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NATO's future
Dutch army chief trusts NATO – despite Trump

Despite Donald Trump's repeated criticism of NATO, the head of the Dutch armed forces, Onno Eichelsheim, believes that the United States will assist its allies if needed. He says this in an interview with Sky News.

He says that the relationship at the military level within the alliance, for example between him and his American counterpart Dan Caine, is unchanged despite Trump's rhetoric.

However, he believes that Trump's harsh words are "unwise" and damage NATO's credibility when it comes to deterring Russia's Vladimir Putin.

- It doesn't help us. The best deterrent is an alliance that looks like an alliance, says Eichelsheim.

Political situation in Libya
Libya gets its first joint budget in 13 years

Libya's rival eastern and western governments have agreed on a joint budget that was developed through American mediation, writes AFP. It will be the first time in 13 years that the country has a unified budget.

The country has struggled to recover from the chaos that erupted after the 2011 Arab Spring and the death of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. It is currently governed by a UN-backed government in the west and a counter-government led by warlord Khalifa Haftar in the east.

“This step represents real progress towards coordinating fiscal policy and strengthening sound management of public spending,” the country’s central bank said in a statement.

Political situation in Djibouti
Djibouti president re-elected – for the sixth time

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh has been re-elected for a sixth term with 97.8 percent of the vote, according to official results, AFP reports. The election was held on Friday and was described as peaceful by the electoral authority.

The 78-year-old leader has ruled the country since 1999 and was able to run again after parliament last year abolished the age limit for presidential candidates. His only opponent, Mohamed Farah Samatar, received just over two percent of the vote.

Guelleh has made Djibouti a strategic hub with several foreign military bases. Human rights groups have long criticized the lack of political freedoms in Djibouti, a claim the government denies, Al Jazeera reports.