Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa Chairperson of the NIDO Commission (Photo: News Express)
The Nigerians In Diaspora Organization World Wide (NIDOWW) has condemned the brutal killings of Nigerian youths, “who were voicing out the issues confronting them in Nigeria with regards to SARS and other law enforcement abuses.” In the same vein it condemned “the wanton destruction of properties and facilities by hoodlums, who infiltrated the peaceful demonstration, resulting in the destruction of many economic values, many of which will never come back to live.”
The Federal Council defined the objectives of Switzerland's foreign policy back in February. In the MENA strategy it has now set out how it intends to implement these objectives in the important region spanning from Morocco to Iran. Switzerland's focus in the region over the next few years will be supporting sustainable economic development, better job prospects for young people, and peace and human rights
Simonetta Sommaruga
Switzerland is a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Elections for the 2023–24 period will be held in June 2022. The candidacy entered its final phase with a virtual event in New York attended by the president of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis.
Padraig Ward of Roche (Photo: Roche)
With the pandemic in the midst of its second wave in Europe, the Africa Business Day (ABD) had to innovate its way into our home offices. Ironically, Covid 19 has enabled the Africa Business Day, ran by the Swiss African Business Circle (SABC) and hosted by Roche, the chance of widening their audience. This year, their theme of Emerging Business Models, was beamed not just to people residing in Europe, but across Africa and other continents as well.
Jordanian psychologist Manar Bashara conducts a counselling session at a mental health clinic in Azraq refugee camp run by UNHCR and the International Medical Corps. Every day she sees around five people. © UNHCR/Lilly Carlisle
Q&A: ‘Before the pandemic, refugee mental health was severely overlooked. Now it’s a full-blown crisis’ UNHCR’s Senior Mental Health Officer Pieter Ventevogel says COVID-19 has been a tipping point for many refugees in distress. But with the crisis comes an opportunity.
Bishar A. Hussein, Director General of the UPU (Photo UPU)
SWITZERLAND: This year the UN is marking its 75th anniversary with the UN75 initiative, which, throughout 2020 has gathered public perspectives on global challenges and ideas on how to tackle them.
Mr. Yofi Grant, CEO Ghana Investment Promotion Centre. ( Photo: GIPC)
GHANA: Ghana has recorded total investments of US$869.47 million, with total FDI value amounting to US$785.62 million between January to June 2020 as FDI inflow showed rare strength in the final moments of the second quarter of the year, undeterred by the Covid-19 pandemic. The total FDI of US$785.62 million represents investment recorded by the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) (https://www.GIPCGhana.com/) and the Petroleum Commission.
Verena Utzinger (File Photo SABC)
Africa Business Day (ABD) took on a new virtual form in 2020 in a bid to ensure with certainty that it could be conducted in a safe and meaningful way in the current context of COVID-19. The innovation coincides with its 10 anniversary.
Verena Utzinger (File Photo SABC)
Africa Business Day (ABD) took on a new virtual form in 2020 in a bid to ensure with certainty that it could be conducted in a safe and meaningful way in the current context of COVID-19. The innovation coincides with its 10 anniversary.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, pan Igbo cultural organization has disassociated the Igbo nation and people from statements credited to the leader of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on the destruction of Yoruba assets in Lagos.
NIGERIA: The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has condemned in very strong terms the unwarranted shooting and killing of unarmed protesters by security men in different parts of the country.
Pan-African housing development financier Shelter Afrique has signed an agreement with the Rwanda Social Security Board to scale up the development of large-scale affordable housing in Kinyinya, a suburb of Kigali city, according to an official statement recently issued in Kigali.
The continent’s largest development finance institutions have emphasized that a sustained and collaborative approach among development partners to scale up project development activities, will boost the number of bankable projects attracting investor interest and contribute to closing the infrastructure finance gap in Africa.
(From left to right) Vera Songwe, Irene Ochem and Arunma Oteh, former Vice President and Treasurer of the World Bank and Academic Scholar, Oxford University(Source: (AWIEF)
SOUTH Africa: The 6th edition of the annual conference and Award of the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum will hold on 2nd and 3rd December 2020. The theme of the edition according to the organization is: “Reimagining business and rebuilding better.”
Chief Obasanjo
NIGERIA: Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has appealed to the government and people of Nigeria to eschew violence and embrace peace and dialogue in finding solutions to the challenges “we face as a country”
Some of the over 2,523 pupils benefitting from the project
Uganda: For several years now, typhoid fever and diarrhoea cases have fallen significantly in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, especially in the major district of Kawempe, according to an African Development Bank report published on 7 October.
Fruit seller Diana Kumi is also known as the “Queen Mother of Oranges” at her market
GHANA: In Ashaiman, a district town in Ghana’s Greater Accra Region, shoppers know they can count on Diana Kumi to have the municipality’s freshest fruit for sale. However, for years, Esi Maame Kumi – also known by her popular nickname “Queen Mother of Oranges” in the Twi language – held court in a crowded open-air market that she describes as more like an open sewer.
Switzerland : At an extraordinary meeting held on 18 October 2020, the Federal Council took several measures across Switzerland to counter the sharp increase in infections with the corona virus. Starting from Monday, October 19, spontaneous gatherings of more than 15 people are prohibited in public spaces. A mask must be worn in public places. A mask requirement also applies in all train stations, airports and at bus and tram stops.
VP Osinbajo (Businessday.ng)
NIGERIA: The National Economic Council has directed the immediate establishment of State-based Judicial Panels of Inquiry across the country to receive and investigate complaints of Police brutality or related extra-judicial killings with a view to delivering justice for all victims of the dissolved SARS and other police units, according to a release from the office of the Vice President of Nigeria
Noël Koutera Bataka
(Togo First) - Togo’s minister of agriculture, Noël Koutera Bataka, wants to put an end to the illegal fertilizer trade in the country. “It was brought to my attention that some informal networks importing fertilizers of questionable quality feed illicit supply chains across the Togolese territory,” he declared.
Johnson Odibo NIDO Swiss President
"A village is not made up of a handful of heroes, but of many people" - CHINUA ACHEBE (Things Fall Apart).
The Nigerians in the Diaspora Organization (NIDO) is made up of the Nigerians living in Diaspora. About 6,351 Nigerians live in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. In line with the Central Vision of NIDO Europe, NIDO Swiss brings Nigerians living in Switzerland and Liechtenstein together; to identify those willing to offer their skills to assist Nigeria’s national development.
(AU) The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in partnership with the International Health Regulations (IHR) Strengthening Project of Public Health England (PHE), launched a new web-based tool, AVoHC Net, to facilitate rapid deployment and better administration of a standby workforce for public health emergencies across Africa.
(APA) The BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate concentrating on manufacturing, infrastructure and agriculture, has signed a deal with Axens of France to refine 200,000 barrels per day of crude oil in Nigeria.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and President Paul Kagame (l)
(AfDB) - African leaders on Tuesday reaffirmed their support for the African Development Bank Group and its leadership under Dr. Akinwumi Adesina as he begins his second five-year term with a renewed mandate to foster sustainable development on the continent.
(AfDB) - As the prevalence of COVID-19 accelerates across Africa, over 40% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to clean water and are unable to heed the advice of health experts to wash their hands as a primary way to stop the spread of the virus. Preventing infection thus remains out of reach for many.
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Mondia Pay to become the preferred digital payment solution for African telcos (Source: Mondia)
Source: African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD)
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UAE makes Avani Barbarons Resort Available to Seychelles
SEYCHELLES, 04 April 2020
Under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the ‘Avani Barbarons Seychelles Resort’ will be made available to the Government of Seychelles to be used by the Department of Health as a facility to accommodate their health personnel and supporting frontline service members, in the efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.
In addition to our weekly brief on the spread of COVID-19 and the actions that Africa CDC is taking to help member states, Africa CDC has begun to share a weekly brief detailing the latest changes in scientific knowledge and public health policy changes, as well as updates to the latest guidance from WHO and others.
SWITZERLAND: To ensure financial stability, the Federal Council decided at its meeting on 29 October 2020 to exempt the interest on too-big-to-fail (TBTF) instruments from withholding tax until the end of 2026. The dispatch on this law will now go before Parliament.
(Ecofin Agency) - The United States announced the freezing of $130 million worth of aid to Ethiopia. The measure is to pressure the country as part of the negotiations for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
(Togo First) - Togo will try to raise 25 billion FCFA on the regional financial market by September 11.
“(Business in Cameroon) - Ibom Air currently deploys a fleet of five 90-seat Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets,” an article published on Forbes on August 4, informed.
For the 2020 crop year, the operational teams of Bolloré Transport & Logistics have processed 10,575 tonnes, or 940 TEU, of mangos via air and maritime transport.
SWITZERLAND – Simonetta Sommaruga, President of the Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis, Federal Councillor and Norman Gobbi the president of the Ticino cantonal council will open the new Ceneri Base Tunnel, and will officially hand it over to the operator Swiss railways, SBB on 4 September.
SOUTH AFRICA – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has admitted that his government had made missteps in efforts to control the coronavirus pandemic, but the lockdown was needed to lessen the disease from spreading among the people.
WorldStage Newsonline – The Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) have urged the Federal Government to intervene in the heavy import duties they used to pay for imported meters.
[New Frame] A number of early childhood development centres have been forced to close because of Covid-19, resulting in a bleak present and future for the many children who depend on them.
[Nation] Hopes of averting the looming strike by health workers have been dashed after a meeting convened in Nairobi to address their grievances hit a snag yesterday.
[Nation] The government has permitted hospitals to use a medicine found to speed up recovery of severely ill Covid-19 patients despite the global health body questioning its effectiveness.
[Daily Trust] Leading Pfizer's research into a COVID-19 vaccine is Nigerian-born Onyema Ogbuagu.
[Nation] Sudan says there could be more infections and deaths from Covid-19 as the country braces itself for a new phase of the pandemic.
[Nation] The Ministry of Health on Tuesday recorded 17 new Covid-19 fatalities and 727 cases during the past 24 hours.
[Premium Times] This is according to data compiled by a foremost Nigerian music chart platform, TurnTable Charts.
[Daily Maverick] A feel-good album that was worth the wait and ideal for the upcoming summer.
[SudaNow] Khartoum -- Critics are hopeful that rising singer - melodist Ensaf Fathi may make a difference in artistic production as compared with her other fellow young artists now on stage in the country.
[This Day] Nigerian singer and entrepreneur, Mr Eazi, is betting heavy with artistes from the northern part of Nigeria. Through emPawa Africa, his talent incubation initiative designed to nurture and support budding African talents, he is expanding his reach to the region. Recently, northern musicians DJ Abba and Namenj joined the emPawa Africa family.
[The Point] A Gunjur based-cultural group; Alamuta Cultural Group is set to launch their brand new album entitled 'Sibo Conta' today, Friday at Almamy Kunda Football Field in Gunjur at 4pm.
[allAfrica] Cape Town -- 2020 has taken another popular singer.
[Foroyaa] The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative to The Gambia, Gordon Jonathan Lewis, has bemoaned the negative impact the novel coronavirus has caused to students' education across the country.
[Namibia Economist] Corporate ICT services provider, Green Enterprise Solutions, has come on board as Gold Sponsor of the recently launched Integrated Physical Education and School Sports (IPESS) programme.
[New Dawn] -Child Steps International boss, Otis S. Bundor
[New Dawn] A two-day intensive teachers training workshop for at least 780 classroom teachers gets underway shortly in the Borough of New Kru Town, Montserrado County.
[SAnews.gov.za] The Department of Basic Education (DBE) and provinces are working around the clock to implement new security measures meant to protect the ongoing National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
[Govt of SA] My Octopus Teacher - a school library competition celebrating our teachers
[The Point] According to The Gambia Tourism Affairs' Facebook page, Tourism Minister Hamat Bah N.K. Bah on Saturday threatened to close the Kunta Kinteh camp in Juffureh due to the poor condition of the camp, saying its facilities are below standard and authorities will not compromise on such denigrating facilities to host guests.
[The Point] Hamat Bah, minister of Tourism and Culture has said that the government of Adama Barrow has invested a lot of resources in the North Bank Region (NBR) and therefore, wants to transform the region to another tourism development area.
[Foroyaa] Hamat NK Bah, Minister of Tourism and Culture, has promised the family of the late former President Sir Dawda Jawara that Government will build a museum at his birth place in Barajally.
[Foroyaa] Rehabilitation exercise is ongoing at the Kerr Batch stone circles, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site in The Gambia.
[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The future of the tourism sector in Kenya and around the world lies in the health measures taken by stakeholders.
[Govt of SA] Municipal Energy Resilience Project launched for a more energy secure future in the Western Cape
A year after priceless 18th-century jewelry sets were stolen from Dresden's Grünes Gewölbe museum, here's a look back at how the spectacular theft unfolded.
The 86-year-old Sophia Loren delivers star performance in her first feature film in a decade: "The Life Ahead," directed by Loren's son Edoardo Ponti, has shot to the top 10 on Netflix.
[Nyasa Times] Blantyre Arts Festival (BAF) has donated 70 books with support from Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa towards the International Cultural Marketing Workshop that was held in Blantyre over the weekend.
Author Paul Celan was born 100 years ago. As one of the most influential postwar German-language poets, his works remain more relevant than ever.
The autobiographical documentary "Finding Sally" explores the life of an underground activist in Ethiopia, which reflects the trauma of an entire nation.
If you want to take pictures with your smartphone and quickly share beautiful results, you need effective image editing tools. DW Digital tests the most popular apps. This week: "Aviary+ for iOS".
[The Point] Musu Bakoto Saho, a gender lecturer at the University of The Gambia and national coordinator of Think Young women has argued that women in The Gambia deserve more leadership roles in politics than just cheer leaders and mobilisers.
[Daily Maverick] This week sees the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and the marking of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. These key events come as civil society turns its attention to corruption within the health sector, access to Covid-19 vaccines and transparency in municipal government.
[The Point] Rohey Malick Lowe, the mayoress of Banjul City Council (BCC), said Rafela International Gambia Chapter is in the country with the objectives of supporting and empowering Gambian women, saying that the platform will address some of the most pressing issues women in the country encounter.
[Foroyaa] Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul has embarked on a campaign to better the lives of Gambian women in all areas of development.
[New Dawn] - a message to women voters
[FrontPageAfrica] Monrovia -- The Government of Liberia has been urged to ensure that public education is made inclusive, accessible, and affordable as well as gender sensitive and responsive in the best interest of the people of Liberia rather than privatization of the sector.
German police have carried out searches in several apartments after nine officers were suspected of taking part in extremist WhatsApp groups. The raids occurred simultaneously in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Two German companies are at the forefront in the global race for a COVID-19 vaccine. But the potential of top German research could be used much more effectively, especially with the right level of investment.
Investigators have opened a criminal case into the US-based Jehovah's Witnesses for extremist activities, conducting raids in regions across Russia. Rights groups say hundreds of believers are in prison or facing trial.
As cases begin an upswing into a third wave, experts fear that too many people have become indifferent to the dangers posed by the virus and are taking more risks. Julian Ryall reports from Tokyo.
The US state of Georgia and the post-Soviet Republic of Georgia have more in common than a similar name: allegations of voting irregularities and disinformation campaigns. How is the latter dealing with Russian meddling?
Germany coach Joachim Löw's future will be decided at a DFB meeting on December 4. Elsewhere, CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad, has been banned from football for five years after a misappropriation of funds.
[Citizen] Chadema's presidential candidate in the October 28 General Election this year, Tundu Lissu, yesterday said reconciliation following what transpired during the polls was not a far-fetched idea but one which will depend on the motive and structure of such an initiative.Mr Lissu made the statement when responding to questions from journalists during a Zoom interview conducted along with the leader of ACT-Wazalendo Zitto Kabwe to clarify various issues following the October 28 polls.
[The Herald] Deputy Minister for Defence and War Veterans Affairs Cde Victor Matemadanda is out of danger after a health scare.
[The Herald] DEPUTY Chief Magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande today ruled that MDC-ALLIANCE member Joana Mamombe stands on her own on allegations of faking abductions sometime in May this year while her co-accused Cecelia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova jointly appear on the same charges.
[This Day] Lagos and Abuja -- The United Kingdom parliamentarians yesterday recommended sanctions against government officials and security agents who abused the rights of #EndSARS demonstrators last month.
[allAfrica] Cape Town -- South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority has issued three warrants of arrest against Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church founder Shepherd Bushiri for rape.
[OHCHR] Geneva -- "The highly aggressive rhetoric on both sides regarding the fight for Mekelle is dangerously provocative and risks placing already vulnerable and frightened civilians in grave danger," the High Commissioner said. "I fear such rhetoric will lead to further violations of international humanitarian law," she added, expressing alarm at reports of a heavy build-up of tanks and artillery around Mekelle, the capital city of Tigray province following the Government's issuance of a 72-hour ultimatum.
Two German companies are at the forefront in the global race for a COVID-19 vaccine. But the potential of top German research could be used much more effectively, especially with the right level of investment.
A bill banning exports of ritually slaughtered meat is sitting in limbo in the Polish parliament. Kosher and halal beef exporters are quietly reassessing their options as the EU member state fails to provide reassurance.
[Namibian] A CONSORTIUM of fishing companies comprising Cavema Fishing, Rainbow Fishing, Overberg Fishing and Scombrus Fishing responded to minister of fisheries Albert Kawana's call to help employees get houses.
[The Herald] Former Air Zimbabwe chief operations officer and the late former President Mugabe's son-in-law Simba Chikore has been summoned back in court to answer to allegations of hiring security services from Safeguard Security company in 2017 without following proper tender procedures.
[Nation] Kenyans could pay Sh327 each to get a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine developed jointly by pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, the Nation has learnt.
[New Frame] The first in this three-part series looks at the cost of nuclear power and how vendors minimise their financial risk by maximising profits through power purchase agreements with governments.
Germany coach Joachim Löw's future will be decided at a DFB meeting on December 4. Elsewhere, CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad, has been banned from football for five years after a misappropriation of funds.
Bayern Munich take on RB Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Salzburg's coach Jesse Marsch is one of the leading candidates to take over at Borussia Dortmund and is keen to make a splash in Germany.
RB Leipzig's lack of a true center forward was cruelly exposed bare against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Despite a raft of chances Julian Nagelsmann's team failed to score in a disappointing 1-0 loss.
[The Point] Following the passing of Ivory Coast Football Federation's president, Augustine Sidy Dialo, GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo has dispatched a message of condolence on behalf of The Gambia Football Federation and the Football family in The Gambia.
[Namibia Economist] Cricket Namibia (CN) will to host the Annual Cricket Awards on Friday, 27 November at Wanderers Cricket Field.
[Monitor] Ugandan star Joshua Cheptegei will attempt to win the Male World Athlete of the Year for a second year running after the final five-man shortlist yesterday.
[Nation] The demand for sifted maize flour has dropped significantly as more consumers turned to cheaper supplies from posho mills on lower-income due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The Government has extended a 2018 moratorium on logging in public and community forests following experts' recommendation.
[Sierra Leone Government] Segbwema, Kailahun District, Eastern Province, Monday 23 November, 2020 - His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has presented a cheque of over Le 9 billion to the Skills Development Fund to initially benefit over 1,660 citizens in the Kenema and Kailahun Districts, east of the country.
[The Point] The Gambia Red Cross Society recently embarked on a 5-day monitoring site visits to assess ongoing development at its project sites in the country.
[Seychelles News Agency] Two major nature reserves in Seychelles have reopened for visitors after closing to tourists and residents for several months. The opening of these parks comes at a time when the island nation is relaunching its tourism sector amidst the COVID pandemic still raging around the world.
[Seychelles News Agency] Two major nature reserves in Seychelles have reopened for visitors after closing to tourists and residents for several months. The opening of these parks comes at a time when the island nation is relaunching its tourism sector amidst the COVID pandemic still raging around the world.
[Addis Standard] The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ethiopia are to consider possibilities of cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), according to a statement sent to Addis Standard from the UAE embassy in Addis Abeba.
[SNA] Al-Obeid -- The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Prof. Intisar Seghairon, has She emphasized the concerned with the scientific research and innovation through the establishment of specialized centers in the universities and the concern with the technical colleges and institutes.
[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The government has called for increased public-private partnerships across the country in efforts to promote innovation in Kenya.
[Nyasa Times] Vice-President Saulos Chilima has challenged researchers in the country to develop homegrown innovations and technologies to achieve the new vision of inclusive wealth creation and self-reliance.
[UNEP] 19 November is World Toilet Day. The theme for 2020 is Sustainable sanitation and climate change.
[Daily Maverick] Inside Cape Town's Tygerberg Hospital, there's a robot affectionately named Quintin who is playing 'his' part in the fight against Covid-19.