The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Africa

  • NIMASA: Africa must be on shipowners’ list

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is unhappy that Africa  is not on the world’s shipowners’ list.

    To  NIMASA,it is not good that  no carrier from the continent is on the list.

    As a way out, the agency plans to develop a ship tonnage growth strategy and promote best practices to attract vessels in the nation’s ship registry.

    In a message to the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) Conference at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, NIMASA Director-General Dr Dakuku Peterside said African governments and maritime administrators must develop ship tonnage strategy and practices to attract more vessels in African Ship Registry (ASR) to boost their economies.

    NIMASA, he said, was considering an approach that would address low tonnage and Nigeria’s inability to compete in global maritime trade.

    NIMASA’s Director for Special Duties Hajia Lami Tumaka, led Nigeria’s delegation to the confrence.

    In AAMA Chairman’s report, covering  2017 and 2018, exclusively obtained by The Nation, the Executive Council resolved that Maritime Administrations (MARADS) should:

    • consider training and capacity building in Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) of fisheries activities;
    • collaborate with relevant institutions to build capacity in Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of fisheries management and fishing activities in African waters;
    • enhance Africa’s Maritime surveillance for the benefit of ship management safety and security;
    • strengthen collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAQ) on enforcement of Port State Control guidelines on shipping activities; and
    • development of Near Coastal Trading Certification and Competency Code to foster Economic cooperation between Maritime Administrations.

    The Executive Council also considered the concept note presented by the Abuja MOU, which stated the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-Keeping for Seafarers (STCW) I978, set minimum standards for training, certification and watch-keeping for seafarers that member states are obliged to meet, or exceed.

    It also considered the work undertaken by the secretariat in developing Near Coastal Trading Certification and Competency Code to be adopted to foster economic cooperation among maritime administrations.

    The General Assembly is expected  to consider other areas of interest designed to address  enhancement of maritime pollution prevention and control to ensure protection of marine environment.

    The Executive Council noted with concern the role of MARADS in enhancing maritime pollution prevention and control, to ensure protection of  maritime infrastructure. It urged maritime administrations to ratify and domesticate relevant IMO instruments on marine pollution, prevention and control which, if fully implemented, would help achieve the drive towards a sustainable use of the African ocean and seas.

  • China to invest N2.16trn in Africa in three years

    The Chinese Government has expressed  readiness to invest N2.16 trillion ($60 billion) in Africa in the next three years.

    The Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Mr Chao Xiaoliang disclosed this in a post-summit article entitled, “FOCAC Beijing Summit: A New Milestone in China-Africa Relations”.

    Chao said the new investment drive was one of the outcomes of the just concluded summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation(FOCAC).

    He said China would also in the next three years collaborate with African countries in industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, healthcare,

    people-to-people, peace and security.

    “President Xi Jinping has announced that China will launch eight major initiatives in close collaboration with African countries in the next three years.

    “The eight initiatives are in areas of industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people, peace and security.

    “To make sure these eight initiatives are implemented, China will extend 60 billion U.S. dollars (N2.16 trillion) financing to Africa in different forms which includes 15 billion U.S. dollars (N5.4 trillion) grants, interest-free loans and concessional loans.

    “China will also encourage Chinese companies to invest more than 10 billion U.S. dollars (N3.6 trillion) in Africa in the coming three years,’’ he said.

    According to him, China and African countries are destined to be good friends, good brothers and good partners. Chao said that the Chinese government had also planned to set up ten Luban vocational workshops and an China-Africa innovation cooperation centres for youth innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.

    “There will also be a tailor-made programme to train 1000 Africans, as well as offer of 50,000 government scholarships to Africans.

    “There will also be training opportunities for 50, 000 Africans through workshops and seminars and 2000 exchange opportunities for African youth,’’ he said.

    Chao said the summit was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, 49 other Heads of State and Government, African Union (AU) Commission’s Chairperson and more than 240 ministerial representatives from 53 African countries.

    The consul-general said the meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Muhammadu Buhari at the summit, ended with the signing of more bilateral cooperation agreements between China and Nigeria.

    He added: “We are confident that the FOCAC Beijing Summit and the meeting between the two Presidents will bring new opportunities for the comprehensive development of China-Nigeria strategic partnership.

    “FOCAC Beijing Summit has set a new milestone for China-Africa relations. China with Nigeria and other African countries are ready to join hands to build a China-Africa community.

    “A community with a shared future that features joint responsibility, win-win cooperation, happiness for all, common cultural prosperity, common security, and harmonious co-existence.’’

  • Africa gathers for elearning in Rwanda

    Africa’s biggest conference on learning, training and technology, eLearning Africa, will take place in Rwanda next month.

    Among the keynote speakers at the event, which will be held, under the patronage of the Rwandan Government, in the Kigali Convention, will be some of the biggest names in global education and technology.

    They include Prof Nii Narku Quaynor, who established some of Africa’s first internet connections; Dr Martin Dougiamas, the founder of the open-source learning platform, Moodle; Elliott Masie, founder of the Masie Center and Chair of the Learning Consortium;  Dr Bitange Ndemo of the University of Nairobi; and academic, anti-apartheid campaigner and entrepreneur, Dr Mamphela Ramphele.

    They will be among hundreds of experts, discussing the main conference theme ‘Uniting Africa’ and looking at how technology can break down barriers, enabling Africans to share knowledge, learn and prepare for the future together.

    “We are in a period of major change,” says conference organiser, Rebecca Stromeyer. “The world is heading into a ‘fourth industrial revolution,’ according to some commentators. It’s a big opportunity for Africa to leapfrog its competitors. Africa has the advantage of the youngest population on earth. It is full of opportunity and promise. However, in order to seize the opportunity, Africans must come together and ensure that the whole continent is fit for the future. That means sharing knowledge and experience, breaking down barriers to communication, opening up access, supporting diversity and giving all Africans a chance to learn and acquire the skills they need to succeed.

    “This edition of eLearning Africa will be really rewarding for all our participants. We have got some of the best known authorities on eLearning coming, along with some of the edTech industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. They’ll be joined by analysts, technologists, administrators, political decision-makers and investors. eLearning Africa really is a place where experience meets opportunity and innovation.”

    eLearning Africa, which is accompanied by a major exhibition of new products, services and courses, as well as a day-long roundtable meeting of African ministers of education and ICT, has established a reputation as one of Africa’s most exciting, challenging and rewarding conferences.

     

  • Africa records high health improvement in new WHO report

    A new report by the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) Regional Office for Africa has shown a high improvement in health in the region.

    WHO, at the study, launched during the 68th session of the WHO Regional Committee in Dakar, provided a snapshot of the state of health in the African region.

    The report said life expectancy across Africa had improved significantly, but national health systems must be improved to ensure that services get to the people who need them most.

    Emerging data shows a continued improvement, with the continent seeing the biggest jump in healthy life expectancy – time spent in full health – anywhere in the world.

    The life expectancy jumped from 50.9 years in 2012, to 53.8 years in 2015, according to the report.

    Deaths resulting from the 10 biggest health risks in Africa – such as lower respiratory infections, HIV and diarrhoeal diseases – dropped by half between 2000 and 2015, partly as a result of specialised health programmes.

    Speaking at the launch of the report, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, said: “I’m proud that Africans are now living longer and healthier lives.

    “Nearly three years of extra health is a gift that makes us all proud. Of course we hope that these gains will continue and the region will reach global standards”.

    At the same time, the report warned that this achievement could only be sustained and expanded if health services are significantly improved.

    It stated that the performance of health systems in the region – measured by access to services, quality of care, community demand for services and resilience to outbreaks – was low.

    Chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer need to be tackled, with a person aged 30 to 70 in the region having a one in five chance of dying from a non-communicable disease.

    Two critical age groups – adolescents and the elderly – are being under-served, with surveys indicating a complete lack of elder care in a third of African countries.

    Moeti said: “Health services must keep up with the evolving health trends in the region. In the past we focused on specific diseases as these were causing a disproportionately high number of deaths.

    “We have been highly successful at stopping these threats, and people’s health is now being challenged by a broad range of conditions. We need to develop a new and more holistic approach to health.”

    This approach involves increasing spending on health, but also targeting funds in more effective ways, according to the report.

    The report suggested that health systems that perform well invest up to 40 per cent of their budgets on their workforce, and a third on infrastructure.

    WHO said, however, the report, which made specific recommendations for each of the countries of the region, and identifies areas where nations are demonstrating good practice, was not a scorecard.

    Algeria demonstrated good practice with its good coverage of available health service, Kenya has a good range of available essential services, and Mauritius has good access to services.

    By improving performance, the countries have a better chance of meeting their commitment to achieve health-related targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals, the report stated.

  • May: Britain committed to free trade with Kenya after Brexit

    Britain is committed to free trade with Kenya after it leaves the European Union, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday on a visit to Nairobi.

    May, speaking on the third stop of a trip to Africa, said she would want Britain to become the biggest investor on the continent out of the world’s richest nations.

    “As Britain prepares to leave the European Union we are committed to a smooth transition that ensures continuity in our trading relationship with Kenya, ensuring Kenya retains its duty free quota free access to the UK market.”

    May also announced Britain would set up a cyber-center in Nairobi to help authorities fight online child sex abuse by tracking the sharing of abusive images on the internet.

    The EU is currently Britain’s biggest trading partner. Skeptics say closer ties and more trade with Africa will do little to offset the economic impact of Brexit.

    Total trade with Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, the three nations on her tour this week, amounted to just over 13 billion pounds in 2016, official British figures show, compared with 554 billion pounds of trade with the EU that year.

    Read Also: Buhari to May: 2019 polls will be free, fair, credible

    The prime minister has used her first official visit to the region of more than one billion people to stress that Britain’s relationship with former colonies, including Kenya and other African nations, is increasingly focused on private investment, not on aid.

    In Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and most populous nation, May also promised closer commercial ties and promoted the longstanding presence of British companies in the country.

    Britain is Kenya’s largest trading partner and a major market for its exports of cut flowers. The rapidly expanding agriculture sector is Kenya’s biggest foreign exchange earner and a big source of jobs.

    Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, speaking alongside May at a news conference, said he welcomed her assurance that Kenyan duty free exports would continue after Brexit and said Kenya would be pressing for an increase in exports.

    Kenyatta said two agreements signed on Thursday-one to enhance military cooperation, the other for Britain to return assets and proceeds of corruption to Kenya- indicated the close ties between the two countries.
    Kenyatta, who was re-elected for a second term after a bloody and prolonged elections season, said his government’s fight against graft was important for national unity and his legacy.

    Corruption drains billions of dollars from the state every year in Kenya, and foreign businessmen complain it is hard to get things done without paying bribes.

    Margaret Thatcher was the last British prime minister to visit Kenya, in 1988.

  • Kenya: May pledges Britain’s help in fight against militants

    Theresa May pledged support for East Africa’s fight against Islamist militancy on Thursday during the first trip by a British prime minister to Kenya in 30 years.

    In Nairobi, the last stop on her three-country Africa trip, May was also at pains to assure the region’s biggest economy that Kenya would not experience any trade fallout from Brexit.

    “The UK’s already the largest foreign investor in Kenya. … And I’ve set out this week our ambition to be the G7’s number one investor in Africa by 2022,’’ she said.

    “As Britain prepares to leave the EU we’re committed to a smooth transition that ensures continuity in our trading relationship with Kenya,” the Prime Minister added at a joint news conference with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

    May will later Thursday watch the British and Kenyan militaries training together to identify and destroy improvised explosive devices.

    Read Also: I had excellent time in Nigeria — Theresa May

    “This afternoon we’ve signed a new compact that will see us expand our joint work on security even further.

    “The UK is no longer just training our own military in Kenya but training with Kenyans to promote stability in east Africa,” May said.

    “The UK continues to support the commitment of the brave Kenyan soldiers fighting in Somalia against al-Shabaab and I will announce a new package of funding to support the African Union mission in Somalia,” she said.

    Al-Shabaab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, is a Somalia-based terror group which has launched regular attacks on neighbouring Kenya, such as the assault on Nairobi’s Westgate Mall that killed at least 67 people in 2013.

  • Africa has chosen China – Burkina Faso president

    Burkina Faso will strengthen cooperation with China in all areas as Africa-China relations develop for mutual benefit, President Roch Kabore said.

    Kabore, whose country resumed diplomatic ties with Beijing in late May, will pay a state visit to China from Thursday to Sept. 5, during which he will also attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

    “For us, this trip is an important mission as it will help build up and consolidate the two countries’ relationship, which is founded on win-win, legal and transparency principles,” Kabore said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

    The president said it will also help the two sides select priorities and see how they can make headway together.

    “We expect to reinforce cooperation with China in all areas,” he said, expecting a partnership “as broad as possible.”

    As for China’s relations with all of Africa, Kabore said Africa-China cooperation is based on the principles of mutual benefit, equal opportunity and the need to develop international trade.

    “We don’t have any regrets about this existing China-Africa cooperation, which is developing day by day in favor of our respective peoples,” he said.

    Read Also: Burkina Faso seeks new partner for $1b manganese project

    “Africa has chosen China … It is our choice and we stick to that.”

    He said Africa can learn from China’s success in developing into the second largest economy in the world, and the China-championed notion of building a community with a shared future for mankind will promote Africa-China ties.

    Kabore called the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative a “sound initiative” intended to develop infrastructure links and boost trade between different countries.

    “I think it is an initiative that should be supported,” he said, adding that it will probably take some time but is an initiative “which is necessary if we want to develop international trade.”

    Regarding the rising protectionism and unilateralism in the world, the president said the upcoming China-Africa summit “shows the interest of multilateralism.”

    “This is what we have always defended together because protectionism in our current times raises problems as it is a real threat to international and world peace,” he said.

    “Therefore, the holding of this summit is a real success as we tell supporters of protectionist policies that we have opted for multilateralism.”

  • Huge loss to Africa, humanity – Dogara

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, has described the death of former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan as a huge loss to Africa and humanity.

    Reacting to the news of demise of the former UN chief scribe via his official Twitter handle @YakubDogara, yesterday, he said the late Annan had etched his name on the sands of time as a true son of Africa.

    He also described the late Annan as a quintessential leader and accomplished diplomat, who dedicated his life time to the progress of humanity.

    Dogara added that the late Ghanaian diplomat was a true global ambassador, who used his life to promote peace across the world.

    “It is with a great sense of loss that I received the news of the passing on of former secretary general of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan.

    “Even with the awareness that death is an inevitable end, also for great men, it does not reduce the feeling of loss with which I received the news of Kofi Annan’s death.

    “His contributions to the advancement of the human race will never be forgotten. My heartfelt condolences to his family, Ghanaian government and the global community; May his soul find eternal rest in peace,” Dogara said.

  • Experts seek improved tax regime in Africa

    Tax experts across Africa are unanimous in their quest for an efficient tax regime in the continent.

    They made this clarion call during the just concluded African Tax Administration Forum’s High-level Tax Policy Dialogue, held in Kigali, Rwanda.

    The continental gathering organised by the African Tax Administration Forum and hosted by the Rwanda Revenue Authority, brought together key stakeholders from African Ministries of Finance and Tax Administrations in a bid to ensure coordinated tax policy and tax administration decisions and actions towards effective domestic resource mobilisation on the continent.

    Building on the conclusions of the first edition of the Dialogue held in Kampala, Uganda, from 15 – 16 August 2017, the theme selected for this year’s edition was ‘Reinforcing Africa’s position to benefit from the Global Tax Agenda.’

    Representatives of African Ministries of finance and Tax administrations explored the recent advances in global tax standards and how these affect African countries whether members of the OECD Inclusive Framework or not. Ministers will debate how best African countries can deal with the fast-changing global tax agenda while pursuing domestic policy priorities such as domestic resource mobilization towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.

    The African Tax Administration Forum subsequently launched the 2018 edition of the African Tax Outlook (ATO), its flagship publication which serves as a ’s objective is to provide reliable source of information on taxation and, therefore, constitutes a solid that will serve as an African and global benchmark for tax policy formulation and tax administration reforms in formulating tax policies and tax administration reforms across Africa.

    The 2018 ATO publication brings together valuable, practical and relevant descriptive and analytical work on tax issues for the period of 2010 – 2016 from 26 African countries, referred to as the “ATO countries.”

    It is the first-ever attempt by African tax authorities to compare, in a consistent fashion, the ways in which African tax authorities raise revenue. It assesses and compares 26 countries against indicators in seven broad categories: total tax revenue, individual taxes, non-tax revenue, tax and customs administration structures and functions, service management, compliance management and human resource in tax administration. The indicators are crucial to African tax authorities as they implement reforms and policies to broaden the tax base, narrow tax gaps, simplify and improve fairness in tax systems, enhance overall voluntary compliance, and keep policy makers informed on tax matters.

    Speaking at separate sessions, a senior official of the RRA (Programme Director), Mr Richard Tusabe (Commissioner General, RRA), Mr Logan Wort (ATAF Executive Secretary), Mr. Babatunde Fowler – ATAF Chairman impressed on the tax practitioners across the continent, the need to be fully equipped to manage the demands and gain the benefits in the fast-changing global tax agenda while balancing the pursuit of domestic policy priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Besides, the experts reviewed the ongoing African input into the global tax agenda, and its achievements over the last five years, noting that the country experiences and case studies will feature, in particular, the progress made by Africa in influencing the creation of and meeting the challenges of developing and implementing the minimum global standards in international taxation, as well as the EOI process and other tax transparency initiatives such as the implementation of the CBCR.

     

  • 9.6m youths to be affected with HIV in Africa by 2050 – UNICEF

    The United Nations Children Educational Fund ( UNICEF ) has estimated that 9.6 million young people aged from 15 to 24 years will be newly infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa between 2017 and 2050.

    Highlighting the ongoing toll of HIV among young people in the Africa region, Aleya Khalifa of UNICEF who presented data from several African countries said that about two-thirds of those affected will be girls and young women.

    Briefing Journalists at the 2018 AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, Khalifa said that the continued toll of HIV among young people reflects the rapidly growing youth population in the Africa region, a situation is expected to increase by 85 per cent by 2050 adding that the slow decline in HIV incidence among the youths has fallen by three per cent per year since 2010.

    Khalifa further noted that reducing the HIV burden among young people in sub-Saharan Africa will require better access to HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and targeted testing services

    In his presentation, Namibian Minister of Health and Social Services, Bernard Haufiku disclosed that a population level study in Namibia (NAMPHIA) discovered that 77 per cent of people living with HIV in the country are virally suppressed, “that is the HIV level in their blood has fallen to low levels. Viral suppression indicates that people living with HIV are on successful treatment, which not only improves their health, but also prevents transmission to others.”

    He added that Namibia has surpassed the UNAIDS goal of achieving 73 per cent viral suppression by 2020 adding that its success reflects a high-level commitment to HIV treatment as the nation implemented an Acceleration Plan that rapidly scaled up HIV testing and treatment services in 2015.

    The President of the International AIDS Society and International Chair of AIDS 2018, Linda-Gail Bekker said that HIV remains a serious threat to the lives of people in sub-Saharan Africa.

    “Despite extraordinary progress, HIV remains a serious threat to the lives of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. The data presented today underscore both the urgent need and the opportunity to invest in expanded HIV prevention and treatment programmes that can turn back the epidemic in Africa.”