Thursday, July 5, 2012

Assessing and Entering Emerging Markets in Nigeria and Others Within the Maritime Domain


Assessing and Entering Emerging Markets Within the Maritime Domain: Discussions at OPVs Event

LONDON and AMSTERDAM, July 3, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

Defence IQ announces the return of its flagship Offshore Patrol Vessels conference, taking place from 25-27 September 2012 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Running for the 7th time, the event once again provides a 3-day networking and learning platform for high-level members of global navies, coast guards and industry.

The summit comes at a critical time of evaluation for the maritime community. With a majority of naval defence budgets shrinking, the current challenge for naval professionals is to not only assess potential opportunities within emerging markets, but to also understand how to work in alignment with regional ship builders in order to meet specific offset requirements.

To address this concern, this year's OPV event features its most international speaker faculty to-date, representing 20+ countries, to discuss and examine emerging markets such as Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

Brand new highlights include the anticipated "How to Successfully Enter Emerging Markets, Discover New Areas for Investment and Find Partners for Joint Ventures" round table session, which is set to feature senior representatives from South Korea, India, and Colombia amongst others, and offers participants an interactive opportunity to match their capabilities to future requirements and to find out possibilities for joint ventures.

This balance of high-level strategic briefings with interactive panel discussions, combined with intimate and face-to-face networking opportunities provides participants a much-welcomed and valuable experience onsite, as confirmed by the organiser's well-received launch event of Offshore Patrol Vessels Latin America last May in Rio de Janiero.

Comments OPV Latin America Chairman, Rear Admiral Francisco Deiana, Director of Naval Engineering, Brazilian Navy: "Defence IQ's Offshore Patrol Vessels conference is an important reference world forum concerning the growing use of these naval assets, when senior representatives from different Navies can present and discuss the solutions they have found to reconcile technical issues with operational tasks and budget constraints so as to better accomplish their missions."

Netherlands-based ship builder, Damen Schelde Naval, joins as 2012 Lead Sponsor, in addition to DCNS, Fassmer, Hawke Transit Systems, Northrop Grumman, STX Canada Marine and Thales. Participating countries include Albania, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, the US, and Yemen.

Visit http://www.offshorepatrolvessels.com for details or follow @opvevents.

About Defence IQ: Defence IQ is a unique multimedia platform to discuss and learn about the latest developments in the industry. Join the 50,000-strong community now: http://www.defenceiq.com/join.cfm.

Defence IQ . Kim Vigilia . opv@iqpc.co.uk . +44(0)20-7368-9510 . London,

UK

Source: Defence IQ

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Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
5 Jul 2012
14:34 Mission to Nigeria by Margherita Boniver, Minister Terzi's Special Envoy for Humanitarian Emergencies
14:21 NINETEENTH AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT TO FOCUS ON BOOSTING INTRA-AFRICAN TRADE
14:03 Sarama Resources Completes 35,000m RC and 11,000m Diamond Drill Programs at its South Hounde Project in Burkina Faso
11:16 AFRICAN UNION OBSERVER MISSION ON THE OCCASSION OF THE 7TH JULY 2012 GENERAL NATIONAL CONGRESS ELECTIONS OF LIBYA / ARRIVAL STATEMENT







Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Tony Elumelu Foundation and AllWorld Network Launch the Nigeria Fast Growth 50


4 Jul 2012 10:10 Africa/Lagos

Global Visibility for Nigeria's Fast Growth Entrepreneurs: AllWorld Network Joins Forces With The Tony Elumelu Foundation to Launch the Nigeria Fast Growth 50

LAGOS, Nigeria, July 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the AllWorld Network Inc., co-founded by Professor Michael Porter of Harvard Business School, and The Tony Elumelu Foundation announced the launch of the Nigeria Fast Growth 50 (Nigeria50). This is a pioneering effort to showcase and rank the most innovative and dynamic fast-growth private companies in Nigeria.

Nigeria is soon expected to become the largest economy in Africa and is home to one-fifth of Sub-Saharan Africa's population. With a 10-year track record of GDP growth at almost 9%, it is increasingly becoming a destination for global investment. Information on Nigeria's larger companies and conglomerates is readily available. However, younger and smaller companies suffer from a profound lack of visibility. Yet this medium-scale enterprise sector is the engine of future economic growth, creating the next wave of employment and innovation, and driving the economy and fostering social and economic prosperity. Many smaller and dynamic companies, which may now only be employing 20 people, could grow to 200 or 2,000 if they had global visibility and investors.

The Nigeria50 will be published nationally and globally, giving visibility to emerging company stars. With a spot on the list, companies will gain global recognition, a network of growth entrepreneurs and an invitation to the AllWorld Summit@Harvard University.

AllWorld rankings exist in throughout the Middle East, North Africa, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey. Winners in these countries have credited their participation with positively impacting their businesses in the form of new contacts, global visibility and credibility, and attracting new sources of capital from investors.

The Nigeria50 application process is open to private companies in Nigeria who have been able to grow revenues 100% or more in the past 3 years. To be eligible for the Nigeria50 ranking, prospective companies are expected to meet the following criteria:

Minimum 3-year audited operating history with revenues/turnover of at least N80 million/$500,000 as at 2011
Be an independent, private, non-listed, for-profit corporation or partnership or proprietorship. The company can be an independently incorporated subsidiary of a wider group, with a defined stand-alone business line
Cannot be a non-profit, holding company, franchise, bank or utility
Must have its primary location in Nigeria
The company must not be 51% or more owned by a publicly traded company or from the public sector
Smaller and younger companies can qualify as "Start-Ups to Watch" using the same application


"When entrepreneurship takes hold, the growth momentum builds, generating economic breakthroughs and social progress," explains Deirdre M. Coyle, Jr., co-CEO and co-founder of AllWorld Network. "And that's why growth entrepreneurship is the essential fuel powering widespread prosperity in the 21st century."

"The Nigeria50 companies, led by dynamic men and women, represent the leading edge of a new approach to Nigeria's competitiveness," says Professor Porter, who was described by the Times of London as the world's "most influential management guru," and is widely regarded as the foremost authority on company and country competitiveness.

"The Nigeria50 will shine a unique spotlight on the pipeline of fast-growing businesses led by Nigerian entrepreneurs and business leaders, who are driving Nigeria's economic transformation," says Tony O. Elumelu, MFR, Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation and Chairman, Heirs Holdings.

"'Nigeria Fast Growth 50' is poised to generate much-needed excitement about entrepreneurship and its role in the future prosperity of Nigeria. This is another side of the Nigerian story that needs to be heard – a story of innovation, ambition, and success. The showcase opportunity is part of the wider mission of The Tony Elumelu Foundation to champion and celebrate entrepreneurship and competitiveness across Africa, starting from Nigeria."

The companies that make it on to the list will enjoy the benefits of national and international media exposure, and be connected to a global network of entrepreneurial peers. Having already created the Arabia500, AllWorld Network is concurrently launching the Africa 500, with the Nigeria 50 as the anchor to that program.

Entrepreneurs can apply to the Nigeria Fast Growth 50 list by visiting www.allworldlive.com . The application process comes at no financial cost.

Applications close October 31, 2012

ABOUT ALLWORLD NETWORK INC.

After more than 15 years of promoting entrepreneurship in the developed and developing worlds, AllWorld Network was established in 2008 by Deirdre Coyle Jr., Anne Habiby and Michael Porter, Harvard Business School Professor and global competitiveness expert. Along with Inc. magazine, the founders created the U.S. Inner City 100 in 1998 and Inner City Ventures (a $400 million PE firm). Habiby, Coyle and Porter adapted their model to emerging markets creating AllWorld. AllWorld systematically identifies and ranks fast-growing private companies to create the Arabia 500, Africa 500, Asia 500, Eurasia 500, and Latin America 500. In emerging economies, public companies are known, but promising private companies are not. An AllWorld ranking puts these companies on the world map -- attracting new investors, customers, growth partners and talent. For more information, visit www.allworldlive.com.


ABOUT THE TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION


The Tony Elumelu Foundation is an Africa-based and African-funded not-for-profit institution dedicated to the promotion and celebration of excellence in business leadership and entrepreneurship across Africa. As a 21st century catalytic philanthropy, the Foundation is committed to the economic transformation of Africa by enhancing the competitiveness and growth of the African private sector. Founded in 2010 by Tony O. Elumelu, MFR, the Foundation identifies and addresses systemic challenges that inhibit African entrepreneurs. For more information on The Tony Elumelu Foundation, visit www.tonyelumelufoundation.org, follow us on Twitter @TE_Foundation or like The Tony Elumelu Foundation Facebook page.

CONTACT:
Deirdre Coyle
+1-617-504-4547
dcoylejr@nexteconomics.com

Web Site: http://www.allworldlive.com



Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Genevieve Nnaji's Role In Half Of A Yellow Sun Is A Small Part?

Genevieve Nnaji and Joseph Benjamin is a scene from Tango With Me.

Why all the hullabaloo over Nollywood diva Genevieve Nnaji's role in Biyi Bandele's film daptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half Of A Yellow Sun when it is just a small role?
Well that is what Tambay A. Obenson calls it in a report on her leading role in Mahmood Ali-Balogun's thriller Tango With Me set to premiere in London on August 16.


Read the rest of the report on Shadow and Act.








The Ticking Time Bomb in a Burqa


“It’s not my role to set off bombs — that’s ridiculous. I have a weapon. It’s to write. It’s to speak out. That’s my jihad. You can do many things with words. Writing is also a bomb.”

~ Ms. El Aroud, a 48-year-old Belgian,who calls herself a holy warrior of Al Qaeda.

Without any doubt El Aroud is like The Terrorist Next Door, and there are legions of them among the millions of Muslims in America and Europe and each of them is a ticking time bomb that can explode anytime. We have to beware of them wherever we see them in the Islamic burqa masquerade on the street.


30 Jun 2012 15:24 Africa/Lagos


CAIR Welcomes Navy Decision to Remove Target of Muslim Woman, Quran

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today welcome a decision by the U.S. military to stop using a target depicting a Muslim woman wearing a religious head scarf (hijab) and verses from the Quran to train Navy SEALs at the new close quarters combat range at Joint Base Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Va.

The Navy made that announcement after the Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Friday asking that the target and the religious text be removed from the training facility, referred to as a "kill house."

Lt. David Lloyd, a spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group 2, told the Virginian-Pilot: "We have removed this particular target and Arabic writing in question from the range in the near term, and will explore other options for future training."

SEE: SEAL Training Range Won't Show Woman as Target (Virginian-Pilot)
http://hamptonroads.com/2012/06/seal-training-range-wont-show-woman-target

"We welcome the Navy's prompt action to address community concerns and hope this incident serves as a reminder that credible scholars and experts need to be consulted when designing training materials relating to Islam and Muslims for our nation's military personnel," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "This is a welcome first step, but a serious and comprehensive review is needed to deal with the issue of Islamophobia in military training."

Awad noted that CAIR recently called on the Department of Defense to dismiss an instructor at the nearby Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., who taught fellow officers that only a "total war" on Islam would protect America, that they should use "Hiroshima" tactics, target civilian populations, and abandon the Geneva Conventions.

Military to Officers: Use 'Hiroshima' Tactics for 'Total War' on Islam
http://tinyurl.com/cf2hnkd

The instructor of that course was later relieved of his teaching duties.

SEE: U.S. Military Instructor Suspended Over Islam Course
http://tinyurl.com/734q6sk

CAIR last year welcomed a White House-ordered comprehensive review of government counterterrorism training materials to weed out Islamophobic content.

SEE: Obama Orders Clean Up of Islamophobic Terror Training
http://tinyurl.com/74ozglm

CAIR chapters nationwide have filed 87 separate public records requests about possible Islamophobic training of local, state and national law enforcement personnel.

SEE: CAIR Files Multi-State Records Requests on Anti-Muslim Law Enforcement Trainings
http://tinyurl.com/d5kxrql

The Muslim civil liberties organization has also called on the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and Congress to provide oversight for apparently widespread anti-Muslim bias in the training of law enforcement, security and military personnel nationwide.

SEE: CAIR Asks Sec. Napolitano to Probe Use of Islamophobic Trainers
http://tinyurl.com/3qgb5uu

Video: CAIR Decries Anti-Muslim Police Trainers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxX5y7zX8RU

CAIR noted the release of an 80-page report by Political Research Associates (PRA), titled "Manufacturing the Muslim Menace: Private Firms, Public Servants, & the Threat to Rights and Security," which details a systemic failure to regulate content in counterterrorism training.

Manufacturing the Muslim Menace
http://tinyurl.com/4qeretq

Washington Monthly magazine also published a major investigative article showing similar anti-Islam attitudes by private trainers of law enforcement agencies.

SEE: How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam
http://tinyurl.com/4ajnx3h

A number of recent reports have documented the growth and promotion of Islamophobia nationwide.

CAIR: Same Hate, New Target
http://tinyurl.com/66enzm8

Center for American Progress: Fear, Inc.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/08/islamophobia.html

Southern Poverty Law Center: Jihad Against Islam
http://tinyurl.com/3qsv2v8

People for the American Way: The Right-Wing Playbook on Anti-Muslim Extremism
http://tinyurl.com/6j9fttw

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List
http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe
Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/cairtv

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)


29 Jun 2012
20:34 CAIR Asks Pentagon Not to Use Target of Muslim Woman, Quran in SEAL Training
26 Jun 2012
20:37 CAIR: Coalition Asks Apple to Train Sales Staff on Export Rules
18:44 JCP&L Welcomes 36 New Line and Substation Workers





The Islamists Are Coming


The Middle East: They’ve Arrived

By Robin Wright
The Islamists are not only coming. In several countries, they’ve already arrived. Others are primed to take prominent roles down the road. Altogether, Islamist movements are today the most dynamic political force across the Arab world—and they may well be for the next decade or longer. Read More

Islam: The Democracy Dilemma

By Olivier Roy
The long-standing debate about Islam and democracy has reached a stunning turning point. Since the Arab uprisings began in late 2010, political Islam and democracy have become increasingly interdependent. The debate over whether they are compatible is now virtually obsolete. Neither can now survive without the other. Read More


The Islamists Are Coming: Who They Really Are is the first book to survey the rise of Islamist groups in the wake of the Arab Spring. A wide range of experts from three continents cover the major countries where Islamist parties are redefining politics and the regional balance of power. They cover the origins, evolution, positions on key issues and the future in key countries. Robin Wright offers an overview, Olivier Roy explains how Islam and democracy are now interdependent, Annika Folkeson profiles the 50 Islamist parties, and 10 experts identify Islamists in Algeria, Egypt (two), Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian territories, Syria, and Tunisia.





Demographics Drive Democracy



"Today we are in an era of unprecedented demographic divergence, with population trends moving simultaneously in different directions. Some countries are beginning to experience population decline, while others continue to grow rapidly," says Elizabeth Leahy Madsen, formerly the senior research associate at Population Action International (PAI). In this primer video from ECSP, Madsen explains how global demographic trends affect economic development, national security, and foreign policy.

Read the full post on New Security Beat: http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2011/06/watch-demographic-security-101-with.html



Demographics Drive Democracy

Population Stories to Watch from the Wilson Center

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As World Population Day approaches, Wilson Center consultant and demographer Elizabeth Leahy Madsen says the Arab Spring demonstrates that countries with very young age structures are prone both to higher incidence of civil conflict and undemocratic governance. "Among the five countries where revolt took root, those with the earliest success in ousting autocratic leaders also had the most mature age structures and the least youthful populations," she writes on the New Security Beat . What happens next in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria will further test the connection between youth and democracy discovered by fellow Wilson Center consulting demographer Richard Cincotta.
In South Asia, Madsen finds that as Afghanistan and Pakistan's political circumstances have become more entwined, their demographic paths are more closely parallel than expected. "For Afghanistan, given its myriad socioeconomic, political, cultural, and geographic challenges, this is good news. But for Pakistan, where efforts to meet family planning needs have fallen short of capacity, it is not," she writes in the first issue of the newly relaunched ECSP Report, "Afghanistan, Against the Odds: A Demographic Surprise."
Other top population issues to watch:
  • New commitments to family planning: An international summit in London on July 11, co-hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK's Department for International Development and supported by USAID and UNFPA, may produce financial commitments toward meeting a new and ambitious goal of generating $4 billion to fund contraceptives for 120 million women in developing countries by 2020.
  • Changing fertility rates in Africa : Contraceptive use over the past five years is growing much faster than the regional average in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Rwanda, leading to declining fertility rates. However, contraceptive use in other countries, including Mozambique, Senegal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, are declining or showing only modest increases.
  • Revised global population projections : The 2013 revision of the World Population Prospects will provide a new global population prediction for 2050. This figure can vary dramatically: If the global fertility rate changes by 0.5 children per woman in either direction, the total population could be more than one billion higher or lower in 2050.
ABOUT
Since 1994, the Woodrow Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP) has actively pursued the connections between the environment, health, population, development, conflict, and security. ECSP brings together scholars, policymakers, the media, and practitioners through events, research, publications, multimedia content (audio and video), and our award-winning blog, New Security Beat. The Environmental Change and Security Program Report 14 is the latest volume of ECSP's flagship publication. Published since 1996, ECSP Report is now an online series of policy briefs.
The Wilson Center provides a strictly nonpartisan space for the worlds of policymaking and scholarship to interact. By conducting relevant and timely research and promoting dialogue from all perspectives, it works to address the critical current and emerging challenges confronting the United States and the world.
RESOURCES
The Year Ahead in Political Demography: Top Issues to Watch 
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/the-year-ahead-political-demography
Afghanistan, Against the Odds: A Demographic Surprise
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/afghanistan-against-the-odds-demographic-surprise-0
Political Demography: How Population Changes Are Reshaping International Security and National Politics
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/political-demography-how-population-changes-are-reshaping-international-security-and-national
New Surveys Generate Mixed Demographic Signals for East and Southern Africa 
http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2012/05/new-surveys-generate-mixed-demographic.html
Population Projections: Breaking Down the Assumptions
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/population-projections-breaking-down-the-assumptions
Demographic Security 101 (VIDEO)
http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2011/06/watch-demographic-security-101-with.html
Tunisia Predicted: Demography and the Probability of Liberal Democracy in the Greater Middle East
http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2011/04/tunisia-predicted-demography-and.html
Yemen: Revisiting Demography After the Arab Spring 
http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2012/04/yemen-revisiting-demography-after-arab.html
Taming Hunger in Ethiopia: The Role of Population Dynamics
http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2012/05/taming-hunger-in-ethiopia-role-of.html
Uganda's Demographic and Health Challenges Put Into Perspective With Newfound Oil Discoveries
http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2012/04/ugandas-demographic-and-health.html
EXPERTS
Elizabeth Leahy Madsen is a consultant on political demography for the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program and senior technical advisor at Futures Group.
Richard Cincotta is a consultant on political demography for the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program and at the Stimson Center.

Contact:
Drew Sample
Media Relations, The Wilson Center
Drew.sample@wilsoncenter.org
202 691 4379
SOURCE The Wilson Center
Web Site: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/

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Monday, July 2, 2012

Nigeria: Surgical Team Deployed at Hospitals in North



2 Jul 2012 13:38 Africa/Lagos

Nigeria: surgical team deployed at hospitals in north

GENEVA, July 2, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The ICRC is providing support for selected hospitals where casualties were taken following recent violence. It opened an office in Jos and is stepping up its operations in violence-prone areas of northern Nigeria.


"On 17 June, multiple bombings and the reprisals that followed caused dozens of casualties in Kaduna and Zaria," said Zoran Jovanovic, the head of the ICRC delegation in Nigeria. "Our new surgical team was deployed to help the local medical personnel at St Gerard Hospital in Kaduna treat patients." The incidents also resulted in the displacement of hundreds of people to safer places in the city of Kaduna.


Under the terms of an agreement being formalized with the Ministry of Health, the ICRC surgical team is ready to be deployed anywhere in the country to assist hospitals facing mass-casualty situations.


"Medical personnel attending to patients who have suffered bomb-blast or gunshot injuries require special training," said Mr Jovanovic. "As agreed with the authorities, our surgical team will provide hands-on training on how to treat patients with weapon-related injuries. The ICRC's assessments of almost 60 health-care facilities and a workshop with 35 Nigerian surgeons showed that this can make a real difference for those patients."


The ICRC has been monitoring the situation constantly after major incidents of violence in the states of Borno, Bauchi, Kaduna, Plateau, Kano, Yobe and in the Federal Capital Abuja. In the first half of 2012, the ICRC provided more than 15 hospitals with urgently needed medical supplies, including wound-dressing materials and intravenous fluids in places where casualty numbers were high.


Aid for victims of inter-community violence



Violence between farming and nomadic communities – a decades-old reality in Nigeria – takes a heavy toll in human lives and is often under-reported. From its newly opened office in the city of Jos, the ICRC has taken action rapidly following clashes between communities in the states of Plateau and Bauchi. In April, the ICRC and the Nigerian Red Cross Society brought much-needed food and other essential items to more than 3,600 people suffering the effects of the clashes.


Furthermore, following the 17 June bombings and reprisal violence, the ICRC in collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross provided food and other essentials for 1,100 displaced people in Kaduna.


Enhanced access to health-care services for Niger Delta communities


Together with the Ministry of Health in the state of Rivers, the ICRC has been providing immunization and other forms of health care for people in remote villages on the creeks of the Niger Delta, in southern Nigeria.


The communities, which have been affected by armed violence in the past, are reachable only by boat and are particularly exposed to malaria, respiratory infections, and skin and waterborne diseases.


Since the beginning of the year, communities in isolated areas of Rivers state have been given better opportunities to obtain primary health care. So far, over 3,500 people living in 20 communities have been vaccinated against polio and tetanus and given vitamin A supplements, de-worming tablets and mosquito nets.


Because access to clean water can also be a major problem for people in these areas, the ICRC built four shallow wells benefiting some 1,200 people in all.


First-aid training


Nigerian Red Cross volunteers are present throughout the country and are often the first to reach, treat and collect people injured in violence. In the 10 states where it is currently working, the ICRC has helped strengthen the national network of the Nigerian Red Cross of over 100 emergency response teams.


With ICRC support, the Nigerian Red Cross has also expanded its community-based first-aid activities. Over 700 members of 27 communities in violence-prone areas were trained in the first half of 2012. The skills they learn can save the lives of victims of acts of violence, road accidents and other serious incidents.


Promoting humanitarian rules



So far this year, the ICRC has held information sessions and workshops on international humanitarian law and other rules on the use of force for over 800 officers from the Nigerian Armed Forces and for units, such as the Special Task Force in Plateau state, involved in internal security operations. In the Niger Delta, similar briefings have taken place for Joint Task Force units, twinned with first-aid training. In addition, at the request of the National Defence College, the ICRC conducted a seminar for 120 senior officers on the protection of the civilian population.


Dialogue with senior police officials focused on the treatment of those arrested in connection with violence. Tailored briefings were given for 150 police officers in Jos and Port Harcourt. In addition, the ICRC improved living conditions at the police detention centre in Jos by upgrading the water supply system, completely renovating the sanitary facilities and improving light and ventilation in the cells.


The ICRC also continued to promote implementation of international humanitarian law by the Nigerian authorities and the teaching of this branch of law in 20 universities.


Humanitarian diplomacy with ECOWAS


The ICRC has maintained close relations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with which it regularly exchanges views on humanitarian issues of common interest in the greater West African region.


In February, at a seminar held annually in Abuja, measures for better implementation of international humanitarian law were discussed with 14 ECOWAS member States. In April, the ICRC also held a round-table discussion aimed at helping ECOWAS member States develop a strong common position in connection with the upcoming Arms Trade Treaty negotiations.


Source: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)


2 Jul 2012 04:01 Africa/Lagos



Economic Statecraft: Embracing Africa's Market Potential


WASHINGTON, July 2, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Testimony

Johnnie Carson

Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs

Washington, DC

June 28, 2012



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to address the committee on what I feel is an important and timely topic. The U.S. Government is committed to expanding trade and investment in sub-Saharan Africa and the numbers show our commitment. U.S. trade to and from Africa has grown significantly in the past ten years. U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa tripled from just under $7 billion U.S. dollars in 2001 to over $21 billion dollars in 2011.

As Secretary of State Clinton said at the annual AGOA Forum two weeks ago: "twelve years ago, the United States passed the Africa Growth and Opportunity act because we believed that the countries of Africa had tremendous untapped economic potential that could and should be developed. We shared a vision with many of you of a future in which economic growth in Africa would fuel growth and prosperity worldwide…trade and investment would multiply…and people across the continent would have new opportunities to start their own businesses, earn higher salaries, improve their lives, and lift the fortunes of their families and communities."

In large part, this vision is becoming reality. It is my firm belief that Africa represents the next global economic frontier. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to weather the global economic crisis more successfully than other regions, and is home to six – and soon to be seven – of the ten fastest growing economies in the world. A recent McKinsey study documented that Africa offers the highest rate of return on foreign investment of any developing region and has for some years now. Consumer spending continues to rise, and 43 percent of Africans currently have discretionary income or could be considered middle class consumers. And a growing middle class is a market for American products – from ipads to Pampers to Caterpillar tractors which increase crop yields to GE turbines which create additional hours of on-grid electricity to Boeing airliners which facilitate African countries' growing links with each other and with other continents.

However, we can do more. Africa's recent economic growth is impressive but the region still only accounts for approximately two percent of global trade. The second pillar of President Obama's recently announced U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa directs the Administration to "spur economic growth, trade, and investment in sub-Saharan Africa." This new approach recognizes that it is in the interest of both the United States and our African partners to improve the region's trade competitiveness, encourage the diversification of exports beyond natural resources, and ensure sustained economic growth which benefits all sectors of society.

This new strategy elevates economic growth, trade, and investment issues by calling for increased U.S. focus to (1) promote an enabling environment for trade and investment ; (2) improve economic governance; (3) promote regional integration; (4) expand African capacity to effectively access and benefit from global markets; and (5) encourage U.S. companies to trade with and invest in Africa.

In addition to the President's new U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa, our efforts to increase our commercial engagement in Africa are firmly in line with Secretary Clinton's global focus on Economic Statecraft. The State Department's economic statecraft policy harnesses the forces of global economics to advance our diplomatic agenda and puts the tools of our diplomacy to work to meet our economic goals. We are committed to using every opportunity available to advance not only diplomatic and political priorities but our economic and commercial goals as well. I would like to highlight a few of the programs that the Bureau of African Affairs has been working on as we shift our economic orientation towards Africa from focusing almost exclusively on development assistance to promoting sustained economic growth through private sector, commercial, trade, and investment activities.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act continues to be the centerpiece of our trade policy with sub-Saharan Africa. It is Africa's most important vehicle for market access and its unilateral trade preferences have created enormous goodwill for the United States on the continent. As you know, many African countries are not taking full advantage of the benefits of AGOA. However, some AGOA beneficiary countries take good advantage of the provisions for fabric and apparel product lines. The third country fabric provision component of AGOA was designed to provide an opportunity for AGOA-qualified countries to be more competitive in labor intensive textile processes such as sewing, stitching, and cutting fabric.

It was widely recognized that most African countries were not able to compete in the more capital intensive process of producing fabric from raw cotton. African manufacturers have successfully used the AGOA third country fabric provision to create jobs, not just in the manufacturing countries but have used this provision to create cross-border pan-African supply chains. These supply chains also encourage regional integration – one of our key goals for the continent. Fabric and apparel exports are the second largest AGOA export after extractive industry products. However, these imports still account for less than two percent of U.S. imports.

I'd like to say a few words about what is likely to happen if third country fabric legislation is not renewed. In our globally linked world, American buyers place orders six to nine to twelve months ahead. 95 percent of AGOA apparel and textile exports enter under the third country provision. And the AGOA third country fabric provision is the only way that African textile and apparel companies can remain competitive with larger producers such as China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.

Without our help, jobs will continue to disappear in some of Africa's most vulnerable economies, affecting primarily women and the families they support. Eighty-five percent of these imports come from just four countries: Lesotho, Kenya, Mauritius, and Swaziland. I know that diplomats from these countries have come to see you to emphasize the disproportionate effect that lack of renewal of this provision will have on their economies.

The effects of the loss of orders are troubling. At the AGOA Forum, the Swazi Minister for Trade told AGOA delegates that the loss of the provision will "shut the country down". The textile and apparel sector is the largest formal sector employer with over 15,000 jobs and employment is already 41 percent in this small, landlocked country. Loss of just one of these jobs means that ten people lose their livelihood, since Swazi officials calculate that each textile job directly supports ten people. Lack of orders have already led to plants closures in Namibia, robbing people of their legitimate livelihoods and governments of much needed tax revenues. The Mauritians report that their orders are down 30 percent since January due to the uncertainty whether this provision will be renewed in a timely fashion.

Madagascar's loss of AGOA eligibility in 2009 is a possible model of what could happen if this provision were to expire. Prior to its loss of AGOA eligibility, Madagascar was one of the top textile producing countries in Africa, exporting over $2050 million in textiles in 2007. Due to 2009 coup, the Government of Madagascar lost all AGOA benefits, including the textile provision. Apparel exports plummeted by $150 million in 2010. This more than $150 million drop in textile exports resulted in the loss of 50,000 jobs which will more than likely never return.

We continue to actively educate, inform and encourage U.S. companies to be more active in Africa. This is a continent on the move and there are enormous opportunities for U.S. companies to enter the market, make money, and create jobs for Americans here at home.

In February, I led a trade mission to Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana with 10 U.S. energy companies ready to do business. A lack of reasonably priced reliable power remains one of the most binding constraints to economic growth throughout Africa. Governments across the continent are working to attract new trade and foreign investment that will sustain their rapid economic growth and build their middle class. The goal of this mission was to highlight opportunities for U.S. companies and help address a glaring need for increased power sector infrastructure in Africa. The mission was a success and a number of these U.S. companies concluded partnership agreements with African companies to jointly develop power projects. Ex-Im Bank and USTDA representatives also participated in the mission to ensure that both the U.S. participants and our Africa partners are fully aware of U.S. financing options. We are in the process of putting together a trade mission to accompany the Secretary to South Africa for the U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue. In addition, I plan to lead similar trade missions in the future and continue to help and encourage U.S. companies to be a part of the growing economic dynamism of Africa.

In our continuing efforts to inform, educate and encourage U.S. companies to pursue commercial opportunities on the continent, just last week, the State Department, in collaboration with the Department of Commerce's U.S. Export Assistance Center in Cincinnati, the Department of Transportion, the Ex-Im Bank, USTDA, USAID, USTR, and several other U.S. Government agencies, hosted a U.S.-Africa Business Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. This conference attracted well over 400 participants, including African government officials, and representatives from the U.S. and African private sectors and civil society. The U.S.-Africa Business Conference expanded on the AGOA Forum infrastructure theme by focusing on infrastructure development, including energy, transportation, and water and sanitation. It showcased U.S. business expertise to potential African clients and highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Africa to U.S. exporters and investors through structured networking opportunities for African government officials and business leaders with U.S. state and local government officials and business leaders; informational sessions on U.S. Government opportunities and services from various federal agencies; and site visits to companies and research facilities highlighting potential technologies for Africa.

Cincinnati was selected as the conference location for its potential to increase commercial partnerships with Africa at local, state, and regional levels given its concentration of Fortune 500 and 1000 companies. I am pleased that the Cincinnati conference built on the successes of the 2010 Kansas City, Missouri business conference. Bringing African government officials and private sector representatives outside of the beltway allows us to more effectively focus on business-to-business linkages.

We also have two very popular programs which develop business capacity in Africa, the African Women's Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) and the President's Young African Leaders Initiative. This year delegates from both programs participated in both our AGOA Forum and U.S.-Africa Business Conference events. AWEP is an outreach, education, and engagement initiative that targets African women entrepreneurs to promote business growth, increase trade both regionally and to the United States using AGOA, create better business environments, and empower African women entrepreneurs to become voices of change in their communities. The State Department organizes an annual AWEP professional exchange program for these women to improve their skills and has created a series of public-private partnerships with ExxonMobil, Intel, Vital Voices, and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.

This year's President's Young African Leaders Initiative included the Innovation Youth Summit and Mentoring Partnership with Young African Leaders and brought more than 60 participants to the U.S. for three weeks of professional exchange and entrepreneurial hands-on training. This initiative encourages U.S.-Africa collaboration to promote business innovation, investment, and corporate social responsibility activities in Africa.

However, there are still many barriers that stand in the way of companies that hope to do business there. In many places, corruption is too common. The cost of finance, including investment finance, is too high. Infrastructure is lacking or inadequate. Regulatory systems are often inconsistent and inefficient. Also, many U.S. businesses see African markets as too risky. The perception of Africa as poverty filled and strife ridden persists. We work closely with African governments so that they will continue to enact the kinds of reforms to support improved investment climates which will attract both domestic and foreign investment. In addition, we continue to highlight opportunities for trade and investment in the region for U.S. companies and to work with them to conclude deals. Our work with GE Transportation in Ghana on a locomotive tender where GE was ultimately able to win a deal worth $200 million in U.S. content is but one example. We are confident that the U.S. can compete effectively in Africa, but we have to continue to encourage American companies to go to Africa and we have to encourage African countries to continue to make their regulatory and business environment more conducive for American business. Greater U.S.-Africa trade is in the interest of both America and Africa.

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I want to thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I will be happy to answer any questions you have.


Source: US Department of State

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Call for Entries for 3rd Eko International Film Festival


SUBMIT ENTRIES FOR THE 3RD EKO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, NOVEMBER 5-10, 2012, LAGOS, NIGERIA.


SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND ENTRY FEES


Standard Deadline: July 1st, 2012 $50 (USD)

Late Deadline: September 31, 2012 $75 (USD)


Fees are payable by check

Call For Entry Form

THE MAIN SECTIONS


Fiction
Comedy
Drama
Horror
Documentaries
Student Film
1 minute short films.

ELIGIBILITY

Films must fit into one of the seven categories: Fiction, comedy, documentaries, drama, Horror, Student Film 1 minute.

All music and other copyrighted materials used in the films must be original or filmmakers must have obtained permission in writing from the owner, such permissions to be submitted with the film.

All films must be submitted in English or subtitled in English.


GENERAL RULES:

Films must be submitted on DVD NTSC or PAL (please test before sending) and be available for screening on 35mm composite condition, Beta SP or Digi-Beta Video (NTSC only for festival screening).

Films must have been completed after April 1, 2011. Films must be available for screening during the Eko International Film Festival.

Narrative and Documentary films with U.S. distribution (obtained prior to being selected for EKOIFF screening) or films produced, financed or initiated by a major film studio or television network are ineligible for competition, but may be considered for special screening. Selection for screening will be determined no later than one month prior to the festival. Films that have screened at major cinemas and on cable network or distributed to theaters prior to the festival dates are also ineligible for competition.

Films that have played in Nigeria in a theatrical setting to a public audience are not eligible to be screened at the EKOIFF 2012.

Additional Narrative Feature Film Entry Requirements:

Feature-length Films must be 60 minutes or longer (recommended length 90 minutes).
Open to anyone (and all nationalities) who wishes to enter.

Additional Narrative Short Film Entry Requirements:

Films must be short narratives of 40 minutes or less (recommended length 10 minutes).
Open to anyone who wishes to enter.


Additional Narrative Student Short Film Entry Requirements:


Films must be short narratives of 40 minutes or less (recommended length 10 minutes).
Open only to students (must include proof of enrollment from accredited university or college).


One Minute Short Film Entry Requirements:


Entries must be short films of 1 minute (recommended length).
Award will be given to the best 1 minute film.
Open to any form of animation.
Open to anyone who wishes to enter.

Additional Documentary Feature Films Requirements

Films must be Documentaries, 40 minutes or longer
Open to anyone who wishes to enter.
Additional Documentary Short Film Requirements
Films must be Short Documentaries, 40 minutes or less
Open to anyone who wishes to enter.

Please Note: Eko International Film Festival does not wave entry fees. EKOIFF believes waiving entry fees hurts the integrity of the competition. The same rules and entry fees should apply to all applicants so no one film is favored over another. In a similar respect the EKOIFF does not solicit films to be in competition, only films submitted will be considered for competition.
We understand the financial constraint of film making and costs of submitting to Festivals and we still hope you can find it in your budget to submit your film.

Returns and Acknowledgments:
VHS tapes, DVDs, and press materials will not be returned under any circumstances. They will be destroyed after the final screenings at the film festival.
Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for each submission if you wish acknowledgment of the receipt of your entry.


Safety and piracy issue


The festival is concerned that filmmakers' rights should be protected against piracy. EKOIFF is establishing procedures that will guarantee these are up to profession's best practice. These are inspired by the anti piracy actions taken in the USA and worldwide.


FILM COMPETITION AWARDS:


All awards will be presented to the Directors of the winning films on November 10, 2012, during the Eko International Film Festival Awards Ceremony. Awards are based on overall merit of the entries. Jury members reserve the right not to grant an award.

Audience Award:

All films screening are also eligible for an Audience Award in their respected categories. Award winners are announced within one week following the Festival. The Audience Award is based solely on audience voting at the film's screening.


Prizes:


Each Competition Filmmaker receives two film screenings, November 5-10, 2012; five complimentary tickets to each of the film's screenings; one ticket to the Awards Ceremony; the film featured in the 2012 EKOIFF Programme Directory; and two complimentary, All-Access Producers Passes to the 2012 Eko International Film Festival, November 5-10, 2012.

Eko International Film Festival welcomes partners and sponsors for the following prizes.

Jury Awards:

Narrative Films
1st Place Winners receive a cash prize of $1,000 (Narrative Feature Category) or $500 (Narrative Short and Student Short Categories); reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Lagos to attend the 2012 EKOIFF; hotel compensation at the Film Festival (up to $500); a special Winners screening during the Festival.


Documentary Films

1st Place Winners receive a cash prize of $500 (Documentary Feature Category only); reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Lagos to attend the 2012 EKOIFF, hotel compensation at the Film Festival (up to $500), a special Winners screening during the Festival.

1 Minute Short Film

1st Place Winners receive reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Lagos to attend the 2012 EKOIFF, hotel compensation at the Film Festival (up to $500), a special Winners screening during the Festival.

Eko International Film Festival
Submissions from July 1- September 30, 2012

I, (first name:)………………………….. (last name:)………………………………. Act as right owner hereafter described as “The filmmaker” own right for the following film (film name)…………………………..

The filmmaker grants permission to Eko International Film Festival (EKOIFF) and Supple Communications Limited to use clips of your film for promotional use.

The filmmaker grants the non-exclusive right for EKOIFF and Supple Communications Limited to screen, exhibit and distribute your film in its entirety for any promotion or project under the festival or foundation's name for up to one year after the 2012 festival. EKOIFF and Supple Communications Limited may also actively pursue other distribution opportunities for your film.

The filmmaker grants EKOIFF and Supple Communications Limited and other third parties at their discretion the right to film, videotape and/or photograph your appearance or voice for any and all marketing and promotional activities for the festival.
Your submission of an entry into the Eko International Film Festival constitutes an agreement between you and EKOIFF and Supple Communications Limited, and that by submitting your film for consideration, you agree to all of these rules, terms and agreements.

Date../../2012
Name: ………………………………
Signature: …………………………


Send with your DVD to
Hope Obioma Opara
The President
Eko International Film Festival
Supple Co mm unications Limited
1, Bajulaiye Road,
Morocco Bus Stop
Shomolu, Lagos,Nigeria.

PS: ONLY SPONSORED PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED.



A Letter From Jerusalem And The International Happiness Day



A Letter From Jerusalem And The International Happiness Day

Some years back, a survey rated Nigerians as the happiest people on earth. But I noted that the survey was based on interviews with only the Nigerians found in safer and richer groups of the Nigerian society and not including the miserable population of the poor masses and hostile legions in the volatile northern states.

Anyway, Nigerians can still find happiness in spite of the social, economic and political challenges in Nigeria and my positive faith in Nigeria motivated me to initiate the House of Happiness Club in Nigeria which is part of a global movement to make more people happy and promote peace in our world. And all Nigerians are invited to join us to celebrate the coming International Happiness Day on Tuesday July 10, 2012.

The United Nations has passed the resolution for the worldwide observation of the International Happiness Day.

"The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal," said the resolution, which was passed by consensus in the 193-member assembly today.

The resolution calls on all member states "to observe the International Day of Happiness in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness activities".

You can organize special events to celebrate the day in your respective communities and upload the videos on Vimeo or YouTube or on blogs for public appreciation. I have The Project Happiness film for any club or community to show the quest for happiness by a group of Nigerian students, American students and Indian students.




With the unspoken epidemic of stress and depression infiltrating every community, how can kids (of all ages) learn to generate their own happiness regardless of the situations they face? Follow three groups of high school students from three continents on a quest to understand the nature of lasting happiness. What they discover uncovers the potential for happiness that is in us all.

The film focuses on four teens from Santa Cruz, California. Each faces personal obstacles to happiness: loss, alienation and the everyday challenges of being a teenager passing into adulthood. An innovative project that asks the question “How do we achieve lasting happiness?” introduces them by internet and video diaries to their peers in Nigeria and India and quickly leaves lectures and books behind. The teens also engage in conversations with cultural icons George Lucas, Richard Gere and groundbreaking neuroscientist Richard Davidson. The three international groups ultimately meet face to face in India for the first time to prepare for a rare private audience with the Dalai Lama.


The following letter is from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin of the Happiness Club in Jerusalem.

Hi Michael,
I was very excited and happy to read in the latest happiness club newsletter that you are starting a happiness club in Africa (Nigeria).

Happiness is accomplished one person at a time. I am founder and host of the Joy (Happiness) Club of Jerusalem.
You are welcome to attend any meetings when you visit Jerusalem.
A happy and kind world is a peaceful world.
I love Lionel and anticipate 1000 happiness clubs worldwide.
Keep up your great work.

Zelig

Zelig Pliskin is an Orthodox rabbi, writer, lecturer, and author of more than 25 books, including My Father, My King, Building Your Self-Image, Life Is Now: Creating Moments of Joy, Courage, Kindness, and Serenity, Anger: The Inner Teacher, Kindness: Changing People's Lives for the Better, Guard Your Tongue, Love your neighbor: You and your fellow man in the light of the Torah : a practical guide to man's relationship ... culled from the full spectrum of Torah literature and Gateway to Happiness.. The focus of Pliskin's teachings is helping people improve themselves and find happiness.






Saturday, June 30, 2012

Top Five Mobile Phone Facts in the UK


Top Five Mobile Phone Facts in the UK

1. The most popular ringtone in the UK is Mission Impossible
2. The first text message was sent in 1992.
3. There are more mobile phones than people in the UK.
4. Average monthly bill is 36 pounds.
5. Only 25% of mobile users have mobile insurance.