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Western Propaganda: Africa and China Media Need to Collaborate

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Western Propaganda: Africa and China Media Need to Collaborate

By: Raphael Oni

Africa and China have great potential for media collaboration, both culturally and politically, this will help combat negative reports on African and as well of China.The media collaboration will ensure objective news reporting. This will provide a unique perspective to their audience, rather than relying solely on international news agencies that some times sees stories from their own perspectives. Collaboration between African and Chinese media can bring numerous benefits for mutual benefits. It will help in creating a deeper understanding of both cultures and perspectives and can open up new opportunities for media coverage and technological exchange.


As a diplomatic reporters, I have decided to look into some Western reports on Xinjiang, and come to a conclusion that most of the western report on this province are not reflecting the truth about Chinese government. For decades, the western world has been spreading false information about Xinjiang, a province in western China. The lies have been used to undermine the Chinese government and paint a negative picture of its policies in the region.
One of the biggest lies is that the Chinese government is committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims. This claim has been debunked by various experts and organizations, including the United Nations. The western media has been using fake news and propaganda to make the issue seem worse than it is.
Another lie is that the Chinese government is suppressing Uyghur culture and religion. However, the reality is far from it. The government has invested heavily in preserving Uyghur culture, and there are currently thousands of mosques in Xinjiang, a testament to the freedom of religion. Moreover, the Chinese government is fighting against extremism, not Islam, and it has been successful in preventing terrorist attacks in the region.
The western world has been using the Xinjiang issue as part of its anti-China propaganda campaign. The goal is to weaken China’s global influence and portray it as a human rights violator. However, people should seek the truth and not rely on western propaganda.
The western world has been spreading lies about Xinjiang to serve its geopolitical interests. It is important for people to seek the truth and not fall for propaganda. This is the more reason why Nigeria media and Chinese counterpart must work together in order to debunked the falsehood promoted by Western media.
The Chinese government has also taken steps to improve the economic and social conditions in Xinjiang. The region has seen significant growth in infrastructure, education, and healthcare. The poverty rate has decreased, and the standard of living has improved for many residents.
Furthermore, the government has implemented vocational training programs to help Uyghur Muslims acquire new skills and find employment opportunities. These programs have been successful in reducing extremism and promoting stability in the region.
It is important to recognize that the situation in Xinjiang is complex, and there are different perspectives on how to address it. However, it is crucial to base our understanding on facts rather than propaganda. Only by seeking the truth can we make informed decisions about how to promote peace and stability in the region. Realiably, the Chinese government has taken some major steps to take the true story of the Province.
The Chinese government has also invited foreign journalists and diplomats to visit Xinjiang and see the situation for themselves. However, many western countries have declined the invitation or sent biased reporters who only focus on negative aspects. This shows that some western politicians and media outlets are not interested in finding the truth, but rather in spreading their own agenda. I am calling on African media men to take advantages China-Africa relation to establish more media engagement so that we can always tell our own stories.
One of the most effective ways to counter western propaganda is through cultural exchanges and people-to-people diplomacy. Many Uyghur students have been studying abroad and sharing their experiences with foreigners, which helps break down stereotypes and misconceptions. Similarly, more Chinese tourists are visiting Xinjiang and interacting with local residents, which promotes mutual understanding and respect. Collaboration among African and Chinese counterpart will create avenue to showcase the province on daily basis.
Some experts argue that the Xinjiang issue is not just about human rights or terrorism, but also about geopolitics and economics. Xinjiang is a strategic region for China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to connect Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond through infrastructure projects. Some western countries believes that China’s rising influence may challenge their own dominance in global trade and investment. Therefore, they use Xinjiang as a pretext to criticize China’s policies and undermine its reputation.

Despite the challenges facing Xinjiang, there are also opportunities for cooperation and development. Many countries along the Belt and Road routes have expressed interest in partnering with China to build new trade corridors, energy pipelines, digital networks, etc. These projects can bring benefits not only to China but also to other regions that need investment and connectivity. By working together on common goals, we can overcome misunderstandings and conflicts caused by propaganda or ideology.
The fate of Xinjiang depends on the will of its people. They can decide how to preserve their culture, religion, language, identity while adapting to changing times. It is the people on ground that can create a future that is peaceful, prosperous, diverse yet united. As outsiders who care about human dignity and justice everywhere in the world, we should listen more than preach; learn more than judge; support more than condemn; respect more than dominate; love more than hate. The media both in China and Africa must double efforts to ensure that western propaganda become a thing of the past.


The Chinese government has also emphasized the importance of poverty alleviation in Xinjiang, particularly in rural areas. In recent years, it has launched various programs to improve agricultural productivity, provide basic infrastructure and public services, and create job opportunities for farmers and herders. These efforts have helped reduce poverty rates and improve living standards in many remote and underdeveloped areas. Moreover, the government has encouraged private investment and entrepreneurship to diversify the local economy and promote innovation. This approach has yielded positive results, as evidenced by the growth of e-commerce, tourism, and other industries in Xinjiang.
However, some challenges remain in terms of ensuring social harmony and stability which is not peculiar to China alone. The government needs to address grievances among different ethnic groups, enhance communication with civil society organizations, and respect human rights principles while maintaining law and order. It also needs to counter extremist ideologies that may pose a threat to national security or regional stability. These tasks require a comprehensive strategy that involves political dialogue, economic development, cultural exchange, education reform, media literacy, and international cooperation. In all the above the media must play a pivotal role.
The Media should as a matter or urgency continue to engage all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding and report this because they have firsthand information not depending of so call agencies. The media should also engage the government, civil society organizations, academic institutions, religious leaders,business communities, and individuals from different backgrounds. By listening to each other’s concerns and aspirations with an open mind, we can build trust and empathy across borders. By collaborating on common challenges and opportunities with a spirit of partnership rather than rivalry or domination, we can create a better future for all people in Xinjiang as well as the wider world.
Raphael Oni a Senior Diplomatic Correspondent writes in from Abuja Nigeria.

Western Propaganda: Africa and China Media Need to Collaborate

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UK Reaffirms Commitment Towards Economic Growth, Sustainable Development Across Nigeria

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UK Reaffirms Commitment Towards Economic Growth, Sustainable Development Across Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting inclusive economic growth and sustainable development across Nigeria as the country
navigates rising energy costs and the growing urgency of the climate crisis,

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Jonny Baxter made the commitment on Wednesday at his residence in Lagos in a statement at the second edition of W.O.M.A.N by Alitheia, a high-level forum for Women in Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Nutrition and key stakeholders, hosted by Alitheia Capital, a pioneer in gender-lens impact investing private equity firm, in collaboration with Manufacturing Africa, a UK government programme focused on attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the manufacturing sector.

Themed “Scaling Sustainable Manufacturing & Energy Transition for Women-led SMEs in Africa,” this year’s edition brought together a dynamic mix of industry leaders, women entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and energy solution providers to explore the pivotal role of women-led businesses in Africa’s sustainable industrial transformation.

The discussions, according to a statement by the British High Commission in Nigeria. addressed the acute pressures SMEs face amid surging fuel prices and electricity tariffs – conditions that have made sustainable energy adoption both an environmental and economic imperative. Insights from Alitheia’s own portfolio reveals that adopting renewable energy can cut operational costs by as much as 60%, underscoring the financial viability of clean energy for scaling women-led businesses.

Participants examined practical pathways for women entrepreneurs to access clean energy solutions, scale sustainable manufacturing practices, and contribute meaningfully to Africa’s green economy.

In his remarks, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter stated: “We are proud to collaborate with Alitheia Capital on W.O.M.A.N. (Women in Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Nutrition) to drive Africa’s green industrial future. We recognise the indispensable role of women in this transition and are committed to expanding access to capital and capability to ensure sustainable growth. This event reflects our shared vision for inclusive and transformative development, and we are committed to supporting this journey through targeted investments and strategic private partnerships.”

Also speaking, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Alitheia Capital, Tokunboh Ishmael said: “We are no longer just talking about sustainability as a nice-to-have. It’s an economic imperative, especially for women entrepreneurs at the heart of Nigeria’s industrial transformation and through W.O.M.A.N by Alitheia, we’re not only spotlighting solutions—we’re scaling them. In our own portfolio, we’ve seen up to a 60% reduction in energy costs among businesses that have adopted clean energy. This is proof that green transition is not only possible but profitable.”

The event also featured keynote addresses and panel discussions with industry leaders including Yemisi Iranloye (CEO, Psaltry), Affiong Williams (CEO, ReelFruit), Temilola Adepetun (Managing Director, SKLD), James Fabola (CFO, Arnergy Solar), Bukola Badmos (Executive Director & CFO, Starsight Energy), and Sarah Ogbewey, (Head, Strategic Partnerships, Renewable Energy & Mobility, Sterling Bank).

Alitheia Capital also launched Nzinga, its SME capacity-building platform designed to equip entrepreneurs with tools for scaling their businesses sustainably. In parallel, Manufacturing Africa unveiled its Green Business Building (GBB) accelerator, which will drive the growth of green businesses through strategic support on core business problems, leading to the development of an ecosystem for green manufacturing and green jobs in Nigeria.

The day closed with an ESG knowledge session, exhibitions from green energy and manufacturing solution providers, and a resounding call to action: expand access to capital, strengthen ecosystems, and enable policy that supports inclusive green industrialization.

UK Reaffirms Commitment Towards Economic Growth, Sustainable Development Across Nigeria

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French Government Calls for Collaboration to Protect Oceans for Plastic Threat

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French Government Calls for Collaboration to Protect Oceans for Plastic Threat

By: Michael Mike

The French government wants Nigeria, the rest of Africa and the global community to mobilise resources, policies and collaboration to protect the oceans from the dangers of plastic waste.

The French Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria,
Jean-François Hasperue, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during a plastic waste awareness programme at the French Institute.

Hasperue said the call for a united front to tackle the challenge became necessary because plastic waste has become one of the most pressing environmental crises facing the globe, with oceans bearing the brunt of the escalating threat.

The envoy explained that from floating debris to microplastics embedded in marine organisms, the evidence of damage on the oceans has been overwhelming.

He said: ‘’Our panellists were explaining that the microplastics that are eaten by fish in the lagoon of Lagos might be eaten by people in Asia because fish have been taken by foreign boats and sold everywhere in the world. So yes, it’s a global issue that we need to address. And there is one specific issue, of course, we decided to address within the UN conference in Nice, is the one of biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions.

“Because it has been for too many years, a gap in which we have not been able to raise cooperation among countries to save these biggest parts of the oceans. And I expect that we will announce that we have reached the 60 signatories for ratification by the end of this week. So the BBNG will be able to be implemented starting the 1st of January 2026.”

According to Mr Hasperue, the French government is raising awareness in Nigeria particularly in Nigerian universities as part of global strategy to build capacity of students and also to rally support for empowering global local communities.

He said: “We are part of a global strategy of France, because of course we would like to act at different level. We act first globally, and that’s why we decided to welcome the UN Conference on Ocean, which is actually happening in Nice from the June 9th to the 13th this very week. And that’s why in the wake of this global conference, we wanted here in Nigeria and in Abuja to organise at our level a debate, but not only a debate here, but activities all over the month of June.

“And we had not less than 11 activities happening in six different states in Nigeria, first of all to raise awareness in Nigeria, but also to rally support for empowering global local communities.”

Hasperue underscored the importance of the UN Ocean Conference to addressing the dangers of plastic waste on oceans, noting that awareness creation remains very critical to ending the menace.

He added that: “We have to take into consideration that plastic, although it has been a solution at some point of history, that it has been now so massive, so huge, that it has become a problem. So now we have to better think how to better produce plastic, how to make sure that plastic is better recycled, and how we make sure that it will less affect all life all over the world.
They are part of a global strategy by France to not only act at the global level, but also at the level of the communities. So we have a double approach, top down, but also a bottom up, to make sure that we create the link between what we are doing on the global stage to raise awareness, but that it has a translation down to the local communities. In every country we are working with the governments and civil society organisations.”

The Deputy French Ambassor to Nigeria stressed that the French government is helping Nigerian universities with recycling plastic and micro plants as well as funding of projects in the universities.

He said: “We have a fund of 750,000, 100,000 euros now, which is about helping universities in recycling plastic. So within this project, we have two micro plants that will be given to Nile University and UNILAG to recycle plastic within the universities. We are also funding a project in five different universities.”

Similarly, Sebastien Bede, the Attaché for Scientific and Higher Education Cooperation at the French Embassy, pointed out that the French government has been cooperating with Nigerian partners to develop projects and implement solutions to plastic waste.
‘’So we have this project we call the French Embassy Fund to actually develop and implement solutions to tackle plastic pollution in Nigerian university campuses. And the idea is threefold. First, as previously the Deputy Ambassador said, to equip two universities here in Nigeria, UNILAG, Nile University in Abuja, with microplants to recycle plastic.

This comes with capacity building, with Plastic Odyssey, to train the staff and develop integrated solutions, which goes from collecting the plastic on the campus, sort it out, clean it, grind it, and then the final product. So we have the input and the output. So there’s been a collective reflection on what is the need here in Nigeria on the campuses.

About 17 Nigerian university students were awarded for their efforts in turning plastic waste to viable economic ventures.

French Government Calls for Collaboration to Protect Oceans for Plastic Threat

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OP-ED: “A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”

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OP-ED: “A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”

By: Michael Mike

This month, leaders will gather in Sevilla, Spain, on a rescue mission: to help fix how the world invests in sustainable development.

The stakes could not be higher. A decade after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and many global commitments to finance them, two-thirds of the targets are lagging. And the world is falling short by over $4 trillion annually in the resources developing countries need to deliver on these promises by 2030.

Meanwhile, the global economy is slowing, trade tensions are rising, aid budgets are being slashed while military spending soars, and international cooperation is under unprecedented strain.

The global development crisis is not abstract. It is measured in families going to bed hungry, children going unvaccinated, girls being forced to drop out of school and entire communities deprived of basic services.

We must correct course. That begins at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, where an ambitious, globally supported plan to invest in the Sustainable Development Goals must be adopted.

That plan should include three essential elements.

First, Sevilla must help accelerate the flow of resources to the countries who need it most. Fast.

Countries must be in the driver’s seat, mobilizing domestic resources by strengthening revenue collection and addressing tax evasion, money laundering and illicit financial flows through international cooperation. This would provide much-needed resources to prioritize spending on areas with the greatest impact such as education, healthcare, jobs, social protection, food security, and renewable energy.

At the same time, national development banks, regional and Multilateral Development Banks need to come together to finance major investments.

To support this, the lending capacity of these banks needs to triple so developing countries can better access capital on affordable terms with longer timelines.

This increased access should include re-channeling of unconditional reserve assets — or Special Drawing Rights — to developing countries, preferably through Multilateral Development Banks to multiply their impact.

Private investment is also essential. Resources can be unlocked by making it easier for private finance to support bankable development projects and by promoting solutions that mitigate currency risks and combine public and private finance more effectively.

Throughout, donors must keep their development promises.

Second, we must fix the global debt system. It is unfair and broken.

The current borrowing system is unsustainable, and developing countries have little confidence in it. It’s easy to see why. Debt service is a steamroller crushing development gains, to the tune of more than $1.4 trillion a year. Many governments are forced to spend more on debt payments than on essentials like health and education combined.

Sevilla must result in concrete steps to reduce borrowing costs, facilitate timely debt restructuring for countries burdened by unsustainable debt, and prevent debt crises from unfolding in the first place.

In advance of the conference, a number of countries put forward proposals to ease the debt burden on developing countries. This includes making it easier to pause debt service in times of emergency; establishing a single debt registry to strengthen transparency; and improving how the IMF, World Bank and credit-ratings agencies assess risks in developing countries.

Finally, Sevilla must raise the voice and influence of developing countries in the international financial system so it better serves their needs.

International financial institutions must reform their governance structures to enable greater voice and participation of developing countries in the management of the institutions they depend on.

The world also needs a fairer global tax system, one shaped by all governments — not just the wealthiest and most powerful.

The creation of a “borrowers club” for countries to coordinate their approaches and learn from one another is another promising step toward addressing power imbalances.

The meeting in Sevilla is not about charity. It’s about justice, and building a future in which countries can thrive, build, trade, and prosper together. In our increasingly interconnected world, a future of haves and have-nots is a recipe for even greater global insecurity that will keep weighing down progress for all.

With renewed global commitment and action, Sevilla can spark new momentum to restore a measure of faith in international cooperation and deliver on sustainable development for people and planet.

In Sevilla, leaders must act together to make this rescue mission a success.

OP-ED: “A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”

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