The Voice magazine by The Voice magazine

ISSN:2588-8807

ISSN:1571-3466

Motto: Actuated towards Africa’s advancement

Volume 21. NO. 203 March 2021

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First complete African magazine published in The Netherlands since August 1999

Meet Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Nigerian Amazon in global eyes as WTO DG

Dutch people vote for a new Government

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YOUR COPY NOW.... Getting to know you written by Pastor Elvis Iruh Pastor Felix Asare wrote the foreword

BOOK REVIEW

Pastor Elvis Iruh’s new book is out…… Title: “Getting to know you” - A book on marital steps with information about marriage Author: Pastor Amb. Elvis Iruh About the book Whether you’re preparing for marriage or want to enjoy a deeper union with your spouse, this guide will help you enjoy a relationship built on solid Christian values. Pastor Elvis Iruh is a licensed minister with Victory Outreach International. His book highlights simple principles that are often taken for granted. Learn how to: • get to really know a love interest before deciding to marry; • avoid mistakes that lead to divorce;

• appreciate the sanctity of marriage; • forgive your partner when they make mistakes. Before you think of getting married, you should take the necessary steps to really get to know your partner. Your past should not contain any surprises - and your values must be aligned.

This revealing book is filled with practical exercises that partners can carry out with each other as well as guidance for pastors and church leaders who may need help in advising couples. This guide will help couples enjoy marriage that is built to last. ***** About the Author ELVIS IRUH is a native of Delta State, Nigeria. He attended numerous schools in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Lagos, Nigeria, before continuing his studies in Europe and earning a degree in theology from Victory Education & Training Institute. He worked for several media organizations in Nigeria as well and has been the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Voice news magazine since August 1999. He is serving as an associate pastor at Victory Outreach Almere, The Netherlands. The book can be used for educational purposes as well as educating your children on the subject of marriage. He is also available to speak on related topics covered in the book at any organized event or church activities. He is open for collaborative efforts to strengthen marriage institutions worldwide. It is a mission he has dedicated himself to helping the younger generation to talk and address the challenges they face in building good and solid relationships which could end up in marriage. You can purchase the book in Holland via his website: www.elvisiruh.com or through his publishers’: www.authorhouse.com/ Elvis Iruh or on www.amazon.co.uk via this link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1665580844/ref=ox_ sc_act_image_1?smid=AHRB2OK2Q2YCL&psc=1 You can contact him directly through any of his social media handle for your questions or comments, he would look into it and respond would be sent to you accordingly. Email: info@elvisiruh.com or elvisiruh@gmail.com

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The Voice magazine

THE VOICE MAGAZINE TEAM

The Voice magazine is editorially independent although we enjoys the support of our readers, subscribers, advertisers, non-governmental organizations and in dividuals of like minds; however the magazine publishers are in no way affiliated to any of these bodies or to any other publishing institution or political interest or group. The Voice magazine strives to foster awareness among the African audience and bridge the widening gap between Africans and the rest of the world in news gathering and dissemination. The Voice is published digitally online except on demand, we print hard copy.. If you want to receive a copy, send us your email address. On the Editorial board are Pastor Amb. Elvis Iruh, Jonathan Mgbejume, Sandra Iruh-Monsels, and Henry Oduenyi READ THE VOICE ON LINE AT www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com Our Affiliate partner: www.thenigerianvoice.com Registration NO: (Kvk. Nr. 34.110.928) TAX (BTW) NO: NL806215809B01 ISSN: 1571-3466 (For Print edition) ISSN: 2588-8807 (For Digital edition)

Publisher: Stichting Paddi Europa

For payments, use these bank details: Stichting Paddi Europa SNS Bank Account No: NL29SNSB0908374372 Swift Code: SNSBNL2A OR Stichting Paddi Europa Knab Bank Account No: NL77KNAB0725202238 Swift Code: KNABNL2H

Editor-in-Chief Pastor Amb. Elvis Ndubuisi Iruh elvisiruh@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Founding/Contributing Editor Edward Idahosa Ogbee apexbest2000@yahoo.co.uk Managing Editor Henry D. Oduenyi (Nigeria Office) henry@thenigerianvoice.com Project Coordinator Ifeyinwa Ezeagabu i.ezeagabu@thevoicenewsmagazine. com BUREAU CHIEFS Femi Ikutiyinu (London) afpaprint2000@yahoo.com Middle East Vice- President Amb. Laila EL Aftani Rahhall CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD Barrister Eze Eluchie (Nigeria) paddingr@yahoo.com Kehinde Aig-Imoru (Nigeria) aigimoru@yahoo.com Project Editor (Nigeria) Rev. Tammy Abusi (Port-Harcourt) tamabusi@gmail.com

Principal Photo Editors: Handy Tims Azeez Badris fatim_26@hotmail.com PA to Publisher Lilian Akintokun (Mrs) raven_lilian@yahoo.com Magazine Designer David Banjoko davosban@gmail.com MEDIA CONSULTANT Jonathan Mgbejume Abeka Salmin Abdallah Mildred Kleinbussink Pastor Duncan Spier Engr. Barry Igbeare You can as well contact our Office Address: Stichting Paddi Europa Inz The Voice Jeroen Boschplantsoen 82 1318 HH Almere, The Netherlands Land Line: +3136-8801341 Tel.: +31 (0)6-48519292 Mobile: +31 (0)6-84999548 E-mail: info@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Websites: www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com www.thevoiceachieversaward.com www.elvisiruh.com

Eubaldus Enahoro enabadus2000@yahoo.com

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Voice magazine is published in the Netherlands by Stichting Paddi Europa and it is p ublished online since 2016 around the world. It is registered at the Chamber of Commerce Amsterdam. The Voice aim to serve as a vital link among African readers in the Diaspora and we provide objective information and organizes opinion exchange among African people both in the continent and abroad. Thus it strives to foster and enhance complete understanding of developing c ountries problems and bring information to help address those issues. You can support this project now with as much as one euro a month to help keep publishing our digital copy for you. TV MANAGEMENT

Volume 21 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

NO 203 March 2021

Contents Get fast results by advertising with us. Others are doing, join us today. Call us on +31684999548 or +31648519292 E-mail: info@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Page 6- Editorial: The Netherlands General Election: What to expect Pages 8 & 9 - Vinaida Sno appeals for your vote on 17th March at parliamentary elections in The Netherlands Page 10 - Book Review: The Other Side of Fear Pages 16 & 17 – Meet the Nigerian Corruption Cop, Ngozi OkonjoIweala: Lagarde Expects Will ‘Rock’ the WTO Pages18 & 19 – One-Year Milestones by Elizabeth Kameo Pages 20 – 21 - Norwegian professor received death threats from Ethiopians in exile Page 22 Shell may re-evaluate Oil Operations Onshore Nigeria Page 23 – Uganda bullish on oil deal with Total, CNOOC by March Page 24- Two East African countries excluded as WHO announces roll out plan. Tanzania, Burundi not to get COVID-19 vaccine doses Page 25 - Column: My High School Valentine by Eva Nakato Pages 32 – 33 - The African Promise.... My Space by Jimmie Nicks Page 34 - President Buhari appoints new Ambassadors for Nigeria Page 35 - President Buhari congratulates Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on election as DG of WTO Pages 36 & 37 - An Amsterdam person who makes the difference: Veronica van de Kamp Pages 38-40 – President Paul Kagame: A Powerful African Voice Page 41- Photographs Lead Ethiopian Writer to Hidden Story of Women During War Pages 42 & 43 – Karim Khan: From Ruto’s and Charles Taylor’s defender to ICC prosecutor Pages 44& 45 - Angola moves to seize Dos Santos-linked asset in Dutch court Page 46 – ICC assures Netanyahu decision to investigate Israel is ‘not political’ Page 47 - Two major Airlines drop mask requirement for First & Business Class Pages 50 & 51 – Defeating Museveni can’t be achieved through international pressure alone Page 54 – Tony’s Chocolonely removed from ethical chocolate list due to Belgian link Page 55- President Buhari congratulates Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on election as DG of WTO Pages 56 & 57 – Coronavirus is hitting freedom-loving Dutch teenagers hard Page 58 - Lilianne Ploumen succeeds Lodewijk Asscher as Labour Party Leader Pages 60 & 61 - The Human Cost of Ethiopia’s Fighting in Tigray Grows Pages 62- 65 - The Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala we present to the world ...... Pages 66 - 67 – Sports: Serena Williams has nothing to prove and should now retire or show true Sportsmanship Page s 68 & 69 – I won’t fight my Nigerian brother says Usman

The Voice Magazine Volume 21. No 203 March 2021 Edition

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Editorial

The Netherlands General Election: What to expect

n 17th March 2021, The Netherlands goes to the ballot box for regular elections for the House of Representatives to decide which direction the country would be govern. In this editorial, we want to take a look at how politics are played here in an organized manner that no one loses his or her life in the process and not even much violence associated with the elections. In fact if you are not a smart observant, you may miss out of the whole election process. Of course things has drastically changed with the corona crisis as many campaigns are done digitally and less political gatherings however the polls are more reliable as projections can be taken seriously. To stand with, on 15 January 2021, the Dutch government collapsed and stepped down because of the so-called “day-care allowance affair”, in which the government unjustly treated thousands of households as fraudulent. However the government continued as a caretaker government,- a system the Dutch are very used to and are experts in managing it and it is that mode the country goes into another elections. So what is expected at the polls? Looking at recent polls as a given - and outline the positions of the political parties most relevant for the next coalition for the next four-year term, there is no dramatic change in Dutch politics. The Dutch political landscape is likely to remain scattered, with 14 parties polling for at least one seat in the lower house and six parties with a medium number of seats partner may remain so in the coming government.. Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s VVD remains the party with by far the most support of the electorate, polling between 41 and 45 of a total 150 seats. It might actually grow substantially compared to its current 32 seats. This combined with a small loss of support for coalition partners D66 and CDA and a minor gain for ChristenUnie provides ample room for the current government to win another term and form the next government. It is not so complex to understand the Dutch politics; they look for alternatives and right now the other political parties do not offer such difference for them to do away with the VVD led coalition government of Mark Rutte. The challenging parties like CDA, D66 and PvdA all recently chose new political leaders with no experience in election debates despite the fall of the ruling party government, VVD, it continues as a caretaker government and the polls show no significant shift in support for coalition parties as a consequence so far. As it stands, it could be expected that the VVD will take the new initiative to form a new coalition government with at least three parties. Besides the current centre-right VVD-CDA-D66ChristenUnie coalition, a similar VVD-CDA-D66 coalition and centre-left government of VVD-CDA-GroenLinks-PvdA are 6

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among the most evident options. The current lack of a Senate majority for all these options is not likely to be seen as an insurmountable hurdle. Current coalition partners have 81 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives, 76 seats required for absolute majority. The breakdown is as follows: Pastor Amb. Elvis Iruh Editor-in-Chief VVD-43, CDA-18, D^^-14 and CU-6. Few changes is expected but whatever happens the VVD is still the party of majority choice in The Netherlands. Of course this election is different, the first under corona crisis period where there are several frustrations particularly among the young people and increasing number of voters in this coming election. Would it affect the government? The Dutch still runs such traditional parties that may not bring huge regime change. Nevertheless, the Dutch mood specifically regarding quick domestic austerity seems to have changed compare to the previous crisis period: a focus on long-run sustainability seems more likely than a push for short-term debt reduction. Meanwhile, there is also a lot of support for more public investment. A new development is that there are new political parties trying to break this tradition and at least gain one or two seats in the parliament, it is parties based on colour inequality, sexism, minority interest and not too long ago, the Dutch Party for the Animals gained few seats in parliament from 2 seats to 5 seats so nothing is impossible at this elections. To the European Union and the rest of the world, they are kin to follow the Dutch election, the next government is expected to remain in favour of conditionality and sanction capabilities in return for solidarity. Opinions about the necessity to change the European Stability and Growth Pact differ among the coalition candidates. The election manifestos of the parties that are most likely to join the government suggest that radical steps away from European projects such as leaving the European Monetary Union or the European Union seem very unlikely. Our final appeal is to ask the minority groups like the Africans to continue to participate in the electoral process and get involved, few are on the list of the big political parties and who knows if they vote, they could just surprise the book makers. We wish the Dutch a successful election.

Vice Versa Global launches platform for young African journalists From this month, March 2021, a new wonderful initiative of our media partner in Holland, Vice Versa magazine under the Editor-in-Chief, Marc Broere will unveil a new project - Vice Versa Global platform. Next to the regular magazine and their website, Vice Versa Global will provide Young African journalists a platform to publish videos and articles on their website. Vice Versa Global is a platform spearheaded by young journalists from the Global South, creating socially conscious content through vlogs, columns, video, articles and discussions in order to share ideas and spark dialogue about social change. The first episode would be out 1st march 2021. Follow the links via YouTube and Facebook to watch and enjoy the compilations of African journalists. It is going to be an amazing show right here on their YouTube Channel, ViceVersa Global. h t t p s : / / y o u t u b e . c o m / c h a n n e l / UCa8qkYuWpz6kComRi3ChjEA According to the Editor-in-Chief, Marc Broere, the era of white Dutch journalist with a photographer heading to Africa to report about Africa is long over, now Africans can

tell their own stories and we provide the medium for them to be seen and read globally. Subscribe and follow this new great platform for young African journalists and it would expand beyond Uganda and Kenya as it is right now to many more African countries. Congratulations to Vice Versa Global.

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Vinaida Sno appeals for your vote on 17th March at parliamentary elections in The Netherlands The Netherlands election: Let your vote count and for change Working on that dream… My name is Vinaida Sno and I’m candidate NO 2number on the list of the political party Ubuntu Connected Front that is running for seats in the Second Chamber elections in the Netherlands on 17th March 2021. My dad is partly black and white and a Native Indian from the Amazon. My mom is a beautiful black woman with an Island background. Both born in Suriname, and so was I. Growing up in a country where there is a subtle form of segregation, I wasn’t seen as black because of my skin tone. Now in the Netherlands all that people see is black but my DNA tells the real story. The result of my own DNA test showed that I was 79,1% African (Nigerian, Kenyan and Sierra Leon). I now refer to myself as an African woman born in Suriname, living in the Netherlands. In daily life I’m a primary school teacher. What inspired me to become a teacher was the way my 2nd grade teacher interacted with me and the other students. She didn’t care

showed me the true meaning of being fair to everyone. That is why I’m so driven to fight for equality. Everyone deserves the right to be seen for who they truly are. Not their race or the colour of their skin. Politics came to my door at a very young age. In Suriname I joined a political party and was active in their youth group. Ten years ago I migrated to the Netherlands and once

who was rich or who was poor. She didn’t see race, all she saw was her student. She treated everyone equally. She 8

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again politics landed at my doorstep. I joined a political party for the second time and I participated in the municipal elections. We didn’t acquired any seats and for a number of years I focused on being a teacher. Even though teaching is my passion, politics has always been in my heart because I believe I can make a change. A good friend had the Ubuntu story on her status in July last year and I was inspired to inquire about the story behind the philosophy. This story has always been in the back of my mind and once again politics came knocking when another party contacted me. The name of the party is what immediately caught my interest because it reminded me of the Ubuntu philosophy. The party named Ubuntu Connected Front (UCF). UCF is one of the youngest political party in the Netherlands and they are for a dignified Netherlands because equality is a human right and not privilege. UCF choose Ubuntuism as a basic principle for conducting politics. A philosophy where the “we” perspective of others is essential to be human. Others are not seen as a threat but as an enrichment for personal growth and the increase of the possibilities to perform successfully. Even before I heard about the Ubuntu philosophy and this parties story, I lived my live by these same principles. Always living with the concept of everyone moving ahead together, pushing each other up instead of tearing each other down. Also being happy for anyone’s success and helping them to achieve their goals in order to help them to live their best life.

With the upcoming elections I want to fight for equal rights for people of colour. Institutional racism had its way, way too long. It’s time that we, people of color, can finally experience the enjoyment of human rights as it is written in the Convention on Human Rights. So to my fellow sisters and brothers I say together we can make the change by voting and get our own (people of color) in the Second Chamber. Your vote has a lot of power, because the moment we get into the political arena we can make laws that includes our own people. Being of African descent and participating on the highest level in a country was once a dream of dr. Martin Luther King. I ask you to help me make this dream become reality in The Netherlands. We can change where we stand as a race. If one can dream it, one can do it!!

“Your vote has a lot of power, because the moment we get into the political arena we can make laws that includes our own people”

- Vinaida Sno

MARCH 17TH, GO OUT AND VOTE...... Vote UCF for a change and the better for us all www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

BOOK REVIEW

The Other Side of Fear Uncertainty, anxiety and fear: only fictitious superheroes are exempted from this all-too human sequence. The trouble is that fear is paralyzing because it feeds our minds with negative thoughts. In a second, fear can turn the idea of courage into one of recklessness, and then it’s all downhill to a point where determination is put aside in favour of ‘playing it safe.’ Sadly, fear can stop you from doing anything slightly risky. It’ll keep you locked up in the prison of the comfortable and predictable where you’re more likely to die of boredom than might from any of the dangers you fear. So, what’s to be done? The simple answer is that risk-taking and adaptability are as much part of our human heritage as uncertainty-inspired fear. It’s finding a balance that matters most. Fear is a useful tool for making better life-directing decisions, but fear must never be allowed to control the direction of your life. That way you lose the opportunity of reaching your true potential. I hope this book will inspire you to transcend your fears and achieve all of your dreams. The greatest prison you can live in is the prison of your own fears. Nothing of value can be achieved when we allow fear to control our life. Grab a copy of “The other side of fear” be inspired to live above your fears. You can purchase E-book & paperback on amazon. First and foremost, I want to thank God for guiding my every step towards completing this project and to every other

person who contributed to this. I’ve learned that if we can find the courage to begin something, God will empower & enable us to complete the task. There’s nothing we cannot accomplish if we are determined enough. I was inspired to write this book because fear has kept a lot of people locked up in the prison of comfort. Too many people are living in a self-made prison of their own fears, they are stuck, unable to move forward and achieve their meaningful dreams. Fear has the power to limit your greatness, and blind you from seeing the opportunities that lies ahead of you. Everything you desire is on the other side of your fear, don’t stay trapped behind the walls of your fear for the rest of your life. It’s time to move towards your fears instead for trying to avoid them. I can confidently tell you that this book will inspire and challenge you to transcend your fears. And also provide principles to help you on the journey. Grab a copy of this book to bless yourself, a friend or a loved one. You can read online, download, & order hard copies of this book online click on the link. www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Fear-M-K-Slim-ebook/dp/ B088RKSDW7/ref=sr_1_8? Thank you By M.K. Slim

About M.K. Slim For much of my life, I’ve been fully committed to my music career, but I’m also an entrepreneur and a budding writer. I’m very motivated and mentally resilient: a genuinely optimistic person who believes that anything can be achieved if I’m determined enough. I strive to create a positive impact in the lives of those around me and I believe the highest of human acts is to inspire others to reach their potential. I strive to inspire as many people as I can. I’d like others to say of me, “Because you didn’t give up, I can do the same.” That’s the legacy I hope to leave behind when I die.

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Victory Outreach Church Almere is a Pentecostal Church, a Bible based believing people in the trinity of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What would you like to know? Our vision? Which activities we organize? Or would you like to hear testimonies about how we follow God? One thing is certain, we would like to get to know you and therefore you are more than welcome to visit one of our services in this new year 2020. You can visit us every day of the week as there is a Resident Pastor available to your demand. You may have been a believer for many years already. Or you might still be searching for the meaning of life and asking yourself whether or not there is God. Within Victory Outreach Almere we would like to help you find the answer. We will gladly teach you through the help of the Holy Spirit the exact meaning of “a living faith”. With us you will truly see

and experience the supernatural power of the living God. You can always count on love and comfort when you need it. You will discover that we have a wonderful diversity of people with lots of different backgrounds, characters and personalities. But there is one thing we have in common. We all follow the same God, Jesus Christ. In that diversity and love for God, we are a family where you are more than welcome. We personally hope to meet you during one of our services. God bless you as you come in Jesus Christ name. Amen Signed: Pastor Roel & Ida van Rooij Senior Pastors Victory Outreach Almere. Barbeelstraat 12, 1317 PZ Almere The Netherlands. Telephone: +31646890203; Telephone: 036-7505571 E-mail: info@voalmere.nl Website: www.voalmere.nl

Join our church service every SUNDAY in church and also online service via FACEBOOK or YOUTUBE

Victory Outreach Almere

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Feedback (Page for your letters) Nigeria gives the world her best Dear Editor, Another Amazon, one of the best this country called Nigeria has produced, wonder why you have not served in the public service and I can say without fear of being contradicted that until honest people like her are involved in governance in Nigeria, things would never change, governance is too serious a task to be left in the hands of half or none educated people we have running the country at the moment. God help and deliver us. Austine Awosika Abuja, Nigeria. Editor’s Note. Dear Austine,

Congratulations to Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Hearty congratulations to Madam Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. You have shattered the glass ceiling and paved the way for others to follow. We are all proud of you ma By Lola Visser-Mabogunje Abuja, Nigeria From Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala It is done! Thank you WTO members for finalizing my election and making history. In the 73 years of GATT and WTO honoured to be the first woman and first African to lead. But now the real work begin. Ready to tackle the challenges of WTO. Forget business as usual.

A tiger doesn’t proclaim its tigerness; it jumps on its prey. ~ Wole Soyinka

For your information, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has served Nigeria in various capacities in the past under President Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan, your point is that she has not stood for elective office position in Nigeria like contesting to be President! Well, politics in Nigeria is different than every other place, it is not about your qualification, competence or willingness to serve but political god-fatherism. Probably this is one of the reason she can’t occupy such position in Nigeria.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala speak on behalf of the poor in Nigeria Dear Editor, Congratulations on your new appointment ma, making you now a global citizen. Please help us remind our leaders particularly the President back here at home, Nigeria that they should at least allow us to enjoy little of the dividends of democracy, for the poor life is much better under the military regime that the hell we are in right now. This stress is too much ooooo. Nigeria is worst than hell right now. The poor will soon turn against the rich and those in power o and there would be nowhere for them to run or hide when it happens. Speak for us in your privileged position ma. God bless you. By Kotin Matthew Lagos, Nigeria

your own trumpet. If you are gorgeous or good or great, people will know. If you have to proclaim your ‘tigritude’, then you are

In other words, a tiger does not stand in the forest and say, “I am

not a true tiger ~ you are a toy

tiger” . When you pass where the tiger has walked before, you

tiger. Don’t be a phoney.

see skeletons of a duiker [antelope] , you know some tigritude

Be authentic!

has been emanated there.” This proverb is simply saying, let

Amos Onyango

your achievements and abilities speak for you. Do not blow

Nairobi, Kenya

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Meet the Nigerian Corruption Cop, Ngozi OkonjoIweala: Lagarde Expects Will ‘Rock’ the WTO

he incoming chief of the World Trade Organization has a reputation for shaking up the guardians of wealth and power that will come in handy in her new role. During Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s effort to root out corruption during her first stint as Nigeria’s finance minister, opponents of her plans nicknamed her “Okonjo Wahala” - “Okonjo the trouble maker.” The 66-year-old development economist embraces the moniker and true to form, trouble was what OkonjoIweala withstood campaigning for the WTO job. Finding herself on the wrong side of the Trump administration, her lack of trade-negotiating experience made her the target of a unilateral U.S. veto despite the endorsement of the organization’s selection committee and almost all other member nations. Now, with President Joe Biden’s administration’s blessing after the only other candidate withdrew, Okonjo-Iweala ha been elected to become the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO in its 25-year history. She will also be the first African citizen to hold the organization’s top job. “She is this wonderful, soft, very gentle woman with an authentic approach to problems but, boy, under that soft glove there is a hard hand and a strong will behind it,” European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said in an interview. “She is going to rock the place.” The WTO badly needs to be shaken up. All three pillars of the Geneva-based trade body’s work are under threat. Its usefulness has been called into question as China’s brand of state capitalism increases its footprint on the global economy, fomenting criticism from Brussels to Brasilia. The organization has struggled to produce meaningful multilateral agreements, its trade-monitoring function consistently under performs and former U.S. President Donald Trump neutralized the WTO appellate body in late 2019. With a budget last year totaling $220 million and a staff of more than 600, it has become a toothless bureaucracy during the most disruptive period for international commerce in generations. Add the pandemic to the turmoil, and the WTO’s most substantive work was ground to a near standstill last year and

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spurred its previous director-general to quit unexpectedly. Okonjo-Iweala has pledged to find common ground among the trade body’s disparate membership. She hopes to score some early negotiating wins such as a multilateral accord to curb harmful fishing subsidies as a means to restore trust and build momentum for larger deals. She’s also optimistic about prospects for an agreement to govern the $26 trillion global e-commerce marketplace, which could reduce cross-border hurdles for U.S. technology companies like Facebook Inc., Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Netflix Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Microsoft Corp. During her campaign for the job, Okonjo-Iweala portrayed herself as both a trade outsider and a power broker in global finance, pointing to a 2005 agreement she helped secure to write off $18 billion of Nigeria’s debt to the Paris Club, a group of mostly western government creditors. Okonjo-Iweala persuaded skeptics like former U.S. President George W. Bush that despite the high price of crude at the time, Nigeria’s $25 billion in oil revenue only amounted to 50 cents a day for each Nigerian, and debt relief was necessary to put Nigeria on the right track. “The way she brought about the debt deal was incredible,” said David de Ferranti, who worked with her at the World Bank. “Very few people could have done that.” Okonjo-Iweala graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1976 and earned her doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981. After moving to Washington, she quickly rose through the

ranks at the World Bank and in 2013 was named managing director -- the organization’s highest unelected position. Until recently, Okonjo-Iweala served as the board chair at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, an experience that could help the WTO navigate the health and economic implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. “She will bring a different kind of global perspective to the WTO than anyone before her,” former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in a phone interview. “She has a global view of challenges and problems and is insightful about solutions.” During her two terms as Nigeria’s top finance official, Okonjo-Iweala helped stabilize one of the world’s most volatile economies by leading significant reforms to the country’s energybased economy. The issues she confronted in that role were politically thorny, economically ponderous and personally dangerous. Her efforts led to death threats from entrenched interests and in 2012 a group of kidnappers --

frustrated by Okonjo-Iweala’s efforts to fight corruption in Nigeria’s oil industry -- abducted her 83-year-old mother and demanded she resign immediately.

Okonjo-Iweala immersed herself in work and recalled the advice of her father - a Nigerian king who told her as a child to “never allow anyone to intimidate or blackmail you.” Ultimately, her mother survived the ordeal. As the WTO’s next director-general, she’s going to need fortitude and persistence. Among the most significant challenges before any repair work begins: undoing the deep level of mistrust between rich economies and those of the developing world. That bad blood has given rise to protectionism -- the antithesis of the WTO’s mission of “open trade for the benefit of all.” Okonjo-Iweala is aware that a big part of her job will be refereeing the trade battles between the China and the west. “You have developed-country members who believe they have borne the burden of liberalization too much of it and that maybe advanced developing countries have maybe not borne enough,” she told Bloomberg in a phone interview. “I’ll be listening to the developed countries, listening to the advanced-developing countries and the least-developed countries and asking ‘Where is there common ground?’” By Bryce Baschuk

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One-Year Milestones

nearly forgot, that last month marked my one year anniversary, working at the retirement home/hospital until my #angelawambua sent me a congratulatory message to me, then a second from #Dirktenbrink a third from #vivianegermany and a fourth from #Susanmgustafson. The good thing about LinkedIn, it helps you keep track of your professional journey, the good, the bad and the ugly. The ups and the downs, the changes and the no changes. I remember a time when I had not updated my account for what felt like eons, by then I was in a professional impasse! Or more a professional limbo! Having just moved to France with my one year old son, I was a journalist with no job. Nearly ten years of experience going to waste. I was not wielding my weapon (read pen) anymore; I was depressed and watched myself go deeper and deeper into depression without family or friends to help me out. Post maternal depression turned into a deeper depression, not writing rendered me sad and suicidal. And all the while I could not help think how karma has humour. I used to write about challenges that face mothers especially in under developed countries and here I was in a developed country not even able to find help to pull me through this! Then one day a former colleague and Editor in the Netherlands, Elvis Iruh told me something I will forever remember ‘you have to be patience, we all started out just like you, we all struggled when we moved to Europe it may take years but you will finally make it. Do not give up you may have to do jobs ways below your education level but those are steppingstones’. He was right. It took me years but finally it came to me, cooking and my fitness routine had helped me pull through years of depression, so I thought it was down to the two. Becoming a fitness instructor was my first choice, but I soon realized I would not afford it. At my age; well into my 30s I would not be considered for funding and it was not considered important training to enter into the job market. But I had plan B, become a chef and that worked. France is known for its superb gastronomy the rate at which they channel out professional cooks is impressing, however the rate at which professional cooks quickly change professions or choose to go work in countries where working conditions for chefs are much better than here leaves the country in a deficit as far as chefs go. Funding for that was readily available. So all that was left was to get the 15,000 euros I needed for a year of school fees. And I did thanks to my counsellor at the Job employment offices. In two months I was in. but that journey is a story for another day……. It is this impasse that led me to where I am today, one year in a job I never thought I would find myself in, one year in which I have learnt so much, cried a lot, laughed as much, danced like never before, loved and lived, felt happiness and sorrow, made and lost beautiful souls. And if I had to, I would do it all

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By Elizabeth Kameo again without changing a thing. And so the messages from Angela, Dirk, Viviane and Susan had me thinking back on the last years, 2020: I know many people think of it as a ‘dead one’ but for me 2020 was my new beginning. I am proud of myself and where I am and so is my son. Whenever I come back home he asks how my day went and I gladly recount the stories, what resident said what or did what, who was in a good or bad mood and how it all went. More than once he has said to me ‘mum you know I am so proud of you, for all you do for the retired people and those on the Alzheimer’s, ward. You are not just a cook, you are much more”. And he is right, when my immediate boss called me in for my end of year review, she informed me of how they were contented with my work. In fact she told me my reference chef had said, “Elizabeth is the perfect employee. She is always happy; she makes an effort to know not only her colleagues but also the residents. In such a short time she has been able to create a connection between her and everyone around her that is positive’. I may not always wake up on the right side of bed but I do know that once I tap the code on the door, get into my work outfit, whatever happened outside the hospital stays out. I get into my professional self and work my magic am proud of what I have accomplished. I love the residents; I love talking to them and relating to them. I have come to know their stories, I try to change their days if not through the food then through the way I relate with them. Take for example, Madame L she is one of my greatest

accomplishments. My heart fills with joy whenever I say hello to her and she responds, see, she keeps to herself, in her room, never getting out at all; the first time I said hello she quickly turned around and went back to her room. I never gave up, whenever I would see her I would smile, my most charming and heart-warming smile and say “bonjour” and one day after weeks, she smiled back and responded. Now that was a triumph. Ever since that day whenever I greet her she responds. Last Christmas, we managed to get her to eat in the dining room with the rest of the residents. She even had a glass of wine. I was on cloud nine. Then there is Yvette, she asked me to stop calling her Madame. Yvette always hangs out with her girlfriend; they have been friends forever and now live in the same retirement home. She once told me ‘I pray that like us you will have a friend or two to share all your life with”. Mr. L who is always asking me to check on his cousin who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and Marie T who knitted me a scarf in one of my favourite colour for a Christmas present. PS: Mr. L reserved me a dance during the Christmas party. How luckier can a girl get! This last year I have strived not only to do a good job but to put the small things that really matter first. Caring, understanding, sympathy, empathy, kindness and humanity. With the residents and with my workmates. Of course it does not always work out as planned with workmates but I push on. After all, I did not get a job to make enemies. I love waking up and getting ready to go to work, here I have met some of the most interesting people, they talk to me

without hesitation, they are always hopeful ad smiling, they make me see the best side of life, they always have a lesson for or a word of wisdom for me. I do not just go to work to work, I go to work to put smiles on the faces of all those that look up to me and my colleagues to make their lives as comfortable and as great as we can. I go to work to learn. And every day I think about my next stage of my career. Dietician, food for therapy chef or………… Like I told Dirk, this is no glamorous gastronomy chef job, I do not get to dress plates, sometimes I wish I could, but as glamour on the humanity scale goes, my job is as glamorous if not more as working in a gastronomy restaurant. Elizabeth Kameo is an experienced Journalist and Media Consultant with a demonstrated history of written Press Journalism and PR work. She is currently pursuing a second career working as a chef in the hospital & health care industry in France. She is skilled in News Writing, Event Management, Editing, Journalism, and Corporate Communications. She also has strong marketing professional skills graduating from AFPA Brive-la-Gailarde with a Diploma in French Culinary studies. Help me to welcome Elzabeth Kameo back into The Voice news magazine fold where she can continue with her writing skills and starting with this edition, she would be contributing her personal write ups, unique and exclusive to her. Thank you for not giving up on yourself. TV Management.

Curfew extended to March 23; High schools, hairdressers to reopen and other restrictions relaxed. “Your behavior matters” The caretaker Cabinet of the Netherlands has agreed to extend the country’s first mandatory curfew since World War II through the early morning hours of March 15, but will relax some restrictions affecting education, retail, close-contact services, and sports for young adults. “With extra space comes extra responsibility,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte cautioned during a press conference with Health Minister Hugo de Jonge on Tuesday night. “Your behavior matters,” Rutte said, while expressing his displeasure that 25 percent of those who test positive said they still go grocery shopping or take their dog out for a walk. After initially reflecting on the fact that a year has passed since the Netherlands discovered the SARS-CoV-2

coronavirus in the country, he said the country was still in an “incredibly difficult” situation due to the continued emergence of more contagious variants of the virus. Despite this, “We are now entering a phase where we are prepared to take a little more risk,” he stated. “The longer the crisis lasts, the harder it is for us,” before specifically expressing concern for those dealing with “learning disabilities, loneliness and depression among the elderly and young, entrepreneurs who are struggling.” Even though the average number of daily coronavirus infections has increased by five percent since Rutte’s last major press conference three weeks ago, the prime minister said it was important that all students get back into the classroom for the sake of their mental health. High schools, secondary vocational schools, and secondary special education programs will be allowed to let students back in the classroom on a part time basis as of March 1. The students will physically attend their schools at least one day per week, provided that students, staff and teachers keep a distance of 1.5 meters from each other. Schools will be given some flexibility to divide classes.

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Norwegian professor received death threats from Ethiopians in exile

ne of the world’s leading experts on Ethiopia, Professor Kjetil Tronvoll, is being harassed by Ethiopian authorities, and has received death threats from Ethiopians in exile. Tronvoll is professor of peace and conflict studies at Bjørknes University College in Oslo and has done research on Ethiopia and Eritrea since the beginning of the 1990s. He also has a background as a professor of human rights from the University of Oslo and has as a researcher been connected to the London School of Economics in the UK, Columbia University in the US, and Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. The ethnic and political divides are strong in Ethiopia and this isn’t the first time Tronvoll’s received harassment and threats. However, when the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who in 2019 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize launched an offensive military operation against The Tigray People’s Liberation Front in November 2020, the agitation and threats against Tronvoll reached another level. The Norwegian professor’s analysis of the offensive was not well received in Addis Ababa. Authorities there started what

Tronvoll calls a well-organized campaign to discredit him. The leader of the Ethiopian intelligence service INSA, Shumete Gizaw, among other things accused Tronvoll of being paid by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front to spread disinformation about the war in The Tigray Region. The accusations are firmly rejected by Tronvoll. Still, they were distributed by the Ethiopian national news agency ENA, and quickly reached Ethiopians in exile, also in Norway. This unleashed a storm of threats, including death threats. Toward the end of December 2020, Tronvoll contacted the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and asked them for help. “There’s an active coordinated campaign of hatred

against me, from Ethiopian activists who are spreading false information and unfounded accusations, and which seemingly is coordinated with Ethiopian authorities,” he said. Tronvoll asked that his case be brought up with Ethiopian authorities, and demanded that the accusation from the head of INSA was retracted. The Norwegian MFA confirmed that they were taking the case seriously, and promised mid-January that the Norwegian embassy in Addis Ababa would address the issue “on a general basis” with Ethiopian authorities. The harassment against Tronvoll however didn’t cease. “I can inform you that the formal “campaign” against me in governmental media, where unfounded accusations are being promoted, continues,” he wrote in a new letter to the Norwegian MFA. Recent statements from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed do not suggest that the Ethiopian regime will stop at their attempts to discredit researchers like Tronvoll. At the beginning of this month, the Ethiopian prime minister tweeted to Ethiopians abroad to “hit back” at those who criticize the development in the country. There is little doubt that this message was well received. Tornvoll was to participate in discussions and debates, most recently to join other experts from Egypt and Somalia, organised by the Norwegian Council for Africa to discuss matters affecting Africa. The topic of the debate was the conflicts that have arisen between Ethiopia and neighbouring countries as a consequence of The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia. News about the debate resulted in renewed death threats against Tronvoll, allegedly from Ethiopian nationalists and Amhara-activists. The Norwegian Council for Africa found it safest to cancel the event. “We had to prioritize the safety of the participants and their experience of the situation”, says leader of the Council Aurora Nereid to the press.

“To receive threats when you analyze war and human rights abuses is an experience I have lived with for years. But that activists who are encouraged by the Government in one of Norway’s so-called partner countries manage to limit freedom of speech here in Norway, is remarkable,” Tronvoll says. “I hope the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security will handle this issue with the level of seriousness that it demands”, he adds. Ethiopia is one of ten countries that are deemed so-called partner countries in Norwegian development policy. They are selected as partners for long-term development cooperation with Norway, and have for the past 20 years received around 6,3 billion NOK, so close to 744 million USD, of Norwegian development funds. This is according to figures from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. According to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia received around 500 million NOK last year, and 700 million NOK the year before that. The Norwegian News Agency NTB have requested to see the communication between the Norwegian embassy in Addis Ababa and Ethiopian authorities concerning the harassment and threats that Tronvoll has been subjected to. They have yet to receive an answer. State Secretary Jens Frølich Holte writes in a general answer to Tronvoll that he should consider reporting the threats he has received to the police. “Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ine Eriksen Søreide, has expressed concern about hate speech and has raised the issue of respect for human rights during talks with Ethiopian authorities. We will continue to do this.

Serious threats that are presented through social media is something the police should look at. Such issues should be

reported to the police,” Frølich Holte says. Tronvoll is not too happy about this response. He points to the fact that such a police case most likely ends up being suspended. “This is why I’ve sent a note of concern to The Norwegian Police Security Service in November last year, asking them to do a risk assessment of my situation. They however declined this, as they claimed it was not within their mandate,” says Tronvoll. The Ethiopian embassy in Sweden, which is also accredited in Norway, denies any knowledge of death threats against Tronvoll.

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Shell may re-evaluate Oil Operations Onshore Nigeria

ersistent issues with theft and sabotage in the Niger Delta could prompt Shell to take a hard look at its operations onshore Nigeria, the super major’s chief executive Ben van Beurden said this last month. “Our onshore oil position, despite all the efforts we put in against theft and sabotage, is under challenge,” van Beurden told reporters, as carried by international media organizations, after Shell reported another set of weak Big Oil results affected by the pandemic. “But developments like we are still seeing at the moment

Shell has been flagging for years problems with crude oil theft on its pipeline network onshore Nigeria. Last month, The Hague Court of Appeal ordered Shell to compensate Nigerian farmers for two oil spills in the country 13 years ago, in the first lawsuit in which a company has been held liable in the Netherlands for its actions abroad. The ruling of the Dutch court is setting a precedent for future lawsuits brought against oil firms in the countries where they are based, instead of the countries where oil

mean that we have to take another hard look at our position in onshore oil in Nigeria,” Shell’s top executive added.

spills or oil pollution has allegedly taken place. Shell, for its part, continues to say that the spills were the result of sabotage, which has been frequent in the Niger Delta in Nigeria. “We continue to believe that the spills in Oruma and Goi were the result of sabotage. We are therefore disappointed that this court has made a different finding on the cause of these spills and in its finding that” the Nigerian unit of Shell is liable, the Anglo-Dutch major said in a statement, as carried by the press. “Sabotage, crude oil theft and illegal refining are a major challenge in the Niger Delta,” Shell noted. By Charles Kennedy

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Uganda bullish on oil deal with Total, CNOOC by March

he Uganda government says it is in “advanced stages” of closing the long-awaited Final Investment Decision (FID) with the international oil companies — France’s Total E&P and China’s Cnooc in the coming weeks. The decision, will unlock billions of dollars of investment in Uganda’s oil and gas sector and turbo-charge the country’s economy. Robert Kasande, the Energy Ministry Permanent Secretary told the press they are fine-tuning “a few minor details” ahead of the much-anticipated development that has been deferred several times owing to numerous disagreements. “Our plan is to close this by end of this month or latest mid-March,” Mr Kasande said. Uganda indicated last year it was targeting FID by end of December, but analysts warned that the timeline was very optimistic given the election campaigns that were marred by unprecedented violence and chaos. However, with the election season ended, government officials say they expect to finally get the industry off the ground more than a decade after the country confirmed commercial deposits of crude oil. Closing FID means launching Uganda’s oil project to the next development and construction phases, and subsequently starting of commercial oil production, tentatively, by 2025. The renewed optimism on FID comes ahead of French oil giant Total SA, the parent company of Total E&P, release of its financials for 2020 and 2021 outlook at the beginning of the month.

Uganda’s oil project is expected to feature prominently as the company’s chief executive Patrick Pouyanne has been engaged in back-and-forth discussions with President Yoweri Museveni to get the project off the ground, 14 years since the country announced discovery of commercial oil volumes. Officials from Total declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of the decision. As much as $10 billion in investment is expected to flow into Uganda when the FID is closed, development of the oil fields — Tilenga in Buliisa and Nwoya districts operated by Total E&P, and Kingfisher in Hoima and Kikuube districts operated by Cnooc — and the 1,445km East African Crude Oil Pipeline running from Hoima in mid-western Uganda to Chongoleani terminal in Tanga at the Indian Ocean. The capital expenditure for development of oil fields is about $6.7 billion. This is expected to cover the construction of feeder pipes across the oil fields in Buliisa, Hoima and Nwoya districts, and construction of two central processing facilities (CPF)—for stabilization of oil before being fed into the pipeline or refinery, drilling, land acquisition, construction of well pads, camps, and construction yards. The oil companies, particularly Total E&P is currently in the process of issuing Engineering, Procurement and Construction contracts for its Tilenga project, while evaluation of the EACOP EPC tenders is on course. Meanwhile, Uganda needs about $480 million to finance its stake in the proposed 60,000 barrels per day oil refinery, $213 million to finance the 15 percent stake in EACOP, and $71.4 million in the proposed storage terminal for the refined oil products.

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Two East African countries excluded as WHO announces rollout plan Tanzania, Burundi not to get COVID-19 vaccine doses

anzania and Burundi are excluded from the African countries set to receive COVID-19 vaccine, media reports said last month, after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans for the vaccine rollout. The WHO said its COVAX initiative aims to start shipping about 90 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa from end of February 2021. About 320,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been allocated to four African countries, including Rwanda, Cabo Verde, South Africa and Tunisia, the WHO said in a statement. The rollout of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is subject to the listing of the vaccine for emergency use by the UN agency. However, earlier this month, Tanzania indicated it had no plans to accept COVID-19 vaccines after President John Magufuli expressed reservations about them. Magufuli declared that COVID-19 has been defeated

UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres Disease Control and Prevention. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the continent reached 3.6 million as of last month, while the death toll

in his East African country, attributing it to God’s help, even when the WHO urged cooperation from the government. The health minister of Burundi, a landlocked country in East Africa, said his country was more concerned with prevention measures, according to local media. “Since more than 95% of patients are recovering, we estimate that the vaccines are not yet necessary,” local media reported, quoting Health Minister Thaddee Ndikumana as saying. Burundi’s land and water borders remain closed. The county has registered more than 1,600 confirmed coronavirus cases. Some 60% vaccination is needed to achieve herd immunity in Africa’s 54 countries, according to the Africa Centers for

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stood at 93,647, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the President of Rwanda in a separate reaction does not agree with the distribution arrangement of the World Health Organization (WHO) in a separate report carried in the magazine

COLUMN Column:

My High School Valentine… By Eva Nakato

According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl—possibly his jailor’s daughter—who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and— most importantly—romantic figure. Contemporary culture dictates that Valentine’s day should be one where people shower their loved ones with love. Contrary to popular belief, a person’s valentine could be anything starting from their partner, family member, pets and friends to mention but a few. One could as well go out and show some love to the poor, the homeless and even orphans. In my home country of Uganda, Valentine’s day is barely forgotten especially by the educated folks and the urban dwellers. As a teenager Valentine’s Day was quite interesting. At that stage, our hearts were still very tender and explosive at t h e same time. Just like most of my contemporaries, we were at High School. Unfortunately, I was quite a loner for no apparent reasons so I simply watched my close friends and classmates paint the day red and black! Students would do some of the most hilarious things for their high school sweethearts. The girls would endeavour to look their best, applying some ‘cheap’ makeup on their faces since that was all that was available as well as wearing the best perfume they could lay their hands on. Some of the girls also went as far as writing beautifully worded love letters to their ‘boyfriends’. The ones that were students of literature used this opportunity to quote some lines from Shakespeare’s works into these letters. Sometimes the letters would just consist of lyrics to popular love songs. On the other hand, the boys would do all within their means so as to look as ‘macho’ as possible. Anything that could potentially impress the opposite gender would be prioritised.

Since they believed that girls loved flowers, the boys would gift their girls with simple plastic flowers that cost less than a dollar, accompanied with some cheap necklaces. When time for our evening meal at school came, the ‘couples’ would be seen eating from a special part of the school cafeteria, munching away their little pocket money savings. They would treat each other to a much better meal like noodles or chapati with beans and beef as opposed to the daily boring meal of posho and beans, a common meal for students in boarding schools in my home country of Uganda. Some of the ‘brave’ chaps would bribe the security personnel at the school gate so as to enable them take their partners to happening places outside of school. Worse still, some of the older students would escape out of the school premises at night during prep time to go to the local pubs have a time of their lives, dancing and drinking till late into the night. Well, most of them were expelled from school after being caught. As of now, most of my former schoolmates are now responsible adults with beautiful families and spouses to celebrate Valentine’s Day with. They all probably now understand the real meaning of Valentine’s Day and hence celebrate it more responsibly. Worldwide, some couples tend to only express love towards each other only on some specific days. It could be a day like Valentine’s or Christmas or any some other day known to them. However, I feel love should be shown and shared each and every other day. We really don’t need a day to direct us on how to love and when to show love to the people we adore. Anyway, at least there is a day to celebrate love worldwide! So, tell me, how was your Valentine’s Day? Did you share some love? Finally, I would like to read from you as well that I would love to hear from you on this subject probably how it was in your youth days. Eva Nakato is a Ugandan based writer and she wants to read from you so write her through info@thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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CMA DECRIES RISING INCIDENCE OF CANCER AND CALLS FOR INTEGRATION OF CANCER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT SERVICES INTO FRAMEWORKS FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE. The Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA) has decried the rising incidence of cancer in the Commonwealth of Nations with a clarion call on governments to integrate Cancer prevention and treatment services within their frameworks for Universal Health Coverage. This call was made in a widely circulated broadcast by the President of the Commonwealth Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, as part of CMA’s activities to mark the 2021 World Cancer Day. In his broadcast, Dr. Osahon Enabulele stated that Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with about 12 persons dying every minute in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) of the world. Identifying Cervical cancer as a major challenge in the Commonwealth, the CMA President disclosed that the Commonwealth of Nations accounts for about 40% share of the global cervical cancer incidence burden and 43% of the global cervical cancer mortality, and with 85% of deaths from cervical cancer occurring in the LMIC Countries. He further stated that nearly half a million women in the Commonwealth of Nations were living with cervical cancer, with one woman dying from cervical cancer every 5mins. He therefore called for accelerated attention and action to stem the rising tide of Cervical cancer and other forms of cancers, particularly in LMIC countries. Speaking further, Dr. Osahon Enabulele averred that the rising incidence and huge burden of cervical cancer was a reflection of social injustice and numerous other factors including poverty, and inequities in access to quality cancer care. While calling for more altruistic action on the social determinants of health, the CMA President called for more intense advocacy and public enlightenment on the disease. He particularly urged women of reproductive age group in the Commonwealth of Nations to adopt appropriate health-seeking behaviours and healthy lifestyle practices. He also encouraged them to undergo regular health screening and to present early for treatment at the precancerous stages. He charged them to get vaccinated against cervical cancer. The CMA President fervently called on the various governments in the Commonwealth to act more decisively to flatten the cervical cancer curve and to integrate cancer prevention and treatment services within their country frameworks for Universal health coverage and National Health Insurance Schemes, in ways that would create opportunities for improved access to quality healthcare and cancer services, including cancer preventive, curative and rehabilitative services. Signed: CMA MEDIA DEPARTMENT

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Amsterdam hospital fined €440,000 for breaches of patient privacy

msterdam’s OLVG hospital group has been fined €440,000 for allowing unauthorized personnel unlimited access to patients’ medical files. Privacy watchdog Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP) said that between 2018 and 2020 the hospital did not have enough measures in place to prevent breaches of privacy. It was not clear who was accessing the files and the computer systems were not secure, it found. Access to medical files is only granted to doctors, nurses and staff if it is necessary for the treatment of the patient. The AP told broadcaster NOS a tip off from a ‘worried citizen’ and ‘signals from the media’ had prompted the investigation. The hospital authorities were also warned by a student doing a part time job planning appointments. She found she had access to the medical files of friends and celebrities and files dating back as far as 15 years. Despite alerting the management the issue was not dealt with, the newspaper reported. ‘You should be safe in the knowledge that what you tell your doctor remains confidential,’ AP chairwoman Monique Verdier told the NOS media. ‘It doesn’t bear thinking about that people who have no business there can browse in the notes your doctor has made about you. But it happened and that it why the AP has fined the hospital.’ The

OLVG will not appeal against the fine and has said the requisite safety measures are now in place. In 2019 the AP fined the Haga hospital in The Hague €460,000 for similar breaches of privacy while data from health board coronavirus systems were stolen recently and offered for sale.

European envoy in Sudan to ease tension with Ethiopia A European special envoy has arrived in Sudan last month for talks aimed at easing tension with Ethiopia over their border dispute. “The High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy in the European Union, Joseph Borrell, assigned the Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pekka Haavistorr Sudan said in a statement. The visit aims “to help ease tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia, and to find out how the international community can provide support in finding peaceful solutions to the current crises facing the region”, the statement added. Haavisto is expected to stay in Khartoum for two days where he will meet Sudan’s top officials, including Abdelfattah al-Burhan, chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok and Foreign Minister Omar Qamar al-Din. Relations between Khartoum and Addis Ababa witnessed tensions over Sudanese accusations to Ethiopia of supporting gangs that targeted

Sudanese territories along with stuck talks over border demarcation. By Ahmed Asmar from Ankara

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Column:

The African Promise....My Space By Nicholas Jimmy (Jimmie Nicks)

I am in love with her, but her parents deny me an opportunity - my rightful space- to betroth her. Africa is the latest and youngest continent in respect to development and independence. And despite the fact that Africa has its space to govern herself, the continent still suffers from great indifference compared to the rest of the world. While this aspects can be attributed to issues related to its past on colonization which involved syphoning of its strong men away as slaves, post colonialism behaviors like poor leadership characterized by greed and corruption, internal and external conflicts, brain drain and nonsustainable misplaced and ill-advised western ventures for her among others. While the events and occurrences from pre-colonialism still have great impact today, I strongly would point my finger towards post colonialism as having had greater share of the problem if the game of blame was in my head. And while I am not bargaining for atrocities done to Africans by its ‘masters’ to be a case of scot free, it would be misguided for anyone to believe that African continental woes lies squarely on vices done to her. Yes there is what was done against her (Africa) and her people, but there is also what she (Africa) has done against herself and her people by commission and omission.

one among only other six continents has no permanent seat in the United Nations - A global platform where global matters are decided. Why must we serve her with artificial rotational position for her sons and daughters while the other few enjoy non rotational permanent positions? While I can forgive her for been absent while this was happening, its idiocy to live with this truth that we are not equal and do nothing about it. The world table is set and they have gathered again if not against us. Dinner is on the table, some will eat on the table but she (Africa) must decide for herself to not eat under the table again. It’s on the table where global direction for the world continents is set; she now must become part of the solution for herself by voicing out her needs. Africa space won’t be given, it must be taken. Her space -my space is within and without. While her leaders must fight for the international space, her people must fight for their space and keep the leaders in check. While inferiority complex may contribute to the challenge of fighting for the international space, Africa need to let the world know of her power embodied in her resources. Africa continent is rich, green and healthy far more than the rest of the world. Anyone who wish to contest against this statement must foremost look into her rich resources, her natural a n d green weather and her healthy youthful sport stars to mention just a few of their great accomplishments. The world continents today looks into Africa for her resources

Time in past, her leaders have been occupied with nonessentials while essential has taken place in her absence. It’s of great craftiness that a continent with over 52 countries and

much more than Africa looks upon them. Africa has and continues to export not only academicians and medics,

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Column but a great share of her fine agricultural produce travel the world. And while monies borrowed by her (African) leaders from International Monetary Fund-IMF and World Bank is emphasized and often looked upon as the sustainability for African projects, it’s important for anyone lied to as such to understand what colonialism did to post colonialism by creating capitalist even of herself (Africa), by this I mean much of this funds end up back to foreign accounts after its stolen by her (Africa) very own greedy capitalist politicians. It’s one thing to create a gold necklace and another thing to coat silver necklace with gold, We all know very well that most African projects are sugar coated and only Her people know once the sugar melts they can only enjoy sugar smelling salt pie. Africa’s space in global economy and market will only be felt if the continent unites towards common goal- AU agenda for

2063, the hope for Africa potential to sit on same level with the global super powers. While this idealism sounds great, it will take more than sitting on table with great economies to be one. The truth of this power lies little in international space and mostly on internal productivity, Majority of her people been the youth, they must now act towards leadership and productivity in growing their economies. And while challenge lie in bills and constitutional amendments that will favor Small Micro Enterprises. The SMEs which are majorly run by youths must have representatives in these

government offices not only to be productive but as well to champion the development agenda. In my opinion, Africa still stands a great chance of becoming

a lead continent in matters of economy, I say this because Africa is the new green and the current scramble by other continents of the world to have a share of its untapped resources speaks this in volumes. However ‘one’ must find the green in it and water the flora, and this ‘one’ gardener must be non-other than Africa herself. Then Africa’s peace, dignity, growth and equality will be achieved. But first, Africa must find her space, guard it and own it as ‘my space’ and not our space. I am in love with her, but her parents deny me an opportunity - a space- to betroth her. And since l know this truth, I must face her parents (Africans anti-development political sycophants clinging to offices), and free Her. I will do so without sparing her uncles (Big brothers colluding with these capitalists), Bobi Wine showed me it can be done by taking his first step against a tyranny, and like the Nigerians wise youths, I am ready for my youthful space. By Nicholas Jimmy (Jimmie Nicks) - Panafrican Award winning Community Development Expert The Founder United Global Volunteers International -Int’l NGO. CEO-Kollywood Horizons (Media Business)

“Nicholas Jimmy (Jimmie Nicks) is a graduate with B. A degree in Integrated Community Development, since his college days, he has continued to champion community programs on capacity building and eventually founding United Global Volunteers International, with twelve years of experience as an expert in Community Development, he is also the Founder of Kollywood Horizons - media Business, he also organizes World Volunteer Day (WVD) every 5th of December in Kenya, creating awareness on the need to grow volunteer culture and helps community institutions to get free experts & volunteers to assist solve community problems while experts get opportunity to re-learn and get exposure through various programs across targeting Grassroot capacity building. Jimmy has been awarded by Kenyan government (2010) receiving Good Samaritan honorary award presided by the then speaker of national assembly, Hon. Kenneth Marende. He has also been awarded by Daystar University as the youngest servant leader impacting communities” www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

Project Nigeria’s image, uphold standards that bring honour, President Buhari tells newly appointed Ambassadors President Muhammadu Buhari last month in Abuja urged Ambassadors-Designate, Consuls-General, Charge’ D’ Affaires to continually project the strengths of Nigeria, showcase priorities of the government and uphold standards that will bring honour to the country. Speaking virtually from the State House at the Induction / Orientation Exercise for Ambassadors-Designate, ConsulsGeneral and Charge’ D’ Affaires Entitre held at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) auditorium, the President told the diplomats to always be mindful of the policy direction of the government, particularly the nine priorities it had listed. “You must not forget that you have been posted to your respective bilateral and multilateral Missions to represent and project Nigeria as a great and indivisible nation and a very attractive investment destination. “In our effort to achieve realistic development oriented domestic and foreign policies, the government has identified nine (9) priority areas to guide our policy directions and thrust within the time frame of 2019-2023. “These are: build a thriving and sustainable economy; enhance social inclusion and reduce poverty; enlarge agricultural output for food security and export; attain energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products; expand transport and other infrastructural development; expand business opportunities, entrepreneurship and industrialization; expand access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity of Nigerians,’’ he said. The President also noted that the priorities include building a system to fight corruption, improve governance and create social cohesion and improve security for all. “I, therefore, urge all of you to be guided by these identified priority goals, as well as your various Station Charters which highlight specific mandates and guidelines on government’s expectation. We expect you to fight hard for Nigeria and for Nigerians abroad. “You must strive to promote trade, human capacity development, foreign direct investment and other areas of cooperation with countries at national and multilateral levels to support our national growth and development.’’ President Buhari said national and global resources had continued to shrink, a situation compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the government will continue to innovate 34

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and cope with a new norm in order to contain the catastrophic consequences of the pandemic. He said the world must resolutely commit itself to global concerted actions to fight and defeat the common enemy together. According to the President, “Nigeria’s diplomacy must make sufficient contributions to common global challenges on how this health pandemic can be contained and eventually defeated. “But we must not forget that traditional challenges of terrorism, violent extremism, climate change, poverty, population explosion, hunger and other manifestations of insecurity, including cybercrimes, drug abuse, child trafficking, irregular migration as well as the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which have negatively impacted Nigeria and Africa remain part of our nation’s critical challenges. “Finally, as Principal Representatives abroad, you must therefore intensify efforts to leverage on available opportunities, as well as your goodwill to help deliver prosperity to the millions of Nigerian citizens at home and the country you are posted.’’ The President urged the envoys to attend to all Nigerian citizens who visit the Missions with utmost dignity, respect and promptness, providing necessary assistance with courtesy, commitment and efficiency. “As Ambassadors of our country, your comportment, carriage, conduct and ability to multi task must be exemplary. Humility and firmness are attributes that can earn you and your country respect and recognition. These attributes must remain with every one of you in the fulfillment of your duties,’’ he added. In his remarks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the thrust of President Buhari’s foreign policy was clearly defined since 2015 as “neighbourliness, diplomacy and engagement’’, describing it as the ‘Buhari doctrine.’ The Minister told the diplomats that the President’s foreign policy focus was also similar to that adopted by President Joe Biden of the United States, with emphasis on promoting goodwill that attracts friends to the country, enhance security and bolster the economy. “The result of the ‘Buhari doctrine’ is that Mr. President is in good terms with all countries of the world, and this will make your jobs easier,’’ he added. By Femi Adesina

President Buhari appoints new Ambassadors for Nigeria The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has approved the deployment of a former Minister of State for Defense, Demola Seriki, to Spain as Nigerian Ambassador while a former Minister of Mines and Steel, Sarafat Ishola, will serve as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Ambassador Ishola, who is from Ogun State, is also an ally of a former Governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Also, the Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Debo Adesina, will serve as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Togo. About 11 ambassadors were reappointed but eight were retained in their current countries of posting while three others were redeployed. The current Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland, Dr. Uzoma Emenike, who is also a career diplomat, was posted to the United States as the ambassador, while M.I. Bashir will serve as deputy ambassador. In all, there are 52 non-

career envoys posted out by the President and 43 career ambassadors based on the confirmed list from the Senate. According to the list, the eight ambassadors that will remain

at their duty posts include: Ambassador Mohammed Rimi (United Arab Emirates), Ambassador Jidda Baba (China), Ambassador Gani Bura (Lebanon), Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar (Germany), Ambassador Baba Madugu (Switzerland) and Ambassador Deborah Illiya (Congo). Ambassador Tijani Muhammmad-Bande will also retain his position as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York while Ambassador Adeyinka Asekun will remain the High Commissioner to Canada. However, Ambassador Modupe Irele, who is the current Ambassador to France is redeployed to Hungary while Ambassador Eniola Ajayi, the Ambassador to Hungary is redeployed to the Netherlands. For non-career diplomats, Ambassador Ms Ijeoma Chineyerem will resume as the Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador Oma Djebah will be posted to Thailand, Ambassador Abdulahi Shehu (Russia), Ambassador Haruna Manta (South Africa), Ambassador Kayode Laro (France), Ambassador Paul Adikwu (The Vatican), Ambassador Abubakar Moriki (Japan), Ambassador Mrs. Opunimi Akinkugbe (Greece) and Ambassador Ali Magashi (South Korea) Other postings include Ambassador M.O. Abam (Italy), Ambassador N.A. Kolo (Israel), Ambassador A. Sule (India), Ambassador G.Y. Hamza (Ghana), Ambassador A.N. Madubike (Australia) and Ambassador O.C Onowu (Belgium). It would be recalled that Ambassador Onowu has earlier served in the Netherlands before returning to the headquarters in Abuja and finally confirmed as an Ambassador of Nigeria The remaining appointees are expected to serve as deputy ambassadors or heads of mission. They include A.E. Alleboy (Deputy Ambassador to France), G.E. Edokpa (Deputy Permanent Representative to The UN), Ben Okoyen (Cuba), G.M. Okeke (Deputy Head of Mission to Switzerland), S. Sani to London, (Deputy High Commissioner to UK), I.A Iwejuo (Ethiopia as Deputy Ambassador), I.A. Alatishe (Deputy Ambassador to Russia) and I.R. Ocheni (Germany). Congratulations to all the new Nigerian diplomats.

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An Amsterdam person who makes the difference: Veronica van de Kamp

n the run-up to International Women’s Day on March 8, 12 large portraits of strong Amsterdam women hang over the city of Amsterdam. These women are special because they have been selected because they are doing something positive for the city of Amsterdam. Media entrepreneur Raja Felgata took the photos. They can be seen at Mercatorplein and at Waterlooplein from 1st to 10th March 2021. You may have admired them before on the Buikslotermeerplein or Bijlmerplein. One of those portrayed is Veronica van de Kamp, an African woman married to Dutch and does a lot within her African community in the Netherlands to show how integration could take place properly by getting to know each other better in the community. On Monday, March 8, Amsterdam will celebrate International Women’s Day with an online meeting, for which you can register.

Source of inspiration

Since 2017, Veronica has been taking care of her 3 children still living at home on her own. Her 24-year-old son has disability. “He’s in a wheelchair and doesn’t talk. But he feels and sees that I am the best mother to him. He is really an inspiration to me. I see it as a gift to have and care for a child with special needs. ” says Veronica As a Ghanaian Amsterdammer, she likes to express the love and pride with which she does this to inspire others who may be going through the same or similar situation in their family. She is therefore an informal care ambassador for the Ghanaian community. “As informal carers we do something from our heart, we provide a home and we can be proud of that. I want to let care givers in my community know that long-term care for someone dear to you does not mean that everything is lost. ”

Opportunities

“We have so many opportunities and possibilities in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam. The problem is, if you don’t do anything, nothing will happen. I tell people that. I also tell them that they are not alone, that help is possible. And that you should ask for that help, because that can be a barrier for some people in my community. ”

Mother figure

Veronica does a lot more. You could say she acts as a mother figure for the Ghanaian community in Amsterdam. In addition 36

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to fundraising campaigns for projects in her motherland, she informs African Amsterdammers about the most diverse subjects. ‘You have to make something positive out of every situation you find yourself in’ With her foundation, Stichting GAM, she creates and organizes TV programs, workshops, debates and theater 7 days a week. She already played theater in her native country Ghana before moving to the Netherlands. She simply loves it. According to Veronica, it creates room for discussion and theater makes everything lighter. Also tough topics such as HIV, teenage pregnancy, homosexuality and alcoholism and many other subjects are dealt with through drama sketches. Veronica: “There are many taboos in our community. Years ago, I realized that not everyone has sufficient knowledge about Dutch society. I use my own experience to tell about the many opportunities that exist. You have to make something

positive out of it. ”

Appreciation and pride

“My husband passed away in 2017, but I’m still going strong. It gives me positive energy to give something good to the city. The women in my community inspire me enormously, and vice versa, I am highly appreciated and so do I appreciate them. I always tell them that we should be proud of our femininity, that we should cherish it. That you can do anything if you want. And that you shouldn’t accept it when someone tries to get you or put you down. On International Women’s Day, we show the world how important we are. We claim this one day in the year. ” And for that reason, the city in appreciation of women has put up this 12 large portraits of strong Amsterdam women for the people to see. There is a story behind each of those 12 women. Amsterdam Women’s Day Amsterdammers can experience the livestream event ‘Influence with impact in Amsterdam’ on International Women’s Day 2021. A

number of the women portrayed are on the program as speakers. Monday, March 8, 2021 Time: 11.30 am - 1.30 pm Inspirational women such as Mona van den Berg and Lisa van Ginneken would talk about photojournalism and the representation of women in it, prejudices about trans women and how things can be done differently. Cultural entrepreneur Hui-Hui Pan would talk about the representation of Asian Dutch. Alderman Rutger Groot Wassink opens the meeting with an interview about International Women’s Day in Amsterdam. Hostesses are Raja Felgata and Hajar Fallah, who organized this day on behalf of the municipality of Amsterdam. Entrepreneur Biba de Jongh makes her location Rebel HQ available and asks the speakers questions. Sign up for ‘Influence with impact’ Also on the occasion, specially designed pins for 1,000 police officers, 300 neighborhood fathers and mothers would receive Amsterdam Hero Pin.

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President Paul Kagame: A Powerful African Voice

aul Kagame, the President of Rwanda and also the former Chairperson of the African Union (2018-2019) has called out Europe and North America for hoarding vaccines. He is accusing these Western nations of bulk-buying excess doses directly from manufacturers which limits supply and secures better deals to the detriment of governments with less purchasing clout. During the virtual 2021 World Economic Forum, continental peer South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also publicly accused so-called developed countries of “vaccine nationalism.” In an op-ed titled ‘Until Africans get the Covid vaccinations they need, the whole world will suffer,’ the outspoken Rwandan President voiced his concerns about the economic disparities surrounding the global coronavirus vaccine campaigns worldwide. He explicitly challenged the “decades-old contradictions of the world order” as he called not for charity, but for fairness and transparency to ensure equitable access to vaccines globally during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Pan-African discourse characteristic of the African Union’s champion of domestic health financing as over the years President Kagame has unapologetically put Western authorities in their place — blatantly calling out injustices against the Motherland and reiterating in several words worthy of his position as a world leader, “African Lives Matter!”

Here are 7 times Paul Kagame shut the West all the way down: 1. “We are Not People to Be Belittled!” In a speech in which he called out the BBC’s “politics” and the “lies” and “hypocrisy” of much of the discourse concerning the African continent in the Western media, he expressed that the West often assumed an authoritative tone of what Africans should be and should do. “We have fought for our freedoms right from childhood - some of us. These people that just run around cannot force their culture on us. They are not humble. They think they are better than everybody. But it is not God-given. God created us equal. We shall never ever be apologetic for standing up for our rights! And there are no better people than us in our country in our affairs.” 2. “How About Those In Your Country Who Committed Crimes in My Country?” How is “universal jurisdiction” universal if it is only one way? The Pan-Africanist president asked in response to a French judge who sought to try Rwandans in France in a one-sided power play — and without recognizing crimes of French citizens committed in Rwanda during the country’s genocide. “For example the case in France, a judge somewhere in rural areas in France. One of the village judges somewhere decides 38

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that he is going to indict leaders in Rwanda. And talks about all types of things that happened in Rwanda and blames Rwandans. At the same time, there is a bad history between us that was actually during the genocide. There are many things that happened that involved some people from France.” 3. “Africa Does Not Need Adult Supervision!” At a meeting that saw several high-ranking officials present to discuss Afro-Euro relations, Kagame took issue with the condescending and patronizing approach to African countries

as a way to dictate and control policies and international agreements. “The attitude of adult supervision needs to be left in the past. Rights and wrongs can be found everywhere. We must resist the temptation to reduce Africa to blanket judgments and generalizations. There cannot be a partnership of mutual respect when one party lacks values while the other party is a fully-formed moral agent”. He told the European leaders present that what Africa needs is fair trade instead of a misplaced or misguided sense of parental authority. 4. “Africa and Rwanda Decide What We Want for Ourselves Going Forward” Kagame called out the manipulative policies to control African nations in the guise of trade agreements and development. He gave concrete examples of Rwanda being “punished” by the United States simply for wanting to grow economically by way of its textile industry which would leave it no longer dependent on the purchase of second-hand clothing exported from the US. In addition, he mentioned the United States’ public refusal to refer to the “genocide in Rwanda against the Tutsi” for still-undisclosed reasons when even the United Nations and the entire international community has officially adopted this phrasing of the historic incident. “Imagine powerful United States as it is and it is arguing over this non-issue that has been sorted out at the UN. We cannot understand what is behind it or who benefits from it. This creates an atmosphere of unpredictability and this is how it becomes therefore difficult for Rwanda to predict what is going to happen in terms of the relationship. We suffer from one fact that there is so much talk about sovereignty and you found out that we do not qualify for these sovereign rights. Every other person wants to decide for Rwanda and Africa. The best thing is to let Africa and Rwanda be partners with powerful, developed countries.”

5. “These Are Our Human Rights. Who Are You?” The No-Nonsense President explained very simply that the European Union is not in a position to define what “human rights” are and should look like for Africans and Africa. He stated quite matter of factly that human rights in Africa belong to Africans and not for anyone else to claim or dictate as Africans have been — and are still, fighting for human rights in many ways and facets of life from Western entities and know the true meaning of this fight better than anyone else ever could. “You really need to stop this superiority complex nonsense about human rights. You think you are the only ones who respect human rights while for others it is about berating human rights. No, we fought for human rights and freedoms for our people much better and more than anyone — including the people who keep talking about this nonsense.” 6. “Some People Accuse Others of Doing Things That They Do Even More” After receiving a letter from the British PM making accusations about human rights, the Rwandan president took a firm stand against the hypocrisy in Western international meddling in continental affairs while conveniently ignoring issues — at times even much worse, on their own soil. “I think it is wrong. These people were here talking about concerns they have about justice for people. Don’t you think the first place where they should have taken their concerns is within their own system? You are concerned about justice? How about justice for the people in Rwanda who were killed during the genocide and the people who were part of it directly — not directly, are sitting there in your country where you are protecting and where I think they have been given residence or citizenship.” 7. “There is No way I can Allow Anybody to Continued on Page 40 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Lower My value to That Level” The president with the candid tongue corrected a US official who attempted to express that China is the only country exploiting the African continent. He did not mince words. “Some of the friends we deal with in the West. They come with this mindset that Africa is indifferent to human rights, to democracy, to freedom so they come to do it for us. Or to tell you that you should be doing it on their demands. And we are saying, ‘No.’ We as human beings. No human being anywhere would want to live by dictates by someone else. My understanding is that we are all human beings.” African Lives Matter! Indeed. True to the moves of an authentic Pan-African, Paul Kagame is still advocating for the well-being of all Africans on the continent. Now, in the form of coronavirus vaccines. He ended his piece of call-to-action with the following: “Africa is not sitting back and waiting for charity. We have learned our lessons from the past. All we ask for is transparency and fairness in vaccine access, not the protectionism currently in play.

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Ensuring equitable access to vaccines globally during a pandemic is not only a moral issue but an economic imperative to protect the wellbeing of people everywhere. But when will Africa get the protection it needs? If all lives are equal, why isn’t access to vaccines?”

Photographs Lead Ethiopian Writer to Hidden Story of Women During War

efore writing her most recent novel, Maaza Mengiste began researching the Ethiopian resistance in the 1935 invasion by Italian forces. She discovered photographs of women dressed in military clothing with weapons over their shoulders. She organized them by date and location. Mengiste soon began to gain an understanding of the conflict she never learned about in school. “These women decided to join in the front lines,” she told VOA. “I had never heard that story. And this is what really inspired me to continue this, because if I didn’t know it, and if a lot of other Ethiopians weren’t speaking about it, this means maybe that nobody really had been paying attention to this.” Mengiste found photographs of Ethiopian girls taken by Italian soldiers. Some photos were used to persuade men to join the conflict. Others were much darker and showed the horror of war. “They were taken by soldiers for fun, and they were passed around as jokes and as postcards to send home. And that was the side of war also that I wanted to show,” she said. The research led to her 2020 book, “The Shadow King.” It tells the story of Hirut, a mistreated girl who becomes the personal guard for a person claiming to be the exiled Ethiopian ruler Haile Selassie. The novel has won worldwide praise and was a top competitor for the Man Booker Prize. However, the honor went to another book. Mengiste’s book revisits part of forgotten history, said Lee Child. He is a writer of 24 novels and one of the judges for the 2020 Booker Prize. “The story is important, really, the opening shots of the Second World War, but rarely told before,” Child said in a

video discussing the novel. “Its place on the shortlist merely confirms its status as one of the great novels of the year.” Mengiste was born in Ethiopia in 1971. Her family left the country when she was 4 years old. They lived in Nigeria and Kenya before moving permanently to the United States. As a girl, she remembered moments of her first years in Ethiopia. But it was not until she was much older that she considered writing them down. “I’m surprised I kept those memories, because I was very young,” she said. “But I think that the shock of what I experienced both in Ethiopia but also the migration was so intense and so deep that everything froze for me and stayed inside. And so, I would keep coming back.” Mengiste’s parents did not immediately welcome her decision to become a writer. But she felt she had stories to tell. She believes other Ethiopians feel the same but may not have a way to share their stories with the world. Mengiste said that history and literature across East Africa is told through spoken word. “I think all of us remember those moments when we are sitting around at a dinner table or sitting having a meal and someone starts a story. And the entire room moves in that direction. Everyone is laughing, or people are crying. That’s a book inside a human being. And my inspirations came from my relatives. Some of them didn’t go to school.” Now, Mengiste wants to help new authors. She has helped produce a collection of stories by 14 Ethiopian writers called Addis Ababa Noir. She believes there is a lot of talent that could be shared with more people with the help of translators and publishing companies. I’m Jonathan Evans.

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Karim Khan: From Ruto’s and Charles Taylor’s defender to ICC prosecutor

ritish lawyer Karim Ahmad Khan, who represented Kenya’s deputy president William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC), will take over from current ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in June 2021 we can officially confirm his appointment as the new Chief Prosecutor to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, The Netherlands. The election of the 51-year-old lawyer took place on 12th February 2021 to settle the process of finding the Hague-based court’s third Chief prosecutor, which begun in 2019 and dragged through 2020 and early 2021 as the assembly of state parties failed to agree on a candidate by consensus. Both Fatou Bensouda, a Gambian who had previously served as the court’s deputy prosecutor since 2004, and her predecessor, Argentine lawyer Louis Moreno Ocampo, were elected by consensus. Khan was instead elected via secret ballot, after intense lobbying from both the United Kingdom and Kenya, according to reports reaching our newsroom. No consensus The lack of consensus around Khan until the final vote, where he got 72 votes – 10 more than what he would have needed to win was partially due to his extensive work as an international criminal lawyer. Several East African NGOs lobbied against his election, focusing primarily on the Kenya case, where he was lead counsel for Francis Muthaura, then head of the civil service

and prominent power broker in President Mwai Kibaki’s government, and later deputy president William Ruto.

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The NGOs accused him of contributing to the “deliberately tormented climate of political hostility” against the then ICC. As lead counsel for Deputy President Ruto, Khan gave several media interviews and made a brief speech at a political rally held after the cases ended in a mistrial in 2016. “He joined the bandwagon of those who were vilifying civil society, who were seeking justice, and those who were retraumatizing victims,” Njonjo Mue, a Kenyan human rights activist and lawyer wrote via the social media. Self-defence In the lead up to the February 2021 vote, Khan defended himself in an open letter addressing the gravest of the charges the civil society bodies made against him, concerning his silence on the December 2014 disappearance and murder of a “The responsibility to physically protect, relocate or support witnesses does not fall upon an individual counsel under the Rome Statute regime,” he wrote in the letter to the non-profit organization, Journalists for Justice (JfJ). He explained that he had made contact with Kenya’s criminal investigations department, but “ it was for the ICC-VWU [ICC’s Victims and Witness Unit] and not Counsel, to follow up with the Government of Kenya.” Since he was admitted to the bar in 1992, Khan has represented many prominent Africans facing international criminal charges. In addition to Kenya’s deputy president, his long list of former clients includes: • Charles Taylor (Liberia) • Abdallah Banda (Darfur, Sudan) • Bahar Garda (Darfur, Sudan) • Saleh Jamus (Darfur, Sudan)

• Said Al-Islam Gadaffi (Libya) • Jean-Pierre Bemba (Democratic Republic of Congo/Central African Republic) Conflicts of interest As the ICC’s prosecutor until June 2030, Khan will have to navigate the complications of being unable to prosecute some cases related to previous work, including investigations into witness tampering and intimidation in the collapsed Kenya cases. He will also navigate, like his predecessors, the political questions of the court’s focus on the African continent. All the cases brought to trial since the court’s inception have been of Africans, and of the 13 ongoing situations and/or investigations, only three – Bangladesh/Myanmar, Georgia and Afghanistan – are not African. Days before Khan’s election, the court said it had jurisdiction over crimes committed in Palestine, opening another political front that will pit Khan’s office against Israel, and its key allies. The Afghanistan investigations – which began in early 2020 and led the US administration of Donald Trump to place current prosecutor Bensouda and another top ICC official under economic and visa sanctions – could also make or break Khan’s credibility. In his open letter to the Journalists for Justice Organization (JfJ), Khan said that he has “thick skin and that resilience” necessary to do his job. But the prosecutor’s job at the ICC is both a political and legal role, as both his predecessors found out. The new prosecutor’s first tasks will include deciding the next steps on the probe into war crimes in Afghanistan and the hugely contentious investigation into the 2014 IsraelPalestinian conflict in Gaza. In a major decision last month, a pre-trial chamber of the ICC determined that The Hague has jurisdiction to open a criminal investigation into Israel and the Palestinians for war crimes alleged to have taken place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, paving the way for a full investigation after a five-year preliminary probe opened by Fatou Bensouda. Bensouda indicated in 2019 that a criminal investigation, if approved, would focus on the 2014 Israel-Hamas conflict (Operation Protective Edge), on Israeli settlement policy and on the Israeli response to Hamas-led protests at the Gaza border. Israel and the United States neither of which are ICC

members have strongly opposed the probe into alleged war crimes by both Israeli forces and Palestinian terrorist groups. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of the ruling: “Today the ICC proved once again that it is a political body and not a judicial institution. The ICC ignores the real war crimes and instead pursues the State of Israel, a state with a strong democratic government that sanctifies the rule of law, and is not a member of the ICC.” “In this decision,” Netanyahu added, “the ICC violated the right of democracies to defend themselves against terrorism, and played into the hands of those who undermine efforts to expand the circle of peace. We will continue to protect our citizens and soldiers in every way from legal persecution.” The administration of then-US president Donald Trump hit Bensouda and another senior ICC official last year with sanctions including a travel ban and asset freeze over a probe that includes alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan. The Biden administration has signalled a less confrontational line but has not said whether it will drop sanctions against Bensouda, who has attacked the “unacceptable” measures. The ICC is the world’s only permanent war crimes court, after years when the only route to justice for atrocities in countries like Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia was separate tribunals. Hamstrung from the start by the refusal of the United States, Russia and China to join, the court has since faced criticism for having mainly taken on cases from poorer African nations. By the end of June 2021, the ICC would have a new Chief Prosecutor of the criminal court in person of Britain’s Karim Khan. He ousted Carlos Castresana of Spain, Ireland’s Fergal Gaynor and Italy’s Francesco Lo Voi to secure this top job but with his challenges ahead of him.

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Exclusive: Angola moves to seize Dos Santos-linked asset in Dutch court

ngola has asked a Dutch court to hand over a halfbillion-dollar stake in the Portuguese oil company Galp linked to ex-first daughter Isabel Dos Santos,

2016 until 2017, when her father’s four-decade rule ended. Representatives for Isabel dos Santos, who lives outside Angola, did not reply to questions or comment on this

its lawyers told the press. Angola’s government says top officials under former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos took advantage of high oil prices in the last decade to spin a global web of business deals that led to their personal enrichment at the country’s expense. Battered by COVID-19 economic fallout and mired in foreign debt, Angola is seeking to recover assets it says were siphoned off. Its prime focus is Isabel dos Santos, the ex-president’s daughter, a business tycoon who became Africa’s richest woman. The legal bid for the Galp stake has not previously been reported. Dos Santos briefly ran state oil company Sonangol from

matter. She has denied any connection to the holding company at the centre of the case - Exem - which she says was owned by her late husband, rejects charges of wrongdoing and says she faces a political witch hunt by Angola’s new leadership. Representatives of Exem did not reply to a request for comment. Dutch law firm Van Doorne, which represents Exem in the lawsuit, also did not respond to a request for comment. The legal claim by Sonangol is due to be heard in the last week of May in the Amsterdam court of appeal, the 100%-state owned company’s lawyer Emmanuel Gaillard of law firm Shearman & Sterling said. It will argue that Exem’s stake was acquired through embezzlement and money laundering.

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“It’s all corruption ... you (Exem) owe us the shares, the indirect participation in Galp, because it’s theft. It’s illegal, therefore you have to pay it back,” Gaillard said. Sonangol’s lawyers say the sale by Sonangol of part of its stake in Esperaza to Exem made no business sense for Angola and was made to enrich the former first family. Under President Dos Santos, Sonangol sold a 40% stake in an offshore holding company, Esperaza, to another holding company -Exem - owned by Isabel’s husband Sindika Dokolo, a Congolese businessman who died in a diving accident last year. Esperaza, in which Sonangol retained a 60% stake, in turn partnered with the business empire of Portugal’s Amorim family to form yet another holding company, Amorim Energia, which is the largest shareholder in Portuguese oil company

Galp Energia with a 33.3% stake. The value of holding company Exem’s indirect stake in Galp fluctuates with oil prices and is currently worth about $500 million. A source with knowledge of the Amorim family’s position, who declined to be named, said its main interlocutor in the joint stake was not Exem but Sonangol, calling their partnership with the state firm “good and close”. “(The case) does not affect these relations, it does not change anything,” the source added. Galp has said it has no dealings with Dos Santos. It declined further comment for this story. The dispute, which is being heard in Amsterdam after both sides agreed on arbitration, already resulted in a ruling last September that removed Exem’s representative from Esperaza’s board and put its stake under the control of a court-appointed trustee. Camilo Schutte, the Amsterdam lawyer selected by the court to represent Esperaza, said he was not currently party to the litigation and referred questions to representatives of Sonangol and Exem. By Noah Browning with additional report by Sergio Goncalves, Barbara Lewis and Jan Harvey www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

ICC assures Netanyahu decision to investigate Israel is ‘not political’

nternational Criminal Court at The Hague responds to outcry over recent decision that it has the authority to investigate Israel by pointing out that the decision addressed the legal status of territories. PM Netanyahu informed that if an investigation is launched, it will also cover actions by Palestinian groups. In response to an international outcry over the International Criminal Court at The Hague’s decision that its jurisdiction extends to investigating Israel for alleged war crimes against the Palestinians, should it decide to do so, the ICC has

published a document in which it seeks to clarify the meaning of the process and responds to allegations that its ruling was political, including one made by Prime Minister Benjamin

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Netanyahu. The document argues that the decision about its authority to investigate Israel was not political in nature, because the ICC prosecution was addressing the legal issue about whether a territory, including the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem, was subject to international law and the court’s jurisdiction. The decision recognizes that the legal status of the territory requires further clarification. In a direct answer to Netanyahu, who called the decision “pure anti-Semitism,” the ICC writes that the court was an “independent, incorrupt” judicial body that played a critical role in providing a legal solution to the most serious crimes under international law. The ICC said it operated solely under the legal framework of the Rome Statute, which granted the court its authority. The ICC document also noted that its ruling could be appealed and outlined the actions needed to file an appeal. It also stated that the court’s ruling on its authority to investigate Israel did not comprise a decision to proceed with an investigation, and that a decision about an investigation lay with the chief prosecutor. In addition, the ICC’s response noted that if an investigation were launched, it would not be limited to one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and would also investigate the actions of the various Palestinian groups, including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as possible war crimes.

Two major Airlines drop mask requirement for First & Business Class Cathay Pacific has joined Qatar Airways in a rare category, at least for now. The two airlines allow passengers in their flatbed business or first class seats to lay down for a good night’s sleep without having to wear a face mask. Yes, whereas everyone else on the plane must keep their mask on for the duration of the flight, passengers upfront have been granted a golden new loophole, and one with plenty of controversy. Is it a sign of old times slowly returning amid positive vaccination and mitigation news, or a risky gamble, perhaps too soon to determine or for financial gain? Cathay Pacific now allows first and business class passengers on flights equipped with a flatbed to remove their mask when the seat is fully reclined into a flatbed mode, aka the sleeping position. Passengers are expected to keep masks on in other settings. The new directive was unearthed by Executive Traveller via an internal memo to staff, which has since been confirmed. Qatar Airways was the first, and for a while, the only airline to allow passengers in its business class cabin, or beloved Qsuites, to use masks “at their discretion” rather than as standard policy. Qatar Airways provides privacy doors in most business class seats, transforming seats into ‘suites’. Qatar Airways now says masks are mandatory for all, despite words to the contrary, and a press release stating ” Business Class customers are asked to wear their face shield and mask on board at their own discretion, as they enjoy more space and privacy.” The new Cathay Pacific change is in response to ongoing studies which suggest that in this flat position, high walls between passengers combined with state of the art HEPA filters and

greater levels of distancing in business and first class don’t pose additional risk, even without masks worn at all times. This has been backed up by recent US Department of Defense

studies which examined the extent of particle spread and filtration in real planes, on actual flights across a wide variety of variables, and pointed to the success of HEPA systems Masks must still be worn when upright on Cathay Pacific, even in first or business class, and there’s no exception for anyone sleeping across a row of seats in economy or premium. Qatar is more lenient with business class discretion. In addition to a face mask, Qatar Airways also makes all economy passengers wear a face shield, creating quite a gulf between rules for cozy passengers up front, and those down the back. Will Other Airlines Join? It’s intriguing that Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific is the second airline to join in reducing mask mandates. Hong Kong has been one of the strictest cities in fighting off covid-19, and even flight crews face huge restrictions when entering. Travel corridors with Singapore were put on hold over 60 cases, bursting plans for regional travel. If the airline feels comfortable with the policy, perhaps others will too. Cathay Pacific also makes the second Oneworld airline to offer such an exception. All other exemptions from other airlines center around validated medical reasons, rather than choice. Could a British Airways, or American Airlines follow next? Or will we see airlines from other alliances begin to ease mask requirements on board? It’s a brave new time ahead for airlines, that’s for sure. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

Congratulations

Chief Mrs. Evelyn Azih (Ugoeze Ndigbo 1)

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Chief Lady Evelyn Azih (Ugoeze Ndigbo 1) With heart filled with joy, we wish to express our gratitude and appreciation to friends and well wishers who made out time to be with us during the recognition of our daughter, Chief Lady Evelyn Azih (Ugoeze Ndigbo 1) by His Royal Highness Igwe Ituma, the Onyima II of Ekpulato Mgbowo Autonomous Community in Enugu State of Nigeria. The event took place on Monday 28th December, 2020. She equally appreciate those who supported her in one way or the other before, during and after the event. She prays for God’s blessings and protection over each and everyone And she wishes all the very best of the year 2021. Signed: Chief Mrs. Evelyn Azih. (Ugoeze Ndigbo 1)

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Defeating Museveni can’t be achieved through international pressure alone

n the past few months, Western media and academia have placed unprecedented, and somewhat bewildering, focus on Uganda’s 2021 general elections. It is puzzling because throughout the 2000s and 2010s, most Western commentators either painted a positive image or took a largely lukewarm interest in the deepening tenor of Yoweri Museveni’s 35-year-long authoritarian rule. The fact is Museveni’s military dictatorship has been draped in civilian garb for a long time. As a routine ritual, Museveni purports to seek legitimation every five years through elections. These elections are scarcely free, fair or credible. This has been particularly true since at least 2001 when Museveni first faced a serious challenge to his stay at the helm. At a personal, idiosyncratic level Museveni loathes political competition. He has expressed indignation for electoral rules that should apply to all actors. Because he holds an exaggerated sense of messianic mission for Uganda and Africa, he feels irritated having to subject himself to the

opinion and media coverage in the West have shifted dramatically against him. In the 2021 elections, many in the community of pro-democracy advocates and activists in Africa found reason to overtly and pro actively support Museveni’s main challenger for the presidency, the pop star and member of parliament Robert Kyagulanyi, more popularly known as Bobi Wine. Expertise is crucial. It’s why our articles are written by academics About us However, the obsession with Bobi Wine is problematic. This is because it fails to grasp the complex conditions around Museveni’s stay in power and the daunting dilemma of freeing the country from his firm grip. Museveni is a ruler whose primary source of power is the bullet – not the ballot. Resisting and defeating such an entrenched authoritarian ruler cannot be achieved through pressure from Western powers alone. The forces and fuel that can prudently take down Museveni – in a way that advances the cause of genuine democracy and freedom – must necessarily evolve and emerge from President Museveni has been put under pressure to perform in Uganda and among Ugandans. this new six years tenure he has grabbed through a questionable It is my argument that the outsized role of external agitators election held in February 2021. might in fact hurt rather than help the struggle for liberation from what is now a decayed, moribund and personalised motions of electioneering. system of rule. As Museveni’s rule has become more repressive, public It’s not enough to chase out Museveni 50

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The Western media made the recent election about Bobi Wine as a person rather than what is critically at stake for Uganda and Ugandans. This meant that they handed Museveni a free pass to smear and discredit his opponent.

He has sought to portray Bobi Wine as nothing more than an agent of foreign interests – a front for the same old imperial interests Museveni repeatedly claims are seeking to weaken Africa. External agitation and pressure may sound like a benign and welcome ingredient to take down a brazen dictator. In practice, however, it can inadvertently promote nationalist mobilisation and jingoism in the service of entrenching

the dictatorship. This happened in Zimbabwe when Robert Mugabe dug in deeper to hold on for so long. For those keen to advance democracy and freedom in Uganda, the starting point is to take in the lessons of history. Externally instigated regime change tends not to happen the way it is expected to – and often leads to disastrous outcomes. Bringing about meaningful change is not as simple as chasing out an autocrat and installing a new figure with

populist appeal. It is also wrong to construe opposition figures as angels embodying democracy and deserving uncritical embrace. To see Museveni as a devilish dictator and his opponents as angelic democrats is a misleading dichotomy. Today’s ‘pro-democracy’ opposition figures can easily turn into tomorrow’s authoritarian rulers. Uganda is a deeply socially complex society. The scale of the country’s socioeconomic problems and crisis of its politics cannot be overemphasised. It will be a herculean task to forge a new Uganda of peace and prosperity. The issue is not merely one of saving Ugandans from a ruthless dictator. It is also about understanding how a postMuseveni Uganda can be pursued and prudently implemented. Here, the Western journalist, the academic, the democracy advocate and activist, the diplomat and politician need to pause and appreciate that principled partnership with Ugandans might help. But old-type paternalism won’t. The agency of Ugandans is what can make a true and durable difference. More humility, less hubris I propose more humility and less hubris for foreign actors genuinely concerned and fired up for freedom and liberation of suffering Ugandans. The possibility of social disintegration in the country is real. Its social fabric is fragile. The youth bulge presents a daunting task. Land conflicts easily portend the most important source of social disharmony and violence. The country’s democratic experiment requires a total rethink. To start tackling these and other endemic problems, Uganda urgently needs a candid and concerted national conversation to turn the corner away from Museveni’s misrule, to reimagine a new Uganda. The country wants to free itself from Museveni’s mess, but Museveni too needs to be liberated from his own trap of power. There is a delicate and difficult negotiation to be navigated here. It needs thoughtfulness and perceptiveness, not just fancy slogans and foreign pressure. The prospects for forging a post-Museveni Uganda any time soon may very well be undercut by actions of overzealous and overbearing foreign actors. There is no magic wand of a popular figure that will easily sweep away Museveni without the efforts of coherent, coordinated and combined change seeking forces inside the country. By Moses Khisa Assistant Professor of Political Science, North Carolina State University

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Happy Birthday to a Great Son

David Mayowa Banjoko

My prayer for you is to have the best birthday today, 31st March 2021 I want you to know you are simply an amazing son to have. And this is to let you know how special you are to me, your mom, sister and the rest of the family. Congratulations Davo www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

Tony’s Chocolonely removed from ethical chocolate list due to Belgian link

merican aid group Slave Free Chocolate has removed Dutch chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely from its list of companies which use ethically sourced chocolate because it works with a Belgian company that uses cocoa produced partly by child labour, it was reported last month after many months of investigation. Tony’s has an agreement with multinational Barry Callebaut, which produces its chocolate bars via a dedicated production line in Antwerp, but which also admits using cocoa for its own brands which involve child labour. According to Slave Free Chocolate, the deal with Callebaut allows Tony’s to save money and undercut other ethical chocolate makers who have their own factories. Tony’s director Henk Jan Beltman

Tony’s was founded in 2006 by the makers of consumer food television programme Keuringsdienst van Waarde on the pledge that all its chocolate would be slave-free. Since then the company has expanded its ambitions and last year sold a minority stake to Belgian investment company Verlinvest The company’s sales totalled €67m in 2019 but it only just scraped a profit, mainly due to the rollout abroad. Nevertheless, 80% of sales are still generated in the Netherlands.

told the Dutch broadcaster RTL that there is no reason to end the working relationship with the Belgian firm. ‘We want to get the big boys in the chocolate industry to change their ways,’ he said. Mission ‘The author of the Slave Free Chocolate list feels that us working with Barry Callebaut is at odds with our mission to make all chocolate 100% slave free, but we work with Barry Callebaut to make this mission possible on a global scale,’ the company said in a website statement. Last month, Barry Callebaut’s was named as a defendant in a case brought by eight former child labourers from Mali who allege the big cocoa companies continue to profit from selling cheap cocoa harvested by child slaves.

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President Buhari congratulates Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala on election as DG of WTO

n behalf of the Federal Government and all Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari warmly felicitates with former Minister of Finance and Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her election as Director General of the World Trade Organisation, bringing joy and more honour to the country, Nigeria. As the Harvard-educated and renowned economist takes up another onerous task of service to the world and humanity, the President believes her track record of integrity, diligence and passion for development will continue to yield positive results and rewards to mankind. President Buhari affirms that Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who over the years set major records of economic reforms in Nigeria as Minister of Finance, and later Minister of Foreign Affairs, will excel in her new position and validate the global mandate of repositioning and strengthening the multilateral institution for the greater good of all. The President joins family, friends and colleagues in wishing Dr Okonjo-Iweala well in her new endeavour.

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Coronavirus is hitting freedom-loving Dutch teenagers hard

he Dutch have historically had the happiest children and teens in the industrialized world, according to repeated UNICEF studies measuring their material well-being, life-satisfaction, health and safety, and academic and social skills. But as the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbates inequalities across the board, Dutch youth are also suffering, if not on the macro statistical level, then certainly as individuals. ‘I am really worried when I look at the numbers,’ says Loes Keijsers, professor of Clinical Child and Family Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, of the increase in mental health crises and mental healthcare in general during the pandemic. ‘Children are doing incredibly bad. We know that Dutch kids are quite happy in international studies that measure life satisfaction, so we are shocked by the numbers.’ In pre-pandemic 2018, the overwhelming majority of Dutch children rated their

life-satisfaction at 7.5 out of 10, with only 6% scoring below a five. During the first corona wave in February-March 2020 when Keijsers’ researchers looked at 1,000 youngsters between the ages of 10-25, 58% still scored a 7.5 or higher, while 18% ranked their life satisfaction below a five. But by January and February 2021, only 19% of respondents gave themselves a 7.5 or higher, while a whopping 33% scored below a five. ‘It’s a five-fold increase,’ says Keijsers. ‘This age group should be happy and full of hope. It’s really sad.’ Struggling we’ve seen the other statistics and read the news about the struggles of Dutch youth daily: calls to the Children’s helpline Kindertelefoon regarding depression, loneliness and suicidal thoughts have increased since the first lockdown, the 56

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latter two by a third. Youth Think Tank Corona Crisis says 16-35-year-olds fear for their future when it comes to finding work, affordable housing and climate change. And let’s not forget love and sex. The Rutgers centre focusing on sexual and reproductive health and rights, along with the SOA Aids Nederland, has warned about the risk to the sexual development of young people after finding that those between the ages of 16-20 are having significantly fewer dates and less sex than before the crisis. These are precisely the indicators that researchers look for when measuring the well-being of young people. ‘There’s hopelessness in youth,’ says Keijsers, ‘with more than half feeling the pandemic will have a strong impact on their future.’ Part of that has to do with Dutch kids’ sense of freedom and autonomy. It’s always been relatively high compared to other countries. But as lockdowns keep most schools closed and the recently-imposed curfew further limits social interaction at the same time that worried parents pull back on the autonomy reigns-personal growth is taking a hit. ‘Education, hope, falling in love, getting pleasure are really limited, which is why life satisfaction is decreasing’ says Keijsers. ‘These are super important development tasks.’ Another problem, says Keijsers, is a lack of investment in the mental health care of youth. Waiting lists to get psychiatric help, she says, are unacceptably long. Coming out Nineteen-year-old TM came out as both gay and non-binary during lockdown. TM, who doesn’t want to use their full name, is living back home with their parents in Amsterdam after briefly attending university in Nijmegen. A hockey enthusiast, TM lost their job coaching when team sports were limited as part of the lockdown measures. TM says spending so much time at home during the lockdown has led to much self-reflection, but TM has to wait six months to talk to a mental health professional about issues that have nothing to do with the pandemic. ‘The waiting is terrible,’ says TM. ‘A lot of people are coming out more now. I don’t like to see myself as a victim, but you must convince people you need help. People who grew up closeted are more likely to have mental health issues, and for some, being locked in a house where it’s not safe and you can’t see your friends is dangerous and robs you of your freedom to express yourself.’ TM is fortunate that their parents are accepting. According to experts, it is precisely the quality of family life that is the crucial

determinant of adolescent happiness. Family Ruut Veenhoven is professor of social conditions for human happiness at Rotterdam’s Erasmus University. He says after family life, school and friends are the second and third biggest factors contributing to happiness in youth. And while school life and friends have been limited, for the majority of Dutch youth, he says, family life remains the same. ‘Young people can do without friends more than family,’ he says. ‘Although if they can’t get away, social pathology in the family hurts more. But what keeps kids happy in normal times keeps them happy during a pandemic, too.’ Keijsers says the pandemic has exacerbated problems in houses where conflict already existed. ‘The most vulnerable in society—those living in small apartments, with many kids, with parents perhaps doling out harsh punishments and not supporting homeschooling—those are the youth I’m most worried about,’ she says. ‘Many will be resilient, but for some, the scars you get during adolescence are the beginning of a life of misery. I’m not worried about the majority, but about the large minority.’ Curfew Sociologist and columnist Shervin Nekuee says that not only have youth been told to limit doing everything they love, but they’re being victimized as virusspreaders by leaders who lack the compassion to understand the burden they’re placing on them. This, he says, is because those in positions of power have lost touch with the people they govern, especially when it comes to the lower classes. It was economically disadvantaged youth, he said, who mostly took to the streets during last month’s riots. ‘The street is their space,’ says Nekuee. ‘From the uber-Dutch youth in Urk to the immigrants of Rotterdam, the avondklok affects lower class kids most. Their reaction to the stress of the coronavirus is the typical reaction of the lower class—it explodes, not implodes. Going to a psychologist is not the normal thing for them to do. You go up the street and shout and fight.’ Police say teens were using social media to call people out on the streets. Sixteen-year-old Sophie from Amsterdam saw the messages. ‘A lot of people were posting about it in their Snapchat stories, saying be there, we’re going to riot, bring fireworks and whatever you have, we’re done with all this curfew stuff,’ she says. ‘Everyone is bored and doesn’t know what to do.’ What was less predictable, says Nekuee, was the response to the riots. ‘Everyone on the top was surprised,’ he says. ‘But I’m surprised they were surprised. You can expect boys and girls to riot. The new thing is we’re in an age where leaders don’t expect it and are alienated from society.’ Leaders Caretaker Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been alternately praised and pilloried for his response to youth issues during the lockdown. Keeping schools open— whether intended to help parents work or for the mental health of students—has been a policy priority throughout the pandemic, even when many health experts were clamouring for their closure. During a May 2020 press conference, the prime minister gave a shout out to youngsters to help shape their future. ‘Your ideas and creativity are very much needed,’ he said. In a webinar with him last month, some 2,500 youngsters took up the call and gave Rutte thousands of suggestions – ranging from more flexible handling of student debt to offering financial incentives for businesses to hire young people and making it easier for them to buy a house. ‘We hope that the government will now really take action for young people,’ Maurice Knijnenburg, chairman of the Youth

Think Tank Corona Crisis, told Dutch newspaper AD. But writing in de Volkskrant last month, Knijnenburg, Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema and others said the government needs to do more, including offering youth rapid testing, extending the age limit for organised sports from 18 to 25 and moving young people to the front of the vaccination queue. Lobbying for youth, they called on government advisers ‘to give more weight to the importance that young people should be able to resume their normal life.’ Emma, a healthy 18-year-old from Amsterdam, found herself panicking about being sick when Covid-19 hit last year. She saw numerous doctors and specialists for stomach ailments and heart palpitations and is finally in therapy. It was her fear of germs that ultimately

got her there. ‘Feeling sick was one thing, but the anxiety made it worse,’ she says. ‘I all the sudden realized that so many people touch the bread I buy or the door handles to shops, that I had a hard time living my life. Talking to someone is good, but going to school and being with friends is even better. The distraction and routine helps.’ Happy Dutch kids? In Unicef’s 2020 report card on the well-being of children in the industrialised world, the Dutch, once again, came out on top. But it noted that COVID-19 has exaggerated many societal divides, and that even in rich countries, there’s room to improve the well-being of children. ‘We need to invest in the living future of the country,’ agrees Keijsers. ‘They will be dealing with all of the societal challenges ahead, such as digitalisation and climate change. Creating emotionally powerful and resilient youths, who will be taking care of us one day, is the best possibility to achieve this.’ Veenhoven is not particularly worried about Dutch youth. Although the most recent data is still being processed, he says there will likely only be a small dip in overall happiness, as the winners (such as students who don’t like to go to school or are bullied) and losers (those needing more social interaction) cancel each other out. He points to the freedom that makes Dutch children thrive, even in a lockdown. ‘The concept of freedom is much broader than an avondklok and school closures,’ he says. ‘Children here have a say in what they’ll do and where their family goes for holiday. They are constantly challenged to express themselves and say what they want. That hasn’t changed. This is something we can handle.’ www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

Lilianne Ploumen succeeds Lodewijk Asscher as Labour Party Leader

ilianne Ploumen has been confirmed as the new leader of the Labour party (PvdA) following the resignation of Lodewijk Asscher over his role in the child benefits scandal. The 58-yearold Ploumen is currently deputy chair of the party and was the minister for development aid in Mark Rutte’s previous cabinet. Her appointment means two of the five parties that have made up Dutch governments since 1982 are now led by women. Ploumen was one of the front runners to succeed Asscher after he stepped down last month. She was third on the PvdA’s original list of candidates and is one of the party’s most prominent and popular MPs. At the

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last election in 2017, she was ranked 10th on the party’s list as Labour slumped to nine seats, but still got into parliament after receiving nearly 20,000 personal votes. She decided in 2017 set up the ‘She Decides fund’ in response to former President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw financial support from groups that advocate or assist with abortion around the world. The fund raised €400 million in its first year and earned her the Machiavelli prize for public communication. Asscher’s decision to quit last month played a key role in Mark Rutte’s decision to tender his cabinet’s resignation the following day over the child benefits scandal. As social affairs minister and deputy prime minister, Asscher was responsible for the Dutch tax office’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards benefit fraud that led to thousands of families being wrongly accused and forced to pay back huge sums in childcare allowances. The policy overwhelmingly targeted families with dual nationality and drove some to financial ruin, costing them their homes, jobs and livelihoods. A parliamentary inquiry in December last year found that the parents involved had suffered an ‘unprecedented injustice’ at the hands of the politicians who devised the policy. Elections is to be held in March 2021, we would see how this play out and if it would affect her politically but according to her, “I am ready for the challenge to led PvdA through this difficult times’

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The Human Cost of Ethiopia’s Fighting in Tigray Grows

eople who fled fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray area continue to tell stories of suffering as they gather in refugee camps. At a simple medical center in Sudan, a doctor who is also a refugee cares for the hurt and sick. Tewodros Tefera sees many injuries: children hurt in explosions, wounds from axes and knives, and broken bones from beatings. Recently, he treated the broken legs of refugee Guesh Tesla, a woodworker who just arrived at the camp.

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He came with information about 250 young men taken from one village into neighboring Eritrea by Eritrean forces. Ethiopia denies Eritrean forces are involved in the fighting. In late November, Guesh said he saw many bodies on the streets in his hometown of Rawyan. There, he said, Ethiopian soldiers beat him and took him to the border town of Humera. The Humera courthouse, he said, had been turned into a center for killing by militias from the neighboring Amhara area. He heard the screams of men being killed, and quietly escaped during the night. “I would never go back,” he said. It is impossible to know if these stories are true as Tigray remains almost completely cut off from the world. It

has been more than 50 days since fighting began between Ethiopian forces and groups in Tigray. The Tigray people led the country’s government for nearly 30 years, but are now marginalized. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed continues to refuse international requests to bring humanitarian assistance to the area. He also refuses requests from those pressing for investigations of Ethiopian forces. Last year, Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize for political reforms. But this conflict threatens to end his peace-making activities. “I know the conflict has caused unimaginable suffering,” Abiy wrote last week. He argued, however, that “the heavy cost we incurred as a nation was necessary” to hold the country together. No one knows how many thousands of people have been

Now, refugees are arriving from areas deeper inside Tigray. They have more severe trauma, Tewodros said. He said there are signs of starvation and dehydration and some gunshot wounds among the refugees. In the future, the stories of refugees, like Tewodros and Guesh, and the people who are still in Tigray, will show how much abuse was carried out against people for ethnic reasons. “Everyone looks at you and points out the part of you that doesn’t belong to them,” said Tewodros. He is both an ethnic Tigrayan and Amhara. “So, if I go to Tigray, they would pick up that I’m Amhara because Amhara is not a part of them. When I go to Amhara, they would pick up the part of Tigray because Tigray is not a part of them.” Such differences have become deadly. Many ethnic Tigrayan refugees have accused ethnic Amhara fighters of targeting them. The Amhara militias are fighting with Ethiopian government forces. Abrahaley Minasbo a 22-year-old trained dancer and Tigrayan survivor from Mai-Kadra, Ethiopia, shows wounds on his face inside a shelter, in the Hamdeyat Transition Center near the Sudan-Ethiopia border, eastern Sudan last December 2020.

killed in Tigray since the fighting began on November 4. The United Nations has said there are reports of artillery strikes on populated areas, civilians being targeted and looting.

Abrahaley Minasbo is a 22-year-old dancer. He said Amhara militia members pulled him from his home in Mai-Kadra on November 9. They beat him in the street with an axe and other tools, and they left him to die. He survived and made it to Sudan. His face is covered with scars. For Tewodros, the conflict has been about the wounded civilians. In November, he worked at a hospital in Humera that came under fire. He insisted some of the shelling came from the direction of Eritrea. Fifteen bodies arrived at the hospital that first day, and eight the next, he said. The shelling continued. He and his colleagues fled, after moving wounded patients to a nearby village. Tewodros and colleagues hid for two days in the forest, hearing gunfire. They later walked for more than 12 hours, crossing a river into Sudan, where he started treating wounded refugees for the Sudanese Red Crescent Society. “Where we are now is extremely unsafe,” he said of the refugee center near the border. He said the Amhara fighters threaten the refugees from the other side of the river. The militias “are more dangerous than the Ethiopian national forces,” he said. By Susan Shand.

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The Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala we present to the world ......

r. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a global finance expert, an economist and international development professional with over 30 years of experience working in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America. Currently, Dr Okonjo-Iweala is Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Since its creation in 2000, Gavi has immunized 760 million children globally and saved thirteen million lives. She sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc. She was recently appointed as African Union (AU) Special Envoy to mobilise international financial support for the fight against COVID-19 and WHO Special Envoy for Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator. She is a skilled negotiator and has brokered numerous agreements which have produced win-win outcomes in negotiations. She is regarded as an effective consensus builder and an honest broker enjoying the trust and confidence of governments and other stakeholders. Previously, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala twice served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and briefly acted as Foreign Minister in 2006, the first woman to hold both positions. She distinguished herself by carrying out major reforms which improved the effectiveness of these two Ministries and the functioning of the government machinery. She had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, rising to the No. 2 position of Managing Director, Operations. As a development economist and Finance Minister, Dr Okonjo-Iweala steered her country through various reforms ranging from macroeconomic to trade, financial and real sector issues. She is a firm believer in the power of trade to lift developing countries out of poverty and assist them to achieve robust economic growth and sustainable development. As Finance Minister, she was involved in trade negotiations with other West African countries and contributed to the overhaul of Nigeria’s trade policy enabling it to enhance its competitiveness. She has closely followed developments at the WTO, as she believes that a strengthened multilateral 62

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trading system is in the interests of all countries, particularly least developed and African countries. She is renowned as the first female and African candidate to contest for the presidency of the World Bank Group in 2012, backed by Africa and major developing countries in the first truly contestable race for the world’s highest development finance post. As Managing Director of the World Bank, she had oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia. Dr Okonjo-Iweala spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008-2009 food crisis and later during the financial crisis.

In 2010, she was Chair of the World Bank’s successful drive to raise $49.3 billion in grants and low interest credit for the poorest countries in the world. As Minister of Finance in Nigeria, she spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club of Creditors that led to the

wiping out of $30 billion of Nigeria’s debt, including the outright cancellation of $18 billion. In her second term as Finance Minister, Dr Okonjo-Iweala was responsible for leading reform that enhanced transparency of government accounts and strengthened institutions against corruption, including the implementation of the GIFMS (Government Integrated Financial Management System), the IPPMS (Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management System), and the TSA (Treasury Single Accounts). Dr Okonjo-Iweala has been listed as Minister of the Decade, People’s Choice Award by Nigeria’s This Day newspaper (2020), one of Transparency International’s 8 Female Anti-Corruption Fighters Who Inspire (2019), one of the 50 Greatest World Leaders (Fortune, 2015), the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (TIME, 2014), the Top 100 Global Thinkers (Foreign Policy, 2011 and 2012), the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (Forbes, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014), the Top 3 Most Powerful Women in Africa (Forbes, 2012), the Top 10 Most Influential Women in Africa (Forbes, 2011), the Top 100 Women in the World (The UK Guardian, 2011), the Top 150 Women in the World (Newsweek, 2011), and the Top 100 most inspiring people in the World Delivering for Girls and Women (Women Deliver, 2011). She has also been listed among 73 “brilliant” business influencers in the world by Condé Nast International.

In 2020, she became an Angelopoulos Global Public Leader at Harvard University Kennedy School. She was also appointed to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) for President of South Africa His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa. In 2019, Dr Okonjo-Iweala was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2017, she received the Madeleine K. Albright Global Development Award from the Aspen Institute, the Women’s Economic Empowerment Award from WEConnect International, and the Vanguard Award from Howard University. In 2016, she received the Power with Purpose Award from the Devex Development Communications Network and the Global Fairness Award from the Global Fairness Initiative in recognition of her contribution to sustainable development. She was also conferred High National Honours from the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and the Republic of Liberia. She is also the recipient of Nigeria’s third highest National Honors Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). In addition, Dr OkonjoIweala has been awarded the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award (2014), the President Continued on Page 64 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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of the Italian Republic Gold Medal by the Pia Manzu Centre (2011), the Global Leadership Award by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs (2011) the Global Leadership Award by the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (2010), and the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award (2010). She is also the recipient of the TIME Magazine’s European Heroes Award in 2004, named Finance Minister of the Year (Africa Investor Magazine, 2014), Finance Minister of the Year for Africa and the Middle East (THE BANKER, 2004), Global Finance Minister of the Year (EUROMONEY, 2005), Finance Minister of the Year for Africa and the Middle East (Emerging Markets Magazine, 2005), and Minister of the Year (THISDAY, Newspaper 2004 and 2005). Dr Okonjo-Iweala is currently also Chair of the Board of the African Union’s African Risk Capacity (ARC), an innovative weather-based insurance mechanism for African countries; and co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate with Lord Nicholas Stern and Mr Paul Polman. She is also Chair of the Board of the Nelson Mandela Institution, an umbrella body for the African Institutes of Science and Technology, and Chair of the Board of the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja. Dr Okonjo-Iweala is a trustee of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She presently serves on the following advisory boards or groups — the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Harvard University International Advisory Board, the Oxford University Martin School Advisory Council, Mercy Corps International Advisory Board, Women’s World Banking Africa Advisory Board, the International Commission on Financing Global Education (Chaired by Gordon Brown), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Advisory Board, Tsinghua University Beijing — School of Public Policy and Management Global Advisory Board, the CARICOM (Caribbean) Commission on the Economy, the Bloomberg Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health, and Tax Inspectors Without Borders of the OECD among others. She is a member of the B Team of Business 64

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and Civic Leaders co-founded by Sir Richard Branson, a board member of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Foundation, and also co-chair and board member of Lumos, an Africa focused renewable energy company. Previously, she was also a Senior Adviser at Lazard (2015-2019) and she served as the co-Chair of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation with UK Secretary Justine Greening, and Chair of the World Bank’s Development Committee (2004). She was also a member of the International Monetary and Finance Committee of the IMF (2003-2006 and 2011-2015), the United Nations’ Secretary General’s HighLevel Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, the Danish Government-led Commission on Africa, the World Economic Forum Global Leadership Council on Transparency and Corruption, and the Commission on World Growth (led by Nobel Prize winner Professor Michael Spence). She served for a decade on the Rockefeller Foundation Board and the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders. Dr Okonjo-Iweala has also served on the advisory board of the ONE Campaign, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Global Development Network, and the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government. Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the founder of Nigeria’s first ever indigenous opinion-research organization, NOI-Polls. She also founded the Center for the Study of Economies of Africa (C-SEA), a development research think tank based in Abuja, Nigeria. She is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Center for Global Development, and also at the Brookings Institution, premier Washington D.C. think tanks. Dr Okonjo-Iweala graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. in Economics from Harvard University (1976) and earned a Ph.D. in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, 1981). She has received honorary degrees from 15 universities worldwide, including from: Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Trinity College (University of Dublin), Amherst College, Colby College, Tel Aviv University, and Northern Caribbean

University, Jamaica. She also has honorary doctorate degrees from a host of Nigerian universities including Abia State

University, Delta State University, Oduduwa University, Babcock University, and the Universities of Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Ife (Obafemi Awolowo). She is the author of numerous articles and several books, including Women

New lockdown travel rules for South Africa Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has published new gazettes which update the country’s lockdown travel rules. The gazettes, which were published end of last month and take effect immediately, primarily deal with the country’s borders as well as travel regulations. The regulations state that the 20 land borders which were

and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons co-authored with Julia Gillard (Penguin Random House, July 2020), Finding A Vaccine is Only the First Step (Foreign Affairs, April 2020), Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines (MIT Press, 2018), Reforming the UnReformable: Lessons from Nigeria, (MIT Press, 2012), Mobilizing Finance for Education in the Commonwealth (Commonwealth Education Report 2019), Shine a Light on the Gaps — an essay on financial inclusion for African Small Holder Farmers (Foreign Affairs, 2015), Funding the SDGs: Licit and Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries (Horizons Magazine, 2016), and The Debt Trap in Nigeria: Towards a Sustainable Debt Strategy (Africa World Press, 2003). She also co-authored with Tijan Sallah the book Chinua Achebe: Teacher of Light (Africa World Press, 2003). Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is married to neurosurgeon Dr. Ikemba Iweala. They have four children and three grandchildren. partially operational will be fully operational, and the 33 land borders which were closed will remain closed. Travelling to and from South Africa over these borders is now allowed, subject to certain restrictions. Daily commuters from neighbouring countries, including for school and teaching, are required to adhere to Covid-19 protocols, including: • Covid-19 screening and quarantine where necessary; • The wearing of a face mask; • Sanitisation and social distancing measures. International travel International travel is restricted to the following airports: • OR Tambo International Airport: • King Shaka International Airport; • Cape Town International Airport. Long -haul flight departures and landings at the airports listed in paragraph are permitted during the hours of curfew. All international travellers arriving at the airports listed must provide a valid certificate of a negative Covid-19 test, recognised by the World Health Organisation. In the event of the traveller’s failure to submit a certificate as proof of a negative Covid-19 test, the traveller will be required to do an antigen test on arrival at his or her own cost and in the event of a traveller testing positive for Covid-19, he or she will be required to isolate him or herself at his or her own cost, for a period of 10 days.

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Serena Williams has nothing to prove and should now retire or show true Sportsmanship

erena Williams’s records are intimidating to say the least among her peers and would be future female tennis stars. She has won a record of 13 Grand Slam singles titles on hard court. Williams holds the Open Era record for most titles won at the Australian Open (7) and shares the Open Era record for most titles won at the US Open with Chris Evert (6). She has nothing more to prove to the female tennis world and she should humbly retire and

start coaching her daughter to better her record in the near future. Serena changed the face of Female tennis alongside her bigger sister, Venus who has no reason any longer to be in competitive tennis competition again. I wonder who her manager is and why she is not advised to spend time now on her businesses than waste precious time on tennis court. The defeats robbing off the great player she was in tennis. Bank to her sister, Serena Williams she has won more Grand Slam singles titles (23) than any other woman or man during the open era. In addition, Serena and her sister Venus won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles; the second most for a pair in the open era, and three doubles gold medals at the Olympics. Watching the new rising star, Naomi Osaka beat Serena at the just concluded Australian Open semi-final is painful and the emotional outburst during the press conference speaks volume that Serena wants this record badly but the 66

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strength is failing her to carry on. Next year, she would be 40 and I know she would want to give it a trial again. I wish she can concentrate on other grand slams of the year and if she fails to get this 24th grand slam, nothing to be ashamed of, she would remain one of the greatest female tennis player ever and a black woman for that matter. This was Serena Williams’ 40th Grand Slam Semi-Final, where she has a 33-7 record. After the win, Osaka discussed facing someone who she grew up watching and admitted it can be intimidating. It was not lost on her the significance of defeating a legend. “I was a little kid watching her play, and just to be on the court playing against her, for me is a dream ... It was an honor to play her,” Osaka said on the court at Rod Laver Arena after the match. In a breach of COVID-19 protocol, but an expression of sportsmanship and appreciation for the high level of tennis in their match and careers, Osaka and Williams shared a hug after the match. While heading off the court, Williams addressed the crowd, putting her hand up while she lingered looking at the fans. She was looking to tie Margaret Court’s record for most career grand slam single titles, currently sitting one shy at 23, but was unable to advance to the final. Since 2017, Williams has advanced to four Grand Slam finals, but has come up short each time. At 39-year-old, she has 72 Career Titles to her name. She

ranks 5th on most Career Singles while Martina Navratilova is on 167, Chris Evert on 157, Steffi Graf got 107 and Margaret Smith Court with 92. Serena Williams has 10 Grand Slam Titles in year 2000s and 13 Grand Slams from 2010 till date. She won 3 Slams out of possible four in the year 2015 (Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon Open). During this year’s Australian Opens, her husband won a T-Shirt that says whom he thinks is the greatest female tennis player of all time. Of course his golden wife, Serena Williams. With all these achievements, she has nothing to prove to anyone about her abilities or how good she is. She has done so well in Tennis and her name will always remain on the lips of the lovers of the beautiful game and her fans. She is the G.O.A.T! Serena Williams becomes the Shallow of herself after Winning Australian Open 2017. Serena Williams has not come to the best we know her for. Since giving birth to her daughter, Olympia on September 17 2017, Tennis legend, Serena Williams, is yet to win a single Title. She has lost three straight Slam finals (Wimbledon 2018, US Open and

giving the sports her best as she reflects on her loss again at Australian Open 2021. It is no secret that Serena Williams wants to win one or two more grand slams and perhaps break the record of having the highest Grand Slams in Women’s Singles Tennis. But, unfortunately, her body and fitness seem not to carry it again. She needs to understand that becoming a mother is not an easy job and her body truly has changed. Therefore, if it is for her to retire, so be it. There are lots of young players out there that need the slots she underuses by withdrawing or retiring tournaments due to one reason or the other. She can take up a coaching role if she still wants to be in the game and help the future generation of Tennis prospects become successful like her particularly her daughter. THANK YOU SERENA WILLIAMS. You made me to watch female tennis.

Wimbledon 2019) since then. She has also suffered injuries so it is not out of the ordinary if she retires now but if I know Serena well enough, she would give it one more push as a true champion she is. For her fans, it is getting to emotional to watch her being beaten on the court, Serena is a true warrior, and she wants to leave with her head high up there. Serena has come a long way in her career where I think she no longer owns anybody anything. I think it will be safe for her to retire now or show some level of true sportsmanship. The beautiful legacy she has made is at stake if she doesn’t get it together on time. Although, injuries haven’t been on her side. She has been dealing with injuries in the past few years, coming much later in her career unlike many of her competitors who quit too early due to injuries. She has to calm down and understand she has www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

I won’t fight my Nigerian brother says Usman He avoids clash with Adesanya in UFC Middleweight

hat could be a clash of two Nigerian brothers in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) may have been avoided following a declaration by the Welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, that he would never stage a fight against his friend, Israel Adesanya. Usman stated that he would be interested in moving up to the middleweight division, but only if Adesanya was no longer champion. Kamaru Usman, who hails from Auchi, Edo State and Israel Adesanya, a native of Odogbolu in Ogun State are two eminent characters in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Usman says he would ‘absolutely’ consider stepping up to 185 pounds after he beat Gilbert Burns 34 seconds into the third round at UFC 258 – taking his record to 18-1, defending his title for the third time, and breaking Georges St Pierre’s consecutive welterweight victories record in the process.

However, the Nigerian-born Texan has admitted the move is dependent on Adesanya as he ‘would never entertain going up to fight Izzy’ and claims he would rather ‘two Africans held belts than one African with two belts’. The Nigerian Nightmare who is set for welterweight rematches against Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington, and Leon Edwards has said he would consider the step up if Adesanya says he wants nothing to do with’ the middleweight anymore. He told the press: ‘Absolutely, absolutely. If Izzy’s willing to move up – well he is moving up, but if he’s willing to give up that 185 belt and says “I have nothing to do with that anymore”, then absolutely I would entertain that thought.’ Usman and Adesanya are regarded as two of the most dominant champions in the UFC at present, but neither of them will lay a glove on each other due to a long-standing friendship. However, it is likely that Adesanya will step up a weight class to fight Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title. Should he be successful, he may vacate his middleweight title in the future and give Usman the opportunity to challenge for the 185-pound belt. 68

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But if Adesanya chooses to keep hold of both his belts, Usman has made it clear he will not even entertain’ the idea of moving up a weight category to challenge his friend. Usman said: ‘On no account right now would I ever entertain going up to fight Izzy. That’s just not something that I’m interested in. ‘I’ve stated over and over before, I’d rather two Africans with belts as opposed to one African with two belts. ‘After March, it’s gonna be three Africans with four belts. It’s a good time to be an African.’

The Voice magazine

Articles inside

Lilianne Ploumen succeeds Lodewijk Asscher as Labour

President Buhari congratulates Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on

Two major Airlines drop mask requirement for First

Tony’s Chocolonely removed from ethical chocolate list due

ICC assures Netanyahu decision to investigate Israel is ‘not

President Buhari congratulates Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on

Photographs Lead Ethiopian Writer to Hidden Story of Women

Uganda bullish on oil deal with Total, CNOOC by March

President Buhari appoints new Ambassadors for Nigeria

Book Review: The Other Side of Fear

Two East African countries excluded as WHO announces roll

Column: My High School Valentine by Eva Nakato

Editorial: The Netherlands General Election: What to expect