International
US. Working with Nigeria, other African Countries to Ward off Instability, Says U.S. Department of State
US. Working with Nigeria, other African Countries to Ward off Instability, Says U.S. Department of State
By: Michael Mike
The United States on Wednesday said it is working with Nigeria and the rest of the countries in Africa to address the drivers of instability on the continent and ensure that the situation does not degenerate.
Addressing the press on the purpose of her visit to Nigeria, the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS) at the U. S. Department of State, Mallory Stewart said:
‘I’ve heard a lot, and I’ve seen through the news the banditry challenge and the experiences, and so we have been trying to appreciate and understand how to affect those things we call drivers of instability, drivers of a security environment that lends itself to these challenges.
‘“And we are working with partners in Nigeria to try to get ahead of some of those challenges, or trying to figure out how we can manage some of those challenges. And for example, the confidence building measures, or the capacity to show greater compliance with international treaties that could help domestically provide for legislation that prevents some of the insecurity that results when there isn’t an ability to implement that, the international legal regime.
‘We are trying to prevent greater instability and trying to address the drivers right now. You know, one of the interesting conversations we’ve had in other African countries have been talking about the challenges of resources, the herders versus farmers conversation, on how we manage confidence building measures to ensure access is allowed for the important resources, such as water in some of these communities, and it’s been really helpful to work on communication capacities, to work on, even sometimes, information exchanges that provide greater understanding and prevent some of the tensions that lead to that instability.
“So you know, to give you more specifics, coming here has been really helpful to understand how many challenges these communities are facing across the board. Just as the global community is facing inflation challenges after COVID-19 , right? This is something that’s very real, and so appreciating how we can really incorporate, hopefully, some confidence security building measures, some mechanisms to hear more information and to allow greater exchange of information to hopefully get ahead of that tension.’
Stewart who disclosed that she had met with some operators in the Nigerian security sector and the civil society movement, said: “Our bureau really is here to focus on hearing the Nigerian voice, hearing the concerns and the elements that we can work together on to support stability and security across the board. Our bureau utilizes the toolkits of confidence building measures, but also security mechanisms together to try to achieve greater stability. And we do this with our partners around the world. And so some of the important conversations we were able to talk about was how we can work to hear the Nigerian interest in a political declaration that the US government has been working with right now 55 other countries, hopefully more, including some African nations, to agree upon the responsible uses of AI in the military context, right to sort of make sure we can get these 10 principles using AI in a manner consistent with international law, recognizing inherent human bias, recognizing that AI systems upon AI systems can lead sometimes to greater risks. And so it really is a good encapsulation of what we do in our Bureau, which is maximizing the advantages of stability and security mechanisms and minimizing some of the risks that can sometimes be inherent in emerging technologies or in challenges in implementing even treaties.
“One of the other conversations we had was our upcoming partnership with the Nigerian government to lead a conversation for the region on implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and understanding the challenges in that context, so that you know the Nigerian voice in explaining sometimes the concerns with respect to non state actors with respect to chemical security, how they can be important in the region, and how as a region, if ECOWAS member states, can also work towards implementing some of these international conventions, it can be more stabilizing, so that was another conversation we had. We also talked about where we can contribute to what is already a very complicated and sophisticated group of participants in the Yaounde architecture and understanding, if we can provide any additional capacities in communication, enabling or better standard operating procedures for all the diverse players, working through an appreciation for Nigeria’s role in that working through an appreciation for the maritime centers that are based here to see if we can facilitate a better appreciation of more effective teamwork, in a sense, on all of the issues that everyone is coming at from different perspectives. So these were some of the conversations we had.”
US. Working with Nigeria, other African Countries to Ward off Instability, Says U.S. Department of State
Nigeria, Russia to deepen military, technical cooperation
By: Zagazola Makama
The Russian Federation has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening defence and military-technical cooperation with Nigeria as part of efforts to promote peace, sovereignty and stability across the African continent.
Speaking at a bilateral meeting with Nigerian Defense Chief, General Christopher Musa and other officials, a Russian envoy described Nigeria as a strategic and promising partner, noting its position as the most populous country in Africa and a key regional player.
“We consider the Federal Republic of Nigeria a promising partner on the African continent. You are the largest country, and we support the efforts of the Nigerian authorities to strengthen national armed forces to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and ensure regional security,” the envoy said.
He expressed satisfaction with Nigeria’s willingness to pursue constructive cooperation with Russia in the areas of military and defence technology.
“We positively assess your commitment to fruitful cooperation with our country in military and military-technical spheres,” he added.
The Russian official called for an open discussion on current defence priorities, pledging continued support to Nigeria and other African partners.
In his response, Gen Musa, appreciated them for their support and commitment to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and for inviting him and his for the 80th victory parade.
He also appreciated them for the donation of weapons and drones to boost the campaign against terrorism within Nigeria and the Sahel Region
“Today, we discuss the most relevant issues of cooperation between our defence ministries. We value our friendship with Russia and deeply appreciate all the assistance Russia has provided assistance that has often been critical for many countries,” he said.
He praised Russia’s reliability and action-oriented diplomacy, saying, “You don’t just make promises, you fulfil them. Everyone knows Russia works for the good of peace and stability.”said General Musa.
The meeting, attended by top defence officials from both countries, is expected to yield agreements that will boost training, logistics, arms supply and intelligence-sharing in the fight against terrorism.
Nigeria, Russia to deepen military, technical cooperation
Nigeria Congratulates Germany on Election of New Chancellor
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria has extended its warm congratulations to Germany on the successful election of Friedrich Merz as the new Chancellor. The Conservative Leader
won with 325 votes in the 630-Seat Bundestag on Tuesday, 6th May, 2025.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa read: “Nigeria commends Germany’s strong democratic traditions and values, which have once again been demonstrated through a peaceful and transparent electoral process. We are confident that under Friedrich Merz’s leadership, Germany will continue to play a pivotal role in advancing global peace, stability, and prosperity.
“As longstanding partners, Nigeria looks forward to deepening bilateral relations with Germany in areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, security, and sustainable development. We also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening multilateral cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and other international fora.
“The Nigerian government and people wish the new Chancellor a successful tenure and express our readiness to work closely with Germany for the benefit of both nations and the global community.”
Nigeria Congratulates Germany on Election of New Chancellor
Nigeria Commiserates with Catholic Church Over Demise of Pope Francis
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has expressed profound sorrow at the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, who died on Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88 years.
The departed Holy Father, the political head of Vatican City and the head of the Catholic Church, was described in the statement as a global moral leader whose papacy was marked by humility, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to peace, social justice, and the dignity of all people.
The statement read: “Nigeria commiserates with the teaming population of the catholic church in the country and joins the international community, particularly the Catholic faithful worldwide, in mourning this immense loss. Pope Francis’ deep concern for the marginalized; including refugees, the poor, and victims of conflict, resonated strongly in Nigeria, where his calls for interreligious harmony and solidarity were a beacon of hope amid challenges.
“His historic 2022 apology for the Church’s role in colonial injustices, including the suffering of Indigenous peoples, indeed set a powerful example of reconciliation. Also worthy of commendation is his advocacy for peace in Africa, and other conflict areas in the world, reflecting his universal pastoral mission.”
The statement further read that: “In this moment of grief, therefore, Nigeria extends heartfelt condolences to the Vatican, the Catholic Church, and the Argentine people, who gifted the world this extraordinary pontiff.
“We pray for the repose of his soul and trust that his legacy of mercy, dialogue, and care for our common home will endure.”
Nigeria Commiserates with Catholic Church Over Demise of Pope Francis
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