Foreign news
Peng Liyuan Addresses SCO Forum On Women’s Education, Poverty Alleviation
Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) forum on women’s education and poverty alleviation via video.
Peng, who is also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls and women’s education, said eliminating poverty and embracing happiness are the common aspirations of all women. By receiving education, knowledge and skills, women can have the power to lift themselves out of poverty.
Thanks to China’s unremitting efforts, the country has achieved a victory in the fight against extreme poverty, and hundreds of millions of Chinese women have been lifted out of poverty, she said, adding that China has adopted a series of measures to ensure women’s equal access to education and make them beneficiaries, participants and contributors in poverty alleviation.
Peng said reducing poverty through women’s education will have a strong impetus if a country attaches great importance to it, social organizations actively support it and people from all walks of life make selfless contributions.
She mentioned how Guizhou’s provincial government motivated more than 500,000 women to work at home by developing a women-tailored handcraft industry, how more than 3 million poor girls were able to complete their education under the nationally funded Spring Bud Project, and how a teacher named Zhang Guimei founded a free high school in an impoverished area that helped nearly 2,000 girls enter college.
With 435 million women still living in poverty in the world, the gender gap in education remains clear, Peng said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic poses new challenges to reducing poverty for women.
Over the past 20 years, since the establishment of the SCO, women from member states have followed the “Shanghai Spirit,” exchanged experiences on women’s development, promoted cooperation in various fields and contributed their share to advancing SCO cooperation, Peng said.
We need to unite our love and make long-lasting efforts, continue to deepen cooperation in women’s education and poverty reduction, let education shine a light of hope on women and make more women enjoy opportunities to live a beautiful life, she said.
The forum is jointly organized by the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF), the Committee of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO and the Secretariat of SCO.
Foreign news
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Seeks Nigeria’s Support for Self-Determination Struggle
By Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Foreign Relations and African Affairs of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Mohamed Bessat, has called on the Nigerian government and the international community to support his country’s quest for self-determination and an end to Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.
Speaking during an official visit to Nigeria, Bessat emphasized the deep historical and diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the Sahrawi Republic, expressing appreciation for Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to anti-colonial struggles across Africa.
“I am in Nigeria at the invitation of my brother and colleague, His Excellency, the Honourable Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs,” Bessat stated. “This visit reflects the long-standing relationship of brotherhood, solidarity, and cooperation between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.”
He said the visit aims to brief Nigerian leaders, lawmakers, diplomats, and the general public about the ongoing struggle in Western Sahara, a region he described as under illegal Moroccan occupation since 1975.
Bessat traced the origins of the conflict to the 1975 Madrid Agreements, in which colonial Spain—then under dictator Francisco Franco—ceded control of Western Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania after withdrawing.
“That agreement was a betrayal and a theft of our territory,” Bessat said. “It triggered a long war. Although we have good relations with Mauritania today, Morocco continues to occupy nearly two-thirds of our land. We are engaged in both military and diplomatic resistance to this illegal and brutal occupation.”
According to him, a joint African Union-United Nations peace plan was signed in 1990, proposing a referendum to allow the Sahrawi people to choose between independence or integration with Morocco.
“Sadly, Morocco has sabotaged this process repeatedly—first with delays, then by refusing outright to cooperate,” he added.
Describing Nigeria as the “backbone” of Africa’s anti-colonial history, Bessat praised the country’s leadership role in the liberation of African nations from Portuguese, apartheid, and colonial rule.
“We are calling on our Nigerian brothers and sisters to continue this proud tradition and help us close the last chapter of decolonisation in Africa,” he said.
He expressed gratitude for the support already received from Nigerian political parties, parliamentarians, and the government, calling it “encouraging and deeply appreciated.”
Bessat said that since 2020, Morocco has violated a longstanding ceasefire and resumed aggressive military operations, leading to near-daily confrontations between Sahrawi and Moroccan forces.
“Morocco has not only expanded its occupation but also constructed more military walls within our territory,” he explained.
He also highlighted ongoing human rights violations and resource exploitation in the occupied territories, urging the international community to act decisively.
Western Sahara, he said, is one of the most resource-rich territories in the world, with petroleum, gas, gold, diamonds, iron, copper, uranium, and rare earth minerals.
“Our natural wealth should be a blessing, but instead it has fueled conflict. Morocco is plundering these resources, further deepening the crisis,” he said. “We are calling for cooperation, not conflict. Recognize our right to self-determination, and we can engage in partnerships for mutual benefit.”
Bessat concluded by appealing to the global community to uphold international law and support the Sahrawi people’s legitimate aspirations.
“The world is becoming increasingly unstable due to the erosion of international legality. It’s time for all nations—big or small—to commit to the rule of law. Supporting our cause is the fastest route to peace, African unity, and economic cooperation,” he stated.
“We urge the world to help end the human rights violations and economic plunder in Western Sahara and bring Africa’s last decolonisation battle to a close.”
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