EU threatens Caribbean nations with visa reintroduction over citizenship-by-investment programs
via Algérie3602 min read
The European Union has issued an ultimatum to five Caribbean nations—Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia—demanding they cease their citizenship-by-investment programs within two years or face the reintroduction of visa requirements for the Schengen Area. These programs, which allow individuals to acquire citizenship for investments starting at $200,000, are a significant financial resource for these countries. The EU has set a deadline of June 1, 2028, for their termination. The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States confirmed that each of the five countries received a letter last month outlining the new European regulations. Prime Ministers of the affected nations met in Dominica and announced plans for a collective response, including a high-level mission to Brussels to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and other EU officials. The EU has long expressed concerns that these programs, which can grant citizenship for investments as low as $100,000, lack sufficient vetting of applicants, potentially facilitating money laundering, terrorism financing, identity fraud, and illegal immigration. Brussels and Washington also believe these micro-states lack the resources to effectively investigate applicants from distant regions like the Middle East, Eastern Europe, or Central Asia, posing a security risk for visa-free travel. The EU maintains a firm stance: without prompt
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A high-level Congolese delegation, led by Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, Minister of Cooperation and Development of Public-Private Partnership of the Republic of Congo, arrived in Algiers on Monday, July 20, 2026. The delegation met with Algerian Minister of Industry Yahia Bachir to discuss industrial cooperation. The visit, scheduled until July 22, focuses on strategic sectors including construction materials, steel, and mechanical engineering. Key Algerian public industrial groups, such as GICA, AGM, Elec El Djazaïr, and a representative from MADAR holding, participated in the discussions. The two nations aim to establish pragmatic partnerships based on mutual benefit and resource utilization, with a focus on joint projects, skill transfers, and mobilizing economic operators. Algeria's industrial expertise, particularly in cement, mechanics, and electricity, is seen as a model for Congo's industrial development. This initiative aligns with a broader South-South cooperation and African economic integration agenda, as Algeria seeks to strengthen its role as an industrial leader on the continent. The visit is part of a series of diplomatic engagements by Algeria to foster bilateral agreements with African partners, building on previous collaborations in energy and other sectors.
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