European Partners Research Articles

An integrated two stages inorganic membrane-based system to generate and recover decarbonized H2: An experimental study and performance indexes analysis

This work focuses on the utilization of a two stages inorganic membrane-based system to generate and recover decarbonized hydrogen in order to meet the targets set by the European Clean Hydrogen Partnership under the Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda 2021–2027. In the first stage, a CH4:CO2 = 60:40 mixture simulating a biogas stream is used to generate a COx-free hydrogen via steam reforming reaction carried out in a tubular Pd-Ag membrane reformer, packed with a novel non-commercial 7 wt%Ni-0.5 wt%Ru/La0.3Y0.3Zr0.4Ox catalyst, prepared by solution combustion method. The catalyst was characterized by XRD, TPR and TEM techniques. The analyses reveal well-distributed active metal particles interacting differently with the support (weakly and strongly). In particular, the XRD pattern shows the formation of perovskite and nickel oxide in addition to the pyrochlore phase. This behaviour indicates a low solubility of Ni in the pyrochlore structure. Reaction measurements were carried out at a temperature of 673 K, in the total pressure range between 250 kPa ÷ 350 kPa, weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 0.2 h−1, H2O/CH4 feed molar ratio between 1.5 and 2, feeding N2-sweep gas in the permeated side. As best results of Stage 1, CH4 conversion equal to 99% (@ H2O/CH4 feed molar ratio = 2 and feed pressure of 250 kPa) and a COx-free H2 recovery of 40% were reached. In the second stage, the unpermeated stream of Stage 1 rich in hydrogen was fed to a supported Pd/Al2O3 membrane separator to further recover high grade hydrogen at the same temperature and total pressure set in Stage 1. The maximum hydrogen recovery equal to 67% was reached at 673 K and 350 kPa, with a purity of the recovered stream equal to 99.9%. The total hydrogen recovered in the permeate streams of Stage 1 and Stage 2 was equal to 80% of the total hydrogen produced during the steam reforming reaction, showing an average purity equal to 99.99%, which allowed to meet the established targets. The work further analized and discussed the experimental results of the integrated system by means of performance indexes.

Iceland and China: Strategic Partnership in the Arctic and Euro-Atlantic

The article analyses the development of China-Iceland relations which led to a full-scale political and economic partnership between the two countries, the current issues in Chinese policies towards Iceland, its plans to use the island as a starting point for expansion in Europe, Atlantic and Arctic regions. The paper explores the interests of the two states, stages of development of their relations, recent development with China's return to Iceland after three years of the pandemic, and Chinese intentions to enhance the partnership in order to extend its influence in Arctics and Euro-Atlantics. This analysis sheds light on the Chinese policy in the Arctic which is important for the future of Russo-Chinese relations in the region, and on how the Chinese entrenchment in Northern Europe may change the balance of power and interest not only in the Arctic, but in the Euro-Atlantic region. The article reveals that China, as a non-Arctic state, is striving to intensify cooperation with Iceland, but the relations in recent years have begun to sour both due to the pressure from the United States and the EU, as well as pandemic restrictions. Despite Iceland's tense relations with the European partners and the United States and the active assistance of China, in the future Iceland may be inclined to choose the United States as a strategic partner.

Editorial introductions.

Current Opinion in Anesthesiology was launched in 1988. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of anesthesiology is divided into 16 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal's Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Catherine M. KuzaCatherine M. KuzaDr Catherine M. Kuza, MD, FASA is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (KSOM USC), Los Angeles, USA. She completed her anesthesiology residency training at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine in Worcester, MA, USA and went on to complete a critical care fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, USA. She has been faculty at KSOM USC since 2016, where she served as the Director of Resident Research and Quality Improvement from 2017–2019, and in 2019 became the Director of Trauma Researcher. In 2021 she was appointed Associate Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Her areas of research include trauma anesthesiology, emergency preparedness and mass casualties, burns, critical care delirium, and post-intensive care unit syndrome. She enjoys teaching and has served as a mentor in research, anesthesiology, and critical care to numerous medical students, residents, and fellows. She has published a number of journal articles and book chapters related to trauma, burns, critical care, and emergency preparedness. She is an active member of numerous professional societies including the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). While serving on the ASA Committee of Trauma and Emergency Preparedness, she has spearheaded several multicentre trauma studies. Edoardo De RobertisEdoardo De RobertisEdoardo De Robertis is Professor of Anaesthesiology at the University of Perugia, Italy, where he coordinates the Division of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, and Intensive Care. He is the Director of the clinical university department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care and director of the Residency Program and School in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain. He is President of the European Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (ESAIC) for the two years term 2022–23. Prof Edoardo De Robertis graduated with honour in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Napoli Federico II, Italy, where he completed his anaesthesiology residency. At the University of Lund, Sweden he received his PhD. Leader of a research group at the University Federico II, Italy, and more recently at the University of Perugia, Italy, Prof De Robertis has been involved in the planning, management and coordination of experimental studies in complex animal models and clinical studies on mechanical ventilation. An innovative system of ventilation aimed at the reduction of airway dead space (ASPIDS) was developed. Prof De Robertis has been actively involved in numerous collaboration and research projects with European partners and in the drafting of guidelines of the European Society of Anesthesiology (ESA/IC). He coordinated for Italy the ESA multicentric study PROVHILO and the ESICM consensus study WELPICUS. Prof De Robertis has focused his research activity on mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients and on the management of peri-operative massive bleeding, with particular attention to postpartum haemorrhage. He is also interested in the preoperative evaluation of the obstetric patient, and in the management of neuromuscular block in pelvic laparoscopic surgery.

European Energy partners with Novo Nordisk and the LEGO Group to replace fossil-based materials in plastic production

On April 20, 2023, European Energy announced it had entered an agreement with healthcare company Novo Nordisk A/S and toymaker the LEGO Group to deliver e-methanol as a lower-carbon alternative to conventional plastic production.

INVESTMENT POLICY IN «GREEN ENERGY» IN UKRAINE DURING THE MARITAL STATE

Unfortunately, our country is at the center of the third crisis, which is related to the energy complex. Due to the constant shelling of energy infrastructure facilities, Russia, the aggressor country, is depriving it of the opportunity to use energy carriers normally and efficiently and to provide light to some territories of our state fully. Even though the countries of the European Union are moving in the direction of a complete refusal to import crude oil from the aggressor country Russia, unfortunately, such steps together with the sanction packages do not stop the latter, and the Russian Federation continues to commit atrocities on the territory of our state. Despite everything, the joint work of energy workers makes it possible to get rid of problems with power outages promptly, and if not entirely, then to significantly solve the issue of electricity supply. The stocks of the countries of Europe today are approximately 92% for the current winter period, but the negative dynamics regarding the deficit for 2023 are still taking place. It is not a secret for anyone that today, our planet’s resources are running out. If not today, then tomorrow, the “raw material” given to us by the earth will run out. However, in the future, it is not only worth it but also necessary to stay on course for the development and effective functioning of alternative energy sources because this may be the only source of light and heat on our planet. Investing in and supporting greening programs, the transition to renewable energy sources in European countries and beyond is developing relatively rapidly today. It is clear that in order to inject relevant financial resources, this or that industry is obliged to provide appropriate security guarantees both at the legal level and at the level of the investment object itself, with the help of relevant legal norms, contracts, documents, etc. However, despite the global transformation, many people willing to invest have suspended the development of solar and wind projects due to the energy crisis. The result of the aforementioned negative dynamics in the direction of investing was COVID-19 and then the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by the aggressor country Russia. Thus, activity in the direction of financial investment in alternative energy sources is lower today. However, there are prospects and future in this field in our country. Prospects and development of alternative energy sources will be a massive success in the future. The discovery of new opportunities, plans, and mechanisms for the effective use and implementation of alternative energy sources will make it possible to develop “green” energy and engage in environmental protection simultaneously. The question of investments may disappear when Ukraine wins the victory over the aggressor. New opportunities and active cooperation with European partners will help restore and rebuild our state and create an appropriate investment climate for foreign partners from Europe and other friendly countries.

Алико Данготе – самый богатый человек Африки

The article is devoted to the description of the business career and economic activities of Aliko Dangote, who for many years has been the richest person on the African continent and one of the richest people in the world, included in their first hundred. Aliko Dangote's business success cannot be attributed to chance or luck. This is a representative of a family business empire, which was founded by his maternal great-grandfather, Alhasan Dantata, a North African merchant whose activities were tied to strong and long-term relationships with European business partners. The activity of his great-grandson Aliko Dangote is connected with the production and trade of sugar, rice, food products of daily demand, however, Aliko Dangote brings super profits from his company for the production and trade of cement and other building materials. It should be noted that it is this person who will soon own the largest oil refinery in the world.

Planning and managing public housing stock in the silver economy

Many European countries have a large stock of public social housing for low- and middle-income families. The European Partnership for Active and Healthy Ageing report shows that much of this housing stock is unsuitable for the growing number of older residents with declining functional abilities, especially those needing long-term care (LTC) services. The article describes why and to what extent the problem is occurring. Also, we answer the question of what the dynamics of production of such specialized housing units for older adults in need of an LTC should be. We considered the production (masonry) of assisted living units and housing with care for independent and sheltered housing to mitigate the risk of events leading to illness and disability and thus increase the life expectancy of residents if the right housing stock is in place. The model is recommended to determine the dynamics of investment and production of such housing units. Mathematical programming is developed based on geo-gerontological projections of demand. The calculation in R provides us with the optimal dynamics of production and supply in one of the Slovenian regions. The developed model may be of particular interest to other regions and municipalities facing a housing shortage for older adults and increasing demand. The same procedure could also be used to plan the dynamics of constructing facilities in a public-private partnership or some other form of social infrastructure ownership.

Solutions for the commercialization challenges of Horizon Europe and earth observation consortia: co-creation, innovation, decision-making, tech-transfer, and sustainability actions

European Community (EC) Horizon-funded projects and Earth Observation-based Consortia aim to create sustainable value for Space, Land, and Oceans. They typically focus on addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many of these projects (e.g. Commercialization and Innovation Actions) have an ambitious challenge to ensure that partners share core competencies to simultaneously achieve technological and commercial success and sustainability after the end of the EC funds. To achieve this ambitious challenge, Horizon projects must have a proper governance model and a systematized process that can manage the existing paradoxical tensions involving numerous European partners and their respective agendas and stakeholders. This article presents the VCW-Value Creation Wheel (Lages in J Bus Res 69: 4849–4855, 2016), as a framework that has its roots back in 1995 and has been used since 2015 in the context of numerous Space Business, Earth Observation, and European Community (EC) projects, to address complex problems and paradoxical tensions. In this article, we discuss six of these paradoxical tensions that large Horizon Consortia face in commercialization, namely when managing innovation ecosystems, co-creating, taking digitalization, decision-making, tech-transfer, and sustainability actions. We discuss and evaluate how alliance partners could find the optimal balance between (1) cooperation, competition, and coopetition perspectives; (2) financial, environmental, and social value creation; (3) tech-push and market-pull orientations; (4) global and local market solutions; (5) functionality driven and human-centered design (UX/UI); (6) centralized and decentralized online store approaches. We discuss these challenges within the case of the EC H2020 NextLand project answering the call for greening the economy in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We analyze NextLand Online Store, and its Business and Innovation Ecosystem while considering the input of its different stakeholders, such as NextLand’s commercial team, service providers, users, advisors, EC referees, and internal and external stakeholders. Preliminary insights from a twin project in the field of Blue Economy (EC H2020 NextOcean), are also used to support our arguments. Partners, referees, and EC officers should address the tensions mentioned in this article during the referee and approval processes in the pre-grant and post-grant agreement stages. Moreover, we propose using the Value Creation Wheel (VCW) method and the VCW meta-framework as a systematized process that allows us to co-create and manage the innovation ecosystem while engaging all the stakeholders and presenting solutions to address these tensions. The article concludes with theoretical implications and limitations, managerial and public policy implications, and lessons for Horizon Europe, earth observation, remote sensing, and space business projects.

Exploring ‘Country Ownership’: An Analysis of Development Cooperation Practices of Selected European Partners in Bangladesh

Recognizing that the political environment that once fostered a global culture of top down, conditionality-driven aid delivery is no longer in place, this theoretically informed study provides insight into the emerging ‘aid and/or development effectiveness’ narrative. By exploring a case study of Bangladesh, it offers a nuanced analytical perspective on the role of donor agencies in managing development partnership at the country level. It interweaves a critical review of the concept of country ownership, the historical role of three major European donors, namely FCDO, DANIDA, and GIZ, and the conversation with select stakeholders to illuminate the ineptness of the ‘development effectiveness’ narrative in guiding our efforts aimed at creating a new aid architecture. In particular, our research findings call into question the assumption that donors are committed to the principles of country ownership. Contrary to the claims of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC), our study observes that the new language of development effectiveness and/or country ownership did not create a positive space for Bangladesh to manage its own development agenda. Instead of demonstrating their desire to promote self-reliant development, donor agencies and countries appear to have leveraged the development effectiveness rhetoric for advancing their own sociopolitical interests.

Candidate Countries’ Engagement with European Union Agencies – Alternative Modes of EU Integration?

ABSTRACT Decentralized EU agencies have played an important role in the Union’s institutional landscape over the last three decades. Various engagement logics and types of cooperation have previously been investigated for the European Economic Area and EU Eastern Partnership countries, but not for the five countries that received EU candidate status by 2021—Turkey and four Western Balkans countries—Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, and Northern Macedonia. Covering the period between 1999 and 2021 analysis found that 23 out of 34 agencies observed had some type of engagement with these candidates, while serving both EU’s broader foreign policy interests and advancing the sector-specific alignment of candidates. This also suggests that it is possible to frame these engagements as a form of external EU differentiation.

Coping flexibly: role reorientation and the UK’s military cooperation with European allies after Brexit

The UK faced a potential loss of influence after the 2016 Brexit referendum. Without a seat in EU institutions and absent from the Common Security and Defence Policy, London lost the opportunity to influence the trajectory of the EU as a security actor. However, the UK remains a heavyweight in European security and has focussed on ways to exercise military and security leadership unencumbered by the constraints of EU membership. It has done so by leveraging its high standing in NATO, by emphasising regional initiatives such as the Joint Expeditionary Force and by reinforcing (and, in some cases, extending) bilateral cooperation with individual European countries. Brexit-induced concerns about the trajectory of UK power and influence opened up space to cooperate with the UK’s European partners in several ways. These trends have been amplified by the UK’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Unlocking the process of collaborative innovation - Combining mechanisms of divergence and convergence

ABSTRACT In recent years, collaborative innovation of public services has become a growing research field. However, how collaborative arrangements lead to innovation remains quite unclear. We propose that collaborative innovation is dependent on processes of divergence and convergence, which are enhanced by four conditions of collaborative innovation: diversity of ideas and perspectives, learning through interaction, consensus building, and implementation commitment. The combination of these conditions is explored through qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) in 19 European eHealth partnerships. The results suggest a combined effect of these conditions on service innovativeness, which rejects contemporary views on the dichotomous nature of divergence and convergence.

Happy 25th Anniversary, EurJOC!

Happy 25th Anniversary, EurJOC!

Family Businesses: An Overview of Competencies, Challenges, And Pedagogical Solutions – The Family Business Project Proposal

This article explores the complexities of family businesses within the global economy and introduces the Family Business Project (FAB) which aims to address the unique needs of family enterprises in Asian countries, promoting competence-based qualifications. The project involves 22 international partners and aims to create a master’s curriculum, establish centers of excellence, and develop a virtual learning environment. The master’s program, developed collaboratively by Asian and European partners, incorporates diverse perspectives and experiences, ensuring its adaptability to the specific needs of each country. The methodology of the FAB Project, including virtual study visits and collaboration among partners, is discussed. Specific outcomes, such as the development of the master’s program and the creation of centers of excellence, are highlighted. A detailed analysis of specific courses within the master’s program is provided, focusing on “Family and Family Business,” “Family Business Management,” and “Accounting and Tax Planning.” These courses aim to equip students with competencies ranging from problem-solving and communication skills to critical thinking and strategic planning. This article provides a comprehensive overview of family businesses globally, introduces the innovative FAB Project, and analyses specific courses within the master’s program, showcasing a collaborative effort to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by family enterprises.

Foreign Policy: A Study on Post-2022 U.S. Midterm Elections and Implications for NATO and European Partners

This scholarly investigation critically examines the determinants leading to shifts in U.S. foreign policy post the 2022 midterm elections. The research encompasses a comprehensive analysis of domestic political influences, consequential legislative shifts, and disparate stances adopted by different political actors. Through a meticulous inspection, it seeks to explicate potential repercussions of such alterations for NATO and European affiliates. The evolving U.S. position, and its impacts on the strategic geopolitical landscape, defense prerogatives, and alliance collaboration mechanisms are evaluated. The study further aims to deepen the understanding of the interplay between domestic politics and foreign policy, accentuating the significant influence of political transitions on global alliances and strategic partnerships. Anticipated findings are projected to contribute to the academic literature on U.S. foreign policy dynamics and the subsequent implications for NATO and European counterparts. Additionally, valuable insights expected from this research may provide strategic guidance for policymakers, academics, and stakeholders vested in deciphering the complex relationships between domestic politics, midterm elections, and ensuing alterations in foreign policy. Ultimately, this study enriches the understanding of the evolving transatlantic scenario and the impact of political metamorphoses on international diplomacy and collaboration.

ВНЕСОК АВСТРАЛІЇ ЯК ОСНОВНОГО СОЮЗНИКА США ПОЗА НАТО У ДОПОМОГУ УКРАЇНІ В ПРОТИСТОЯННІ РОСІЙСЬКІЙ ВІЙСЬКОВІЙ АГРЕСІЇ В 2014 – 2023 РР.

The article examines and analyzes the main types and means of assistance from Australia to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. It outlines Australia’s priorities in the field of international security and its responses to Russia’s military expansion against Ukraine. The methodological basis of the article is based on the principles of systematic research of the modern history of international relations. Historical-genetic, comparative, and descriptive methods, as well as methods of critical analysis of sources and comparative analysis are used. The scientific novelty of the study consists of conducting a comprehensive analysis of Australia’s contribution to the resistance to Russian military aggression and monitoring trends in the development of relations between Australia and NATO states under the crisis conditions of modern geopolitical realities. Conclusions. The government of Australia considers the Russo-Ukrainian war as having significance beyond European security, taking on global importance. It declares its support and practically implements comprehensive and wide-ranging assistance to Ukraine. Among the main directions of this support are political and humanitarian measures, as well as the consolidation of international support through the establishment of sustainable cooperation with partners in areas related to ensuring national security and defense, and protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Australia, alongside its American and European partners, demonstrated its ability to contribute to the formation of international support against Russian aggression. In particular, it provided substantial military assistance to Ukraine. This is the most significant contribution from the countries of the Indo-Pacific region to Ukraine’s security.

ФІНАНСУВАННЯ РОЗВИТКУ ЕКОНОМІКИ УКРАЇНИ ЗА РАХУНОК ІНОЗЕМНИХ ІНВЕСТИЦІЙ: ПРОБЛЕМИ І ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ

The article examines the problems of attracting foreign investment to Ukraine in wartime conditions. It was shown that although the investment attractiveness of the domestic economy fell sharply during the war, its prospect of becoming a member of the European Union attracts foreign investors. Ukraine is a market with great investment opportunities. Taking into account the resource and human potential, after the war, Ukraine will be able to effectively master 70–100 billion dollars annually. The priority areas of activity for attracting investments, which have the greatest development potential in the future, have been determined: the defense-industrial complex, metallurgy and metalworking, energy, natural resources, agro-industrial complex, logistics and infrastructure, industrial production, woodworking and furniture production, pharmaceuticals, innovative technologies. The problems of attracting foreign investments to Ukraine are analyzed. State measures to improve the business climate in the country are analyzed. The possibilities of insurance of investment risks in the conditions of war and provision of guarantees by foreign financial organizations are analyzed. The investment guarantee program aimed at long-term mitigation of risks for investors, prevention or compensation of losses and facilitation of obtaining financing for the implementation of investment projects was analyzed. The program covers such risks as war, expropriation (nationalization), transfer risk and conversion risk, risk of breach of contract. It is shown that the basis of increasing investment attractiveness of Ukraine at the current stage is the fact of its acceptance as a candidate for EU membership. It was determined that the main tasks in the field of attracting foreign investments are the issue of improving the legal framework and creating a risk insurance mechanism for foreign investors. Successful implementation of FDI attraction policy requires constant cooperation between Ukraine and its European partners.

ГРАНТОВІ ПРОГРАМИ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКОЇ КОМІСІЇ ЯК ІНСТРУМЕНТИ РОЗВИТКУ: МОЖЛИВОСТІ ТА БАР’ЄРИ

The article examines the main grant tools of the European Commission for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, representatives of executive power and local self-government, education and medicine. The main possibilities of using European grants for community authorities and entrepreneurship of Ukraine are outlined. The main and largest grant programs from the European Commission are described: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Creative Europe (CREA), Erasmus+ (ERASMUS+), Digital Europe Programme, EU4Health Programme, Program for the Environment and Climate Action, Single Market Programme. The prospects of using grant instruments within each program are demonstrated. Emphasis is placed on their priorities and areas of support for the projects of authorities, local governments, representatives of business and the public sector in the member countries of the European Union and program partners. The main goals and tasks of each program are highlighted, with the areas of support in Ukraine highlighted. The sluggish process of participation of representatives of small and mediumsized businesses, local self-government bodies, executive authorities and organizations of the non-profit sector in grant programs of the European Commission is analyzed. The reasons for the non-active use of grant, irrevocable, targeted assistance from the highest executive body of the European Union are emphasized, namely: the lack of understanding among potential grant recipients about who can receive a grant for what and how, an acute shortage of professional project managers, grant writers and fundraisers, obligation of partnership. It is concluded that the involvement and use of grant instruments of the European Commission by representatives of small and medium-sized businesses, bodies of executive power and local self-government, representatives of civil society organizations, educators and doctors is an effective tool for their development, implementation of innovative solutions, interaction with partners from the European Union, as well as strengthening the spheres of economy, education, health care of Ukraine. Overcoming barriers and obstacles is possible under the condition of broad informational support from representatives of programs in Ukraine, national contact points, authorities and mass media.

Persistent Gender and Racial Hierarchies: Marriage Migration and Mixedness in Morocco from the French Protectorate to the Present

This article presents a historical and anthropological approach to mixed marriages in Morocco, tracking the continuities and changes between the French colonial period and contemporary experiences to see how attitudes towards mixed couples changed in Morocco throughout the French protectorate, in the post-independence period and the increasingly globalised world of the 21st century. This interdisciplinary approach combines historic data (primarily from a 1949 study into mixed marriages conducted by the colonial government as well as magazines, novels and memoirs) with 52 anthropological semi-structured interviews (conducted in Morocco between 2018 and 2022) with children of mixed couples and some of their parents.We examine first how the demographic make-up of mixed couples and where they choose to settle has shifted, looking at their gender split, their countries of origin, their occupations and where they met. This has diversified considerably throughout the 20th century: the individuals come from a much larger number of countries (no longer primarily Moroccan soldiers who returned from France with French women) and Moroccan women are now more likely to travel abroad. But gender still impacts mobility as the country of settlement is still often linked to the husband’s job. We then compare how in some cases legal and religious restraints have affected which mixed couples can marry. Although European men could marry Moroccan women, the French colonial authorities sought to ban European wives or partners of Moroccan men from entering Morocco because they believed these relationships would threaten the hierarchies of colonial rules. However, in contemporary Morocco migration is considerably easier for individuals from the Global North. Today the Moroccan family law (Mudawana) states that a foreign man has to convert to Islam if he wishes to marry a Moroccan Muslim woman. What is forbidden has changed, but women’s freedom remains subject to external pressures to maintain social cohesion. Finally, we examine the emotional motivations behind choosing mixed marriages, often overlooked by studies of migration, arguing that mixed marriage in Morocco has always shown a “desire for elsewhereness” and offered a space of freedom, a way to embrace new possibilities and turn away from certain social norms. In the 20th century, in the colonial and post-independence period, many Moroccan men used mixed marriage as a way to escape traditional pressures to pay a bride price (sdaq) to a Moroccan woman’s family. Some Moroccan men also expressed colonialist ideas that European women were more “evolved” and would make better partners than Moroccan women as they were more educated because of gender inequalities in access to education. This has changed due to Moroccan women’s improved access to education. But emotions are still at the heart of these experiences of intimacy across racial, national and religious borders. Contemporary and historical couples see mixedness as imbued with new opportunities to express their desire for change, for a new way of living and for creativity. Mixed marriages provide a change to re-evaluate customs and lifestyles, but these are also deeply intimate relationships born out of emotional attachment. This article reminds readers that marriage migration is, at heart, a migration for love. This love, and the feeling of possibility it offers, can be considered a threat to existing power structures. We argue that in post-independence Morocco, mixed marriages are no longer considered a threat to political power but that they still reveal the existence of persistent racial and gender symbolic boundaries. Indeed, social perception of mixed couples has shifted from a fear of neo-imperialism to a feeling of opportunities in a globalized world, but gender and racial hierarchies still prevail as significant symbolic boundaries that shape mixed couples and attitudes towards them.

Contribution of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in the Fight against Poverty in Zambia through Agriculture and Rural Development from 2010-2021

Background: The study was undertaken due to high levels of poverty in the COMESA region. It endeavoured to explore the contribution by COMESA towards the elimination of poverty using Agriculture and Rural development strategies. The objective of the study was to establish the contribution of COMESA in the fight against poverty in Zambia through Agriculture and rural development. The study employed qualitative approach with an exploratory research design and critical case sampling to choose 13 key informants to explore the contribution of COMESA in the fight against poverty in Zambia. Primary data was used from 13 key informants selected purposively using an interview guide to support secondary data. Data was analysed using thematic and content analysis. The study established that COMESA had been significant in the fight against poverty in Zambia. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) supported Zambia’s agricultural development policy formulation and implementation amongst others, establishing clear commitment to deliver on investing 10 percent of national budgets in the agricultural sector and achieving a six percent growth in agricultural domestic product. It was established that Zambia had worked with Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) through mobilisation of small-scale farmers in partnership with private and public institutions in regularising policy on staple foods, through policy outreach and research, creating market access, and building the capacity of the small-scale farmers to enable them compete in the domestic, regional and international markets. The study further established that Zambia’s livestock development received support from COMESA Livestock Unit which supported efforts aimed at driving sustainable livestock production and productivity, value addition and access to markets in the COMESA region. The Market Linkages Initiative (MLI) supported the ACTESA Secretariat and also focused on promoting growth in food staples trade in Zambia to ensure food security. Zambia through the COMESA Regional Agro-Inputs Programme (COMRAP) implemented by the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) in Zambia contributed to the improvement of rural household food security and livelihoods. The Integrated Production and Pest Management Programme (IPPM) became active in Zambia since 2014 and is an implementation mechanism of the support programme for the consolidation of the action framework under the European Union-Africa Partnership on Cotton. The study recommended that the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme should be strengthened as it continues to support investment in agricultural development in Zambia particularly enhancing support to small-scale farmers.