Motolani Alake

<h1>In the wake of announcement that India had banned TikTok and 56 other Chinese apps from use by its citizens, TikTok has a message for the world via a statement. </h1>

It reads, "Building empowered local management teams in the countries where TikTok operates, including India, has been critical to our global success.

"While the Government of India has issued an interim order to block 59 apps, our team of around 2,000 employees in India is committed to working with the government to demonstrate our dedication to user security and our commitment to the country overall.

"We are proud to provide hundreds of millions of users in India – and around the world – a creative platform for their stories, performances, education, and, often, a way to make their livelihood."

Relations between the world's two most populous nations have been strained following the deaths of 20 Indian troops in hand-to-hand fighting with their Chinese counterparts on the western end of the high-altitude, contested border in mid-June.

On June 29, 2020, the Indian Ministry of technology stated that the 56 banned apps "are engaged in activities... prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order," the ministry of information technology said in a statement.

"The government of India has decided to disallow the usage of certain apps... This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace."

Bloomberg reported that, "The move marks another attempt by India to reduce dependence on its neighbor’s products and hampers efforts by China’s largest corporations to expand beyond their own borders -- a collective endeavor encapsulated by TikTok’s phenomenal success abroad and particularly in India, ByteDance’s largest international market.

"The world’s most valuable startup responded by saying it will meet with Narendra Modi’s government to discuss the matter."

The tensions between the world's two most populous nations will continue to rise.

TikTok is owned by China's ByteDance and was one of 59 Chinese mobile apps banned late Monday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government

The tensions between the world's two most populous nations will continue to rise.

TikTok speaks as India bans TikTok and 56 other Chinese apps

Jude Egbas

In their prickly reaction to my April 16 Washington Post #ChinaMustPay article (a response published in the Guardian Newspaper of May 3, 2020), the government of China through their Embassy in Nigeria missed the opportunity to responsibly address the serious issues raised.

<a href="https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/oby-ezekwesili-china-must-pay-africa-for-not-being-transparent-about-the-coronavirus/54ts7q0">I must repeat that Africa deserves to be paid a compensation</a> for the damages COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting on lives and livelihoods.

Unfortunately and unfairly, my country, Nigeria, is one of fifty-four countries in Africa that are struggling to respond to the disruptive effects of China’s failure to take responsibility for a pandemic that could have been easily contained and localized to avoid the ruin it has caused our continent and the world at large.

Since Beijing failed to adhere to basic scientific and research transparency in the critical early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, it must accept responsibility with humility.

Therefore, a legitimate demand for accountability and payment of penalties by rich and powerful countries for damages their behaviors do to vulnerable people ought not to attract the kind of sour response China released.

There are six points that authorities in Beijing ought to humbly consider.

First, it is now clear to the world that China’s opaque handling of the pandemic is costing my country, our continent and people too much in lost lives and livelihoods. The unjustified suffering of the poor and vulnerable brought on by the actions of a comparatively rich and powerful country demands a new system for addressing global inequities.

I maintain that information in the public domain points to the fact that China suppressed vital information from the rest of the world on COVID-19. The burden to present convincing counter-factual information lies with China and, so far, it has failed to do so.

Second, I assert again that China owes Africa yet-to-be-estimated compensation. Its acts of negligence in December and early January resulted in a fast-spreading global pandemic that collapsed the continent’s economic growth from 2.9% in 2019 to negative 5.1% in 2020.

Most importantly, China should, in the interim, take responsibility and ease the severe fiscal pressure on our countries, by announcing a cancellation of over $140 Billion in loans its government, contractors and banks have advanced to Africa over the last two decades.

Following this debt cancellation, an international consortium made up of the G20, China, Africa Union Commission and global institutions like the United Nations, World Bank and IMF should be constituted to assess the full extent of damages and the compensation due.

Third, Chinese authorities should know that we are Africans who are not lackeys of any power. Laying a baseless charge of “dancing to the tune of others” to an African reveals an appalling mindset toward our continent. It may in fact be this same sort of attitude that frames the extremely offensive profiling of Africans who are resident in China.

We do not dance to the drumbeat of any country or any continent -- our sole tune is the African Beat.

Fourth, the spirit of transparency ought to be in China’s own interest. It is intriguing that Beijing has so far failed to embrace my suggestion to allow an Independent International Panel of Experts to review and assess China’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why? Is China afraid of full disclosure that can help the world learn vital lessons on how to manage global threats and risks better?

Fifth, this global New Normal requires faster prevention of cross-border risks and threats. The best antidotes to minimize global negative externalities that harm the weak and vulnerable are absolute transparency and removal of information asymmetries by countries.

As part of this New Normal, the global community has a duty to learn and correct past failures to penalize bad behavior. My #ChinaMustPay article is a call therefore to innovate global mechanisms that compel countries to start now to do the right things whenever risks and threats emerge.

Innovation is what China rode on to economic greatness. What then is wrong with asking for such as a legitimate part of our global New Normal?

Sixth, it should be in China’s historic and conscientious national interest to prevent future exploitation of vulnerable countries by economic superpowers. I did acknowledge previous global risks that similarly emanated from other rich and powerful countries and injured Africa’s economic growth and development.

I find it hard to believe that China, given its history and experience with colonial mistreatment, would want this cyclical pattern to continue. Do the authorities in Beijing really want Africans to simply accept harmful actions of rich and powerful countries?

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in an April 2020 report on coronavirus pandemic stated that “over 300,000 Africans may lose their lives due to COVID-19.”

According to the Africa Union Commission, the coronavirus is already collapsing many economies in Africa and worsening poverty. Already, the livelihoods of hundreds of millions on the continent, especially children, young people and women are already lost to the damaging economic disruptions caused by COVID-19.

The IMF calls the impact of the pandemic on Africa as “the worst reading on record”. It went further to state that Africa’s “Fiscal space is limited, and fiscal financing needs to address the crisis are large - at least $114 billion for this year”. International rating agencies have massively downgraded the credit ratings of African countries making investors more skittish.

I proposed a penalty system in the form of a Global Risk Burden Tax that will from now be payable to weaker and more vulnerable countries and their people whenever forced to bear a disproportionate burden from preventable global risks that emanate from rich and powerful countries.

Such penalty tax would also serve as a disincentive to prevent the kind of unbecoming actions and decisions that escalated the spread of the deadly virus out of Wuhan.

China must know that where our lives and livelihoods are concerned, no country, regardless of how powerful it may be, can intimidate us Africans ever again.

Beijing should do the right thing now and accept the debt it owes Africa as a result of its failures on COVID-19. That is how responsible world powers should behave in the 21st Century if they are to be taken seriously.

Ezekwesili is the former vice-president for the Africa region at the World Bank and a former minister of education for Nigeria. She is the co-convener of #BringBackOurGirls Movement.

In this opinion piece, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili maintains that China has to write Africa a cheque for the damage the novel coronavirus has caused the continent.

Oby Ezekwesili: Yes, I insist that China must pay Africa for coronavirus damages

<h1>The covid-19 pandemic has dealt a severe injury to Africa’s development prospects and worsened the conditions of its poor and vulnerable. Although there are calls for voluntary international aid to support the continent during this difficult time, this is far from the best solution.</h1>

The continent must be accorded damages and liability compensation from China, the rich and powerful country that failed to transparently and effectively manage this global catastrophe. Africa’s economic gains since the last global crisis have been eroded. It is time to make offending rich countries pay the poor ones a global risk burden tax for delaying their rise out of poverty.

Today, Africa is home to more than 70 percent of the world’s poorest people, with more than 400 million living below the poverty line. It is no surprise that it is disproportionately vulnerable to this crisis. It should not suffer even more because yet another powerful country failed to act responsibly.

China should immediately announce a complete write-off of the more than $140 billion that its government, banks and contractors extended to countries in Africa between 2000 and 2017. This would provide partial compensation to African countries for the impact that the coronavirus is already having on their economies and people.

The analysis of the balance of compensation due to Africa can then follow from discussions with the Africa Union and its member countries, alongside global and regional organizations including the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank and the European Union.

Our world is long overdue for a change of approach in the way it manages global risks that leave the poor worse off due to failures of the rich and powerful. The current model of development assistance is broken and can never deliver any real change of fortune for the most vulnerable. We need a new model that strengthens people to engage in the design of their pathway out of poverty and builds economic resilience.

The current conditions mirror what happened during the 2008 global financial crisis. In my time as the vice president in charge of the World Bank’s operations in Africa, we had to mobilize internal and partner resources to mitigate the severity of the economic recession suffered by the continent. Exogenous shocks dealt a lethal blow to the countries’ decade-long steady rises of economic growth, which had averaged 5 to 6 percent annually until tumbling to 2.4 percent in 2009.

This sharp fall ended Africa’s upward economic growth trajectory and sent per capita income tumbling. It increased inequality and the number of Africans in absolute poverty. Such fragile and low economic growth rates for a continent with one of the world’s highest concentrations of young people and annual population growth rate of about 2.5 percent is a key reason for widespread multidimensional poverty — a threat that carries seeds of global insecurity and instability.

The economic shock caused by the coronavirus has badly reduced the opportunity Africa would otherwise have had to lift hundreds of millions out of poverty. The African Union Commission estimates that Africa’s gross domestic product will shrink by as much as 4.5 percent, resulting in 20 million job losses.

This has dangerously hampered the possibility that Africa can generate jobs for young people and women, or increase literacy levels by reducing the number of out-of-school children with access to quality learning opportunities. It will result in lessened ability to reduce maternal and child mortality, improve nutrition and food security, make reliable energy available and accessible, improve the availability of quality roads, water, sanitation, and other infrastructure, and such other investments in public goods.

China, a country that only within the past four decades has managed to lift more than 850 million people out of poverty, would understand how critical it is for African countries to accelerate inclusive growth. While economies in Asia, Europe and the Americas have announced hefty emergency stimulus packages for their people and businesses, countries in Africa struggle to meet short-term food needs.

Most of Africa’s countries simply do not have the buffer required for fiscal relief in times of crisis, because they were already severely constrained by budgetary crises caused by poor domestic revenue mobilization, high public debts and low productivity. The parlous public finances of these countries worsened due to volatility in commodity prices as the pandemic worsened.

Africa faces frequent shocks caused by climate, terrorism, health issues, food insecurity, crime and other sources of risk. Most of these perils emanate from the failures of the rich and powerful economies, but end up inflicting a disproportionate share of the poor and vulnerable.

China should demonstrate world leadership by acknowledging its failure to be transparent on covid-19. Beijing’s leadership should then commit to an independent expert panel evaluation of its pandemic response. China and the rest of the Group of 20 countries should engage with the Africa Union and countries to design a reparations mechanism.

It is time for rich economies to show that our world is capable of doing right by the poor and vulnerable.

This article was first published in the Washington Post.

Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili is the former vice president for the Africa region at the World Bank and the former minister of education for Nigeria. She is the co-convener of Nigeria’s #BringBackOurGirls Movement.

Dr Obiageli  Ezekwesili makes a case for China reparation to Africa (Ezekwesili media team)

In this opinion piece, former minister Oby Ezekwesili argues that China must pay reparations to Africa for its coronavirus failures.

Oby Ezekwesili: China must pay Africa for not being transparent about the coronavirus

News Agency Of Nigeria

<h1>The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila expressed the displeasure at a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian on Friday in Abuja.</h1>

Gbajabiamila said that&nbsp;the&nbsp;inhuman treatment on Nigerians in China must be addressed forthwith.

The speaker confronted the Ambassador with the protest video of the incidence where a Nigerian was seen challenging Chinese officials over the maltreatment.

He said that viral media reports and videos from Beijing showed Nigerians being forced out of their houses and hotels, rounded up and their passports seized by the Chinese police.

He said the videos also showed that some Nigerians were being forced into another 14-day quarantine after the initial 14 days they spent for same purpose over the Covid-19 pandemic in China.

The Speaker said there should be an official explanation for treating Nigerians in such a manner.

“If the diplomatic relationships between our two countries are for the mutual benefits of our citizens, then there must be respect for our citizens, and we should not compromise it.

“As a government, we will not allow Chinese or other nationals to be maltreated just as we will not allow Nigerians to be maltreated in other countries.

“The way you treat your citizens, we expect that’s how you’ll treat others; will not tolerate our citizens breaking your laws, but the crime of one citizen cannot be used to stigmatise the whole country.

“It appears that is&nbsp;&nbsp;what happened in this case; you&nbsp;&nbsp;cannot use one brush to smear the whole wall. Whatever the reason, it cannot be used and taken out on the entire community in China,” he said.

The Speaker said the House will expect a feedback from the Ambassador as soon as possible and before Tuesday next week.

According to him, it is&nbsp;&nbsp;better we nip it in the bud so that it does not&nbsp;&nbsp;escalate to another level.

The speaker also sought to understand the specific mandate of the Chinese medical team that arrived Nigeria on Wednesday and if they are on quarantine.

In his response, Ambassador Zhou said though he has not been officially informed about the details of the incidence but that he would take it up with the home government.

“We take our relationship with Nigeria very seriously, we receive a full report from back home, I cannot act, but I can assure you it is not a policy issue.

“We treat everyone equally, but during the implementation of the COVID-19 measures in China, it is possible for some incidents; all I do is to take it back home, today I will, ” he said.

The Ambassador said the Chinese medical personnel are in full quarantine and ready to observe all protocols as stipulated by Nigeria.

“They are on 100 per cent quarantine. The NCDC has been there twice; they have to follow the protocol.

“They are here to deliver medical supplies and on advisory role only, that is a prevention working group on Covid-19. They will do nothing like practicing as doctors,” he said.&nbsp;

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. [Twitter/@femigbaja]

The leadership of the House of Representatives has expressed displeasure over the inhuman treatment meted out on some Nigerians by the Chinese authorities in Beijing.

Gbajabiamila expresses displeasure over inhuman treatment of Nigerians by Chinese authorities

Damilare Famuyiwa

<h1>Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has addressed the Coronavirus case in the state.</h1>

During a media parley at the State House in Marina, Sanwo-Olu said his administration is prepared to curtail the deadly disease epidemic in Lagos.

He said, "We're doing all that we need to do to contain the incident in Lagos."

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We&#39;re doing all that we need to do to contain the incident in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lagos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lagos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaVirusUpdates?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaVirusUpdates</a> by the incident commander Gov <a href="https://twitter.com/jidesanwoolu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jidesanwoolu</a> in the State House, Marina. <a href="https://t.co/2LQ18uydFH">pic.twitter.com/2LQ18uydFH</a>&mdash; Gboyega Akosile (@gboyegaakosile) <a href="https://twitter.com/gboyegaakosile/status/1233322983625756673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</div>

Pulse had reported that Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, recorded its first case of <a href="https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/coronavirus-is-in-nigeria/gd4sf1v" rel="noopener noreferrer">the deadly coronavirus disease</a>.

In a statement made available to the public, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed that the case, which was confirmed on Thursday, February 27, 2020, is the first case to be reported in the country since the beginning of the outbreak in China.

<a href="https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/nigeria-in-panic-mode-as-deadly-coronavirus-disease-spreads-from-china/k51krdw" rel="noopener noreferrer">The coronavirus</a>&nbsp;has killed nearly 3,000 people and infected over 80,000 globally.

Most of the victims are in mainland China.

The disease was first diagnosed in the Chinese city of&nbsp;Wuhan,&nbsp;with a population of 11 million residents, and has spread to 46 other countries outside China in that time.

Lagos governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu allays fears of Lagosians as Nigeria records first case of Coronavirus.

Sanwo-Olu says Lagos is prepared to deal with Coronavirus

ahmad aliyu

The 27-year-old is accused of drug trafficking and could face death if found guilty.

According to reports, Abera was asked by her childhood friend to deliver the bottle of shampoo which she didn't know contained the hard drug.

Family and friends of the victim said she is innocent and that she was duped into transporting the contraband disguised as beauty products.

" We are fearful, angry and do not know where to go and cry.

"We have not heard from her and we have little information of her status and her parents cry and spend sleepless nights hoping their daughter will come back," one of the friends said.

The friend who was initially arrested by the Ethiopian police has escaped from custody and her whereabout is still unknown.

It was gathered that the Ethiopian embassy in Beijing is helping her pay her legal expenses.

An Ethiopian entrepreneur, Nazrawit Abera, is currently facing execution in China bringing cocaine into the country using shampoo bottles.

Ethiopian faces execution after helping a friend deliver shampoo that contained cocaine

Politics

Local

Metro

World

News 

Celebrities

Music

Movies

Entertainment

Fashion

Beauty & Health

Relationships & Weddings

Food & Travel

Lifestyle

Domestic

International 

Business

About

Highlights

Selection Criteria

Jury

Terms And Conditions

FAQs

Pulse Influencer Awards

Sports 

Celebrity Picks

Pulse Picks

Courses

Careers

Pulse Marketing

Explore categories

China

Pulse Nigeria is the most followed news and entertainment platform, informing and engaging young Nigerians round the clock, providing updates by the hour.