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Published
12 months agoon
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron called for a global moratorium on debt payments by African countries to help them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday.
According to Radio France Internationale (RFI), Macron hoped to have a virtual meeting with the finance ministers from the G20 group of countries later on Wednesday regarding the global moratorium.
This would involve all major Western powers – China, Russia, and the Gulf states, as well as multilateral lenders, Macron said.
The French president said that developed countries had all responded to the crisis with massive monetary and budgetary action but Africa’s large debts as well as credit flight made such moves harder in the continent.
“Every year a third of Africa’s commercial exports go to service its debt. It’s crazy!” he argued.
Macron said he favoured a large-scale cancellation of African countries’ debts but the African Union considered that a moratorium was more likely to be fine agreement in the short term.
Macron said there was no guarantee that African countries would continue to be spared the worst of the pandemic but Europe would be better placed to help if its peak in Africa came after European countries had got over the worst of it.
France hoped to be able to produce medical equipment for African countries as well as for its own uses, but African leaders should try and delay the epidemic on their soil with measures such as lockdowns, he suggested.
Published
4 days agoon
April 10, 2021Published
4 months agoon
December 4, 2020It described as unfortunate the failure by government to produce a plan for the purchase, distribution and administration of the therapy despite the fact that many nations globally had done so.
Adopting a motion sponsored on Thursday, Dec 3, by Senator Oloriegbe Ibrahim during plenary presided over by Senate President Ahmad Lawan in Abuja, the upper legislative chamber directed its Committee on Health and Primary Health Care to summon the Ministries of Health and Finance, as well as the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and other relevant agencies for their plans.
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The lawmakers regretted that “the only plan on COVID-19 vaccine for Nigeria is the pledge by Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) to support 20 per cent of the country’s requirement.”
This support, according to them, would cover only the cost of the treatment without taking care of logistics for distribution and administration.
The legislature added: “Despite the change in the epidemiology trends of the disease, the financial plan developed by the country and World Bank in April 2020 to fund the response to the pandemic is still being implemented without taking due cognisance of the changes by re-allocating the funds to vaccine procurement.”
It noted that failure to administer vaccines in the nation would result in Nigeria’s inability to contain further infections and a possible ban on Nigerians by countries across the world.
Published
5 months agoon
November 5, 2020The Chinese authorities have issued fresh travel restrictions into China by Nigerians and other nationals in Nigeria holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits.
A public notice issued by the Embassy of China and Consulate in Nigeria today November 5, states that the decision was based on the COVID19 concerns in Nigeria. Other countries placed on temporary travel restrictions include the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Philippines, and a few others.
The Chinese embassy says it will no longer issue certified health declaration form for non-Chinese nationals in the country. It, however, said holders of diplomatic passports, courtesy, or C visas would not be affected by the regulation.
‘Notice of temporary suspension of entry into China by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits.’
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, China has decided to temporarily suspend entry into China by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria holding visas or residence permits still valid at the time of this announcement.
The Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria will no longer issue a certified health declaration form for the above-mentioned personnel. Entry by holders of diplomatic service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected.
Foreign nationals visiting China for emergency needs may apply for visas at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate. Entry by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria with visas issued after November 3, 2020, will not be affected.” the public notice read
Reacting to the development, the spokesman, Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wang Wenbin, told AFP that the entry suspension was a legitimate and valid move consistent with international customary practices.
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