Politics

Burkina Faso expels 3 French diplomats over ‘subversive activities’

Published

2 weeks ago

April 18, 2024

According to a letter quoted by Reuters on Thursday, three French diplomats have been sent back to France by Burkina Faso’s military government for allegedly being involved in actions that are against the government.

The letter sent April 16 to the French embassy said that the three diplomats, two of whom were named as political advisers, were told they were not welcome in the country and had 48 hours to leave.

A request for comment was sent to the French foreign ministry, but they did not reply right away.

The West African country which is one of five countries in the subregion now run by a military has had a diplomatic rift with France, which used to colonize it. Since then, Ouagadougou has kicked out French troops, forced France to recall its minister, and shut down some French media.

In the last three years, there have been five coups in the area, with most serving relations with France. Recently, the World Bank warned that the most recent coup in Niger could make things more difficult for food markets in Nigeria and other West African countries.

According to someone who was there and knew what was going on but asked not to be named, the officials were kicked out because they met with people from civil society.

Rights groups around the world have said that Burkina Faso’s junta is violating people’s right to free speech and intimidating critics while it tries to handle a security crisis caused by rebels with ties to Iran and Al-Qaeda.

Politics

Nigeria’s Dangote refinery set to get valid operating licence

Published

52 mins ago

May 1, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Nigerian government has revealed that the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery will soon receive a full operating licence.

This was declared during the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s Stakeholders’ Consultation Forum on Midstream and Petroleum Host Community Development Trust Regulations in Abuja.

However, the federal government’s NMDPRA clarified that although it had given the $20 billion refinery a pre-commissioning license, the Dangote refinery would shortly receive a fully operational license.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari opened the Dangote refinery in May 2023. In April of this year, the plant began supplying automotive gas oil, sometimes known as diesel, to the domestic market. Premium Motor Spirit, or petrol, has not yet been released.

NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed assured industry participants and other stakeholders during his speech at the summit in Abuja on Tuesday that the refinery would receive a fully operational license from the authority very soon.

Ahmed noted that just three refineries now have legal licenses. Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, represented him.

“We have issued three refineries with three valid licences. We awarded to Dangote refinery even in their pre-commissioning and sooner than later they will have full commission and a valid licence also to operate,” he stated.

He added that more licenses are being processed for approximately 15 gas facilities nationwide, out of the total number. As per the NMDPRA chief, 1,199 downstream facilities have valid licenses, and over 176 operators are authorized to import gas.

According to the head of NMDPRA, over 176 operators have gas import permits, while 1,199 downstream facilities have valid licenses. As of 10 a.m. on April 30, 2024, NMDPRA had licensed 9,464 retail shops. He also stated that 130 depots and 69 coastal vessel licenses were in effect.

“In the gas processing facility within the midstream, there are about 15 of them with valid licences. And much is under processing. If you go to the downstream sector, in the gas state of the downstream, more than 1,199 facilities have NMDPRA valid licences.

“More than 176 operators hold gas import permits. In the liquid licensing side of the downstream, there are 130 depots with valid licences and coastal vessels of more than 69 valid licences as of today. And in the retail outlets, we have 9,464 licensed retail outlets as of 10 am today, April 30,” Ahmed stated.

Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa, yet it frequently faces fuel shortages. It imports roughly 33 million litres of petroleum products per day and spent $23.3 billion last year. None of Nigeria’s publicly owned refineries has worked to capacity for years, despite several investments to revive them. The failure of both the previous and current governments has contributed to the high level of national anticipation surrounding the Dangote refinery.

Politics

African leaders want record World Bank financing to address climate change

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Ahead of a World Bank conference scheduled for later this year, African leaders on Monday called for rich countries to commit to record contributions to a low-interest World Bank facility for developing nations.

The leaders stressed that most African countries depend on the fund to sponsor development and combat climate change.

At a meeting in Japan in December, donors will promise to give money to the International Development Association (IDA), a World Bank organization that gives loans with low-interest rates and long terms.

“We call on our partners to meet us at this historic moment of solidarity and respond effectively by increasing their IDA contributions… to at least $120 billion,” Kenya’s President William Ruto told a meeting of African leaders and the World Bank to discuss IDA funding.

African economies were facing a “deepening development and debt crisis that threatens our economic stability, and urgent climate emergencies that demand immediate and collective action for our planet’s survival,” Ruto said.

He talked about the terrible floods in Kenya and the serious drought in Southern African countries like Malawi. If donors promise the least amount that African leaders have asked for, it will be a new high.

The previous high was $93 billion, which was raised in 2021. IDA loans are given out every three years, and donors usually give their money at a world meeting before the loan is given out.

The World Bank said that IDA lends money to 75 poor countries around the world at low interest rates. More than half of these countries are in Africa. Governments use the money to improve access to healthcare and energy, put money into farms, and build important things like roads.

The president of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, promised to cut down on the “burdensome” rules that guide lending to countries under the IDA. This would make the process more efficient and get money to countries that need it more quickly.

“We believe a simpler and reimagined IDA can be deployed with more focus to make a meaningful impact,” he said.