World

Statement by UAE Reveals No Mention Was Made on Lifting of Visa Ban

Published

1 year ago

September 12, 2023

Eric

A statement released by the government of The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has revealed that no mention was made on lifting the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers the the meeting its president, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had with his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday.

News has made the rounds after the meeting that the UAE visa ban on Nigerian travellers has been lifted following the intervention of Tinubu.

Tinubu had proceeded to Abu Dahbi, UAE capital, from India, where he attended the G-20 Summit.

In a statement on Monday, Presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced that the meeting with the UAE authorities was fruitful.

According to Ngelale, disputes on the visa ban slammed on Nigerian travellers 10 months ago, suspension of Etihad and Emirates flights were resolved at the meeting.

“President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalised a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers.”

“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay,” Ngelale said.

However, Emirates News Agency, the official news agency of the UAE, reported that during the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, Nahyan renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity.

Below is the full statement issued by UAE:

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today met with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is on a working visit to the UAE.

During the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency earlier this year, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity.

His Highness expressed his hope that the two leaders will work together to reinforce ties between the UAE and Nigeria for the benefit of both countries.

The UAE President and Nigerian President explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in areas that serve both countries’ sustainable economic growth, including the economic, development, energy, and climate action fields.

The two sides also exchanged views on a number of regional and international developments of interest.

The meeting discussed the upcoming COP28 climate conference set to take place in the UAE later this year, with both parties stressing the vital importance of encouraging and enabling international cooperation to tackle global issues, including climate change.

His Highness underscored the UAE’s ongoing commitment to fostering ties with countries that share the same aspirations for stability, sustainable growth, and development and prosperity for their people. He further emphasised the particular importance the UAE attaches to its relationship with Nigeria, within the framework of its strategic vision for relations with the African continent.

The President of Nigeria expressed his pleasure to be visiting the UAE and affirmed his country’s keenness to further enhance bilateral cooperation to support sustainable development and progress in both countries.

The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; and Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the Nigerian President, which included a number of ministers and high-ranking officials.

Daily Trust

USA

Trump Insists on Mass Deportation, Unveils Early Agenda

Published

2 weeks ago

December 11, 2024

Eric

The President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has vowed to make good on his election promises of mass deportations and new tariffs in his first television interview since his re-election.

Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Trump reiterated his intention to deport every person who had entered the US without authorisation.

“I think you have to do it, and it’s a very tough thing to do, but you have rules, regulations, laws. They came in illegally,” Trump said.

“You know, the people who have been treated unfairly are the people who have been waiting on line for 10 years to come into the country.”

Trump said he was willing to work with Democrats to keep so-called “Dreamers”– undocumented people who came to the US as children and have lived in the US most of their lives – in the country but also suggested that US citizens could be deported along with their undocumented family members.

“I don’t want to be breaking up families,” Trump said. “So the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.”

Trump also reiterated his intention to end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.

Amending the Constitution is a lengthy and difficult process involving Congress and all 50 states, but Trump said he was exploring options including an “executive action” to end what he called a “ridiculous” right.

“I’m looking to make our country great. I’m looking to bring down prices because I won on two things… I won on the border, and I won on groceries,” he said.

Trump said that while he “can’t guarantee” that his plan to impose tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico would not push up prices, tariffs would ultimately help the US economy.

“I’m a big believer in tariffs. Tariffs are beautiful. They’re going to make us rich,” he said.

“Why are we subsidising these countries? If we’re going to subsidise them, let them become a State.”

During the interview, Trump also discussed plans to pull back on US support for Ukraine and said Kyiv should “probably” prepare for less aid.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Washington has approved nearly $183bn in military, humanitarian and other assistance to Ukraine, according to US government data.

Outgoing President Joe Biden has pledged a further $988m in aid and an additional $925m before he leaves office on January 20.

The Republican said he was “actively” trying to end the war in Ukraine but would not confirm how recently he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has spoken about with admiration in the past.

“I don’t want to say anything that could impede the negotiation,” he said.

Trump said that the US would only remain in NATO if members “pay their bills” and if its majority European members “treat the US fairly” by expanding bilateral trade.

The president-elect also said that if he had remained in the White House after the 2020 election, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza would have never happened.

Trump and many of his supporters claim that the 2020 election was “stolen” by Biden and the Democrats.

Anger over the election results later led Trump supporters to storm the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to overturn the vote.

During his interview, Trump said he would consider pardoning the 944 people who received criminal sentences for their role in the uprising.

Among them, 562 had been sentenced to prison time as of August, according to the US Justice Department.

“I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases, but I’m going to be acting very quickly… the first day,” Trump said.

“These people have been in prison three to four years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open.”

Trump said that lawmakers who took part in a Congressional investigation into the events of January 6 should go to prison, although he stopped short of saying he would direct the FBI to investigate.

Trump also said he would not stop his chosen FBI director, Kash Patel, from investigating the so-called “deep state”.

“If they think that somebody was dishonest or crooked or a corrupt politician, I think he probably has an obligation to do so,” Trump said.

Trump sidestepped questions about whether he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden, although he separately accused the outgoing president of weaponising the justice system against him.

“I’m looking to make our country successful. Retribution will be through success,” Trump said.