Foreign News
UNDP Grants Nigeria $30m For North-East Development
The UN Development Programme (UNDP), has released 30 million U.S. dollars to Nigeria from the regional stabilisation facility for the humanitarian crisis in the North East.
UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mr Mohamed Yahya disclosed this on Friday, in Abuja at the first inaugural meeting convened on the way forward in actualising the ‘Nigeria window’ of the Regional Stabilisation Facility.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Regional Stabilisation Facility was launched in July in Niamey, Niger at the second Governors Forum to contribute support to the affected regions of Nigeria,
NAN also reports that the project was expected to be implemented between Sept.
1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2021.Governors from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad, and regional stakeholders attended the meeting in Niamey under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
Those who pledged to deploy funds in Niamey to support the project, which will be monitored by the UNDP and the African Union (AU), include the governments of Sweden and Germany and the regional governors from Borno, Adamawa, Yobe (Nigeria), Lak, Hajder-Lamis (Chad), Diffa (Niger) and Far North and North regions in Cameroon.
NAN reports that the UNDP is expected to provide seed funds to run the facility yearly.
He said the regional stabilisation facility is aimed at providing rapid response to support immediate stabilisation in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe affected by insurgency.
He also said that the ‘Nigerian window’ was expected to receive over 30 million USD which would facilitate recovery and stabilisation interventions including; livelihood support for communities, massive civil engineering works and strengthening of local security structures.
Yahya, said that the board had two years to provide work of stabilisation in the affected states.
He said that the entire facility might not work if there was no local authorities such as the military and the police, adding that more work needed to be done in terms of coordination.
Also speaking, Minister of Finance,Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed said that the government of Nigeria was optimistic that the facility would support in addressing the immediate stabilisation needs in the newly liberated areas.
She said this would also sustain development in the region and allow the return of Internally Displaced Persons to their various permanent place abode.
According to her, the facility will in no doubt assist the government to demonstrate its value to the citizens in providing resilience and stabilisation for the population affected by Boko Haram insurgency in the north east.
She said that the Ministry would collaborate with UNDP, the three affected states and all relevant stakeholders to ensure accountable utilisation of the stabilisation facility fund.
Similarly, the Executive Secretary, Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), Amb. Mamman Nuhu expressed the Commission’s readiness to provide strategic regional guidance for the implementation of the regional stabilisation strategy at the national and state level through the facility.
He said the commission would provide enabling environment by mobilising regional support to ensure coordinated approach yo the challenge.
“Our transboundary mandate provide us the requisite platform to mobilise the political and strategic spaces available across the region for the success of the regional stabilisation strategy.
” Our objective is to ensure local, national and regional ownership in the implementation of the regional stabilisation strategy through the regional stabilisation facility.
” We urge all national partners to ensure consistent coordination with the Lake Chad Basin Commission through the Secretariat of the regional stabilisation strategy” Nuhu said.
According to him, Nigeria is the worst hit country, with the biggest humanitarian and development needs of all the four affected countries.
“It is therefore expected that Nigeria should demonstrate not only in the fight against boko Haram but also in ensuring that the thousands of people affected across the three front line states are supported to live a life of dignity” he said.
The Governors expressed their readiness to ensure effective implementation of the regional stabilisation facility.(NAN)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has accused Israel of barring medical specialists from entering Gaza to support clinics in the besieged enclave.
The WHO said since August, eight organisations and over 50 specialised personnel had been affected by Israel’s blockade.
The specialists were intended to provide crucial support for various medical services, as well as psychological support for healthcare workers at facilities including the European Gaza Hospital and the Nasser Hospital, the WHO said.
It was reported that among the organisations denied entry was the U.S.non-profit Palestinian American Medical Association, which supports Palestinians in need of medical care.
According to the WHO, this marks the first instance in which Israel has denied entire organisations the ability to participate in relief efforts for the Gaza Strip.
The WHO reported that in the past week, support teams conducted 25 per cent fewer operations than usual.
With only 17 out of 36 clinics and 43 medical practices remaining partially operational, the WHO emphasised the irreplaceable role of these external teams in providing essential medical services.
The WHO called for full access for emergency aid teams. (dpa/NAN)
It is Germany’s responsibility to make sure that a war between Russia and Ukraine does not become a war between Russia and NATO, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
He said this as he repeated his “nein” to sending long-range weapons to Kiev.
“I don’t consider this to be a proper delivery and that’s how it will stay,” Scholz said after a European Union summit in Brussels.
Scholz rejected key points in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan” out of concerns of future escalation.
Zelensky presented his “victory plan” at the meeting and called on Scholz, again to send him Taurus cruise missiles.
The Ukrainian leader believes a deterrent missile arsenal could force Russia into peace negotiations.
Scholz also maintained his stance against a quick invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, as outlined in Zelensky’s plan.
The United States also opposes a fast-track NATO entry for Ukraine.
The chancellor referred to the resolutions of the most recent NATO summit in Washington, which offers Ukraine a general assurance that it could no longer be stopped on its way into the defence alliance.
He further said all allies must agree that NATO conditions are met for an invitation.
These include reforms in the areas of democracy, the economy and the security sector.
Scholz also used the occasion to take a swipe at his main opposition in the Bundestag or German parliament, Christian Democratic (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz.
He complained that Merz flip-flopped on Taurus deliveries, taking a no-delivery position before key elections in east Germany and changing his position after that. (dpa/NAN)
Israel’s Army Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi has referred to October 7, 2023, as the day “when we failed in our mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.”
In a letter to Israeli soldiers marking the anniversary of the brutal attack on Israel, he wrote that “Oct.
7 is not only a day of remembrance, but also a call for deep introspection” and “a recognition of our failures and a commitment to learning from them. ”On October 7, 2023, terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and abducted about 250 more as hostages to the Gaza Strip.
This triggered the Gaza war, in which, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority, some 42,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, mostly civilians.
Halevi said that Hamas’ military wing had been defeated, but that the fight against the organisation’s terrorist structures would continue.
With regard to the fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, he said that the militia had been dealt a serious blow.
“We will not stop,” Halevi emphasised.
“We are destroying our enemies’ capabilities, and we will ensure that these capabilities are not rebuilt, so that Oct. 7 is never repeated,” he added. (dpa/NAN)
Ondo Disburses N2bn to 19,023 Unemployed Youths, Vulnerable Persons
Share Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State says his administration has so far disbursed N2 billion grant to 19,023 beneficiaries,...
Senate Passes Bill to Establish National Eye Centre, Doma, Nasarawa
Share The Senate has passed a bill for the establishment of National Eye Centre Doma in Nasarawa state. This followed...
Inflation Threatens Access to Diabetes Care for Low-income Nigerians – Stakeholders
Share Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector have raised concerns about the growing impact of inflation on the ability of millions of...
Troops Smash Armed Group’s Camps, Neutralise Scores, Rescue 14 in South-East
Share Troops of 82 Division, Nigerian Army and the Joint Task Force, South-East, code-named “Operation UDO KA” say they have...
FG Gives 60-day Notice to Title Owners to Pay Ground Rent
Share The federal Government has given owners of its titled properties 60-day notice to pay their outstanding ground rent and...
Yuletide: Police Unaware of Banks Security plans – CP Lagos
ShareAhead of the yuletide, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos state, Mr Olanrewaju Ishola, said the command had yet to...
How we Were Attacked by 20 Tanker Drivers – Witness
ShareMr Williams Akpireha,, the National President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers NUPENG) told an FCT High...
African Progress Backslides as Coups, War Persist
Share Nearly half of Africa’s citizens live in a country where governance has worsened over the past decade, as deteriorating...
Tinubu Sacks 5 Ministers, Restructures Ministerial Portfolios
Share President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday sacked five ministers, appointed seven new ones and restructured ministerial portfolios to reinvigorate his...
No Student Died in our Campus – UNN, Demands Apology from Blogger
Share The Management of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), has demanded an unreserved apology from a blogger, Harrison Gwamnishu,...