By Mark Longyen

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has called for urgent humanitarian aid to nine million community citizens displaced by conflicts and climate change disasters.

Dr Mohammed Ibrahim, Head of ECOWAS Humanitarian Affairs Division, made the plea at a mid-term consultation meeting of the regional committee for disaster management in West Africa (GECEAO), in Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, which aims to promote better coordination and harmonisation of disaster management efforts in West Africa, drew participants from across the sub-region and beyond.

According to Ibrahim, the goal of GECEAO is to develop and implement a unified strategy that builds community resilience to natural and man-made disasters.

“In recent times, humanitarian actors have raised the alarm for the escalating humanitarian needs of nearly nine million people in West Africa displaced due to increasing violence, insecurity and extreme weather events.

“People have become displaced multiple times, exacerbating their hardships.

“The increasing interest of ECOWAS in disaster risk management has mainly been driven by efforts to fulfill its peace and security mandates, including the management of the humanitarian outcomes of conflicts.

“The ability of member states to respond effectively to disasters depends on their internal response capabilities, both civil and non-civilian, and the ability to rapidly deploy such response mechanisms to emergencies before external assistance arrives,” he said.

Ibrahim noted that the magnitude of vulnerability and exposure to hazards and losses from disasters in West Africa and the Sahel is expected to increase over the next decade.

He said that countries were currently vulnerable to floods, land degradation, water scarcity, and coastal erosion, which had increased in occurrence and severity due to the adverse effects of climate change.

According to the ECOWAS Humanitarian Affairs Division boss, conflict remains a primary driver of displacement but climate change has significantly impacted migration decisions across the subregion recently.

“The overlap of conflict and climate disasters underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and coordinated responses to break the cycle of climate change and armed conflict.

“It also underscores the need to increase humanitarian access and funding that supports resilience and adaptation to climate change,” Ibrahim said.

Mrs Zubaida Umar, Director-General, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in a remark, said that Nigeria was already working to enhance disaster risk management to reduce shocks and enhance population resilience.

According to the NEMA DG, Nigeria stands to benefit from the initiative which aims to provide guidance in addressing the cumulative destructive impacts from disaster risks.

She said that ECOWAS sub-region was confronted with diverse disasters which required collective efforts with enhanced coordination to address them.

“It is also compelling to tailor emergency response that will guarantee resilience building and sustainable development because none of the phases of the disaster management cycle exists on its own without an overlapping loop.

“With this disaster scenario, the regional recovery roadmap, the regional resilience strategy, the roster of experts, among others, will have to be deployed for significant progress to be recorded in the management of disaster risk in West Africa in line with ECOWAS goal,” she said.

The Director-General, Ghana’s National Disaster Management (NADMO), Nana Prempeh, represented by Frank Nansam-Aggrey, said that Ghana was currently tackling disaster risks in a coherent and uncompromising manner.

He urged ECOWAS member states and stakeholders working to achieve disaster risk reduction to focus more on information sharing to understand disaster risks and its governance toward ensuring coordination across in-country institutions.

According to him, member states can facilitate ongoing local response efforts and provide the necessary inputs to enhance the implementation of disaster risk reduction activities going forward.

He said that historical disaster events like the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that there is no place for a business-as-usual approach to efforts aimed at reducing disaster risks and vulnerabilities.

“The reason is that disaster resilience as part of response to extreme weather events requires the cooperation, contribution and interventions of all state and non-state actors at global, regional, national and community levels.

“This is why member states need to use forums like this to coordinate in-country and external resources to reduce disaster risks and ensure the safety of our people.

“Discussions such as this will enable citizens and policy makers to properly shape policies and resource allocation to meet disaster management needs,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

(Middle): The leader of the Tunisian delegation and President of Tunisia Africa Business Council, Anis Jaziri, addressing diplomatic correspondents at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on arrival in Nigeria, while the Tunisian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohsen Antit, (left) looks on (NAN).

By Mark Longyen

A 20-member business delegation from Tunisia has arrived in Nigeria for the Nigeria-Tunisia Economic Forum, aimed at exploring and creating various investment opportunities between the two countries.

The delegation, led by the President of Tunisia Africa Business Council, Anis Jaziri, was received by Tunisian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohsen Antit, on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the nearly weeklong event, which is tagged: “Multisectoral Economic Mission in Nigeria,” will officially kick off on Tuesday and end on Friday.

The forum, which is organised in collaboration with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, is expected to boost Nigeria-Tunisia bilateral economic relations.

Speaking to diplomatic correspondents on arrival, Jaziri said the delegation’s visit was an unprecedented one by such a large group, comprising representatives from multiple sectors of the Tunisian economy.

He listed the various sectors to include construction, information technology, health, trading, engineering, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, mechanical, electrical and chemical industry sectors.

“The purpose of our visit is to create real opportunities between Tunisia and Nigeria. There are huge things that we can do together.

“Like, you know, Tunisia has very good products, very good services in many sectors. We have the know-hows, and we want to see exactly what’s going on here in Nigeria.

“We also want to see in which sectors, and in which fields, we can seal economic cooperations.

“We will also have many B-to-B meetings, and hope that these will bring together big partnerships between the Tunisian economic operators, and their partners in Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Antit explained that choosing Nigeria for the forum was strategic because Nigeria is the richest and biggest ECOWAS member state and Africa’s largest economy.

The ambassador added that Nigeria has a significant economic potential and favourable climate for investment and attracting businessmen.

He said that organising the forum in the country was part of the framework aimed at adding a new momentum to the existing bilateral relations between Tunisia and Nigeria.

According to him, the forum is the second lap of the first forum, Financing Investment Trade Africa (FITA), which was held in June in Tunisia, and was attended by no fewer than 35 Nigerian companies.

The envoy called for more trade among African countries, and expressed dismay that most African countries historically trade with other continents.

“Africa is first for Africans. So it’s true that we should, of course, deal with other people, with other continents, with other countries, but the priority is for the continent.

“So, the priority of business is between Africans themselves. Tunisians and Nigerians are also Africans,” he said.

He recalled that the earlier visit of the Nigerian businessmen and CEOs delegation to Tunisia for FITA was very successful, as many contracts were signed between various companies on both sides.

“Now, we are organising the reverse, a big delegation made up of more than 20 businessmen coming to Abuja, Nigeria, for the the Multi-sectoral Economic Forum.

“This falls within the framework of our keenness to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries in the economic and investment fields.

“The Tunisian delegation that will participate in the forum is the first of its kind and in its size from Tunisia to Nigeria,” he said.

According to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade, Nigeria’s exports to Tunisia was 35.72 million dollars in 2023.

It says that the main products exported from Tunisia to Nigeria were gypsum, salt and leather stock, among others.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Mark Longyen

A Joint Committee of the ECOWAS Parliament has proposed the adoption of enabling laws that would transform healthcare and education within the subregion.

This is contained in a Draft Report produced at the end of a delocalised meeting of the parliament’s Joint Committee on Saturday in Conakry, the Guinean capital city.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the joint committee comprises the parliament’s standing committees on Health, Education, Science, Culture, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Industry and Private Sector.

The delocalised meeting, which was held from Sept. 3-7, had as its theme: “Promoting Health Services and Education in West Africa: the Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.”

According to the draft report, the parliamentarians should make laws on education and health services that are designed to align national legislation with the subregional bloc’s provisions.

The report notes the progress so far made, and the challenges confronting West Africa’s healthcare and education sectors, and proposes incorporating the provisions of ECOWAS on these sectors into national legislation.

It also recommends that Paliamentatrians should engage in aggressive advocacy to create awareness on the challenges of health services and education in their respective countries.

The report recommends that members should also contribute to behavioural change communications among the community’s population to promote healthcare and education.

This, it says, is to enable them to make significant contributions to the promotion of robust education and health policies across the West African subregion.

The report is subject to the consideration of the ECOWAS Parliament and the Authority of the subregion’s Heads of State and Government.

“The Joint Committee recommends that MPs should promote health and education as a fundamental right for all social groups, and ensure the internalisation of international, continental, and regional instruments.

“The committee stresses the need for community MPs to undertake awareness-raising, education, and information campaigns for the benefit of the local population.

“This is particularly in rural areas where school enrollment, access to health facilities and telecommunications technologies remain low.

“As part of their legislative role, MPs are called upon to propose or vote on bills designed to bring national legislation in line with community provisions.

“They should ensure the making of laws that are favourable to the promotion of health services and education in their member states,” the draft report reads in part.

The parliamentarians also proposed the setting up of innovative financing strategies for funding and promoting healthcare and education across West Africa.

The report, therefore, proposes that member states devote 15 per cent of their national budgets to health toward ensuring that community budgets align with the commitments made in the 2021 Abuja Declaration.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Maureen Okon

Nigeria and Bulgaria recorded a huge leap in bilateral trade in the first five months of 2024, Yanko Yoldarnov, Bulgaria’s envoy to Nigeria, has disclosed.

According to him, Bulgaria’s exports to Nigeria grew by 122 per cent and imports from the largest West African economy to Bulgaria – by 188 per cent, compared with the volume within the same period in 2023.

“The figures sustained the trade surplus for Bulgaria,” Yordanov stated during the annual InvestNigeria forum, organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The forum, which is one of Nigeria’s biggest business events in 2024, was opened by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Also in attendance were the ambassadors of Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Israel, India, Kenya and Bangladesh.

Report of the event captured on the Bulgarian Embassy’s Facebook, quoted Yordanov as highlighting that in 2023, Sofia hosted the first Bulgaria-Nigeria Business Forum in decades.

The activity, jointly organised by the Bulgarian and Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, spurred a significant increase in trade between both nations.

The diplomat also highlighted as an important factor in the bilateral partnership, the development assistance provided by Bulgaria to build local Nigerian potential for the production of vaccines and other health products.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

ETIM/COA/ETS

By Mark Longyen

The United States government on Friday said that it was not planning the establishment of any military base in Nigeria.

Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Ekman, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), West Africa Coordination Element Lead, Department of Defence, made this known during a media roundtable with select journalists in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roundtable was to enable Ekman explain the purpose of his visit to Nigeria.

“Now, coming here and into the Nigerian context, I want to tell you upfront that there are no plans for a U.S. base here in Nigeria.

“I want to address that with you because I think that is a popular concern.

“I recognise that the presence of U.S. forces comes with costs and benefits, depending on the context.

“I’m here to talk about how regional security problems affect Nigeria.

“This is because Nigeria has such a capable military, and is such a dominant leader in West Africa,” he said.

Ekman emphasised that no discussions were held between Nigeria and the U.S. over the establishment of a military base as was speculated after the announcement of their withdrawal from Niger.

“I am not aware of any discussions between U.S. and Nigerian authorities on placing a U.S. base in Nigeria as a result of the Niger withdrawal.

“I want to be perfectly clear on that and I’m not surprised that some people assumed that there were discussions going on about this,” he said.

He explained that AFRICOM and the Department of Defence had been supporting the three main objectives of democracy, government, and human rights in Africa.

According to him, the support also includes mutually beneficial trade and investment, human capital development, and working with authorities on security, stability, and prosperity.

“While our objectives haven’t changed, that is, the shared objectives between the United States and our African partners, they have become harder to achieve.

“The U.S. AFRICOM, as we function here in West Africa, we do nothing by ourselves. Everything that we do is through partner-led, U.S.-enabled operations.

“So we don’t do it for our partners. We help them do it and do it better.

“It’s about exercises, it’s about training, it’s about grant security assistance.

“And then all of this builds on a strong foundation of security cooperation,” he said.

David Greene, US chargé d’affaires in Nigeria, had also in May said no plans to set up any base in the country.

“I am not aware of any such conversation, and I am not really sure whose purpose it serves to agitate on this point.

“We will continue our very strong security cooperation with the Nigerian security services, the Nigerian military, and the Nigerian government, and that will always be in a spirit of partnership and respect for each other.”

Similarly, Minister of Information and National Orientation Idris Mohammed, has refuted allegations of any plans for a U.S. military base in Nigeria.

“The federal government is not in any such discussion with any foreign country. We have neither received nor are we considering any proposals from any country on the establishment of any foreign military base in Nigeria.

“The Nigerian government already enjoys foreign cooperation in tackling ongoing security challenges, and the President remains committed to deepening these partnerships, with the goal of achieving the national security objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Idris said in a statement.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

By Salisu Sani-Idris

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has called for strengthened cooperation between Nigeria and Tanzania in shared aspirations for continental growth and unity.

Shettima made the call on Tuesday when he received former Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He explained that the call became necessary since Nigeria shares historic ties with Tanzania, particularly in their roles as frontline states in the fight against apartheid and colonialism.

Shettima, while praising Tanzania’s leadership legacy, said that country was one of Africa’s success stories.

” From Julius Nyerere to Samia Suluhu Hassan, the country has been blessed with exceptional leaders. Tanzania stands as a beacon of hope and stability in East Africa,” he said.

The Vice-President stressed the importance of stronger economic and social ties between the two nations, especially within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“With the discovery of significant gas reserves, Tanzania is on a fast track to development. If key African nations like Nigeria and Tanzania succeed, the entire continent will benefit,” he said.

He also praised the Tanzanian government’s support for Nigerian businesses in Tanzania, citing companies like United Bank for Africa, Guarantee Trust Bank, Dangote among many others.

Earlier, Kikwete, who was in Nigeria for the convocation ceremony at the National Defence College, expressed the readiness of that country to strengthen business and diplomatic ties with Nigeria.

“We value the friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and Tanzania and are committed to strengthening it further,” he said.

Kikwete acknowledged the role of the Nigerian National Defence College in training Tanzanian military personnel, expressing optimism for deeper ties in defense, trade and diplomacy.

Both leaders stressed the importance of revisiting outdated agreements and scaling up bilateral relations in the spirit of African solidarity. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

By Mark Longyen

The Joint Committee of the ECOWAS Parliament has proposed new budget reforms  for consideration by leaders of the subregional bloc.

The committees are those of Administration, Finance, Budget, Public Accounts, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research.

The lawmakers also recommended the amendment of the 2016 Supplementary Act, which bothers on parliamentary autonomy and powers to the bloc’s leadership.

This follows the adoption of the Community’s budget report by members of the Joint Committee at the end of a 3-day technical session of its delocalised meeting in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was presided over by Rep. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker, Nigeria’s House of Representatives, who is the Chairman of the Joint Committee.

The parliamentarians adopted the report and recommendations, for forwarding to the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government through the Council of Ministers.

The meeting, which began on Monday, was marked by discussions on the role of parliament in the development, execution, and control of the ECOWAS budget.

The report contained recommendations for further consultations and study of other similar Parliaments across the globe.

“It is pivotal to send a parliamentary diplomatic mission to notable parliaments with the same or similar competences, such as the European Union and the East African Legislative Assembly, to study and analyse their achievements in these areas.

“The Committee also underscored the need for a Resource Pool and Budget Framework, which will be used to examine the community budget for the effective discharge of the budgetary function of the ECOWAS parliament.

“The Committee noted the overlapping oversight functions between the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) and the ECOWAS Parliament on the community budget, and called for alignment of the legal framework to ensure synergy.”

The parliamentarians also recommended the review of its Supplementary Act to give Parliament the required powers to perform its core functions, namely, representation, legislation and oversight.

They also recommended the amendment of the Rules of Procedure for the proper functioning of parliament in discharging its functions.

The Committee also proposed a mission to embark on diplomatic engagements with the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government and other leaders toward the enhancement of the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.

Members of the Committee expressed concerns about budgetary arbitration, while indicating the need to include the ECOWAS Parliament in the budget arbitration process.

They also recommended the creation of a budget harmonisation committee comprising the ECOWAS Commission, the Council of Ministers, and the ECOWAS Parliament, to review the Community budget before it is finalised.

Earlier, the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, called on member states to scale up funding to enable ECOWAS to meet its various challenges.

Also, the Committee’s Chairman, Kalu had assured that parliament would be transparent in the use of funds.

Kalu said this would be achieved through meaningful engagements with critical stakeholders like the ECOWAS Commission and the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC).

The Committee is responsible for matters relating to adoption of community budget; examining the draft annual budget of the Parliament; monitoring financial and administrative management in the parliament.

The Committee is also charged with the task of evaluating the effectiveness of implementing policies financed by the Community and controlling the execution of the Parliament’s budget.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

By Mark Longyen

Sen. Osita Izunaso, a legislator of the 6th ECOWAS Parliament has called for election of members directly by their constituents, rather than through nomination by their countries as it is today.

Izunaso, the First Rapporteur of  the parliament’s Joint Committee on Public Accounts, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abidjan.

NAN reports that Izunaso (APC-Imo West) is a fourth-term senator, and longest serving lawmaker from the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones in the Nigerian senate.

Speaking on the sidelines of the parliament’s joint committee on administration, budget, finance, public account, macroeconomic policy,  and economic research meeting, he suggested the amendment of the Supplementary Act for that purpose.

“The direct election of members to the ECOWAS Parliament is long overdue.

“We must borrow a leaf from the European Parliament, where members are elected directly by their constituents.

“I think we have to work out a framework for the direct election of members to the ECOWAS Parliament.

“That will go a long way in solving most of the problems of the parliament, and I strongly believe in it.

“I spoke about it when I was making my contributions and I believe that is the best way to go.

“The modalities have to be worked out, and it is one of the issues we are going to agree on in this conference.

“The committee that is in charge will be given that responsibility to work out a framework on how to hold direct elections to ECOWAS Parliament.

“When that happens, I’m sure more powers will be given to the Parliament,” he said.

Izunaso noted that through direct elections, the people’s representatives to the parliament will be elected directly, whether they have been parliamentarians or not.

According to him, it has to be open for people who want to contest to do so because it is not only parliamentarians who have repository of knowledge.

The lawmaker said there were non-parliamentarians that are more knowledge, who might even make better contributions if they were elected into the Parliament.

“The benefit of electing ECOWAS parliamentarians directly is that it will give them more authority, they’ll have more powers, they’ll have more checks and balances.

“This is as enshrined in the principles of Separation of Powers, because when you hold direct elections, you give more powers to the legislature.

“So, it will more beneficial to the ECOWAS sub-region than it is today,” the senator said.

Izunaso also called for the amendment of the Supplementary Act to give total legislative authority to the ECOWAS Parliament, stressing that there were a lot of gaps that needed to be closed.

He observed that a situation where the ECOWAS Parliament does not have legislative powers with regards to budgeting, it would not augur well for the community.

“So, we are proposing that the Supplementary Act be amended to give more powers to the ECOWAS Parliament, in terms of budgeting and also auditing.

“This is because if you have a parliament that does not exercise legislative duties, then there’s a gap, something is missing somewhere,” he said.

The parliamentarian also proposed that the amendments should include mandating that some key appointments in the ECOWAS parliament be subjected to parliamentary confirmation.

He suggested that the appointment of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the commissioners, and other top management staff should be subjected to parliamentary confirmation.

On the threat of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to exit ECOWAS, the lawmaker said their exit would bring about the dual challenges of funding and exclusion.

“So, it’s not only about the need for more funding, but it’s more of inclusivity; If we say we are ECOWAS, every part of ECOWAS should be together.

“We’re not happy that any one of our member countries would want to pull out, because the more we are, the merrier, so we want them back.

“But I believe that the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of Government are working towards resolving the issues,” Izunaso added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)