Foreign news
China approves emergency usage of COVID-19 vaccines, official says
A Chinese health official Saturday confirmed the country authorized emergency usage of COVID-19 vaccines developed by some select domestic companies on July 22.
“We’ve drawn up a series of plan packages, including medical consent forms, side-effects monitoring plans, rescuing plans, compensation plans, to make sure the emergency use is well regulated and monitored,” Zheng Zhongwei, head of China’s coronavirus vaccine development task force told CCTV.
An emergency use authorization, which is based on Chinese vaccine management law, allows unapproved vaccine candidates to be used among people who are at high risk of getting infected on a limited period.
By first inoculating the special groups, like frontline medical workers and civil servants, the move is to ensure that a city can keep normal functions when a health crisis strikes, the law stated.
Similar authorizations have been legalized in many countries. For example, U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows unapproved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat or prevent life-threatening disease or conditions.
The national agency has used several emergency use authorizations since the coronavirus outbreak as a way to get many diagnostic tests more quickly to the market than the normal procedures.
“We are planning to scale up the inoculating group to better prepare for a possible next wave in autumn and winter,” Zheng added.
A new coronavirus vaccine cultivated within insect cells by West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu has been approved for human trial, according to local government on Saturday.
Using insect cells to grow proteins for the coronavirus vaccine – a first in China – could speed up large-scale production, the Chengdu city government said in a notice on its official WeChat account.
Animal tests have shown promising results in preventing coronavirus infection, the notice said, and no obvious side effects have found.
According to China’s National Medical Products Administration, at least eight potential coronavirus vaccines have entered different stages of clinical trials.
In an interview with CCTV, Yang Xiaoming, chief scientist of China’s vaccine development and CEO of China National Biotec Group (CNBG) said they’ve signed agreements with many countries on inactivated vaccine clinical trials over the past few months.
“Over 20,000 people has been vaccinated,” Yang added, “Vaccine safety is well guaranteed; the effectiveness is being closely monitored.”
The company announced on late Friday Argentina joined Peru, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in approving Phase 3 clinical trials for their inactivated coronavirus vaccine.
The experimental vaccine by CNBG received approval from the UAE in June for a Phase 3 trial and has since recruited 15,000 volunteers, according to the company.
Foreign news
Namibia Embassy Celebrates 35th Independence Anniversary in Abuja
…As Nigeria-Namibia Trade Relations Expand
By Joel Ajayi
The Namibian Mission in Nigeria recently marked the 35th Independence Anniversary of Namibia with a vibrant celebration in Abuja, marked by pomp and excitement.
Speaking at the event, His Excellency Humphrey Geiseb, High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia to Nigeria, commended the resilience of every Namibian who fought for the country’s freedom and democracy.
“This day reminds us of the sacrifices made by countless Namibians who gave their lives for our freedom. As our national anthem says, ‘Their blood waters our freedom.’ Namibia’s independence on 21 March 1990 was the result of a long and tireless struggle. We continue to honor the legacy of those who fought for a free and democratic nation,” he stated.
He emphasized that this year’s celebration holds additional significance:
“A few weeks ago, Namibia witnessed the inauguration of Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the 5th President of the Republic of Namibia. This marks a historic milestone, not only for our country but for the entire SADC region, as she is the first woman to hold the highest office in the land.”
He praised the progress Namibia has made in gender representation, noting that President Ndaitwah’s administration includes a female Vice President, nine women Cabinet Ministers, and a female Speaker of Parliament.
“This shows that women occupy top leadership positions in Namibia, demonstrating that they can lead with strength, vision, and wisdom,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s role in Namibia’s independence struggle, the High Commissioner expressed deep gratitude:
“Namibia’s fight for independence would not have been successful without the unwavering support of our international friends, and Nigeria was a key partner. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Nigeria welcomed Namibians—particularly students—and supported liberation movements in Southern Africa through political, economic, diplomatic, and logistical means.”
He noted that, since independence, Namibia has enjoyed peace and political stability for 35 years without internal conflict. However, challenges such as poverty and unemployment persist. The government remains committed to improving living standards and achieving the goals of Vision 2030, aiming to solidify its high middle-income status.
Despite challenges in securing financial support due to its middle-income classification, Namibia continues to advance across multiple sectors.
Geiseb also acknowledged Nigeria’s contribution to strengthening bilateral ties.
“I want to sincerely thank the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the successful outcomes of the 5th Session of the Namibia-Nigeria Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation, held in February 2025 in Namibia.”
That session resumed official dialogue between the two nations after a 15-year hiatus and introduced new mechanisms for deepening collaboration.
Highlighting growing economic ties, the High Commissioner mentioned that two Nigerian companies—Premier Charcoal and King Charcoal—are thriving in Namibia’s charcoal industry, exporting high-quality products to the international market. Additionally, Namibia exports salt worth approximately $5–6 million annually to Nigeria.
“We look forward to further expanding our trade relations, and we hope Nigerian products will soon be available in Namibian supermarkets,” he said.
He concluded by appreciating Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the entire Nigerian government for their continued support in strengthening Namibia-Nigeria bilateral relations.
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