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  • UN Chief Pay Glowing Tributes As World Remembers Mandela

    UN Secretary-General António?Guterres has described late Nelson Mandela as an “extraordinary global advocate for dignity and equality” who anyone in public service should emulate.

    Guterres paid the tributes in a message to mark the  Nelson Mandela International Day commemorated annually on July 18.

    According to him, the anti-apartheid campaigner and first democratically-elected president of South Africa is “one of the most iconic and inspirational leaders of our time.”

    The UN declared the Nelson Mandela Day in November 2009 as a global call to action under the premise that everyone has the power to?make an impact on the planet.

    “Nelson Mandela exemplified courage, compassion and commitment to freedom, peace and social justice.

    “He lived by these principles and was prepared to sacrifice his liberty and even his life for them,” Guterres said.

    The Secretary General noted that with hate speech casting a growing shadow around the world, Mandela’s calls for social cohesion and an end to racism were  particularly relevant today.

    “As we work collectively for peace, stability, sustainable development and human rights for all, we would be well served to recall the example set by Mandela.

    “Our best tribute is found in actions. Every one of us can step up and act for enduring change.

    “Nelson Mandela’s message to the world is clear and we all have the duty to do so.

    “On this day of reflection on Nelson Mandela’s life and work, let us embrace his legacy and aspire to emulate his example,” the UN Chief said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as part of activities marking the day, the UN General Assembly will on Thursday hold an informal meeting in honor of the former leader.

    The meeting will feature remarks and tributes to Mandela by the President of the General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General and others.

    In a statement on Wednesday evening, the UN said its volunteers will commemorate the day by serving lunch and ice cream in New York.

    The event is expected to take place in one of the city’s most marginalised neighbourhoods at the Brownsville Community Culinary Centre “which offers healthy, sustainable and accessible cuisine to local residents.”

    Last year, the UN marked the day by hosting the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit during the General Assembly Week in New York, according to the statement.

    At the forum, no fewer than 100?Heads of State and Government, Ministers and Member States, lauded the late South African President’s qualities and service to humanity.

    They adopted a political declaration?to redouble efforts to build a just, peaceful, prosperous, inclusive and fair world.

    The statement added that the declaration recognised the period from?2019?to?2028 as the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace.

    It saluted “Madiba”, as he is known affectionately by South Africans, for his humility and compassion.

    The declaration also acknowledged his contribution to the struggle for democracy and the promotion of a culture of world peace.

    Mandela, who led South Africa between 1994 and 1999, died on Dec. 5, 2013, after suffering from a prolonged respiratory infection.

  • Zenith Bank unveils “Style by Zenith 2.0’’

    Foremost multinational financial services provider, Zenith Bank Plc has launched “Style by Zenith 2.0’’, the second edition of its flagship lifestyle fair dedicated to intentionally celebrating the “small’’ things that make “big’’ differences in people’s lives.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that first launched in 2018, the “Style by Zenith’’ initiative was created with the objective of supporting and creating value for customers by focusing on various aspects of their lifestyle.

    The bank said on Friday that this year, “Style by Zenith 2.0’’ following the success of the maiden edition, would take things up a notch with the theme, “Style the Life You Desire’’, aimed at encouraging Nigerians to live their best lives and be extraordinary.

    The platform seeks to inspire people to be authentic, while showing them that with ordinary talent and extraordinary effort, they could thrive and make real change in this world.

    On the rationale behind “Style by Zenith 2.0’’, the Executive Director of Zenith Bank Plc., Dr Temitope Fasoranti, said: “Banking, for Zenith Bank means going that extra mile to be present in the lives of our customers.

    “Driven by a culture of excellence and providing cutting edge solutions, the bank is championing this cause to enable individuals and businesses to grow wealth.’’

    He added that: “Beyond providing financial solutions, Zenith Bank Plc seeks to be a reliable partner to her customers, ensuring that they excel on every front.

    “With Style by Zenith 2.0, the bank continues in her commitment to empowering individuals and entrepreneurs by celebrating real talents.

    “We will be helping people do what they know how to do best and repositioning them for greater levels of success in their various endeavours.’’

    This year’s programme includes an interesting line up of activities all culminating in the three-day Lifestyle Fair taking place at the end of 2019.

    “Kicking off the array of activities is the Style by Zenith 2.0 Fitness Walks being held in conjunction with Mass Medical Missions, a non-profit organisation, and Venus Medicare Ltd, a leading Health Management Organisation in the country.

    “The Fitness Walk will serve as a platform to promote Mission Pink Cruise – a project of Mass Medical Missions supported by Zenith Bank.

    `It is aimed at taking holistic cancer prevention and health promotion to various communities across the country using Mobile Cancer Centres (MCC) nicknamed Pink Cruises, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria,’’ the bank said.

    Scheduled to hold in August, these Fitness Walks and Cancer Screening exercises will hold in five cities across Nigeria – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Onitsha.

    Interested individuals are invited to register their participation by visiting the Zenith Bank website at www.zenithbank.com/style.

    Aside the fitness walks across the country, there are a lot of activities such as conferences, online engagements, and a special event for models that builds on the masterclass held last year, not forgetting the special play arcade and activities designed for children at the fair.

    The variety of events and activities lined up also come with free medical check-ups like free eye, dental and cancer tests, among other special promotions both online and at the events leading to the final crescendo which is the three-Day Lifestyle Fair.

    With initiatives such as these and many more to come, Style by Zenith 2.0 promises to offer an all-encompassing experience touching on key aspects of the lifestyle of Zenith customers and the public.

    The Style by Zenith 2.0 platform is also a testament to the priority given to Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the retail segment of the market by the bank.

    Together with her various partners, Zenith Bank will be laying the foundation for a future where individuals and SMEs can live up to their full potential.

    NAN also reports that another of the bank’s partners in the project, Fashion One, the leading global fashion and lifestyle channel will once again be working with Zenith Bank on the initiative.

    Established in 1990, Zenith Bank Plc is a leading multinational bank providing corporate, business, retail and personal banking services through its network of over 500 branches and business offices, serving millions of customers.

    The brand is verifiably a leader in the deployment of various channels of banking technology and has become synonymous with the deployment of state-of-the-art technologies in banking. (NAN)

  • Addressing Root Causes Of Insurgency Gateway To Sustainable Dev’t In Lake Chad Region

    Governor of Borno State Mr Babagana Zulum has said that addressing the root causes of insurgency will go a long way toward solving the current security problem and ensuring sustainable development in the Lake Chad region.

    Zulum said this at the 2nd Meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ forum on Wednesday in Niamey.

    According to him,  Boko Haram insurgency has triggered acute humanitarian problems in the lake chad region which has resulted in the forced displacement of populations in the affected areas.

    He said that the devastating socio-economic impact on the population had further deepened poverty in the region.

    “The most important thing for us to do in this Regional Stabilisation Strategy (RSS) programme is to address the root causes of the Boko Haram which are not limited to poverty, basic illiteracy, high unemployment rate, social inequality, poor social and economic infrastructure.

    “Poor economic output, drug abuse, environmental degradation, climate change among others.

    “We must understand the nexus between peace, security and development.

    “Without peace, there is no security and without security there is no peace so we need to address the root causes of insurgency,” he said.

    Mr Mai-Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe State, said that the state government would continue to cooperate with other regions, the LCBC and other stakeholders in achieving the content of the strategy through the implementation of the Territorial Action Plans (TAPs).

    Buni who was represented by Mr Baba Malam Wali, Secretary to the government said that to achieve this a developmental roadmap has been unveiled by the government of the state in its priority areas.

    “This roadmap includes revitalising the Basic and Secondary Education Sector, agriculture, health care delivery, Water Resources Development and Management.

    “Infrastructure, rural development, security, good governance as well as youth and women empowerment,” he said.

    He stated that the government would continue to be committed in all regional initiatives that would bring about sustainable peace and development of the region.

    Governor of Adamawa State, Alh. Ahmadu Finitri said that response to insurgency alone could not solve the problem, adding that there was need to adopt other measures such as integration of former Boko Haram fighters.

    The governor, who was represented by Mr Crowther Seth said intensifying efforts to community reconciliation and inclusive roles of the traditional rules, women groups and various CSOs were also part of the measures needed.

    “There is need to move from emergency to humanitarian approach to long term developmental and environmental sustainable programme and interventions.

    “The need for synergy, consolidation and coordination of effort in the Regional level is timely and Adamawa is ready to stand by it,” he said.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the Lake Chad Governors’ Forum was launched in Maiduguri to tackle the menace of Book Haram insurgency. (NAN)

  • UNGA Presidency: Muhammad-Bande Attends Crucial Transition Meeting

    Muhammad-Bande (left) with Espinosa and other diplomats during a previous UNGA meeting.

     Outgoing President of the UN General Assembly (PGA), Ms Maria Espinosa, on Wednesday  met with her successor-elect, Amb. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, to discuss issues related to transition of power.

    Muhammad-Bande, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was elected president of the 74th session of the General Assembly on June 4.

    He will take over from Espinosa, an Ecuadorian, at the inauguration of the 74th session in September.

    Espinosa’s Spokesperson, Ms Monica Grayley, told UN correspondents in New York on Wednesday, that three former PGAs attended the meeting.

    They are Joseph Deiss of the 65th session, Peter Thompson of the 71st and Miroslav Laj?ák of the 72nd session.

    “The main objective of the meeting is to provide support and assistance to the president-elect of the 74th session.

    “Participants are discussing issues related to the transition, retreat, handover reports and other tools.

    “Also on the agenda are measures to ensure a successful presidency by the PGA-elect both in terms of institutional memory of the PGA’s office, transparency and accountability”, she said.

    Grayley stated that Wednesday’s was the second of such meeting, which held for the very first time in January.

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  • Bronze medals better than coming back with nothing, Okala says

    Emmanuel Okala, former goalkeeper of Nigeria’s mationa; Team on eagles victory

    By Stanley Nwanosike

    Emmanuel Okala, a former Green Eagles goalkeeper, has congratulated Nigeria’s Super Eagles for winning the 2019 AFCON third-place match in Egypt, saying “bronze medals were better than coming back with nothing”.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that an Odion Ighalo goal after three minutes of play on Wednesday in Cairo ensured the Eagles beat their Tunisian counterparts 1-0.

    Okala, who helped Nigeria to win their first AFCON title in 1980, told NAN in Enugu shortly after the match that the encounter was a very difficult one.

    According to him, it was however good that the Super Eagles triumphed at the end of the day.

    “Bronze medals are better than coming back with nothing. I must laud the Super Eagles for their commitment.

    “They have shown patriotism and love for the country in discharging this national assignment (participation in 2019 AFCON) on behalf of Nigerians, both at home and abroad,’’ he said.

    On the way forward, Okala said that the Super Eagles had to go back to the drawing board.

    “The senior national team must take patience to study their loopholes, as well as strengths in the entire tournament.

    “Sincerely, we are not where we ought to be in football, especially in African football,’’ he said.(NAN)

  • Zulum challenges Lake Chad forum on root cause of insurgency

    Prof. Babagana Zulum Governor of Borno state

    By Uche Bibilari

    Governor of Borno State Mr Babagana Zulum has said that addressing the root causes of insurgency will go a long way toward solving the current security problem and ensuring sustainable development in the Lake Chad region.

    Zulum said this at the 2nd Meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ forum on Wednesday in Niamey.

    According to him,  Boko Haram insurgency has triggered acute humanitarian problems in the lake chad region which has resulted in the forced displacement of populations in the affected areas.

    He said that the devastating socio-economic impact on the population had further deepened poverty in the region.

    “The most important thing for us to do in this Regional Stabilisation Strategy (RSS) programme is to address the root causes of the Boko Haram which are not limited to poverty, basic illiteracy, high unemployment rate, social inequality, poor social and economic infrastructure.

    “Poor economic output, drug abuse, environmental degradation, climate change among others.

    “We must understand the nexus between peace, security and development.

    “Without peace, there is no security and without security there is no peace so we need to address the root causes of insurgency,” he said.

    Mr Mai-Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe State, said that the state government would continue to cooperate with other regions, the LCBC and other stakeholders in achieving the content of the strategy through the implementation of the Territorial Action Plans (TAPs).

    Buni who was represented by Mr Baba Malam Wali, Secretary to the government said that to achieve this a developmental roadmap has been unveiled by the government of the state in its priority areas.

    “This roadmap includes revitalising the Basic and Secondary Education Sector, agriculture, health care delivery, Water Resources Development and Management.

    “Infrastructure, rural development, security, good governance as well as youth and women empowerment,” he said.

    He stated that the government would continue to be committed in all regional initiatives that would bring about sustainable peace and development of the region.

    Governor of Adamawa State, Alh. Ahmadu Finitri said that response to insurgency alone could not solve the problem, adding that there was need to adopt other measures such as integration of former Boko Haram fighters.

    The governor, who was represented by Mr Crowther Seth said intensifying efforts to community reconciliation and inclusive roles of the traditional rules, women groups and various CSOs were also part of the measures needed.

    “There is need to move from emergency to humanitarian approach to long term developmental and environmental sustainable programme and interventions.

    “The need for synergy, consolidation and coordination of effort in the Regional level is timely and Adamawa is ready to stand by it,” he said.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the Lake Chad Governors’ Forum was launched in Maiduguri to tackle the menace of Book Haram insurgency. (NAN)

     I found this interesting

  • Forum set to eradicate insurgency in Lake Chad basin

    Lake Chad.Basin

    By Uche Bibilari

    The Prime Minister of Republic of Niger, Mr Brigi Rafini said the Lake Chad Governors’ forum would ensure regional appropriation to eradicate insurgency in the various regions.

    Rafini said this at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ forum  in Naimey.

    He said that the formation of the the governors’ forum was a crucial turning point in the fight against insurgency, adding that they should continue to build on the achievements so far recorded.

    He said that the forum was a new approach toward ensuring stability and development of the Lake Chad region.

    The prime minister disclosed that Niger had deployed 2,000 troops to fight insurgency, adding that every military action should follow development.

    He called on stakeholders to participate equally to ensure the stability, peace and sustainable development in the regions.

    Earlier, Mrs Ahunna Eziakonw, the Assistant Secretary General and UN Development Programme (UNDP), Regional Director, Regional Bureau for African said the forum was a continuation of collective efforts to address a 3-tiered crisis.

    She said that the crisis included structural and persistent development deficit across parts of the region, a breakdown of the social contract that has fostered localised violent extremist insurgency and an unfolding environmental catastrophe.

    “While affected by the same crisis, we are cognisant that the situation differs among countries in the Lake Chad Basin and that our offer has to be harmonised yet differentiated.

    “National responses must be complemented by cross-border interventions and regional collaboration.

    “The Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria and neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger has resulted in displacements, destructions of basic infrastructure, and environmental degradation on the Lake, severely impacting communities across the region.

    “The conflicts have eroded, and in some cases ruptured, the bonds and relationships within groups and communities, with the poor bearing the greatest brunt.

    “Extremists target public spaces, forcing people to make difficult choices between risking death by going to work to earn a meagre living, or risking the very survival of their families.

    “Nowhere is this more evident than in the Lake Chad Basin with over 2.8 million people displaced across four countries,” she stated.

    She added that the eight regions of the basin which have served as a home to 19 million people was an important focus to UNDP.

    She said that the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) which had the mandate to facilitate the mechanisms of cross-border cooperation on security, stabilisation, early recovery and development, was an invaluable partner to UNDP and the UN system.

    “Its regional mandate provides important avenues to holistically address the daunting problems facing Boko Haram affected areas.

    “The LCBC, with support from the African Union and UNDP, has developed a comprehensive Regional Stabilisation Strategy that is a demonstration of national, regional and continental ownership and leadership that deserves to be supported.

    “With support of our development partners including the Governments of Germany and Sweden, UNDP is spearheading interventions on stabilisation across the four LCBC countries,” she said.

    Interventions make possible a critical injection of integrated services in needy areas, focusing on strengthening the social contract, increased access to basic services and livelihood revitalisation.

    “As we focus on stabilisation of the region, UNDP’s contribution is also preparing the ground for longer term transformation and sustainability by working with the LCBC, national governments and other partners,” she said.

    Executive Secretary, LCBC, Amb. Mamman Nuhu and Head of Mission, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) said that the role of governors which are drivers of policies and initiatives at the grassroot level as well as ensuring stabilities and resolution of conflicts in the areas cannot be over emphasised.

    He, however said that the forum would address issues which exist in the LCBC organisational structure.

    He said that the structure of the LCBC are made up of the head of States and government, councils of ministers as the decisional arm of the commission absenting governors who drive development at the grassroot.

    He said their was need to carry this governors along in the decision making process.

    Nuhu said that the forum was a crucial meeting which would lead to the implementation of the Regional Stabilisation Strategy for the eight affected regions.

    He said that for the attainment of the objectives of the forum a strong synergy was required.

    Representative of Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Amb.Hadiza Mustapha commended the effort of the MNJTF in fighting terrorism and successes recorded by the military.

    She said that the Regional Stabilisation Strategy (RSS) was the key in tacking the root causes of terrorism and criminalities in our societies.

    She said that the forum has continued to gain acceptance as an effective and innovative way to implement the strategy in the lake chad regions.

    She said that AU would continue to work with the LCBC and other stakeholders to silence the gun in 2020. (NAN)

  • Security: U.S. lawmaker wants Russia’s FaceApp probed

    Security: U.S. lawmaker wants Russia’s FaceApp probed

    U.S. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called on the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a national security and privacy investigation into FaceApp, a face-editing photo app developed in Russia.

    The viral smartphone application, which has seen a new surge of popularity due to a filter that ages photos of users’ faces, requires “full and irrevocable access to their personal photos and data.

    This could pose “national security and privacy risks for millions of U.S. citizens,” Schumer said in his letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and FTC Chairman Joe Simons.

    The Democratic National Committee also sent out an alert to the party’s 2020 presidential candidates on Wednesday warning them against using the app, pointing to its Russian provenance.

    In the email, seen by Reuters and first reported by CNN, DNC security chief Bob Lord also urged Democratic presidential campaigns to delete the app immediately if they or their staff had already used it.

    There is no evidence that FaceApp provides user data to the Russian government.

    Democrats have invested heavily in bolstering party cyber defenses after U.S. intelligence agencies determined that Russia used hacking as part of an effort to boost support for President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. Russia has repeatedly denied those claims.

    FaceApp, which was developed by Wireless Lab, a company based in St. Petersburg, says on its website that it has over 80 million active users. Its CEO, Yaroslav Goncharov, used to be an executive at Yandex, widely known as “Russia’s Google.”

    The app, which was launched in 2017, made headlines in 2018 when it removed its ‘ethnicity filters’ after users condemned them as racist.

    More recently, it has faced scrutiny from the public over issues such as not clearly communicating that the app uploads images to the cloud rather than processing them locally on a user’s device.

    It is not clear how the artificial intelligence application retains the data of users or how users may ensure the deletion of their data after usage, Schumer said in the letter.

    Schumer said the photo editing app’s location in Russia raises questions about how FaceApp lets third parties, including foreign governments, have access to the data of American citizens.

    In a statement cited by media outlets, FaceApp has denied selling or sharing user data with third parties.

     I found this interesting

  • WHO declares Congo’s Ebola outbreak international emergency

    Ebola in Congo

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday officially declared the current Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

    WHO chief, Tedros Ghebreyesus, who announced the declaration in Geneva, called on countries to “take notice and redouble our efforts”.

    The announcement followed the fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee assessing the outbreak, according to a statement by the UN.

    This is coming ahead of the first anniversary of the complex outbreak in the volatile Eastern part of the country in August adjudged the second worst outbreak of the disease.

    Ghebreyesus said that it was time to “work together in solidarity with the DRC to end this outbreak and build a better health system”, for its people.

    So far, there have been more than 2,500 cases of infection, and nearly 1,670 have died in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.

    Multiple armed groups and lack of local trust have hampered efforts to get the outbreak under control in the area.

    “Extraordinary work has been done for almost a year under the most difficult circumstances.

    “We all owe it to these responders – coming from not just WHO but also Government, partners and communities – to shoulder more of the burden,” the WHO said.

    A Public Health Emergency of International Concern, according to the WHO’s International Health Regulations, is an “extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response.

    The International Health Regulations constitute a binding legal agreement involving 196 countries across the globe.

    The definition means a situation that is serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected, that may require immediate international action.

    It also applies to a situation that carries implications for public health beyond the affected State’s national border, the UN said.

    The WHO committee cited recent developments in the outbreak in making its recommendation.

    These include the first confirmed case in Goma, a city of almost two million people on the border with Rwanda, and the gateway to the rest of DRC and the world.

    The committee also issued specific conclusions and advice to affected countries, their neighbours, and for all states, in terms of how the outbreak needs to be dealt with moving forward.

    It expressed disappointment in recent delays in securing more international funds to fight the disease, which has constrained the response.

    Members also reinforced the need to protect livelihoods of the people most affected by the outbreak by keeping transport routes and borders open.

    The experts said it was “essential to avoid the punitive economic consequences of travel and trade restrictions, on affected communities.”