Author: Montage Africa
By Agency Report Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs with his counterparts from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) Diplomatic meeting in Dakar, Senegal. Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional ties through ongoing diplomatic discussions between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This is contained in a statement issued by Oluwafemi Adeniyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Abuja on Saturday. The New National Star reports that Amb.…
The United Nations has lauded Nigeria for paying its regular budget contribution of 4,772,197 dollars in full, bringing the number of fully paid-up Member countries to 145. The UN also celebrated Nigeria’s global cultural prominence, highlighting Nollywood and the country’s reputation as home to the world’s twins’ capital. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, announced the payment during a news briefing at UN Headquarters in New York. Haq turned the announcement into a lively quiz, challenging journalists to identify the country through its remarkable cultural characteristics. “We have a quiz for you today. Another country has paid…
Nigeria has called for legally binding international rules governing autonomous weapons, warning that increasingly affordable military technologies could fall into the hands of terrorists. The Federal Government made the appeal at the sixth plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly’s First Committee, responsible for disarmament and international security. Speaking in Nigeria’s national capacity, Deputy Permanent Representative Amb. Martin Adamu, warned that technological advances were creating dangerous possibilities for armed groups and other non-state actors. He said autonomous weapons were becoming increasingly accessible because of their relatively low cost, availability and ease of replication. He maintained that these developments could…
Nigeria has led eight other countries in demanding the conclusion of a legally binding international agreement to strengthen protection for people affected by disasters. The call came during deliberations on preparations for a United Nations conference on disaster protection at the UN headquarters in New York. According to the coalition, the conference is scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from Jan. 25 to Feb. 12, 2027. Nigeria’s representative, Mr Emmanuel Nweke, delivered the statement on behalf of a nine-country core group working to advance the proposed convention. Other members include the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Colombia, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Jamaica and…
By AFP The Malian army and its Russian paramilitary allies have killed civilians in violation of international law, while their rebel opponents have done likewise, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday. “The Malian military, armed groups and insurgent forces are committing grave laws-of-war violations while international organisations and governments largely stand by,” the rights watchdog said in a new report. It urged the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to “urgently take action to prevent further atrocities” in the west African country. Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by a security crisis pitting the army and its Russian allies…
By Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi “To say it’s immigration is to attack an entire community.” For Diabagate Adama, an African immigrant who has spent nearly a decade working in France’s private security industry, blaming migrants for the violence that has shaken the country is both unfair and misleading. From the Yellow Vest protests to disturbances surrounding major football matches, Adama has witnessed many periods of protests. He, however, says the latest violence has been particularly alarming. While he worries about the impact on businesses and livelihoods, a different narrative is emerging from political leaders thousands of kilometres away. US President Donald Trump…
By Agencies Fuel shortages are spreading across Niger, reaching the capital, Niamey, where motorists are facing increasingly long queues at petrol stations. Residents say the lack of gasoline is disrupting daily life, making it difficult to get to work and carry out basic activities. Some say they have been searching for fuel for days, despite assurances that the shortage has ended. Harouna Chérif, Niamey resident: “The problem is the fuel. For a week now we’ve been struggling, we can’t even find fuel to get to work. There’s always problems, we don’t even understand what kind of problems they are. So…
By Africanews with AFP Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party on Sunday endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain its leader beyond 2028, as the 84-year-old seeks to extend his time in power. In July, Mnangagwa signed constitutional amendments extending presidential terms from five to seven years, postponing the next election from 2028 to 2030 and replacing direct presidential elections with a parliamentary vote. “We are a great people driven revolutionary movement which can never be stopped,” Mnangagwa told party delegates meeting in Chinhoyi. The changes have drawn criticism from opposition figures, civil society groups and human rights organisations. One faction in ZANU-PF…
By AP French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held an emergency Cabinet meeting on Monday to assess a weekend of violence and looting during protests against the rising cost of living. More than half-a-million people joined the nationwide demonstrations. But they soon turned violent and more than 2,400 people were arrested. French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to pursue those responsible: “Our judges administer justice in your name, and they know what you expect. Whenever offenses are committed, they must lead to appropriate legal proceedings. Those who have destroyed must pay; those who have looted must reimburse. Those who have sought to…
By Rédaction Africanews and Agencies Sudanese miners injured in a deadly airstrike along the border with Egypt have been describing how the incident unfolded. Seventy-two people are believed to have been killed in last week’s attack on Jabal al-Uqaydat, a sprawling gold-mining area in the mountains near the frontier. The region stretches across the border and includes territory claimed by both Sudan and Egypt. Rights group have blamed the strike on the Egyptian air force. “We were working, and then, around 8 in the morning, we prepared some tea, while an aircraft appeared overhead and began filming us, circling above…