public health threats in Africa. The four-year project ‘EU for health security in Africa: ECDC for Africa CDC', funded by the EU, will also facilitate harmonised surveillance and disease intelligence, and support the implementation of the public health workforce strategy of Africa CDC.
Serious human rights violations and abuses are taking place in many parts of the world, too often without any consequences for the perpetrators. As a global leader in the promotion and protection of human rights, the European Union will not stand by while serious human rights violations and abuses are committed. Today, the new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime has been adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council: it will enable the EU to even more forcefully stand up for human rights.
Today, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen its strategic relationship with its Southern Neighbourhood partners during the EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting chaired by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell, with participation of Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement. The meeting was hosted by Arancha González, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain.
03/12/2020 – HR/VP blog – There has been a lot of discussion lately, and also some controversies, on the concept of strategic autonomy. It is time to clarify what exactly we mean with this concept and how it can help Europeans to take charge of themselves in an increasingly harsh world.
Today, the Africa-Europe Foundation was established by Friends of Europe and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, in partnership with ONE and the Africa Climate Foundation. The opening ceremony was attended by various personalities from both continents, including the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen. The Foundation is an independent forum, driving fresh policy thinking and strategic foresight across inter-connected sectors of cooperation.
