The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Denys Gauer

  • Buhari lauds French commitment to regional peace, security

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja lauded the Republic of France for its commitment to strong regional cooperation in the fight against cross-border crime and terrorism.

    The President made the commendation at a farewell audience with the outgoing Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

    President Buhari appreciated the roles and contributions of the French government to peace, security and stability in countries in the West and Central African region.

    He noted that Nigeria had placed the issue of combating terrorism in the region on international agenda and had received support and solidarity from France in the area of training, information, intelligence sharing, technical and equipment support.

    According to the President, at the regional level where Nigeria is conducting joint patrols with neighbouring countries under the Multinational Joint Task Force; France has continued to encourage regional cooperation among Nigeria’s francophone neighbours aimed at addressing the security challenges and humanitarian conditions in the area.

    The President also used the opportunity of the farewell visit to formally congratulate France for winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    He said: The victory is very important and historic for the country and I think it has raised a lot of positive optimism for French citizens.’’

    While recounting the recent visit of President Emmanuel Macron to Nigeria, President Buhari said Nigeria and France would continue to maintain cordial relations and improve economic, cultural and political relations for the mutual benefit of citizens of both countries.

    The President also received the outgoing Finland Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury, during which he underscored the Finnish government’s support to gender and educational issues in Nigeria.

    In his remarks, the French Ambassador, harping on the positive trends in Nigeria’s economy, said more French companies had indicated interest to do business here.

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    He said the French Agency for Development (AFD) which opened an office in Nigeria ten years ago, had provided a total of two billion dollars facility for projects in the country.

    On cultural ties, Gauer said France had concluded arrangements to establish a cinema school in Lagos and some museums around the country in addition to formalizing an agreement on film production.

    The Ambassador said he would always keep fond memories of Nigeria and wished the country successful elections in 2019.

    In her remarks, Ambassador Suomela-Chowdhury told the President she enjoyed her stay in Nigeria and would continue to promote Nigeria-Finnish relations.

  • French Govt helping Nigeria fight Boko Haram, says Ambassador

    … As Minister confers Macron honorary citizenship of Abuja 

     

    French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, on Tuesday said French President Emmanuel  Macron’s government has been partnering with Nigerian government in the fight against Boko Haram sect.

    Gauer said this in Abuja during the first visit of Macron to Nigeria since his election in May 2017.

    Presenting the Key to the City of Abuja to President Macron,  the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello stated that it demonstrates the strong friendship and cordial relationship between the people of Nigeria and France.

    President Macron’s Boeing 777 Republique Francaise aircraft touched down in the Presidential Wing of the Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,  at exactly  15.09 hours local time.

    He was received upon arrival by the Nigerian  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama.

    Read Also: Dialogue is solution to Boko Haram, says Turaki

    Speaking to newsmen on the visit, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, stated that the visit underscores the very strong relationship between  France and Nigeria.

    According to the statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary, to the FCT Minster,  Mr. Cosmas Uzodinma, Gauer said that France has ongoing security  and political partnerships with Nigeria especially in the fight against  Boko Haram.

    He however noted that the current visit would focus on economic and cultural cooperation. He would also dialogue with Nigerian youths.

    To this effect,  the French President after his meeting with the Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari, would proceed to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital for other aspects of the visit.

    In his words, “France has had strong security cooperation with Nigeria with regards to Boko Haram insurgency but the current visit would focus on culture  business and youth. He hopes to dialogue with Nigerian youths.”

    President Macron, it could  be recalled, has been to most francophone countries as well as Ghana.

    Nigeria is the second anglophone  country he is visiting.

  • FG uncovers IPOB’s slush account in Paris

    FG uncovers IPOB’s slush account in Paris

    Following intelligence reports, FG has located a slush account in Paris to which some Nigerians have made huge deposits in support of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    It has also uncovered how some IPOB members have invaded Nigerian embassies in Hong Kong and Spain and created some scenes in the last 72 hours.

    The development, security sources said, was an indication of the desperation of IPOB and the justification for the proscription of the organisation.

    But the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Gauer on Friday met with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    Although the outcome of the meeting between the two leaders was kept under wraps, Gauer was said to have reassured the Federal Government that France would not support any terrorist group.

    It was learnt that the French government promised to take action as soon as the IPOB’s slush account was known to it.

    A top security source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Intelligence gathering has led to the discovery of an account in Paris into which some Nigerians in the Diaspora remit funds to support IPOB.

    “From the said account, funds were being drawn for the activities of IPOB at home and abroad. The relevant security agencies did a thorough job and provided incontrovertible evidence on the basis of which the government proscribed the terrorist organisation.

    “These Nigerians in the Diaspora are using France as a clearing house.

    “Investigations also confirmed inflows into the account from Holland, Hungary, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Turkey, Singapore and other parts of Europe.

    “In fact, a football tournament was recently organised in Senegal to raise funds for IPOB.

    “As a matter of fact, the account is being used to get money from a lot of people in the Diaspora.

    “What many Nigerians did not know is that the Minister of Information and Culture was talking on the basis of credible intelligence report.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “With cooperation by the international community, especially relevant countries, we will soon get the list of all the people remitting funds into the account in Paris.”

    But the government was also concerned that IPOB members were becoming desperate after the clampdown on the terrorist group.

    The source said: “IPOB members are becoming desperate in the last 72 hours. About two days ago, some members of the terrorist group breezed into our Embassy in Hong Kong under the pretence of renewing their passports but ended up staging a protest.

    “The IPOB members also demonstrated at our embassy in Spain a few days ago.”

    At press time, the details of the session between the French Ambassador and the Minister of Information and Culture were yet to be formally released.

    But a source said: “The Ambassador actually told the minister that France would never condone the activities of any terrorist group, including IPOB.

    “He recalled that France has always been at the receiving end of terrorists and so cannot under any circumstances back IPOB.

    “He restated the determination of the French government to support any policy or initiative which will strengthen Nigeria’s unity.

    “He actually made it known that his government will not back secessionist agitation in this country.”

    On the account in Paris, the Ambassador was said to have told the minister that France was “not aware of the account, but Nigeria should make a formal report.”

    The source said the minister also reiterated that he “never said that France was supporting IPOB, because there is a robust relationship between France and Nigeria.

    “We can never accuse France of collaborating with terrorists, because it has been assisting us in tackling Boko Haram insurgency.

    “France played a major role in setting up and managing the operation of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).”

  • France okays over 1b Euros for Nigeria oil industry

    France okays over 1b Euros for Nigeria oil industry

    France is to invest about one billion Euros in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, its Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, has said.

    Gauer, who made this known when the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ndu Ughamadu, led a delegation to his office in Abuja, yesterday, said Nigeria remains its first economic trading partner in Africa.

    The envoy said the French Development Agency has put in place about one billion Euros to encourage French investors to invest in the oil and gas sector, adding that France is also cooperating with the Federal Government in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

    He praised the Federal Government for addressing the Niger Delta situation, stating that Total, a French multinational oil major, has significant investment in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) and Egina projects.

    In a statement, Ughamadu  said Gauer however expressed concern that some other French firms were having challenges with  Nigeria’s unclear fiscal policies in the oil and gas sector.

    He said some French investors were currently developing wind energy and solar energy in Katsina State.

    Ughamadu, said the NNPC under the current management led by the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, was well positioned and open to investment opportunities from the French government and investors.

    He noted that with the significant scale down in pipeline vandalism and insecurity which has boosted oil production, global investors such as the French government can now invest in renewable energy, gas and power infrastructural development, pipeline construction, storage facility and the direct sales and direct purchase of Nigeria crude oil grades.

    He said the NNPC, as the state owned oil and gas firm, had global operations and called for closer collaboration between the French government and the oil firm especially in the area of consular services in order to enable NNPC top executives and workers meet their global engagements.

  • France to invest over €1b in Nigeria oil industry

    France to invest over €1b in Nigeria oil industry

    The French Government has said that it has set aside about one billion euros to be invested in the Nigeria Oil and Gas industry, stating that Nigeria remains her first economic trading partner in Africa.

    France Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, declared this when the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, led a delegation to his office in Abuja.

    Mr. Gauer said that French Development Agency has put in place about one billion Euros to encourage French investors to invest in the Nigeria Oil and Gas sector, adding that the French government is also cooperating with the Federal Government in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

    The French Ambassador commended the Federal Government for stemming the Niger Delta insecurity situation noting that Total, a French multinational Oil and Gas Company, had significant investment equity in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) and Egina project.

    NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

    He however, expressed concern that some other French companies were having challenges with the unclear Nigeria’s fiscal policies in the Oil and Gas sector revealing that some French investors were currently developing wind energy and solar energy in Katsina State.

    Earlier, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Ughamadu, said the Corporation under the current management led by the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, was well positioned and open to investment opportunities from the French Government and investors.

    Mr. Ughamadu noted that with the significant scale down in pipeline vandalism and insecurity which has boosted oil production, global investors such as the French Government can now invest in renewable energy, gas and power infrastructural development, pipeline construction, storage facility and the direct sales and direct purchase of Nigeria crude oil grades.

    He said the NNPC as the state-owned oil and gas Corporation had global operations and called for closer collaboration between the French Government and the Corporation especially in the area of consular services in order to enable NNPC top executives and staff meet their global engagements.

    The GGM thanked the Ambassador for the warm reception accorded the NNPC delegation and assured him that with the leadership of the new NNPC management, the Corporation was determined to develop a robust business atmosphere for investors.

  • France to invest over €1b in Nigeria oil industry

    France to invest over €1b in Nigeria oil industry

    The French Government has said that it has set aside about one billion euros to be invested in the Nigeria Oil and Gas industry, stating that Nigeria remains her first economic trading partner in Africa.

    France Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, declared this when the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, led a delegation to his office in Abuja.

    Mr. Gauer said that French Development Agency has put in place about one billion Euros to encourage French investors to invest in the Nigeria Oil and Gas sector, adding that the French government is also cooperating with the Federal Government in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

    The French Ambassador commended the Federal Government for stemming the Niger Delta insecurity situation noting that Total, a French multinational Oil and Gas Company, had significant investment equity in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) and Egina project.

    NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu made this known in a statement Tuesday.

    He however, expressed concern that some other French companies were having challenges with the unclear Nigeria’s fiscal policies in the Oil and Gas sector revealing that some French investors were currently developing wind energy and solar energy in Katsina State.

    Earlier, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Ughamadu, said the Corporation under the current management led by the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, was well positioned and open to investment opportunities from the French Government and investors.

    Mr. Ughamadu noted that with the significant scale down in pipeline vandalism and insecurity which has boosted oil production, global investors such as the French Government can now invest in renewable energy, gas and power infrastructural development, pipeline construction, storage facility and the direct sales and direct purchase of Nigeria crude oil grades.

    He said the NNPC as the state owned oil and gas Corporation had global operations and called for closer collaboration between the French Government and the Corporation especially in the area of consular services in order to enable NNPC top executives and staff meet their global engagements.

    The GGM thanked the Ambassador for the warm reception accorded the NNPC delegation and assured him that with the leadership of the new NNPC management, the Corporation was determined to develop a robust business atmosphere for investors.