Ambassador Katherine Tai, the United States Trade Representative, has announced that she will host the 21st African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum from July 24 to 26, 2024, in Washington, D.C. This event will bring together key stakeholders from the United States and sub-Saharan Africa to discuss the future of AGOA and its role in fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth. AGOA Forum 2024 Theme and Objectives The theme for this year’s AGOA Forum is “Beyond 2025: Reimagining AGOA for an Inclusive, Sustainable, and Prosperous Tomorrow.” The forum aims to explore strategies to enhance the effectiveness of AGOA, address…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman embarked on a trip to Botswana and Zambia, enhancing U.S. diplomatic and development ties in Africa. During her visit, Deputy Administrator Coleman stated the important role of defense, development, and diplomacy in fostering mutual security and addressing instability. In Botswana, Coleman attended the U.S. Africa Command Chiefs of Defense Conference, marking the first time this conference was convened in Africa. Under the theme “Together on the Rampart: Expanding Cooperation, Sharing Values,” she delivered a keynote address emphasizing the importance of robust partnerships between African and U.S. military and defense sectors. Coleman also engaged in panel…
The OECD’s Semiconductor Informal Exchange Network (SIEN), launched a year ago, has significantly bolstered the global semiconductor supply chain. With over 50 participating global economies and nongovernmental stakeholders, SIEN has made substantial progress in enhancing cooperation, promoting transparency, and facilitating emergency response planning for supply chain disruptions. Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund under the CHIPS Act of 2022, SIEN’s first-year achievements include the development of a mutually agreed-upon classification system that streamlines data exchange and early warning communication between members. Additionally, a comprehensive mapping exercise utilizing trade data has pinpointed comparative…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a stern warning to banks and authorized forex dealers against the rejection of old series and lower denominations of United States dollar notes. This directive was staed in a circular dated June 27, signed by Solaja Olayemi, the acting director of the currency operations department. The circular, now available on the CBN’s official website, aims to curb the continued refusal of these currencies by regulated entities in Nigeria. The CBN stated that this warning follows its consumer market intelligence findings, which revealed ongoing issues with banks and other authorized forex dealers rejecting…
Former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Alison Madueke, has filed a petition in the Lagos State High Court, urging the court to compel his estranged wife, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to stop using his last name. The petition, seeking a declaration of the end of their marriage, requests that Diezani revert to her maiden name, Agama. Admiral Madueke argues that Diezani’s continued use of his name, despite their legally dissolved marriage, tarnishes his reputation and could lead to mistaken liabilities due to the corruption allegations against her. The couple married on June 30, 1999, under the Marriage…
The European Union (EU) has unveiled a digital platform to boost investment in Nigeria’s agribusiness sector. Ms Myriam Ferran, Deputy Director General, Directorate of International Partnerships (INTPA), European Commission, made this known at the 9th edition of the Nigeria-EU Business Forum in Abuja. Ferran said that the platform was aimed at increasing private investments in the country’s agribusiness sector.0:00 She explained that the initiative would contribute to the reduction of food insecurity and poverty as well as the attainment of sustainable economic development in Nigeria. “The EU-Nigeria Agribusiness Platform will contribute to boosting the exploration and exploitation of agribusiness opportunities…
Donald Trump will not be sentenced on his business fraud conviction until September, a New York judge ruled Tuesday in the wake of Monday’s Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity. The delay in sentencing means that the former president is likely to escape any concrete punishment for his felony conviction during the summer, at the same time that Trump’s election bid has been boosted by President Joe Biden’s debate flop that has Democrats wondering whether to replace their nominee. President Donald Trump talks with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as Associate Justice Elena Kagan looks on before the State…
The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), has distributed N10 billion in grants to over 500,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the state, aiming to foster job creation and economic growth. During a media briefing at Alausa, Ikeja, Acting Executive Secretary of LSETF, Mrs. Feyisara Alayande, stated the fund’s accomplishments and upcoming initiatives. She announced the forthcoming Lagos Employment Summit, themed “Job Creation: Uniting for Impact: Create, Collaborate, Change,” scheduled for Wednesday, July 3, 2024, on Victoria Island, Lagos. In a move to combat unemployment, the state government is set to launch a labor…
President Joe Biden warned Monday that the US Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on presidential immunity sets a “dangerous precedent” that Donald Trump would exploit if elected in November. The conservative-dominated high court ruled that Trump — and all presidents — enjoy “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for “official acts” taken while in office, but can still face criminal penalties for “unofficial acts.” “For all practical purposes today’s decision almost certainly means there are no limits to what a president can do. This is a fundamentally new principle, and it’s a dangerous precedent,” Biden said in a speech at the White…
The operatives of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Ilela border command, Sokoto have arrested a 25 year-old, Rukaya Hassan, who attempted to traffic two underage girls across the border to the Niger Republic. The Command Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Abdullahi said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Abdullahi said that the victims had been handed over to the National Agency For Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigations. He said that the operation was in a swift response to the morale-boosting charge of the new Comptroller of Immigration, Mrs Kemi Nandap. According to him, during interrogation, the young…
Kenyan police fired tear gas to scatter small crowds in the capital Nairobi on Tuesday, AFP reporters saw, after youth activists called for fresh protests following deadly violence during anti-tax hike demonstrations last month. Activists have stepped up their campaign against President William Ruto despite his announcement last week that he would not sign into law a controversial finance bill that triggered what he has branded “treasonous” protests. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said on Monday that 39 people had been killed and 361 injured during two weeks of demonstrations and condemned the use of force against protesters…
The US Supreme Court ruled Monday that Donald Trump enjoys some immunity from prosecution as a former president, a ruling that will likely delay his trial for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. The 6-3 decision split along ideological lines comes four months ahead of the presidential election in which Trump is the Republican candidate to take on Democrat Joe Biden. The historic case was the last heard during the top court’s current term and has far-reaching implications for executive power and the White House race. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, in his majority opinion, said a president is “not…