Tag: UNICLagos
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Build continent-wide policy – UN conference tells Africa
The Economic Development in Africa Report 2015 by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has said that better leveraging of services trade in Africa could yield major employment and growth benefits.
The report subtitled “Unlocking the Potential of Africa’s Services Trade for Growth and Development” argued that the ongoing negotiations towards a continental free trade agreement offer a unique opportunity to align national and regional policies on services trade to that end.
Officially launched in Lagos Nigeria, the report also argues that building continent-wide policy coherence in financial services would boost economic productivity and help reduce poverty.
“Africa must bridge the policy disconnect of services trade in order to unlock the sector’s potential for the continent’s growth and economic transformation.
“Furthermore, the impact of a continent-wide free trade area will only be meaningful for Africa if services are opened up in parallel with trade in goods. This is because services, such as transport and storage services, are necessary components of trade in goods,” UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said.
According to the report, the establishment of a continental free trade agreement, most recently on the agenda at an African Union summit in June 2015, is in itself a unique opportunity for African countries to align their existing national, regional and global policies on services trade.
It also found that many national development plans mention services trade as a vehicle for development but fail to link it to existing regional plans or regulation on services in the context of their regional economic communities.
For example, several countries such as Burkina Faso have become leading exporters of cultural services, and Kenya and Senegal of business process outsourcing, but these sectors are not integrated with the countries’ commitments made at the World Trade Organization.
Another major area identified by the report where African Governments need to make efforts in aligning the existing national, regional and multilateral regulatory frameworks, is in the financial services sector.
The report argues, for example, that it is important for African countries to extensively examine how to align their domestic financial sector regulation with existing regional regulation, as some regional economic communities already have some protocols in place covering aspects of financial sector integration and/or investment at the regional level. This is the case of the Arab Maghreb Union, the East African Community, the Economic Community of West African States and the Southern African Development Community.
These protocols envisage the free movement of capital in their respective subregions and will need to be adequately reflected in national policy and regulation so that financial market integration becomes a reality.
At national level, the report recommends that services trade be adequately mainstreamed into national development plans. This requires that a policy formulation exercise be informed by country-wide consultations with all the major stakeholders.
At regional level, the report notes that greater coherence could be achieved if a pan-African mechanism is established to allow for the continuous consultation and coordination of a regional agenda and concerns relating to services trade that arise within the regional economic communities and the African Union.
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FG to partner UN on development goals
The Director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, Mr Ronald Kayanja, has presented to the United Nation Country Team (UNCT) an update on activities so far in Nigeria and proposed events for the rest of the year, in consultation with the Resident Coordinator’s Office and in continuation of its commitment to promoting the UN 70th anniversary as a one-UN event in Nigeria.
He noted that the Foreign Affairs Ministry had responded to the letter on UN@70, written by the Resident Coordinator, Mr Daouda Toure, on joint activities with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Mr Kayanja proposed a formal launch of UN@70 with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs which will be succeeded by monthly events until December 2015.
However, according to him, there would be one week of activities which would climax on 24th October 2015 when the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is expected to be Chief Guest of Honour.
Other proposed activities include an international conference organised in partnership with the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA); Peacekeeping Command of the Nigerian Military to honor fallen combatants during Peacekeeping operations; Public lectures on the UN and Nigeria organized in collaboration with Covenant University, Ota Ogun State.
Others are School Arts Exhibitions and essay competitions on the work of the UN by a School in Abuja and another one in Ogun State; and a Photo exhibition which would probably be the world’s longest photo exhibition organized with Femi Arts Warehouse and planned to be staged at the Bar Beach, Lagos, among others.
In his contribution, the Resident Coordinator observed that the 70th anniversary provided a platform for the UN system to highlight its works in the country. He, therefore, called on all Head of Agencies to communicate UN@70 during their activities.
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Men, use your wife as next of Kin – Abike Dabiri
Honourable Abike Dabiri has urged Nigerian men to ensure that they legally wrote a will and testament in case of eventualities.
Honourable Dabiri said this on Tuesday while speaking at the celebration of the International Widows’ Day held at the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos.
According to the lawmaker, it is important that men have a legal declaration which covers their wives to manage properties and ensure the distribution of such properties at death.
“Men should use their wives as next of kin instead of brothers or sisters who often neglect the wife and children in times of needs. Painfully, it is even women who often harass their dead siblings widows the most.
“You widows should be bold to report molestation or any form of abuse or harassment and be ready to take legal actions. Especially when your dead husband’s family talk about surrogate, that is for your dead husband’s older or younger brother to marry you at widowhood,” Dabiri stated.
She further maintained that widows should be outspoken about their challenges assuring that the First-Lady, Hajiya Aishat Buhari is committed to empowering every Nigerian woman.
“First Lady, Hajiya Buhari is concerned that every women in Nigeria must have a means of livelihood so don’t keep your problems to yourself. Speak out and help will come,” she charged.
The lawmaker, representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, maintained that it is punishable under Session 15(1), Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (As reviewed) for anyone to harass, maltreat or abuse a widow.
According to her, the law which was passed and signed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on 28 May, 2015, states that such offender is liable to a 2-year jail term or pay a fine of N500,000 or be subjected to both forms of punishment depending on the gravity of offence.
included, ‘Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening’; ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, it is inspiring others to move beyond it’; ‘Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished’; and ‘There are a few misfortunes in this world that you cannot turn into a personal triumph, if you have the iron will and the necessary skill’; among others.