COVID-19
China and Africa’s Solidarity Against COVID-19
China and Africa’s Solidarity Against COVID-19
On June 17, the Peoples Republic of China and African leaders met via a teleconference to discuss ways and strategies against the ravaging COVID-19, in furtherance of their joint efforts against the pandemic. The meeting, a joint initiative of President Xi Jinping of China, was held in collaboration with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Senegalese President Macky Sall, the current rotating chair of the African Union (AU) and the co-chair of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation. (FOCAC) respectively.
In attendance were many other African Union Assemblies of Heads of State and government, including President Buhari of Nigeria. Also, the rotating chairs of major African sub-regional organizations, the Chairperson of the AU commission, the Secretary-General of the UN and the Director-General of the WHO, attended the virtual meeting as special guests.
It will be recalled as the first country to face the COVID-19 scourge, China has been actively sharing its experiences with African countries in their fight against the disease. So far, data from the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that total numbers of confirmed cases have exceeded 285,000 and more than 7,700 people on the continent have died from the virus as at June 20.
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Over past decades, Sino-Africa friendship has been built on mutual respect and understanding, which had been advanced through mutual support in overcoming myriad challenges. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Africa have today written a new chapter in their friendship, promoting the building of a community based on shared values. Sino-Africa relations became invigorated in late 1960’s when the gale of independence swept through the African continent and since then the relationship has witnessed unprecedented progress with China staunchly supporting Africa’s growth and prosperity. In this millennium, Sino-Africa friendship can best be described as being at an all-time high never seen before.
In his opening statement at the Summit, President Xi Jinping underscored how Sino-Africa friendship had stood the test of time, especially in putting up a fierce fight against COVID-19, including the enormous sacrifices to earn ‘’hard-won results’’ and bring the situation under control. He noted how governments and people in Africa have put up a united front under the efficient coordination of the African Union (AU), taking strong measures to effectively slow the spread of the virus.
President Xi further stated that in the face of COVID-19, China and Africa had offered mutual support to each other and fought shoulder to shoulder against the pandemic. China, he said, will always remember the invaluable support Africa gave China at the height of its battle with the Coronavirus. In return, he stressed, when Africa was struck by the virus, China was the first to rush in with assistance and has since stood firm with the African people.
When China was struck by the Coronavirus, over 50 African leaders had expressed their solidarity with the country, through phone calls, video calls and public statements and, in return China had offered humanitarian support by sending expert medical teams to Africa’s five sub-regions and surrounding countries, including supplying tonnes of protective gears and other relevant medical equipment to many African countries to support their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The African community in China also benefitted from the support provided by the Chinese authorities just like its citizens.
The proposal by the Chinese President to convene a high-level Summit with African leaders in solidarity against COVID-19 has been viewed as a great idea coming at the right time, in the light of China and Africa’s long history of collaboration and mitigating common problems. Based on this perspective, the Summit is expected to further accelerate the pace of the long existing friendship between China and the African continent.
Some of the expected benefits of the solidarity summit were duly highlighted by President Xi in favour of Africa and these include – providing supplies, expert teams, facilitating Africa’s procurement of medical supplies from China, construction of the Africa CDC headquarters, construction of China-Africa friendship hospitals and cooperation to be derived between twined Chinese and African hospitals.
China also pledged the deployment of COVID-19 vaccine to Africa whenever it is developed. Within the context of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) initiative, China similarly pledged to cancel the debts of some African countries in the form of interest-free government loans that are due to mature by the end of 2020. On a broader partnership level, China also announced its intention to work with the UN, WHO and other partners, to assist Africa’s response to COVID-19 in a way that respects the will of the continent.
President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, in addressing the Summit, urged the international community to support collaboration aimed at sharing knowledge from research and science to fight the pandemic. “As we face a common, pervasive enemy, it is important that we all remain united to save our shared humanity, because this virus knows no borders”, he stressed.
The Nigerian leader also used the occasion to commend the Chinese government under President Xi Jinping, the UN Secretary-general, Antonio Gutierres and the WHO for the respective actions and measures to help the developing and middle-income countries of Africa to tackle the pandemic.
As for the significance of the Summit to both China and Africa, in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts and scholars from different parts of the world have viewed it in very favourable terms with Charles Onunaiju, Director at the Centre for China studies in Abuja, Nigeria, saying the most significant aspect of the meeting is in the underlying international response, particularly by China to the pandemic.
“China has accumulated significant experience in response to the pandemic. Leaders have shared the experience of their respective response mechanisms”, he noted, and expressed confidence in the prospective joint fight against the pandemic by China and Africa.
A Pakistani and Executive Director at the Islamabad-based Centre for International Strategic Studies, Ali Sarwar Naqvi said the Summit had drawn close attention of countries around the world to the fact that China’s support will be very critical to Africa’s fight against the pandemic.
China’s Xi Jinping buttresses this fact when he said in one of his many quotes at the Summit : “I am convinced that humanity will ultimately defeat the virus and that the Chinese and African people are poised to embrace better days.”
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Author: Abra Iruoghene.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, received a customised generator and a bus on behalf of the Service from the Chairman of the Trade Modernization Project (TMP), Saleh Ahmadu, on 5 July 2024, at the Project Management Office domiciled at the
Nigeria Customs Service Management Quarters in Abuja.
CGC Adeniyi expressed appreciation to TMP for the equipment presented to the Service. He said, “On behalf of all officers and men, I appreciate this gesture that TMP has done for us through the presentation of the 250KVA generator and the 13-seater 2024 Toyota Hiace bus.”
Adeniyi disclosed that the Service is aware of TMP’s efforts in providing tools and equipment needed to drive the modernisation program. He said, “We know that computers alone will not work by themselves; they will not effect the desired modernisation that we need.”
He added, “It will require human input, and the working environment of these elements is very important as well as those tools. So, we therefore appreciate these efforts you put in place to help us enhance the working environment and also improve the welfare of these officers.”
Furthermore, he applauded the Trade Modernization Project for being a worthy and dependable partner in their modernisation drive. He noted that the equipment delivered would be put to good use to bring added value to NCS operations.
Additionally, Adeniyi encouraged the officers, from the rank of Assistant Comptroller and Deputy Comptroller, undergoing special training by the TMP in preparation for the management duties of the Service, to be attentive and acquire the necessary knowledge to discharge their responsibilities and take up the task ahead of them professionally.
Mr Saleh Ahmadu, the Chairman of the Trade Modernization Project (TMP), who handed over the equipment, said the bus was for the effective movement of personnel between the headquarters and the TMP office, while the generator was for constant power supply to the management quarters of the NCS. He acknowledged the CG for his continuous support and collaboration.
…As Operation Whirlwind Records Tremendous Victories
Author: Iruoghene.
In a bid to conquer the war against the smuggling of petroleum products in Nigeria, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi has reassured his commitment to reinvigorate the existing collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited to effectively combat the smuggling of petroleum products outside Nigeria.
In a meeting with the delegates from NNPC on Friday 5, 2024, at the headquarters of the NCS in Abuja, CGC Adeniyi stated that smuggling constitutes a severe national burden on the Nigerian economy. He said the current habitual that exists in the prices of fuel between Nigeria and the neighbouring countries creates a very huge incentive for smuggling, and that is why NCS, through ‘Operation Whirlwind’ is working with other stakeholders to intensify their efforts in ensuring that smuggling of Premium Motor Spirits (PMS) is brought to the barest minimum.
He said, “The operations that we have done have thrown up a number of issues, but despite them, I am happy we have made fantastic seizures from different parts of the country, and we saw the ingenious ways in which smugglers take supplies from depot and place in their stations. The stations might look empty from the front. Still, directly behind, they have linked the hoses through some artificial holes created in their walls into waiting jerrycans and vehicles from where they take them across the borders”.
Still speaking, he said, “It is an act of economic sabotage, and those that we have seen, we have arrested them, confiscated the product that were seen, we sealed up the filling stations, and we have handed them over to the regulatory authorities to handle. Some filing station operators tactically devise means to smuggle fuel in a way that is not noticeable.
Adeniyi disclosed that fighting the heinous crime is a significant operation, creating a considerable burden on NCS resources, but it has been a very rewarding exercise for NCS. He said, “We felt that we could have a very good partnership with NNPC for us to sustain this operation over a period of time”.
Expressing his excitement, the CGC said, “We are happy we had a secondment from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). But customs need a situation room where we get data that speak on the issue of enhancing our capacity. Also, our personnel will be motivated and taken care of, so they won’t be in a situation of compromising”.
Also, the Coordinator of ‘Operation Whirlwind’ Comptroller of Customs, Hussein Ejibunu, stated that the operation started 5 weeks ago and has recorded great victories. He said, “There is no operation that does not have challenges, and we have been able to put them aside with the help of the CGC. We have tackled fuel smuggling not only in Adamawa but across the nation. We recently showcased about 79000 litres of fuel that was about to be smuggled out of Kebbi state. This is an indication that we are desirous to do the job, but we need absolute support of the border communities and other agencies”.
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, stated that the Smuggling of PMS is a major National challenge for the country, and he requested the CGC’s help to minimise the smuggling of PMS outside Nigeria.
He revealed that the volume of fuel smuggled has reduced drastically due to the establishment and efforts of ‘Operation Whirlwind’. He said, “We are available to provide any necessary support to combat this crime in our borders. We are happy to work with you, and we appreciate you for the enormous impact of your collaboration so far”.
The World Health Organisation’s Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, Ayoade Alakija, has called for an investigation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Ministry of Health over the required COVID-19 PCR tests for inbound passengers to Nigeria.
Alakija, in a tweet via her official Twitter handle, @yodifiji, wondered why the PCR tests were done with no reagents.
According to reports, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Ifedayo Adetifa, had earlier insisted that Nigeria would not scrap COVID-19 tests for inbound passengers into the country.
Adetifa had said the country was reporting a high rate of COVID-19 cases from inbound passengers, hence the need for the insistence of the tests.
Alakija, reacting to a tweet by a journalist, David Hundeyin, tweeted, “It’s a scam. The entire thing is a criminal enterprise and should be exposed. “Diagnostic tests to enter a country where the government officials have interest in Dx test centres. PCR tests with no reagents? NCDC and MOH should be investigated. It is a scam, period.”
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