Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday invited Ghanaian lawmakers to visit India’s new Parliament building, calling it a symbol of India’s commitment to inclusivity and democratic reforms.
Addressing Ghana’s Parliament during his visit to Accra, PM Modi highlighted the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 — the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act — which earmarks one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and the Delhi Assembly for women, including those reserved for SCs and STs.
“I invite you to visit the new Parliament of India. You will see the bold step we have taken to reserve one-third of the seats in Parliament and state assemblies for women,” he said.
The Prime Minister underscored that India is set to become the world’s third-largest economy and highlighted the political stability that has enabled this growth. “Last year, the people of India re-elected the same government for a third consecutive term — something that has happened after more than six decades,” he said.
Drawing a symbolic link between Africa and India’s strides in space, PM Modi recalled that India’s Chandrayaan mission touched down on the Moon’s South Pole while he was in Africa. “Today, as an Indian astronaut conducts experiments on board a space station for the welfare of humanity, I am once again in Africa,” he said.
Calling for urgent reform in global governance, the Prime Minister said institutions set up in the last century were struggling to tackle challenges such as climate change, pandemics, terrorism and cybersecurity. “Progress cannot come without giving voice to the Global South. We are proud that the African Union became a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency,” he said.
Describing India as the “Mother of Democracy”, the PM said democracy was deeply rooted in the country’s civilisational ethos. Quoting the Rigveda, he said, “Let good thoughts come to us from all directions — this openness to ideas is the core of democracy.”
Citing India’s diversity as a testament to its democratic vibrancy, PM Modi said, “India has over 2,500 political parties, twenty different parties governing various states, 22 official languages and thousands of dialects.”
He added that this spirit of openness helps Indians integrate wherever they go. “Even in Ghana, they have blended into society, just like sugar in tea,” the Prime Minister said.
On a lighter note, PM Modi said that the bond between India and Ghana is “sweeter than your famous Sugarloaf Pineapple”, earning warm applause from the lawmakers.
Al-Mashat discusses outcomes of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and ways to enhance joint cooperation with UN officials.
Al-Mashat emphasizes the need for intensified UN efforts to promote debt sustainability and overcome economic challenges in developing and emerging countries.
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, held intensive bilateral meetings with development partners and government officials during the United Nations Financing for Development conference in Spain. The meetings focused on discussing ways to strengthen joint economic relations and reviewing the outputs and outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation met with Ambassador Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the significance of maintaining an open and cooperative dialogue on Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), particularly as developing countries strive to achieve the dual goals of financing development and maintaining financial sustainability.
She highlighted Egypt’s commitment to evidence-based policymaking and expressed appreciation for UNECA’s role in promoting regional approaches to debt dialogue and capacity building.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat affirmed that UNECA plays a pivotal role in fostering regional debt dialogue and providing technical support to member states. By providing knowledge and resources, the commission helps countries improve their financial strategies and develop debt management systems, thereby enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.
The two sides discussed ways to develop joint relations. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reiterated Egypt’s keenness to benefit from the technical expertise and knowledge resources provided by UNECA to refine policies and support inclusive growth. She also highlighted Egypt’s commitment to leverage UNECA’s support in the field of macro-planning to achieve sustainable development and promote inclusive growth.
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
In another context, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat met with Ms. Rola Dashti, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), to discuss a number of cooperation files.
During the meeting, the two parties reviewed potential areas of cooperation and support between the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat confirmed the depth of relations between the two sides and the diversity of cooperation files to include a number of vital issues.
H.E. Minister Rania Al-Mashat pointed to the tools developed by ESCWA in the areas of financing, costing, budgeting, and improving debt management. She stressed Egypt’s interest in and the importance of these tools, especially in light of the recent launch of Egypt’s Integrated National Financing Framework (E-INFF).
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out the role of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and its responsibility for managing public investments. She outlined that the AI-powered budgeting tool developed by ESCWA could contribute to guiding optimal public spending decisions to achieve sustainable development goals and accelerate their implementation, in line with Egypt’s commitments, national priorities, and Egypt Vision 2030.
H.E. Minister Al-Mashat underscored the importance of cooperation with ESCWA to bridge data gaps, as development gaps are linked to financing gaps, making it essential to monitor these gaps accurately.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also noted the Ministry’s role in chairing the Ministerial Committee for Entrepreneurship, which includes various relevant entities.
She indicated potential avenues for cooperation in this area, especially given ESCWA’s endeavors to support small and medium-sized enterprises and boost their capabilities in e-commerce.
The two sides also discussed the possibility of ESCWA supporting the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) by providing innovative ideas and mechanisms to enhance preparations for the upcoming population census.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.
Professor Benedict Okechukwu Oramah, CON, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has taken a bow from serving at the helm of the institution for the last decade; a period that has been touted as transformational and exceptional.
While giving his closing speech during the AAM2025, Professor Oramah took the audience down memory lane, from June 2015 when shareholders gave him a leadership mandate in Lusaka, Zambia, saying that; “In my acceptance speech, I made a solemn promise to the shareholders, to deliver a solid bank that will be a leader among its peers in all measures of financial performance to quickly grow the capital of the Bank in absolute terms, to improve capitalisation through innovative capital management initiatives to ensure first-class risk management, and achieve adequate returns to shareholders.”
Professor Oramah highlighted the achievements of the Bank during his tenure, some under very extreme situations, citing the financial rise thus “we have collectively, over the past decade, built a solid financial institution that is good for Global Africa. Total assets and guarantees grew more than eight-fold between September 2015 and April 2025, to reach 43.5 billion US dollars. Total Revenues also rose seven-fold, reaching 3.24 billion US dollars, from 408 million US dollars in 2025. Net income amounted to about 1 billion US dollars last year, about 700% increase, from its level of 125 million US dollars in 2015. Internal capital generation and very strong support of shareholders through significant additional equity investments, saw shareholders’ funds rise from about 1 billion US dollars in September 2015 to 7.5 billion US dollars in April 2025, with callable capital reaching 4.5 billion US dollars from 450 million US dollars in September 2015. Liquidity remained strong, with sources of funding much more diversified in 2024 than in 2015, due to activities of the Africa Resource Mobilisation Unit, which saw the share of African sources of funding rise from 11.7 percent in 2015 to 36.6 percent in May 2025.”
Going forward, Prof Oramah said that the Bank would like to give priority to the financing and promoting of high-value exports that have the capability of stabilising export revenues and creating jobs thereby raising and stabilising trade and economy in Africa.
H.E.Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who spoke at the official opening ceremony, appreciated the contribution of Afreximbank to the growth and stability of the economy of Nigeria and by extension Africa at large, saying “Nigeria’s collaboration with Afreximbank is expanding in both scope and breadth through various avenues including but not limited to the oil industry, and food production through fertilizer manufacturer through financing and Nigeria appreciates Afreximbank as a strategic partner in co creation which positively impacts the lives of Africans and helps transform the Continent.”
In recognition of the outstanding work done my Professor Oramah over the last 10 years and in the last 3 decades at Afreximbank, President Tinubu on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, awarded Prof. Oramah one of Nigeria’s highest state commendations: The Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger(GCON).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
Media Contact: Vincent Musumba Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations) Email: press@afreximbank.com
About Afreximbank: African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB-). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s keynote address at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum 2024.
I want to start by congratulating Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha for their Nobel Peace Prize.
As a young diplomat almost 40 years ago, I was fortunate to be part of a UN disarmament fellowship programme and to visit Hiroshima. There, fellows had an opportunity to meet the hibakusha and I had a conversation with an ailing victim. I have carried to every meeting, to every negotiation, and to every posting, the memory this woman’s silent testimony. When I asked her about that morning in 1945, she struggled to express the horror in words. She tried to articulate some words but stayed silent. Looking at me, right into my eyes. The look in her eyes has stayed with me ever since, like a powerful reminder, a secret mandate, to work so that her suffering is never repeated.
For decades after the Second World War, the international community has been dealing with this unique dilemma: we built robust norms and passed nonproliferation and disarmament treaties. Instead of dozens of countries armed with nuclear weapons, as was the concern in the 1960s, there are less than ten. Stockpiles of nuclear weapons have shrunk from tens of thousands to thousands.
But on its journey through the perils of the atomic age, the world has come to a crucial crossroads. Our deep psychological connection caused by collectively seeing the horror of the consequences of nuclear war seems to be evaporating, taking with it our joint resolve to do everything possible to prevent a repetition.
Like a giant spotlight, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize has lit up our path ahead. It has done it, by reminding us of the past, and of the consequences of ignoring the perils of nuclear weapons use.
Context of conflicts
To understand the important challenges we face, we must look at the global context, at what is happening around the world.
War has returned to Europe, and it directly involves a nuclear weapon state. The conflict in Ukraine is also an indirect confrontation between the world’s biggest nuclear weapon states, the first since the end of the Cold War. But nuclear exercises and open references to the use of nuclear weapons in the theatre of this war are increasing the risks and can not be ignored.
In the Middle East, the conflict of the past year has ignited smoldering tensions between Israel and Iran and led to the unprecedented step of direct exchanges and attacks between the two. Here there is also a nuclear weapons dimension. On one side, the assumed presence of nuclear weapons looms in the background. On the other, the very real potential of nuclear proliferation is raising the stakes.
We find ourselves in a harmful loop: the erosion of the restraints around nuclear weapons is making these conflicts more dangerous. Meanwhile, these conflicts are contributing to the erosion of the restraints. The vicious circle dynamic is in motion.
An unfortunate change of direction
Doctrines regarding the use of nuclear weapons are being revised or reinterpreted. The quantity and quality of nuclear weapon stockpiles are being increased.
And in some non-nuclear weapon states – states that are important in their region – leaders are asking “why not us?”. And they are asking this openly!
At the start of the nuclear arms race, J Robert Oppenheimer described the USSR and the US as “two scorpions in a bottle” each capable of killing the other, but only by risking their own life.
Oppenheimer’s blunt statement would later be developed and elaborated under the roof of deterrence and the more sophisticated concept of “Mutual Assured Destruction,” or MAD.
Today, independent of the vantage point of the observer, there is widespread concern that the risk of mutual destruction through nuclear war is higher than it has been for more than a generation.
Lessons from history
But it does not have to be this way. We can do better. History has shown that effective dialogue among superpowers has, more often than not, led to confidence and, as a result, also to arms limitation and even disarmament. At certain moments in history, world leaders took the right decisions, to tone down, or, to use today’s parlance, to de-escalate. Let’s see:
The end of the Cuban Missile Crisis happened thanks to the direct engagement of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F Kennedy. Decades later, at the Geneva Summit of 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan agreed a crucial axiom: “Nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought.” They met again the next year in Reykjavik and significant reductions in nuclear arsenals followed. Nuclear weapon reductions and the elimination of a whole category of weapon, through the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Treaty, were agreed. These steps towards rapprochement took leadership and courage. They often happened despite skepticism and voices against them.
Diplomacy and dialogue (and the duty of nuclear weapon states)
A return to diplomacy and dialogue is urgently needed, and this, not only in things nuclear. Shutting the other side out has never solved a problem and almost certainly aggravates it. Top leadership involvement is simply indispensable when nuclear weapons are involved. President Trump took the initiative and talked to Kim Jong Un. More of this is needed. Some have said these talks were ill prepared. I say, this is important. Nuclear weapon policy and limitations does not work bottom up. It is of course the other way around.
We must be proactive in building the trust and protections that lower the risk of close calls and of brinkmanship, especially during today’s tensions. Not taking active steps means we rely on luck – or the assumption that the other side will show restraint – to save us from nuclear war. The longer you rely on luck, the more likely it is to run out.
Conflict and tensions compel nations to arm themselves. Diplomacy and compromise create conditions in which they can disarm.
The road to a nuclear weapon-free world is long and winding. The disarmament landscape is complex, and it’s worth acknowledging that. This does not diminish the responsibility nuclear weapons states have to make progress. After all, they committed themselves to this goal back in 1968, through the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Steps can be taken to decrease the reliance on nuclear weapons, both in their production and the scenarios for their use.
Nuclear weapon states, through their actions at home and on the world stage, have a responsibility to avoid a scenario in which more countries seek nuclear weapons. Pushing ahead with increases in arsenals leads to despair, cynicism, and a growing skepticism about the value of past commitments. Disengagement and unilateralism fuel sentiments of vulnerability in other countries, and with that, the notion nuclear weapons could be the ultimate protection against outside threats.
Engagement among the five permanent members of the Security Council is indispensable. Such engagement can take many different shapes, starting with direct contact among themselves, bilaterally or as a group. This dialogue, which still exists, has been reduced to a very low level, virtually without real impact. Perhaps its revival could be assisted by an international organization, or facilitated with the support of a respected, impartial leader. Therefore, it’s essential that the United Nations, other international organizations, and their leaders work effectively to ensure their continued relevance amid the changing needs of their stakeholders.
Do not make things worse (by falling for the siren call of proliferation)
The IAEA has played its indispensable technical role during past attempts of nuclear proliferation, particularly in the Middle East. As the difficult experiences in Iraq, Libya and Syria remind us, the draw of nuclear weapons is real and so is the geopolitical and military response.
Today’s tensions are prompting even leaders of important counties that, so far, are in good standing with the NPT to ask: “Why shouldn’t we have a nuclear weapon too?”
To this, I would say, “Do not make things worse.” Acquiring a nuclear weapon will not increase national security, it will do the opposite. Other countries will follow. And this will contribute to the unravelling of a nonproliferation regime that has had its ups and downs – and it still has its limitations – but none-the-less it has served humanity extraordinarily well. The problem and challenge to the NPT regime may come from those nuclear armed but also those who, while not having nuclear weapons, may feel the NPT has failed as a catalyst to disarmament.
Weakening the non-proliferation treaty under the argument that progress on nuclear disarmament has been slow and more drastic approaches are required, would be totally misguided and may make us throw away existing international measures committing nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states in this field.
I come from a non-nuclear weapon state. I understand the frustration that some people feel about the “haves” and “have-nots” of nuclear weapons. But I have also seen the legacy of peace and prosperity left by leaders who resisted that siren call. In the 1980s, vision, resolve and dialogue meant Brazil and Argentina changed course and did not go down the path to nuclear arms. Today, Latin America is a nuclear weapon free zone.
Multilateral leaders: step up by stepping in
Many wonder whether there’s still a role for multilateralism in guiding us through this maze of conflicting interests. Yes, there is. During difficult times in the past, international organizations have had a big impact on peace and security. But it only happens when leaders of these organizations get off the side lines and use their mandate and their own good offices effectively.
We prove our relevance in extraordinary times.
Each organization has different tools, a different mandate, a different membership, and each of their leaders will determine how to act. I can speak for the IAEA. We have nuclear science at our core, and we are the world’s nuclear weapons watchdog. Let me give you an example:
For almost three years, Ukraine, the world and the IAEA have been confronted with a completely unprecedented situation – never before has a military conflict involved the seizure of a nuclear power plant and been fought among the facilities of a major nuclear power programme.
At the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s biggest nuclear power plant – the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe, with nearly 6 gigawatts of installed capacity – was taken by Russia. This established a hotspot in the middle of a combat zone. The chance of an incident – or accident – causing terrible radiological consequences became real.
Observing this from the outside was never, in my mind, an option. Staying on the sidelines and later reflecting on “lessons learned” may have been the more traditional – or expected – path for an international organization. But to me this would have been a dereliction of duty. So, we leaned into our core mission, crossed the front lines of war, and established a permanent presence of IAEA experts at all Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. That makes us the only international organization operating independently in occupied territory. We are informing the world of what’s going on and reducing the chance that a radiological incident enflames the conflict and causes even more devastation.
We did the same by going to Kursk when a Russian nuclear reactor was at risk of coming into the line of fire. I am in constant communication with both sides.
I have been meeting with President Zelenskyy, and President Putin regularly. Nuclear safety and security during this conflict must have the buy-in and continued involvement of both leaders. Talking to only one of them would not achieve this important goal. At the same time, I am keeping an open dialogue with leaders on all continents and briefing the UN Security Council. When it comes to nuclear safety in Ukraine it has been possible to build a level of agreement that is rare during the divisions of this conflict. Where there is agreement, there is hope for more agreement.
Ukraine is not our only hotspot.
In Iran, the IAEA’s job is to verify the exclusively peaceful nature of a growing nuclear programme. Iran has now enriched uranium to a level that is hard to justify. It has not yet answered the IAEA’s questions completely and it has made our work more difficult by taking away some of our cameras and blocking some of our most experienced safeguards inspectors from going into the country. This has caused concern and led to a pattern of mistrust and recriminations. In diplomacy, progress often requires prompting, catalyzing, and suggesting ways forward. This presents a role for an impartial, honest and effective broker. It is a role I, in my capacity as the IAEA’s Director General, have been playing. In fact, I returned from my latest visit to Tehran just a few weeks ago where I presented alternatives and ideas to reduce the growing tensions, and hopefully to retain Iran within the NPT and the non-proliferation norms.
The danger of playing it safe
When it comes to working on behalf of peace and security, playing it safe is dangerous.
Silence and indifference can be deadly.
Dag Hammerskjold, the second Secretary General of the United Nations, said: “It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.”
A new path
This week, the Norwegian Nobel Committee looked beyond today’s conflicts. In its own way, it did not play it safe. Instead, it shined a light on the horrors of nuclear war and the people who have been warning us about them for many decades.
In doing that, the Nobel Committee, Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha have illuminated the danger of the path we are now on.
We have to make a new path.
First, the leaders of the nuclear weapon states must recognize the need for a responsible management of their nuclear arsenals. Experiences from the past confirm that even at times of crisis and conflict it has been possible to recognize the unique terminal power of these weapons and the responsibility that comes with it. What Kennedy, Khrushchev, Reagan, Gorbachev, or Trump did by reaching out to a nuclear-armed adversary, sets a precedent, a useful one. Such contacts, either bilateral or at the P5 level could possibly be facilitated by a competent broker. These are the first steps to bringing down the tone so that nuclear sabre rattling recedes and the commitments to the unequivocal undertakings to move towards a nuclear free world can be fulfilled.
Secondly, an iron-clad resolve to observe and strengthen the global non-proliferation regime needs to be adopted. Nuclear weapon and nuclear non-weapon states must work together to ensure the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We need to walk through perilous times by recognizing limitations and keeping our eyes on our common objectives.
Nuclear disarmament cannot be imposed on the nuclear armed.
Realism is not defeatism. Diplomacy is not weakness.
Difficult times call for enlightened leadership, at the national level, and at the international level as well.
Putting the international system back on track is within our reach. World leaders, including those at the top of the multilateral system, have a duty and an irrevocable responsibility to work towards this.
Personally, I am convinced. Perhaps, because the secret mandate I received that day in Hiroshima from a hibakusha burns in me, stronger than ever. Thank you.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s keynote address at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum 2024.
I want to start by congratulating Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha for their Nobel Peace Prize.
As a young diplomat almost 40 years ago, I was fortunate to be part of a UN disarmament fellowship programme and to visit Hiroshima. There, fellows had an opportunity to meet the hibakusha and I had a conversation with an ailing victim. I have carried to every meeting, to every negotiation, and to every posting, the memory this woman’s silent testimony. When I asked her about that morning in 1945, she struggled to express the horror in words. She tried to articulate some words but stayed silent. Looking at me, right into my eyes. The look in her eyes has stayed with me ever since, like a powerful reminder, a secret mandate, to work so that her suffering is never repeated.
For decades after the Second World War, the international community has been dealing with this unique dilemma: we built robust norms and passed nonproliferation and disarmament treaties. Instead of dozens of countries armed with nuclear weapons, as was the concern in the 1960s, there are less than ten. Stockpiles of nuclear weapons have shrunk from tens of thousands to thousands.
But on its journey through the perils of the atomic age, the world has come to a crucial crossroads. Our deep psychological connection caused by collectively seeing the horror of the consequences of nuclear war seems to be evaporating, taking with it our joint resolve to do everything possible to prevent a repetition.
Like a giant spotlight, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize has lit up our path ahead. It has done it, by reminding us of the past, and of the consequences of ignoring the perils of nuclear weapons use.
Context of conflicts
To understand the important challenges we face, we must look at the global context, at what is happening around the world.
War has returned to Europe, and it directly involves a nuclear weapon state. The conflict in Ukraine is also an indirect confrontation between the world’s biggest nuclear weapon states, the first since the end of the Cold War. But nuclear exercises and open references to the use of nuclear weapons in the theatre of this war are increasing the risks and can not be ignored.
In the Middle East, the conflict of the past year has ignited smoldering tensions between Israel and Iran and led to the unprecedented step of direct exchanges and attacks between the two. Here there is also a nuclear weapons dimension. On one side, the assumed presence of nuclear weapons looms in the background. On the other, the very real potential of nuclear proliferation is raising the stakes.
We find ourselves in a harmful loop: the erosion of the restraints around nuclear weapons is making these conflicts more dangerous. Meanwhile, these conflicts are contributing to the erosion of the restraints. The vicious circle dynamic is in motion.
An unfortunate change of direction
Doctrines regarding the use of nuclear weapons are being revised or reinterpreted. The quantity and quality of nuclear weapon stockpiles are being increased.
And in some non-nuclear weapon states – states that are important in their region – leaders are asking “why not us?”. And they are asking this openly!
At the start of the nuclear arms race, J Robert Oppenheimer described the USSR and the US as “two scorpions in a bottle” each capable of killing the other, but only by risking their own life.
Oppenheimer’s blunt statement would later be developed and elaborated under the roof of deterrence and the more sophisticated concept of “Mutual Assured Destruction,” or MAD.
Today, independent of the vantage point of the observer, there is widespread concern that the risk of mutual destruction through nuclear war is higher than it has been for more than a generation.
Lessons from history
But it does not have to be this way. We can do better. History has shown that effective dialogue among superpowers has, more often than not, led to confidence and, as a result, also to arms limitation and even disarmament. At certain moments in history, world leaders took the right decisions, to tone down, or, to use today’s parlance, to de-escalate. Let’s see:
The end of the Cuban Missile Crisis happened thanks to the direct engagement of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F Kennedy. Decades later, at the Geneva Summit of 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan agreed a crucial axiom: “Nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought.” They met again the next year in Reykjavik and significant reductions in nuclear arsenals followed. Nuclear weapon reductions and the elimination of a whole category of weapon, through the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Treaty, were agreed. These steps towards rapprochement took leadership and courage. They often happened despite skepticism and voices against them.
Diplomacy and dialogue (and the duty of nuclear weapon states)
A return to diplomacy and dialogue is urgently needed, and this, not only in things nuclear. Shutting the other side out has never solved a problem and almost certainly aggravates it. Top leadership involvement is simply indispensable when nuclear weapons are involved. President Trump took the initiative and talked to Kim Jong Un. More of this is needed. Some have said these talks were ill prepared. I say, this is important. Nuclear weapon policy and limitations does not work bottom up. It is of course the other way around.
We must be proactive in building the trust and protections that lower the risk of close calls and of brinkmanship, especially during today’s tensions. Not taking active steps means we rely on luck – or the assumption that the other side will show restraint – to save us from nuclear war. The longer you rely on luck, the more likely it is to run out.
Conflict and tensions compel nations to arm themselves. Diplomacy and compromise create conditions in which they can disarm.
The road to a nuclear weapon-free world is long and winding. The disarmament landscape is complex, and it’s worth acknowledging that. This does not diminish the responsibility nuclear weapons states have to make progress. After all, they committed themselves to this goal back in 1968, through the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Steps can be taken to decrease the reliance on nuclear weapons, both in their production and the scenarios for their use.
Nuclear weapon states, through their actions at home and on the world stage, have a responsibility to avoid a scenario in which more countries seek nuclear weapons. Pushing ahead with increases in arsenals leads to despair, cynicism, and a growing skepticism about the value of past commitments. Disengagement and unilateralism fuel sentiments of vulnerability in other countries, and with that, the notion nuclear weapons could be the ultimate protection against outside threats.
Engagement among the five permanent members of the Security Council is indispensable. Such engagement can take many different shapes, starting with direct contact among themselves, bilaterally or as a group. This dialogue, which still exists, has been reduced to a very low level, virtually without real impact. Perhaps its revival could be assisted by an international organization, or facilitated with the support of a respected, impartial leader. Therefore, it’s essential that the United Nations, other international organizations, and their leaders work effectively to ensure their continued relevance amid the changing needs of their stakeholders.
Do not make things worse (by falling for the siren call of proliferation)
The IAEA has played its indispensable technical role during past attempts of nuclear proliferation, particularly in the Middle East. As the difficult experiences in Iraq, Libya and Syria remind us, the draw of nuclear weapons is real and so is the geopolitical and military response.
Today’s tensions are prompting even leaders of important counties that, so far, are in good standing with the NPT to ask: “Why shouldn’t we have a nuclear weapon too?”
To this, I would say, “Do not make things worse.” Acquiring a nuclear weapon will not increase national security, it will do the opposite. Other countries will follow. And this will contribute to the unravelling of a nonproliferation regime that has had its ups and downs – and it still has its limitations – but none-the-less it has served humanity extraordinarily well. The problem and challenge to the NPT regime may come from those nuclear armed but also those who, while not having nuclear weapons, may feel the NPT has failed as a catalyst to disarmament.
Weakening the non-proliferation treaty under the argument that progress on nuclear disarmament has been slow and more drastic approaches are required, would be totally misguided and may make us throw away existing international measures committing nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states in this field.
I come from a non-nuclear weapon state. I understand the frustration that some people feel about the “haves” and “have-nots” of nuclear weapons. But I have also seen the legacy of peace and prosperity left by leaders who resisted that siren call. In the 1980s, vision, resolve and dialogue meant Brazil and Argentina changed course and did not go down the path to nuclear arms. Today, Latin America is a nuclear weapon free zone.
Multilateral leaders: step up by stepping in
Many wonder whether there’s still a role for multilateralism in guiding us through this maze of conflicting interests. Yes, there is. During difficult times in the past, international organizations have had a big impact on peace and security. But it only happens when leaders of these organizations get off the side lines and use their mandate and their own good offices effectively.
We prove our relevance in extraordinary times.
Each organization has different tools, a different mandate, a different membership, and each of their leaders will determine how to act. I can speak for the IAEA. We have nuclear science at our core, and we are the world’s nuclear weapons watchdog. Let me give you an example:
For almost three years, Ukraine, the world and the IAEA have been confronted with a completely unprecedented situation – never before has a military conflict involved the seizure of a nuclear power plant and been fought among the facilities of a major nuclear power programme.
At the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s biggest nuclear power plant – the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe, with nearly 6 gigawatts of installed capacity – was taken by Russia. This established a hotspot in the middle of a combat zone. The chance of an incident – or accident – causing terrible radiological consequences became real.
Observing this from the outside was never, in my mind, an option. Staying on the sidelines and later reflecting on “lessons learned” may have been the more traditional – or expected – path for an international organization. But to me this would have been a dereliction of duty. So, we leaned into our core mission, crossed the front lines of war, and established a permanent presence of IAEA experts at all Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. That makes us the only international organization operating independently in occupied territory. We are informing the world of what’s going on and reducing the chance that a radiological incident enflames the conflict and causes even more devastation.
We did the same by going to Kursk when a Russian nuclear reactor was at risk of coming into the line of fire. I am in constant communication with both sides.
I have been meeting with President Zelenskyy, and President Putin regularly. Nuclear safety and security during this conflict must have the buy-in and continued involvement of both leaders. Talking to only one of them would not achieve this important goal. At the same time, I am keeping an open dialogue with leaders on all continents and briefing the UN Security Council. When it comes to nuclear safety in Ukraine it has been possible to build a level of agreement that is rare during the divisions of this conflict. Where there is agreement, there is hope for more agreement.
Ukraine is not our only hotspot.
In Iran, the IAEA’s job is to verify the exclusively peaceful nature of a growing nuclear programme. Iran has now enriched uranium to a level that is hard to justify. It has not yet answered the IAEA’s questions completely and it has made our work more difficult by taking away some of our cameras and blocking some of our most experienced safeguards inspectors from going into the country. This has caused concern and led to a pattern of mistrust and recriminations. In diplomacy, progress often requires prompting, catalyzing, and suggesting ways forward. This presents a role for an impartial, honest and effective broker. It is a role I, in my capacity as the IAEA’s Director General, have been playing. In fact, I returned from my latest visit to Tehran just a few weeks ago where I presented alternatives and ideas to reduce the growing tensions, and hopefully to retain Iran within the NPT and the non-proliferation norms.
The danger of playing it safe
When it comes to working on behalf of peace and security, playing it safe is dangerous.
Silence and indifference can be deadly.
Dag Hammerskjold, the second Secretary General of the United Nations, said: “It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.”
A new path
This week, the Norwegian Nobel Committee looked beyond today’s conflicts. In its own way, it did not play it safe. Instead, it shined a light on the horrors of nuclear war and the people who have been warning us about them for many decades.
In doing that, the Nobel Committee, Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha have illuminated the danger of the path we are now on.
We have to make a new path.
First, the leaders of the nuclear weapon states must recognize the need for a responsible management of their nuclear arsenals. Experiences from the past confirm that even at times of crisis and conflict it has been possible to recognize the unique terminal power of these weapons and the responsibility that comes with it. What Kennedy, Khrushchev, Reagan, Gorbachev, or Trump did by reaching out to a nuclear-armed adversary, sets a precedent, a useful one. Such contacts, either bilateral or at the P5 level could possibly be facilitated by a competent broker. These are the first steps to bringing down the tone so that nuclear sabre rattling recedes and the commitments to the unequivocal undertakings to move towards a nuclear free world can be fulfilled.
Secondly, an iron-clad resolve to observe and strengthen the global non-proliferation regime needs to be adopted. Nuclear weapon and nuclear non-weapon states must work together to ensure the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We need to walk through perilous times by recognizing limitations and keeping our eyes on our common objectives.
Nuclear disarmament cannot be imposed on the nuclear armed.
Realism is not defeatism. Diplomacy is not weakness.
Difficult times call for enlightened leadership, at the national level, and at the international level as well.
Putting the international system back on track is within our reach. World leaders, including those at the top of the multilateral system, have a duty and an irrevocable responsibility to work towards this.
Personally, I am convinced. Perhaps, because the secret mandate I received that day in Hiroshima from a hibakusha burns in me, stronger than ever. Thank you.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s keynote address at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum 2024.
I want to start by congratulating Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha for their Nobel Peace Prize.
As a young diplomat almost 40 years ago, I was fortunate to be part of a UN disarmament fellowship programme and to visit Hiroshima. There, fellows had an opportunity to meet the hibakusha and I had a conversation with an ailing victim. I have carried to every meeting, to every negotiation, and to every posting, the memory this woman’s silent testimony. When I asked her about that morning in 1945, she struggled to express the horror in words. She tried to articulate some words but stayed silent. Looking at me, right into my eyes. The look in her eyes has stayed with me ever since, like a powerful reminder, a secret mandate, to work so that her suffering is never repeated.
For decades after the Second World War, the international community has been dealing with this unique dilemma: we built robust norms and passed nonproliferation and disarmament treaties. Instead of dozens of countries armed with nuclear weapons, as was the concern in the 1960s, there are less than ten. Stockpiles of nuclear weapons have shrunk from tens of thousands to thousands.
But on its journey through the perils of the atomic age, the world has come to a crucial crossroads. Our deep psychological connection caused by collectively seeing the horror of the consequences of nuclear war seems to be evaporating, taking with it our joint resolve to do everything possible to prevent a repetition.
Like a giant spotlight, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize has lit up our path ahead. It has done it, by reminding us of the past, and of the consequences of ignoring the perils of nuclear weapons use.
Context of conflicts
To understand the important challenges we face, we must look at the global context, at what is happening around the world.
War has returned to Europe, and it directly involves a nuclear weapon state. The conflict in Ukraine is also an indirect confrontation between the world’s biggest nuclear weapon states, the first since the end of the Cold War. But nuclear exercises and open references to the use of nuclear weapons in the theatre of this war are increasing the risks and can not be ignored.
In the Middle East, the conflict of the past year has ignited smoldering tensions between Israel and Iran and led to the unprecedented step of direct exchanges and attacks between the two. Here there is also a nuclear weapons dimension. On one side, the assumed presence of nuclear weapons looms in the background. On the other, the very real potential of nuclear proliferation is raising the stakes.
We find ourselves in a harmful loop: the erosion of the restraints around nuclear weapons is making these conflicts more dangerous. Meanwhile, these conflicts are contributing to the erosion of the restraints. The vicious circle dynamic is in motion.
An unfortunate change of direction
Doctrines regarding the use of nuclear weapons are being revised or reinterpreted. The quantity and quality of nuclear weapon stockpiles are being increased.
And in some non-nuclear weapon states – states that are important in their region – leaders are asking “why not us?”. And they are asking this openly!
At the start of the nuclear arms race, J Robert Oppenheimer described the USSR and the US as “two scorpions in a bottle” each capable of killing the other, but only by risking their own life.
Oppenheimer’s blunt statement would later be developed and elaborated under the roof of deterrence and the more sophisticated concept of “Mutual Assured Destruction,” or MAD.
Today, independent of the vantage point of the observer, there is widespread concern that the risk of mutual destruction through nuclear war is higher than it has been for more than a generation.
Lessons from history
But it does not have to be this way. We can do better. History has shown that effective dialogue among superpowers has, more often than not, led to confidence and, as a result, also to arms limitation and even disarmament. At certain moments in history, world leaders took the right decisions, to tone down, or, to use today’s parlance, to de-escalate. Let’s see:
The end of the Cuban Missile Crisis happened thanks to the direct engagement of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F Kennedy. Decades later, at the Geneva Summit of 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan agreed a crucial axiom: “Nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought.” They met again the next year in Reykjavik and significant reductions in nuclear arsenals followed. Nuclear weapon reductions and the elimination of a whole category of weapon, through the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Treaty, were agreed. These steps towards rapprochement took leadership and courage. They often happened despite skepticism and voices against them.
Diplomacy and dialogue (and the duty of nuclear weapon states)
A return to diplomacy and dialogue is urgently needed, and this, not only in things nuclear. Shutting the other side out has never solved a problem and almost certainly aggravates it. Top leadership involvement is simply indispensable when nuclear weapons are involved. President Trump took the initiative and talked to Kim Jong Un. More of this is needed. Some have said these talks were ill prepared. I say, this is important. Nuclear weapon policy and limitations does not work bottom up. It is of course the other way around.
We must be proactive in building the trust and protections that lower the risk of close calls and of brinkmanship, especially during today’s tensions. Not taking active steps means we rely on luck – or the assumption that the other side will show restraint – to save us from nuclear war. The longer you rely on luck, the more likely it is to run out.
Conflict and tensions compel nations to arm themselves. Diplomacy and compromise create conditions in which they can disarm.
The road to a nuclear weapon-free world is long and winding. The disarmament landscape is complex, and it’s worth acknowledging that. This does not diminish the responsibility nuclear weapons states have to make progress. After all, they committed themselves to this goal back in 1968, through the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Steps can be taken to decrease the reliance on nuclear weapons, both in their production and the scenarios for their use.
Nuclear weapon states, through their actions at home and on the world stage, have a responsibility to avoid a scenario in which more countries seek nuclear weapons. Pushing ahead with increases in arsenals leads to despair, cynicism, and a growing skepticism about the value of past commitments. Disengagement and unilateralism fuel sentiments of vulnerability in other countries, and with that, the notion nuclear weapons could be the ultimate protection against outside threats.
Engagement among the five permanent members of the Security Council is indispensable. Such engagement can take many different shapes, starting with direct contact among themselves, bilaterally or as a group. This dialogue, which still exists, has been reduced to a very low level, virtually without real impact. Perhaps its revival could be assisted by an international organization, or facilitated with the support of a respected, impartial leader. Therefore, it’s essential that the United Nations, other international organizations, and their leaders work effectively to ensure their continued relevance amid the changing needs of their stakeholders.
Do not make things worse (by falling for the siren call of proliferation)
The IAEA has played its indispensable technical role during past attempts of nuclear proliferation, particularly in the Middle East. As the difficult experiences in Iraq, Libya and Syria remind us, the draw of nuclear weapons is real and so is the geopolitical and military response.
Today’s tensions are prompting even leaders of important counties that, so far, are in good standing with the NPT to ask: “Why shouldn’t we have a nuclear weapon too?”
To this, I would say, “Do not make things worse.” Acquiring a nuclear weapon will not increase national security, it will do the opposite. Other countries will follow. And this will contribute to the unravelling of a nonproliferation regime that has had its ups and downs – and it still has its limitations – but none-the-less it has served humanity extraordinarily well. The problem and challenge to the NPT regime may come from those nuclear armed but also those who, while not having nuclear weapons, may feel the NPT has failed as a catalyst to disarmament.
Weakening the non-proliferation treaty under the argument that progress on nuclear disarmament has been slow and more drastic approaches are required, would be totally misguided and may make us throw away existing international measures committing nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states in this field.
I come from a non-nuclear weapon state. I understand the frustration that some people feel about the “haves” and “have-nots” of nuclear weapons. But I have also seen the legacy of peace and prosperity left by leaders who resisted that siren call. In the 1980s, vision, resolve and dialogue meant Brazil and Argentina changed course and did not go down the path to nuclear arms. Today, Latin America is a nuclear weapon free zone.
Multilateral leaders: step up by stepping in
Many wonder whether there’s still a role for multilateralism in guiding us through this maze of conflicting interests. Yes, there is. During difficult times in the past, international organizations have had a big impact on peace and security. But it only happens when leaders of these organizations get off the side lines and use their mandate and their own good offices effectively.
We prove our relevance in extraordinary times.
Each organization has different tools, a different mandate, a different membership, and each of their leaders will determine how to act. I can speak for the IAEA. We have nuclear science at our core, and we are the world’s nuclear weapons watchdog. Let me give you an example:
For almost three years, Ukraine, the world and the IAEA have been confronted with a completely unprecedented situation – never before has a military conflict involved the seizure of a nuclear power plant and been fought among the facilities of a major nuclear power programme.
At the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s biggest nuclear power plant – the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe, with nearly 6 gigawatts of installed capacity – was taken by Russia. This established a hotspot in the middle of a combat zone. The chance of an incident – or accident – causing terrible radiological consequences became real.
Observing this from the outside was never, in my mind, an option. Staying on the sidelines and later reflecting on “lessons learned” may have been the more traditional – or expected – path for an international organization. But to me this would have been a dereliction of duty. So, we leaned into our core mission, crossed the front lines of war, and established a permanent presence of IAEA experts at all Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. That makes us the only international organization operating independently in occupied territory. We are informing the world of what’s going on and reducing the chance that a radiological incident enflames the conflict and causes even more devastation.
We did the same by going to Kursk when a Russian nuclear reactor was at risk of coming into the line of fire. I am in constant communication with both sides.
I have been meeting with President Zelenskyy, and President Putin regularly. Nuclear safety and security during this conflict must have the buy-in and continued involvement of both leaders. Talking to only one of them would not achieve this important goal. At the same time, I am keeping an open dialogue with leaders on all continents and briefing the UN Security Council. When it comes to nuclear safety in Ukraine it has been possible to build a level of agreement that is rare during the divisions of this conflict. Where there is agreement, there is hope for more agreement.
Ukraine is not our only hotspot.
In Iran, the IAEA’s job is to verify the exclusively peaceful nature of a growing nuclear programme. Iran has now enriched uranium to a level that is hard to justify. It has not yet answered the IAEA’s questions completely and it has made our work more difficult by taking away some of our cameras and blocking some of our most experienced safeguards inspectors from going into the country. This has caused concern and led to a pattern of mistrust and recriminations. In diplomacy, progress often requires prompting, catalyzing, and suggesting ways forward. This presents a role for an impartial, honest and effective broker. It is a role I, in my capacity as the IAEA’s Director General, have been playing. In fact, I returned from my latest visit to Tehran just a few weeks ago where I presented alternatives and ideas to reduce the growing tensions, and hopefully to retain Iran within the NPT and the non-proliferation norms.
The danger of playing it safe
When it comes to working on behalf of peace and security, playing it safe is dangerous.
Silence and indifference can be deadly.
Dag Hammerskjold, the second Secretary General of the United Nations, said: “It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.”
A new path
This week, the Norwegian Nobel Committee looked beyond today’s conflicts. In its own way, it did not play it safe. Instead, it shined a light on the horrors of nuclear war and the people who have been warning us about them for many decades.
In doing that, the Nobel Committee, Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha have illuminated the danger of the path we are now on.
We have to make a new path.
First, the leaders of the nuclear weapon states must recognize the need for a responsible management of their nuclear arsenals. Experiences from the past confirm that even at times of crisis and conflict it has been possible to recognize the unique terminal power of these weapons and the responsibility that comes with it. What Kennedy, Khrushchev, Reagan, Gorbachev, or Trump did by reaching out to a nuclear-armed adversary, sets a precedent, a useful one. Such contacts, either bilateral or at the P5 level could possibly be facilitated by a competent broker. These are the first steps to bringing down the tone so that nuclear sabre rattling recedes and the commitments to the unequivocal undertakings to move towards a nuclear free world can be fulfilled.
Secondly, an iron-clad resolve to observe and strengthen the global non-proliferation regime needs to be adopted. Nuclear weapon and nuclear non-weapon states must work together to ensure the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We need to walk through perilous times by recognizing limitations and keeping our eyes on our common objectives.
Nuclear disarmament cannot be imposed on the nuclear armed.
Realism is not defeatism. Diplomacy is not weakness.
Difficult times call for enlightened leadership, at the national level, and at the international level as well.
Putting the international system back on track is within our reach. World leaders, including those at the top of the multilateral system, have a duty and an irrevocable responsibility to work towards this.
Personally, I am convinced. Perhaps, because the secret mandate I received that day in Hiroshima from a hibakusha burns in me, stronger than ever. Thank you.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi’s keynote address at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum 2024.
I want to start by congratulating Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha for their Nobel Peace Prize.
As a young diplomat almost 40 years ago, I was fortunate to be part of a UN disarmament fellowship programme and to visit Hiroshima. There, fellows had an opportunity to meet the hibakusha and I had a conversation with an ailing victim. I have carried to every meeting, to every negotiation, and to every posting, the memory this woman’s silent testimony. When I asked her about that morning in 1945, she struggled to express the horror in words. She tried to articulate some words but stayed silent. Looking at me, right into my eyes. The look in her eyes has stayed with me ever since, like a powerful reminder, a secret mandate, to work so that her suffering is never repeated.
For decades after the Second World War, the international community has been dealing with this unique dilemma: we built robust norms and passed nonproliferation and disarmament treaties. Instead of dozens of countries armed with nuclear weapons, as was the concern in the 1960s, there are less than ten. Stockpiles of nuclear weapons have shrunk from tens of thousands to thousands.
But on its journey through the perils of the atomic age, the world has come to a crucial crossroads. Our deep psychological connection caused by collectively seeing the horror of the consequences of nuclear war seems to be evaporating, taking with it our joint resolve to do everything possible to prevent a repetition.
Like a giant spotlight, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize has lit up our path ahead. It has done it, by reminding us of the past, and of the consequences of ignoring the perils of nuclear weapons use.
Context of conflicts
To understand the important challenges we face, we must look at the global context, at what is happening around the world.
War has returned to Europe, and it directly involves a nuclear weapon state. The conflict in Ukraine is also an indirect confrontation between the world’s biggest nuclear weapon states, the first since the end of the Cold War. But nuclear exercises and open references to the use of nuclear weapons in the theatre of this war are increasing the risks and can not be ignored.
In the Middle East, the conflict of the past year has ignited smoldering tensions between Israel and Iran and led to the unprecedented step of direct exchanges and attacks between the two. Here there is also a nuclear weapons dimension. On one side, the assumed presence of nuclear weapons looms in the background. On the other, the very real potential of nuclear proliferation is raising the stakes.
We find ourselves in a harmful loop: the erosion of the restraints around nuclear weapons is making these conflicts more dangerous. Meanwhile, these conflicts are contributing to the erosion of the restraints. The vicious circle dynamic is in motion.
An unfortunate change of direction
Doctrines regarding the use of nuclear weapons are being revised or reinterpreted. The quantity and quality of nuclear weapon stockpiles are being increased.
And in some non-nuclear weapon states – states that are important in their region – leaders are asking “why not us?”. And they are asking this openly!
At the start of the nuclear arms race, J Robert Oppenheimer described the USSR and the US as “two scorpions in a bottle” each capable of killing the other, but only by risking their own life.
Oppenheimer’s blunt statement would later be developed and elaborated under the roof of deterrence and the more sophisticated concept of “Mutual Assured Destruction,” or MAD.
Today, independent of the vantage point of the observer, there is widespread concern that the risk of mutual destruction through nuclear war is higher than it has been for more than a generation.
Lessons from history
But it does not have to be this way. We can do better. History has shown that effective dialogue among superpowers has, more often than not, led to confidence and, as a result, also to arms limitation and even disarmament. At certain moments in history, world leaders took the right decisions, to tone down, or, to use today’s parlance, to de-escalate. Let’s see:
The end of the Cuban Missile Crisis happened thanks to the direct engagement of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F Kennedy. Decades later, at the Geneva Summit of 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan agreed a crucial axiom: “Nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought.” They met again the next year in Reykjavik and significant reductions in nuclear arsenals followed. Nuclear weapon reductions and the elimination of a whole category of weapon, through the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Treaty, were agreed. These steps towards rapprochement took leadership and courage. They often happened despite skepticism and voices against them.
Diplomacy and dialogue (and the duty of nuclear weapon states)
A return to diplomacy and dialogue is urgently needed, and this, not only in things nuclear. Shutting the other side out has never solved a problem and almost certainly aggravates it. Top leadership involvement is simply indispensable when nuclear weapons are involved. President Trump took the initiative and talked to Kim Jong Un. More of this is needed. Some have said these talks were ill prepared. I say, this is important. Nuclear weapon policy and limitations does not work bottom up. It is of course the other way around.
We must be proactive in building the trust and protections that lower the risk of close calls and of brinkmanship, especially during today’s tensions. Not taking active steps means we rely on luck – or the assumption that the other side will show restraint – to save us from nuclear war. The longer you rely on luck, the more likely it is to run out.
Conflict and tensions compel nations to arm themselves. Diplomacy and compromise create conditions in which they can disarm.
The road to a nuclear weapon-free world is long and winding. The disarmament landscape is complex, and it’s worth acknowledging that. This does not diminish the responsibility nuclear weapons states have to make progress. After all, they committed themselves to this goal back in 1968, through the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Steps can be taken to decrease the reliance on nuclear weapons, both in their production and the scenarios for their use.
Nuclear weapon states, through their actions at home and on the world stage, have a responsibility to avoid a scenario in which more countries seek nuclear weapons. Pushing ahead with increases in arsenals leads to despair, cynicism, and a growing skepticism about the value of past commitments. Disengagement and unilateralism fuel sentiments of vulnerability in other countries, and with that, the notion nuclear weapons could be the ultimate protection against outside threats.
Engagement among the five permanent members of the Security Council is indispensable. Such engagement can take many different shapes, starting with direct contact among themselves, bilaterally or as a group. This dialogue, which still exists, has been reduced to a very low level, virtually without real impact. Perhaps its revival could be assisted by an international organization, or facilitated with the support of a respected, impartial leader. Therefore, it’s essential that the United Nations, other international organizations, and their leaders work effectively to ensure their continued relevance amid the changing needs of their stakeholders.
Do not make things worse (by falling for the siren call of proliferation)
The IAEA has played its indispensable technical role during past attempts of nuclear proliferation, particularly in the Middle East. As the difficult experiences in Iraq, Libya and Syria remind us, the draw of nuclear weapons is real and so is the geopolitical and military response.
Today’s tensions are prompting even leaders of important counties that, so far, are in good standing with the NPT to ask: “Why shouldn’t we have a nuclear weapon too?”
To this, I would say, “Do not make things worse.” Acquiring a nuclear weapon will not increase national security, it will do the opposite. Other countries will follow. And this will contribute to the unravelling of a nonproliferation regime that has had its ups and downs – and it still has its limitations – but none-the-less it has served humanity extraordinarily well. The problem and challenge to the NPT regime may come from those nuclear armed but also those who, while not having nuclear weapons, may feel the NPT has failed as a catalyst to disarmament.
Weakening the non-proliferation treaty under the argument that progress on nuclear disarmament has been slow and more drastic approaches are required, would be totally misguided and may make us throw away existing international measures committing nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states in this field.
I come from a non-nuclear weapon state. I understand the frustration that some people feel about the “haves” and “have-nots” of nuclear weapons. But I have also seen the legacy of peace and prosperity left by leaders who resisted that siren call. In the 1980s, vision, resolve and dialogue meant Brazil and Argentina changed course and did not go down the path to nuclear arms. Today, Latin America is a nuclear weapon free zone.
Multilateral leaders: step up by stepping in
Many wonder whether there’s still a role for multilateralism in guiding us through this maze of conflicting interests. Yes, there is. During difficult times in the past, international organizations have had a big impact on peace and security. But it only happens when leaders of these organizations get off the side lines and use their mandate and their own good offices effectively.
We prove our relevance in extraordinary times.
Each organization has different tools, a different mandate, a different membership, and each of their leaders will determine how to act. I can speak for the IAEA. We have nuclear science at our core, and we are the world’s nuclear weapons watchdog. Let me give you an example:
For almost three years, Ukraine, the world and the IAEA have been confronted with a completely unprecedented situation – never before has a military conflict involved the seizure of a nuclear power plant and been fought among the facilities of a major nuclear power programme.
At the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s biggest nuclear power plant – the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe, with nearly 6 gigawatts of installed capacity – was taken by Russia. This established a hotspot in the middle of a combat zone. The chance of an incident – or accident – causing terrible radiological consequences became real.
Observing this from the outside was never, in my mind, an option. Staying on the sidelines and later reflecting on “lessons learned” may have been the more traditional – or expected – path for an international organization. But to me this would have been a dereliction of duty. So, we leaned into our core mission, crossed the front lines of war, and established a permanent presence of IAEA experts at all Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. That makes us the only international organization operating independently in occupied territory. We are informing the world of what’s going on and reducing the chance that a radiological incident enflames the conflict and causes even more devastation.
We did the same by going to Kursk when a Russian nuclear reactor was at risk of coming into the line of fire. I am in constant communication with both sides.
I have been meeting with President Zelenskyy, and President Putin regularly. Nuclear safety and security during this conflict must have the buy-in and continued involvement of both leaders. Talking to only one of them would not achieve this important goal. At the same time, I am keeping an open dialogue with leaders on all continents and briefing the UN Security Council. When it comes to nuclear safety in Ukraine it has been possible to build a level of agreement that is rare during the divisions of this conflict. Where there is agreement, there is hope for more agreement.
Ukraine is not our only hotspot.
In Iran, the IAEA’s job is to verify the exclusively peaceful nature of a growing nuclear programme. Iran has now enriched uranium to a level that is hard to justify. It has not yet answered the IAEA’s questions completely and it has made our work more difficult by taking away some of our cameras and blocking some of our most experienced safeguards inspectors from going into the country. This has caused concern and led to a pattern of mistrust and recriminations. In diplomacy, progress often requires prompting, catalyzing, and suggesting ways forward. This presents a role for an impartial, honest and effective broker. It is a role I, in my capacity as the IAEA’s Director General, have been playing. In fact, I returned from my latest visit to Tehran just a few weeks ago where I presented alternatives and ideas to reduce the growing tensions, and hopefully to retain Iran within the NPT and the non-proliferation norms.
The danger of playing it safe
When it comes to working on behalf of peace and security, playing it safe is dangerous.
Silence and indifference can be deadly.
Dag Hammerskjold, the second Secretary General of the United Nations, said: “It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.”
A new path
This week, the Norwegian Nobel Committee looked beyond today’s conflicts. In its own way, it did not play it safe. Instead, it shined a light on the horrors of nuclear war and the people who have been warning us about them for many decades.
In doing that, the Nobel Committee, Nihon Hidankyō and the hibakusha have illuminated the danger of the path we are now on.
We have to make a new path.
First, the leaders of the nuclear weapon states must recognize the need for a responsible management of their nuclear arsenals. Experiences from the past confirm that even at times of crisis and conflict it has been possible to recognize the unique terminal power of these weapons and the responsibility that comes with it. What Kennedy, Khrushchev, Reagan, Gorbachev, or Trump did by reaching out to a nuclear-armed adversary, sets a precedent, a useful one. Such contacts, either bilateral or at the P5 level could possibly be facilitated by a competent broker. These are the first steps to bringing down the tone so that nuclear sabre rattling recedes and the commitments to the unequivocal undertakings to move towards a nuclear free world can be fulfilled.
Secondly, an iron-clad resolve to observe and strengthen the global non-proliferation regime needs to be adopted. Nuclear weapon and nuclear non-weapon states must work together to ensure the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We need to walk through perilous times by recognizing limitations and keeping our eyes on our common objectives.
Nuclear disarmament cannot be imposed on the nuclear armed.
Realism is not defeatism. Diplomacy is not weakness.
Difficult times call for enlightened leadership, at the national level, and at the international level as well.
Putting the international system back on track is within our reach. World leaders, including those at the top of the multilateral system, have a duty and an irrevocable responsibility to work towards this.
Personally, I am convinced. Perhaps, because the secret mandate I received that day in Hiroshima from a hibakusha burns in me, stronger than ever. Thank you.
Chaddesden residents can enjoy some peace and quiet after Derby City Council successfully prosecuted a resident for breaching a Community Protection Notice.
The resident of Derwent House, Huntingdon Green found themselves in front of Derby Magistrates after breaching the notice for playing loud music. They have now been handed more than £1500 in fines and costs.
The Council first received a complaint from Derby Homes in July 2024 about a noisy neighbour playing loud music, and a Community Protection Warning letter was issued by the housing provider. Further recordings were sent to the Council via the Noise App, which showed that loud music was still being played throughout the day and prompted further action.
The Council then issued the resident a Community Protection Notice (CPN), requiring them to reduce the volume to a level which would not cause a disturbance to the local community, but the noise continued.
The Council applied to Derby Magistrates Court to obtain a warrant under section 51 of Anti-social Behaviour, Police and Crime Act 2014. The application was successful, and a warrant was granted to enter the property.
With the support of Derbyshire Police and Derby Homes, the council seized several items of electrical equipment which were believed to be used for playing loud music.
The Derwent House resident attended Derby Magistrates Court on Friday 13 June 2025, pleaded guilty to breaching the CPN and was ordered to pay £1580.83. The Court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the items seized from their property.
Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Property and Regulatory Services, said:
Our residents have the right to feel safe and relaxed in their own homes. This prosecution shows that we will take the appropriate action to address issues such as noise, so that our residents can live happy, healthy lives.
It’s also another great example of the Environmental Protection Team, Derby Homes and Derbyshire Constabulary, working closely in partnership to ensure the best possible outcome for our communities.
Anyone needing help or support with noise disturbances can contact the Environmental Protection Team through the Derby City Council website or call 01332 642020.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Parliament of Ghana on Thursday and highlighted the “sweetness” of the relationship between the two countries, which he said was rooted in shared struggles.
“The histories of India and Ghana bear the scars of colonial rule, but our spirits have always remained free and fearless. We draw strength and inspiration from our rich heritage. We take pride in our social, cultural and linguistic diversities. We built nations rooted in freedom, unity and dignity. Our relationship knows no bounds,” PM Modi said.
“And with your permission, may I say, our friendship is sweeter than your famous Sugarloaf Pineapple,” he added.
PM Modi highlighted India’s democratic system, noting that the country has more than 2,500 political parties, 22 official languages and thousands of dialects. The Prime Minister repeated the figure after seeing the reaction from members of Ghana’s Parliament.
“I repeat, 2,500 political parties. Twenty different parties governing different states. Twenty-two official languages, thousands of dialects. This is also the reason that people who come to India have always been welcomed with an open heart. The same spirit helps Indians integrate easily wherever they go. Even in Ghana, they have blended into society, just like sugar in tea,” PM Modi said.
Praising the African nation, the Prime Minister said, “Ghana is known as the land of gold, not just for what lies under your soil but as much for the warmth and strength in your heart.”
“When we look at Ghana, we see a nation that shines with courage, that rises above history, that meets every challenge with dignity and grace. Your commitment to democratic ideals and inclusive progress has truly made Ghana a beacon of inspiration for the entire African continent,” he added.
PM Modi highlighted that with President John Mahama, India and Ghana have decided to elevate ties to a Comprehensive Partnership.
“The world order created after the Second World War is changing fast. The revolution in technology, the rise of the Global South and shifting demographics are contributing to its pace and scale. The challenges such as colonial rule that humanity has faced in earlier centuries still persist in different forms,” he said.
Listing new and complex crises such as climate change, pandemics, terrorism and cybersecurity, PM Modi said that institutions created in the last century are struggling to respond.
The Prime Minister reiterated India’s vision during its 2023 G20 Presidency — One Earth, One Family, One Future — and underscored how India highlighted Africa’s place at the global high table, with the African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency.
“The changing circumstances demand credible and effective reforms in global governance. Progress cannot come without giving voice to the Global South. We need more than slogans; we need action. That is why during India’s G20 presidency, we worked with the vision ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’,” PM Modi said.
Stressing India’s commitment to ensuring Africa’s rightful place in global decision-making, the Prime Minister said, “We are proud that the African Union became a permanent member of the G20 during our presidency. For India, our philosophy is humanity first,” he said, quoting a Sanskrit verse that he translated as: “May all be happy; may all be free from illness; may no one suffer in any way.”
This philosophy, PM Modi said, has shaped India’s approach to the world. “It guided our actions during the COVID pandemic. We shared vaccines and medicines with over 150 countries, including our friends in Ghana,” he highlighted.
The PM added that “India carries Africa in its heart” and called for building a stronger partnership.
On being conferred with Ghana’s highest civilian award, the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, the PM said, “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians.”
The Prime Minister dedicated the award to the youth of both countries. “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana,” he said.
The award was presented during PM Modi’s visit to Ghana, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in more than 30 years.
PM Modi also paid tribute at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra, honouring Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s founding President and a revered leader of the African independence movement.
A Nigerian national pleaded guilty recently to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly and vulnerable consumers across the United States.
According to court documents, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, 41, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Akhimie and his co-conspirators allegedly told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Akhimie and his co-conspirators allegedly collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Akhimie admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank the members of the Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service of the United Kingdom for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American consumers from being defrauded by Transnational Criminal Organizations,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division. “We have long partnered with the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch to deliver justice and we will continue to do so.”
“Transnational fraud schemes thrive in the shadows, turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede for HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this investigation.”
On June 17, Akhimie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Akhimie faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Seven other co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme. On Nov. 1, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ezennia Peter Neboh, who was extradited from Spain, to 128 months of imprisonment. On Oct. 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 97 months of imprisonment. Three other defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, Jerry Chucks Ozor, and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to prison sentences of 82 months, 87 months, and 90 months, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Amos Prince Okey Ezemma was paroled into the United States from Nigeria and was sentenced in July 2024 to 90 months imprisonment for his role in the scheme. Lastly, on April 25, the Honorable Roy K. Altman sentenced Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, who was extradited from Portugal, to 97 months of incarceration for his role in the scheme.
USPIS, HSI, and the Consumer Protection Branch are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Josh Rothman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Saleem Badat, Research Professor, UFS History Department, University of the Free State
Ruth First, born 100 years ago, was a South African freedom fighter, journalist and scholar who worked against the racist system of apartheid during white minority rule. She was assassinated by apartheid forces in her office at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique in 1982.
Her ideas, work and legacy live on. Sociologists Saleem Badat and Vasu Reddy have edited a new book called Research and Activism: Ruth First & Activist Research. We asked them about her and their project.
Who was Ruth First?
Heloise Ruth First was born on 4 May 1925 in Johannesburg to Jewish parents who had migrated from eastern Europe to South Africa in the early 1900s. Her parents were founder members of the South African Communist Party.
She joined the Young Communist League and the Federation of Progressive Students and graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1946 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
At 21, First joined the left-wing South African newspaper The Guardian. When it was banned, the New Age took its place until it too was banned in 1962. She served as the newspaper’s Johannesburg editor for 17 years.
In 1963, First was arrested at the University of the Witwatersrand library and held in solitary confinement for 117 days, during which time she was ruthlessly interrogated. The following year she and her three children left South Africa for England on an exit permit, where they joined her partner, the activist and politician Joe Slovo. She would not set foot again in South Africa. Continuing with her activist research in England, she taught at Durham University and then joined Eduardo Mondlane University until hear death.
Ruth First.Courtesy the Slovo family
The mid-1940s to early 1960s were tumultuous years in South Africa. With the rise of formal apartheid in 1948, racial segregation was intensified.
First’s intrepid and penetrating journalistic research exposed her to the brutality of labour exploitation and control on the mines and the farms. It reinforced her understanding of South Africa in Marxist terms.
The will to fight is born out of the desire for freedom.
She was confident that:
The power of the people is greater than the power of any government.
First believed that ignorance is “the enemy of progress and justice” and that knowledge and education are “key to empowering individuals and challenging oppressive systems”. These words ring true in today’s global events driven by right-wing authoritarianism, US imperialism and acts of genocide.
On learning of her death, former South African President Nelson Mandela recalled:
I was in prison when Ruth First was assassinated, felt almost alone. Lost a sister in arms … It is no consolation to know that she lives beyond her grave.
What is activist research and how is it applied in the book?
As authors, we revisit Ruth First’s life, work and ideas and its relevance for the current context. We focus especially on the nature of her scholarship and how she navigated the tensions between her activism and her research – whether journalistic or for her books on South West Africa (today’s Namibia), Libya or western investment in apartheid. Other of her acclaimed books included The Barrel of a Gun: Political Power in Africa and the Coup d’etat and, during her Mozambican sojourn, Black Gold: The Mozambican Miner, Proletarian and Peasant.
In the process we invite renewed critical reflection about her life and work. Inspired by First’s contributions, the book considers how universities and scholars engage with institutions and social movements beyond the university.
ESI Press
For example, in the book a research group from Durham University in the UK considers how to balance objectivity (showing no bias) with more politically participatory research methods and how objectivity can be enhanced despite the difficulties faced by activist research.
Other scholars reflect on the work of the assassinated South African anti-apartheid activist scholar and lecturer Rick Turner on climate change. And on the complexities of undertaking activist research in Marikana with a women’s organisation, Sikhala Sonke. Marikana was the site where South African police opened fire on and killed 34 striking mineworkers in 2012.
There is examination of a research partnership between University of Cape Town activist scholars and some Khoi-San communities, reflection on the challenges of legal practice and education, and critical analysis of the decolonisation challenges of the KwaZulu-Natal Society of the Arts.
How do you frame activist research in your book?
The book shows that there is a difference between engaged research, critical research and activist research.
Engaged research tries to connect knowledge produced by academics with institutions, movements and experts outside the university to collaboratively address issues and promote cooperation.
Critical research uses radical critical theory to critique oppression and injustice, to show the gap between what exists today and more just ways of living. However, it does not necessarily connect with political and social movements.
Ruth First addresses a rally in Trafalgar Square, London in 1960.Courtesy the Slovo family
First’s research was not only engaged, but also critical in orientation and activist in nature. As activist research it challenged oppression and inequality.
It both critiqued the status quo in South Africa and elsewhere and tried to change it. It was linked with movements and connected to political activism that was anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, and committed to socialism.
First’s activist research did not confine itself to the academic arena but engaged with larger, wider and more diverse publics. It used this experience to critique dominant and often limited thinking at universities and promoted other ways of producing knowledge. The expertise developed was used to improve scholarship in various ways.
What do you want readers to take away?
There is much talk about the “engaged university” and engaged research. However, only certain connections and engagements seem to be valued.
Prior to democracy in 1994, South African researchers connected with social movements for change. Now this is seldom the case. Universities and scholars largely engage with those with money – the state, business, elites and donors.
This raises questions about the roles of researchers in South Africa, whose interests are prioritised and the place of critical and activist research in the engaged university.
How should Ruth First be remembered?
We must honour her for her intellectual and practical activism. What matters is not just her knowledge archive, but also her example as both an outstanding interpreter of the world and an activist scholar committed to changing society in the interests of the downtrodden, marginalised and voiceless.
First was a critical and independent thinker who refused to accept anything as settled and beyond questioning. But that intellect was committed to loyalty to the national liberation movement of which she was an invaluable cadre.
The views expressed in this piece do not reflect or represent the position of the university to which Badat and Reddy are affiliated.
– Ruth First and activist research: the legacy of a South African freedom fighter – https://theconversation.com/ruth-first-and-activist-research-the-legacy-of-a-south-african-freedom-fighter-257687
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Shaw Badenhorst, Associate Professor in Zooarchaeology, University of the Witwatersrand
South Africa has one of the world’s richest fossil records of hominins (humans and their fossil ancestors). But many misconceptions still exist regarding human evolution, and school textbooks contain inaccuracies.
South Africans still have some of the lowest rates of acceptance of human evolution, mostly due to conflicting religious views. Religion and the non-acceptance of evolution hinders the understanding of evolution by teachers and learners.
It doesn’t help that school subjects (evolution being one of them) are often taught in unengaging ways, rather than interactive methods.
Many studies have shown that collaborations between schools and informal science learning centres, such as natural history museums, can have a positive effect on school learners. Inquiry-based activities at museums have been shown to help learners gain knowledge and meaning about the past. Museum visits foster “thinking skills” through guided conversation and questions asked by educators and learners. New information is gained through reasoning, inference and deduction, which enhance learning.
In 2018, a team of researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand launched workshops on human evolution for grade 12 learners (in the final year of secondary school) in South Africa’s Gauteng province. The aim was to stimulate interest in the palaeosciences and improve learner performance. We worked with learners from 13 schools in the area. The workshops were conducted at the museum of the university’s Evolutionary Studies Institute.
From tests before and after the workshops, we found that they improved the learners’ understanding and acceptance of concepts related to evolution. More teacher training and school visits to museums and exhibitions could build on this success.
Workshops on human evolution
Examining cast hominin skulls at a workshop at a school.Grizelda van Wyk, Author provided (no reuse)
Our human evolution workshops were conducted with well-resourced and historically disadvantaged schools attending. The grade 12 learners, aged 17 and 18 years, visited the fossil preparatory laboratory, searched for clues in the museum while answering a worksheet, and did activities on human evolution using inquiry-based approaches.
These activities included measuring and describing skulls of apes and hominins, comparing hip bones to see whether the creature was able to walk upright on two legs, investigating stone tools, and drawing a phylogenetic tree (a diagram showing how species are descended from each other). Due to financial constraints, some of the workshops were held at the schools themselves.
The 687 learners wrote a test before and after the workshop to test their knowledge of hominin evolution. Their scores increased from an average of 39% to 61%.
The location of the workshops (either at the museum or at the school) did not affect the scores, suggesting that workshops can be scaled to reduce costs. Feedback from interviews indicated that learners regarded the workshops as beneficial, enabling them to learn new facts and gain a deeper understanding of human evolution. Teachers echoed the same view.
One learner said:
It was pretty enjoyable, and informative and interesting. Especially the part when we asked questions and we actually got answered. It helped us to understand the knowledge more.
Another said:
It is always better to physically see things as compared to seeing a picture of it, it is easier to understand it this way.
A teacher commented that learners
could literally see exactly what is happening and it is not just talk, they can touch it and they can take part in the experiment, which is not something they are exposed to at school.
It was apparent that learners understood human evolution better after the workshops. In the preliminary exam paper of Gauteng province, learners who attended the workshops scored nearly double (average 41%) the score of schools that did not attend (average 21%). While the scores are still low, and there is still much room for improvement, the results suggest that a short, hands-on workshop can make a major difference to learners.
The workshop also increased the acceptance of evolution from 41% to 51%. (It was not the purpose of the workshops to increase acceptance, but rather to improve understanding of the topic.)
Why the workshops worked
In our view, the workshops were successful because they used inquiry-based learning, learners working in groups using problem solving and physical handling of fossil casts. This enabled active participation in the learning process.
With this approach, learners took ownership of the learning process and it developed their curiosity, interest and a desire to learn. The guidance of a subject expert during the workshops enhanced the quality of the workshops and the learning experience. It’s clear that visits to places like natural history museums created connections which helped with understanding concepts such as human evolution in the classroom, and developing an enjoyment of learning.
What’s next
We recommend that teachers receive training in human evolution and how to teach this topic. Common misconceptions of teachers can be identified through surveys, and intervention training must be planned around these misconceptions. The Gauteng Department of Education has a free professional development programme offering training to teachers (not publicly available), which can be used for this purpose.
It’s vital for grade 12 learners in South Africa to have a solid understanding of human evolution – it fosters critical thinking about science, identity and our shared African origins. This knowledge not only deepens their appreciation of the continent’s fossil heritage, but also counters misinformation with evidence-based insight.
– Fun with fossils: South African kids learn a whole lot more about human evolution from museum workshops – https://theconversation.com/fun-with-fossils-south-african-kids-learn-a-whole-lot-more-about-human-evolution-from-museum-workshops-259319
Today, United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian announced criminal charges against five defendants in connection with allegations that they defrauded Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs and illegally diverted drugs. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from various schemes, including a doctor who submitted unnecessary claims for medical equipment, individuals who ran or participated in fraud schemes to obtain money from federally funded health insurance programs through false claims, and a nurse who diverted pain medication for his own use.
“Fraud and abuse in our health care system all too often result in harm to the elderly and sick and a loss to the American taxpayer. The five cases announced today reflect the far-reaching impact of health care fraud and my office’s commitment to prosecuting schemes that target these vital programs,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “We will hold accountable any person who chooses greed over patient well-being.”
“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”
The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Missakian are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the Takedown, seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets.
The following individuals were charged in the Northern District of California:
Vincent Thayer, 41, of San Jose, California, was charged by indictment with wire fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a $68 million medical office visit scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Thayer owned Patient Payment Agent, which did business as My Community Testing, and was a purported COVID-19 testing money. Through this company, Thayer caused the submission of approximately $68,205,233 in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program, of which approximately $11,751,819 was paid, for office visits purportedly performed by medical professionals but that never occurred. Thayer also misappropriated the identity of a doctor to enroll his company in Medicare and Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program). The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Matthew Belz of the Los Angeles Strike Force and Lauren Randell of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Rezaei of the Northern District of California.
Sevendik Huseynov, 47, a national of Azerbaijan currently residing in Sunnyvale, California, and the owner and CEO of Vonyes, Inc. in Sunnyvale, California, was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on June 26, 2025. The complaint alleges that the defendant committed health care fraud through a scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage Organizations (“MAOs”) on behalf of unsuspecting beneficiaries for durable medical equipment (“DME”). The complaint alleges that Huseynov, from January 15, 2025, through June 16, 2025, through his entity Vonyes, submitted more than 7,200 claims to at least eight separate MAOs offering Medicare Part C benefit plans, and that those claims sought reimbursement of more than $137 million for DME such as back braces, knee braces, and wrist braces. The complaint alleges that certain of the purported beneficiaries contacted by law enforcement were not aware of the DME prescriptions and did not need the prescribed DME. The complaint also alleges that a healthcare provider listed as a referring physician on many billing claims had never prescribed DME supplied by Vonyes and that the patients listed on those claims were not his patients. The complaint also alleges that a review of bank records for Vonyes and Huseynov did not show any purchases of actual DME. At least $761,037.63 was paid to Vonyes, into accounts controlled solely by Huseynov, from MAOs during the scheme. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya Karwande, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Clinton Johnson Christian, 38, of Fairfield, California, was charged by indictment with tampering with consumer products and intentionally obtaining controlled substances through deception and subterfuge in connection with diverting a controlled substance for his personal use. As alleged in the indictment, Christian accessed a machine that held hydromorphone by falsely stating a patient needed the controlled substance, removed a vial of hydromorphone, extracted the hydromorphone and re-filled the vial with saline before replacing the vial and cancelling the patient’s order. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan U. Lee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Dr. Yasmin Pirani, 46, of British Columbia, Canada, was charged by indictment with health care fraud and false statements related to health care matters in connection with a $35.2 million telemedicine fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment, in exchange for payments from a telemedicine company, Dr. Pirani signed prescriptions for DME that was medically unnecessary, for Medicare beneficiaries with whom she lacked a pre-existing doctor-patient relationship, without a physical examination, and without any conversation with the beneficiary or based solely on a short telephonic conversation. Dr. Pirani falsely diagnosed Medicare beneficiaries with certain conditions to support the DME prescriptions and falsely attested that the information in medical records was accurate, concealing that she did not have any interaction with the Medicare beneficiaries or that the interaction was brief and telephonic. The telemedicine company solicited illegal kickbacks and bribes from DME suppliers in exchange for DME prescriptions signed by Dr. Pirani, and the DME suppliers billed Medicare approximately $32.5 million based on Dr. Pirani’s prescriptions. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney S. Babu Kaza of the Midwest Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Shepard of the Northern District of California.
Patrick Omeife, 33, of Ghana, was charged by indictment with two counts of concealment money laundering in connection with a scheme to launder approximately $33,765 that was fraudulently disbursed from a federal COVID-19 relief program and intended for an optometrist whose identity had been stolen. As alleged in the indictment, Omeife, falsely purporting to be a covert agent of the U.S. government, began an online romantic relationship with a woman and requested that the woman use her bank account to receive his salary. This woman provided Omeife with her bank account information, and her account was used in a September 2020 fraudulent application for funds from the COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund (“PRF”). The PRF provided funds to health care providers that were financially impacted by COVID-19. Based on the fraudulent September 2020 application, the PRF disbursed approximately $33,765 intended for the optometrist into the woman’s bank account. At Omeife’s direction, the woman converted the funds to Bitcoin cryptocurrency and transferred the Bitcoin to Omeife’s cryptocurrency account. Omeife repeatedly provided identifying information to his cryptocurrency exchange, to include his Republic of Ghana driver’s license and “selfie” photographs of his face and bare upper body, depicting a distinctive tattoo on his chest of the Bitcoin currency symbol. Numerous additional fraudulent PRF applications connected to the application made in the optometrist’s name resulted in at least $1.6 million of fraudulent disbursement of funds related to COVID-19 relief programs. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Babu Kaza of the Midwest Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Green of the Northern District of California.
“Healthcare fraud is not a victimless crime. It drains critical resources from healthcare programs, undermines public trust, and ultimately steals from American taxpayers. The FBI is committed to rooting out health care fraud in all its forms, working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold perpetrators accountable and protect the integrity of our nation’s healthcare system,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani.
“FDA is fully committed to the vigorous criminal prosecution of individuals who threaten the safety of U.S. consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the public health and bring to justice those who compromise patients’ health.”
In addition to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices from around the country; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting the cases in the National Health Care Fraud Takedown, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available here.
The Northern District of California, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and Health Care Fraud Unit and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations.
A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A Nigerian national pleaded guilty recently to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly and vulnerable consumers across the United States.
According to court documents, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, 41, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Akhimie and his co-conspirators allegedly told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Akhimie and his co-conspirators allegedly collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Akhimie admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank the members of the Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service of the United Kingdom for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American consumers from being defrauded by Transnational Criminal Organizations,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division. “We have long partnered with the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch to deliver justice and we will continue to do so.”
“Transnational fraud schemes thrive in the shadows, turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede for HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this investigation.”
On June 17, Akhimie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Akhimie faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.
This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Seven other co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme. On Nov. 1, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ezennia Peter Neboh, who was extradited from Spain, to 128 months of imprisonment. On Oct. 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 97 months of imprisonment. Three other defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, Jerry Chucks Ozor, and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to prison sentences of 82 months, 87 months, and 90 months, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Amos Prince Okey Ezemma was paroled into the United States from Nigeria and was sentenced in July 2024 to 90 months imprisonment for his role in the scheme. Lastly, on April 25, the Honorable Roy K. Altman sentenced Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, who was extradited from Portugal, to 97 months of incarceration for his role in the scheme.
USPIS, HSI, and the Consumer Protection Branch are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Josh Rothman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 26, 2025, Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, also known as, “Dada Joe Remix,” a citizen of Ghana, was extradited to the United States to face charges related to a romance and inheritance scheme targeting the elderly. A federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Boateng in May 2023 with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Boateng was arrested in Ghana on an extradition warrant on May 27, 2025. Boateng had his initial appearance in the District Court of Arizona today.
The indictment alleges that from 2013 through March 2023, Boateng and his co-conspirators engaged in a romance and inheritance fraud scheme that targeted the elderly around the world, to include victims in Arizona and throughout the United States. As part of the scheme, the co-conspirators pretended to be romantically involved with the victims. The co-conspirators also falsely represented that they had gold and jewels and that to release such items to the victims, those individuals had to pay taxes and other costs.
Convictions for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Sierra Vista office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson is handling the prosecution. The following partners provided essential assistance in securing the arrest and extradition: FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, Ghana; the Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice; the Republic of Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Ghana Police Services – INTERPOL, and the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00695-TUC-AMM-LCK RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-108_Boateng
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZfor the latest news.
TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 26, 2025, Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, also known as, “Dada Joe Remix,” a citizen of Ghana, was extradited to the United States to face charges related to a romance and inheritance scheme targeting the elderly. A federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Boateng in May 2023 with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Boateng was arrested in Ghana on an extradition warrant on May 27, 2025. Boateng had his initial appearance in the District Court of Arizona today.
The indictment alleges that from 2013 through March 2023, Boateng and his co-conspirators engaged in a romance and inheritance fraud scheme that targeted the elderly around the world, to include victims in Arizona and throughout the United States. As part of the scheme, the co-conspirators pretended to be romantically involved with the victims. The co-conspirators also falsely represented that they had gold and jewels and that to release such items to the victims, those individuals had to pay taxes and other costs.
Convictions for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Sierra Vista office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson is handling the prosecution. The following partners provided essential assistance in securing the arrest and extradition: FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, Ghana; the Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice; the Republic of Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Ghana Police Services – INTERPOL, and the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00695-TUC-AMM-LCK RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-108_Boateng
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZfor the latest news.
On July 2, H.E. Amb. Guo Haiyan paid a courtesy call on Hon. Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry. Mr. ZHOU Jun, DPR of China to UNEP, and Amb. Jane Makori, Deputy Director General, MFDA, Kenya attended the meeting.
Amb. Guo shared China’s latest progress and important achievements in the field of ecological and environmental protection. China stands ready to share its experience with Kenya, promoting cooperation in the field of climate change, green BRI and green industry investment, with an aim of jointly enhancing ecological and environmental governance capacity.
Hon. Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa positively acknowledged the process in China-Kenya environmental cooperation, and expressed the willingness to enhance collaboration in the field of circular economy, waste management, biodiversity, and South-South cooperation on climate change.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Kenya.
July 3, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the following diplomatic appointments:
Alexandre Bilodeau will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Tunisia. Mr. Bilodeau will replace Lorraine Diguer.
Anderson Blanc will become High Commissioner in the Republic of Mozambique. Mr. Blanc will replace Sara Nicholls.
Natalie Britton will become Consul General in Istanbul (Republic of Türkiye). Ms. Britton will replace Tara Scheurwater.
Sandra Choufani will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. Ms. Choufani will replace Anderson Blanc.
Christian DesRoches will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Mr. DesRoches will replace Ping Kitnikone.
Ambra Dickie will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in Jakarta. Ms. Dickie will replace Vicky Singmin.
Stephen Doust will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mongolia. Mr. Doust will replace Sandra Choufani.
Gregory Galligan will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Lebanese Republic. Mr. Galligan will replace Stefanie McCollum.
Alison Grant will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria and Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna. Ms. Grant will replace Troy Lulashnyk.
Marie-Claude Harvey will become High Commissioner in the Republic of Cameroon. Ms. Harvey will replace Lorraine Anderson.
Patrick Hébert will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Finland. Mr. Hébert will replace Jeanette Stovel.
Jean-Dominique Ieraci will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Peru. Mr. Ieraci will replace Louis Marcotte.
Tarik Khan will become High Commissioner in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Mr. Khan will replace Leslie Scanlon.
Craig Kowalik will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Ecuador. Mr. Kowalik will replace Stephen Potter.
Philippe Lafortune will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea. Mr. Lafortune will replace Tamara Mawhinney.
Jean-Paul Lemieux will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation. Mr. Lemieux will replace Patrick Wittmann.
Isabelle Martin will become High Commissioner in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Ms. Martin will replace Eric Walsh.
Karim Morcos will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the State of Qatar. Mr. Morcos will replace Isabelle Martin.
James Nickel will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Mr. Nickel will replace Shawn Steil.
Tara Scheurwater will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the State of Kuwait. Ms. Scheurwater will replace Aliya Mawani.
Nicolas Simard will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Mr. Simard will replace Joshua Tabah.
Joshua Tabah will become High Commissioner in the Republic of Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and to the United Nations Environment Programme. Mr. Tabah will replace Christopher Thornley.
Kent Vachon will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Mr. Vachon will replace Ping Kitnikone.
July 3, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the following diplomatic appointments:
Alexandre Bilodeau will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Tunisia. Mr. Bilodeau will replace Lorraine Diguer.
Anderson Blanc will become High Commissioner in the Republic of Mozambique. Mr. Blanc will replace Sara Nicholls.
Natalie Britton will become Consul General in Istanbul (Republic of Türkiye). Ms. Britton will replace Tara Scheurwater.
Sandra Choufani will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. Ms. Choufani will replace Anderson Blanc.
Christian DesRoches will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Mr. DesRoches will replace Ping Kitnikone.
Ambra Dickie will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in Jakarta. Ms. Dickie will replace Vicky Singmin.
Stephen Doust will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mongolia. Mr. Doust will replace Sandra Choufani.
Gregory Galligan will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Lebanese Republic. Mr. Galligan will replace Stefanie McCollum.
Alison Grant will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria and Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna. Ms. Grant will replace Troy Lulashnyk.
Marie-Claude Harvey will become High Commissioner in the Republic of Cameroon. Ms. Harvey will replace Lorraine Anderson.
Patrick Hébert will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Finland. Mr. Hébert will replace Jeanette Stovel.
Jean-Dominique Ieraci will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Peru. Mr. Ieraci will replace Louis Marcotte.
Tarik Khan will become High Commissioner in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Mr. Khan will replace Leslie Scanlon.
Craig Kowalik will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Ecuador. Mr. Kowalik will replace Stephen Potter.
Philippe Lafortune will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea. Mr. Lafortune will replace Tamara Mawhinney.
Jean-Paul Lemieux will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation. Mr. Lemieux will replace Patrick Wittmann.
Isabelle Martin will become High Commissioner in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Ms. Martin will replace Eric Walsh.
Karim Morcos will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the State of Qatar. Mr. Morcos will replace Isabelle Martin.
James Nickel will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Mr. Nickel will replace Shawn Steil.
Tara Scheurwater will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the State of Kuwait. Ms. Scheurwater will replace Aliya Mawani.
Nicolas Simard will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Mr. Simard will replace Joshua Tabah.
Joshua Tabah will become High Commissioner in the Republic of Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and to the United Nations Environment Programme. Mr. Tabah will replace Christopher Thornley.
Kent Vachon will become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Mr. Vachon will replace Ping Kitnikone.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed from Ghana’s capital, Accra, after concluding the first leg of his five-nation tour. He will now travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the second leg of his visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 4.
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the West African nation and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades.
Before his departure, the PM interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who welcomed him warmly.
In Accra, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President, John Mahama, to review the bilateral partnership and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as economy, energy, defence and development.
During talks with President Mahama, PM Modi announced the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, citing “immense scope” for collaboration in critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy.
In a post on X, the PM said, “India and Ghana also see immense scope in working closely in areas such as critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy. Enhancing cultural linkages was also discussed.”
Describing the talks as “extremely fruitful”, PM Modi said the discussions focused on strengthening trade and economic ties. “We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages. Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon,” the PM added.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was conferred with the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”, the country’s highest civilian honour, by President Mahama.
PM Modi thanked Ghana for the award, calling it a “matter of immense pride”. “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” he said.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the youth of both countries, saying, “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana.”
The PM also addressed Ghana’s Parliament, where he described the relationship between India and Ghana as boundless, and said the friendship between the two nations was “sweeter than Ghana’s famous Sugar Loaf Pineapple”.
Additionally, the PM visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to pay tribute to Ghana’s founding President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence movement.
PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first as Prime Minister and marks the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit to the country since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also visit Argentina, Brazil and Namibia as part of his tour. He will travel to Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, before proceeding on a state visit to the South American nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed from Ghana’s capital, Accra, after concluding the first leg of his five-nation tour. He will now travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the second leg of his visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 4.
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the West African nation and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades.
Before his departure, the PM interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who welcomed him warmly.
In Accra, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President, John Mahama, to review the bilateral partnership and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as economy, energy, defence and development.
During talks with President Mahama, PM Modi announced the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, citing “immense scope” for collaboration in critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy.
In a post on X, the PM said, “India and Ghana also see immense scope in working closely in areas such as critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy. Enhancing cultural linkages was also discussed.”
Describing the talks as “extremely fruitful”, PM Modi said the discussions focused on strengthening trade and economic ties. “We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages. Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon,” the PM added.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was conferred with the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”, the country’s highest civilian honour, by President Mahama.
PM Modi thanked Ghana for the award, calling it a “matter of immense pride”. “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” he said.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the youth of both countries, saying, “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana.”
The PM also addressed Ghana’s Parliament, where he described the relationship between India and Ghana as boundless, and said the friendship between the two nations was “sweeter than Ghana’s famous Sugar Loaf Pineapple”.
Additionally, the PM visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to pay tribute to Ghana’s founding President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence movement.
PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first as Prime Minister and marks the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit to the country since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also visit Argentina, Brazil and Namibia as part of his tour. He will travel to Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, before proceeding on a state visit to the South American nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed from Ghana’s capital, Accra, after concluding the first leg of his five-nation tour. He will now travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the second leg of his visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 4.
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the West African nation and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades.
Before his departure, the PM interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who welcomed him warmly.
In Accra, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President, John Mahama, to review the bilateral partnership and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as economy, energy, defence and development.
During talks with President Mahama, PM Modi announced the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, citing “immense scope” for collaboration in critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy.
In a post on X, the PM said, “India and Ghana also see immense scope in working closely in areas such as critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy. Enhancing cultural linkages was also discussed.”
Describing the talks as “extremely fruitful”, PM Modi said the discussions focused on strengthening trade and economic ties. “We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages. Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon,” the PM added.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was conferred with the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”, the country’s highest civilian honour, by President Mahama.
PM Modi thanked Ghana for the award, calling it a “matter of immense pride”. “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” he said.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the youth of both countries, saying, “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana.”
The PM also addressed Ghana’s Parliament, where he described the relationship between India and Ghana as boundless, and said the friendship between the two nations was “sweeter than Ghana’s famous Sugar Loaf Pineapple”.
Additionally, the PM visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to pay tribute to Ghana’s founding President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence movement.
PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first as Prime Minister and marks the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit to the country since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also visit Argentina, Brazil and Namibia as part of his tour. He will travel to Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, before proceeding on a state visit to the South American nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed from Ghana’s capital, Accra, after concluding the first leg of his five-nation tour. He will now travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the second leg of his visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 4.
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the West African nation and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades.
Before his departure, the PM interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who welcomed him warmly.
In Accra, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President, John Mahama, to review the bilateral partnership and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as economy, energy, defence and development.
During talks with President Mahama, PM Modi announced the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, citing “immense scope” for collaboration in critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy.
In a post on X, the PM said, “India and Ghana also see immense scope in working closely in areas such as critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy. Enhancing cultural linkages was also discussed.”
Describing the talks as “extremely fruitful”, PM Modi said the discussions focused on strengthening trade and economic ties. “We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages. Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon,” the PM added.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was conferred with the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”, the country’s highest civilian honour, by President Mahama.
PM Modi thanked Ghana for the award, calling it a “matter of immense pride”. “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” he said.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the youth of both countries, saying, “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana.”
The PM also addressed Ghana’s Parliament, where he described the relationship between India and Ghana as boundless, and said the friendship between the two nations was “sweeter than Ghana’s famous Sugar Loaf Pineapple”.
Additionally, the PM visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to pay tribute to Ghana’s founding President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence movement.
PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first as Prime Minister and marks the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit to the country since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also visit Argentina, Brazil and Namibia as part of his tour. He will travel to Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, before proceeding on a state visit to the South American nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed from Ghana’s capital, Accra, after concluding the first leg of his five-nation tour. He will now travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the second leg of his visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 4.
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the West African nation and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades.
Before his departure, the PM interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who welcomed him warmly.
In Accra, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President, John Mahama, to review the bilateral partnership and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as economy, energy, defence and development.
During talks with President Mahama, PM Modi announced the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, citing “immense scope” for collaboration in critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy.
In a post on X, the PM said, “India and Ghana also see immense scope in working closely in areas such as critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy. Enhancing cultural linkages was also discussed.”
Describing the talks as “extremely fruitful”, PM Modi said the discussions focused on strengthening trade and economic ties. “We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages. Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon,” the PM added.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was conferred with the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”, the country’s highest civilian honour, by President Mahama.
PM Modi thanked Ghana for the award, calling it a “matter of immense pride”. “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” he said.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the youth of both countries, saying, “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana.”
The PM also addressed Ghana’s Parliament, where he described the relationship between India and Ghana as boundless, and said the friendship between the two nations was “sweeter than Ghana’s famous Sugar Loaf Pineapple”.
Additionally, the PM visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to pay tribute to Ghana’s founding President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence movement.
PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first as Prime Minister and marks the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit to the country since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also visit Argentina, Brazil and Namibia as part of his tour. He will travel to Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, before proceeding on a state visit to the South American nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday departed from Ghana’s capital, Accra, after concluding the first leg of his five-nation tour. He will now travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the second leg of his visit, scheduled from July 3 to July 4.
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the West African nation and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over three decades.
Before his departure, the PM interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who welcomed him warmly.
In Accra, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President, John Mahama, to review the bilateral partnership and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in sectors such as economy, energy, defence and development.
During talks with President Mahama, PM Modi announced the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership, citing “immense scope” for collaboration in critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy.
In a post on X, the PM said, “India and Ghana also see immense scope in working closely in areas such as critical minerals, defence, maritime security and energy. Enhancing cultural linkages was also discussed.”
Describing the talks as “extremely fruitful”, PM Modi said the discussions focused on strengthening trade and economic ties. “We discussed ways to improve trade and economic linkages. Cooperation in FinTech, skill development, healthcare and other such sectors were also deliberated upon,” the PM added.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was conferred with the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”, the country’s highest civilian honour, by President Mahama.
PM Modi thanked Ghana for the award, calling it a “matter of immense pride”. “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians,” he said.
PM Modi dedicated the honour to the youth of both countries, saying, “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana.”
The PM also addressed Ghana’s Parliament, where he described the relationship between India and Ghana as boundless, and said the friendship between the two nations was “sweeter than Ghana’s famous Sugar Loaf Pineapple”.
Additionally, the PM visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to pay tribute to Ghana’s founding President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence movement.
PM Modi’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago will be his first as Prime Minister and marks the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit to the country since 1999.
The Prime Minister will also visit Argentina, Brazil and Namibia as part of his tour. He will travel to Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit 2025, before proceeding on a state visit to the South American nation.
The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in partnership with the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa (NNHRI-WA), is holding the 7th Regional Consultation under the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations: The Role of NHRIs” taking place from 1st to 3rd July 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Regional Consultation is aimed at enhancing the overall role of NHRIs towards the promotion and protection of human rights with added focus on protection of migrants and internally displaced people, implementation of regional and international human rights mechanisms, improving conditions of detention, human rights and reparative justice framework, and the shrinking civic space in West Africa.
Welcoming participants to the Consultation, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu, SAN, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (NHRC) expressed appreciation to the participants for honouring the invitation and commended the continued support and partnership of the ECOWAS Commission and the relevant UN systems (UNOWAS and UN-OHCHR) towards the successful organisation of the regional consultation. He further noted the escalating violations of human rights across West Africa occasioned by undemocratic changes of governments, shrinking civic spaces, conflicts, terrorist insurgency, forced displacements of populations and climate change. To this end, he urged for solidarity among NHRIs towards advancing a unified, stable, and human rights friendly West Africa.
Delivering the Opening Remarks, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau MUSAH (Ph.D.), Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, represented by Mr Ebenezer Asiedu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance, expressed ECOWAS Commission’s appreciation to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and particularly the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria for successfully hosting this regional consultation. He also congratulated the participants on commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of ECOWAS. While stressing the importance of reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent to addressing historical injustices, in line with the theme of the Consultation, he noted that the conversation should embrace current realities of our societies as it relates to the enjoyment of rights by the Rights-holders and reparations of human rights violation in the region. Accordingly, he recommended the need for a Human Right-based approach to reparatory justice for both past and present injustice and human rights violations. To this end, he noted the Commission’s ongoing efforts to develop a regional transitional justice framework with a particular focus on the principle of reparatory justice. He therefore urged the participants to enrich the framework with their inputs and guidance on how human rights principles and role of National Human Rights Institutions can be further entrenched in transitional justice generally and reparatory justice in particular.
Declaring the Regional Consultation open, Dr Salamatu H. Sulaiman, Chairperson of the Governing Board of the, National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria expressed her gratitude to participants on behalf of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She emphasized the need for multi-stakeholders’ collaboration towards a unified agenda for reparative justice to address the needs of Africans, restore dignity and foster reconciliation. She therefore urged participants to take advantage of the consultation to make insightful contributions and renew their unwavering commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights in West Africa.
Goodwill Messages from Mr Benjamin Hounton, Deputy Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for West Africa Region and Ms. Barrie Lynne Freeman, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel commended the network for the annual consultation as a unique space for in-depth dialogue, peer-to-peer exchange that strengthen collaboration, ensure accountability and an opportunity to reflect on how the role of NHRI’s can be further enhanced to advance human rights across the subregion.
Participants at the Regional Conference included Hon. Prince Lateef O. Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Nigeria, Dr Joseph Whittal, President of the NNHRI-WA and Commissioner for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice CHRAJ, as well as members of the Governing Council of the Nigerian NHRC and Heads of NHRI’s of Member States.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), in close collaboration with the Coalition Secretariat Partners (CSP), the ECOWAS Commission, and Member States, successfully concluded a pivotal two-day Strategic Communications Workshop in preparation for the 2nd Lassa Fever International Conference, held in Abuja, Nigeria. from June 30th to July 1st, 2025, the gathering aimed to create political will, advance prevention efforts, enhance preparedness and strengthen a unified regional response to Lassa Fever across West Africa.
The workshop’s objectives included identifying and analysing communication gaps, fostering mutual understanding of each entity’s communication roles and responsibilities, developing a unified communication strategy for the 2nd Lassa Fever International Conference, defining clear communication protocols, and establishing a joint roadmap for sustained regional communications, collaboration, and sensitization.
During the workshop, Dr. Virgil Lokossou, Acting Director of Health Services at WAHO, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of Dr. Assi Melchor, the Director General of WAHO. He emphasized the importance of putting in place effective communication tools, addressing specific Lassa Fever communication issues, and establishing a more visible regional platform for collaboration and decision-making. Dr. Lokossou stressed the need for increased awareness and prevention of the Lassa Fever threat, aligning strategies with scientific evaluation, and collectively developing a regional plan for the upcoming conference. He urged all participants to commit to this cause, working together to identify and address difficulties for the benefit of the entire region.
At the conclusion of the two-day event, Dr. Sombie Issiaka, Acting Director of Public Health and Research at WAHO, provided the closing remarks on behalf of the Director General of WAHO. He expressed sincere appreciation to the Nigerian Watch team for their smooth collaboration in combating Lassa Fever and other emerging diseases, as well as for organizing the workshop. He also extended thanks to all communication experts from participating member states, the Boom Public Health Group, and the Corona Management Systems Group.
Dr. Issiaka highlighted the significance of the coalition, emphasizing that all strategies discussed would move into the implementation stage, ensuring all stakeholders are effectively involved through clear communication in the fight against Lassa Fever. He thanked the Nigerian authorities as the host country, colleagues from WAHO and the ECOWAS Commission’s communication directorate for their support and collaboration, formally declaring the workshop closed and expressing anticipation for continued joint efforts. The workshop marks a significant step forward in ensuring a coordinated, impactful, and visible response to Lassa Fever across West Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The implementation of Praia-Dakar maritime link will mark an important step in regional integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). A workshop to evaluate and validate the various financial options for implementing the Praia-Dakar maritime link opened on Monday 30th of June 2025 in Dakar, Senegal.
The aim of this workshop is to define the management and operating procedures, analyse the financial viability and the most appropriate governance models for this maritime link, anticipate the socio-economic and environmental impacts, and propose mitigation measures. It also intends to identify mixed financing mechanisms (public-private partnership, regional funds) and propose a monitoring and evaluation plan incorporating performance and sustainability indicators.
Speaking on behalf of Sédiko Douka, Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitisation of the ECOWAS Commission, Chris Appiah, Director of Transport of the ECOWAS Commission, reiterated the crucial importance of the Praia-Dakar maritime link in strengthening economic integration and increasing regional trade. “The Praia-Dakar maritime link, once implemented, will link Cabo Verde, an island state, to the other states of West Africa” said Chris Appiah. He expressed his gratitude to the technical and financial partners supporting ECOWAS in the implementation of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan transport corridor project.
Mamoudou Alassane Camara, Senegal’s Director General of Road Infrastructure and Opening-up, and Chairman of the Committee of Experts from the Member States of the Praia-Dakar maritime link, also expressed his gratitude to these partners. He stressed the need and the obligation for West Africans to work towards the realisation of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan transport corridor project. This multimodal project, he said, should contribute to the development of West Africa. “We must ensure that the vision of ECOWAS leaders for the implementation of this project becomes a reality. We must move forward together. Together, we can achieve a great deal. What unites us is more important than what divides us” he said.
For his part, the Director General of the Senegalese Maritime Affairs Agency, Becaye Diop, informed the audience of the strategic importance of this project for his country and Cabo Verde. For him, this project has received renewed interest and attention since the visit to Praia, in Cabo Verde, on the 24th of May 2024, by the Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, he made a commitment with the Cape Verdean authorities to set up the Dakar-Praia maritime link to improve trade and strengthen economic and social cooperation between Senegal and Cabo Verde.
The Dakar-Praia maritime link, scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026, is a component of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan multimodal transport corridor project. Considered strategic, it should be the subject of a specific management model proposal.
As for the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan multimodal transport corridor project, it represents an essential element of the wider strategy of ECOWAS aimed at facilitating the free movement of people and goods within the Community area, strengthening trade cooperation, promoting economic development and stimulating regional trade.
Considered one of the essential steps towards a more integrated and prosperous West Africa, this regional corridor, which aims to connect the capitals and port areas of eight ECOWAS member states, aims to integrate several modes of transport: road, rail and sea. These states are Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Through this project, ECOWAS intends to turn the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor into a genuine West African economic hub, driving economic development and regional integration.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The 4th round of political consultationsآ between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European External Action Service (EEAS) was held Thursday in Doha.
The Qatari side was headed by HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, and the European side was headed by HE EEAS Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs Olof Skoog.
The political consultations discussed cooperation relations and ways to support and enhance them.
The State of Qatar participated in the 131st Session of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie, held in Paris.
HE Qatar’s Ambassador to the French Republic and its Representative to the Organization, Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al-Thani represented the State of Qatar at the session .
In her opening remarks, HE Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo praised the State of Qatar’s role in mediating between the Republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern DRC. She expressed her gratitude to Qatar for its contribution to establishing security and peace at the regional and international levels.
Participants in the session discussed the outcomes of the 19th La Francophonie Summit, held in France in October 2024, and the preparations for the 46th Session of the La Francophonie Ministerial Conference, slated for November in Kigali, Rwanda.
