Reunion Wire

The Russia-Africa Summit 2023 will discuss partnership for food sovereignty, strategies to realise the potential and how Russia can help Africa develop its agricultural infrastructure.

Mr Oleg Ozerov, Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, in a statement released on Tuesday in St. Petersburg, said the federation would discuss ways to establish its production on the continent.

Ozerov said though the issue was related to food security but it would be discussed within the framework of both the political summit and the Economic and Humanitarian forum.

“Russia is a supplier of products that ensure food security: grains, fertilisers and their components.

“This issue is becoming more and more acute. According to the latest UN report, the number of hungry people in Africa is growing.

“But, during the summit, we will also discuss establishing our own production on the continent, and African countries would like to receive agricultural technology and equipment from Russia,” he said.

He said Africa was one of the most vulnerable regions in the world in terms of food security, despite agriculture employing more than 60 per cent of its labour force and contributing about a third of the continents GDP.

“Experts estimate that 60 per cent of Africa’s fertile land is underutilised.

“The only way to solve this problem is to achieve food sovereignty. This is a realistic possibility due to the continent’s immense agricultural potential,” he said.

The Integrated Security and Sovereign Development block of the business programme of the Second Russia–Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian forum will hold the panel session on food sovereignty.

The session which will start on July 27 at 9.00 a.m. has its title as “Russia and Africa: Partnership for Food Sovereignty.”

The Second Russia–Africa Summit and Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian forum, which will hold from July 27 to 28 , is being organised by the Roscongress Foundation.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has trained Community Society Organisations (CSOs) on comprehensive life skill education to reduce misinformation and increase young people’s skills in taking informed decisions related to their health.

Dr Esther Somefun, Gender and Reproductive Health Analyst, UNFPA, said this during a two-day training for CSOs on comprehensive life skill education for out-of-school youths on Tuesday in Lagos.

Somefun said that research had shown that many out-of-school youths lack required knowledge to make accurate decisions, leaving them vulnerable to coercion, sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy.

“We know that young people form a critical segment of the population.

“Lagos with a population of over 23 million people has a huge youth-based population.

“Many of these youths are out-of-school, and have needs that are to be met.

“UNFPA understands that there are communities that can meet such needs, hence the need for us to look for youth-led CSOs who interact with out-of-school youths and build their capacity on comprehensive life skill education.

“These CSOs ensure that young people are provided with accurate information from their transition from childhood to adolescents and youths,” she said.

She noted that the aim of the training was to build an inclusive society and assist the youth make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

According to her, 10 CSOs from 10 local government areas of the state participated in the training and would transfer the knowledge to the targeted youths in their respective communities.

Somefun said that UNFPA works with governments and CSOs to implement life skill training, both in schools and outside of schools through community-based training and outreach.

Similarly, Mrs Rasheedat Umar, Assistant Director, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, said that the ministry partnered with UNFPA to disseminate life skills training to out-of-school youths.

She said that the state conducts the training in vocational and technical centres across the state.

Umar said that the students interact with those outside the centres, noting that extending the training was critical to filter and provide them with accurate information.

Also, Adebimpe Adebara from the Peace of Heart Foundation, commended UNFPA for the training, noting that it would boost the sexual and reproductive health of youths in Mushin Local Government Area.

Similarly, Benjamin Odey, from the Association of Positive Youths, said the training had enhanced his knowledge on consent, HIV issues and counselling.

The Convener, Speaking Fingers Network, Ms Treasure Uchegbu, commended UNFPA, saying it would create a more inclusive society and assist to achieve the sustainable development goals.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Army has debunked allegation that a soldier, Lance Cpl. Musa Adamu was in detention for converting from Islam to Christianity and preaching the gospel, as being circulated in the Social Media.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Nwachukwu said the soldier was in custody for violation of some provisions of the Armed Forces Act, saying the said report credited to an online medium was not only a misrepresentation of the true situation.

He described the report as “an outrageous falsehood tainted with religious bigotry, being peddled against the Nigerian army, a professional institution guided by well established ethics and tradition in all its activities and administration of personnel”.

According to him, this is aside the unbiased premium of place accorded the spiritual concern and growth of personnel as well as the sensitivity it attaches to religious practices amongst personnel.

“To set the records straight, Lance Cpl. Musa Adamu, a personnel of the Amphibious Training School was attached to 63 Brigade to participate in an ongoing operation.

“During the operation, he was found preaching in uniform on a social media platform in violation of extant Social Media policy for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“This prompted his invitation for interrogation by relevant authorities.

“Rather than present himself for the investigation, he absconded for about six and a half months, resulting in the declaration of the soldier on Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL).

“The action of the personnel violates Section 58 (a) (b) Obstruction of Provost Officers and Section 59 (a) (b) Absence Without Leave.

“It must be clarified, that once a personnel is absent from his unit for seven days without any justification, he will be declared on AWOL.

“This automatically triggers the freezing of his salary account, until the personnel returns to unit and is arraigned and sanctioned,” he said.

Nwachukwu further clarified that contrary to the ‘ erroneous impression’ that the soldier was being victimized for converting from Islam to Christianity and for preaching the gospel, he was rather taken into custody for investigation.

He said the disciplinary action was in pursuant of statutory provisions enshrined in the Armed Forces Act CAP 20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which the soldier contravened.

According to him, his detention is therefore not unlawful.

“It is expedient to point out that each and every personnel of the Nigerian army functions under a Corps or Department with stipulated statutory responsibilities manned by qualified personnel trained to effectively execute those duties.

“Hence, religious affairs of the Nigerian army are handled by designated clergy in the Directorates of Chaplain Services (Protestant), (Roman Catholic) and Islamic Affairs.

“Personnel of these directorates are the ones mandated to conduct all religious activities to cater for the spiritual needs of all personnel of the Nigerian army, both in the theatres of operations and within the barracks.

“The question begging for answer is, if the Nigerian army allowed the soldier to change his religion, why then will it victimize him?

“It is ironical therefore, that an institution that promotes the spiritual wellbeing of its personnel is alleged to have detained the soldier for the expression of his faith, even when it is abundantly clear that he has the opportunity to also change his Corps to any of the Army’s Chaplaincy,” Nwachukwu added.

The army spokesman further said that the Nigerian army was guided by ethics, traditions and military laws, which direct personnel on their conducts.

He said that violation of those ideals and statutory stipulations evoke sanctions, irrespective of the faith of the offender.

“Consequently, the Nigerian army denounces the libelous publication capable of causing disaffection amongst personnel as well as bringing disrepute and distractions to it.

“The general public are therefore, enjoined to ignore the baseless report aimed at scoring cheap goal by denigrating an institution totally committed to the restoration of peace and stability in Nigeria.

“The support of the good citizens of this country is paramount to the success of the Nigerian army at this crucial time and not unfounded and unconstructive narrations,” he added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria