#Gaza #EUCO @reuters.com

We’re happy to welcome to our #VOICEGA25 @barryandrewsmep.bsky.social for an exchange with our VOICE members. 🗨️ “With crises like what’s happening in #Gaza on our screens day after day, it shouldn’t take much to convince anyone that #humanitarian innovation must be a priority.” #HumanitarianAction

This is welcome news from the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia but it is long overdue. Both of these far-right Ministers have consistently spoken in favour of the starvation of Palestinians and the expulsion of Palestinians from their land, both of which are war crimes.

Very good meeting today with @eirgrid.bsky.social in Dublin to discuss the role of the grid in Europe's energy transition. Ireland's potential in this area is vast - now it's time to focus on delivery.

Great to chat to @padamson.bsky.social about EU-UK relations after the summit, the EU's new 'deregulatory' agenda, and the Irish Presidency of the Council in 2026. Listen here 👇

This week at the European Humanitarian Forum, I spoke about the state of humanitarian diplomacy at a time when the narrative around aid is shifting.

If EU diplomats can be the target of the IDF in the West Bank, imagine how the Palestinians are treated. Netanyahu says he is engaged in a war of civilisation over barbarism, but the civilised world has concluded that it is the IDF that is engaged in a campaign of barbarism.

Thanks to the @nrc-global.bsky.social for inviting me to a roundtable today to discuss defending humanitarian principles in times of crisis.

Many of my colleagues and I called on the @ec.europa.eu today to approach next week's EU-UK summit with maximum ambition. Extensive EU-UK co-operation will make Europe stronger, safer, and more prosperous 🇪🇺🇬🇧

Today we had Commissioner @hadjalahbib.bsky.social in the DEVE Committee, where she highlighted the urgent need for a principled approach to humanitarian aid. Several MEPs raised the urgency of having a framework for fragile states and the importance of the EU responding to the withdrawal of USAID.

There is zero political cost to cutting development aid, just look at the US & several EU Member States.

The 1st panel discusses reform of the Global Financial Architecture 🇺🇳🇪🇺 🔸Shari Spiegel UNDESA 🔸Charles K. Maboshe Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Brussels 🔸 @barryandrewsmep.bsky.social @reneweurope.bsky.social 🔸 @mariaronbalsera.bsky.social @cesr.bsky.social 🔸Maria João Rodrigues FEPS Pres

📸 ECDPM's Katja van der Meer speaks on the importance of ODA with EP DEVE Chair @barryandrewsmep.bsky.social and DG of DG INTPA Koen Doens, organised by the Pandemic Action Network and ODI Europe. Katja on the impact of EU gender policy in the NDICI-Global Europe framework 👉 bit.ly/3L4zT8d

Delighted to take part in last night's rugby game with the European Parliament's own team 🏉🇪🇺 Many thanks to @president.europarl.europa.eu for her support!

A balanced foreign policy means investing not just in defence, but in diplomacy, development and humanitarian aid.

The UK is not just a partner of the EU; it's a like-minded, strategic ally. I called on the European Commission to approach the upcoming EU-UK summit with maximum ambition. We need to see progress on trade, energy, youth mobility, and finance. It is in our towering interest to work together 🇪🇺🇬🇧

Great to meet the Banking & Payments Federation of Ireland today in Brussels to discuss payment fraud, the digital euro, and the Savings and Investment Union. The Irish banking sector's experiences provide important learning opportunities and viewpoints for the European financial community.

Tomorrow at noon from the EU Parliament in Brussels, @aine-lawlor.bsky.social will be speaking to: @barryandrewsmep.bsky.social (Fianna Fáil MEP) @lnbdublin.bsky.social (Sinn Féin MEP) Regina Doherty (Fine Gael MEP) About #Trade #Gender and #Defence #RTETWIP airs tomorrow @rteone.rte.ie

Great to host industry partners and colleagues from the European Commission and the Council to discuss how the EU can safeguard its subsea cables.

I spoke on the Tonight Show last night about yesterday's developments on tariffs. Watch or listen below 👇

The EU responded to US President Trump today with €22 billion in retaliatory tariffs. I spoke to Claire Byrne this morning about the impact of tariffs for the European and Irish economy 👇

The execution of paramedics and the burying of an ambulance must count among the darkest episodes of this war. Israel must understand that there is no military solution that can resolve the Palestinians' right to self-determination. Violence feeds only more violence. #EPlenary

Around the world today, human rights are in retreat and the rule of law is under siege.

Those in the US and Europe who believe that development aid is not in their interest must understand that the next pandemic will not respect borders. Aid agencies are afraid to speak out because they might lose their funding if they do. I spoke about this to Prime Time last week 👇

If Ireland wants to become a wind energy superpower, we need a super-powered grid. My piece in today’s Irish Times outlines the steps we must urgently take to support Ireland in its transition away from fossil fuels. Read it here: 👇 www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

Had a very interesting few days in Paris at the Nutrition For Growth Summit to discuss the global malnutrition crisis 🍎 Engagements began with a briefing with Commissioner @hadjalahbib.bsky.social and DG INTPA, followed by sessions on sustainable food systems, financing, and women's nutrition.

Good discussion with Commissioner @hadjalahbib.bsky.social and my fellow DEVE MEPs about fragility, the next MFF, and malnutrition at #N4GParis today.

I call on the authorities of Pakistan to immediately release Sammi Baloch, Mahrang Baloch, Bebarg Zehri and others. I met Sammi when she received the FLD award for human rights defenders and was inspired by her work with victims and relatives of enforced disappearances in #Balochistan.

It was great to host the first official engagement of this parliamentary term between the World Bank Group and MEPs. (1/3)

My father turned 90 this week and was delighted to visit his great friend Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin to reminisce about their time together in Leinster House

Es el momento de seguir fortaleciendo el proyecto europeo y la posición de la UE en el mundo. En el Parlamento Europeo me he reunido con los presidentes de las comisiones de Exteriores, David McAllister; Comercio Internacional, Bernd Lange; y Desarrollo @barryandrewsmep.bsky.social.

Today I had a meeting with Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister, @jmalbares.bsky.social 🇪🇸🇪🇺 A very productive discussion on the future of development financing in light of the recent USAID suspension and EU Member State cuts to overseas aid.

Today concluded the fifth meeting of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly. The meetings began with a warm Irish welcome from me to Executive Vice-President @marossefcovic.bsky.social and UK Minister for Europe Nick Thomas-Symonds, who complimented my green tie for St. Patrick's Day ☘️

Today I am attending the 9th Brussels-Syria Conference. Hoping to hear generous pledges to help the people of Syria. Recent violence has shown the fragility of the transition in Syria and there are 16 million Syrians who require humanitarian assistance.

Yesterday, I attended a water and climate reception in Buckingham Palace hosted by King Charles in support of @wateraid.bsky.social. Almost one in ten people across the world don't have access to clean water close to home, and climate change is making the situation worse.

The US, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium... the list goes on of countries who are cutting their development aid budgets. The EU is surrendering soft power and influence at an industrial scale. Several EU Member States, along with the US, have cut development aid budgets and replaced them with nothing.

I'm in London today for several meetings ahead of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly in Brussels next week. I will be visiting the Irish Embassy & then will attend a reception hosted by King Charles in Buckingham Palace for @wateraid.bsky.social

The recent horrific violence in northwest Syria demonstrates that the path to peace in the region will not be straightforward. The 9th Brussels Syria Conference comes at a critical moment—not only amid regime change but also in the wake of a collapse in international aid.

This is what the ceasefire means: 👉 100 people have been killed in Gaza since 19 January 👉 Israel has shut off electricity & halted all humanitarian aid into Gaza 👉 The Knesset is pushing to cancel the Oslo Accords 👉 The West Bank is now being Gaza-ified #EPlenary

The Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific regions, Small Island Developing States, and Overseas Countries and Territories are key partners of the EU.

Today I asked Commissioner for Defence and Space @andriuskubilius.ec.europa.eu how the EU can better coordinate better on technology to protect Ireland's extensive subsea cable infrastructure to ensure we don’t duplicate our efforts.

It was a pleasure to host my Dublin @fiannafailparty.bsky.social colleagues in the European Parliament today. I was joined by TDs Cormac Devlin, Paul McAuliffe, Catherine Ardagh, and Shane Moynihan, along with Senators Mary Fitzpatrick and Lorraine Clifford.

Fantastic to welcome @reneweurope.bsky.social Group President @valeriehayer.bsky.social to Dublin today for an important meeting with An Taoiseach @micheal-martin.bsky.social. Talks focused on aligning our shared priorities as we look ahead to Ireland's 2027 Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Final day in Tanzania with the DEVE Committee 🇹🇿🇪🇺 Today we visited Pemba where we saw several EU/Member State funded projects: 👉 Solar panels for water pumping 👉 Water supply systems 👉 A primary school where sanitation services & public spaces are to be built

The announcement by British PM Keir Starmer to reduce the UK aid budget is disastrous for millions of people worldwide & is an illustration of the grim situation facing the development sector right now. A massive rethink is needed in the area of Overseas Development Aid.

Special thanks to Ambassador Nicola Brennan and her team for hosting the European Parliament Delegation to Tanzania this evening.

First day in Tanzania with the DEVE Committee. Thank you to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Cosato MP David Chumi, and the several human rights CSOs who made the time to meet with our delegation.

Pleased to see that the @consilium.europa.eu has suspended restrictions on key economic sectors in Syria, including energy, transport & banking. Syria must be able to build financial independence and avoid reliance on external actors like Russia for printing its currency.

It has been 20 years since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake & tsunami. It's important to share best practices when it comes to disaster risk reduction, particularly as the development sector is facing an unprecedented crisis right now. With thanks to Commissioner @hadjalahbib.bsky.social.

The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo is getting worse by the day. MEP @hildevautmans.bsky.social & I today had a meeting on the humanitarian situation in the DRC and heard from those who are working on the ground there. (1/2)