FRANCE has killed the leader of the Islamic State group in the Greater Sahara, Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, French officials said yesterday.

They called him “enemy No. 1” in protracted anti-terrorism efforts in the region.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the death of al-Sahrawi overnight.

According to Macron’s office, al-Sahrawi personally ordered the killing of six French aid workers and their Nigerien colleagues last year.

He added that the militant group’s leader was behind a 2017 attack that killed U.S. and Niger military personnel.

He was killed in a strike by France’s Barkhane military operation “a few weeks ago,” but authorities waited to be sure of his identity before making the announcement, French Defence Minister Florence Parly told RFI radio yesterday.

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She did not disclose details of the operation or where al-Sahrawi was killed, though ISIS is active along the border between Mali and Niger.

“He was at the origin of massacres and terror,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on France-Info radio. He urged African governments to fill the void and seize back ground taken by the extremists.

Rumours of the militant leader’s death had circulated for weeks in Mali, though authorities in the region had not confirmed it. It was not immediately possible to independently verify the claim or to know how the remains had been identified.

Al-Sahrawi had claimed responsibility for a 2017 attack in Niger that killed four U.S. military personnel and four people with Niger’s military. His group also has abducted foreigners in the Sahel and is believed to still be holding American Jeffrey Woodke, who was abducted from his home in Niger in 2016.

 

NIGERIAN Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Director-General Prof. Eghosa Osaghae has canvassed the need to strengthen ties between Nigeria and Australia.

Osaghae, who spoke when Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr. John Donnelly and his wife visited him on Wednesday, said both countries are in the Commonwealth of Nations and it behooves the two nations to be sisters, especially since the Commonwealth is now stronger after the Brexit.

Head, NIIA Public Affairs Helen Onwuasor, in a statement, said Osaghae welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly to the institute and they discussed at length about Nigeria-Australia Relationship.

The director-general explained that since 2012, nothing concrete has happened between Nigeria and Australia, adding that it was good the ambassador visited the institute at the time the NIIA is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

He mentioned that many Nigerians live in Australia because it’s safe; multicultural and a multilingual country with a strong indigenous heritage.

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Osaghae also told the envoy that the NIIA has a platform for ambassadors, diplomats and country’s representatives called the “Ambassadorial Forum”, which holds once a month.

The DG asked the ambassador if he would be NIIA’s guest on September 27th, an offer the Australian envoy accepted.

Mr. Donnelly also responded that he had fruitful deliberations with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, stressing that the minister reiterated his commitment and welcomed collaborations between the two countries.

The envoy promised to strengthen relations between the two countries and their agencies.

Mrs. Donnelly, an Indian national, in her remarks, appreciated Nigeria and said she looks forward to more collaboration between Australia and Nigeria. She also mentioned that a lot of Nigerians in Australia are in the ICT sector.

The ambassador visited the institute’s library, conference chambers and the lecture theatre, expressing his satisfaction with what they saw.

He hoped that the visit is the beginning of a very strong relationship between Nigeria and Australia.

The NIIA Acting Director of Library and Documentation Services Mrs. Pamela Momah told the ambassador that she looks forward to the NIIA Library having relations with Australian Institute of International Affairs.

Mrs. Momah told the envoy that the NIIA has a robust relation with Chatam House, where they exchange ideas, library skills, reference materials and visits.

 

Louisiana communities in the United States (U.S.) beginning the huge task of clearing debris and repairing the damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida are facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity in the oppressive and late-summer heat.

Ida ravaged the region’s power grid, leaving all of New Orleans and hundreds of thousands of other Louisiana residents in the dark with no clear timeline on when the electricity would come back on. Some areas outside New Orleans also suffered major flooding and damage to homes and businesses.

“I can’t tell you when the power is going to be restored. I can’t tell you when all the debris is going to be cleaned up and repairs made.

“But what I can tell you is we are going to work hard every day to deliver as much assistance as we can,” Governor John Bel Edwards said.

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The storm was blamed for at least four deaths in Louisiana and Mississippi, including two people killed Monday night when seven vehicles plunged into a 20-foot-deep hole near Lucedale, Mississippi, where a highway had collapsed after torrential rains.

In Slidell, crews searched for a 71-year-old man whose wife said he was attacked by an alligator in Ida’s floodwaters. She pulled him to the steps of the home and paddled away to get help, but when she returned, he was gone, authorities said.

In Houma, the uncomfortable reality of life without air conditioning, refrigeration or other more basic needs began to sink in.

“There’s no running water. There’s no electricity. Our desperate need right now is tarps, gasoline for generators, food, water,” Pastor Chad Ducote said yesterday.

The pastor said a church group from Mississippi arrived with some food and supplies but was gone in 10 minutes. Neighbours came to Ducote’s pool to scoop up buckets of water to bathe or to flush toilets.

“The people down here are just doing what they can. They don’t have anything,” he said.

 

THE United Nations Security Council asserted yesterday that Afghanistan’s soil shouldn’t be used to attack any country or to shelter terrorists.

This came as Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla highlighted the importance of combating UN-designated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

In a strongly worded resolution adopted at the close of India’s presidency of the Security Council for the month of August, the UN’s highest body pointed to the Taliban’s commitments regarding combating terrorism and allowing the safe and orderly departure of Afghan and foreign nationals.

The UN Security Council resolution 2593, tabled by permanent members – France, the UK and the U.S., was backed by 13 of the 15 council members. Permanent members China and Russia abstained.

The resolution demanded “that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts”, and reiterated the “importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan, including those individuals and entities designated pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and notes the Taliban’s relevant commitments”.

Read Also: South Korea pledges more diplomatic relations with Nigeria

After nearly 20 years of fighting against the US in Afghanistan, the victorious Taliban posed with captured American gear at the Kabul airport, held a mock funeral for NATO in Khost, and flew a Black Hawk helicopter over Kandahar.

The last U.S. troops left the Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday, just before the clock struck midnight local time. Yesterday morning, Taliban fighters strolled through the airport they now controlled, littered with debris, posing for photos with the captured vehicles, aircraft and equipment.

Taliban leaders reviewed a “special forces” unit, equipped with weapons and gear captured from the U.S.-trained Afghan army, on the Kabul runway.

THE Republic of South Korea has pledged more diplomatic ties with Nigeria.

Its ambassador, Kim Young-chae said this during an interactive session with the students of the University of Abuja after a closed-door meeting with the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah.

The country envoy explained to the students that some activities of the Korean Embassy, Korean Cultural Centre and the Korean International Cooperation Agency were geared towards assisting Nigerians in various ways.

He urged the students to continue to work hard as the future of Nigeria is in their hands.

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A statement by the Director of Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Mr. Lee Jin Su, indicated that the interactive session offered both the ambassador and the students the opportunity to learn from each other and exchange ideas about local and international affairs and diplomacy.

It said the meeting was a good way to better understand each other and build mutual trust and friendship between the people of Nigeria and the Republic of Korea.

Young- chae urged the students to continue to work hard and improve both their physical and mental well-being through physical exercises and by reading lots of books.

 

The national average of women’s political participation in Nigeria remains a mere 6.7 per cent in elective and appointive positions, the Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) has said.

It said the figure is far below the global average of 22.5 per cent, Africa regional average of 23.4 per cent and West African sub-regional average of 15 percent.

The group, in a statement by its Executive Council Chairperson Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, said: “When this present administration released the list of ministerial appointees in 2019, only seven women made the list out of a total of 43 nominees, making up just 16.7 per cent.

“In the National Assembly, women constitute a mere 5.6 per cent of members of the House of Representatives and 6.5 per cent of the Senate, thus, placing Nigeria in 122 position out of 144 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report of 2017 released by the World Economic Forum aimed at closing the gender gap across nations.

“The under-representation of women in appointive and elective offices in Nigeria cannot be attributed to an absence of capacity, capability or character, since this is abundantly evident in diverse areas across the private sector.

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“Women continue to shatter glass ceilings and sit at the helm of affairs of major corporations and industries, disrupting age-long misperceptions and biases about women and demonstrating the inestimable value that female leadership provides in terms of sustainability, governance, shareholder returns equitable development & employee engagement.

“The need for the participation and inclusion of women in political and public office cannot be overstated.

“We need to create a level playing field free of discrimination and harassment to attract and retain female leadership in political and public office.

“Our high achieving women should not be seen as threats but instead, they should be welcomed and acknowledged for their outstanding contributions to nation-building and inclusive development.”

OFFICIALS of the Federal Government are in talks with their South Korean counterparts on how to reverse the dwindling trade between the two nations.

Visiting South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Mr. Choi Jong-gun held high-level meetings with Ministers Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (Defence); Mr. Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation) and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada.

A statement issued by the Transportation Minister said Mr. Jong-gun was in Nigeria as part of a tour of three African countries – Morocco and Senegal. The three-nation tour began on August 14.

It was the Korean official’s maiden visit to West Africa.

The statement noted that in a series of engagements with the Nigerian officials on August 19, the discussions focused on how to develop bilateral relations, including cooperation on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

The two sides agreed to further expand economic cooperation while agreeing that there is a great potential for cooperation between Korea, which has technological prowess, and Nigeria, which has population and resources.

The statement reads: “During the sessions, both sides agreed on the need to reorganise all agreements, such as the double taxation prevention agreement and the revision of the investment protection agreement, under the common recognition that it is important to prepare an institutional basis for expanding economic cooperation.”

It said the Korean official stressed the importance of conducting business in a friendly environment by resolving the difficulties faced by Korean companies that have invested in Nigeria.

On his part, Amaechi pledged to resolve the outstanding issues.

He was quoted as saying: “Despite the huge investments made into the country over the past decades, Nigeria is yet to benefit from the global conglomerates’ skills and technology transfer as well as the foreign investors’ huge investment potential because the government has not given all the necessary incentives and support to these companies already in the country.

“The issues faced by foreign investors in Nigeria is not just limited to Korean companies- for instance, Africa’s biggest grocery retailer and South Africa-owned chain of stores, Shoprite announced its exit from Nigeria after 15 years of operations.”

In April, Industry, Trade & Investment Minister Otunba Niyi Adebayo lamented that trade between both countries had slumped by 74 per cent from $5 million in 2018 to $1.3 million in 2019.

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Adebayo, who spoke when he received the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Kim Young-Chae, noted that both countries had shared strong economic and investment ties with over 20 Korean companies, including Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries, presently operating in the country.

It is expected that South Korean First Vice Foreign minister’s visit will spur the Federal Goveral Government to address the challenges of South Korean firms in the country.

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) is one of the global conglomerates and reputable investors from South Korea that have established a strong presence in Nigeria. SHI established its subsidiary, Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited (SHIN) 10 years ago and made an investment of over $300 million in Nigeria to construct West Africa’s most advanced fabrication and integration yard.

The statement said: “The company has made tremendous contributions to the Nigerian economy since its establishment.

“It has contributed significantly in creating jobs, helping Nigerians to acquire skills and opening up the Nigerian economy.

“Through Egina project, Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria employed over 3,000 Nigerians and spent 560,000 man-hours training locals with no prior experience in shipbuilding and welding industry. It is widely known that over $1.6 billion economic contribution was made through the project,” the statement explained.

It, however, added that the past 10 years have not been a smooth sail for SHIN as the company was not insulated from the challenges in the local operating environment.

It said: “Despite the challenges facing its operations, SHIN has remained undaunted due to its faith in Nigeria and its long-term commitment to the country.

“Commendably, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) granted a direct lease to SHIN for the SHI-MCI yard in Tarkwa Bay Lagos.

Both countries also discussed the need for an enabling environment for investors by guaranteeing their investments and operation in the country for at least 20-30 years.

”This will enable Nigeria to take a big leap forward in technological advancement and social development industry training and skill (technology) transfer”, the statement added.

The two countries agreed to hold the sixth Korea-Nigeria Joint Committee in Korea in the near future to discuss issues of common interest.

The statement further reads: “In addition, the two sides decided to continue high-level exchanges by taking advantage of opportunities such as the UN Peacekeeping Ministers’ Meeting to be held in Seoul in December 2021 and the Korea-Africa Forum.

“In view of the peculiar challenges facing Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria in its operational base in Lagos, which has become protracted, the company needs urgent support from the Federal Government agencies.

“The Federal Government and Ministry of Transport should endeavour to make the necessary efforts to protect the foreign investor and restore confidence to the Korean Government.

“With the visit of the South Korean First Vice Foreign minister to Nigeria, it is expected that the Nigerian government will address the challenges facing the South Korean companies operating in Nigeria. Industry Experts and stakeholders will be hoping for swift actions from the government to implement these protectionist measures for the benefit of the nation.”

 

 

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will on Thursday seek to reset the tone of U.S.-Israeli relations in their first White House meeting and find common ground on Iran regardless of the differences on how to deal with its nuclear programme.

In talks overshadowed by the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the two leaders will try to turn the page on years of tensions between Bennett’s predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, who was close to former President Donald Trump, and the last Democratic administration led by Barack Obama with Biden as his vice president.

In what’s been planned as a low-key meeting, Bennett wants to move on from Netanyahu’s combative public style and instead manage disagreements constructively behind closed doors between Washington and its closest Middle East ally.

The visit gives Biden an opportunity to demonstrate business as usual with a key partner while contending with the complex situation in Afghanistan.

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Biden’s biggest foreign policy crisis since taking office has not only hurt his approval ratings at home but raised questions about his credibility among both friends and foes.

Topping the agenda is Iran, one of the thorniest issues between the Biden administration and Israel.

Bennett, a far-right politician who ended Netanyahu’s 12-year run as prime minister in June, is expected to press Biden to harden his approach to Iran and halt negotiations aimed at reviving the nuclear deal that Trump abandoned.

Biden will tell Bennett that he shares Israel’s concern that Iran has expanded its nuclear programme but remains committed for now to diplomacy with Tehran, a senior administration official said.

U.S.-Iran negotiations have stalled as Washington awaits the next move by Iran’s new hardline president.

Briefing reporters ahead of the meeting, the official said: “Since the last administration left the Iran nuclear deal, Iran’s nuclear programme has just dramatically broken out of the box.”

The official said that if the diplomatic path with Iran failed, “there are other avenues to pursue,” but did not elaborate.

Bennett has been less openly combative but just as adamant as Netanyahu was in pledging to do whatever is necessary to prevent Iran, which Israel views as an existential threat, from building a nuclear weapon.

Iran consistently denies it is seeking a bomb.

The two leaders are expected to speak briefly to a small pool of reporters during their Oval Office meeting but there will not be a joint news conference, limiting the potential for public disagreement.

On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Biden and Bennett are also divided.

Biden has renewed backing for a two-state solution after Trump distanced himself from that long-standing tenet of U.S. policy. Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood.

The consensus among Biden’s aides is that now is not the time to push for a resumption of long-dormant peace talks or major Israeli concessions, which could destabilise Bennett’s ideologically diverse coalition.

But Biden’s aides have not ruled out asking Bennett for modest gestures to help avoid a recurrence of the fierce Israel-Hamas fighting in the Gaza Strip that caught the new U.S. administration flat-footed earlier this year.

Among the issues that could be raised in Thursday’s talks is the Biden administration’s goal of re-establishing a consulate in Jerusalem that served the Palestinians and which Trump closed. Biden’s aides have moved cautiously on the issue.

The administration has also emphasized that it opposes further expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land.

Bennett, 49, the son of American immigrants to Israel, has been a vocal proponent of settlement building.

Biden’s advisers are also mindful that Israeli officials may be concerned about the apparent failure of U.S. intelligence to predict the swift fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.

Biden intends to reassure Bennett that the end of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan does not reflect a “de-prioritising” of the U.S. commitment to Israel and other Middle East allies, the senior U.S. official said.

Biden will also discuss with Bennett behind-the-scenes efforts to get more Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel, the senior U.S. official said.

This would follow in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, which reached accords with Israel brokered by the Trump administration.

On Wednesday, Bennett met U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

He was expected to discuss, among other issues, the replenishing of the Iron Dome missile defense system that Israel relies on to fend off rocket attacks from Gaza. (Reuters/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)