The Nation Newspaper

Category: Foreign

  • Trump says building border wall in Colorado to stop illegal migration

    By Agency Reporter

     

    U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was building a wall in Colorado, thus confusing the governor of the state and public since Colorado is located hundreds of miles away from Mexico.

    Building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border was one of Trump’s key promises throughout his presidential campaign.

    The president believes that the wall will stop illegal migration, as well as human and drug trafficking.

    “We’re building a wall on the border of New Mexico, and we’re building a wall in Colorado.

    “We’re building a beautiful wall — a big one that really works, that you can’t get over, you can’t under,” Trump said at the 9th annual Shale Insight Conference in Pittsburgh.

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    Colorado Governor Jared Polis called this situation “awkward,” as Colorado is not one of the four U.S. states that border Mexico.

    “Well this is awkward … Colorado doesn’t border Mexico. Good thing Colorado now offers free full day kindergarten so our kids can learn basic geography,” Polis said on Twitter.

    Trump later said on Twitter that he had made the comment about the wall in Colorado “kiddingly.”

    The president has been struggling to find financing for the wall since Congress has refused to allocate billions of dollars from the budget at his request.

    In order to bypass Congress and secure the necessary funding, in February, Trump declared a state of national emergency on the U.S. southern border. (Sputnik/NAN)

  • Attacks on Nigerian businesses in South Africa criminal, says consulate

    Our Reporter

    The Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg Godwin Adama has described the Tuesday attack on businesses owned by Nigerians in Witbank in the Mpumalamga district of South Africa as a criminal act and not xenophobic.

    Godwin Adama made the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    The consul general said the attack, which occurred at about 9 a.m., was masterminded by taxi drivers under the guise of fighting crime.

    Adama said with the cooperation of the police, the matter was resolved in less than an hour.

    “We held a meeting with the police authorities and they led us to the place where the attack occurred.

    “Although it happened in a different locality (from the previous one), we agreed to meet often to prevent reoccurrence.

    Read Also: Three Nigerians injured in fresh xenophobic attacks in South Africa

    “The police promised to invite the taxi drivers association and Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA) to a meeting to discuss and resolve issues amicably.

    “There is no problem at the moment and we are monitoring the situation keenly and we have been able to reach a reasonable stage of agreement and help out.

    “The government is doing everything here to fight crime. The locals take laws into their hands thinking that the police was not doing enough, which is what mostly leads to attack.

    “People feel there is drug or human trafficking and security operatives are not meeting expectations, and so they take laws into their hands in order to fight crime, but it does not work that way,” he said.

    He hailed the security agencies for cooperating with the Nigerian mission “in tackling issues that affect foreign nationals, particularly Nigerians living in that country”.

    He said efforts would be made to preempt and stop any form of attack in future, rather than wait for it to happen.

    Adama said modalities had been put in place to ensure effective implementation of agreements reached by Nigeria and South Africa to prevent all forms of conflict between citizens of the two countries.

    “There was nothing like xenophobia; this attack was crime-related and it is just that some criminals took advantage of the opportunity to carry out crime.

    “We have draft rules and agreements in place; it is a people-to-people relationship we want to concentrate on.

    “If it is government-to-government we do not have much problem at all.

    “It is not a one-day matter to resolve, but such modality requires constant discussion platforms to enable people to be able to interact.

    “To be able to arrest crime, it is better to take issues related to crime to the police station, rather than take laws into your hands,” he added.

  • Visa Requirements: South Africa

    All applicants must apply in person at the nearest Embassy or High Commission of South Africa.

    Information below is for reference purposes only.

    To apply for a travel visa to South Africa requires the following documents:

    • A passport or travel document valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of your intended visit
    • Your passport must have at least two unused page for entry / departure endorsements
    • A completed Form BI-84 (application for a visa)
    • Payment of the prescribed fee
    • A yellow-fever vaccination certificate (if required)
    • Read

    Read Also: Visa requirements: United Kingdom

    • Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of your visit
    • Two colour passport photographs
    • A return or onward ticket if you are travelling by air
    • If you have children (minors) travelling with you or joining in South Africa, you will need to provide the following additional documents: Proof of guardianship or custody or consent from the guardian in the case of an unaccompanied minor
    • Proof of financial means to pay for your living expenses while in South Africa in the form of: bank statements, salary advances, undertakings by the host(s) in South Africa, bursary, medical cover or cash available (including credit cards and travellers’ cheques).

  • Suspected African swine fever breaks out in Sierra Leone

    By Agency Reporter

    Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation on Wednesday warned the public against eating of dead pigs following the recent outbreak of suspected African swine fever in four communities of its capital, Freetown.

    Mohamed Vandi, the Director, Directorate of Health Security and Emergencies in the country’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation, while addressing newsmen said that the ministry was concerned about the sporadic occurrence of suspected swine fever in Freetown.

    Vandi reiterated that there was no cause for alarm as there had not been any proof as to whether the suspected African swine fever could cause illness in humans.

    Read Also: FG to carry out national control of Swine Fever across states

    “African swine fever affects pigs and it cannot transfer to the human population because it is not classified as a zoonotic disease,” Vandi said.

    He, however, revealed that the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry had intensified surveillance in the affected communities and samples were taken out of the country for testing.

    (NAN)

  • Heads of state, others to discuss peace, security in Africa

    By Alao Abiodun

    Ahead of the 2019 Dakar international forum scheduled to hold on the 18 and 19 of November 2019, African heads of state, security experts, diplomats, military personnel across the African continent will gather at Dakar, Senegal for this year’s event.

    The forum themed as ‘peace and security challenges in Africa’ will feature an opening session, plenary sessions and break-out sessions with over 4 with over 450 participants expected to be in attendance.

    In a press conference, the Senegalese minster of foreign affairs, S.E. Amadou explained that since 2014, the country’s ministry of foreign affairs has been organizing the international forum to discuss germane issues in Africa.

    He said, “This year’s forum will focus on peace and security in Africa rather than Economy, it will help us to provide insights and solutions in tackling the continuous menace of insecurity in the country”.

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    While highlighting the series of terrorists and insecurity challenges in African countries especially in Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and others, He said “There is a connection between terrorist groups in African countries in Africa. We have to go after them. We have to drive into this subject as this would help us maintain stability”.

    Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari is also expected to be at the event alongside other African countries Presidents with President Macky Sall as the host president.

    It was further disclosed that the aim of the forum is to produce a framework or a document that will unravel the complexities of security issues in Africa. This grey areas concerning the security issues highlighted includes war, violence, poverty, terrorism, Trans-border conflict, environmental fragility, organized crime across all sectors amongst others.

  • AfDB wants banks held accountable for women financing

    By Agency Reporter

    President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr Akinwumi Adesina, wants banks and financial institutions “fully held accountable’’ for lending to women.

    In an interview with newsmen in Washington, Adesina said he strongly believed Africa would get it right if it got the issue of women right.

    To this end, he announced plans by AfDB to provide “more resources at a more discounted rate’’ to banks that prioritise lending to women.

    “I will like to see financial institutions in Africa being held fully accountable when it comes to financing women.

    “The bank will be launching what we called the Women Financing Index (WFI) for Africa in which all financial institutions in Africa will be rated based on their lending to women.

    “Both in terms of the volume of lending and its development impact for women.

    “So, those who lend more to women will get more resources at a more discounted rate from the bank,’’ he said.

    Adesina said the bank was also providing financing for women through an initiative called Affirmative Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA).

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    He explained that AFAWA would see the mobilisation of three billion dollars for businesses for women on the continent.

    “We also supported another fund, which is called the Alitheia Identity Fund (AIF).

    “AIF has just closed at $75 million, and that is to support growth capital for the businesses for women.

    “In other words, the small, medium and the large businesses for women are what we are supporting.

    “We are focused on how we can drive investments for women.

    “We raised $251 million from the G7 leaders when I was in Beria with President Macron.’’ (NAN)

  • Five killed in twin attacks in northern Burkina Faso

    Four soldiers and a police officer were killed Friday night by unidentified gunmen in northern Burkina Faso, a security source told Xinhua.

    The attacks, which were launched on detachments in Bahn and Yense localities, also caused injuries among the defence and security forces of Burkina Faso, the source also said.

    Since 2015, a spate of terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso has killed more than 500 people and internally displaced more than 280,000 others, including more than 9,000 pupils.

    In the last few days, the West African country has seen an upsurge of terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of civilians or soldiers.

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    This has sparked a wave of panic that led people, especially those in the most troubled northern region, to leave their homes for safer places elsewhere in the country.

    A state of emergency and curfew has been declared in many regions of Burkina Faso, with the army scaling up nationwide counter-terrorism operations. (NAN)

  • Africans top 2019 global list of dead irregular migrants – Report

    By Robert Egbe

     

    More Africans have died during irregular migration this year than any other peoples, research by a United Nations (UN) agency showed on Thursday.

    No fewer than 2,479 persons lost their lives globally trying to reach different parts of Europe and North America through irregular migration routes. No fewer than 860 of them were Africans.

    Figures released by Missing Migrants Project of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the deaths were recorded across six regions of the world between January 1 and October 15, 2019.

    With a total of 1,073 deaths, the Mediterranean Sea tops the list of routes where thousands of migrants lost their lives this year, making it the deadliest irregular migration route.

    Since 2014, almost 20,000 Europe-bound migrants who are fleeing war or poverty in Sub-Saharan and Asian countries, have lost their lives on the Mediterranean Sea.

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    The data set by the UN agency revealed that 613 migrant deaths were recorded in the Americas and 612 deaths in various parts of Africa. The Middle East recorded 93 deaths. Europe accounted for 54 deaths and Asia recorded 34 deaths in the period under review.

    Africans make up the highest number of dead migrants at 860. The data presented that the origin of 821 deaths was unknown while 579 deaths are among Americans, with Asia, Europe and the Middle accounting for 91, 71 and 56 deaths.

    “These deaths are alarming and show that irregular migration is ever deadly and dangerous, said Tayo Elegbede, Media Officier for The Migrant Project.

    According to him, migration realities are changing, hence the need for informed decision and thoughtful consideration before embarking on any journey.

    “Every day, migration realities are changing. There are stringent migration policies and border control activities in North America; thousands of irregular migrants are not eligible for asylum in Europe and deported annually. In Libya, many stranded migrants are in detention and degrading human conditions; hence, making migration decision should be based on accurate information from trusted sources.

    “In the last six years, there has been a trend in migrants’ death. More than 1,000 deaths are recorded on the Mediterranean sea annually. Almost 20,000 people have lost their lives on the Mediterranean sea since 2014, and many of them are our brothers and sisters,” he said.

    Highlighting the dangers of irregular migration, Elegbede said most migrants usually end up in worse financial and psychological conditions than they were before embarking on the journey, and many die in the attempt to reach their destination.

    “Irregular migration costs so much, financially, emotionally, socially, relationally, nationally and globally,” Elegbede noted.

    He explained that having requisite information on the realities and risks of irregular migration would help in making better decisions and recognising and avoiding the activities of smugglers and human traffickers.

    He urged young Nigerians who are prone to becoming potential irregular migrants to acquire skills that will position them for better livelihood and migration opportunities and reduce the body count on irregular migration routes.

  • Turkey-Syria offensive: Russia to prevent clashes with Assad forces

    Russia has said it will not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces, as Turkey’s military offensive in northern Syria continues.

    “This would simply be unacceptable… and therefore we will not allow it, of course,” said Moscow’s special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev.

    The withdrawal of United States (U.S.) troops from the region, announced last week, gave Turkey a “green light”, critics said.

    Russia is a key military ally of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

    Lavrentyev, during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, described Turkey’s offensive as “unacceptable”.

    He said Turkish and Syrian officials were in contact to avoid any conflict.

    Russia’s defence ministry said its forces, which have been deployed in Syria since 2015, were patrolling along the “line of contact” between Syrian and Turkish forces.

    The Turkish offensive, which began last week, aims to push the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from the border region. Turkey considers the biggest militia in the SDF a terrorist organisation.

    The Turkish government wants to create a “safe zone” in the area, where it can resettle Syrian refugees currently in Turkey.

    Many of them are not Kurds and critics warn this could lead to ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish population.

    Dozens of civilians have been killed in the operation so far and at least 160,000 have fled the area, according to the UN.

    Kurdish-led forces have been a key ally of the U.S. in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. They described the US withdrawal, which preceded Turkish action, as a “stab in the back”.

    There are fears the destabilisation could risk a resurgence of IS, as thousands of former fighters and their relatives are being detained in northern Syria. Hundreds of IS family members are said to have already escaped from one camp.

    Some aid organisations have been forced to suspend operations and evacuate international staff over security fears.

    Facing immense pressure, Kurdish-led forces announced a deal on Sunday with the Syrian government for military support to help repel Turkey.

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists the operation will continue until his country’s “objectives have been achieved” despite the involvement of Syrian government forces.

  • Five men get death penalty in Bangladesh over 1971 war crimes

    By Agency Reporter

    A special tribunal in Bangladesh capital of Dhaka on Tuesday sentenced five men to death for crimes against humanity during the country’s war of independence in 1971.

    The International Crimes Tribunal, led by its Chairman, Justice Md Shahinur Islam, found the suspects Abdul Jabbar Mondol, and his two sons, Jachhijar Rahman, and Abdul Wahed Mondol guilty.

    Others are Ranju Miah and Montaz Ali Bepari also found guilty of the charges brought against them.

    The charges include killing, abduction, confinement, torture, arson and looting.

    One of the convicts Miah was taken to the tribunal for verdict delivery at 10:30 a.m. local time Tuesday as the rest are on the run.

    Bangladeshi police chief was asked for immediate steps to arrest the fugitives.

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    In line with law, the death row convicts have the opportunity to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court within a month of the verdict.

    After returning to power in January 2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh’s independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, established the first tribunal in March 2010, almost 40 years after the 1971 war.

    Muslim-majority Bangladesh was called East Pakistan until 1971.

    The government of Hasina said about three million people were killed in the independence war.