Author: Mark Longyen

Development

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 28, 2024 (NAN)The Economic Community of African States (ECOWAS) has said that collaborative efforts of member states towards an integrated water resource management (IWRM) is crucial to sustainable regional socio-economic development.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Sediko Douka, made this known at the 5th Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee (MMC) of the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in West Africa on Friday in Abuja.

Douka, noted that water-related problems were detrimental to the economic and social development of the West African countries, said that there was urgent need to move to new forms of water management.

This, he said, was already contained in the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992.

The Commissioner said that, since 1998, ECOWAS member states had been fully committed to the IWRM process, which culminated in the adoption of a regional action plan in 2000 and a permanent coordination and monitoring framework (PCMF).

“This commitment to sub-regional cooperation stems from a shared political vision by all member states, as expressed in the “Ouagadougou Declaration” of 1998.

“These broad lines have successfully guided our efforts in integrated water resources management for almost three decades now,” he said.

Douka explained that the Abuja event aimed to revitalise the PCMF of IWRM and assess the implementation status of the West Africa Water Resources Policy (WAWRP) adopted in December 2008 by ECOWAS leaders.

“The WAWRP represents a unique experience in the development of a common sectoral policy for West African regional integration organisations (ECOWAS-WAEMU-CILSS).

“The meeting agenda will address issues of crucial importance for the promotion of IWRM and sustainable development in West Africa.

He described ECOWAS’ Regional Initiative for the Development, Resilience, and Valorisation of Water Resources (DREVE), as an ambitious structuring and innovative programme that is supported by the World Bank and other West African integration organisations.

Douka expressed confidence that its implementation would positively change the profile of the ECOWAS bloc in terms of sustainable development.

Also speaking, Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said that West Africa’s abundant water resources were the potential cornerstone for development.

He said that the water resources would impact positively on health, education, tourism, food security and energy, if properly harnessed and coordinated.

The minister said that by working together, ECOWAS member states could address challenges like climate change, poverty, unemployment and inequality. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Halima Sheji

Bilal Ekşi (middle) Turkish Airlines CEO receives the award plaque at the ceremony in London.

Award

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 27, 2024(NAN)Turkish Airlines has won the Best Airline in Europe Award for the ninth time at the prestigious 2024 World Airline Awards, held in London’s Fairmont Windsor Park. 

The airline, which said this in a statement on Thursday said it also won two other top awards at the ceremony, including the “World’s Best Business Class Catering” and “Best Airline in Southern Europe”

It quoted the organizers of the award, Skytrax, also known as the Oscars of the aviation industry, as saying ”Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other.”

The successful flag carrier said that Bilal Ekşi, its CEO received the awards on behalf of the company at the ceremony, adding that it also received a plethora of accolades at the ceremony.

It said this was in addition to being recognised as the “Best Airline in Europe”.

”Based on results from the independent surveys carried out by Skytrax, Turkish Airlines has been named best airline both in Europe and Southern Europe.

“These awards highlight the carrier’s exceptional service quality across its extensive network, underscoring the airline’s dedication to providing a seamless and comfortable travel experience for its passengers.

“Continuing to set the benchmark for in-flight dining and offering passengers an unforgettable gastronomic journey above the clouds, Turkish Airlines has secured “World’s Best Business Class Catering” award,” the airline further stated.

The airline CEO expressed delighted to receive the prestigious awards from Skytrax.

”Being named the Best Airline in Europe and in Southern Europe, and receiving recognition for our business class catering excellence is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team.

“As the Turkish Airlines family, we would like to thank our valued passengers, who deemed us worthy of these wonderful awards, and the Skytrax team, who put this evaluation into practice.

“With Turkish hospitality in our DNA, we remain committed to delivering an unmatched travel experience to our passengers, and will continue to innovate and enhance our services,” Ekşi was quoted as saying at the ceremony.

On his part, Skytrax CEO, Edward Plaisted, said: “We congratulate Turkish Airlines on being named the Best Airline in Europe, which for the ninth time is a remarkable achievement in such a competitive region, and demonstrates that they are a customer favourite.

“Turkish Airlines repeated earlier year successes by winning the award for the World’s Best Business Class Catering and the airline and its catering partner Turkish DO&CO should be very proud of this success.

“Through these awards, Turkish Airlines reaffirms its leading position in hospitality, service quality and extensive network, which boasts more countries than any other.

“With the addition of Melbourne route in March 2024, the national flag carrier’s network has expanded to six continents.

“The airline is also committed to sustainability in aviation, undertaking various projects to create a better world for future generations.

“Turkish Airlines continues to uphold its signature service quality, ensuring best-in-class travel experience for its passengers.”

Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Turkish Airlines, a Star Alliance member, has a fleet of 458 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 347 worldwide destinations as 293 international and 53 domestics in 130 countries.

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service.

Since inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a focus on improving customer experience across the Alliance journey.

The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, and Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 10,000 daily flights to almost 1,200 airports in 184 countries.

Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partners, Juneyao Airlines and THAI Smile Airways.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Funding

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 27, 2024 (NAN) The President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Tourey, has called on member states to mobilise financial resources urgently to fund its action plan against terrorism.

Tourey made the call in Abuja on Thursday at a meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Defence and Finance convened to activate a sub-regional standing force against terrorism and unconstitutional change of government.

He noted that ECOWAS is at a pivotal moment in its history, and stressed the need to address insecurity and establish a more secure environment for economic growth and development.

Tourey said ECOWAS had lost so much, financially and economically, to terrorism, and urged members to make additional sacrifices towards rescuing the community from terrorism and its attendant impact on national economies and wellbeing.

“Ministers, we have an urgent task to mobilise the financial resources to fund our regional action plan against terrorism.

“More than ever, we are at a pivotal moment in the history of our community to address insecurity and establish a more secure environment for economic growth and development of our community.

“We have lost so much to terrorism and for the fight against terrorism, financially and economically, both as individual member states and as a community,” Tourey said.

“This is the time to make additional sacrifices by all member states towards rescuing our community from terrorism and its attendant impact on national economies and well-being.

“And it is my conviction that your deliberations would yield fruitful results for a much safer ECOWAS region,” he added.

The commission’s president said the current peace and security situation within the community “is characterised by the recurrence and expansion of terrorism.”

According to him, regardless of the efforts by ECOWAS, terrorist attacks have expanded from their initial Sahel strongholds to neighboring coastal countries, adding that some members have lost parts of their territories to terrorists.

These attacks, he said, had led to a huge death toll, and humanitarian crises, with millions of internally displaced persons and refugees.

“According to the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, the epicenter of terrorism has shifted from the Middle East or North Africa into the sub-Saharan African region, concentrating largely in the Sahel region.

“This is the most affected region within sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for almost half of all deaths from terrorism and 26 per cent of attacks in 2023.

“Some of our member states have become countries with the highest impact from terrorism for the first time, with fatalities increasing by 68 per cent.

“A quarter of all deaths from terrorist attacks occurring globally were in Burkina Faso, while Mali is ranked the number three most impacted country,” Tourey said.

Also speaking, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, said that the event was crucial for adopting the modalities for financing and equipping the deployment of the ECOWAS counterterrorism force.

He stated that West Africa is threatened by insecurity and grave humanitarian challenges, as terrorism and violent extremism continue to threaten its collective existence.

Badaru added that collective commitment is vital in crafting a sustainable financing model to address immediate security threats and in laying the foundation for long-term stability or resilience in the region.

The minister said that the financial implication of the ECOWAS standing force proposal was huge, as it is estimated to cost about 2.6 billion naira annually to set up a Brigade of 5,000 men.

“Therefore, our gathering here today is driven by the urgent need to consider the financing options in the memorandum to be presented by the ECOWAS Commission for deploying the proposed regional force.

“Those figures underscore the gravity of the task before us and the necessity for a robust and sustainable resource mobilization strategy.

“It is, therefore, imperative that we review the options critically considering the current challenges confronting our sub-region and the financial constraints facing various member states,” Badaru said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Grants

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 24, 2024(NAN)The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) says it has awarded 26.6 million dollars in co-investment grants to 33 companies in Nigeria through its global hunger and food security initiative.

Ms Michelle Corzine, Director of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Power, USAID, announced this at a partnership meeting on Monday in Abuja.

Corzine said the grants were given through partnerships with the USAID-funded West Africa Trade and Investment Trade Hub Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment activity.

The event, titled “Collaborating for Enhanced Food Security in Nigeria,” aimed to showcase the impact of public-private partnerships on Nigeria’s food security and economic growth.

 “Through the Feed the Future Initiative, the Trade Hub has awarded $26.6 million in co-investment grants to 33 companies.

“The U.S. government is deeply invested in the prosperity of Africa, recognizing the immense potential for growth and development of the continent.

“As President Biden said during the 2022 U.S.-Africa Business Forum, ‘Africa’s success and prosperity are essential to ensuring a better future for all of us, not just Africa.’”

“Recognizing Nigeria’s pivotal role as a regional powerhouse, the U.S. government is dedicated to supporting initiatives that promote economic growth, enhance trade partnerships, and promote food security,” she said.

According to Corzine, through collaborative efforts, the Trade Hub and its partners have strengthened food systems, increased incomes, and promoted inclusive agro-development in Nigeria.

She said that these outcomes demonstrated the effectiveness of collaboration in strengthening food systems and promoting inclusive agro-development in Nigeria.

“They have catalyzed $171.2 million in private-sector investments, created over 26,000 new jobs, and generated nearly $400 million in domestic sales.

“The Trade Hub, a $116.1 million USAID initiative, aims to improve private sector competitiveness in West Africa.

“Operating in 16 countries, it targets $400 million in new private investments and the creation of 60,000 jobs,” she said.

The U.S. envoy said the grants underscored the agency’s efforts to foster sustainable economic development, adding that the U.S. was committed to Africa’s prosperity and Nigeria’s regional powerhouse role.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured panel discussions, presentations, product showcases, networking sessions, with partners sharing their successes and challenges in implementing food security initiatives.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Envoy

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 19, 2024 (NAN) Amb. Geoffrey Pyatt, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Energy Resources, said the U.S. and Nigeria are working closely toward convening a maiden Energy Security Dialogue (ESD) in 2024.

Amb. Pyatt announced this at a digital news conference on Wednesday following a U.S.-Angola energy security dialogue to strengthen U.S.-Africa Energy Partnerships in Luanda, Angola.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Angola ESD was the first in-person dialogue in sub-Saharan Africa to be held during U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration.

Pyatt said that the U.S.-Nigeria ESD would border on a broad agenda, including decarbonisation of fossil energy production, acceleration of clean energy deployment, and liquified natural gas.

He said other issues to be discussed during the event would be the challenges of the global gas market, critical minerals, energy access, grid interconnections, and partnerships.

The U.S. envoy said Deputy Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell, had discussed the prospective dialogue with Nigerian government officials during his recent visit to Nigeria, after which he took it up.

“And then I followed up at the Corporate Council for Africa summit meeting in Dallas just a few weeks ago, where I joined Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield for our meeting with the Nigerian foreign minister.

“So, I think our governments are agreed that we want this to happen. We want it to happen in 2024, and I’m hopeful that we will have an announcement in the next couple of weeks about the specific timing.

“Much like the dialogue with Angola, our dialogue with Nigeria would be built around a broad agenda, including decarbonization of fossil energy production, acceleration of clean energy deployment, LNG and the global gas market, critical minerals, issues of energy access and grid interconnections,” he said.

According to him, the dialogue will also involve a business element, whereby U.S. and Nigerian companies come together to explore opportunities and push their governments to accelerate the deepening of their energy partnerships.

He noted that for most of Sub-Saharan Africa, the number one energy priority was energy access; how to deliver the expanded volumes of energy that citizens needed to meet the aspirations for uplifting their situation.  

The envoy said the U.S. was partnering with Sub-Saharan African countries in providing massive access to energy, adding that American companies were already partners in that regard, operating in Angola, Mozambique, and Nigeria, among others.

He said the most crucial issues on the U.S-Africa energy partnership agenda include tackling climate change challenges and addressing energy transition through partnerships.

“We also understand, and this is painfully clear, in a country like Angola, where you see the impact that the climate crisis has on traditional agriculture and weather patterns. 

“And so, taking climate action and being as ambitious as we can in our targets to reduce the carbon footprint of the energy that we produce, the energy that the world needs, is job number one. 

“We want to ensure that we support, in Africa in particular, a just energy transition.

“Every country is going to have its energy mix and a unique endowment of natural resources,” he said.

Amb. Pyatt said that Nigeria and Angola as two of Africa’s largest oil producers, are important countries with a globally significant capacity to produce crude oil, hence their ESD significance.

“They are also countries whose crude oil economies have been significantly impacted both by Russia’s weaponization of its energy resources and also the role of China. 

“When I was in Angola, we talked a lot about the fact that Angola owes about 17 billion dollars to China for years and years of checkbook diplomacy. 

“So we want to talk to both governments about their role in the global energy matrix, our partnership, the role of the United States as a major oil producer, and how we see energy,” he said.

“Our energy security interests are impacted by the disruptions created by Russia’s weaponisation of its energy resources and how our producers are responding to that,” he added.

NAN recalls that the State Department had in June 2023 announced the formation of an energy security dialogue with Nigeria to advance collaboration on shared energy and climate goals, saying it would host it this year. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Justice Edward Asante, President, ECOWAS Court of Justice, speaking at the event. 

Digitalisation

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 14, 2024 (NAN) Justice Edward Asante, President, ECOWAS Court of Justice (CCJ) says the court’s digitalisation scheme of adopting Electronic Case Management System (ECMS), will facilitate access, efficiency, transparency, and speedy justice delivery.

Asante stated this at a sensitisation and training programme for lawyers on CCJ’s newly introduced ECMS in Accra, Ghana, on Friday, the court said.

He said that the adoption of ECMS, which was in line with the 2020 Practice Directions on Electronic Case Management and Virtual Court Sessions, marked a significant shift towards technological solutions.

“These innovations have now become permanent features, including online filing of legal documents, electronic service of documents, and virtual court sessions via platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, the president explained.

“The introduction of the ECMS represents a further commitment to modernising judicial processes, aiming for greater efficiency and accessibility.

“The system supports electronic filing, automatic electronic service, and comprehensive electronic management of cases.

“With 24/7 access through a user-friendly portal available in English, French, and Portuguese, the ECMS facilitates real-time case information, court notifications, and hearing schedules, enhancing transparency and reducing costs,” he said.

The President recalled that the court’s efforts to enhance access to justice through digitalisation, was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the week-long programme would enable practitioners to navigate the court’s innovative digital platform, and encourage them to fully engage with the training to harness its benefits.

Justice Asante recalled that CCJ was established by the Lagos Treaty of 1975, became operational in 2001, and its jurisdiction was expanded in 2005 to include human rights cases within the community.

He described the inclusion of human rights cases as crucial in upholding fundamental human rights, the rule of law, and good governance in West Africa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Accra programme is the second of three planned events, following a similar one in Lomé, Togo, with the final one holding later in Praia, Cape Verde.

The programme, which is conducted in hybrid format, and in the three official languages of ECOWAS -English, French and Portuguese, draws participating lawyers from across ECOWAS member states, both in person and online.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Abiemwense Moru

France supports ECOWAS’ decision on Mali, Niger, B/Faso – Envoy

Decision

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 14, 2024  (NAN) The French Chargé d’affaires in Nigeria, Jean-Francois Hasperue, says his country supports the decision of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in February lifting sanctions on Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

The French envoy stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

It will be recalled that ECOWAS had slammed sanctions on three of the Sahelian countries in 2023 following the takeover of power by the military in their countries.

ECOWAS leaders, however, rescinded the decision in February, barely a month after the three countries declared their intention to quit the sub-regional bloc and form the Alliance of Sahel States, a parallel group.

Hasperue stated that France is in support of ECOWAS in whatever it is doing to resolve the Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso imbroglio, to retain them in the sub-regional organization.

“So, when ECOWAS decided to make a diplomatic gesture towards these countries in February, we supported the decision.

“As a matter of principle, France and the European Union support political decisions by sub-regional organisations like ECOWAS.

“We did the same for the East African Community, for example, when the community was mandated to try and help in the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.

“So, regions decide their political orientation and the international community supports.

“That’s how we address issues and crises in Africa – in partnership.

“We’ve been supporting ECOWAS and all its member states in whatever they try to do to alleviate the situation, to help resolve the issues,” he said.

The French envoy explained that the decision of ECOWAS heads of state to apply sanctions on the three Sahelian countries in August 2023 was not influenced by France.

“I mean, they, ECOWAS, just looked at the situation in the Sahara region and decided that it was too much.

“The military coups d’etat were becoming too much, so they decided to try to end that, but France didn’t influence and had nothing to do with the decisions.

“I mean they (ECOWAS members) are sovereign states that make unanimous decisions for the organisation.

“They considered that the sub-region was threatened due to the series of coups d’etat.

“What these military junta were doing was a threat to the security and stability of the sub-region in terms of fighting terrorism, which they were not able to fight efficiently.

There was also the belief that there could be a spread of the terrorist groups’ activities to other countries in the region.

“And, as I said earlier, whatever ECOWAS decides, as friends, we will support the decision.

“That’s the orientation we have taken together,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

U.S. CDC director, Benue Gov. commission model lab

Lab

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 13, (2024) Acting country director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), Suzanne Theroux and Benue State Gov. Hyacinth Alia on Thursday commissioned a molecular laboratory at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Makurdi, the agency stated on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lab was renovated with funds and technical assistance from the U.S. CDC via the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Ms SuzanneTheroux said that with the commissioning done, FMC Makurdi was now a model lab for the rest of Nigeria and commended their focus on quality management.

“Using state-of-the-art medical laboratory technology, the lab can now conduct HIV viral load and early infant diagnosis testing.

“The lab can also carry out molecular tests for other priority diseases including tuberculosis, COVID-19, hepatitis, and HPV,” she said.

U.S. CDC explained that the high-quality data provided by the lab would help in facilitating integrated service delivery for patients at healthcare facilities.

It added that this would also strengthen the state’s capacity to detect and quickly respond to disease threats.

“FMC Makurdi currently tests more than 200,000 patient samples annually.

“The facility is one of the top molecular labs in the PEPFAR-Global Fund-supported molecular lab network,” the organisation said. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)

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Edited by Abiemwense Moru

NAN pledges to deepen partnership with Francophone countries

Partnership

By Fortune Abang/Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 13, 2024 (NAN) The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has pledged to partner with French-speaking countries leveraging the agency’s wide reach.

The Managing Director of the agency, Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, pledged NAN’s partnership in Abuja on Thursday when he received in his office a delegation of francophone countries’ ambassadors in Nigeria, led by their Chairman and Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Yanko Yordanov.

According to him, such partnerships will enhance media and diplomatic relations between their countries and Nigeria.

Ali noted that NAN has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and that more would be done to deepen relations with other Francophone countries.

“Your team’s visit here is the first of its kind to the agency; it is a pioneering record under your leadership.

“Beyond speaking French, it is important for us as an agency to understand and speak more than one language. It is crucial for some of us in the agency to understand and speak French.

“So we are ready to partner, not just for the language. As a management, I think we will make it a policy now for all the directors to learn French.

“It is in the vanguard of the promotion of democracy, protection of human rights, and universal rights and franchise that we have a sole aim in the agency,” he said.

Ali told the visitors that the agency has also established partnerships with many media and wire service organisations worldwide.

He listed some of them as Reuters, AFP, Russian News Agency, and Xhinua of China.

He added that the agency has plans to revive its operations in French-speaking countries.

“Our reform in the agency is to open some of our offices in French-speaking countries. We have one office in Cote d’Ivoire; we want to send our reporters to places like that and other Francophone places.

“I am sure with the partnership with ambassadors of Francophone countries, it will be a lot easier to project Africa more to the rest of the world.

“NAN is the biggest media organisation on the continent, and we used to have foreign offices across the continent.

“Up to this moment, we are the only resident media organisation from West Africa that is in the United Nations.

“We have offices in New York and Johannesburg. So this is a partnership we dearly welcome. I am positive that through partnership with Francophone countries, we will go places.

“I do not doubt that a new chapter in the history of Francophone countries interfacing with Anglophone, especially Nigeria being the leader, is opened and the group will go places,” Ali said.  

Speaking earlier on behalf of his colleagues, Amb. Yordanov explained that the group comprised 25 members, saying that ‘La Francophone’ is mostly associated with the French language.

He said that the idea and mission of the group is to promote democracy, the rule of law, and all the human values protecting the rights of all and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the United Nations.

“So as you see, a group that is promoting democracy is logically cooperating with the largest democracy in Africa.

“At the same time, we believe that when it comes to democracy, the media is one of the most important indicators we have.

“So we decided to engage with NAN as the largest news agency in Africa and a great partner of many of us bilaterally.

“We will be very grateful if we can explore more opportunities for cooperation,” Yordanov said.

NAN reports that the delegation included the French Charge d’Affairs, Jean-Francois Hasperue; Tunisian Ambassador, Mohsen Antit; Republic of Congo Ambassador, Fernand Ondako.

Others were Republic of Guinea Ambassador, Siaka Cissoko; Ivory Coast’s First Counsellor, Cisse Karim; and Bulgarian Counsellor, Margarita Nikolova. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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(Edited by Mark Longyen/Emmanuel Yashim)