Musings From Abroad

French Foreign Minister lauds Africa’s mediation in Russia/Ukraine war

Published

1 year ago

June 20, 2023

The French Minister of Foreign Affairs has tagged as ‘positive” the recently concluded peace mission by a delegation of African leaders to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Catherine Colonna lauded the moves by African leaders during a recent visit to South Africa and said, “From the French point of view, any peace effort is positive if it aims to restore the principles of the UN Charter,”

“These principles have been attacked and undermined (…) by Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine. As you know, these principles are the independence of states, sovereignty, the right to self-defense, and territorial integrity.

“These are also the principles that I think President Ramaphosa cited when he had the opportunity to speak two days ago about the mission he led with a number of other African heads of state,” Colonna added.

On Monday, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, who was the leader of the delegation of African leaders to Europe to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, insisted that “this war must be settled… through negotiations and through diplomatic means.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s Vladimir Putin has maintained that Moscow was “open to constructive dialogue with anyone who wants to establish peace on the principles of fairness and acknowledgment of the legitimate interests of the parties”.

Any agreement must take into account “new realities,” which Moscow has described as its declared acquisition of five Ukrainian provinces, four of which it only partially controls. Russia has demanded that any agreement must do this.

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Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

10 minutes ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.

Musings From Abroad

Finnish court imprisons Nigeria’s Simon Ekpa for aiding terrorism

Published

22 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian separatist leader based abroad, has been placed under detention by the Päijät Häme District Court in Finland on suspicion of inciting others to commit acts of terrorism.

According to the local daily, Helsingin Sanomat, the court rendered the ruling on Thursday following his arraignment by the Central Criminal Police for his involvement in the terror attacks that have afflicted the southeast area of Nigeria.

“The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland with means that have led to violence against civilians in the region of South-Eastern Nigeria,” stated Otto Hiltunen, the crime commissioner and investigation head.

“The man has carried out his activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”

Hiltunen also informed the court that the police suspected four additional individuals in Finland of funding Ekpa’s activities.

According to the story, Ekpa is of Nigerian descent and was born in the Finnish city of Lahti.

His offence occurred between August 23, 2021, and November 18, 2024, according to court documents cited in the publication.

Ekpa is not the only person the police have arrested. In February 2023, they caught him at a private Lahtian flat, but he was freed the same day.

Through the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, Ekpa has continued to be outspoken on social media, raising money and agitating for a Biafran nation to secede. In the southeast part of Nigeria, both factions have been involved in acts of violence, murders, and maimings.

Since gaining formal independence in 1960, Nigeria has seen the emergence of several separatist organisations. The latest surge of calls for self-determination among different ethnic groups has been louder under its immediate previous President Muhammadu Buhari.