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Willkommen bei Rapporteur! Jeden Tag liefern wir Ihnen die wichtigsten Nachrichten und Hintergründe aus der EU- und Europapolitik. Need-to-knows: Niederlande: Vor den Parlamentswahlen am Mittwoch ist der Wahlkampf von Polarisierung geprägt – die politische Mitte bemüht sich um ein Bündnis Spanien: Bröckelndes Bündnis – Katalanische Separatisten entziehen Pedro Sánchez die Unterstützung Gesundheit: EU erwägt Ausstieg […]

L’organe d’audit a sévèrement critiqué la mise en œuvre des réformes économiques financées par le plan de relance post-Covid de l’UE, pointant une mauvaise conception, un déploiement lent et incohérent, et des effets concrets encore limités.

The post Les réformes économiques post-Covid ont peu d’impact sur l’environnement des entreprises, selon la Cour des comptes européenne appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Qu’est-ce qui détermine le calendrier à Bruxelles ? Les vacances scolaires ou les institutions européennes ? C’est l’histoire de l’œuf et de la poule. Quelle que soit la réponse, la ville est remarquablement calme cette semaine. Bienvenue dans Rapporteur. Je suis Eddy Wax, avec Nicoletta Ionta. Vous voulez me tenir occupé ? Envoyez-moi un message, […]

The post Frans Timmermans stimulé par la controverse sur les jeunes homosexuels appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Több rendőr lesz az utakon mindenszentek előtt, fokozott ellenőrzések lesznek. A sofőröket arra kérjük, körültekintően vezessenek, főleg a temetők környékén, ahol sok lesz a gyalogos – tájékoztatta a TASR-t Lea Vilhanová, az országos rendőr-főkapitányság szóvivője.

Local media are showing images of the plane in flames on the ground with debris scattered at the crash site.

In today's edition: CAP budget, deforestation, animal transport

09:00 – 09:20 PLENARY: Net-Zero by 2050 – The Clean Industrial Deal and its implications for Europe The European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal will be the focus of this plenary session. We’ll delve into how it can translate into practice and its implications for European citizens and industry, exploring topics such as clean technologies, achieving […]

Mfor.hu: Vegyesen alakult a forint árfolyama kedd (10. 28.) reggelre a nemzetközi devizapiacon. Az euró hét órakor 388,55 forinton állt, magasabban a hétfő esti 388,45 forintnál. A dollár jegyzése 333,78 forintról 333,16 forintra csökkent, a svájci franké viszont 419,51 forintról 419,84 forintra nőtt. (MTI)

Le Premier ministre polonais est sous le feu des critiques pour avoir suggéré que les pays incapables de se mettre d’accord sur les réformes de la Convention européenne des droits de l’Homme pourraient envisager de s’en retirer.

The post Donald Tusk critiqué pour des remarques sur un retrait de la CEDH appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Plus Seán Clancy tells us about preparations to move EUMAM into Ukraine, and updates on drones, satellite cybersecurity, and the missing details of RESourceEU

Martina Holečková (SaS) parlamenti képviselő a Facebookon közzétett bejegyzésében azt állítja, hogy a Szlovák Információs Szolgálat (SIS) igazgatója, Pavol Gašpar el akart menekülni az augusztus végén történt nyitrai közlekedési balesete helyszínéről, és ráadásul fürdőpapucsban (šľapky) ült a volán mögött.

Bien que tous les enfants soient indemnes, l'attaque met en évidence la nouvelle portée de la stratégie russe en Ukraine.

The UN has raised the alarm over reports of "atrocities" committed by the RSF.

But the forecasted 10% emission cut in 2035 would be insufficient to respect global warming red lines

In today’s edition: a gay rights controversy jolts the Dutch election as centrist parties eye a comeback, Pedro Sánchez’s fragile alliance unravels after Catalan separatists cut ties, and Berlin urges restraint as EU-China trade tensions escalate over mineral export curbs

Elsőfokú meteorológiai figyelmeztetést adott ki kedden (10. 28.) 16:00 órától szerda hajnalig (4:00) a Szlovák Hidrometeorológiai Intézet (SHMÚ) a Tátra vidékeire a szélviharok fenyegetései miatt (70-85 km/ó-s szél, 110-135 km/ó-s széllökések).

In today's edition: ETS2 carbon price, critical minerals, gas flows, net-zero shipping

Les derniers médias indépendants de Serbie sont menacés. Via Telekom Srbija, le régime a pris le contrôle du groupe United Medias, auxquels appartiennent notamment la télévision N1 et le quotidien Danas. Pour les mettre au pas.

- Articles / Vucic, Médias indépendants, Une - Diaporama, Serbie, Courrier des Balkans, Médias, Politique, Une - Diaporama - En premier

Les derniers médias indépendants de Serbie sont menacés. Via Telekom Srbija, le régime a pris le contrôle du groupe United Medias, auxquels appartiennent notamment la télévision N1 et le quotidien Danas. Pour les mettre au pas.

- Articles / Vucic, Médias indépendants, Une - Diaporama, Serbie, Courrier des Balkans, Médias, Politique, Une - Diaporama - En premier

A Community Health Worker in a door-to-door campaign to vaccinate people in communities in Nanyamba village, Mtwara Region, in southeastern Tanzania. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPS

By Kizito Makoye
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Oct 28 2025 (IPS)

When COVID-19 hit Tanzania in 2020, Alfred Kisena’s life was torn apart. The 51-year-old teacher still remembers the night he learned that his wife, Maria, had succumbed to the virus at a hospital in Dar es Salaam. He wasn’t allowed to see her in her final moments.

“The doctors said it was too dangerous, and the virus was contagious,” Kisena said, gazing at a faded photo of her hanging on the wall.

Maria’s burial took place in eerie isolation. Municipal workers dressed in white protective gear lowered her body into a tomb at Ununio Cemetery on the city’s outskirts.

“Saying goodbye to a loved one is sacred, but I didn’t get a chance,” he said.

Across Tanzania, many families endured the same pain—losing loved ones and being denied the rituals that give meaning to loss. The government imposed strict measures: banning gatherings, restricting hospital visits, and prohibiting traditional burial rites. Schools shut down, and for three months, Kisena’s five children stayed home, their education abruptly halted.

“I was not working, so it was hard to meet the needs of my family,” he said. “We survived on the little savings I had.”

Five years later, as the scars of that crisis linger, Tanzania is charting a new path toward resilience. Earlier this month, the government launched its first-ever Pandemic Fund Project, aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to prevent and respond to health crises.

Supported by a USD25 million grant from the global Pandemic Fund and USD13.7 million in co-financing, the initiative marks a shift from reactive crisis management to proactive preparedness. It unites local and international partners—including WHO, UNICEF, and FAO—under a “One Health” framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

Learning from the Past

The memories of COVID-19 and the more recent Marburg outbreak remain vivid. When the pandemic first struck, Tanzania’s laboratories were under-equipped, surveillance systems were weak, and community health workers were overwhelmed.

Tanzania’s Deputy Prime Minister, Doto Biteko, said during the launch that the lessons from those crises shaped the country’s new determination.

“For the past 20 years, the world has battled multiple health emergencies, and Tanzania is no exception,” he said. “We have seen how pandemics disrupt lives and economies. Strengthening our capacity to prepare and respond is not optional—it is a necessity.”

That necessity has only grown as Tanzania faces rising risks of zoonotic diseases linked to deforestation, wildlife trade, and climate change. The new project aims to address these vulnerabilities by upgrading laboratories, expanding disease surveillance, and training health workers across the country.

The Human Frontlines

In southern Kisarawe District, 38-year-old community health worker Ana Msechu walks along dusty roads with a backpack containing medicine, gloves, and health records.

“Sometimes I walk for three hours just to reach one family,” Msechu said. “During the pandemic, people stopped trusting us. They thought we were bringing the disease.”

With no protective gear or transport allowance, Msechu faced villagers’ suspicion head-on. At the height of the pandemic, she lost a colleague to the virus. Yet she continued, delivering messages about hygiene and vaccination.

“Sometimes we didn’t even have masks—we used pieces of cloth instead,” she recalled.

The new initiative, she believes, could change that. Implementing partners plan to supply personal protective equipment (PPE), digital tools for data collection, and regular training sessions.

“If we get proper support and respect, we can save many lives before diseases spread,” she said.

“Community health workers are the backbone of resilience,” said Patricia Safi Lombo, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative to Tanzania. “They are the first point of contact for families and play a critical role in delivering life-saving information and services.”

UNICEF’s role will focus on risk communication and community engagement—ensuring that people in rural and urban areas understand preventive measures, recognize early symptoms, and trust the health system.

Between Fear and Duty

Hamisi Mjema, a health volunteer in Kilosa District, remembers how fear became his biggest enemy.

When the Marburg virus hit last year, his job was to trace suspected cases and educate families about isolation.

“I was insulted many times, and some families wouldn’t even let me into their homes,” he said.

Without transport or communication tools, Hamisi walked from one remote village to another with his bicycle, often relying on farmers to share their phone airtime so he could report cases to district health officials.

Under the new initiative, local health officers say community health workers will receive field kits, digital disease-reporting tools, and risk communication materials in local languages.

“It will make our work safer and faster,” he said. “When we detect something early, the whole country benefits.”

Fighting Misinformation

In a lakeside village in Kigoma, volunteer health educator Fatuma Mfaume recalls how rumors once spread faster than the virus itself.

“People were afraid,” she said. “They said vaccines would make women barren. Others believed doctors were poisoning us.”

Armed with a megaphone, Mfaume moved through villages trying to dispel falsehoods—often facing insults. But her persistence paid off. Slowly, women began bringing their children for immunization again.

With the new project, she hopes community workers like her will gain formal recognition and training in communication skills.

“Many of us work without pay,” Mfaume said. “If this project can train us properly and give us materials, we can fight not just disease but fear and lies too.”

Animal-Borne Threats

At the same time, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is strengthening animal health systems, recognizing that most pandemics originate from animals.

“By improving coordination between veterinary and public health services, Tanzania is taking vital steps to prevent zoonotic diseases before they spill over to humans,” said Stella Kiambi, FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases Team Lead.

These measures include upgrading veterinary laboratories, improving disease surveillance in livestock markets, and training field officers to detect early signs of outbreaks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also supporting efforts to strengthen human health systems—from expanding testing capacity to developing rapid response teams.

“This project marks a bold step forward in health security,” said Dr. Galbert Fedjo, WHO Health Systems Coordinator. “It advances a One Health approach that links human, animal, and environmental health.”

Rebuilding Trust and Hope

For Priya Basu, Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund, Tanzania’s project represents “an important step in strengthening the country’s preparedness to prevent and respond to future health threats.”

Across Africa, the Fund—established in 2022—has supported 47 projects in 75 countries with USD 885 million in grants, catalyzing more than USD 6 billion in additional financing.

According to the World Bank, every USD 1 invested in pandemic preparedness can save up to USD 20 in economic losses during an outbreak.

For Tanzania—a nation that lost thousands of lives and suffered deep economic shocks during COVID-19—the stakes couldn’t be higher.

“Preparedness is about saving lives and livelihoods,” said Dr. Ali Mzige, a public health expert. “It’s about making sure families don’t suffer when a pandemic strikes.”

For Kisena, the government’s new initiative is a quiet promise that the lessons of loss have not been forgotten.

“Maria’s death taught me how precious life is,” he said. “If this project can protect even one family from that kind of pain, then it will mean her death was not in vain.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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