Tag: France

Nigeria is France first trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa — Envoy

Ms. Emmanuelle Blatmann, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, said Nigeria was France’s first trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.

She added that Nigeria’ trading alone accounted for 75 per cent of French investments in West Africa.

The envoy made this known at her country’s National Day celebration at the embassy’s residence in Abuja.

Blatmann appreciated the guests and partners of the embassy who honoured her invitation to the national day celebration on an evening.

According to her, “it is also a celebration for all those who recognise themselves in the universal message carried by the revolution and in our motto – liberté, égalité, fraternité (liberty, equality and ftaternity).

“This enthusiasm is also reflected in the vitality of our economic and trade relationship.

“Close to a hundred French companies are present here where they employ more than 10,000 Nigerians.

“They create factories, farms or vocational traning institutes and register their actions over time.

“I pay tribute to the spirit of initiative, social commitment and dynamism of the French private sector, whose representatives I warmly welcome here this evening .

“The recent creation of the French TECH Community in Lagos, will welcome start-ups and entrepreneurs from our two countries.

“Also, the setting up of a French Desk within Access Bank, with the recent economic measures taken by President Bola Tinubu, we hope to see an influx of new French investors.”

She added that “the opening of the first branch of Access Bank in Paris, also testifies to the attractiveness of France, the first destination for foreign investment in Europe, for several years.

She stated the values that always guided France’s action when promoting international solidarity, peace, democracy and human rights, or when it depended on multilateralism.

“In an unfortunate, still uncertain world, we remain convinced that more collective action and common benchmarks are needed.

” France will therefore continue, as it did recently, with the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact, to mobilise its friends and partners to provide collective response.

Such response is to global challenges such as climate change, health , poverty or terrorism, all of which particularly affect Africa.

“In these fights to help build peace, balance, and progress on the continent, the European Union, France, and Nigeria share many common objectives and the same determination to act,” she said.

The ambassador added that France was ready to work with Nigeria’s new administration after hosting president Bola Tinubu on his first official visit abroad since his inuaguration.

Bastille Day in France is celebrated annually on July 14 with military parades and fireworks, and the event marks the fall of Bastille on July 14, 1789.

Google Doodle on Friday celebrated ‘Bastille Day’, which is the French National Day commemorating the fall of the Bastille in July.

This significant day marks the historic event of July 14, 1789, when French citizens joined forces and stormed the Bastille prison fortress, signalling the onset of the French Revolution.

July 15, 2023
After riots, France bans July 14 fireworks sales

France has banned the sale, possession and transport of fireworks during the July 14 national holiday weekend, following riots sparked by the police killing a teenager, the government said Sunday.

Fireworks were among the weapons of choice during the unrest that exploded in France after a police officer shot dead a 17-year-old during a traffic stop on June 27 near Paris, rekindling long pent-up frustrations and accusations of systemic racism among France’s security forces.

“In order to prevent the risk of serious disturbances to public order during the July 14 festivities, the sale, possession, transport and use of pyrotechnical articles and fireworks is banned until July 15 inclusively,” said a government decree published in the official Journal on Sunday.

The ban does not extend to professionals or municipalities that are organising traditional fireworks for the Bastille Day celebrations, it added.

Worried about a possible resurgence of rioting, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told the daily Le Parisien on Saturday that the government would deploy “massive means to protect the French” during the national holiday.

Fireworks displays are an annual feature of Bastille Day celebrations. They are also often used during protests in the country.

The police killing in the Paris suburb of Nanterre of Nahel M., who had Algerian roots, sparked France’s worst urban violence since 2005.

More than 3,700 people were taken into police custody in connection with the protests since Nahel’s death, including at least 1,160 minors, according to official figures.

July 9, 2023
Football star, Kylian Mbappe calls for end to violent protest in France

France and Paris Saint Germain forward, Kylian Mbappe has appealed to all protesters in the country to end the violent protest that erupted over the fatal shooting of a teenager by the French police.

The 17-year-old boy, named publicly only as ‘Nahel M’, was shot at a traffic stop in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday. The killing triggered consecutive nights of demonstrations across the capital and in other parts of France, many of which descended into violent clashes with police and vandalism and looting of businesses.

Protests and burning of properties have continued despite the police officer concerned being detained and charged with voluntary homicide on Thursday. But Mbappe has taken to social media to appeal for calm on behalf of the French national team.

“Like all French people, we were marked and shocked by the brutal death of young Nahel,” he wrote. “Firstly, our thoughts go out to him and his family to whom we extend our sincere condolences.

“We cannot remain insensitive to the circumstances in which this unacceptable death has taken place.

“Since this tragic event, we have been witnessing the expression of popular anger whose essence we understand, but whose form we cannot endorse.

July 2, 2023
Violence in France escalates overnight, 249 Policemen injured

French President Emmanuel Macron was Friday to chair a new crisis meeting of ministers after a third straight night of nationwide protests over the deadly police shooting of a teenager saw cars torched, shops ransacked and hundreds arrested.

The overnight unrest followed a march on Thursday in memory of the 17-year-old, named Nahel, whose death has revived longstanding grievances about policing and racial profiling in France’s low-income and multiethnic suburbs.

The Elysee announced Macron would cut short a trip to Brussels, where he was attending a European Union summit, to chair a crisis meeting on the violence, the second such emergency talks in as many days.

Around 40,000 police and gendarmes, along with elite Raid and GIGN units, were deployed in several cities overnight, with curfews issued in municipalities around Paris and bans on public gatherings instated in Lille and Tourcoing in the country’s north.

Despite the massive security deployment, violence and damage were reported in multiple areas.

June 30, 2023
How Nigeria will benefit from Tinubu’s visit to France – Maiyaki

One of the chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) John Mayaki has told Nigerians that the gains of President Bola Tinubu’s two-day summit at the New Global Financing Pact in Paris will soon start to show and affect Nigeria’s economy positively.

According to Mayaki, the image of the country has rebounded tremendously abroad with his several engagements, especially his meeting with Nigerians in France where he talked about his new policies and how everyone stands to benefit with an assurance to exploit Nigeria’s diversity for economic prosperity.

Continuing, he sais that European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will soon start to invest in Nigeria.

“President Bola Tinubu in his three days trip to France, met the President, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development who said it would be a mistake for the Bank not to invest in Nigeria after considering six potential economies for investment.

“The President also met the Chairman of Indorama Polyester Industries, the largest independent polymer producer in the World. The President also got briefings from the President of Africa Export-Import Bank who assured Nigeria of more support now that new policies are in place.

“In addition, the President received briefings from the President of the Africa Development Bank who assured Nigeria of more support, especially with the AfDB President’s vision of setting up a Youth Entrepreneurship Bank in Nigeria that will provide credit, skills and other support for young Nigerians.

“Within the three days of the President’s trip, he received executives of Airbus/ATR, and assured them that the aviation sector would be streamlined for efficiency, especially in the maintenance of aircraft and training. The Senior Vice President of Airbus/ATR, Public Affairs, Laurent Domergue, assured the President that the company was prepared to invest in the aviation sector, particularly in supplying planes to Nigeria.

“The President met with the President of the Swiss Confederation and President of Benin Republic for bilateral and economic discussions – in all of these, a high return on investment is expected and Nigerians would be better for it,” he added.

He noted that president Tinubu is the chief diplomat of the country, saying that Nigerians must be proud of the president who has been busy marketing and packaking the country in good light in the international community to attract investors to it.

June 25, 2023
Tinubu departs France to London on private visit

President Bola Tinubu has moved to London after concluding the two-day summit in France on Friday.

A statement by Mr Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications & Strategy, said Tinubu would be in London on a private visit.

The president was in Paris for the New Global Financing Pact summit organised by President Emmanuel Macron, which ended on Friday.

Alake said that aside participating in the summit, Tinubu also held high-profile sideline meetings with fellow heads of state and government, global business leaders and chief executives of leading multilateral and development finance institutions.

He said that the summit afforded the president the opportunity of projecting his advocacy for widening the fiscal space, economic justice for Africa as the world accelerates the pace of energy transition, and the urgency of addressing the pressing issues of poverty and climate change.

“President Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit.

“The President will be back in the country in time for the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival,” he said.

June 24, 2023
Tinubu meets with Alaba in France

President Bola Tinubu, has on Friday, June 24, met with Real Madrid’s defender, David Alaba, in France.

The 31-year-old was born in Vienna, Austria to Nigerian parents.

Alaba’s parents are Nigerians though he chose to play for the Austrian national team ahead of the Super Eagles.

Alaba’s father, George, is a prince from Ogere Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

During the meeting, the former Bayern Munich of German star presented his jersey to the president.

Tinubu held his first presidential diaspora engagement in Paris, France when he met with Nigerians living in France.

Tinubu who was in Paris for the Summit on New Global Financing Pact sought to use the opportunity of the summit to hold bilateral meetings with various countries, including officials of France, the US and Switzerland,

June 24, 2023
JUST IN: Watch moment President Tinubu arrives in Paris

President Bola Tinubu, who departed the presidential wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja on Tuesday morning, has arrived in Paris, France.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports President Tinubu is in France for the Global Financing Pact Summit convened by President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

President Tinubu at touch down in France, was received by both French and Nigerian officials.

Tinubu during the Summit will participate in the review and signing of a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on a priority list for support and investment.

The Nigerian leader will join other world leaders in the two-day Summit, which will be held in Paris from Thursday, June 22 to 23.

The Summit, which would be hosted by President Macron of France, would be held at Palais Brongniart.

The President is accompanied by members of the Presidential Policy Advisory Council and other senior government officials.

TNG reports this is the first foreign trip of Tinubu as president and he is scheduled to return to Abuja on Saturday.

Watch the moment the President arrived in France here.

June 20, 2023
President Tinubu departs Nigeria for France

Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu has left the shores of Nigeria to Paris, France, to participate in the review and signing of a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on priority list for support and investment.

He departed the presidential wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja on Tuesday morning.

The Nigerian leader will join other world leaders in the two-day Summit, which will be held in Paris from Thursday, June 22 to 23.

The two-day summit, which will be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France.

While in Paris, the President will “participate, review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on priority list for support and investment, following devastating impact of climate change, energy crisis, and after effect of the COVID-19 pandemic,” a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, read on Monday.

President Tinubu will also use the opportunity to mobilize innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change as well as foster development in low-income countries, and encourage investment in “green” infrastructure for the energy transition in emerging and developing economies.

The President is accompanied on the trip by members of the Presidential Policy Advisory Council and senior government officials.

Tinubu has jetted out on official assignment for the first time since his inauguration as president of the country.

He is expected back in the country on Saturday June 24.

June 20, 2023
Why President Tinubu is travelling to Paris

President Bola Tinubu will join world leaders in Paris on Thursday to review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on a priority list.

These countries would enjoy support and investment, following the devastating impact of climate change, the energy crisis and after effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement by Mr Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, said the summit would hold between June 22 and 23.

Alake said the summit would look at opportunities to restore fiscal space to countries that faced difficult short-term financial challenges, especially the most indebted.

He said it would mobilize innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change and foster development in low-income countries.

It would also encourage investment in “green” infrastructure for the energy transition in emerging and developing economies.

Alake said that Tinubu and other global leaders, multilateral institutions, financial experts and economists would take a more holistic look at the recovery of economies from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

Alake said the summit would look at the rising cases of poverty, with a view to providing access to finance and investment to leverage inclusive growth.

The Summit, which would be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France, would be held at Palais Brongniart.

The President would be accompanied by members of the Presidential Policy Advisory Council and other senior government officials.

The President will return to Abuja on Saturday.

June 19, 2023