In a show of solidarity and support, the Organization of Liberian Communities in Nigeria (OLICON) paid a courtesy visit to President Boakai during his visit to Abuja to attend the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

The Delegation, through the Organization’s President, Mr. Garisson Thomas, expressed appreciation for the President’s leadership and efforts to foster unity among all Liberians.

The President of OLICON conveyed his organization’s profound gratitude for the President’s unwavering support and tireless efforts in addressing the challenges faced by Liberians in Nigeria.

He also highlighted the positive contributions of OLICON to the social, cultural, and economic well-being of Liberians in Nigeria. In this light, he sought the President’s assistance with scholarships for Liberian students in Nigeria and employment opportunities for qualified Liberians in Nigeria.

In response, President Boakai thanked the Delegation for the visit and assured them of his continued dedication to serving the interests of all Liberians, both at home and abroad.

The President reiterated his commitment to promoting the welfare and interests of Liberians living in the Diaspora, including Nigeria.

He acknowledged the vital role of OLICON  in representing the interests of the Liberian Community and fostering a sense of belonging among its members.

The meeting, was attended by Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti and Liberia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh.

The courtesy visit, according to OLICON’s President Thomas,  underscored the importance of fostering strong relationships between the Liberian government and its Diaspora communities, marking a significant step toward building a more interconnected and supportive network for Liberians living in Nigeria.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Liberia: Executive Mansion.

In support of the development and deployment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) solutions throughout the continent, pan-African downstream organization the African Refiners and Distributors Association the UN-backed Global LPG Partnership have mobilized $1 billion in financing for clean cooking solutions in Africa. As such, the participation of ARDA Executive Secretary Anibor Kraghan as a speaker at this year’s MSGBC Oil, Gas&Power 2024 conference – taking place in Dakar from December 3-4 – will showcase the role downstream expansion has in delivering an inclusive energy future in Africa.

Representing the only pan-African organization for the continent’s downstream sector, ARDA’s mandate to become a voice for all African downstream stakeholders is becoming more effective. At a time when disruptions in global supply chains continue to cause price shocks and instability worldwide, many African countries continue to rely heavily on refined product imports. In this context, ARDA advocates the need to improve investment across the downstream sector so that Africa can improve energy security and self-reliance with upgrades to existing refineries, the construction of new facilities and the establishment of regional distribution networks.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region’s oil, gas and power sector. Visit www.MSGBCOilgGsandPower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas&Power 2024 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Having recently joined the ranks of oil-producing nations from its first shipment of crude oil from the Sangomar field development this month, Meanwhile, in May 2024, Senegal’s Saint-Louis Region Governor Alioune Badara Sambe announced that the country will build a new 250 MW gas-to-power plant near Saint-Louis, which will leverage gas from the country’s flagship Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) field – due to start production by the end of this year.

Senegalese energy company West Africa Energy plans to open the country’s first and largest combined cycle gas power station in December 2024. The Cap des Biches plant will have an initial estimated capacity of 160 MW and leverage sizeable gas reserves to be brought online by large-scale projects underway in the region. Currently in its construction phase, the project is expected to enter generate 2,390 GWh of electricity for consumers. Meanwhile, with a capacity of 360 MW, the Sandiara gas-to-power plant is slated to start construction this year in Senegal’s Special Economic Zone and will feature an annual production capacity of 2,900 GWh.

West Africa’s oldest refinery, the Société Africaine de Raffinage refinery in Senegal is currently undergoing major upgrades. The country’s government is currently in discussion with financial institution the African Export-Import Bank to support $500 million in syndicated finance to increase annual production from 1.5 million to 3.5 million tons of refined petroleum products.

With sizeable offshore oil and gas reserves, the MSGBC region’s abundance of natural resources is set to drive downstream investment while providing much-needed energy development to the West African region. In addition to the Sangomar and GTA developments, the MSGBC region is home to the Yakaar-Teranga field, offshore Senegal, which holds confirmed reserves of 25 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas. meanwhile, the BirAllah gas field offshore Mauritania is estimated to contain nearly 60 tcf of gas and is poised to commence production in the third or fourth quarter of 2024.

In light of these developments, the MSGBC region’s downstream industry represents a highly attractive investment opportunity owing to rising regional demand, industry-focused policies and the introduction of local oil and gas to the market in 2024. As such, Kragha’s participation at MSGBC 2024 is set to examine developments across the regional downstream industry, challenges faced and strategies for expanding infrastructure.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

The National Security Service Act (Amendment) Bill passed by legislators last week will entrench arbitrary detention and further repression by South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS), the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said today. They urged the President to return the bill to legislators in order to align it with South Sudan’s human rights obligations.

“If accepted by the President, these amendments to the National Security Service Act would signal that rights violations by this powerful institution are endorsed not just by the rest of government, but legislators as well,” said Yasmin Sooka, Chairperson of the Commission. “The Bill should be returned to legislators to work on amendments that align with the government’s commitment to scrap this institution’s arrest powers, which are systematically abused and unlawful.”

The Commission has previously reported in detail on human rights violations by the National Security Service, including the illegal practice of prolonged and arbitrary detentions without judicial oversight or accountability. Victims have been tortured, with many having died in detention. Rights violations have included extraordinary renditions of South Sudanese civil society members and political opponents from neighbouring countries, into National Security Service detention. Even over the past week, civil society leaders critical of government policies have been pursued and threatened with detention or worse.

“As South Sudan prepares for its first elections since independence, the citizenry must be able to exercise their civil and political rights without fear of retribution,” said Commissioner Barney Afako. “These security amendments were intended to open up civic space, but in their present form, their effect is the opposite.”

Section 54 of the 2014 National Security Service Act empowers officers to arrest and detain, without a warrant, any person suspected of committing an offence against the State. These offences are very broadly and loosely defined in section 7 of the Act, resulting in many people being arrested and detained for legitimate civic and political activities. Although any detainee must be brought before a judge within 24 hours, this rarely happens. Section 55 of the Act empowers officers to arrest after obtaining a warrant, but this provision is rarely used.

“In a democratic society, intelligence services should not and do not have powers of arrest and detention. The unchecked powers of the National Security Service are yet another manifestation of the lack of rule of law and any judicial oversight,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández. “Courts lack independence, are chronically under-resourced, and thus unable to protect citizens against arbitrary detentions. In addition to ensuring the legislation complies with human rights law and constitutional protections, the Government must invest in a credible functioning judiciary.”

On 5 February 2024, South Sudan acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which includes protection from arbitrary arrest and detentions, and requires that anyone arrested or detained be brought promptly before a judge.

The process of amending the 2014 National Security Service Act has been underway for over six years, with progress stalling due to disagreements about the arrest and detention powers of NSS officers. On 21 February 2023, media reports quoted the Minister of Cabinet Affairs announcing that the President and First-Vice President had agreed to remove all NSS powers of arrest. Government documents reviewed by the Commission show that on 24 March 2023, the Council of Ministers also resolved to abolish NSS arrest powers.

However, these positions were not reflected in the Amendment Bill sent to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly on 28 April 2023. And on 3 July 2024, during a heated session, a two-thirds majority of legislators passed the Bill, which retains the NSS powers to arrest and detain. Nonetheless, the President can return the Bill to legislators for revision, within 30 days. It is imperative that he does so, to ensure that South Sudan meets its human rights obligations to prevent further arbitrary arrests and detentions, to avoid further abuses, and to enable accountability regarding the National Security Services. 

Background: The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an independent body mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council. First established in March 2016, it has been renewed annually since. Its three Commissioners are not UN staff, they are not renumerated for their work as Commissioners, and they serve independently in their capacity as experts. They are supported by a Secretariat based in Juba, South Sudan. The Commission is mandated to investigate the situation of human rights in South Sudan, and to make recommendations to prevent a deterioration of the situation, with a view to its improvement. The Commission is also mandated to determine and report the facts and circumstances of human rights violations and abuses, including by clarifying responsibility for crimes under national and or international law. The Commission’s findings are informed by independent interviews conducted with victims and survivors of human rights violations, as well as witnesses, service providers, and related experts and stakeholders.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Independent human rights experts* today welcomed the decision by the newly elected UK Government to scrap the policy to transfer asylum seekers who meet certain conditions to Rwanda for asylum processing.

“We are encouraged to learn that the UK plans to reassume State responsibility for receiving and assessing individual asylum applications domestically,” the experts said.

“This is an important step to ensure the right to asylum and protection of the human rights of all migrants and refugees seeking protection in the UK, regardless of how they arrive.”

The UK Government first announced a new Migration and Economic Development Partnership with the Government of Rwanda (UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership) in 2022. In November 2023, the UK Supreme Court held that the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership was unlawful on the basis that Rwanda could not be considered to be a safe third country owing to its past practice of refoulement. In response to that ruling, the two Governments subsequently signed the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership Treaty on 5 December 2023, which was later ratified by the UK Parliament in April 2024. The UK Government also published the Safety of Rwanda Bill in December 2023 to require all decision-makers in the UK to conclusively treat Rwanda as a safe third country, which the UK Parliament passed into law on 23 April 2024.

Since the UK-Rwanda policy was announced in 2022, UNHCR, OHCHR, and several UN human rights mechanisms have repeatedly raised concerns that the controversial asylum arrangement between the UK and Rwanda was not in accordance with the UK’s obligations under both international human rights and refugee law.

“Two years after the initial announcement of the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership, it is a relief that the UK Government has finally made a courageous decision to abort the controversial plan,” the experts said. “The plan would have externalised the UK’s asylum obligations and posed serious human rights risks for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and would have also undermined the international protection system more broadly.”

The experts said they look forward to learning about new measures and reforms in migration and asylum governance in the UK.

“We reiterate our call to the UK Government to ensure that border governance measures, including those aimed at addressing unsafe and irregular arrivals of migrants, fully respect international human rights and refugee law,” they said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).