Day: August 24, 2023

Egypt, the new kid in the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) family has expressed appreciation in becoming a member of the family.

The 15th BRICS Summit held at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa announced six new members of the BRICS bloc this morning.

In his remarks, Egypt Prime Minister Dr HE Mostafa Madbouly told delegates that his country will cooperate with the BRICS requirements.

“We welcome the step to be part of the BRICS family. We look forward to contributing to practical solutions,” Madbouly said on Thursday.

Madbouly said they are also looking forward to contributing positively in the areas such as food prices and developing agriculture.

“We look forward to participating positively and enhancing the role of the [New] Development Bank and supporting energy efficiency initiatives,” Madbouly said.

He said Egypt is also willing to support peaceful resolutions in the continent.

The other new members are Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and are to become full members of BRICS with effect from 1 January 2024.

Egypt submitted in June 2023 a formal application to join the group following the ratification by the Egyptian leader Fattah al-Sisi of the country’s membership in BRICS’s New Development Bank (NDB).

Russia backed Egypt’s membership application to join the BRICS.

South Africa, as Chair of BRICS, hosted the XV BRICS Summit under the theme: BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism.

In his remarks this morning, President Cyril Ramaphosa said as the BRICS family they value the interest of other countries in building a partnership with BRICS.

He said the admission of new members to the BRICS family is the first phase of the group’s expansion process.

“We have tasked our Foreign Ministers to further develop the BRICS partner country model and a list of prospective partner countries and report by the next Summit,” President Ramaphosa said.

South Africa’s participation in BRICS is premised on its national interests in line with the National Development Plan and the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) 2019 – 2024 Priority 7.

During the summit which concludes today, BRICS leaders engaged with business during the BRICS Business Forum and engaged with the NDB, BRICS Business Council and other mechanisms during the Summit.

The BRICS partnership has grown in scope and depth with BRICS members exploring practical cooperation in a spirit of openness and solidarity to find mutual interests and common values.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) will host the 4th annual Women in Media and Communication panel discussion focusing on cyberbullying of female journalists and online gender based violence. The theme is “Navigating Social Media Spaces Safely”.

The discussion will focus on the following topics:

Cyberbullying

Gender sensitive writing and reporting

Gender discrimination in newsrooms and glass ceilings

Panelists leading the discussion come from diverse backgrounds with vast experience in the media, government communication and international civil society spaces.

Nomonde Mnukwa – Government Spokesperson and Acting Director-General at GCIS

Mamaponya Motsai – CEO at Fray College

Paula Fray – Founder of Fray College

Slindelo Masikane – eNCA Senior Reporter

Zanele Zwane – Technical Advisory at GIZ

Boikutso Tsikane – Project Manager: Print and Digital at MDDA

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event as follows:

Date: Friday, 25 August 2023

Time: 09:00

Venue: Dinokeng Auditorium, Building 21, Tshwane University of Technology Pretoria Campus

Enquiries:

Tshegofatso Modubu

Cell: 083 276 0786 (GCIS)

Phaphama Tshisikhawe

Cell: 066 211 1441 (TUT)

Source: Government of South Africa

Search for Common Ground (SFCG), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) says it is working on plans to develop a curriculum for journalists on promoting freedom of religion and belief in Nigeria.

Mr Ogabiela Daniel, the Project Manager, SFCG, said this at a three-day workshop for development of curriculum on common ground journalism in relation to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Abuja.

Daniel said the project being supported by the Netherlands Embassy would equip journalists with improved capacities to produce conflict sensitive reporting on inter faith and FoRB related issues.

He said that the curriculum being developed with media practitioners would establish effective Early warning/Early Response and Referral (EWER) mechanisms for addressing FoRB violations in Nigeria.

“The curriculum is going to reduce the insensitive reporting that we are experiencing at the moment,I am very confident of this because of all the inputs the high level media and executives here have done.

“This consciousness will now stay in the sector where everybody will be doing their reporting sensitively bearing in mind that inasmuch as freedom of religion is everybody’s rights, but they will do it responsibly,” he said.

Daniel said the curriculum would help to enhance public understanding of interfaith conflict and have greater access to neutral and conflict-sensitive information related to inter-faith harmony and cohesion.

Interim Country Director, SFCG, Fatima Madaki said that the organisation’s move to develop FoRB curriculum was against the backdrop of the fact that journalists wielded immense influence over public opinion and societal perceptions.

Madaki said it was a responsibility that carried not only the duty to inform but also the profound responsibility to do ethically and sensitively.

She said that the workshops focused on conflict-sensitive reporting within the framework of FoRB acknowledged the complexities that arise when covering issues that could be deeply personal and intertwined with cultural, social and political dynamics.

“We recognise that these issues are not just news stories; they are narratives that shape identities, values and relationships.

“The intersection between FoRB and journalism ca e fraught with challenges; how do we report on matters of faith and belief with sensitivity and respect for the diverse perspectives that exist?

“How can we ensure that our reporting contributes to peaceful coexistence rather than inadvertently fueling division?

“As we engage in these discussions, let us remember that our collective commitment to ethical journalism is a catalyst for positive change,’’she said

Madaki said that understanding the principles of common ground journalism would bridge divides, dispel misinformation and contribute to a world where freedom of religion or belief was celebrated as a cornerstone of diversity and harmony.

Mr Temisan Etietsola, the National Media Specialist, SFCG,said the organisation decided to develop the curriculum against the backdrop of the numerous religious crisis.

“We found out that when the issues of religious conflicts happens in Nigeria, journalists tend to shy away from reporting it, but we are not proactive enough to report these issues on religious freedom of religious belief.

“So we decided to develop this curriculum, in conjunction with other journalists at the top level who know what they and their colleagues want.

“We then use it to train them on how to report conflict sensitive issues around FoRB and we also feel the need for journalists that are coming up even right from the school to know how to report conflicts around FoRB issues,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta have lauded the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) for bringing relative and sustainable peace for oil and gas activities to thrive in the region.

The stakeholders, who unanimously commended the programme, said the situation had positively impacted the overall wellbeing of the national economy.

Their resolve formed part of the communiqué issued on Thursday at the end of a meeting of leaders of the Niger Delta region with Phases 1, 2 and 3 of PAP beneficiaries in Abuja, which took place on Aug. 21.

The resolutions were jointly adopted by Elder statesman and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark; PAP Interim Administrator, Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd); representatives of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the Ijaw National Congress (INC).

Ex-agitators and other prominent stakeholders of the Niger Delta region were also part of the resolution.

They reaffirmed that the programme, which was instituted by late ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2009, had played a major role in bringing peace, security and stability to the Niger Delta, which at the time was challenged by an upsurge of militant activities.

The meeting provided a platform for the stakeholders to critically review the workings of the PAP since its inception with participants, especially the representatives of the beneficiaries also sharing their thoughts on various existing challenges and the way forward.

While commending the PAP Interim Administrator on the new initiatives to deepen socio-economic impact through the establishment of the PAP Cooperative Scheme, they enjoined all beneficiaries to “wholly embrace it”.

They noted that the PAP had carried out various training and reintegration initiatives and urged that the Programme be sustained with “greater vigour and funding”.

The stakeholders also affirmed that the PAP Interim Administrator had demonstrated high administrative capacity and competence since assuming office in October 2022.

They urged youths of the Niger Delta to sustainably embrace peace and work with the government to ensure effective implementation of the PAP initiatives aimed at addressing the socio-economic and developmental challenges of the region.

They called on the federal government to accord special attention to the programme, which according to them, had remained a major booster to the critical oil and gas industry, from which the country earned most of its revenue.

Calls were also made for the Amnesty Programme to “be inclusive, to cover all properly accredited delegates, and improve conditions for its implementation, as regards welfare of beneficiaries” in line with the economic realities of the country.

They further appealed to Ndiomu to establish Liaison Offices in the Niger Delta states to ensure effective implementation of PAP initiatives.

They also called for the establishment of a “single window liaison” at the PAP headquarters “for the purpose of resolving issues brought before the PAP Management”.

On the criticisms of the PAP leadership, the beneficiaries (Delegates of phases 1, 2 and 3) at the meeting, apologised and pleaded for clemency, blaming the situation on misinformation.

Representatives of Beneficiaries at the meeting were, Owoupele Eneoriekumoh, Omiundougha Richard, John Esuku, Ibena Salvation, Inko Bright, Tam Odogwu, Aso Tambo, Delta Dede, and Olotu Wanemi.

Leaders of ethnic nationalities who jointly signed the communiqué included, Dr Godknows Igali, Secretary of Board of Trustees (BOT), PANDEF; Dr Alfred Mulade, National Secretary, PANDEF and Dr Ken Robinson, National Publicity Secretary, PANDEF.

Others were Dr Prince Anyanate Kio, Leader, National Representative Council (NRC) of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide; Ebi Wodu, National Secretary, INC, Worldwide; Ms Annkio Briggs, Critical Stakeholder; Chief Kennedy Odiowei, National Financial Secretary, INC, and others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Afro Asian Community Development (AACD) in Nigeria has extolled the victory recorded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for successfully landing the Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface of the Moon on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that with this development, India has become the first country to reach the unexplored larger south pole of the Moon.

Also, India has become the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the lunar surface after the United States of America, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

The unmanned Chandrayaan-3, which means “Mooncraft” in Sanskrit, touched down at 6:04 pm India time (1234 GMT).

Mr Sanjay Srivastava, President, (AACD) in a statement on Thursday said it was indeed a new dawn for Indians as said by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

Srivastava is also the Head of People of Indian Origin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PIOCCI) India-Nigeria Business Forum.

He said the gradual landing of the spacecraft was witnessed on the social media and ISRO’s channel by countless Indians and well wishers of India around the world.

Srivastava said that the event was also broadcast in various locations across Nigeria, including the CGI office, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and numerous schools.

“We extend our congratulations to all Indians for this achievement, and we are confident that India’s significant progress on the moon will hold great potential for the betterment of humanity in the future.

“India is committed to providing efficient, precise, and cost-effective assistance to all its allied nations in their space endeavors.

“We are also embarking on missions to explore the Sun and other planets in the near future,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria