Latest news with #SarahKnafo
El Chorouk
2 days ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Finally, France Admits it Does Not Provide Development Aid to Algeria
Another card in France's political bargaining with Algeria has fallen: development aid. Many politicians and media figures in Paris have used this as a lucrative tool to mislead public opinion, in an attempt to mobilise it amid the escalating political and diplomatic crisis between the two capitals, which is approaching its first year. In this regard, Rémy Rioux, Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD), ended the controversy sparked by statements made by several French officials regarding 'alleged' aid to the Algerian state within the framework of bilateral cooperation. This statement came too late, after the issue had reached the French judicial authorities and sparked a protracted, false political controversy. Rioux also refuted the recurring rhetoric of certain members of the French far right about France's alleged annual aid to Algeria, statements recently relayed by MP Sarah Knafo, and which Algeria has officially denied, going so far as to initiate legal action. Rémy Rioux finally admitted in a program broadcast on the French public parliamentary channel LCP with frankness and clarity that debunked these allegations during his appearance two days ago, declaring that the agency he heads 'does not finance any projects in Algeria.' He clarified that the only existing support is limited to scholarships awarded to Algerian students pursuing their studies in France, thus exposing the instrumentalisation of this issue by the extreme right in its hostile discourse towards Algeria. 'We do not provide funding. What is announced as aid relates only to scholarships provided to Algerian students in France and is not the responsibility of the French Development Agency,' he explained. This statement raises several questions about its timing and why this official did not break his silence when the debate was spurious and clarify the situation. He added unambiguously that the AFD 'does not carry out any activity in Algeria and does not provide any direct financing,' stressing that 'Algeria does not borrow from us and does not ask for money,' unlike Morocco, with which, according to him, the agency 'has been collaborating closely recently', as Paris's strong partner referring to the period following the recent French position on the Western Sahara issue. According to sources familiar with the matter, the aid the French were discussing was directed exclusively to certain private Algerian schools, to strengthen the status of French in Algeria. The condition was that various subjects be taught in French, a measure that violates the laws of the Ministry of Education. However, this was subject to strict instructions from the relevant ministry requiring teaching in a Western language. The ministry also issued a decision prohibiting private schools from receiving any financial aid from France, after the issue of bogus aid was raised. Last February, a false debate erupted regarding French aid to Algeria. Extremist European MP Sarah Knafo, elected from the far-right 'Reconquest Party' led by Éric Zemmour, claimed that Algeria would receive 800 million euros each year, while refusing to repatriate its illegal immigrants, a claim that Algerian authorities considered unfounded. The French embassy in Algeria soon issued inaccurate clarifications. It indicated that the amount of French development aid granted to Algeria in 2022 was 132 million euros, the largest share of which went to scholarships for Algerian students in France, subject to conditions that did not necessarily adhere to clear and precise criteria. This issue sparked official Algerian astonishment at the time, expressed by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who addressed the French in a press statement without naming them: '…There are those who say we give them aid and money. Algeria needs only God Almighty and its children. We embrace and love our friends, and whoever wants to antagonise us, that's their business.' The Algerian Press Service also weighed in, denying the existence of French aid to Algeria and accusing the French far-right of being behind this fake news. The agency wrote: 'European Commission statistics for 2022 indicate that the total value of this aid does not exceed 130 million euros. It confirmed that 80% of this money did not even leave French territory, being paid directly to support its educational institutions that receive Algerian students, under its economic priorities. The remaining 20% financed programs aimed at promoting the French language, culture and economic interest in Algeria.' The agency also mocked French politicians who adopted this rhetoric: 'If this aid exists, Algeria would gladly give it up.'
JAMnews
09-07-2025
- Politics
- JAMnews
European Parliament faction backing Georgian Dream opposes Georgia's EU membership "out of respect for its sovereignty'
EU Parliament group opposes Georgia's membership The political group Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) in the European Parliament, known for its pro–Georgian Dream rhetoric, has initiated an amendment to the draft resolution on Georgia, calling on the European Parliament to oppose Georgia's accession to the EU 'out of respect for the country's sovereignty.' The amendment, submitted on behalf of ESN, was authored by Slovak MEP Milan Uhrík from the far-right Republic Movement, Sarah Knafo from Éric Zemmour's French Reconquête party, and Alexander Sell from Germany's Alternative for Germany. ESN includes 25 members and is a small political group. On July 9, the European Parliament will vote on the resolution on Georgia. The draft resolution states that the European Parliament does not recognize the 'Georgian Dream' government. It also calls for sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family, as well as government leaders and others responsible for democratic backsliding in the country. The document also addresses pressure on civil society, persecution of opposition figures, and this year's local elections. What amendments to the resolution did 'Europe of Sovereign Nations' propose ESN recognizes the Georgian government's decision to suspend the EU accession process as a legitimate expression of national sovereignty in the face of foreign policy pressure. ESN respects Georgia's reassessment of its strategic partnerships aimed at protecting the country's constitutional order and national interests. ESN calls on the EU to respect Georgia's constitutional order and its right to independently determine how to implement the Association Agreement without prior political conditions. ESN encourages the EU to reconsider its enlargement policy in light of recent developments in Georgia, suggesting a shift away from an automatic enlargement model toward strategic partnership agreements that respect sovereignty and the uniqueness of partner countries. ESN respects the results of the parliamentary elections held in October 2024 and considers them a reflection of the democratic will of the Georgian people. ESN acknowledges the need for Georgia to maintain pragmatic relations with neighboring states to safeguard regional stability and national interests. News in Georgia
Crypto Insight
06-06-2025
- Business
- Crypto Insight
European Parliament to vote on tech sovereignty proposal in July
The European Parliament is set to vote on a technology sovereignty proposal submitted by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) under the leadership of pro-Bitcoin lawmaker Sarah Knafo. ITRE, one of 24 standing committees in the European Parliament, on June 3 adopted a non-binding report on tech sovereignty and digital infrastructure, calling for a European policy for the digital ecosystem. The proposal highlights concerns that Europe is falling behind the United States and China in strategic sectors such as the cloud, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and communication infrastructure. The report suggests lifting barriers to private investment in innovation, promoting energy-efficient computing and blockchain infrastructure and safeguarding privacy in digital finance. Parliament vote expected in July According to the communication from the ITRE, the European Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal in the upcoming plenary session. Knafo, a key backer of the proposal, told Cointelegraph that the vote will most likely occur during the July session. 'If all the right-wing parties vote in favor of the text, and normally they should, we have a good chance to get a majority,' said Knafo. 'But left-wing parties put pressure on the center-right party to block it. We will see if they resist it.' Knafo emphasized that the report is not yet a legally binding piece of legislation and is supposed to define political guidelines only. Is the EU set for a digital revolution? 'I strongly believe that we are still at the very beginning of the digital revolution. So far, Europe is lagging behind, to say the least,' Knafo said, adding: 'We have all the talented engineers and scientists we need to catch up with the US and China. We just need a suitable political frame to let them work in Europe.' While Knafo is confident about the potential for a digital revolution in the EU, some commentators are less optimistic about the outcome. Skeptics in the French media portal Frontières expressed gratitude for Knafo's efforts but doubt whether the proposal will gain the support of a majority of the parliament's 720 lawmakers. 'Change will come from the nations. Change will come from people. AfD [Alternative for Germany], Poland, Hungary, Netherlands. It's shy but it moves,' one commenter wrote. Knafo's protest against the digital euro Knafo's advocacy for tech sovereignty follows her vocal opposition to the European Central Bank's (ECB) plans for a digital euro. In a speech to the European Parliament in late 2024, she called instead for a Bitcoin strategic reserve 'No to the digital euro, yes to a strategic Bitcoin reserve,' Knafo stated in her speech to the European Parliament last December. However, the European Union has moved in the opposite direction. ECB officials such as Piero Cipollone highlight the urgent need for the digital euro to counteract the rising adoption of US dollar stablecoins. In January 2025, ECB President Christine Lagarde also dismissed the opportunity to create a Bitcoin reserve, emphasizing that central bank reserves must be 'liquid, secure and safe.' Source:
Euronews
23-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Mainstream political groups propose overhaul of far-right tech report
Mainstream political groups in the European Parliament – the centre-right European People's Party, the centre-left S&D, liberal Renew and the Greens – are seeking an overhaul of a report into technology sovereignty presented in February by French far-right lawmaker Sarah Knafo, from the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group. Knafo's report touted six recommendations to boost technological sovereignty and guarantee the bloc's independence and security by protecting its strategic infrastructure and reducing dependence on non-European technology providers. The compromise amendments tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew and Greens, and seen by Euronews, go beyond Knafo's six recommendations, listing 21 key elements for consideration, including digital infrastructure, fibre, 5G and 6G, cloud services, AI systems and quantum. The amendments call for example for 'a coordinated EU strategy for post-quantum cryptography to protect data from future cyber threats', increased investment in digital infrastructure to enable the growth of data centres, and stronger cybersecurity protection in all critical infrastructure sectors, with stricter measures to de-risk high-risk vendors in 5G and 6G networks. 'The geopolitical landscape and the resulting opportunity for market demand for European products and services' should be seen as 'a window of opportunity to position Europe as a global leader in trusted and secure digital solutions', according to the new draft. It calls on the Commission to set out a list of critical dependencies in digital infrastructure and technologies, and to assess storage services, identity and payment systems, communication platforms, as well as software, protocols and standards that support them, and to propose measures 'to promote access to market of products and services with high positive impact on technological sovereignty, European resilience and sustainability'. These include a call to encourage more private investment in high-potential European technology companies by simplifying the regulatory framework and scrapping two regulations for every new set of rules created in strategic sectors. The amendments say that 'the simplification of EU legislation must not endanger any of the fundamental rights for citizens and businesses and hence risk regulatory certainty; Any simplification proposal should not be rushed and proposed without proper consideration, consultation and impact assessment.' The report is awaiting a committee decision, in the Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) committee, before it will be voted on in plenary, after the summer. Knafo's ESN group faces a 'cordon sanitaire' from the more mainstream political groups. The report is an own-initiative report, which means that it would force the Commission to respond on whether it will propose legislation or action on the topic.
Euronews
27-02-2025
- Business
- Euronews
EU cloud certification should mimic French scheme, says nationalist lawmaker
A pending cloud certification scheme - which European companies will use to demonstrate that their digital systems are adequately cybersecurity protected for the EU market - should reflect France's own similar scheme, according to a Parliament report on technology sovereignty drafted by a far-right French lawmaker. 'When it comes to sensitive data, a European cybersecurity criterion should be introduced that takes sovereignty into account,' according to the report, seen by Euronews, which was submitted at the initiative of MEP Sarah Knafo, who belongs to the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group. The current European Cybersecurity Certification Scheme for Cloud Services (EUCS) does not provide sufficient guarantees regarding the hosting of European sensitive data, according to Knafo. 'In order to ensure that the hosting provider is not subject to non-European legislation, the EUCS certification would have to align with the guarantees required by the French SecNumCloud certification regarding the criteria of 'immunity' of data from extraterritorial laws and company control,' the report says. EU-level discussions around the voluntary cybersecurity certification scheme descended into a political scrap over sovereignty requirements after the Commission asked the EU's cybersecurity agency Enisa to start working on EUCS in 2019. France has led resistance to the proposal and wants to be sure that it can continue to use SecNum Cloud after the adoption of EUCS. A decision on EUCS has been pending with no clear timeframe of when it could make further progress. Some believe that the Commission wants hold revising the EUCS process until the Cyber Security Act (CSA), the related piece of regulation under which the EUCS will fall, has been reviewed. The CSA, which entered into force in 2019, was up for a review last year, but this hasn't yet happened. Cordon sanitaire The report is now awaiting a committee decision, in the Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) committee, before it will be voted on in plenary, after the summer. It remains to be seen how the report will be received. Knafo's ESN group faces a 'cordon sanitaire' from the more mainstream political groups. Knafo cites six recommendations to tackle the issue of technological sovereignty, and to aim for a guarantee of the bloc's independence and security by protecting its strategic infrastructure and reducing dependence on non-European technology providers.
