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Tag: EU

  • EU, US impose sanctions over Crimea

    EU, US impose sanctions over Crimea

    The EU and US have announced travel bans and asset freezes against a number of officials from Russia and Ukraine.

    The moves follow Sunday’s referendum in Crimea, in which officials say 97% of voters backed breaking away from Ukraine and joining Russia.

    The individuals targeted by the sanctions are seen as having played a key role in the referendum, which Kiev, the US and EU deem illegal.

    Pro-Russian forces have been in control of Crimea since late February.

    Moscow says the troops are pro-Russian self-defence forces and not under its direct control.

    US President Barack Obama said in a press conference that Washington stood “ready to impose further sanctions” depending on whether Russia escalated or de-escalated the situation in Ukraine.

    If Moscow continued to intervene in Ukraine, he warned, it would “achieve nothing except to further isolate Russia and diminish its place in the world”.

    The EU published a list of sanctions against 21 Russian and Ukrainian officials after a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels. The list includes the acting prime minister of Crimea, the speaker of Crimea’s parliament, three senior Russian commanders and several senior Russian parliamentary officials.

    “We regret that Russia has so far not engaged in negotiations with Ukraine,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said after the sanctions were announced.

    UK Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters the list was not “set in stone”.

    He said this depends on “how Russia reacts to the referendum in Crimea which has been a mockery of any real democracy, and how they are reacting to the possibility of discussions and direct negotiations with Ukraine over the coming days”.

    The US said it had targeted seven top Russian government officials and lawmakers and four Crimea-based separatist leaders with financial sanctions for undermining “democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine”.

    The US list included Dmitry Rogozin, a Russian deputy prime minister, Valentina Matviyenko, head of the upper house of the Russian parliament and the ousted Ukrainian leader, Viktor Yanukovych.

    “Today’s actions send a strong message to the Russian government that there are consequences for their actions that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including their actions supporting the illegal referendum for Crimean separation,” the White House said in a statement.

    The EU has also shown its support for Ukraine by announcing it will temporarily remove customs duties on Ukrainian exports to the EU.

    Ukraine’s acting President Oleksander Turchinov said Kiev was ready for negotiations with Russia, but it would never accept the annexation of Crimea.

  • EU condemns illegal sale of crude oil in Libya

    The European Union (EU) on Tuesday condemned the illegal sale of Libyan crude oil by the country’s militias.

    In a statement, the EU spokesperson in charge of Foreign Affairs and Security Policies, Michel Man, urged the international community not to buy illegal crude oil.

    He said the armed groups which control Libyan oil fields do not have any international support.

    Libyan soldiers and allied militias recently seized a tanker loaded with crude oil which a separatist militia was attempting to export in defiance of the country’s central authorities.

  • Putin warns West against sanctions

    Putin warns West against sanctions

    Vladimir Putin has warned the U.S. and the EU of “consequences’’ if they impose sanctions on Russia over its military intervention in Ukraine.

    “What could trigger the possible use of force? It’s only in an extreme case,’’ he said in Moscow on Tuesday, hours after ordering that military exercises near the border with Ukraine end on Friday.

    “As you know, the legitimate president, requested Russia to use military force to save lives and protect the welfare of the local population,’’ Putin added.

    Western powers have upped pressure on the Kremlin over Russia’s bloodless takeover of Crimea, which Ukraine’s new leaders want back.

    Putin said Russia had no partners in Ukraine until new elections were held, describing Yanukovych’s toppling as “unconstitutional’’.

    “Those who are going to introduce sanctions against Russia should think about their consequences, as damage will be mutual,’’ Putin was quoted as saying.

    Sources say that his decision to end military drills this week appeared to be designed to allay fears of war in the region that Russia seized after Ukrainian protesters toppled Yanukovych and installed pro-Western interim leaders.

    The announcement pushed share prices higher on the Moscow stock exchange.

    About 150,000 soldiers taking part in the drills involving airplanes, tanks and ships will return to their bases on March 7, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, said.

    Ukraine’s new leaders said Russia’s takeover of Crimea, where the Russian army has bases, is an act of war.

    Putin said Russia intervened in the Black Sea peninsula, with its Russian-speaking majority, for “humanitarian reasons’’.

    The crisis in Ukraine erupted in November after Yanukovych walked away from a trade agreement with the EU and sought closer ties with Moscow.

    U.S. President Barack Obama said his administration was considering diplomatic and economic measures to isolate Russia. The EU threatened to suspend visa liberalisation talks with Russia.

    NATO ambassadors were meeting Tuesday for the second time in three days to discuss the crisis.

    Poland requested the talks under Article 4 of the military alliance’s charter, which a member state can invoke if it feels threatened.

    Ukraine’s interim rulers and their Western backers want Russia to withdraw the approximately 16,000 soldiers it deployed in Crimea.

    Sources say, however, that there are no signs that Russia will heed the call.

    Putin said Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after he was removed from office, had no political future.

    He also said that opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko was “welcome’’ to visit Moscow if she wanted to.

    Under tough questioning from reporters on his changing stance about the use of force in Ukraine, Putin wagged his finger at the media and said: “Listen to me closely, I want you to understand, if we make this decision, we will make it to protect the people of Ukraine’’.

    He insisted that the gunmen who seized the government building in Crimea were “self defence troops’’ and not Russian soldiers, a claim dismissed by Ukraine and the West.

    “Anyone can buy uniforms,’’ he said.

    The EU will hold an extraordinary summit on the crisis on Thursday, which will be attended by Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

    German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned that unless Russia helped form a contact group of stakeholders by Thursday, then “sanctions will be decided’’ in Brussels.

    In another development, two Russian warships passed through the Bosporus and were on their way to the Black Sea, Turkish media reports said.

    The ships, identified as the Saratov and the Yamal, passed through the strait about 7.30 a.m. the report said.

    Both are classified as landing ships and form part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Crimea.

  • Jega seeks EU support for voters’ education

    Jega seeks EU support for voters’ education

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has solicited the assistance of the European Union in the education of voters and other stakeholders in the country.

    Jega sees voters’ education as necessary for the success of the 2015 general elections.

    The INEC boss, who spoke on Friday in Abuja during a meeting with EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion and his team said as much as the commission would love to ensure proper voters’ education, it has insufficient budgets.

    He also asked for more training for the workforce, especially in the area of logistics.

    The training, he argued will go along in assisting the commission’s work.

    Besides, Jega also used the opportunity to clarify the report on the meeting with political parties in Ekiti.

    He said it was not true that 25 political parties walked out of the meeting as reported.

    According to him only three political parties staged a walk out.

    Jega, who also pleaded with EU to include the media in the training, urged journalists to avoid sensitization, stressing that “it is not everything a politician says that can be reported.”

    “Our media needs to know that it is not everything that can be reported,” he stated.

     

  • Same-sex storm

    Law against same-sex marriage is in tandem with our cultural belief

    The raging global controversy over same-sex marriage has been expanded by a formal Nigerian standpoint with President Goodluck Jonathan signing the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill 2013 into law. Interestingly, it is reflective of the contentious debate that notable Western nations, the United States of America (USA) and Canada, as well as the European Union (EU), have separately criticised the new law, with a common thread alleging a violation of “fundamental human rights.” Indeed, Canada reportedly cancelled Jonathan’s scheduled state visit in February on account of issues related to the law. Instructively, the prominent international rights organisation, Amnesty International, also expressed grave misgivings, and described the law as “discriminatory.”

    It would appear that these negative reactions to an essentially local development mirror the burden of countries in the context of a so-called global village. The line between internal and external affairs seems to have become so blurred that outsiders now take it for granted that they have a say in another country’s domestic issues.

    American Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister, John Baird, who issued statements saying that their countries were “deeply concerned”, hinged their positions on the question of rights and freedoms. Kerry argued that the law “dangerously restricts freedom of assembly, association and expression for all Nigerians,” adding that it is “inconsistent with Nigeria’s international legal obligations and undermines the democratic reforms and human rights protections enshrined in its 1999 Constitution.” Also expressing concern about the anti-gay law, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, Catherine Ashton, in a statement declared that “The European Union is opposed to discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.”

    In a significant sense, these voices could be regarded as belonging to interlopers, which was implied by the country’s presidential spokesman Reuben Abati, who said, “We have received enquiries from some foreign embassies on why the bill was signed into law and told them our cultural values do not tolerate same-sex marriage.” He added: “More than 90 per cent of Nigerians are opposed to same-sex marriage. So the law is in line with our culture and religious beliefs as a people. And I think that this law is made for a people and what the government has done is consistent with the preference of its environment.”

    The country’s criminalisation of homosexuality, which means that anyone in a same-sex marriage or union would face up to 14 years in prison, also makes it illegal for anyone to operate or participate in gay clubs, societies and organisations, or to officiate, witness, abet or aid the solemnisation of same-sex marriage, which attracts a 10-year jail term. In addition, such partnerships concretised overseas are considered void in Nigeria. Fundamentally, the law states that “Only a marriage contract between a man and a woman shall be recognised in Nigeria.”

    At bottom, this disagreement is actually about cultural evolution. It is not only illogical but also domineering for the West, which claims to accept the actuality of human and cultural diversity, to insist that its own cultural perspective must prevail. It goes without saying that even the reality of increasing globalisation must accommodate the idea of cultural sovereignty. What is more, the fact that the law emerged from a democratic process, which the West is always quick to promote, should be a validation.

    It qualifies as meddlesomeness, this apparent disrespect for the country’s own viewpoint on publicised same-sex relationship. It should be pointed out that the world is far from an agreement on this oddity, and no one should assume the authority of forcing it down the throats of people who have different values. It is objectionable that the Canadian spokesman, perhaps speaking the minds of the gay supporters’ circle, went to the extreme of explicitly calling for the repeal of the law.

     

  • Anti-gay law against fundamental rights – EU

    The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton has expressed concern about same sex marriage prohibition Act recently signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Ashton noted that the Act is in contradiction with the 1999 Constitution and international agreements to which Nigeria is a party.

    EU in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja said it opposes discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation.

    “I am concerned about the signing into law in Nigeria of the same sex marriage prohibition act.

    “The European Union is opposed to discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation. It is firmly committed to human rights and rule of law in respect of those rights, including freedom of association, conscience and speech and equality of persons. It supports the respect of human rights in all countries of the world.

    “I am therefore particularly concerned that some provisions of the Act appear to be contradiction with those fundamental rights, which are themselves guaranteed by Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, and to be inconsistent with the legal obligations enshrined in a number of international agreements to which Nigeria is a party,” Ashton said.

     

  • Rivers N486b budget passed

    Rivers N486b budget passed

    •Lawmakers sit at Govt House

    A MID tight security, Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi presented to the Assembly yesterday a N485.524 billion budget for this year.

    The budget, which is N4.797billion lower than last year’s N490.320 billion, was immediately passed inside the Government House, Port Harcourt.

    The ceremony took place, in spite of protests by the six lawmakers loyal to the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt.

    The capital and recurrent provisions are N247.573 billion and N237.950 billion. The capital to recurrent ratio is 76:24 for the financial year 2014, as against 70:30 achieved as at September 2013.

    The budget, according to Amaechi, who is also the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) chairman, will be funded by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee’s (FAAC’s) allocation of N241.243 billion and the Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) of N92.420 billion.

    Others include balance of N10.717 billion, proposed loans of N100 billion, credit from the World Bank of N6.983 billion, the European Union’s (EU’s) grant of N0.660 billion and the sale of assets of N33.5 billion.

    The Ministry of Works has the highest allocation of N60 billion, followed by the Ministry of Education with N30 billion. The Rivers Urban Beautification, Parks and Gardens, as well as the Auditor-General (State), each has the lowest of 0.080 billion.

    The budget was passed into law, after a few hours deliberations by 23 of the 25 pro-Amaechi lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree.

    The six anti-Amaechi lawmakers, in a joint statement, however, raised the alarm over Amaechi’s plan to present the 2014 budget inside the Brick House (Government House), instead of the hallowed chambers of the Rivers House of Assembly, which was done later in the day.

    Prior to the budget presentation, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Leyii Kwanee, a lawyer, on Rhythm FM Radio in Port Harcourt yesterday, denied the anti-Amaechi lawmakers’ claim and said the people would be informed when the budget would be presented in the Assembly.

    The pro-Wike legislators are Evans Bipi (Ogu/Bolo constituency, the self-acclaimed speaker), Michael Okechukwu Chinda (Obio/Akpor II), Kelechi Godspower Nwogu (Omuma), Martins Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor I), Victor Ihunwo (Port Harcourt III) and Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, the Chief Whip (Andoni). They were not at the budget presentation.

    Ibani, until his December 1 last year’s defection to Wike’s camp, was one of the 27 pro-Amaechi members of the Assembly.

    The chief whip is a political “boy” to the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, from Ikuru Town in Andoni Local Government Area, but defected at the rally of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), which has Wike as the grand patron) in Ogu, the headquarters of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area.

    In the earlier group of 27 lawmakers supporting Amaechi and led by Amachree, one of them, Tonye Harry, a former Speaker of the Assembly and deputy to Amaechi while he was speaker for eight years, died last year. He is yet to be replaced.

    Besides the anti-Amaechi lawmakers’ joint statement, Bipi, in a telephone interview yesterday, described the budget presentation as illegal, stressing that the budget could only be presented in the Assembly.

    Amachree said the budget presentation and passage took place inside the Government House, in view of the ongoing renovation at the House of Assembly complex, because of the July 9 last year’s fracas, with most of the appliances and valuable items vandalised.

    Amachree also cited insecurity and not having access to the Assembly complex as other reasons for the Government House budget presentation and passage. He accused Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu of taking sides and unable to provide security for the lawmakers to perform their duties.

    The deputy speaker, a lawyer, also insisted that the presentation was legal and one of the constitutional rights and duties of the lawmakers.

    A renowned human rights activist, Ken Atsuwete, who is a Port Harcourt lawyer, backed the budget presentation and passage at the seat of power, while declaring that governance in the state was nor normal, in view of insecurity and uncertainty.

    Atsuwete noted that ingenuity and keeping governance running must be employed in the state, especially with the incessant bomb blasts across the state, particularly in courts and at the office of the Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, an engineer.

    The activist (Atsuwete) noted that the budget presentation and passage in Government House amounted to adopting the Doctrine of Necessity, which the National Assembly employed in making Dr. Goodluck Jonathan President, stressing that the legislature and the judiciary were being frustrated, but “the executive must not be frustrated”.

    While speaking live on Rhythm FM Radio in Port Harcourt at 4 pm yesterday, two of the six anti-Amaechi lawmakers: Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, the Chief Whip (Andoni) and Martins Amaewhule (Obio/Akpor I), faulted the budget presentation and passage, saying the implementation would be legally prevented.

    Ibani, who has been a lawmaker for six years, said: “The 31 legislators (Tonye Harry, a pro-Amaechi lawmaker and ex-Speaker of the House of Assembly, died last year; he is yet to be replaced) ought to receive the 2014 budget from Governor Amaechi in the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    “There cannot be an exception to the rule. Anything to the contrary is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

    “You cannot present and pass budget into law in one day. It is laughable. It is an injustice. There is separation of powers. What they did will be challenged in court. It is a constitutional matter.”

    Amaewhule also described the action of the pro-Amaechi lawmakers and the NGF chairman as condemnable.

    The representative of Obio/Akpor I Constituency said: “What took place in Government House, Port Harcourt today (yesterday) was a kangaroo club meeting and not 2014 budget presentation and passage.

    “Budget presentation and passage outside the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly amount to an illegality, unconstitutional and quite shameful. These have never happened in the history of Rivers State.”

    Late last year, the anti-Amaechi legislators attempted to sit in the Rivers House of Assembly, based on the December 10 judgment of the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, which declared as unconstitutional, the taking over of the Assembly by the National Assembly, but were prevented by policemen.

    For many weeks late last year, the pro and anti-Amaechi lawmakers and supporters, including the members of the National Assembly, top Rivers government officials and prominent indigenes, protested in front of the Assembly, but were always teargased and dispersed by policemen, who barricaded the Assembly’s gates with Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and patrol vans.

    In view of their inability to access the Assembly, the pro-Amaechi lawmakers, with plastic chairs form the nearby Port Harcourt City council, sat at the centre of Moscow Road, in front of the Assembly.

    The decision of the anti-Amaechi lawmakers and supporters to continue to protest in front of the Rivers House of Assembly, even as early as 4 am, for many days late last year, was to prevent the budget presentation and passage, while also raising the alarm then, of a plan by the pro-Amaechi legislators to sit inside the Government House.

    At yesterday’s presentation were commissioners, other top government officials and eminent Rivers indigenes.

    Presenting the appropriation bill for 2014, christened: “A year of sustained action”, Amaechi lauded the legislators for their “very kind” support and encouragement.

    The budget estimates were based on crude oil benchmark price of $67.5 to create a safety net of $10, in view of the inconsistent nature of the international oil market prices, to enable the government accommodate any shocks resulting from possible fluctuation.

    Amaechi expected his administration’s FAAC and IGR profile to be realistic, based on the modest projections, the reforms and improvements going on in the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR).

    He assured the people that the strategies, coupled with improvements in the implementation of policies and programmes this year were designed to handle the eventualities, while noting that the budget was presented after due consultations with stakeholders within and outside the public service.

    The NGF chairman said: “On behalf of the Rivers State Government, I would like to record our gratitude to Rivers people for supporting and defending the mandate given us in October 2007, to continue to lead the state.

    “In return, we shall be unwavering in our determination to deliver on every promise made to you, to deliver good governance and sustainable development. Neither our personal comfort nor any threat to our persons would deter us from reaching our collective goals as Rivers people.

    “In the midst of these provocations, we will fulfill the promises of our mandate and make our people proud. The 2014 budget will not accommodate new projects. This is in the light of current realities and out of a resolve to guarantee efficient service delivery.

    “The economic realities arising from already-dwindling revenues since mid 2013 suggest a need for prudence and good sense this year. Government will continue to demonstrate good sense of management, by making more money available to finance the ongoing projects for completion next year.

    “The focus of the budget (2014) will be on completing ongoing projects in health, education, roads, transport, power, water, agriculture and other critical infrastructure. The 2014 budget is formulated to achieve the agenda of this administration, with the overall objective of prospering the state and promoting the wellbeing of the people.”

    The Rivers governor also stated that his administration remained indebted to the lawmakers and grateful for all their support, encouragement and good sense of judgment, “particularly at this great moment of the state’s political history”. He urged them to sustain the tempo, in the interest of Rivers people.

    He said: “Posterity will judge your stance fairly, even as today, you have become hallmarks and bastions of our democracy. We at the Executive, reaffirm the commitment of this administration to our people and our stand for justice and equity and fair play.”

    Amaechi also stated that he remained focused and would never be distracted by the antics of the enemies of democracy.

    Prior to the commencement of the deliberations, during their brief sitting, the speaker of the Rivers Assembly (Amachree), stated that the lawmakers decided to continue with their legislative duties in makeshift chambers, in order not to be held to ransom by some persons who did not mean well for the state.

    Amachree called on the House’s Deputy Leader, Nname Ewor, to move the motion to designate the makeshift chambers as the chambers of the House of Assembly, after which the Assembly’s Deputy Whip, Irene Inimgba, seconded the motion.

    Moving the motion, Ewor said: “As it is common knowledge that on the 9th day of July, 2013, there were few events that took place in the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    “In that circumstance, our computers and a few other items in the chambers, including the entire complex, were destroyed. As a result of this, our chambers are not ready for use, because the executive arm of government will have to undertake holistic repair and renovation of the complex.

    “In this circumstance, I move that this auditorium be designated as a temporary sitting place of the Rivers State House of Assembly, until such a time that the executive would finish with the renovation of the permanent Assembly complex that will enable us to carry on with our legislative business. I so move.”

  • EU warns Israel over settlement construction

    The European Union said Tuesday it has warned Israel against any new West Bank settlement construction following an upcoming Palestinian prisoner release, saying it will be held responsible for any resulting failure of the ongoing peace talks.

    The warning is another sign of displeasure in Europe over Israel’s settlement building and its effect on the negotiations, which have yielded no tangible results months after they started.

    In the past months, Israel has announced new construction to appease public anger over Palestinian prisoner releases carried out as part of a deal that brought Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

    The EU said that if the peace talks collapse following another such announcement when a third set of prisoners is released late this month, Israel would be to blame. The Palestinians nearly walked on the talks over the last announcement of settlement construction.

    “If these talks fail because of a new settlement announcement, Israel risks having a finger pointed at it,” said Eyal Inbar, the EU’s acting spokesman in Israel.

    Inbar said that the EU message was delivered to the director of Israel’s foreign ministry on Monday. Yigal Palmor, a foreign minister spokesman, declined to comment on the private discussions.

    Israel has responded to the prisoner releases with settlement announcements in a bid to appease hard-liners opposed to freeing prisoners, who were convicted in deadly attacks on Israelis. Under the negotiations, which began in late July and are to conclude in April, Israel is to release 104 long-serving prisoners in four rounds.

    The issue of Jewish settlements is at the core of the current impasse in Mideast peace efforts. For most of the past five years, the Palestinians refused to negotiate with Israel while settlement construction continued. The Palestinians say the settlements are a sign of bad faith. More than 500,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, making it increasingly difficult to partition the land.

    The Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967, but are willing to accept minor land swaps in drawing the final border to accommodate some of the settlements Israel has built on war-won land.

    In another threat meant to spur the sides toward a deal, an EU official said Europe would tell the Palestinians on Tuesday it would cut aid off to the Palestinian Authority, which relies on donor funding to function. But such a move would hurt Israel more than the Palestinians, since it would leave Israel responsible for the fate of some 2.5 million Palestinians living under military occupation.

  • EU spends 677m euro on projects

    EU spends 677m euro on projects

    The European Union (EU) budget for projects in the country for the last five years would have hit the 677million euro mark, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Michel Arrion, has said.

    Arrion, who also spoke about the security challenges in the country, noted that projects embarked on were done in concert with the Nigerian authorities under the European Development Fund (EDF) which is funded by the General Budget of the EU.

    The EU projects, tagged National Indicative Programme for Nigeria for the 10th EDF (2008-1013) targets three main sectors of intervention – Economic Governance, Political Governance and Democracy and Social Governance.

    Besides, Arrion also said EU and Nigerian officials met in Brussels to decide on programming priorities for 2014 to 2020 under the EDF.

    He said the financial envelope for the 10th EDF is 677 million euro, which must be fully committed for projects by the end of the year. However, implementation of projects may continue for several years beyond 2013.

    On insecurity in the country, the Ambassador said: “EU appreciates the security challenges facing Nigeria, and is working with the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to contribute to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian securityagencies to deal with the insurgency in parts of the north and other security challenges the country is grappling with.

    “We are active in peace and security; it is a new area for us. We recognise the importance of security and we are active in the field. We try to better understand the regional aspect of insecurity in Nigeria. We have recently elaborated an issue strategy for the panel so in times of strategic orientation, in term of strategic objective, yes we are fully engage in security issues. We have directed our support to the NSA or support to community, NGO or civil societies who are working on the country’s issue. We are also trying to create a European defense policy.”

  • EU meet journalists in Abuja

    EU meet journalists in Abuja