The military rulers of Niger have cancelled more than 990 diplomatic passports held by nationals and foreigners connected to the ousted regime of the deposed President Mohamed Bazoum.
According to the country’s Nigerien Press Agency, the foreign ministry has written to notify diplomatic representations in Niger that the passports are now “lapsed”, according to copies of the letter posted on social networks.
The diplomatic documents were held by former senior figures in institutions and ministries as well as ex-MPs and advisers including the president and prime minister.
In the statement released on Thursday, about 50 of the passports had been given to American, British, French, Libyan and Turkish people as well as other West Africans.
Bazoum was overthrown on July 26 and has since been detained at his residency.
At the end of August, the new regime cancelled passports held by several members of the government who were abroad, including the prime minister, foreign minister and Niger’s ambassador to France
The Economic Community of West African States adopts a regional strategy to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement in the ECOWAS region and leverage on opportunities for growth and prosperity in the region.
The 90th Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers endorsed the ECOWAS Implementation Strategy for the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement on the 6 and 7 July 2023, in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
This step follows the Strategy’s adoption by ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry (ECOMOTI) at the 3rd Ministerial meeting which was held on the 27th and 28th April, in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire.
The ECOWAS Commission developed the ECOWAS Implementation Strategy for the AfCFTA to effectively integrate West African economies into the continental market, by building on the progress and success of regional integration in West Africa in order to better take advantage of the economic gains of a common African Market.
The ECOWAS Implementation Strategy for the AfCFTA is timely, as it responds to the African Unions 2023 ambition geared towards the “Acceleration of AfCFTA’s Implementation” which came into operation on 1 January 2021, marking the commencement of trade in a single African market of 54 countries, including 13 ECOWAS Member States.
The ECOWAS Implementation Strategy for the AfCFTA is geared towards improving the effectiveness of the region’s trade integration framework, increasing coordination between Member States on their national AfCFTA implementation strategies, strengthening the productive capacity of Member States, building the capacity of Member States to engage in strategic African trade policy and ensuring the AfCFTA is a positive tool for women’s and youth economic empowerment.
Although participation in the AfCFTA is Member States-driven, ECOWAS supports Member States to ensure the Agreement contributes to the ECOWAS vision for a fully integrated regional market, and Member States can consolidate the existing economic gains of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, the ECOWAS Customs Union and the Protocol on the Free Movement of People, among others.
“The ECOWAS AfCFTA Strategy for the Implementation of the AfCFTA is an important milestone in the region’s efforts to fast-track the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement” said Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at the ECOWAS Commission“The Commission is committed to working with Member States to ensure that the Community and its people and business can fully benefit from the African Market.
The AfCFTA is one of the flagship projects of the African Unions Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. It is an ambitious trade agreement that includes critical areas of Africa’s economy, such as digital trade and investment protection, amongst other areas.
By eliminating barriers that prevent African businesses from trading in goods and services and making investments Africa, the full implementation of the AfCFTA is expected to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production, open new economic sectors, create jobs for a thriving youthful continental population, potentially lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty and give a $450 billion boost in Africa’s income by 2035.
According to the AfCFTA Secretariat, as of February 2023, 24 countries and 1 regional economic community (REC) had validated their implementation strategies; 9 national strategies were already being implemented and 10 national and 2 other RECs were drafting strategies.
In a world where economic stability and global markets are constantly evolving, the BRICS nations are making significant strides towards reshaping the global financial landscape. During their 15th annual summit, held recently, discussions on de-dollarization and the creation of a new currency took center stage.
The BRICS bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has long been seen as a rising force in the global economy. As of March 2023, they collectively represent a substantial 31.5% of the world’s GDP. However, their ambitions don’t stop there.
In a historic expansion move, the BRICS welcomed six new member countries into their fold. This expansion aims to bolster the bloc’s influence and capabilities, giving it more weight on the global stage.
One of the most significant aspects of this expansion is the concerted effort to reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar. The BRICS nations are exploring new currency arrangements that could potentially lessen their reliance on the dollar-dominated global financial system. This shift signifies a move towards a multipolar world economy, one where the influence of the United States is not as predominant.
But can the BRICS nations truly reshape the world’s economic landscape? To gain a better understanding of the situation, Africanews spoke with Mr. Jean Joseph Boillot, an economist and advisor on emerging countries at IRIS. He shed light on the BRICS+ initiative, stating that it has the potential to bring about substantial changes in the global economic order.
Coup in oil-rich Gabon: What implications for global supply?
In a separate development, the recent coup d’état in Gabon, an oil-rich nation in Central Africa, has brought political instability to the doorstep of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). This raises concerns about potential disruptions in global oil supply, as Gabon is an OPEC member. The implications of this coup on the global oil industry remain uncertain, but it is a situation worth monitoring closely.
Nigerian firms grapple with high energy costs and exchange rates
In Nigeria, a different set of economic challenges is unfolding. President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms have led to high energy costs and a weakening local currency. The discontinuation of government subsidies on petrol and the unification of exchange rates have had a negative impact on Nigerian firms.
Business owners find themselves navigating a difficult terrain, trying to adapt to these economic changes while seeking ways to remain competitive
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its partners are mobilizing support to strengthen cybersecurity in West Africa through the launch, this Tuesday, September 12, 2023, in Abuja, Nigeria, of the Joint Platform for the Advancement of Cybersecurity in West Africa. This initiative was launched by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with Germany’s G7 Presidency in 2022.
The three-day event will serve as an official starting point for the joint implementation of the ECOWAS Action Plan to increase regional cybersecurity resilience and capacity.
The first concrete lines of work from the action plan to be implemented will focus on (i) the importance of developing and implementing regional confidence-building measures in the field of cybersecurity, (ii) on strengthening regional cooperation and cyber capabilities at the regional level, (ii) on skills development as well as regional cyber diplomacy mechanisms.
For Mr. Sediko Douka, the Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy and Digitization of the ECOWAS Commission, who spoke at the opening of the launch ceremony of the platform, stated that the advancement of cybersecurity in West Africa is not just a necessity; it is an opportunity. An opportunity to protect our economies, our infrastructure, and our people.
An opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to a digital future that is safe, secure, and prosperous for all. An opportunity to improve the lives and livelihood of our West African community citizens in line with our 4×4 Strategic Objectives, ECOWAS Vision 2050, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
“Cybersecurity is not merely a technical issue; it is a matter of national security, economic stability, and safeguarding the privacy and rights of our people. It is important to act decisively to protect our critical infrastructure, secure our data, and ensure the trust and confidence of those who use digital services…” said the Commissioner Sediko Douka.
It should be noted that other speeches were delivered during this important ceremony namely those of H.E Ambassador Musa NUHU, Permanent Representatives of ECOWAS to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. John Reyels, Head of Cyber Staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany and Mr. Franck-Emery Mongbe from GIZ, Head of Component, Organizational Development Project with ECOWAS, in the presence of representatives of the ICT and Digital Economy Ministries, the Foreign Ministries of the ECOWAS Member States and Development Partners.
It shall be recalled that the ECOWAS action plan (2022-2025) on cyber security is based on four thematic pillars (Development of cyber diplomacy mechanisms and skills, strengthening protection of critical infrastructure, protection of vulnerable groups from cybersecurity threats, including cybercrime and terrorist use of the Internet, fight against cybercrime and data sovereignty).
It provides concrete areas for the ECOWAS Commission to structure its cooperation with global, regional and national partners to lead capacity building initiatives in the field of cybersecurity
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopts E-commerce Strategy to support Member States in leveraging e-commerce to build resilient micro-small and medium sized enterprises, create new jobs and spur economic diversification.
The 90th Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers endorsed the ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy at its last meeting held from the 6 – 7 July 2023. This step follows its adoption by ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry (ECOMOTI) at the 3rd Ministerial meeting which held from the 27th – 28th April, in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire.
The ECOWAS Commission developed the E-commerce Strategy (ECS) with the support of the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD) with the objective to strengthen the efforts of ECOWAS Member States on the use of technology to accelerate structural change and development, foster regional integration, including through economic diversification, job creation and more inclusive trade activities.
With the vision for a “sustainable, inclusive, and secure e-commerce ecosystem supportive of ECOWAS’ efforts to use technology to accelerate structural change and foster regional integration through economic diversification and job creation.” The Strategy aims to strengthen ministries of trade to support domestic and cross-border e-commerce development, secure trust along the e-commerce supply chain from producers to consumers, improve access to e-commerce statistics and market information in ECOWAS, and foster inclusion for e-commerce development in ECOWAS.
It further aims to support Member States in leveraging the entrepreneurial propensity of women in the region, harnessing the potential of ECOWAS’ youthful population, addressing access to e-commerce for people with disabilities, and providing incentives for the formalization of informal cross-border traders (ICBTs).
The ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy is one of several initiatives of the ECOWAS Commission, along with its Information Communication Strategy and Private Sector Development Strategy that feeds into the digital transformative agenda of the Commission’s ECOWAS Vision 2050.
“The ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy will carve out space for the development of e-commerce within the larger national digital economy priorities of Member States” said Massandjé Toure-litse, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at the ECOWAS Commission. Further adding that “e-commerce growth in the region has the potential to create opportunities for inclusive growth that could deliver on the creation of new jobs, support for micro-small and medium-sized enterprises and spur industry and economic diversification”
Through direct engagement with stakeholders, the ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy draws on input from direct consultations with over 450 key stakeholders in the region, over 191 targeted institutions from the public and private sectors and an in-depth eT Trade Readiness Assessment conducted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy reflects the priorities of Member States and the immediate needs of actors in the ecosystem.
“The Commission will continue to work with Member States to address some of the broader challenges hampering access, affordability and adoption of e-commerce in the region but this needs to be done in tandem with direct policy interventions to improve business conditions for existing and potential e-commerce merchants and build resilient businesses that deepen intra-regional trade” said Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at the ECOWAS Commission.
The ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy follows the development of an e-commerce strategy by the African Union and is adopted ahead of the African Continental Free Trade Area’s digital trade protocol currently under negotiation.
The Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI), a platform for promoting business, trade, and investment across the continent, at a virtual news conference, unveiled the lineup for its flagship event ‘Unstoppable Africa’ scheduled for Sept. 21-22 in New York.
The two-day event, co-convened by the African Union (AU) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, serves as a pivotal forum for leaders to discuss and strategise the way forward for Africa’s dynamic business landscape.
Mrs Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO, UN Global Compact, said the event was a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in amplifying Africa’s opportunities.
She said the landmark event would take place as Africa’s leaders worked collectively to leverage the continent’s assets, including a young population and abundant natural resources.
Ojiambo said the initiative mirrors Africa’s aspiration to rise above challenges while turning challenges like climate change, energy constraints, water scarcity, and food supply into opportunities.
“GABI aims to catalyse Africa’s key role in the global marketplace, and ‘Unstoppable Africa’ is a powerful affirmation of GABI’s unwavering commitment to redefining Africa’s economic narrative and the world.
“The convening will facilitate solution-driven dialogues, inclusive participation, and enriching conversations and debates, all geared towards accelerating and amplifying Africa to new heights of business growth and economic transformation,” she said.
She revealed that confirmed participants included President Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal; President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of Botswana; Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations, among others.
The African Union (AU) has officially joined the G20 at its annual meeting in India in the latest sign of Africa’s growing clout in international forums.
The AU was admitted to the organisation – which includes 19 of the world’s leading economies and the European Union – at its meeting in New Delhi on Saturday.
“We welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 and strongly believe that inclusion of the African Union into the G20 will significantly contribute to addressing the global challenges of our time,” said the summit’s final declaration.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi – who has for some time supported the AU’s accession to the organisation – embraced current AU chairperson Azali Assoumani, president of the Comoros, after announcing the AU’s admittance.
“Honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 Family. This will strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South,” Modi tweeted.
“The inclusion of @_AfricanUnion in the G20 underscores its pivotal role in global progress. We stand ready to further collaborate and boost our shared aspirations. We will keep working closely for global well-being,” he added.
The G20’s diverse membership – which includes global superpowers the US, China and the EU – represent around 85% of global GDP, over 75% of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population. Yet the relevance of the bloc has been questioned amid the rise of new multilateral institutions which claim to be more representative of previously marginalised nations.
The meeting of the G20 came just two weeks after the BRICS bloc announced its own enlargement in Johannesburg, South Africa. Six new members – Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – were admitted to BRICS, which pitches itself as an alternative to Western-led multilateral institutions.
Leaders welcome move
Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, said that the membership of the G20 would help to amplify the continent’s voice in global affairs.
“I welcome the @_AfricanUnion’s entry into the #G20 as full member. This membership, for which we have long been advocating, will provide a propitious framework for amplifying advocacy in favor of the Continent and its effective contribution to meeting global challenges.”
The accession was also welcomed by African leaders. President William Ruto of Kenya said the membership would “increase the voice of Africa, visibility, and influence on the global stage and provide a platform to advance the common interest of our people”, while President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia said that the invitation “means [Africa] has been recognised as a key player on the world economic landscape”.
“African countries must now leverage this position to accelerate development of their economies & their young populations,” he added.
How can Africa make the most of the membership?
In an opinion article for African Business, Ivory Kairo, a policy analyst at consultancy Development Reimagined, argues that there are several things that the African Union, supported by governments and multilateral institutions, can do to ensure meaningful engagement with the G20.
Pressing issues include establishing who will represent the AU at the G20 finance ministers and central governors’ levels and appointing “Sherpas” to engage in strategic diplomacy, Kairo argues.
“The AU, like the EU, has the apparatus and extremely credible diplomatic and financial prowess to deploy to strategically engage with the G20. It is simply a means of deciding who does what. The African Union Commission and AU Chairperson can start to make these decisions now.”
Soon after Judy Kengo was sworn into office last year, the Kenyan legislator faced her first public test when a doctored photo of a lookalike kissing another woman surfaced online.
The aim of the misleading photo, she says, was to force her to quit her position in the county assembly of Kwale, a staunchly conservative region along Kenya’s southern coast.
“You see, here is your leader. What kind of role model is she to our girls?” Kengo, 35, remembers one online user saying after the image began making the rounds.
Kengo’s case is far from isolated. There is growing evidence of women across Africa facing online disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting their ambitions and forcing them out of politics, experts say.
Women in public positions need a “thick skin” to withstand the pressures of online attacks, says Kengo, who refused to be cowed and has since hired bloggers to respond to social media smear campaigns.
“Politics has always been a male-dominated field and for you to penetrate, you have to be very aggressive,” she told AFP.
But it is a difficult balancing act.
“When you are aggressive in the way you are addressing the issues, people will say you are too much or are a loudmouth. This is not the same for our male counterparts.”
‘Crude sexualised attacks’
The attacks, which tend to escalate during election season, are strategically orchestrated to silence women, says Kristina Wilfore, co-founder of global non-profit #ShePersisted, which fights gender disinformation and online abuse.
“The sexualised attacks are very crude, and they are definitely meant to undermine the idea that women are qualified,” Wilfore told AFP.
A study conducted in collaboration with #ShePersisted during Kenya’s 2022 national elections found that social media platforms enabled “hateful rhetoric towards women to flourish”, according to Wilfore.
Even when false information has been fact-checked and corrected, “it still leaves the sentiment that women do not belong in certain public spaces”, she added.
The impact is not lost on women lawmakers in Kenya.
“A lot of women fear getting into public spaces, especially public political spaces because of the issues surrounding that space,” opposition MP Millie Odhiambo told AFP.
Kenya has continually failed to meet parliamentary quotas that require at least a third of all seats in the national assembly to be filled by women.
Across the continent, women occupy only 24 percent of some 12,100 parliamentary positions, according to a 2021 study by the pan-African project Women in Political Participation.
Kenyan politician and Member of Parliament (MP), Millie Odhiambo, speaks during an interview at her law practice offices in Nairobi on July 13, 2023. – Odhiambo bashed an increasing trend of anonymous virtual attacks to create public disinformation on women politicians in Kenya and some of it’s neighbours in the region, such as alleged leaked recordings of sexual activity, targeted at tarnishing reputations or campaigns by female leaders or aspirants. (Photo by Tony KARUMBA / AFP)
During Rwanda’s 2017 election campaign, alleged nude photos of businesswoman and government critic Diane Rwigara surfaced online days after she announced her candidacy for president.
The only female challenger to Rwanda’s iron-fisted leader Paul Kagame later told CNN the images had been photoshopped to destroy her electoral chances.
She was eventually blocked from running on the grounds that she allegedly forged supporters’ signatures for her application. But a court acquitted her in 2018, calling the charges “baseless”.
In April this year, former Kenyan senator Millicent Omanga faced calls to resign from her post as a junior minister after footage of a purported sex tape surfaced on social media.
An AFP investigation found that at least one of the clips featured an amateur porn actor.
But many online users believed it was Omanga, who has never commented publicly on the video and did not respond to calls from AFP.
Kenyan political analyst Nerima Wako-Ojiwa said the incident was part of a vicious trend which aims to “degrade women”.
“They avoid (political leadership) completely, or they avoid having a digital footprint or engaging online,” she told AFP.
AI
Experts fear new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) could make the situation worse.
Some 96 percent of deepfake videos online involve non-consensual pornography, and most of them depict women, according to a 2019 study by Dutch AI company Sensity.
The same year, DeepNude, an application that virtually undresses women, was shut down following an uproar over its potential abuse. But similar tools continued to be accessible via encrypted messaging.
As AI technology develops at a rapid pace, experts say social media companies must do more to create a safe digital environment.
The situation is particularly grim in Africa, where platforms take advantage of weak laws and poor enforcement, said Leah Kimathi, founder of the Kenyan non-profit Council for Responsible Social Media.
“Platforms have the primary responsibility to ensure that the online spaces are not used by nefarious characters to perpetuate harm,” Kimathi said.
“Their business models through the algorithms amplify the online disinformation, making it go viral in the service of profit,” she told AFP.
“They also grossly under-invest in platform security and safety in Africa compared to the rest of the world.”
Nigerians who have an Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, or St Lucia second passport now have visa-free air travel via an eTA to Canada.
However, Nigerians travelling to these countries must have held a Canadian visa within the past 10 years or possess a valid United States non-immigrant visa to qualify.
This enables application for an eTA instead of a traditional visa when visiting Canada by air. Canada also announced that Dominica and Grenada citizens are eligible for the Can+ Visa programme. This speeds up the process of applying for a visitor visa, and it is available for short-term stays in Canada. Instead of the typical 14-21-day waiting period, it takes five days at most.
“By removing barriers, Canada has opened its doors wider. It invites citizens of these countries to discover its rich tapestry of breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cities, and diverse cultural experiences,” Zuberu Kadiri with said.
“The expanded visa-free air travel policy unlocks exciting business prospects for entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals, and facilitates trade and investment. It also fosters dynamic collaborations, propelling bilateral economic growth.”
Kadiri further noted: “Canada is one of the highly-desirable destinations for Nigerians, whether for study, business, or leisure. This boosts the Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Dominica and Grenada Citizenship-by-Investment programmes in Nigeria. Securing any of these Citizenship-by-Investment programmes streamlines and expedites the process for thousands of Nigerians.
“Also, with the introduction of the Can+ visa programme for Dominica and Grenada citizens, Nigerians with this passport can now speed up the processing of the visitor visa, which is available for short-term stays in Canada,” he added.
The three-day event will serve as an official starting point for the joint implementation of the ECOWAS Action Plan to increase regional cybersecurity resilience and capacity.
