The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Norway

  • Nigeria lauds international support on Boko Haram

    Nigeria has lauded the international support to the country and neighbouring countries in addressing the challenges caused by the Boko Haram terrorists and the shrinking of the Lake Chad.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, stated this in New York at the ‘Security Council Open Debate on the Role of States, Regional Arrangements and the United Nations in the Prevention and Resolution of Conflict.

    Bande said “As we all know, the Lake Chad region has been facing its worst crisis ever, primarily because of the impact of climate change.

    “However, the ability of the Lake Chad basin countries to obtain international support and attention is paying off.

    “An array of countries – Norway, Germany, UK, U. S., China, Canada and others – have joined the UN to provide financial and technical support to the on-going efforts to not only conquer Boko Haram, but also work at the same time across the whole pillars, as the only way forward.

    “Indeed, so successful has this been, since the visit by the Security Council in March 2017, and the various pledging conferences – Abuja, Oslo and Berlin – that we are even talking of recharging of the basin, to restore and or stabilise the livelihood of some 45 million people affected by this unfortunate situation.

    “Through it all, ECOWAS, AU and the UN have been working very well together to galvanise support, towards the same end”.

    Bande pledged Nigeria’s resolve to continue to support efforts at maintaining peace and security in all regions of the world.

    According to him, more than ever, there is the need to strengthen collaboration between the UN and the various regional and sub-regional organizations around the world.

    The need to ensure that effective and mutually reinforcing mechanisms (both regional and global) that are flexible and responsive enough to ensure peaceful coexistence among communities are prioritized, he said, were critical.

    Bande said it was imperative to ensure that a means of financing regional bodies-led peace support operations that were authorized by the Security Council would be predictably and sustainably worked out.

    “We owe this to the millions that suffer and are waiting for our help.

    “In this regard, I wish to commend the Secretary-General on the current AU-UN partnership on peacekeeping, as this is a right step in the right direction,” he said.

    The envoy said in the effort to prevent and resolve conflicts, there is the need to also take due cognizance of the structural challenges to peace and security.

    These challenges, like climate change, mismanagement of natural resources, cross border and international crime, are at the root of some of the worst conflicts of our time, he said.

    The Nigerian envoy added that the challenges are best tackled through a broad collaboration among States, sub-regional and regional organisations and the UN.

    NAN reports that the UN says nine years into the conflict, the humanitarian emergency in the Lake Chad region is among the most severe in the world.

    The world body says while the crisis is unfolding in a region already affected by severe underdevelopment, poverty and climate change.

    The impact on the lives of around 17 million people is devastating, with women, youth and children bearing the brunt.

    In 2018, more than 10 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection.

    The humanitarian response was expanded significantly in 2017, reaching over six million people with life-saving assistance and protection, and effectively averting a famine.

    But needs in the affected regions remain acute and will persist at large scale into 2019 and beyond. Humanitarian organisations are requesting 1.6 billion dollars for 2018.

    Support from the international community to national efforts will be essential in the coming months to ease hunger, provide water, shelter, hygiene, healthcare, protection and education, and help communities rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

    The UN also said without continued assistance, hard hit communities risk sliding back into distress.

  • Nigeria, Norway to partner on film

    NIGERIA and Norway have reaffirmed their commitment to partner for development of their film industries. Ambassador of Norway to Nigeria, Jens Petter Kjemprud, during a visit to the Headquarters of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), Jos, on Wednesday, reiterated his country’s readiness, saying he was at the NFC to seek ways of collaborations for film agencies in Norway.

    According to him, Nigeria has a robust film industry with an employment of about 100 million practitioners. This to him, and in addition to the rich culture and literature of Nigeria, makes the Nollywood a brand for Nigeria. He averred that the Nigerian film industry has a duty to correct the negative portraiture of Nigeria, through the development of appropriate storylines in films.

    Managing Director/Chief Executive of NFC, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, commended the Ambassador for the visit and assured that the NFC as the lead regulatory government film agency was desirous of creating an enabling environment for the Nigerian film industry to be at par with others film cultures.

    NFC, he said, is developing a robust plan, which includes domestic and foreign linkages that will serve as catalysts for Nigerian film practitioners to ply their profession. Maduekwe, emphasized that training and capacity building to deal with skills gap in the film sector was being addressed through the National Film Institute (NFI), and called for further partnership and exchange programmes between the National Film Institute (NFI) and the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI).

    Decisions made during the visit include, the participation of Norway at ZUMA Film Festival 2018, taking place in Abuja from December 1st -7th; the participation of Nigeria at the Annual International Business Forum held in Oslo between November and December; a Joint Nigerian Film Festival to be held in Norway, yearly, and partnership between the film training institutes of both countries, as well as the signing of a co-production treaty between Nigeria and Norway.

  • UNICEF launches worldwide campaign ‘Every Child Alive’

    UNICEF launches worldwide campaign ‘Every Child Alive’

    UNICEF launched a worldwide campaign “Every Child Alive” on Tuesday, to demand and deliver solutions on behalf of the world’s newborns, along with a new report on newborn mortality.

    The UNICEF Nepal said in a statement that in low-income countries, the average newborn mortality rate is 27 deaths per 1,000 births.

    Newborns from the most risky places are up to 50 times more likely to die than those from the safest places.

    According to the Nepal’s Demographic Health Survey 2016, one in 48 babies die in their first 28 days of life in the country, making up to 13,000 newborn deaths every year in Nepal.

    According to the report, 80 per cent of newborn deaths are due to premature complications during birth or infections such as pneumonia and sepsis.

    “These deaths can be prevented with access to well-trained midwives, along with proven solutions like clean water, disinfectants, breastfeeding within the first hour, skin-to-skin contact and good nutrition,” UNICEF  said.

    However, a shortage of well-trained health workers and midwives means that thousands do not receive the life-saving support they need to survive.

    While in Norway there are 218 doctors, nurses and midwives to serve 10,000 people, that ratio is 2.3 per 10,000 in Nepal, as per the report.

    Through the new campaign, UNICEF is issuing an urgent appeal to governments, health care providers, donors, the private sector, families and businesses to keep every child alive.

    According to UNICEF Nepal, the campaign will complement the Nepali government’s commitments and efforts to reduce newborn deaths and stillbirths through its 20-year Every Newborn Action Plan launched in 2016.

    The Nepali government aims to reduce newborn mortality to below 11 deaths per 1,000 live births and a stillbirth rate of less than 13 per 1,000 total births by 2035 from the current rates of 23 and 18.4 respectively.

    Xinhua/NAN

  • Trump questions taking of immigrants from ‘shithole countries’

    Trump questions taking of immigrants from ‘shithole countries’

    President Donald Trump has questioned why the U.S. would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as “shithole countries,” according to two sources familiar with the comments.

    Trump’s remarks, made in the White House, came as Democratic Senator Dick Durbin and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham briefed the president on a newly drafted immigration bill being touted by a bipartisan group of senators, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified.

    Sources said government officials were present during the conversation.

    The lawmakers were describing how certain immigration programs operate, including one to give safe haven in the United States to people from countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife.

    One of the sources who was briefed on the conversation said that Trump said, “Why do we want all these people from Africa here?

    “They’re shithole countries … We should have more people from Norway.”

    The second source familiar with the conversation, said Trump, who has vowed to clamp down on illegal immigration, also questioned the need for Haitians in the United States.

    Many Democrats and some Republican lawmakers slammed the president for his remarks.

    Republican U.S. Representative Mia Love, a daughter of Haitian immigrants, said the comments were “unkind, divisive, elitist, and fly in the face of our nation’s values”.

    Love called on Trump to apologise to the American people and to the countries he denigrated.

    Another Republican Representative, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who was born in Cuba and whose south Florida district includes many Haitian immigrants, said: “Language like that shouldn’t be heard in locker rooms and it shouldn’t be heard in the White House.”

    Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, a frequent Trump critic, said the president’s comment “smacks of blatant racism, the most odious and insidious racism masquerading poorly as immigration policy.”

    Read Also: “Obama sold the finest embassy for Peanuts,” Trump cancels UK visit

    In an apparent response to his critics, Trump took to Twitter late on Thursday night.

    Trump tweeted: “The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process.

    “It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA!”

    The programme that was being discussed at the White House is called Temporary Protected Status.

    In November, the Trump administration decided to end the status for immigrants from Haiti and Nicaragua.

    It gave the approximately 59,000 Haitian immigrants who had been granted the status until July 2019 to return home or legalise their presence in the U.S.

    Nicaraguans were given until January 2019.

    On Monday, Trump moved to end the status for immigrants from El Salvador, which could result in 200,000 Salvadorans legally in the United States being deported, beginning in September of 2019.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Secret corporate ownership a global problem – Osinbajo

    Secret corporate ownership a global problem – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described secret corporate ownership as a global problem and bane of development in resource-rich countries like Nigeria.

    Osinbajo said this at the Beneficial Ownership Conference of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ( EITI ) in Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday.

    The vice president’s speech was made available to newsmen in Abuja.

    He cited a 2014 report by the One Campaign entitled, “One Trillion Dollar Scandal’’, which showed that developing countries loose one trillion dollars annually to corporate transgressions.

    According to the vice president, most of the funds are traceable to the activities of companies with secret ownership.

    “Another report that may enjoy mention here is the 2015 report of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa chaired by former South African President Thabo Mbeki.

    “The panel stated in its report that Africa had lost more than one trillion dollars over a 50-year period, and that Africa loses more than 50 billion dollars annually to illicit financial flows.

    “Most of these illicit flows are perpetrated in the extractive sector and through companies with hidden ownerships.’’

    Osinbajo said Nigeria was still struggling with the negative impact of the use of corporate ownership secrecy by senior government officials and their cronies to corner juicy contracts in the extractive industry.

    He specifically mentioned the celebrated Malabu scandal of the 1990s, which he said remained the subject of criminal and civil proceedings in many parts of the world.

    According to him, the court cases involved huge legal costs, while the full benefit of the natural resource remains unexploited for the benefit of the people of Nigeria to which it belongs.

    “So, for us in the developing world and especially in Africa, breaking the wall of secret corporate ownership is an existential matter.

    “It is for us literarily a matter of life and death. Masked or Hidden corporate ownership is deeply implicated in the sad story of our underdevelopment.

    “Yes, we know that anonymous companies are not always illegal or are not always designed to harm.

    “But we also know that secrecy provides a convenient cover for the criminal and the corrupt. And we are not just operating from the theoretical or hypothetical standpoint,’’ he said.

    The vice president said that the problem was a global one driven by an inter-connected world where the foothold of anonymous companies does not respect the developed/developing divide.

    He said although the degree of exposure may differ, everyone in today’s world was at risk of the dangers posed by anonymous corporate ownership.

    “If nothing else, the Panama Papers clearly illustrated the global scale and spread of this problem.

    “So, this is a global challenge and nothing less than a truly global approach will be needed to tackle it.’’

    Osinbajo commended the United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands and Denmark for setting the pace in the establishment of public registers of the real, human owners of companies in their countries.

    He, therefore, called on other G8 and G20 countries to follow suit by initiating actions to end corporate secrecy at home and their dependencies.

    “Open Ownership and its partners must also be commended for establishing a global register of beneficial ownership with entries on about two million companies.

    “However, we must note that legislative measures in the mentioned countries may need to go farther to effectively discourage or totally prohibit non-disclosure agreements by governments with big corporate, and to re-evaluate the use of secret trusts to hide beneficial ownership from the prying eyes of the law.

    “It is important to underscore the fact that opacity in one section of the globe undermines openness in the other.

    “We need to break down this wall together as we are all at risk of the evil effects of opacity in business ownership.

    NAN

  • Norway appoints first female foreign minister

    Norway appoints first female foreign minister

    Defense Minister of Norway, Ine Eriksen Soereide was named minister of foreign affairs on Friday, making her the first woman to hold the post in the Nordic country.

    She replaced Boerge Brende, who in September was appointed president of the World Economic Forum.

    Report says the appointment leaves the top three government jobs, that of prime minister, foreign minister and finance minister, in the hands of women.

    Prime Minister Erna Solberg said European Affairs Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen would move to the defense post, while Marit Berger Roesland will join the cabinet to take up the European affairs portfolio.

    NAN

  • Norway to expand sea food industry in Nigeria

    Norway to expand sea food industry in Nigeria

    One cannot talk of sea food, particularly stockfish without mentioning Norway. That is why people from various works of life, including international traders, Norwegian and Nigerian government officials, and other stake holders in the Nigerian fishery industry converged at Eko Hotels, Lagos for the Norwegian seafood seminar on networking relations for Norwegian stockfish, pelagic and salmon in the Nigerian market.

    Speaking at the event which was held recently, the Executive Director, Nigerian Institute of Marine Research and Oceanography, Dr. Gbolagade Akande, noted that Nigeria has been importing stockfish from Norway since the 1890s. A situation he described as a good business relation between the two countries.

    However, Dr. Gbolagade Akande, who represented the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe, regretted that there was imbalance in the bilateral relationship between Norway and Nigeria, noting that the development is to the disadvantage of the country.

    Elucidating, he said, “There is trade imbalance in the bilateral relationship because Nigerian imports hugely from Norway but Norway cannot be said to be taking anything from Nigeria. This is not good for our economy. That is why we are advocating for the need to invest and encourage research into the area of aquaculture and fishmeal production. There is a lot of fish in our water that can support fishmeal production, but sadly Nigeria depends largely on importation of fishmeal into the country. We want Norway to come and invest in fishmeal industry in Nigeria to close the gap in this trade imbalance.”

    The minister said this is important because Norway is not importing oil from Nigeria because Norway too has oil. He called on Norwegian government to look at the seafood sector of agriculture where the two countries have many things in common and invest in it.  He described the seminar as another opportunity for Nigeria and Norway to move forward in their business relations.

    “Now we are talking of how to move forward and the way to go about that is to work on how we can bridge the disparity between demand and supply. To achieve this, the two countries will collaborate to inject money into research while Norway is particularly needed to set up fishmeal companies in Nigeria,” said Ogbe

    While pointing out that there is still a huge potential in the market, Ogbe put the demand of 180 million people population in Nigeria at 2.7million metric tons, out of which he said Nigeria is only producing 1.7 metric tons.

    The Norwegian Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Mr. Ronny Berg, expressed the wishes of the Norwegian government and exporters to assist the Nigerian fish importers trading with them in any legitimate way they can as well as in other fisheries sector like aquaculture in this period of Nigeria’s scarce foreign exchange and slow trade in the non-oil sector.

    Mr. Ronny Berg, who was represented by the Ambassador of Norway to Nigeria, Jens-Peter Kjemprud, also admitted that there is a lot of opportunities in the seafood sector and promised that Norway is determined to collaborate with Nigeria to explore the sector.

    He, however, stated that the recent economic situation in the world has affected the sector like other areas of the global economy but added that a lot is being done to boost production and create jobs, where necessary.

    The ambassador also agreed with the Nigerian minister that Norway has been exporting stock fish to Nigeria since 1890s and that Norwegian seafood represents an important source of protein to many Nigerians.

    The ambassador, who pointed out that Nigeria is Norway’s biggest trading partner on the African continent, said: “Nigeria and Norway have bilateral trade relations and we have been working closely together for more than 100 years. We are investing in fish, especially stock fish, sardines, and mackerel, as well as oil. Nigeria is a fertile land and that is why we will do more in our investment here.”

    He, however, called on the federal government to boost its provision of infrastructure such as power and tighter security for their investment to bloom in order to command more investment into the country. He did acknowledge the fact that Nigerians are friendly people that do not discriminate against foreigners.

    During the various presentations, it was gathered that Nigeria and Norway have long-standing traditions for seafood trade that is over a hundred years old. Norway exports stockfish, salmon and pelagic fishes to Italy, UK, USA, Slovakia etc., amongst several countries. Norway exports 34 million meals everyday to 140 countries.

    Berg emphasised on the sustainable production of seafood from Norway to Nigeria as well as to other countries all over the world. He stated that Norway’s stockfish is very nutritious and has all the essential nutrients, very high in protein, over 70percent and very rich in omega3 fatty acids that is very good for the human body. Stockfish, he said, is produced in the clear, cold waters of Lofoten in Norway.

    Nigeria is the largest importer of Norwegian stockfish and stockfish heads. Norway produces only optimum stockfish and stockfish heads that are fit for human consumption (the product is also eaten in Norway). In 2016, Norway exported almost 7000metric tonnes of stockfish to Nigeria. In the pelagic export – mackerel takes the largest share of the Norwegian pelagic export to Nigeria; with over 16,000metric tonnes imported by Nigeria in 2016. Nigeria is one of the five largest importers of mackerel from Norway.

    Berg also noted that aside from trade, Norway has featured prominently in rendering assistance to Nigeria in marine research over the years through the Friedjord-Nansen Marine Project. “The third Friedjord Bansen vessel was christened some few weeks back and Nigeria was represented at the christening in Norway by a senior staff of the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research,” he stated.

    Earlier, the ambassador had held a closed door meeting with customs officials and the director of fisheries as well as Norwegian and Nigerian companies active in trade and investment.

     

  • Nigeria, Norway to tap maritime potentials, says Peterside

    Nigeria, Norway to tap maritime potentials, says Peterside

    As part of measures to attract foreign investors to tap into opportunities that abound in the Nigerian maritime industry, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will be showcasing the potentials of the sector at the Norway Shipping week  later this year.

    NIMASA Director-General  Dr. Dakuku Peterside made this known when the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Mr. Ronny Berg, and the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Jens-Peter Kjemprud visited to the NIMASA Headquarters in Lagos.

    Dr. Peterside, who noted that Nigeria has a very rich maritime heritage, said Minister of Transportation Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi would be leading a delegation from Nigeria to grace the event and meet relevant maritime stakeholders at the side lines of the occasion in Norway.

    In his words: “The delegation, to be led by the Honourable Minister of Transportation will be holding series of meetings with maritime stakeholders during the Norway shipping week to discuss available opportunities in the Nigerian maritime industry.”

    A statement by NIMSA’s image maker Isichei Osamgbi quoted the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Trade as saying that Nigeria is Norway’s biggest trade partner on the continent of Africa hence the need to strengthen the ties through cooperation and collaboration.

    The Norwegian Deputy Minister said: “Norway has had trade ties with Nigeria since the 1890s when stock fish from Norway was shipped into Nigeria. Norwegians have interest in investing in Nigeria especially the maritime sector and we are willing to support NIMASA in delivering a safe maritime economy .“

    In its quest to advance the economic interest of the maritime sector geared towards making it a world class standard, the DG of NIMASA since assumption of office has continued to seek collaborations both locally and internationally, with positive results.

  • Rivers, Norway to partner on agriculture

    Rivers, Norway to partner on agriculture

    The Rivers State government and Norway have agreed to partner on agriculture and economic development programmes.

    Governor Nyesom Wike stated this yesterday when the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens-Peter Kjemprud, visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

    He urged the Norwegian  government to partner Rivers State in building a ship assembly plant, noting that investing companies will receive tax relief.

    The governor called for partnership in agriculture, saying the government would provide the enabling environment for commercial agriculture investors, both in fishery and crop production.

    He, however, berated federal agencies for trying to blackmail the state to slow down its development.

    According to him, these federal agents are unhappy Rivers, as an opposition state, is leading in project execution.

    His words: “Don’t bother about the politicking. As an opposition state, when you are doing well in terms of project execution and good governance, the Federal Government  blackmails you to drive away investors.

    “We are focused on our goal of developing our state. Therefore, we shall continue to partner foreign and national investors to develop the economy.

    “The establishment of a ship assembly plant will build the skill base of our youths, create employments and enhance the state’s economy. That is why we are happy with the development of this partnership.”

    Wike urged the Norwegian  government to open a visa centre in Port Harcourt to cater for the Southsouth and Southeast.

    Jens-Peter Kjemprud said his country would support human capital development and technology transfer in its relationship with Rivers State.

    “I will be supportive of any project that will enhance  the  economic  development of Rivers State wherein Norwegian companies will be involved,” Kjemprud said.

    He promised that fish farming and aquaculture summits will be held to benefit the state in the areas of fish farming and development of a sound aquaculture.

    The Norwegian Ambassador added that Norway will also collaborate with the government in energy, ship building and manpower development.

  • Insurgency: Norway gives US$11.5 million for northeast

    Insurgency: Norway gives US$11.5 million for northeast

    The Government of Norway has donated $11.5 million (3.6 billion Naira) to improve basic education and support girls and women who have been victims of sexual violence by Boko Haram in the conflict-affected northeast states, such as Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe.

    A press statement made available to The Nation yesterday by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Chief Communication Officer, Mrs. Doune Porter, said the funding is part of the Safe Schools Initiative in northern Nigeria.

    She noted that in 2013, Norway was a pioneer member of the Safe Schools Initiative committee established in response to Boko Haram attacks on schools in the northeast and the urgent need to provide a safe learning environment for children.

    She said with UNICEF support, about one hundred thousand children are currently accessing education through Temporary Learning Spaces and schools in northeast Nigeria.

    She explained that the fund will further boost access to education for an additional half a million boys and girls in internally displaced persons’ camps, host communities and areas of Borno State that have recently become accessible areas to humanitarian assistance.

    The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens-Petter Kjemprud, in the statement said, “We believe in the importance of doing what we can to break the cycle of violence in northeast Nigeria.

    “This funding will provide more basic education in a good learning environment and will provide much-needed counseling for girls who have suffered unimaginable trauma at the hands of Boko Haram.”

    Kjemprud added that Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr. Børge Brende, also attended the signing ceremony to formalise the grant.

    He said the funding from Norway will provide children; especially girls affected by the conflict, with uniforms to wear to school and will enable them to learn in secure, safe and protected environments.

    “Teachers will be trained to improve their skills so they can deliver quality teaching and improve learning results for children; school systems will be improved through training and mentoring of head-teachers on management knowledge and skills.

    “School Based Management Committee (SBMCs) members will be trained in school planning, including disaster risk reduction to make schools a safer place for children.

    “The funding will also support approximately 1,600 of the thousands of girls and women that UNICEF estimates have been raped, abducted and forcibly married as a result of the conflict.”