News
Saudi Arabia Opens Its Doors To African Investors
Joel Ajayi
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is opening its doors to African investors and companies to benefit from the huge investment opportunities provided by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 mega projects, a resolution from the Saudi-Africa Summit, indicates.
The Kingdom, while reiterating the importance of economic cooperation and joint investment with African countries to achieve sustainable development and benefit from human resources and the global supply chains, said Saudi companies and investors would likewise be encouraged to increase quality investments in the African continent in various fields.
To this end, the Kingdom has launched a Digital Market Initiative – IMPACT, which seeks to enhance access to digital services, raising the quality of life, and developing the digital economy for the attainment of regional cooperation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Saudi-Africa Summit also expressed grave concerns over the escalating violence and loss of civilian lives resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestine, stressing the need for the cessation of all military operations in Gaza and the protection of civilians in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law.
African leaders and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a resolution tagged “The Riyadh Declaration Regarding the Situation in Palestine,” called on the international community to mount pressure on Israel to desist from further attacks and the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, describing it as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international laws.
The leaders called for a swift enabling of humanitarian organisations to play their role in providing humanitarian and relief aid to the Palestinian people, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), so as to halt the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and also emphasized the urgent need for de-escalation and a return to diplomatic dialogue to address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the relevant international legitimacy resolutions, in a way that guarantees the Palestinian people their right to establish their independent state on the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Upon the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-African Summit was convened on November 10, 2023, in Riyadh, to further develop the relations between Africa and the Kingdom and also forge ties that would promote strategic partnership between both sides.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highlighted the importance of the historical ties with the African continent and its growing interest in developing such relations with the Continent across the political, economic, investment, commercial, development, cultural and social fields.
On their part, the African leaders renewed their commitment to strengthening cooperation between the African countries and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, driven by the joint strategic partnership, avenues of common interests, and geographical, historical and sociocultural ties that the African continent shares with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The African leaders also paid glowing tribute to the early support shown by Saudi Arabia to herald and welcome the African Union while joining the G20 as a permanent member.
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed attended the Summit and held a bilateral meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman in the areas of investment and support for the ongoing reforms in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The President was accompanied by top Nigerian government officials.
News
Musawa Seeks Broader Significance for June 12
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., says June 12 must be remembered as a sacrifice that gave Nigerians democracy, beyond its status as a public holiday.
In a statement signed on Saturday by the Senior Assistant Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister,Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze Ph.D in Abuja.
Musawa stated this at the national premiere of “MKO”, a film on Chief Moshood Abiola, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
She said 33 years after June 12, 1993, many young Nigerians know it only as a holiday, but the film turns it back into memory.
“For too many young Nigerians, June 12 is simply a public holiday. This film tells them that our democracy did not arrive by chance. It was fought for. It was defended. It was paid for. This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today,” the Minister said.
Musawa hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Host, for his participation in the June 12 struggle and paying the price in exile, adding that Nigeria’s creative industry will keep telling the story of its democracy with courage.
“Through film and the creative economy, Nigeria will preserve its history. A nation that forgets its past loses its way to the future. Nigeria has a story and our story deserves to be told,” she said.
Earlier, the director of the investigative documentary, Ose Oyamendan, said the film was in honour and memory of heroes who fought for Nigeria’s democracy.
“There was Hope ’93 and now there is Renewed Hope. There was a man who sacrificed his life so we may have democracy and there is a man who almost lost his life fighting for democracy who is now helping build a lasting democracy.
“There was a great man called Bashorun MKO Abiola and there is now another great man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Democrats. Nationalists. Nation builders. Leaders of men and women. We must never forget our story. We must always honour and remember our heroes,” Oyamendan said.
Top government officials including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the wife of the President Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President Rt. Femi Gbajabiamila, state Governors, members of the National Assembly, Ministers and other distinguished dignitaries attended the premiere.
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