Thoughts on EU-Africa Global Affairs

A nation with potentials unexplored

In line with established ritual on Independence Day, President Muhammadu Buhari addressed Nigerians in the early hours of today. The President touched on a plethora of issues, of which the one that stuck with me is as follows:

“We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress”

As global citizen of Nigerian origin, my expectation is that President Buhari would see himself as a Transition President with a mission to redraw the architecture of governance within four years and hand over power to a new crop of young and dynamic leaders to stir the ship of state to its desired destination. So far there are signs that he may not be far drawn from this mission.

Here is the full speech of the President as Nigeria celebrate its 55th Independent Anniversary

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians, whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness.

2. No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honouring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition arable land; water; forests; oil and gas; coastline; and solid minerals

3. We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.

4. Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.
“Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a change in our democratic development.

5. The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.

6. As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.

7. My countrymen and women, every new government inherits problems. Ours was no different. But what Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a recitation of problems inherited. Accordingly, after consultations with the Vice President, senior party leaders and other senior stakeholders, I quickly got down to work on the immediate, medium-term and long-term problems which we must solve if we are to maintain the confidence which Nigerians so generously bestowed on us in the March elections and since then.

8. As you know, I toured the neighbouring countries, marshalled a coalition of armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G-7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram. Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run. That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places.

9. On power, government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost-effective way. In the meantime, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country. All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better.

10. Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum. Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

11. In addition to NNPC, I have ordered a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation. Prudent house-keeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources. We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.

12. At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest. The APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the debtor states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.

13. Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be anxious. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over. Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes. It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.

14. Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.

15. I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE. Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring change about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behaviour in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.

16. Happy Independence Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Focus on French-Nigerian Bilateral Relations

On invitation of President Francois Hollande of France, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria arrived France on a State Visit on Monday 14 September 2015. On Day 2 of the bilateral meeting, I was invited by TVC News for a policy analysis of the French-Nigerian bilateral relations. The considerations that shaped my thoughts in the run-up to the TVC NEWS policy analysis were:

the significance of this visit to Nigeria’s diplomacy,
its indications for Nigeria’s foreign policy ahead of appointment of a Minister of Foreign Affairs
a possible boost to the wider regional peace in Africa
a boost for French – Nigerian cultural diplomacy?

The discussion was clustered into three segments except the appointment of a foreign affairs minister. These clusters are diplomacy, trade relations and cultural diplomacy. On the appointment of a foreign affairs minister, there are indications that apart from reducing Mr President’s workload when a minister is appointed, not much difference is expected in the foreign policy direction of the country. Indeed in some quarters, there is the reasoning that delaying appointment of ministers may be a strategy to initially define all policy directions so that when the ministers assume office, they would simply toe the established line. If so, it may not be entirely bad as long as it does not stifle the policy creativity of the ministers.

Another aspect of conversation which I hoped an extra time would allow discussion on is the role of the Diaspora in Nigeria foreign policy. But it was not to be, which is not a big issue. All in all, I thought it was an engaging conversation. Watch the TVC News interview here

Thoughts on Global Refugee Crisis

Earlier this morning (Tuesday 08/09/2015) I was guest of TV Continental to share my thoughts on the global refugee crisis. My points, in summary are as follow: Germany has shown magnanimity in electing to take in 0.8 Million refugees. It is a good sign that Britain has stepped away from non-action to an awfully inadequate commitment. They must do more. The US can’t afford to pretend that this is a problem far from their bed. Like terrorism, there are good reasons for joint global action to deal with current refugee crisis, otherwise more terrorists could be shipped to the West to create more mayhem. Some Middle-East countries are capable of sharing in the burden of receiving some refugees and they must consider doing so as global citizens. Some opportunistic Left-wing groups are using the refugee crisis to question the sense of the Schengen Convention or the EU as a whole. That is foolishness because the schengen arrangement by all standards is one of the best achievements of the EU and must be strengthened, not abolished….To watch the full TV Continental interview click here

Your feedback is gratefully welcome as comment on this post or via email to admin@collinsnweke.eu

Turning Point for Nigeria on Diaspora Policy

The saying that you can hardly conceal pregnancy with bare hands runs true with the depreciating value that the Nigerian Diaspora Day adds to national development. Despite its commendable vision and sparse achievements, the humongous shortcomings of the Diaspora Day are threatening in 2015 to explode in the face of all stakeholders. There are certainly no winners but the biggest looser is the Nigerian state. If the government of President Muhammadu Buhari had the benefit of good counsel, 2015 should have been used as an interregnum to evaluate what had gone on for the last decade, measure the benefits of the Diaspora Day against the huge expenditure. It is certainly ill-conceived to have changed the date of the event from the traditional 25 July (as is in the national calendar) to 25 August, all because at all cost, the event must hold. The question is: why must it hold at all cost? At whose benefit?

Before delving into whose benefit it is, it is perhaps instructive to pour the whole affair into the right context. The National Diaspora Day of Nigeria was instituted in 2005 by the government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who inscribed 25 July as a day in the national calendar for Nigeria to celebrate its Diaspora. The purpose of the day is to reflect on the contributions of Nigerians resident outside the country to national development and to dialogue with peers at home, government and private sector on gainful collaborations going forward. Following the identification of Science & Technology as an imperative of national development at the time and in a bid to make Diaspora Day more purposeful, in 2006, Science & Technology was added to the package. It thus became Diaspora Day / Science & Technology Conference with the Federal Ministry of Science & Technology as principle partner

Achievements

Diaspora Day – Science & Technology Conference has been praised for the pull factor it represented in attracting back home, Nigerians who otherwise had literally hung up on the country. Due to the opportunity it provided for facilitating interface between Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora with the public and private sector, the day became a fertile recruitment ground for employers in Nigeria (private & public) who saw value in the international exposure of Nigerians based abroad. Away from hearsay, it gave Nigerian Diaspora a unique opportunity to assess situations in Nigeria first-hand and determine how best to plug into the developmental process of the country. Between 2005 and 2010, it could be argued that nothing galvanised the Nigerian Diaspora better than the Diaspora Day and facilitated the reversal of brain drain to brain gain.

Challenges

Despite its commendable vision and achievements, there are a number of shortcomings of the Diaspora Day. Out of a long list four of the challenges posted on the wall of Diaspora Day (DD) are more nagging. Firstly, the DD, over the years, began to lack purpose and focus. For example, for no justifiable reason the focus on Science & Technology was dropped without replacement. Style became increasingly more important than substance as fewer efforts were expended on attracting the best and the brightest in Diaspora to drive the developmental agenda of the country. Secondly, the event became incrementally inconsistent. For no genuine reasons some years are skipped or planning stopped and event cancelled. Thirdly, lack of follow-up on conference resolutions or recommendations is a hallmark of DD. There is neither evaluation nor monitoring and implementation of conference outcome is non-existent. In some cases conference reports are not issued or published. Last but not least is the issue of ownership. Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) the official Diaspora body feel dangerously marginalized in the planning of the event. Some have described the situation as absurd and cannot justify how the Nigeria National Volunteer Service (NNVS) under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) would hijack an event which is meant to be for the Diaspora. In the early years, the Diaspora co-owned the DD both in terms of content development and presentations at the event itself. In recent years, even the leadership of the global Diaspora struggle for visibility at the event. Prime speaking slots are dominated by political figures who depart the scene along with their advisors before it is the turn of the Diaspora to share the ideas that brought them home in the first place. The Diaspora are often left talking to themselves.

Diaspora Day 2015 (DD2015)

A combination of the challenges highlighted above and more, which had been brewing over the years, reached a climax in 2015 when calls from NIDO for an early start in the planning of DD2015 were either ignored or not adequately responded to by government represented by the NNVS. The leadership of the organisation, consisting of the continental heads in Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific & Europe, constituted a global planning committee and worked out what appeared to be a robust set of events spanning nearly a week to commemorate the DD2015 with 25 July, the official day in the national calendar as the focal day. In a move that vexed the NIDO leadership beyond pardon, the NNVS announced that government has postponed the DD2015 to 25 August. A meeting between NIDO and the NNVS to find a common ground ended in an impasse. According to NIDO, it went ahead to hold what it claimed to be a scaled down DD2015 on 25 July and announced that it will not only boycott the planned 25 August event by the NNVS but issued a statement warning its members to stay home. Truth be told, the leadership of NIDO has every reason to be upset but the boycott and the call to members to do same – which by the way was later retracted – is another kettle of fish. There have been several important voices that spoke up in condemnation of NIDO action that it is of no effect to add to those voices here. Suffice to say that intelligent leadership calls for pragmatism and ingenuity. A leader that acts in vengeance or for personal gratification is only digging his grave.

The Future of Diaspora Day

As already mentioned, the vision behind DD is laudable. Indeed it made a good start and the establishment of a focus with the addition of Science & Technology conference a year later was brilliant. The modest achievements of the DD are dotted here and there in the country but obscured by the absence of evaluation and monitoring. The challenges facing the DD and indeed the entire Nigerian Diaspora politics is huge but mitigable. It is doubtful that the huge resources invested in the DD both by government as sponsor and the Diaspora who spend hard-earned resources flying into the country, has any significant return on investment. If the DD was a business venture it would have long gone bankrupt. There is no fancy way of saying that all stakeholders need to go back to the drawing board. Two great opportunities for reform of this whole business beckon. One, this administration is new and currently taking its time to hopefully put in place good governance architecture. There cannot be a better opportunity to get the broader Diaspora Policy right. Two and perhaps more importantly is the newly passed Nigerian Diaspora Commission Bill. Government must see this Bill as an omissible tool in finally getting the Nigerian Diaspora policy landscape right. You cannot continue to wish away the existence of other self-styled ‘Diaspora Organisations’ even when they are domestic entities but competing for relevance with NIDO. Or how do you as government recognise the plethora of community, social welfare, and cultural organisations in Diaspora without watering down the role of NIDO as official partner of government on Diaspora matters? If government does not see the Commission as avenue to create jobs for its boys and girls, it stands a chance of correctly re-drawing the Diaspora map for the good of nation. There are enough competent hands beyond the individuals currently posturing and positioning themselves for a seat at the Diaspora Commission table. A good homework by government is an absolute necessity.

In concluding it must be said that to get the Diaspora Day right, you must first get the Nigerian Diaspora Policy right. There is no scarcity of ideas on what an effective Nigerian Diaspora Policy should look like but that perhaps should be the subject of another pointed discourse.

Brussels, Belgium. 22 August 2015 | admin@collinsnweke.eu

Collins Nweke served Nigeria’s official Diaspora body first as Executive Secretary / Chief Executive starting from 2004 and later as General Secretary ( a Board position). He finally served as Board Chairman until November 2013

Postcard from Brussels on President Buhari U.S. State Visit

Belgium became my adopted home over 20 years ago. Since the last 9 years when I went into party politics, I have maintained a routine of coming together with friends, Africans and Europeans, on the eve of the National Day, which is 21 July, for a drink and a chat. This routine has slowly graduated to a tradition. I’d normally use the occasion to feel the political pulse of friends and take home some useful hints. How we are faring in the local legislature was always the overarching questions for me as we converge? However the drink and chat this year was different for two reasons. One, our drink was preceded by what the organizers called ‘Wake-Keeping for Greece’. I was invited as Municipal Legislator to deliver a short speech at the gathering meant to show solidarity for Greece on its current economic tribulations. Two, ninety per cent of our conversation centered, not on Belgian national issues, but curiously on Nigeria, my country of birth. In specific terms we talked about ongoing State Visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States, the same topic that had engaged me and a think-tank of Nigerians over the social media in the last week heightening a few hours before our drinks commenced.

I thought it meant sense to send this postcard to Mr President and people of Nigeria to summarize the preoccupations of people out here about Nigeria. Nearly 48 hours into what is meant to be a 96 hour official visit by President Muhammadu Buhari, there has not been visible international media coverage of a trip sold to Nigerians as ‘historic’. It should have been historic because it is Mr President’s first major state visit since assuming office about 2 months ago. My folks here seem to believe that the visit is indeed historic but for the wrong reasons. A European student of contemporary African history and an avid watcher of Nigeria said he couldn’t immediately recall any previous first State Visit in recent history that appears to lack this much vision and focus. I was at a lost for a response when asked what the strategic intent of the visit was. What is historic about this State Visit?

I attempted a response based on available media briefing from Mr President’s team and indeed in line with popular and reasonable expectations. The economy was meant as one of the major focus of this state visit. Indeed President Buhari is also expected to make public addresses at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC and at the Corporate Council on Africa to discuss international investment and Nigeria’s economy. The question that begs answer is how many members of the robust Nigerian Chambers of Commerce are in the delegation? Which business leaders of note are in the Presidential delegation? One is keen to know if Mr President shares the view that the most critical aspect of Nigeria’s economic concerns at present is economic diversification, away from the monolithic oil revenue. Which experts in economic diversification theory and professionals are in the delegation?

On the political side of things, we were told by the media team of Mr President that U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, and the U.S. Congressional Committees on Foreign Relations will also receive President Buhari to discuss political ties between the United States and Nigeria. The Congressional Black Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives will meet with members of Nigeria’s delegation as well. One astute Buhari supporter who jokingly said during the election campaign that Nigerians must vote anybody but Goodluck Jonathan felt strongly that it is only normal that for Nigeria to derive the best return on investment for this trip, members of Nigerian Legislature should have been part of the delegation even if there is a face-off between them and Mr President. If I ever get to see Mr President, he told me, I would probably ask him to consider sharing with me the rationale behind the exclusion of National Assembly (NASS) members in his delegation to the U.S. When asked, I had nothing to say except to deny that the President’s actions could have been dictated by bad blood between him, Senate President, House Speaker and other Legislators because of the way they ganged up against his party’s choices for the top positions in the NASS. Mr President, please tell me that I am right!

Closely related is the concern that any deal reached by Mr President with both President Obama and the Congressional leadership would have to be ratified by the same Nigerian Legislators that have been excluded. Characteristic of these Belgian friends out here, is how they can put you on the spot with very uncomfortable questions. And directly too! This one got me struggling: could it be that considering the majority lead of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upper and lower Houses, an easy ratification by the NASS of any agreement reached by Mr President during this visit with U.S. Congress may be expected? If so, shouldn’t we be concerned that our Legislators would be ratifying an Agreement on a position of weakness and lack of knowledge? How good is this in developing the legislative capacity of Nigerian Legislators? These guys could be polite as well because I believe the question they are not asking, out of politeness, I think is: for how long will Nigeria put up with Legislators who have no clue of what is going on at the floor of their legislative Chambers?

Getting mildly irritated, I told my pals that I am conscious of the fact that this administration came into power on a promise of change. And for heaven’s sake, they have been in power for just 2 months and it’s unfair to expect magic as of yet. In a somber tone, the otherwise loud chap behind me in the bar, bent over, his neck slightly bent and almost whispering reminded me that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece took only a week or so to constitute his cabinet. That aside, he asked if I was willing to swear on the head of my first son (he understood the place of first sons in my culture) that the few appointments so far made and the composition of the delegation to the U.S. were based on meritocracy? Do you now support political patronage, against the gospel you preach to us in the City Council because it’s about Nigeria, he asked, a bit agitated. I retorted that a selection based on who represents a better comparative advantage for the nation is my preference and I have no evidence that the President has done things differently here.

I send this postcard conscious of the fact that Mr President has information that I am not privy to, which may have dictated his plans and actions but I felt a sense of responsibility, maybe obligation, to convey these raw thoughts considering that I am unable to reconcile a few available and obvious facts with the principles of good governance and strategic planning. It should be noted that friends of Nigeria, but particularly its critiques need to gain deeper understanding of the rationale behind the policy path Nigeria chooses to walk so that proffering constructive solutions for the plethora of issues retarding Nigeria’s national growth, could be made easier.

Brussels, Belgium 22 July 2015

Collins Nweke is Municipal Legislator at Ostend City Council Belgium and former Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Europe

Europe – an even bigger failure than Greece

Earlier in the evening I took a few minutes to study and sign an online petition on the Greece debt crisis. I also made the bold statement of changing my Facebook profile picture to a sticker expressing solidarity with the Greek people. As I went back to the desk to complete a report with an imminent deadline, I had problems concentrating because of the numerous questions and thoughts that kept whirling round inside my head about Greece. I am supposed to resist the urge to write about the unfolding menace until after the Sunday referendum, I reminded myself. What’s the point of waiting? The referendum won’t change everything, would it? And anyway, I need to clear my head of these nagging questions, these thoughts…

The founding fathers of the EU will be turning in the grave right now pondering about what has become of the Union they created? As if the inhuman treatment of refugees in the Mediterranean isn’t enough naked dances in the market square, there are subtle, yet concerted efforts now by the traditional conservative powers to oust the popular Syriza Government of Greece through sabotage. Truth be told, no government within the European Union has ever dared challenge the status quo in the manner that the current Greek government is doing. They are feared as the biggest threat to renewed growth, job creation, economic prosperity, political integration and peace in Europe. That is untrue and it reminds me of a Nigerian Igbo adage to the effect that when a peer fetches better firewood, he’s accused of fetching those in a forbidden evil forest. The truth is to be found in the story of how Greece got to where they currently are.

So how did the Greeks get here?

After Greece joined the monetary union of Europe in 2001, the tiny country of 10 million (about same population as Belgium and smaller than Lagos State, Nigeria) was flooded with money from elsewhere on the Continent. Over the course of the decade that followed, Greek leaders, who can’t be said not to be corrupt, ran an economy long rife with patronage and tax evasion. They borrowed billions from their imprudent friends at European banks, and then perfected a culture of non-disclosure to EU officials about mounting debts. When the financial crisis finally rolled into Greece in 2009 and 2010, the country was in an estimated $430 billion in debt^{^[i]}, a staggering figure that imperilled the economic health of its near and distant neighbours — indeed, all of Europe. The European Commission, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank (often referred to as the Troika) agreed to bail out the sinking economy by loaning it $146 billion. The bailout was not without a price tag, which was fixed by the bailers (Troika) and signed by the bailed (Greek Government).

A bailout with huge price tag

The strangulating price tag for the Greek bailout had nothing seriously to do with raising new funds, through proper corporate taxes or social security contributions but had mainly to do with austerity measures that meted out untold hardship to the hardworking Greek men and women. Let’s look at just a few of them and what they resulted in. One of the effects was reduction in state spending by slashing pensions and wages, eliminating jobs and unreasonable rise in wage taxes. As if the 2009 austerity measures were not bad enough, in 2012 an even larger rescue provided only temporary succour. Major infectious diseases soon came fully back in Greece, the figures for HIV and tuberculosis went sky high and malaria made a nasty return after 40 years of absence. Meanwhile spending on mental health care fell between 2010 and 2011 by 20%, and another 55% between 2011 and 2012 resulting directly in a rise in depression and suicides by as much as 45%. Very quickly it became clear that the spending cuts are producing what many Greeks consider to be a humanitarian crisis. It is apparent from all objective analyses that the core beneficiaries of the so-called bailout were Greek, German, Dutch and French big banks, who had to be rescued partly on the back of the ordinary Greek citizens. The best that could be said about the bailers is that they made some wrong choices but it could very well be a case of criminal negligence.

In my May 2014 bid for a seat at the European Parliament, I was asked during a debate with colleagues of the liberal democrats political family, to adduce the basis of my social policy agenda. I recall drawing attention to the growing inequality between people within Europe, but also between European citizens and people from other countries. The traditional parties won’t ever own up the fact that their neo-liberal and conservative social and economic policy path since the 1980s is the direct cause of the financial crisis of 2008, the euro crisis of 2010 and rising poverty (25% or 121 million poor Europeans) especially youths and infant poor. Today Greece has 59.1% youth unemployment, Spain 55.9%, Italy 38.4%, and Portugal 38.3%. All efforts by the European progressives, and the genuine humane reform agenda of the Syriza government to institute people-centered economic and social policy driven by fair and equitable policies were all thwarted then as they continue to be thwarted today. The large European political families are award-winners in blocking progressive Bills. Dr Elizabeth Mestheneos, an Athens based British sociologist couldn’t be clearer when she said “It is a nasty game and of course going to the Drachma (the Greek national currency before the Euro) is not easy. We have few resources and a very split society. Politicians have often colluded in taking loans nationally and using them inappropriately, appointing Kin to jobs – I think this is familiar in Nigeria! And still going on! There are too many ideologies of diverse types. We even have Stalinists, Nazi types and plenty of anarchists. Too few people who know how to cooperate. Too many (mainly but not exclusively) male egos. I think most of us want the EU to work but it has been hijacked and the politicians are another generation without the same commitment to the European ideals. We are fighting for a better Europe, not run by bankers and big businesses” Greek debt exploded over a seven-year period up to 177%. The huge private debts in Greece were built by irresponsible behaviour of large European banks providing cheap credits. Of all the billions that have been made available in recent years, about 90% flowed back to the banks and other creditors hence Paul De Grauwe, a leading Belgian Professor of economics had this to say “The creditors have not learned anything from the crisis. With their demands they push the Greek economy deeper into trouble and yet they manage to make the media believe that the Greeks are unreasonable, and not themselves”^{^[ii]}

The Troika miscalculations

The way and manner Eurogroup Chairman, Jeroen Dijsselbloem and EU Finance Ministers are conducting their negotiations with Greek’s Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, is as though economics is an end in itself. There is no realisation that economics should be fashioned to serve people. They are beclouded by a tunnel vision resulting in unacceptably high human toll. The authoritative medical journal The Lancet reported that since 2008 the number of stillborn children increased by 21%. More and more pregnant women lack the resources for prenatal testing. Infant mortality increased by 43%. In many schools, private sector food banks are organised to stop school kids from fainting during classes.^{^[iii]}

It is not only Greece that needs saving. Europe needs to save itself too and all attentive watchers of Varoufakis would notice that he’s determined to lead that agitation to save Europe from itself and by so doing save Greece and others along with it. He ran his 2014 election making no secret of his agenda. In a book^{^[iv]} he co-authored in 2010 and revised in 2013 I read the following “Europe is fragmenting. As this happens, human costs mount, and disintegration becomes an increasing threat. . . . The fallout from a Eurozone breakup would destroy the European Union, except perhaps in name. And Europe’s fragmentation poses a global danger.”

I share these sentiments and would see the Greece troubles beyond my nose. It is Europe’s troubles too and by extension a global trouble. As all hands are put on deck, whatever the outcome of the July 5^th referendum, a write-off of some parts of the Greek debt should not be ruled out. Except of course we want to rule out a sustainable solution to the crisis.

The author, Collins Nweke, was a 2014 candidate Member European Parliament and currently serves as Municipal Councillor at Ostend City Council. He made this contribution from Brussels Belgium

^{^[i]} Suzy Hansen (New York Times, 20 May 2015)

^{^[ii]} Paul De Grauwe in an interview in De Standaard, Belgium of 16 June 2015

^{^[iii]} The Lancet medical journal 2008

^{^[iv]} Y. Varoufakis, S. Holland and K. Galbraith: A Modest Proposal for Resolving the Eurozone Crisis, 2010, revised July 2013

Diversity is a Reality

A brief statement at the Grote Markt Bruges during the Hart boven Hard Manifestation on 25 March 2015

Hart boven Hard is a public interest group. Though initiated by a couple of free citizens, Hart boven Hard is driven by the public. I can attempt an English translation of the name for the Anglophone community but I should not do that because I am sure I will not sufficiently capture the essence of the name. Permit me therefore to simply express my personal understanding of Hart boven Hard as a name, as a project. For me, Hart boven Hard is a mirror through which all world citizens could see the warm hearts of those behind the initiative. It is for me nothing less than an expression of the heart in the right place.

In the summer of 2014, I recall reading about rumours of far-reaching austerity measures and cuts being planned by the negotiating partners towards the formation of a new Flemish and Federal Government in this country. My immediate reaction was that of disbelief. Things are already hard enough as they are. Why would anybody with the “Heart in the right place” contemplate cutting so close to the bones of the hardworking but socially traumatized citizens of this country? Depressed as I was, I drew strength from the writings of social commentators, Wouter Hillaert and Hugo Franssen who would incidentally become the Founding Fathers of the initiative under whose umbrella we are gathered this afternoon in the ancient city of Bruges, the provincial capital of West Flanders.

As I pay tribute to Wouter and Hugo, I want to pay even bigger homage to Stefaan Verbeek, Johan Bultiauw, my fellow Ostenders but also Wouter Rommel, our host here in Bruges and his team. When you decided that the theme of our regional action will be “Diversity is a Reality”, you made a bold statement of fact because a little over 20 years ago, when I arrived at this beautiful country, walking through the Kapellestraat in Ostend or through this Grote Markt in Bruges, if you are lucky, you may come across one or two non-native residents of the city. It was predominantly a sea of European faces. To hold an intercultural event of this nature then was special enough, not to mention having an African and an Asian fellow citizens speaking at the event. That was unthinkable then! But that has changed for the better and that is good. Sometimes too, the change appears to be happening too fast and too furious for some good but genuinely concerned people to cope with. The mistake of years gone by is the illusion that through draconian laws, Government can hold back the ticking clock of interculturalism. What they did with such laws was that they increased the fears and insecurities of those good but vulnerable people. Hopefully, those in authority now are fast realizing that rather than strengthening the laws around diversity in our society, we need to work on efficiently managing it. This is what I believe that this event with focus on diversity as a reality is mainly about.

If there was ever a time when monoculture existed, that time is dead and buried. Diversity has caught up with us and has come to stay. It is up to us to manage it such that we derive the best out of it. I am sure that turning in the grave right now Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck would be encouraging us as we gather under their watchful eyes this afternoon. I am sure they would be telling us to spend more time discovering the things that unite us and spend less energy tirelessly looking for the things that divide us. By this manifestation taking off in Ostend, we have made a good start on this historical journey through Bruges, Gent and other beautiful towns and villages of Flanders to Brussels. The spirit of camaraderie is around us and will lead us safely to destination Brussels. I can predict the momentum awaiting us as the wind of righteousness blows behind and propels us to achieving our goal in the interest of our common humanity.

Thank you and wishing us a great sojourn!

Collins NWEKE | Councillor Diversity Affairs, Ostend City Council | Bruges, 25 March 2015

Diversity is a Reality

Since the start of the new regional governments of Flanders & Wallonia and the Federal Government the motto of Green has been: It Can Be Different. (Het kan anders). This is because the doomsday picture that the ultra-conservative government continues to paint gives nobody any pleasure. And this is not about saying it as it is. Government builds hope, gives people confidence and makes them believe in themselves rather than sell them depressing and intimidating stories. Things aren’t as bad as they make it look. I believe firmly in the role of public service in giving people perspectives, allowing them some breathing space.

The citizen movement ‘Hart boven Hard’ was founded on exactly these lines just after the summer of 2014 to draw attention to the plight of the common man, which obviously the newly formed regional and Federal Governments would rather not talk about. I know this firsthand as Councillor, of which social policy, the economy and minority rights are part of my portfolio. The individuals who are affected by these austerity measures share the same public transport with me, buy from the same corner shop as myself, are loyal clients of the budget shops, secondhand shops… as myself. We run into each other every day. I feel their pains and sufferings because we are in it together. Above all, as municipal legislators, we are often the ones left locally to clean up the mess made in Brussels by these disproportionate austerity measures.

This is why a Big Parade is being organized in Brussels on Sunday 29 March 2015. It is a parade with 10 heart desires for more social and greener policies. Ostend is giving the parade a special tint. We are setting off earlier, on Wednesday 25 March 2015 with the bike, yes with the bike on a four-day 115 km journey to Brussels. First stop is the beautiful ancient city of Bruges. We’d arrive on bike at 2.30 pm and at 3 pm at the Grote Markt I’m billed to address the crowd on the topic of “Diversity is a Reality” If you can, please join us because I do have a few interesting things to tell us about the fast changing demography of Belgium, of Europe, our changing world, our common humanity… The team Ostend will be joined by colleagues from Bruges and the crowd of bikers will thicken as more will join in Aalst, Gent and other towns and villages in-between until arrival in Brussels on Sunday the 29th.

Get your free badge #hetkananders at 1 pm at the Green Stand in front of the Brussels North station. Mayrem Almaci, the newly elected Green Party Leader will be there in person to receive you.

Finally, if you can’t join us in Bruges to hear the speech and take your copy but are interested, email Keji Safe at admin@collinsnweke.eu for your soft copy or check back on our website later this week to download your copy. Your presence is important. We must send a strong signal to those cutting close to the bones of the poor that there are alternatives to the current inhuman measures. I hope to see you on Wednesday in Bruges and hopefully you can join the Big Parade in Brussels on Sunday.

Best regards

Collins NWEKE | Municipal Councillor Ostend City Council

Real Estate Project ‘The White’ Back in the News

The prestigious project The White on the site of the former Media Center has been taken over by Allfin, a real estate development company. Allfin is 14 years old and has a presence in coastal towns of Knokke and Koksijde. The White was the largest largest private residential project in Ostend city and would provide for 800 apartments overlooking the sea. Initiated by Group Sleuyter, The White was launched in 2014 without an application for building permit. Allfin has indicated that it has signed a deal with Group Sleuyter and Belfius Immo for acquisition of an option on the ground. The White has currently contrued will drastically change the skyline of Ostend. Both the Green Party and some neighborhood groups around the site are protesting against the project.

Personal Reflections On Peace

In suing for peace for Nigeria, we are reminded of the mess that high handed military operations have left behind in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and other forgotten war zones. In suing for peace for Nigeria, we are encouraged by the success of peace agitations in Hong Kong, we draw inspiration from Aung San Suu Ki’s Burma and the many marches of Martin Luther King, particularly the one in Selma.

Full text of the opening remarks of Collins Nweke at the Peace March for Nigeria held in Ostend, Belgium on Saturday 28 February 2015

My appreciation for my adopted country, Belgium, hit an all time high in April 2014 when news broke of the kidnap of some 270 girls in Chibok, North of Nigeria. I recall that while discussions centred around military intervention and deployment of international troupes to go out there and teach Boko Haram, a decisive lesson, the unique response, characteristic as it were, of Belgium was to send a team of non-military personnel to Chibok on a fact-finding mission, to investigate the the set up of humanitarian operation around Chibok. The whole idea was for Belgian psychologists and medical personnels to provide counselling to the families of the kidnap victims and to stand ready on the ground to provide counselling and medical help to the girls as soon as they are released.

While for some, that action was a drop in the ocean, it was for me strongly indicative of a country with its heart in the right place. Let us also place the situation in its right perspective: Nigeria is 17 times the size of Belgium and Belgium as a country is even smaller than one of the affected North-Eastern States of Nigeria. The Little Brave Belgium was at it again, I thought at some point.

I literally became an adult here in Belgium, having moved into this country in my mid-twenties. Most, if not all that I know today of peace as a concept was shaped here in Belgium. Maybe this is what age does to one but as I hit my 50th this year, I have more faith and confidence in the use of peaceful process to achieve even the most complex crisis. We have seen it at work in our very own Nigeria and elsewhere. After years of military cat and mouse in the creeks of the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria, it was the amnesty brokered by the Yar’Adua Administration that brought some calm there.

Whatever became of the planned humanitarian intervention by Belgium is for me currently unclear but I do have one piece of advise here: Belgium must continue to go the way of peace in helping to bring solace to the troubled region of Nigeria. Nigerians in Belgium have come out en masse today to sue for peace. But more importantly, as you can see from the colourful participation of our Belgian friends, we are not alone in suing and demanding peace. We are supported by a formidable army of Peace Lords!

In suing for peace for Nigeria, we are reminded of the mess that high handed military operations have left behind in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and other forgotten war zones. In suing for peace for Nigeria, we are encouraged by the success of peace agitations in Hong Kong, we draw inspiration from Aung San Suu Ki’s Burma and the many marches of Martin Luther King, particularly the one in Selma.

In closing let us draw strength in the legacy left behind by the man, after whom this bridge was named: Nelson Mandela. A bridge binds two separate land masses together. The bridge that binds us is our common humanity and peace is needed to keep it intact. I wish us peace. I wish Nigeria peace and finally and indeed most importantly, we wish the good but traumatised everyday Nigerian, priceless peace.