Foreign news

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is really a “lie seller.”

Published

5 years ago

July 3, 2020

John Okeke

The chief U.S. diplomat, with malicious intentions, has never ceased selling his lies, slandering that China’s economic activities and fanning the so-called China threat. His cliché about China even aroused the dissatisfaction of many foreigners: why the U.S. Secretary of State never talked about the U.S.

Pompeo’s nonsense on China did nothing but merely exposed his evil intentions to damage the win-win cooperation between China and the U.S., even at the loss of the Americans’ interests.

U.S. politicians’ labeling China with so-called predatory economic activities barely won support from the international society.

It’s obvious to all that it is in fact the U.S. that has often provoked trade disputes and imposed economic sanctions against other countries guided by a sense of supremacy.

China, on the other hand, has always adhered to openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation, and sincerely welcomed global partners abroad the express train of China’s development, to create opportunities for common prosperity.

China’s reform and opening up have benefited many other economies around the world—foreign consumers have been granted excess to the high-quality goods from China, and multinational companies have also captured growth opportunities from the vibrant Chinese market, according to a report by McKinsey Global Institute.

Pathetically, Pompeo is caught in a twisted logic, driven by a desire for his own political interests.

“I ran a small business, and we had an operation in China ourselves. We outsourced our supply chains to places like Shenzhen,” Pompeo once introduced his economic engagement with China.

He went on to say that the world is “awakening” to the threat of China and “we must take off the golden blinders of economic ties and see that the China challenge isn’t just at the gates; it’s in every capital, it’s in every borough, it’s in every province.”

Obviously, Pompeo couldn’t wait to achieve his ridiculous political purpose, which is to dress the U.S. up as a victim and thus justify his bullying deeds in violation of international rules.

As the Chinese nation was once oppressed by big powers for a long time, it will never abandon the commitment to justice nor follow the track of seeking hegemony.

China’s opening drive is not a one-man show. Rather, it is an invitation open to all. It is a pursuit not to establish China’s own sphere of influence, but to support common development of all countries. It is meant to build not China’s own backyard garden, but a garden shared by all countries.

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) about seven years ago, around 200 intergovernmental cooperation agreements have been signed and more than 2,000 projects have been jointly carried out under the framework, generating jobs for tens of thousands of people.

No matter what they say, Pompeo and other U.S. politicians couldn’t just erase China’s contribution to the world economic growth.

Although the U.S. Secretary of State has distorted the truth and misrepresented the normal economic cooperation between China and European countries as China’s erosion of the economic sovereign of European countries, facts speak for themselves.

The port of Piraeus in Greece serves as a perfect example of China-Europe cooperation. The 12 years’ operation by Chinese enterprises has not only revitalized the port and made it the 32nd largest port in the world from the 93rd in terms of container throughput, but also created tens of thousands of jobs.

Greece has come to a deep understanding of the true meaning of “friends” through the Piraeus Port cooperation with China, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted.

A recent survey indicated that China is one of the top three investment destinations for over 60 percent of companies from the European Union (EU) in China, and the Chinese market is considered very important by most American companies in China, which is a slap in the face for the ridiculous accusations made by Pompeo against China.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted a 4.9 percent decline in the global economy for 2020 and the World Trade Organization (WTO) pointed out that world trade is expected to fall by 13 percent to 32 percent this year.

To cope with the global crisis and safeguard world prosperity and development, countries need to take the road of solidarity and cooperation and pursue openness and exclusiveness.

G20 members have promised to take all measures possible to stimulate economy; participants of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, as well as New Zealand determine to sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by the end of the year; and China and Europe aim to complete investment treaty negotiations within the year.

A consensus has been reached that the most urgent task for all countries is to work together to combat the coronavirus, and to revive the economy and restore development.

The openness and inclusiveness that China has adhered to suit the needs of all countries for securing long-term development and are believed to infuse confidence into the common development of all countries.

The zero-sum game that Pompeo is trying to play on the world stage won’t be supported and whoever attempts to obstruct opening-up and cooperation will surely be abandoned by the people and the times.

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Financing Health Futures: Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda Turn to Tobacco and Telecom Taxes in Big Push Against Malaria

Published

1 week ago

September 28, 2025

The Gleamer

African leaders, parliamentarians, health experts, and development partners have renewed their commitment to ending malaria by 2030, with a bold call for domestic financing through innovative taxation on tobacco, alcohol, and telecom services to close critical funding gaps.

The discussions took center stage at the Big Push Against Malaria: Harnessing Africa’s Role high-level political engagement in Abuja, where Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda showcased new homegrown financing strategies aimed at reducing dependence on dwindling donor support.

Africa’s Heavy Burden

Malaria remains one of Africa’s deadliest diseases. In 2023, the world recorded 263 million cases and nearly 600,000 deaths, with 94% of cases and 95% of deaths occurring in Africa. Nigeria alone accounted for 26.6% of global cases and 31% of deaths, according to the World Malaria Report 2024. Children under five remain the most vulnerable, making up 76% of deaths.

Despite progress — with Nigeria cutting malaria deaths by more than half since 2000 through insecticide-treated nets, preventive treatments, and the rollout of the new R21 malaria vaccine — leaders warned that global targets are off-track. The World Health Organization’s technical strategy for malaria (2016–2030) has stalled since 2017, with Africa unlikely to meet its 2025 and 2030 milestones without urgent action.

Taxing for Health Futures

The Nigerian Parliament’s Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM) announced plans to fund malaria elimination through “sin taxes” and telecom levies.

According to the House Chair on ATM, Hon. Linda Ogar, a bill is underway to restructure the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) into a multi-disease agency that will address HIV, TB, and malaria.

The new financing mechanism proposes:

Taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and other luxury items

Dedicated levies on telecom airtime and mobile money transactions

A percentage of the nation’s consolidated revenue

“These resources will provide sustainable funding to strengthen health systems and accelerate malaria elimination,” Ogar said, stressing that Africa must stop relying solely on foreign donors. “We cannot continue to take two steps forward and five steps backward. Africa must begin to show the world that we are ready to solve our problems ourselves.”

Similar models are already being piloted in Ghana and Uganda, where levies on mobile money and telecoms are being redirected to finance health interventions. The Abuja meeting urged other African countries to adopt this approach as part of a continental framework for sustainable financing.

Leaders Call for Urgent Action

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, emphasized that while malaria is preventable and treatable, it still kills hundreds of thousands yearly due to funding shortfalls, climate change, insecticide resistance, and humanitarian crises.

“To truly defeat this disease, we must rethink, join forces, and mount a concerted ‘Big Push’. Funding gaps remain a major obstacle, and innovative domestic financing is the way forward,” Salako declared.

From the civil society front, grassroots representatives pledged to act as “foot soldiers”, demanding that communities have a seat at the decision-making table. The World Health Organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, and other partners reaffirmed support but stressed the need for stronger political will and local ownership.

Private Sector and Global Support

Representing billionaire philanthropist Aliko Dangote, the Nigeria Malaria Council reiterated that private sector investment must complement government financing. Meanwhile, the Global Fund confirmed it has invested nearly $2 billion in Nigeria’s malaria response and committed an additional $500 million for 2024–2026, including support for local production of malaria drugs.

The Gates Foundation’s Uche Anaowu noted that while progress has slowed, malaria remains beatable:

“Smallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated. The question is — can malaria be next? I believe Africa has both the burden and the opportunity to lead the world in making that happen.”

Financing Health Futures: Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda Turn to Tobacco and Telecom Taxes in Big Push Against Malaria

Abuja, Nigeria – African leaders, parliamentarians, health experts, and development partners have renewed their commitment to ending malaria by 2030, with a bold call for domestic financing through innovative taxation on tobacco, alcohol, and telecom services to close critical funding gaps.

Africa’s Heavy Burden

Taxing for Health Futures

The Nigerian Parliament’s Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM) announced plans to fund malaria elimination through “sin taxes” and telecom levies.

The new financing mechanism proposes:

Taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and other luxury items

Dedicated levies on telecom airtime and mobile money transactions

A percentage of the nation’s consolidated revenue

Leaders Call for Urgent Action

Private Sector and Global Support

The Gates Foundation’s Uche Anaowu noted that while progress has slowed, malaria remains beatable:

“Smallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated. The question is — can malaria be next? I believe Africa has both the burden and the opportunity to lead the world in making that happen.”

The Big Push: From Talk to Action

Speakers acknowledged that Africa has hosted too many malaria meetings without concrete outcomes. This time, however, leaders insisted the Abuja gathering must mark a turning point — from dependency to self-reliance.

With Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda setting the pace on tax-based health financing, the continent now faces the challenge of replicating and scaling up these models.

“Now that Africa is at a critical point, the need for a Big Push against malaria cannot be overemphasized. If we align political will, innovative financing, and community engagement, we can end malaria within our lifetime.”

Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda are pioneering a shift from donor dependence to domestic revenue mobilization via tobacco, alcohol, and telecom taxes — a model hailed as central to financing Africa’s health futures and ending malaria by 2030
Speakers acknowledged that Africa has hosted too many malaria meetings without concrete outcomes. This time, however, leaders insisted the Abuja gathering must mark a turning point — from dependency to self-reliance.

With Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda setting the pace on tax-based health financing, the continent now faces the challenge of replicating and scaling up these models.

“Now that Africa is at a critical point, the need for a Big Push against malaria cannot be overemphasized. If we align political will, innovative financing, and community engagement, we can end malaria within our lifetime.”

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