The Nation Newspaper

Category: Foreign

  • Why FBI Director Gray’s visit matters

    Why FBI Director Gray’s visit matters

    • By Kayode Adebiyi

    Contrary to the narrative of John Grisham’s fictional thriller, The Racketeer, this was a real-life, long-overdue gesture of genuine friendship and partnership, a testament to the shared interest in combating trans-border crimes that pose a significant global threat.

    The visit of one of the longest-serving Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) directors, Mr. Christopher Wray, to Nigeria last week signalled a new era in cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.

    With the increase in the growth and sophistication of trans-border crimes and criminal networks in such crimes as cybercrimes, online fraud, trafficking in illicit drugs and money laundering and illicit transactions, government agencies across the world are working closer for solutions.

    Wray’s historic visit to Nigeria, marked by his courtesy calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu, was a significant milestone. This was not only his first visit to Africa in his seven years as FBI director but also a testament to the growing importance of Nigeria in the global fight against trans-border crimes.

    Equally significant was Wray’s inaugural visit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he held a crucial meeting with the Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.

    This meeting, the first of its kind, underscored the importance of international cooperation in combating trans-border crimes and the confidence in the EFCC’s renewed anti-corruption efforts under Olukoyede’s leadership.

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    There are perhaps a dozen anti-corruption agencies in Africa, notable among them the EFCC, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks; the Kenyan Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC); the Ghanian Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO); and the Sierra Leonean Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), among others. Wray, however, visited only two – the EFCC and the EACC.

    Wray’s visit also aims to strengthen the partnership between the FBI and the EFCC. In his remark during the visit, Wray said, “We have had a relationship over the years, and this is a reflection of how stronger than ever we are looking forward to taking our partnership to higher and higher levels in tackling threats that affect the people of Nigeria and the people of the United States.”

    In response, Olukoyede said in the fight against the “bad guys” and trans-border crimes, the Commission was “willing to continue and develop ideas that would be of mutual benefit to both agencies and ensure that the issue of cybercrime will take utmost priority in our scale of preference and also ensure that sextortion that has become a major challenge to us is taken very seriously.”

    Wray’s visit takes on a special meaning in the context of statistics showing that apart from rising cybercrimes, illicit drugs and small arms, illicit financial flows also cost Africa around $88.6 billion yearly.

    Security analysts hope a deeper collaboration between the FBI and the EFCC will improve capacity building and intelligence sharing.

    And that means that the Malcolm Bannisters of this world, the fictional character in Grisham’s book, will have a hard time in the future.

  • I’m passionate about empowering women to thrive in fintech – Thembi Shilenge

    I’m passionate about empowering women to thrive in fintech – Thembi Shilenge

    Shilenge Thembi Portia, a known entrepreneur in South Africa’s business world is making waves in two exciting areas: cryptocurrency and financial technology for women.

    Shilenge, who is the CEO of Crypto Dimensions, began her crypto journey in 2016, a time when the digital currency market was far less mainstream. Her early adoption of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets has positioned her as a leader in the space. But Thembi’s vision extends beyond personal success. She is passionate about empowering others, particularly women, to thrive in the fintech industry. Thus Fems in Tech was found.

    Through her initiative, Fems in Tech, she is fostering a community of female entrepreneurs and innovators who are shaping the future of finance.

    Fems in Tech isn’t just about building businesses; it’s about creating real-world impact. The group actively collaborates and seeks solutions that promote financial inclusion and diversity within the fintech sector.

    Their efforts are paving the way for a more equitable financial landscape.

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    Thembi’s commitment goes beyond the boardroom. As a member of the Mmakaunyane (MMK) Community, she recently led a heartwarming initiative on Children’s Day. Fems in Tech members visited a clinic and school for disabled children, providing meals and support to those in need.

    At 31, Thembi Shilenge is a true inspiration. Her journey from a “worker earning R10k” to a successful crypto trader and philanthropist is a testament to hard work, dedication, and a passion for making a difference.  

    She is a shining example of the power of embracing new technologies and empowering others, especially women, to achieve their full potential.

  • Forcibly displaced population doubles to 120m in decade

    Forcibly displaced population doubles to 120m in decade

    One in 69 people worldwide remains forcibly displaced as a result of conflict, violence, persecution and human rights violations.

    At least 117.3 million people, or one in 69 individuals worldwide, remain forcibly displaced, according to a report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) yesterday.

    Forced displacement as a result of conflict and violence, persecution and human rights violations, has continued to rise in the first four months of 2024 and is likely to have surpassed 120 million by the end of April 2024.

    Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees said, “Behind these stark and rising numbers lie countless human tragedies. That suffering must galvanise the international community to act urgently to tackle the root causes of forced displacement.”

    Of the 117.3 million forcibly displaced, 68.3 million are internally displaced within their own countries due to conflict or other crises, such as Gaza where the UN estimates about 75 percent of the population, or more than 1.7 million people have been displaced by Israel’s continuing assault.

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    The number of refugees who crossed international borders, in 2023 rose by seven percent to 43.4 million. The increase is driven by displacement in Sudan and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and other regions.

    The number of asylum seekers – people seeking protection in another country due to persecution or fear of harm in their home country – waiting for a decision stood at 6.9 million, an increase of 26 percent from the previous year.

    In 1951, the UN established the Refugee Convention to protect the rights of refugees in Europe in the aftermath of World War II. In 1967, the convention was expanded to address displacement across the rest of the world.

    When the Refugee Convention was born, there were 2.1 million refugees. By 1980, the number of refugees recorded by the UN surpassed 10 million for the first time. Wars in Afghanistan and Ethiopia during the 1980s caused the number of refugees to double to 20 million by 1990.

    US politics, Canada’s multiculturalism, South America’s geopolitical rise—we bring you the stories that matter.

    However, the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, together with the civil wars in South Sudan and Syria, resulted in refugee numbers exceeding 30 million by the end of 2021.

  • G7 states agree $50b loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets

    G7 states agree $50b loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets

    Group of seven (G7) states have agreed to lend Ukraine $50 billion using money generated from frozen Russian assets, diplomats said yesterday at the first day of G7 Summit in Italy.

    War-ravaged Ukraine is to use the loan package to strengthen its military defence against Russia, pay for the reconstruction of infrastructure and funding for Ukraine’s state budget.

    The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    The U.S. government says around $280 billion of Russian Central Bank money has been immobilised in Western countries due to sanctions imposed since the full-scale Russian attack on Ukraine more than two years ago.

    The bulk of the money is within the European Union.

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    The bloc’s member states recently approved the use of interest income generated from Russian state assets to finance aid for Ukraine.

    The Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear, by far the largest holder in the EU of frozen Russian central bank assets – recently said that it had collected around 4.4 billion euros ($4.7 billion) in interest in 2023.

    Planning for the structure of the loan package has been under way for months.

    The United States (U.S.) had originally campaigned in favour of collecting not only the interest income, but also the frozen assets themselves and using them to provide financial support to Kiev.

    Some European capitals, however, had major reservations about this.

    G7 leaders are meeting for a summit in southern Italy from Yesterday to Saturday.

  • China blasts ‘indiscriminate’ U.S. sanctions on Russia’s war economy

    China blasts ‘indiscriminate’ U.S. sanctions on Russia’s war economy

    The Chinese Foreign Ministry sharply criticised a new package of U.S. sanctions targeting the Russian war economy, including Chinese companies accused of aiding the invasion of Ukraine.

    “We call on the United States (U.S.) to stop the indiscriminate, illegal, unilateral sanctions,’’ said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian in Beijing yesterday.

    She said that China was neither a party nor the cause of the Ukraine crisis and that Beijing would act to protect the rights of Chinese companies and citizens.

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    China has forged strong ties with Russia since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    Washington said that while Beijing may not directly provide weapons for Moscow’s campaign, it has become a critical lifeline for Russia’s sanctioned economy and its military.

    On Wednesday, a day before G7 leaders gathered in southern Italy to discuss Ukraine, the Biden administration announced it was imposing 300 new Russia-related sanctions.

    Among them were multiple Chinese and Hong Kong-based companies, with the U.S. alleging some of them sent dual-use items that could be used in Russian military equipment?

  • APRA commiserates with PR society, citizens, Malawi govt over plane crash

    APRA commiserates with PR society, citizens, Malawi govt over plane crash

    The African Public Relations Association (APRA) has expressed its condolences to the Public Relations Society of Malawi (PRSM), an institutional member of APRA, the citizens and Malawi government over the tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of the country’s Vice President, Dr. Saulos Chilima, and nine others on June 10.

    In a condolence letter dated June 11, and addressed to Benson Linje, the President of PRSM, the continental association described the incident as a “huge loss, not only to the people of Malawi but also to the African continent”.

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    The letter reads: “We write to express our profound shock and sadness at the tragic plane crash that caused the death of Dr. Chilima and nine others on Monday, June 10, 2024. On behalf of the APRA, we extend our heartfelt condolences to you, our colleagues in the Public Relations Society of Malawi, and the great people of Malawi.

    “As always and especially this time of national mourning, we stand in solidarity with the people of Malawi. We share in the pain and the grief at tending this huge loss, not only to the people of Malawi but to the African continent.

  • EU fines Hungary 200m euros for flouting asylum laws

    EU fines Hungary 200m euros for flouting asylum laws

    European Union’s (EU) top court yesterday fined Hungary 200 million euros ($216 million) and imposed a daily one-million-euro penalty for failing to follow the bloc’s asylum laws and illegally deporting migrants, a decision Budapest slammed as “unacceptable”.

    The fine and penalty were because Hungary “is deliberately evading” compliance with the European Union laws despite a 2020 ruling that it must uphold international procedures for asylum seekers, the European Court of Justice said.

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    “Since this failure to fulfill obligations constitutes an unprecedented and exceptionally serious breach of EU law, the Court orders Hungary to pay a lump sum of 200 million euros and a penalty payment of one million euros per day of delay,” it said in a statement.

    Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is frequently at loggerheads with Brussels, immediately voiced outrage.

    “The ECJ’s decision to fine Hungary with 200M euros plus 1M euros daily(!!!) for defending the borders of the European Union is outrageous and unacceptable,” the nationalist premier wrote on X.

    “It seems that illegal migrants are more important to the Brussels bureaucrats than their own European citizens,” he added.

  • Tinubu administration on course, says don

    Tinubu administration on course, says don

    By Emmanuel Oladesu

    An American-based Professor of Medicine and philanthropist, Prof. Emeka Umerah, has said that the Tinubu administration is on course.

    He congratulated President Bola Tinubu for living to expectation in the last one year.

    Umerah, who congratulated Tinubu and Nigerians in the occasion of 25 years of democracy, recalled the sacrifices by the heroes and heroines of the democratic struggle.

    He said they will not be forgotten for fighting for the de-annullment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola.

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    Umerah said in a statement that Nigerians are enjoying the fruits of the titanic battles by the heroes and heroines.

    They include Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Pa Alfred Rewane, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, President Tinubuvand others.

    The don saluted the courage of the eminent 49 persons representing various pro-democracy groups, who were the founding fathers of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).

    Umerah commended President Tinubu for his administration’s bold economic reforms, which wilk soon translate to prosperity and abundance.

    He said the planned new minimum wage, would ease workers’ burden and stimulate the economy.

  • EU court orders Hungary to pay €200M fine over asylum policies

    EU court orders Hungary to pay €200M fine over asylum policies

    Hungary has been ordered by the European Court of Justice to pay a fine of 200 million euros (216 million dollars) and a further one million euros per day for failing to comply with the bloc’s asylum rules.

    The ruling followed a previous court judgement in December 2020 concerning procedures for granting international protection and returning third-country nationals.

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    According to a court statement released on Thursday, the failure to implement that judgement “constitutes an unprecedented and extremely serious infringement of EU law’’.

    The judges ruled that Hungary has not taken the measures necessary to comply with the 2020 judgment as regards access to the international protection procedure.

    “The right of applicants for international protection to remain in Hungary pending a final decision on their appeal against the rejection of their application and the removal of illegally staying third-country nationals.’’ (dpa/NAN) (

  • US, UK launch fresh strikes on Yemen’s Hudaydah

    US, UK launch fresh strikes on Yemen’s Hudaydah

    Yemen’s al-Masirah television channel reported on Wednesday night that the strikes targeted the al-Jabana area, home to an air defense camp.

    The report provided no information about possible casualties or damage.

    The US and its allies have been bombing Yemen in recent months in violation of the country’s sovereignty and international law.

    The illegal air raids came in response to Yemen’s maritime campaign in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

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    In the pro-Palestine campaign, Yemeni forces have targeted ships going to and from ports in the occupied territories, or whose owners are linked to Israel, in the southern Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Gulf of Aden, and even in the Arabian Sea. They have also attacked American and British vessels in the same waters.

    Regional tensions escalated after Israel waged a US-backed genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 following a historic operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group against the occupying regime.

    So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 37,202 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 84,932 others in the besieged Gaza.

    Newsnow