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Tag: European Union

  • The European Union of jittery states – By Owei Lakemfa

    The European Union of jittery states – By Owei Lakemfa

    United States President, Donald Trump, invited Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to the White House on Monday, August 18, 2025. The purpose was to brief the latter on the outcome of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin three days earlier. Trump had already briefed Zelenskyy on phone and thought a meeting to finalise a possible trilateral summit with Putin was necessary.

    But rather than Zelenskyy alone showing up, a team of otherwise busy European leaders escorted him. These included the leaders of Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Finland. Also on the escort team were European Union Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte. The popular saying is: many are called, few are chosen. In this case, it is few are called, many choose to invite themselves.

    As Trump called each of the European leaders to make a few remarks, the scenario was like a headmaster meeting his pupils. Clearly, the European leaders were jittery. The reasons for this might not be difficult to decipher. First, the Trump-Putin meeting apparently went smoothly and the optics were two smiling Presidents appearing like old friends eager to discuss whatever differences they may have, and assuring the world all was well between them. This was obviously to the disappointment of the Europeans who expected Trump to put pressure on Putin for an immediate ceasefire, if not a commitment to withdraw from all of the conquered or lost territories of Ukraine.

    Also, the very warm welcome of Putin after a red carpet had been laid, and an applauding Trump eagerly shaking his hands, negated the long campaign of the European leaders that Putin is a wanted war criminal and that Russia is an isolated country.

    Also, the US team agreeing with Russia that the issue of the future of some Ukrainian territories are on the negotiation table was a crushing blow for the Europeans. They had egged Ukraine into the war and played motivation speakers, telling the latter it could militarily defeat Russia. They had blackmailed their members like Germany and Hungary who had advised that Ukraine should avoid war with Russia. Some of the European countries had on September 26, 2022 gone to the ridiculous extent of bombing the Nord Stream pipelines supplying cheap Russian gas to Germany. Their purpose of resorting to this act of terrorism was to ensure that Germany had no reason not to support the war against Russia.

    Equally, the US-Russia consensus that negotiations on ending the Russo-Ukrainian War should take the root causes of the conflict into consideration was not pleasing to the European bosses. Their propaganda which they sold to the gullible was that Russia just woke up one day and invaded Ukraine. Such simplistic narration excluded the facts that the pro-West part of Ukraine had twice carried out coups when they could not win at the ballot box and had gone on to exterminate populations in the pro-Russian regions that had rejected the coups and insisted on democratic processes.

    The claim of “Russian Invasion of Ukraine” also excluded the fact that Russia strived to prevent war by suing for peace and being signatory to two peace agreements: Minsk I & II which the Ukrainian establishment refused to implement.

    Another matter that alarmed the Europeans was the understanding between Putin and Trump that Ukraine and Russia should go directly into negotiations and agreements to end the war. This was against the European leaders campaign for a ceasefire. The claim of the European leaders is that negotiations would take a long time. Which laws state so? Negotiating a ceasefire with agreed boundaries can take the same time as making such negotiation the basis of an agreement to end the war.

    Also, Putin had emerged from the meeting with Trump, head held high, exuding confidence and giving Trump, a parting shot: “Next time in Moscow”. Meaning: the American team is invited to Russia for further talks.

    The preferred path of the European leadership is the prolongation of the war, supplying Ukraine with more arms and piling more sanctions on Russia. This, in the face of the Trump-Putin understanding, appears to be falling on its face.

    European leaders rushing to Washington on the back of the Trump invitation to Zelenskyy, was a fidgety move to individually and collectively pile pressure on the American government to backtrack on its understanding with Russia.

    Also, it appears they to do not have confidence that Zelenskyy can hold his own with Trump who had publicly humiliated him when they met on February 28, 2025. So, they escorted him to the meeting probably to boost his confidence.

    But the European leaders, tagged the ‘The Dream Team’, do not appear to be enthusiastic about the proposed peace negotiations. The very next day, they called a meeting with their allies. Rather than discuss how to contribute to the peace negotiations, their focus was how to deploy a “reassurance force” to the region, and what they will do when the negotiations fail or are not implemented. They talked about security guarantee for Ukraine after the peace deal which would require boots on the ground. But Trump asked that the US be counted out of such an idea.

    There were also proposals to give Ukraine a NATO Article 5 cover under which any attack against it will automatically mean an attack on all NATO members who will be under obligation to join such a conflict. In other words, the world would be pushed towards a global conflict. This precisely is what Trump wants to avoid.

    Such a proposal is also a back-door way of admitting Ukraine into NATO. In fact, NATO scribe, Rutte, had told the press in Washington: “The situation is this – that the U.S. and some other countries have said that they are against NATO membership for Ukraine. The official NATO position … is that there is an irreversible path for Ukraine into NATO.”

    Also, excuses are being made why Ukraine may not implement agreements reached, especially if they involve loss of territories. The argument is that Zelenskyy has no powers under the Ukrainian constitution to concede territories. This is a rather puerile argument. It is a foregone conclusion that agreements which may affect the constitutions of Ukraine and Russia, will have to be referred to their parliaments for ratification.

    In any case, did the Ukrainian establishment not violate the constitution when it overthrew elected President Viktor Yanukovch on February 25, 2014, an undemocratic act that led to the Ukrainian Civil War and eventual war with Russia? Is Zelenskyy not raping the Ukrainian constitution by refusing to vacate office after his five-year tenure expired in April 2024, and made calls for elections, treasonable?

    European leaders should give room for peace!

  • Editors to set up fact-check desks to tackle Fake news in newsroom

    Editors to set up fact-check desks to tackle Fake news in newsroom

    Nigerian editors have agreed to establish fact-checking desks in their respective newsrooms as a strategy to combat fake news, misinformation, and disinformation. This decision was made during a one-day workshop organized by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Lagos on Friday.

    The editors emphasized that having fact-checking desks would enable media organizations to verify news sources to ensure the publication of accurate information.

    Other important decisions made at the workshop include: – Media organizations should provide training for their newsroom managers and line editors on fact-checking.

    The Guild should establish disinformation counter groups across its regional structures in preparation for the 2027 general election. – Media organizations should collaborate with one another to verify information. – Media organizations need to assess the quality of their online editors to ensure that experienced and well-qualified journalists fill these positions. – The Guild should utilize its larger platforms to address issues related to fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.

    Speaking earlier at the workshop, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Gautier Mignot and the NGE President, Mr. Eze Anaba, said that newsroom managers should acquire the skills and tools for fact-checking as a way to arresting fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

    Mignot said that the EU was taking a multi-pronged approach to address the threats posed by misleading information, which he described as a “danger to democracy and public trust.”

    According to him, “The European Union is actively working to combat disinformation and promote media literacy, with fact-checking playing a crucial role in these efforts.

    “Our choice of collaborating with the Nigerian Guild of Editors on this programme is part and parcel of this general effort.

    “We recognise the critical role of editors as the last line in the gatekeeping process. The editor is ultimately responsible for what is pushed into the public space as content.”

    The EU ambassador warned that the spread of misleading information – whether unintentional or deliberate, posed a threat to democratic governance and public trust.

    Citing a July 2024 European Parliament Report, Mignot noted that 85 per cent of people globally worry about disinformation’s impact, while 38 per cent of EU citizens now see it as a threat to democracy.

    “For media professionals, particularly editors, the implications are far reaching because misleading information erodes not only the credibility of the message, but also that of the messenger and the institution”, he stated. “If we want to remain credible and reliable, we have to fact-check to ensure that the information we spread is accurate. “

    Mignot noted that advancements in technology had made it easier to generate and disseminate deceptive content that is increasingly difficult to distinguish from factual information.

    He drew attention to Nigeria’s unique challenges, referencing a 2020 report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), warning that disinformation had exacerbated long-standing ethnic and religious tensions in the country.

    “Although what the report describes as Nigeria’s big, strong, unimaginatively creative, but invisible rumour mill has always been there, it points out that both falsehoods and accurate information can now spread faster and in a multitude of formats, including text, audio, images, memes, and videos, all thanks to technology,” Mignot said.

    Despite the challenges, the ambassador argued that the evolving information landscape presented an opportunity for traditional media to reclaim its relevance.

    He said: “Media must remain reliable, they must be fact-checkers and make sure in particular that the research for the scoop does not beat the research for the truth.

    “A literate public is much more empowered to be able to assess the information they are exposed to, identify sources they can trust, and make well-informed decisions, participate in debates and shape policies that affect them.”

    Mignot outlined the EU’s ongoing efforts to counter these threats globally, including the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), the Rapid Alert System (RAS), and the EUvsDisinfo platform.

    “We support fact-checkers and researchers working to debunk disinformation and foster collaboration among them. Our previous work with Nigeria’s foremost fact-checking platform, Dubawa, is an example,” he said.

    Other interventions cited by the ambassador include direct training support for Nigerian journalists, including visits to Europe and Ukraine, and active engagement with students and civil society organisations.

    In his welcome remarks at the workshop, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Anaba, described the workshop as timely and critical, while highlighting the dangers of fake news and misformation.

    “The deliberate spread of false information, whether through disinformation, misinformation, or fabricated news, not only undermines public trust, but also threatens social cohesion, democratic governance, and national security,” he said.

    The NGE President expressed hope that the gathering would serve as a platform for building collective capacity to identify and combat false narratives.

    “It is our hope that through informed discussions and shared insights, we will strengthen our individual and institutional capacities to identify, counter, and prevent the spread of false narratives,” Anaba said.

    The EU/NGE workshop for editors had two resources person: Three topics were treated at the program by Mr. Azu Isiekwene, Senior Vice Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, LEADERSHIP Newspapers and Dr. David Ajikobi, Executive Director, Africa Check.

    The resource persons treated such topics as: “Principles of Fact-Checking: Understanding the Role of Editors in Fact-checking And the Principles of Accuracy, Fairness, and Transparency;”  Identifying Misinformation and Disinformation: Analyzing Examples of Misinformation, Desinformation and Fake News” and “Fact-Checking Tools and Resources: Overview of Fact-checking Tools; Analyzing Complex Fact-checking Scenarios.”

    The training highlighted the dangers of misinformation and disinformation in today’s digital age.

    It identified the impact of misinformation as damage to credibility of media organisations, distortion of reality and threat to democracy.

  • EU strikes back at US tariffs with new import duties

    EU strikes back at US tariffs with new import duties

    In response to United States of America (US) tariffs on steel and aluminum, the European Union (EU) plans to reintroduce tariffs on key American exports, including whiskey, motorcycles, peanut butter, and boats, in April.

    The European Commission asserts these countermeasures are necessary to safeguard European businesses, workers, and consumers from the impact of the US tariffs, which reach up to 25% on certain metal imports.

    The European Commission has calculated that the newly imposed US tariffs will affect EU exports valued at 26 billion euros (28.3 billion US dollars).

    This represents approximately five percent of the EU’s overall goods exports to the US market.

    The Commission further estimates that US importers will face up to six billion euros in increased import tariff expenses.

  • EU plans new sanctions on Russia for anniversary of Ukraine war

    EU plans new sanctions on Russia for anniversary of Ukraine war

    The European Union say that it is preparing to impose a new package of sanctions on Russia for the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine later this month.

    According to information obtained on Monday, the sanctions are to be significantly expanded to include more people and organisations whose EU assets will be frozen.

    In addition, further companies that contributed to Russia’s military and technology development or to the advancement of its defence and security sector will be targeted for sanctions.

    The EU would then no longer be allowed to sell goods and technologies with military connections to Russia.

    The EU recently used this tactic to target companies based in China, Uzbekistan, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, for example, which are allegedly involved in circumventing the EU’s punitive measures.

    The concrete proposals for what is now the 13th sanctions package were presented to representatives of the EU member states by top officials of the European Commission over the weekend.

    The next step will be to draft a sanctions resolution, which will then have to be formally approved by all 27 EU countries.

    According to the sanctions proposals, well over 200 people and companies could be affected.

    The last EU sanctions package on Moscow included a ban on importing diamonds and jewelry from Russia.

    A far-reaching ban on imports of crude oil, coal, steel, gold and luxury goods, as well as measures aimed at banks and financial institutions had been in place for some time.

    The long-planned absorption of proceeds from frozen Russian Central Bank funds could also be decided at the same time as the upcoming sanctions package.

  • European Union’s LGBT threat – By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    European Union’s LGBT threat – By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    Ostensibly peeved by the refusal of 35 African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries including Nigeria, to sign the controversial European Union’s LGBT Agreement, the EU-ACP Treaty, or the Samoa Agreement on November 15, 2023, the European Union issued a significant threat dated November 24, 2023. According to the threat, which was issued in Brussels on November 24, 2023, any African, Caribbean, or Pacific country failing to sign the LGBT Agreement by January 1, 2024, when the Agreement is scheduled to come into force, will face dire consequences. These consequences include the denial of EU funding, development assistance, and program implementation. Furthermore, the threat specifies that such countries will be treated as pariah nations and may be subject to economic sanctions. They would also be barred from participating in EU-Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) meetings and activities.

    Recall that before the Samoa Agreement, the EU had been applying increasing pressure on African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) Ministers to persuade ACP heads of governments to sign the contentious LGBT Agreement. Several meetings convened for this purpose ended in deadlock as many ACP countries refused to sign the Agreement. Surprisingly, towards the end of October 2023, news emerged that the EU had scheduled November 15, 2023, for the signing of the Agreement in Samoa, a small island country in the central South Pacific Ocean composed of an archipelago of nine islands, four of which are inhabited.

    To the surprise of the EU, on November 15, 2023, 35 ACP countries, including Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Senegal, Liberia, Botswana, Burundi, Jamaica, Mali, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Namibia, Grenada, Eritrea, Malawi, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Antigua and Barbuda, The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, The Central African Republic, The Republic of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, The Kingdom of Eswatini, The Cooperative Republic of Guyana, The Republic of Maldives, Mauritania, The Republic of Nauru, The Republic of Palau, Saint Lucia, The Republic of Kitts and Nevis, The Kingdom of Tonga, The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Tuvalu, refused to sign the LGBT Agreement.

    In fact, on that fateful November 15, 2023, Nigeria not only refused to sign the LGBT Agreement but was conspicuously absent in Samoa on the day of the signing. Frustrated by the refusal of these 35 countries to sign the Agreement and fearing that those who signed might withdraw their support, the EU is now issuing the aforementioned threat dated November 24, 2023. This threat stipulates that countries refusing to sign the Samoa LGBT Agreement would face economic sanctions and lose EU funding and development aid.

    The refusal of Nigeria and 34 other African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries to be bullied into signing the LGBT Agreement is praiseworthy. When the history of Africa is rewritten, this courageous act will be remembered with great admiration. By refusing to succumb to the intimidation and coercion of the EU, the 35 ACP countries have sent a strong message to the EU and the entire world that ACP countries have come of age and will no longer bow to international threats, blackmail, or intimidation. I am pleased that Nigeria has called the bluff of the EU’s intimidation, coercion, and threats—a significant victory for Nigeria in refusing to sign the Agreement. To begin with, LGBT is outlawed in Nigeria by virtue of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2014. Therefore, it makes no sense for Nigeria to append her signature to the EU’s LGBT Agreement. If the EU does not want to provide funds or enter into a trade or economic alliance with us simply because we have refused to legalize LGBT, it should go to hell with its funds and trade relationships.

    The leaders of ACP countries should reconsider their position. They should stop deluding themselves into believing that Europe and America have their economic interests at heart and are keen on seeing human flourishing and economic prosperity take root in ACP countries. There is no free lunch anywhere. So much fuss about foreign aids and poverty reduction in Africa, yet so much impoverishment of Africans. Africans must understand that the fate of Africa lies in the hands of Africans. Only Africans can truly and really develop Africa, not foreigners. Despite wresting political independence from their erstwhile colonial masters, the economic systems and political policies of most African countries infatuated with foreign aids are still tied to the apron strings of the World Bank and powerful European and multinational organizations.

    In his book, “Emerging Africa,” former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor and presidential aspirant Prof. Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu brilliantly enunciates how foreign aids have underdeveloped Africa and why foreign aids are not the panacea to Africa’s myriad socio-economic and political problems. Prof. Moghalu wonders why African leaders have not woken up to the reality that the so-called billions of dollars doled out to many African countries by their so-called Western development partners “have failed to produce any significant development leaps in Africa, and many aid-dependent African countries are poorer today than they were a half-century ago.” He regrets that foreign aids in Africa have many strings attached to them. “Much of the foreign aids, then, is about giving with the right hand and taking back with the left what is presumed to have been given,” he writes.

    The refusal of Nigeria and the other 34 ACP countries to sign the Samoa Agreement will strengthen their national sovereignty. It will erase the wrong impression that the ACP countries are inferior to other European countries. Above all, it will act as a bulwark against the bullying, intimidation, and coercion of ACP countries by the EU. For years, African countries, Nigeria included, have been victims of organized deception, coercion, bullying, blackmail, manipulation, and abuse of power at the United Nations. For example, under the guise of promoting egregious women’s rights, some United Nations agencies such as the United Nations Population Activities (UNFPA) have overrun Africa with radical, strange ideas that violate the cultural backgrounds and philosophical convictions of the African people. The scramble for Africa, which began in the 1880s and the Berlin Conference of 1884 for the partition of Africa, may have come and gone, but the forms of scramble and partition are still ongoing in Africa today. The enslavement of Africans has not ended either. Open your eyes. The erstwhile colonial masters in Africa have not left; they have merely changed their tactics. Their goal is to pillage the raw materials in Africa and to destroy or reduce the human capital in Africa.

    As we mourn the passing of Alfred Henry Kissinger, we can revisit the Kissinger Report of 1974, which explains why America and Europe are underdeveloping Africa. On December 10, 1974, the United States National Security Council promulgated a top-secret document entitled National Security Study Memorandum 200 (NSSM-200), also called The Kissinger Report. It was subtitled “Implications of Worldwide Population Growth For U.S. Security and Overseas Interests.”

    This hitherto classified document was declassified in 1989. It laid out a detailed strategy by which the United States would aggressively promote population control in developing nations to regulate (or have better access to) the natural resources of these countries. In order to protect U.S. commercial interests, NSSM-200 cited a number of factors that could interrupt the smooth flow of materials from lesser-developed countries, as it referred to them, to the United States. These factors included a large population of anti-imperialist youth, who, according to NSSM-200, must be limited by population control. The document identified 13 nations by name that would be primary targets of U.S.-funded population control efforts. The named countries were India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Ethiopia, and Colombia. According to NSSM-200, elements of the implementation of population control programs could include: a) the legalization of abortion; b) financial incentives for countries to increase their abortion, sterilization, and contraception-use rates; c) indoctrination of children; and d) mandatory population control, and coercion in other forms, such as withholding disaster and food aid unless developing countries implement population control programs.

    NSSM-200 also specifically declared that the United States was to cover up its population control activities and avoid possible charges of imperialism by recruiting some United Nations agencies, such as the UNFPA, to do its dirty work. Section 30(a) of NSSM-200 states: “Concentration on Key Countries. … Assistance for population moderation should give primary emphasis to the largest and fastest-growing developing countries where there is special U.S. political and strategic interest. Those countries are: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Ethiopia, and Colombia. Together, they account for 47 percent of the world’s current population increase.” NSSM-200 also states, “No country has reduced its population growth without resorting to abortion…since abortion is still repugnant to the peoples of Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and parts of Asia and Oceania, we must mask our desire to legalize abortion by pretending to care about the state of women’s health. We do this by saying that we want to eliminate “unsafe abortion.”

    Since 1991, the “developed” nations of the world have spent $4.91 billion trying to reduce the population of Nigeria. In 1991, the population controllers spent about $31 million in Nigeria, but this has increased by a factor of more than 30 to more than half a billion dollars a year. This is because Nigeria is becoming too strong and must be kept weak by suppressing its population. Dr. Alan Guttmacher, who did more than anyone else in the history of the world to spread abortion and population control everywhere, said that “If you’re going to curb population, it’s extremely important not to have it done by the dammed Yankees, but by the UN. Because the thing is, then it’s not considered genocide. If the United States goes to the Black man or the yellow man and says slow down your reproduction rate, we’re immediately suspected of having ulterior motives to keep the white man dominant in the world. If you can send in a colorful UN force, you’ve got much better leverage.”

    It is evident that the EU’s LGBT agenda in Africa is another form of population control. The paradox lies in the fact that the West, intent on reducing human capital in Africa, is now confronted with a serious demographic disaster. For instance, Europe has transitioned from the peak of its baby boom to the depths of a baby bust. The UK is gradually being populated by Asians, Nigerians, and other immigrants. In fact, it is forecasted that the UK’s population will irreversibly shrink below replacement level by 2030. If the populations of these Western countries are dwindling to their detriment, why advocate for Africa to suffer the same fate?

    Therefore, Nigeria and the 34 ACP countries should maintain their resolve not to sign the Agreement. Other ACP countries that signed the Agreement in Samoa on November 15 2023 should retract their respective signatures. The ACP countries should dismiss the EU’s cheap threats and stand firm. Instead of succumbing to EU intimidation, they should assert their sovereignty and break ties with the EU. They are no longer under the tutelage of their former colonial masters.

    If the EU decides to cease financial assistance to ACP countries for refusing to sign the LGBT agreement, so be it. What the ACP countries must not do is bow to the EU’s cheap threats and blackmail by signing the LGBT Agreement.

  • EU foreign ministers to discuss situation in Middle East, Ukraine

    EU foreign ministers to discuss situation in Middle East, Ukraine

    EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday will discuss the Middle East crisis and continued support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, top official Josep Borell said.

    When it comes to the Middle East, the main question is how the EU can help prevent a regional escalation of the conflict.

    With regard to Ukraine, the panel needs to clarify in the coming months how the EU should participate in planned security commitments from the West.

    EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has suggested making longer-term financing commitments for military aid and also using EU money to support the delivery of modern fighter jets and missiles.

    Specifically, he wants to mobilise 5 billion euro ($5.3 billion) annually from 2024 to the end of 2027.

    Far-reaching decisions are not expected at Monday’s meeting. A number of EU member states have so far been reluctant to make new long-term financing commitments for Ukraine.

    There are also differences when assessing Israel’s reaction to the attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

    For example, Spanish leaders openly accuse Israel of violating international law with its call for the evacuation of people in the Gaza Strip.

    They also support calls for a ceasefire.

    On the other hand, leaders from countries like Germany oppose this approach and emphasize Israel’s right to self-defence.

    Another topic at the ministerial meeting is the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    In addition, there will be talks with representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan after the meeting.

  • Tony Elumelu Foundation hosts delegation of EU partners

    Tony Elumelu Foundation hosts delegation of EU partners

    The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of young African entrepreneurs, hosted a delegation of esteemed partners from the European Union, at the iconic Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, on the occasion of the visit of the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, and the EU delegation to Nigeria.

    This event marked a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the European Union.

    In 2021, The Tony Elumelu Foundation partnered with the European Union to identify, train, mentor and fund 2,500 young African women entrepreneurs.  The partnership disbursed €20 million in financial and technical support for women-owned businesses, across all 54 African countries, in addition to providing increased access to market linkages, supply chains and venture capital investments.

    The partnership not only significantly strengthened and deepened the EU-Africa relations, but it also built on the transformative approach of the US$100m Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, and formed part of the EU External Investment Plan to support women economic empowerment within the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP III).

    During the event, Tony O. Elumelu C.F.R., Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, expressed their delight in reflecting on the resounding success achieved through the TEF-EU partnership, and the accomplishments of the young African women entrepreneurs who have thrived under their mentorship and support.

    Mr. Elumelu and Commissioner Urpilainen expressed their enthusiasm about the future of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s collaboration with the European Union. Both leaders underscored their commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development in Africa, paving the way for a prosperous future for the continent.

    Speaking at the event, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu said, “I speak for every young African entrepreneur when I say thank you [to the European Union] and welcome to Africa. Together, the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the European Union have economically empowerment thousands of women entrepreneurs across the continent, supporting each of them with a non-refundable seed capital of $5,000, because they share our belief that prosperity anywhere is good for all of us, and poverty anywhere is a threat to all of us everywhere.  This partnership has exemplified the transformative impact that can be achieved when like-minded organizations join forces to empower the next generation of African entrepreneurs. Together with the European Union, we have unlocked immense potential, enabling young women entrepreneurs to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s economic growth”.

    Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen remarked, “It is great to have this opportunity to hear the impressive stories of We’ve heard the impressive results and stories of beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s inclusive support programmes, backed also by the European Union. When I was appointed as the EU Commission of International Partnerships 2019, I had an objective, I really wanted to change the paradigm. The paradigm of our partnership with Africa, I wanted to get rid of the existing donor-recipient relationship, where donors tell and impose their expectations on Africans. We look forward to changing the paradigm and creating mutually beneficial partnerships and equal partnerships. ”

    As the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the European Union continue their collaborative efforts, they remain dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, driving innovation, and catalyzing positive change across the African continent. The partnership stands as a beacon of hope, inspiring future generations and demonstrating the immense possibilities that arise when organizations unite to uplift communities.

    The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and increasing women economic empowerment. Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on its digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed nearly USD$100 million in direct funding to 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

  • EU allegedly debunks Gov. Hope Uzodinma’s claims on relocating 4,000 Imo youths abroad

    EU allegedly debunks Gov. Hope Uzodinma’s claims on relocating 4,000 Imo youths abroad

    In a recent campaign event ahead of the upcoming governorship election in Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodinma pledged to facilitate the relocation of 4,000 interested indigenes of Imo State to Europe and Canada by the end of December this year.

    Speaking to a jubilant crowd, Governor Uzodinma shared his plans to assist Imo indigenes seeking to relocate to Europe or Canada.

    He said the assistance would come in the form of providing the relevant employable skill sets that would ease their entry and adaptation to life abroad.

    “By December this year, 4,000 Imo youths will be employed in Europe,” Governor Uzodinma affirmed, triggering enthusiastic responses from the gathered youths. He further assuring that their air tickets would be catered for once the opportunity arises.

    However, the promise made by the governor has been met with skepticism and scrutiny.

    A former member of the House of Representatives and Labour Party’s (LP) Deputy Governorship Candidate for Imo State, Tony Chinedu Nwulu, claimed to have contacted the European Union (EU) ambassador, who allegedly debunked Governor Uzodinma’s claim.

    “I just chatted with the EU ambassador, and she debunked Hope’s claim, stating that she’s not aware of any such deal,” Nwulu stated, sharing a screenshot of the conversation.

    National Director of Media for the LP, Yunusa Tanko, criticised the pledge, labelling it as deceitful and an insult to the state.

    Tanko also accused the governor of diverting attention from the vital issue of job creation within Imo State.

    Similarly, popular Nigerian singer Peter Okoye, also known as Mr. P, questioned the governor’s focus on providing job opportunities abroad instead of addressing unemployment challenges within the state.

     

     

  • Group slams EU over report on 2023 presidential election

    Group slams EU over report on 2023 presidential election

    Following the report by EU on 2023 presidential election in Nigeria, a group under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations and Political Parties of Good Governance on Thursday accused the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), for alleged plan to trigger violence in the country.

    Recall that the EUEOM had last week presented its final report on the 2023 general elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Mission offered 23 recommendations for consideration by the Nigerian authorities as part of its contribution to improve the future elections in Nigeria which trigger controversies in the country

    The Civil Society Organisations while protesting to the EU headquarters in Abuja, displayed banners with inscriptions, “Nigerians reject EU election report, we say no to manipulated report: “Don’t trigger violence in Nigeria”.

    Dr. Lilian Ene Ogbole the convener of the group while addressing journalists said Nigerians are not satisfied with EU report presented to INEC.

    According to her, the just concluded election that produced Bola Tinubu as president was one of the most transparent election in the history of Nigeria, saying the country will not condone any false report nor condone any manipulated result against Nigeria.

    She said, “We are here with thousands of patriotic Nigerians who have come specifically to raise concern about the presentation and the report of the European Union concerning the just concluded elections.

    We have come to register unequivocally that we are not satisfied with the report of the European Union as a matter of fact, we are of the opinion that the report is not just ridiculous but a deliberate act to slides the Nigerian entity and of course by implications our leaders and the government of Nigeria.

    “We are all Nigerians here. We were all here during the just concluded election. But before I proceed further, I would like to say to you very clearly that there is no where election in the world that is devoid of crisis and hitches. Every election in the world both in the United States of America, in the great Britain both in Ireland and even the European Union countries was not perfect.

    “Every election comes with their peculiar problems. Nigeria is not an inception. Yes we are aware that the world is a global village therefore, people from different parts of the world converge in various countries during elections to monitor, observe and make presentations like the EU has done. But what we found unnecessary, what we found not worthy is the manner in which the report was made.

    “The election that just concluded in Nigeria that produced one of the man alive today in the person of his excellency, distinguished Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu was one of the most transparent election in the history of Nigeria.”

    Mrs Ogbole noted that EU’s report is enough to trigger National pronlem and chaos.

    “You would also agree with me that the report of the European Union is enough to trigger a national problem, is enough to trigger a national chaos. Our security is at stake, our sovereignty is at stake, our unity is at stake.

    “Nigeria is a great country in Africa, the most populated country in west Africa and the pride of the African countries. If the European Union is beginning to address our election and of course what ever is daring the way they have presented this report then we are scared. We are scared not just is going to affect Nigeria as a country but is going to affect the whole of the African countries”.

    The group advised the EU as of matter of urgency to withdraw their report and come up with the report that will be favourable to Nigeria.

    Addressing the protesters, a staff at EU headquarters who refused to mention his name promised to deliver the petition to the proper authorities.

  • Labour Party berates FG for rejecting EU’s analysis on 2023 general elections

    Labour Party berates FG for rejecting EU’s analysis on 2023 general elections

    The Labour Party (LP) has berated the federal government for discrediting the European Union’s conclusion on the 2023 General Election in the country.

    Recall that the EU had in its final assessment and analysis on the 2023 general elections, stated that there were some irregularities in the last elections.

    The EU observers stressed that the trust reposed in the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), was damaged during the general election.

    In its reactions, the federal government via a statement issued on Sunday by Dele Alake, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Special Duties, described the conclusions of the Electoral Observer Mission as “jaundiced”.

    According to the FG, the EU’s submission on the elections were untrue, stating that they should try to be “objective in all their assessments of internal affairs”.

    However, the Labour Party, which is currently challenging the outcome of the poll in court, said the FG’s move to reject the EU report was medicine after death.

    A statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said the LP “stands by the position of the EU observation mission, stressing that it has “always said that this election was massively rigged in favour of the APC and their candidate”.

    “We are only hoping that the judiciary will dispense justice without fear or favour in the interest of the nation and posterity.

    “Nigerians already know the true winner of the 2023 presidential election and no amount of slandering, denial, or rebuttal can change the fact that the party in power has no mandate of the electorate”, the statement added.