The Nation Newspaper

Tag: European Union

  • EU to hold Brexit summit on April 29

    EU to hold Brexit summit on April 29

    The European Union’s 27 leaders will meet on April 29 to agree their negotiating lines for Brexit talks after London sends in a formal notification that it wants to leave the bloc, the chairman of the summit, Donald Tusk, said on Tuesday.

    The meeting is a necessary step before the negotiations between Britain and the 27 remaining EU states can start formally.

    London said on Monday it would send in its exit notification on March 29.

    “In view of what was announced in London yesterday, I’d like to inform you that I will call a European Council on Saturday,  April 29, to adopt the guidelines for the Brexit talks,” Tusk told reporters.

    “You know I personally wish the UK hadn’t chosen to leave the EU, but the majority of British voters decided otherwise.

    Therefore we must do everything we can to make the process of divorce the least painful for the EU.”

    The unprecedented talks are due to run for two years, though many diplomats and officials admit it would probably take longer.

    “Our main priority for the negotiations must be to create as much certainty and clarity as possible for all citizens, companies and member states that will be negatively affected by Brexit, as well as our important partners and friends around the world,” Tusk added.

    NAN recalls that the meeting will be held exactly one month after Britain officially notifies the EU of its intention to leave the bloc.

    The U.K. on Monday announced that it will trigger Article 50 and officially begin divorce talks on March 29.

    The formal triggering will take the form of a letter from  May to Tusk, Downing Street said.

    May’s spokesman declined to give further details of the content of the letter, but senior government officials familiar with the government’s thinking expect it to set out a “positive” vision of the future relationship Britain wants with Brussels after Brexit, including a comprehensive free-trade agreement.

  • Brexit: UK won’t disrespect EU treaties – Minister

    Brexit: UK won’t disrespect EU treaties – Minister

    Britain will respect its obligations under European Union treaties while it seeks to strengthen trade ties with world partners, the British finance minister said on Friday.

    Philip Hammond told reporters, arriving to a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels that Britain would continue to abide by the treaties of EU.

    British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet later on Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump, seeking to enhance the UK’s trade relations with Washington as it prepares to start its divorce talks with the EU.

    “We will continue to abide by the rules, regulations and the laws of the European Union for so long as we are members,” Hammond said.

    “Of course we want to strengthen our trade ties with the very many trade partners we have around the world.

    “But we are very mindful of our obligations under the treaty and will follow them precisely.”

    He said that Britain “remains a fully engaged member of the European Union.”

  • EU foreign ministers met over Syria, Israeli-Palestinian conflict

    EU foreign ministers met over Syria, Israeli-Palestinian conflict

    The Foreign Ministers of the European Union member states, began talks on Monday, on the Syrian crisis and the stalled Middle East peace process.

    The meeting holds one day after diplomats from nearly 70 countries met in Paris and issued a call to Israelis and Palestinians to resume direct negotiations, a week before Syrian peace talks in the Kazakhstan capital, Astana.

    The Paris meeting, which is meant to show a global support for a two-state solution, was harshly criticised by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

    The EU’s discussions come as Turkey and Russia appear to have assumed a leading role in finding a political solution to the conflict.

    The two countries brokered a nationwide ceasefire in December and are planning to host peace talks between representatives of the Syrian Government and the opposition in Astana on January 23.

    The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said before the EU meeting: “We need to talk about the role that Europe will play in the forthcoming process.

    “We also urge that the negotiations on the future of Syria be returned to the hands of the United Nations”.

  •  Britain moves against Scottish independence

     Britain moves against Scottish independence

    David Mundell, British Minister for Scotland, said on Friday that Scotland should not hold a second referendum on independence after the United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union.

    He said in London that even though there could be another independence referendum, but the big issue is there should be no other independence referendum.

    Mundell said that he would continue to passionately make the case and also for the benefit Scotland gets from the United Kingdom.

    The United Kingdom voted 52-48 per cent to leave the EU, while Scotland voted 62-38 per cent to remain.

  • Britain’s EU exit: France holds emergency meeting

    Britain’s EU exit: France holds emergency meeting

    Reactions have continued to trail Britain after the country voted on Thursday in a referendum to leave the European Union.

    Most of them noted that Britain’s vote to leave EU dealt the biggest blow to the European project of greater unity since World War Two, as global financial markets plunged as results of the Thursday’s referendum emerged.

    A source at the French Presidency on Friday said that government would hold an emergency cabinet meeting at 1600 local time (1400 GMT) on Friday to discuss the impact of Britain’s referendum vote to leave the EU.

    Also the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in his reaction to the referendun said there would be an increased pressure for a second Scottish referendum on independence.

    Also reacting, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General, said that Britain’s place in the U.S.-led alliance would remain unchanged in spite of Britons decision to leave the EU.

    “I know that the United Kingdom’s position in NATO will remain unchanged.

    “The UK will remain a strong and committed NATO Ally, and will continue to play its leading role in our alliance,’’ he said.

    Stoltenberg emphasised that NATO is deepening its ties with the EU and had urged Britain to stay in the bloc.

    He said the alliance would continue to seek closer cooperation with the Union.

    Meanwhile, the Chinese government on Friday called on Britain and the EU to reach agreement as soon as possible after Britain voted to leave the bloc.

    Hua Chunying, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, said in Beijing that China respected the choice of the British and stressed that government is still keen to promote its relations with London.

    “We hope Britain and the EU can reach a negotiated agreement at an early date.

    “A prosperous and stable Europe is in all sides’ interests,” she said.

    Prior to the referendum, China had not directly stated its opinion, viewing the vote as an internal matter and saying that only that it wanted to see a strong and stable Europe.

    Hua stressed that there would be a great impact from Britain choosing to leave the EU.

    “The impact will be on all levels, not only on relations between China and Britain.

    “As to what kind of impact there will be, I believe all sides will calmly and conscientiously assess this,” she said.

    Hua said China supports the European integration process and would like to see Europe playing a proactive role in international affairs.

    “We have full confidence in the outlook for the development of China-EU ties.

    “We are willing to work hard with Britain to continue to properly maintain and develop Sino-British ties,” she said.

    Diplomatic sources, however, said that the support was coded for the now.

    They are of the opinion that the defeated “remain” camp, as the bloc, currently China’s largest trading partner, would lose around a sixth of its economic output.

    They recalled that China and Britain have a history of disputes over human rights and the future of the former British colony of Hong Kong.

    They said in the area of export-reliant, China values Britain as a strong advocate for free trade within the EU and the bloc as an important counterweight to the United States.

    Experts say relations between Britain and China have been warming over the past few years and economic links have multiplied in tandem in what both countries refer to as a “golden age” in ties.

    In another development, Donald Trump, U.S. Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump, said Britons “took back control of their country” by voting to leave the EU.

    He said on Friday in Turnberry (Scotland) where he went to reopen a golf resort that, “They took back control of their country. It’s a great thing.

    “People are angry, all over the world, they’re angry, they’re angry over borders, they’re angry over people coming into the country and taking over. Nobody even knows who they are. They’re angry about many, many things,’’ he said.

    Trump said this would not be the last of the referendums as many other places would still have theirs.

    He said before the vote “I said I will be inclined to leave the EU.

    “I said this was going to happen and I think that it’s a great thing,’’ he said.

    Trump has exchanged insults with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who supported staying in the EU and said after the vote he would resign by October.

    Cameron had called the wealthy New York businessman’s anti-immigrant policy ideas divisive and wrong.

    Months ago more than half a million Britons signed a petition to bar Trump from entering Britain, where he has several business interests, in response to his call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S.

    British lawmakers decided against a ban as a violation of free speech.

  • European Union boosts immunization in Ogun

    European Union boosts immunization in Ogun

    Immunisation campaign in Ogun State has received a major boost as the State is the first to receive the first batch of consignment from the European Union Support Immunisation Governance in Nigeria project, otherwise known as EUSIGN. The union donated 45 solar refrigerators, solar generators and solar panels to the state Government for proper preservation of immunization vaccines in the State.

    While receiving the items on behalf of the State Government, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, revealed that the solar refrigerators and generators would keep immunization vaccines potent, safe and viable without having to depend on electricity.

    Ipaye stated that the catalyst for efficient health care service delivery is to have a well funded Primary Health Care system in place, adding that 40 Primary Health Care Centres across the State would bring health care service delivery closer to the people.

    He emphasised that each Local Government Area would benefit from the refrigerators and solar generator though priority would be given to health facilities with more patronage and productivity.

    The Commissioner disclosed that an integrated supervision team had been set up to preserve and secure the items, which are to be distributed to all the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.

    Also speaking, the EUSIGN State Technical Assistant, Saliu Nasir, stated that the gesture was  geared towards supporting the State Government in its bid to improve health care delivery to the people. He added that EUSIGN would hand over all projects to the State Government, promising that more of such developments would come to the State.

  • U.S. needs you in EU, Obama tells British voters

    U.S. needs you in EU, Obama tells British voters

    United States President, Barack Obama, has called on the British voters to stay in the European Union.

    Obama, who arrived in London late Thursday on a two day visit, said that this has become imperative because U.S. needed them there.

     

    “The U.S. sees how your powerful voice in Europe ensures that Europe takes a strong stance in the world, and keeps the EU open, outward looking, and closely linked to its allies on the other side of the Atlantic.

     

    “So the U.S. and the world need your outsized influence to continue including within Europe,” he said.

    Britons would go to the polls on June 23 for a referendum on whether to stay or leave the EU, with Prime Minister David Cameron leading efforts for the country to remain in the bloc.

     

    Britons would go to the polls on June 23 for a referendum on whether to stay or leave the EU, with Prime Minister David Cameron leading efforts for the country to remain in the bloc.

     

    Obama also stressed the EU’s role in pursuing a nuclear deal with Iran, the Paris climate agreement, and also addressed the key economic debate for and against Brexit.

    “When it comes to creating jobs, trade, and economic growth in line with our values, the UK has benefited from its membership in the EU.

    He said that in the end, however, the vote was “a matter for British voters to decide’’.

     

    Obama is scheduled to have lunch with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, her residence outside London, before meeting Cameron later Friday.

    Meanwhile, a controversy over Obama’s reiteration of his opposition to a British exit from the EU, or Brexit had begun before his arrival.

     

    An open letter from UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage and other founders of the Leave movement asked Obama to “abstain from any intended advocacy” on the referendum, while an online petition to parliament, signed by some 35,000 people, called for him to be gagged.

    Asked in parliament on Wednesday about Obama’s expected intervention, Cameron said he believed that “we should listen to advice from friends and other countries.

  • MSF: 100,000 Syrians trapped by fighting near Turkish border

    The Aid group, Doctors without Borders (MSF),on Monday warned that over 100,000 people were trapped in a small pocket in northern Syria, amid ongoing clashes between Islamic State (IS) and rebels.

     

    “Over the past week, more than 35,000 people have fled camps for displaced people which were taken over by IS or which are close to frontlines.

     

    “They join those stranded by previous conflict,’’ MSF said.

     

    According to the aid group, Turkish border remains largely shut with only some medical cases being allowed to cross.

     

    It added that some medical clinics in Azaz were forced to shut while those still open are under intense pressure, flooded with cases.

     

    However, MSF was also critical of the European Union.

     

    “It is unacceptable that the current efforts of the EU are focused on how to return Syrian refugees to Turkey, instead of on how to assure safety and protection for those amassing at the Syrian-Turkish border,’’ it said.

  • Press freedom day: Let journalism thrive

    Press freedom day: Let journalism thrive

    “Is the story well told, does it reflect all the sides to the story, but basically does it help the people to take informed decisions, does it advance society in a way, does it help for change.” These were the words of Mr. Musikilu Mojeed, a Nigerian delegate at the 2015 World Press Freedom Day (WPFD).

    The event, co-hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, started on Saturday, 2nd of May in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, with a side event where participants discussed Media laws, restrictions on civil societies and internet freedom.

    It was agreed that freedom of expression is a fundamental principle of any democratic state without which citizens cannot make informed decisions and international laws require government to protect this freedom, particularly in relations to the activities of media practitioners.

    However, the Latvian National Library saw a large attendance as the major event took place with different but interesting sessions, which all hinged on the theme: “Let Journalism Thrive – Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality & Media Safety in the Digital Age”.

    Speaking on Media and gender equality, Ms. Ifeyinwa Omowole, President – Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) advocated for more women participation in the media. “The more women we have in the media, the more we are likely to have in managerial positions,” she stressed.

    This session focused specially on the 2oth anniversary of Beijing Declaration and the platform for action. It would be recalled that the declaration, adopted by 189 governments at the 4th Women’s \conference, outlined 12 critical areas of concern that needed to be addressed. One of which is ‘Women and the Media’.

    Mr. Edet Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda in an interview submitted that the biggest challenge for the media in Africa is the availability of a lot of government and yet no government actors who attempt to restrict freedom of expression.

    “They try to prevent you from saying things that they are uncomfortable about. But for other groups including terrorists groups, criminal organisations you find out that there are other forms of offline reprisals,” he observed.

    In his opinion, the Scandinavian countries are the best in time of protecting journalists and freedom of speech saying: “They are open societies so they don’t really worry much about what their citizens say and maybe also, because the level of corruption in those societies are quite low so there is less concern.”

    While the session on Regulations, Re-Regulations and De-Regulation came to the end, one point remained clear in the minds of participants, which is ‘If the media refuses to take up regulations for the profession, government will do because regulation is necessary anyways.’

    Interestingly, the event this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of UNESCO and equally the Independence Day of the country of Latvia at 25 years.

    Thus, Ms. Anda Rozukalne, Chairman of the Latvian Association of Journalists disclosed that the country could not treat matters of press freedom with levity for what it means to them. “Press freedom is very important to us because it played a vital role in the acquisition of our independence,” she noted.

    The next edition of the WPFD in 2016 will be co-hosted by Finland making it the first time the event is held in the Scandinavian region with the theme: Freedom of Information, the Right to Seek and to Receive Information.

    It was noted that UNESCO intends to focus on this issue in Finland, as ‘Finland has been one of the strongest supporters of the freedom of information (FoI)’, Mr. Ming-Kuok Lim, Program Specialist in the Division for Freedom of Expression and Media Development of UNESCO.

    The delegation therefore adopted the Latvian Declarations after the Finnish Ambassador to Latvia, Mr. Olli Kantanen, officially received the torch from the chair of the steering committee of Latvia, Ms Baiba Braze, in a handover ceremony

     

  • Nigeria, EU sign MoU on election

    Nigeria, EU sign MoU on election

    THE European Union (EU) and Federal Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the monitoring of next year’s general elections.

    Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Danjuma Sheni, who led Nigeria’s delegation at the occasion in Abuja yesterday, said Nigeria was committed to conducting credible elections in 2015.

    Sheni, according to a report by the News of Nigeria (NAN), said Nigeria welcomed the EU team to observe its elections because of the importance of neutral observers in the electoral process.

    “Nigeria welcomes the European Union as observers of its elections just as others because of the importance of neutral observers in the electoral process.

    “Such observers tend to lend credibility to the legitimacy of the elections. This is precisely the reason why Nigeria is willing to sign this MoU with the European Union delegation.

    “The EU observed our 2011 elections which were declared as one of the freest and fairest elections in Nigeria”, he said.

    The permanent secretary added that the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, had confirmed that the 2015 elections would be conducted under the best international practices.

    He, therefore, called on the EU and Nigeria’s other partners to continue to assist INEC to live up to the pledge made by Jega.

    Sheni said: “Nigeria values the presence of the international observers for its elections since this is one of the pillars for strengthening democracy.

    “Nigeria is committed to having free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections.”

    Leader of EU delegation Mr. Alan Munday said the union was committed to improving Nigeria’s democratic processes.

    Munday said the objective of any observer mission was not to criticize, but to deliver independent report to improve future processes.

    He said the observer mission would look at the whole process of the election from the campaigns to the post-election period.

    The EU envoy called on stakeholders to respect and play by the rules to ensure a level-playing field, free and fair process for all those involved in the democratic process.

    He said the observer team of about 20 to 30 persons would be in Nigeria in the next few weeks.

    Munday said the team would not be able to cover the whole country owing to its vastness.

    He, however, said that it would cover all the geo-political zones, states and the major cities, and collaborate with the locals, NGOs and other international observer teams for effective observation.