MUNICH: Europe must assume more responsibility for its own security, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told a security conference in Munich on Saturday.
“Europe needs to step up and has to take on its responsibility” for its security, she told the Munich Security Conference.
“Europe’s security was not always been seen as our primary responsibility,” she said.
“We must grow a European backbone of strategic enablers: in space, intelligence and deep strike capabilities,” she said.
“No taboo can go unchallenged,” she said, referring notably to the use of a collective commitment by EU member states to defend one another in the event of aggression.
“I believe the time has come to bring Europe’s mutual defense clause to life.”
Europe has already embarked on a historic rearmament effort to have a credible defense by 2030, following threats by the US to reduce their investment in NATO, and to prepare for a potential conflict with Russia.
Europe needs to take on its responsibilities on security: EU chief
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Europe needs to take on its responsibilities on security: EU chief
Senegal ex-minister faces $2.7m embezzlement probe
- At least five of Sall’s ministers have since been referred to the west African country’s High Court of Justice
- The National Assembly voted on Friday to refer former communications and digital affairs minister Moussa Bocar Thiam to the court
DAKAR: Senegal’s parliament on Friday referred a former minister to a special court for allegedly embezzling millions in taxpayers’ cash, in the latest case targeting a member of ex-president Macky Sall’s government.
Since unseating Sall in March 2024, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko have repeatedly accused their predecessors of mismanaging the public purse, pledging to bring them to justice.
At least five of Sall’s ministers have since been referred to the west African country’s High Court of Justice, which is responsible for trying former members of government over crimes committed while in office.
The National Assembly, which is overwhelmingly dominated by Faye and Sonko’s ruling Pastef party, voted on Friday to refer former communications and digital affairs minister Moussa Bocar Thiam to the court over a contract for a digital technology park.
According to a parliamentary report, the contract’s execution showed “serious indications and presumptions of a nature to justify criminal proceedings against Minister Moussa Bocar Thiam for criminal conspiracy, embezzlement of public funds to the tune of 1,476,482,766 CFA francs ($2.7 million) and money laundering.”
The ex-minister replied on social media to denounce the process as “without legal basis,” adding that he would fight the matter in court.
After a hearing, the High Court of Justice’s investigating committee will decide whether to bring Thiam to trial. The tribunal’s rulings cannot be appealed or reviewed.
