TheNewsGuru

Tag: Sanctions

  • ECOWAS slams fresh sanctions on Mali, Guinea

    ECOWAS slams fresh sanctions on Mali, Guinea

    The West African regional grouping ECOWAS on Sunday hardened its stance against military-ruled Mali and Guinea, imposing new individual sanctions and calling on both countries to honour timetables for a return to democracy.

    The Economic Community of West African States “has decided to sanction all those implicated in the delay” in organising elections set for February 27 in Mali, ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said after a summit of the 15-nation group in the Ghanaian capital Accra.

    He said Mali had “officially written” to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who holds the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, to inform him that the Sahel country could not hold elections as planned.

    “All the transition authorities are concerned by the sanctions which will take immediate effect,” Brou said, adding the travel bans and assets freezes targeted family members as well.

    In a final declaration following Sunday’s summit, ECOWAS said it “highly deplores the lack of progress” towards staging elections in Mali.

    The situation has raised concerns internationally, prompting a UN Security Council delegation to Mali late last month.

    Council members “reiterated their call for the Malian transitional authorities to achieve… the handover of power to democratically elected civilian authorities within the agreed timeline,” the officials said in a statement.

    Mali’s junta expelled the ECOWAS special envoy Hamidou Boly from the country on October 26, declaring him “persona non grata”.

    On Sunday, ECOWAS condemned the expulsion.

    As for Guinea, where soldiers seized power on September 5, ECOWAS decided to uphold the country’s suspension from the bloc as well as sanctions against individual junta members and their families.

  • JUST IN: U.S. announces sanctions against Moscow, expels 10 Russian diplomats

    JUST IN: U.S. announces sanctions against Moscow, expels 10 Russian diplomats

    The United States announced economic sanctions against Russia on Thursday and the expulsion of 10 diplomats in retaliation for what Washington says is the Kremlin’s US election interference, a massive cyberattack, and other hostile activity.

    President Joe Biden’s executive order “sends a signal that the United States will impose costs in a strategic and economically impactful manner on Russia if it continues or escalates its destabilizing international action,” the White House said.

    More to follow . . .

  • Alleged human rights violation: China fights back, slams heavy sanctions on British individuals, entities

    Alleged human rights violation: China fights back, slams heavy sanctions on British individuals, entities

    China on Friday announced sanctions on relevant British individuals and entities.

    According to a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, the United Kingdom (UK) imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese individuals and entity, citing the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang.

    “This move, based on nothing but lies and disinformation, flagrantly breaches international law and basic norms governing international relations, grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs, and severely undermines China-UK relations,’’ the statement said.

    The Chinese Foreign Ministry has summoned British Ambassador to China to lodge solemn representations, expressing firm opposition and strong condemnation.

    The Chinese side decides to sanction the following nine individuals and four entities on the UK side that maliciously spread lies and disinformation.

    They are as follow: Tom Tugendhat, Iain Duncan Smith, Neil O’Brien, David Alton, Tim Loughton, Nusrat Ghani, Helena Kennedy, Geoffrey Nice, Joanne Nicola Smith Finley, China Research Group, Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, Uyghur Tribunal, and Essex Court Chambers.

    “As of today, the individuals concerned and their immediate family members are prohibited from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao of China.

    “Their property in China will be frozen, and Chinese citizens and institutions will be prohibited from doing business with them. China reserves the right to take further measures,’’ said the statement.

    China is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and warned the UK side not to go further down the wrong path.

    He said that China would resolutely make further reactions, said the statement.

  • Like Obama, Biden threatens heavy sanctions against Nigeria, others over anti-gay laws

    Like Obama, Biden threatens heavy sanctions against Nigeria, others over anti-gay laws

    President Joe Biden has quickly launched a campaign to support LGBTIQ people abroad, putting their rights higher on the US foreign policy agenda than ever before.

    President of the United States of America, Joe Biden has threatened to sanction countries that have refused to make laws to accommodate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) people.

    Revisiting the 2011 initiative launched by his former boss Barack Obama, Biden issued a presidential memorandum aimed at expanding the protection of the rights LGBTQI people worldwide.

    Sanctions against such nations may include financial punishment.

    Nigeria is categorized as a homophobic country due to its anti-gay posture which has been increasingly criticised by global rights groups.

    Recall that despite pressure from former US President, Barrack Obama, ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan signed the Same-Sex-Marriage (Prohibition) Act in January 2014.

    The anti-gay laws in Nigeria, a leading anti-LGBTQ country in Africa, prescribes between 10 and 14 years in prison for anyone caught flouting the law either by cohabitation between same-sex sexual partners, public show of same-sex relationship, registration, operation or participation in gay clubs, societies and organisation, amongst others.

    Whether the present administration in Nigeria will bow to the pressure from the US government and revisit the country’s anti-gay marriage law remains unclear at the moment.

    Biden’s memo reads, “When foreign governments move to restrict the rights of LGBTQI+ persons or fail to enforce legal protections in place, thereby contributing to a climate of intolerance, agencies engaged abroad shall consider appropriate responses, including using the full range of diplomatic and assistance tools and, as appropriate, financial sanctions, visa restrictions, and other actions.

    “All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love.

    “The United States belongs at the forefront of this struggle – speaking out and standing strong for our most dearly held values.”

    The memo directs US agencies working in foreign countries to work harder to combat the criminalisation by foreign governments of LGBTQ status or conduct, and directs the State Department to include anti-LGBTQ violence, discrimination and laws in its annual human rights report.

    It calls for increased efforts to ensure that LGBTQ asylum seekers have equal access to protection, expanded training for US federal personnel, and potential increased use of priority referrals to expedite resettlement of vulnerable people.

    It also instructs agencies to consider appropriate responses, including the full range of diplomatic tools, and potentially financial sanctions and visa restrictions, when foreign governments restrict the rights of LGBTQ people.

    Biden announced the push during a forceful speech at the State Department, vowing to rebuild US credibility worldwide.

    “To further repair our moral leadership, I’m also issuing a presidential memo to agencies to reinvigorate our leadership on the LGBTQI issues and do it internationally,” he said.

  • VIDEO: VIPs, Government officials who flout COVID-19 travel protocols won’t escape sanctions – PTF

    VIDEO: VIPs, Government officials who flout COVID-19 travel protocols won’t escape sanctions – PTF

    The Federal Government has said there will be repercussions for Very Important Personalities (VIPs) and government officials who flout travel protocols.

    In a video posted by the Ministry of Information and Culture on Wednesday via Twitter, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, vowed to clamp down on officials for failing to obey travel protocols including undergoing compulsory COVID-19 tests after returning into the country.

    “We want to change people’s behaviour. We’ve shown that we are going to do it. We have done it and we will continue to do it every week until things change. It is not like we want to punish people but if you continue to put our country at risk, we will take action,” he said.

    “Next week, we will publish another 100, subsequent weeks, we will continue to publish until we see an improvement in terms of the compliance. So, whether you are a VIP, whether you are a government official, whether you are in a leadership position, if you do not follow the travel protocols, there will be repercussions.

    “We do not publish names because the essence of doing the entire exercise is to force people to comply with our protocols.”

    Sani’s remarks comes four days after the Federal Government released the passport numbers of 100 travellers who failed to undergo COVID-19 tests after returning into the country.

    It placed a travel restriction on the passport holders for six months from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021.

  • Buhari recommends stiffer sanctions for new military regime in Mali

    Buhari recommends stiffer sanctions for new military regime in Mali

    President Muhammadu Buhari has called for stiffer sanctions on the new military regime in the Republic of Mali to force a speedy return to democratic rule in the country.

    This was part of President Buhari’s position at a virtual Extraordinary Session of the Economic Community of West Africa States’ (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government on the socio-political situation in Mali, held on Thursday.

    The President lamented that the situation in Mali is a setback for regional diplomacy, which, according to him, pose a threat to the peace and security of the West African sub region.

    While condemning the Malian military for breaching the very letter and spirit of the ECOWAS protocol on good governance and democracy, he charged leaders of the sub region to ensure that the breach of protocol in Mali does not survive.

    He, however, called for, among other things, the unconditional release of the ousted President of the country, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, his Prime Minister and all other government functionaries held with him by the military.

    He commended the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN) and other international bodies for condemning the military coup in Mali, urging them to work with ECOWAS in restoring peace and order in the country by insisting on the supremacy of constitutional provisions.

    “The action of the Military runs counter to the letter and spirit of ECOWAS Protocol on good governance and democracy in which unconstitutional change of governments is prohibited.

    “The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government should not allow this dastardly act to stand. Nigeria stands by the provisions of the Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy.

    “Mali has been in political turmoil since the results of the Parliamentary elections were announced in March this year. ECOWAS interventions, through series of efforts by Ministers, the Special Envoy and Chief Mediator and a group of Heads of State of our Organization as well as an Extraordinary Summit did not yield positive results. Today, Mali has not only descended into political chaos, but also socio-economic and security disaster with potential tragic consequences to Mali and the sub-region.

    “I am pleased that ECOWAS, EU, UN and France issued strongly worded statements against the action of the Malian military. The events in Mali are great setbacks for regional diplomacy which have grave consequences for the peace and security of West Africa. I am pleased therefore, that this Extraordinary Summit, holding to discuss pathways to the debacle we face today in Mali, is most timely and appropriate.

    “The closure of borders already called for by ECOWAS should be our first line of action. We need to isolate series of sanctions-regimes that can create and sustain sufficient pressures on the military to force a return to constitutional governance. The critical issues for resolution in the Malian crisis had been aptly captured as the four-point pathways to peace. Within that context, and if all parties to the crisis were to abide by those recommendations, the developments now on ground would have been avoided.

    “The action of the military in Mali has regrettably hoisted on us as a sub-region, the need to decide the options that will be consistent with the provisions of the Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy, which ECOWAS, AU and the UN subscribe to. In this context therefore, Nigeria believes that President Keita and other detainees should be released unconditionally and with immediate effect.

    “Furthermore, we strongly support the efforts of our Chairman, President Mahamadou Issoufou, for wider, regional and continental consultations with ECOWAS, AU and UN in adopting strong measures to promoting early restoration of constitutional order, peace and stability in Mali.

    “Military involvement in governance, in whatever guise, is an aberration that has no place in managing the business of government that suspends the Constitution and with it, democratic institutions. It is time for the unconstitutional “authority” in Mali to act responsibly and do the needful by heeding to the above recommendations.

    “A politically stable Mali is paramount and crucial to the stability of the sub-region. ECOWAS, the AU and the UN should not stand by, while the situation deteriorates. Thus far, their strong statements of condemnation are sincerely appreciated and I urge them to continue to walk this route together with us until sanity returns to Mali with the restoration of Civil Administration”, he said.

    Among the Declarations of the extraordinary session were: firmness on the restoration of Constitutional order; release of President Keita and all those arrested; stoppage of economic relations with Mali, with exceptions granted to staple foods, fuel and medication, for the sake of the people; continued engagement with all parties to the crisis, while the Special Envoy appointed to mediate, former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, along with Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of ECOWAS Commission, are to visit Mali to convey the decisions of the West African leaders.

  • SEC launches tougher sanctions against Ponzi Scheme Promoters in Nigeria

    SEC launches tougher sanctions against Ponzi Scheme Promoters in Nigeria

    The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has stepped up its regulatory oversight to ensure that promoters of Ponzi schemes in Nigeria face the full wrath of the law and their entities quickly sealed off.

    Acting Director General of the commission, Ms Mary Uduk, disclosed in an interview in Abuja at the weekend that her agency will also continue to work to protect investors in the nation’s capital market.

    She said Ponzi scheme is prohibited by the provisions of Section 38(1) of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007, stressing that the commission frowns at people not registered by SEC collecting money from members of the public.

    “Ponzi schemes are illegal and that is why we keep warning the public about the dangers of these outfits. Even on our website we have videos enlightening the public on the dangers of Ponzi schemes.

    “Once we have information of anyone engaging in illegal fund management business, our enforcement department working with our police unit, shuts them down and the promoters are handed over to the relevant law enforcement agencies for further actions,” she said.

    According to Ms Uduk, the capital market has been properly positioned to attract Nigerians and other investors and provide benefits to those who invest therein.

    She stated that SEC has sustained its investor education programme to assist people understand whatever issues they have around the capital market.

    “But besides that, there are new products coming up every day in the Nigerian capital market. We have a lot of ethical funds, one of the safest areas to invest in is in Mutual Funds, Collective Investments Schemes and we encourage Nigerians to be part of these and others,” the capital market expert stated.

    Ms Uduk said further that the SEC was presently undertaking various initiatives to make the capital market more user-friendly such that people can participate in it with greater ease, comfort and convenience.

    She added: “There is the added and all-important purpose of ensuring that the gains of your participation, be these dividends, proceeds from share sales/transfers, etc. accrue to you seamlessly, without sweat and in the shortest time possible.

    “The purpose is also to ensure that investors do not fall victims to the antics of fraudsters who purport to be able to double any amount of money you make available to them as investment value.”

    She said that is why the SEC and the entire capital market community have intensified efforts at investment education.

    “People need to know that it’s easy to open a money market account, a mutual fund account, get stocks and things like that. We want the market to be easier, more accessible and we also want to have more products.

    “We want a deeper market and we believe that with these combinations, we will reduce the number of Ponzi schemes coming up and reduce the number of investors putting their money into Ponzi schemes,” she said.

    Recall that last week, the commission released a list of 12 unlawful/unlicensed investment schemes which are: Loom Nigeria Money, Box Value Trading Company Ltd, Now-Now Alert, Flip Cash Investment, Result Investment Nigeria Limited, Helping Hand and Investment and No Failure Development and Empowerment Nig. Ltd.

    Others are MBA Forex and Investment Ltd, Federate Investors Trading Company, Jamalife Helpers Global Ltd, Flexus Global Solutions and Investment Ltd, United Capital Investment Company Limited.

    SEC informed members of the public that by virtue of the provisions of Section 38(1) of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007, only persons registered with the commission can engage in capital market activities, thus making the actions of these entities listed above unlawful.

    “Consequently, the general public is hereby advised to refrain from investing in any scheme of the entities listed above, and WARNS that any person who invests in an unlicensed/unlawful scheme does so at his own peril,” the agency warned.

    The Acting DG said the listed outfits are not registered to carry out fund management functions of any sort, stressing that those who stubbornly patronize them would end up burning their fingers.

    She, therefore, advised the general public to distance themselves from such schemes, adding, “Please note that anyone that subscribes to these illegal activities does so at their own risk.”

  • U.S. advocates tougher fight against corruption

    U.S. advocates tougher fight against corruption

    By Dayo Benson New York

    As countries around the globe grapple with the hydra-headed monster of corruption in the polity, United States has charged them to intensify fight against corruption, which it says stifles economic growth, enables transnational crime and fuels terrorism.

    Secretary of State Micheal Pompeo, said this in a statement Monday, on the occasion of International Anticorruption Day, adding that corruption sustains autocratic leaders and subverts the democratic system.

    Pompeo’s statement which bore State Department Seal, U.S. Department of State, was issued by the office of the spokesperson and made available to the media.

    Secretary Pompeo stated that the United States would support and strengthen agencies, institutions, civil society and journalists that were committed to fight against corruption as well as impose visa restrictions as sanction when necessary.

    “The United States, through a number of agencies, including the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development, takes a comprehensive approach to fighting corruption. We work to hold the corrupt accountable through robust diplomatic engagement, by supporting multi-stakeholder initiatives and civil society, through foreign assistance to build stronger partners and transparent, trustworthy institutions, and by levying targeted sanctions and visa restrictions. We can only tackle corruption effectively with a strategy that includes these many tools and has buy-in from all stakeholders”, said Pompeo.

    He spoke further, “Today, on International Anticorruption Day, we reaffirm our commitment to prevent and combat corruption globally. Corruption obstructs economic growth and development, facilitates transnational crime, and fuels terrorism, robbing citizens around the world of their basic rights. “Corruption enables and sustains autocratic leaders, weakens faith in democratic systems, creates opportunities for predatory actors to take advantage of our partners. It also creates political crises and governance challenges that endanger our national security.

    “In 2019, the State Department publicly designated almost 40 public officials and their immediate family members due to their involvement in significant corruption, pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2019. We will continue to use this authority globally to prevent corrupt officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members from traveling to and spending their ill-gotten gains in the United States.

    “On this day, we renew our call to all countries to address the scourge of corruption; effectively implement their international anticorruption commitments, including those under the UN Convention against Corruption; support civil society and journalists; and take measures to promote open and accountable governance”, Secretary Pompeo stated.

  • Nuclear deal: We won’t negotiate until US lifts sanctions – Iranian President

    Nuclear deal: We won’t negotiate until US lifts sanctions – Iranian President

    Iran has responded to calls from Washington to renegotiate its landmark nuclear deal with world powers with President Hassan Rohani saying Tehran would be willing to negotiate only when the United States lifts pressure and apologizes for what he called “illegal actions.”

    “We have always been a man of negotiation and diplomacy, the same way that we’ve been a man of war and defense,” Rohani said on April 24.

    “Negotiation is only possible if all the pressures are lifted, they apologize for their illegal actions and there is mutual respect,” Rohani said.

    Global oil prices on April 23 hit their highest level since November after Washington announced that it will end all waivers on imports from sanctions-hit Iran next week.

    That has put pressure on importers to stop buying oil from Tehran and has further tightened the global oil supply.

    Iran agreed to a nuclear deal in 2015 with world powers, including the United States — receiving relief from international sanctions in return for curbing its nuclear program and ensuring it is not trying to produce nuclear weapons.

    But the United States withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and began reimposing its own sanctions.

    U.S. President Donald Trump says the Iran nuclear deal was “fatally flawed” because it did not address Iran’s ballistic-missile program or Tehran’s alleged state sponsorship of terrorism.

    Other signatories to the nuclear deal — France, Germany, Britain, the European Union, Russia, and China — have been working to try to save the international agreement.

    But the cancellation of waivers by Washington means the United States is now threatening sanctions against importers in any country that don’t comply with U.S. sanctions and continue to buy oil from Iran.

  • PDP directs aggrieved members to withdraw court cases against party or face sanctions

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed all members of the party that instituted court cases against the party to withdraw them or face sanctions.

    The deputy national publicity secretary of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, said in a statement on Thursday that the party considered myriads of cases instituted against it by its members as inimical to the successes it has achieved in the last few years.

    The party is apparently disturbed by the ruling against the candidacy of the governorship candidate of the party in Osun, Ademola Adeleke, by a high court in Bwari, Abuja and other outstanding litigations.

    Adeleke, a serving senator, was recently declared the winner of September 22 governorship election by the Osun governorship election petition tribunal, which conducted its sittings in Abuja.

    But the contest of the party’s governorship ticket for the Osun election by Akin Ogunbiyi has remained an internal concern which had further compounded the challenges of Adeleke.

    Ogunbiyi had earlier denied any involvement in the travails of Mr Adeleke at the courts, with particular reference to the Tuesday’s court judgment nullifying his candidature as PDP’s flag bearer in the last governorship election.

    Odeyemi however, said any PDP member with genuine interest in the party must not make himself available to be used by elements that wanted to slow down its progress through needless litigation.

    “We consider it inimical to our progress as a vibrant political party the myriad of cases instituted against PDP by members who are expected to be part of the concerted efforts towards being the ruling party in Nigeria,” he said.

    “We can’t continue to struggle under the yoke of needless litigations when we intend to return to power both at federal level and in other states that are out of control of PDP at the moment.”

    Odeyemi reminded members of the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) to sanction any member, no matter how highly placed, who, through court cases constitute themselves as a cog in the wheel of progress of the party, adding that some members had been expelled from the party in the recent past for same reason.

    “We are monitoring situations in Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos and other states across the country regarding court matters instituted by our members,” he said.