Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: APO

The National Football League (NFL) (https://NFL.com/International), in collaboration with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), hosted a four-day series of flag football development clinics in Ghana, bringing together local educators, international coaches and global federation representatives as part of ongoing efforts to grow the game worldwide and expand access to flag football across Africa.

The programming included a Ghana-based teachers clinic focused on equipping local educators with the tools and resources to introduce and scale flag football in schools, followed by an Africa Coaching Clinic delivered in collaboration with IFAF and its member federations from across the continent. Participating countries included Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda.

Together, the sessions emphasized both grassroots access and high-performance development, reflecting the NFL and IFAF’s shared commitment to building sustainable pathways for flag football at all levels of the game.

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, with millions of players participating across more than 100 countries. As the sport continues to expand internationally — including its upcoming debut at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 — the NFL and IFAF are working together to increase access, strengthen development pathways and support national federations around the world.

“Flag football continues to create new opportunities for athletes and communities around the world,” said Afia Law, International Flag Football Development Manager, NFL. “Through this work in Ghana, we’re proud to support local educators and coaches while also partnering with federations across Africa to expand access to the game and build sustainable pathways for growth across the region.”

The four-day programming began with two days of locally focused development in Ghana, including a teachers clinic that provided a free opportunity for approximately 40 educators involved in the NFL Flag program. Sessions focused on building coaching frameworks, developing sustainable school-based programs and introducing game fundamentals, with on-field drills and gameplay offering participants hands-on experience in implementing what they learned.

Tshe final two days expanded to an international focus, as the Africa Coaching Clinic brought together IFAF delegates and coaches from across the continent for on-field instruction, collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Participating countries included Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda. The sessions also featured participation from a retired Olympic sprinter from Sierra Leone, underscoring the increasing connection between flag football and the Olympic movement.

“Programs like this demonstrate the power of collaboration in driving the global development of flag football,” said Lars Carlsen, IFAF Sport Manager. “By working together with partners like the NFL, we are able to support national federations, strengthen coaching structures and continue building momentum for the sport as it grows internationally and moves toward its Olympic future.”

Coaches participating in the clinics also had the opportunity to engage directly with peers from other countries, fostering cross-border collaboration and strengthening the broader flag football ecosystem across Africa.

The Ghana programming builds on ongoing NFL and IFAF efforts to expand flag football globally, with a focus on accessibility, inclusion and long-term development pathways for athletes and coaches alike. Flag football is also seeing rapid growth across Africa, with IFAF member federations across the continent reporting significant increases in participation in recent years, reflecting strong local momentum and continued investment in the sport.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Football League (NFL).

Source: APO – Report:

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African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has successfully concluded a new three-year Dual Tranche Syndicated Term Loan Facility totaling US$2 billion equivalent (raising US$1.73 billion and €228 million in US$ Facility A and EUR Facility B respectively). Proceeds from the facility, concluded on 9 March 2026, will be used by Afreximbank to refinance existing facilities and for general corporate purposes.

Initially launched at US$1.5 billion equivalent, the Facility was met with strong investor demand, achieving a substantial oversubscription with total commitments of US$2.36 billion equivalent. Lenders were, however, scaled back to the final hold of US$2 billion equivalent.

Commenting on the transaction, Chandi Mwenebungu, Afreximbank’s Managing Director, Treasury and Markets, and Group Treasurer, said:

“This transaction is the largest ever syndicated facility borrowing by Afreximbank. It is a clear demonstration of the global investors’ confidence in the Bank’s credit story. This, clearly, affirms the Bank’s robust and undisputed access to international markets.”

The transaction comprised 31 geographically diverse lenders from across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Mashreqbank PSC, MUFG Bank, Ltd., and Standard Chartered Bank acted as Joint Global Coordinators, Initial Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners on the Facility. Standard Chartered Bank also acted as the Documentation Agent and as the Facility Agent.

– on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com

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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), and. Moody’s (Baa2). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

Source: APO

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In the Hodh El Chargui region in eastern Mauritania, where mental health services were previously limited, a listening and psychosocial support space has gradually been established in Timbedra town’s health centre. Today, it offers dedicated support to those who wish to talk about their difficulties in a safe environment. Set up in May 2025 with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), it responds to a long‑expressed need from the communities.

Before its opening, mental health was not sufficiently addressed in Timbedra’s health services. The centre had no specialized service, leaving people in emotional distress or facing family tensions without structured support. Refugee and host populations alike faced their difficulties in a context where no dedicated structure was available to help them.

From the start, the initiative provided a framework for welcoming and listening to beneficiaries, facilitating the introduction of adapted practices and a confidential environment where people could safely express their struggles.

The creation of this listening space marked an important turning point. Designed to offer a welcoming and respectful environment, it represents the first structured psychosocial service within the health centre. Its establishment was accompanied by training for staff to ensure appropriate support tailored to identified needs.

Mariem was among the first to benefit from this new service. “Before coming here, I couldn’t sleep. Thoughts kept spinning in my head, I was afraid of everything, even of myself. This is the first time I feel truly heard,” she says, describing what this support means to her.

Three health workers received specific training: two midwives and the chief physician of the Moughataa (administrative department). Organized with WHO’s support, these trainings enabled local staff to acquire essential skills to provide quality care. The sessions covered mental health, psychological first aid, and prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. These new skills allowed the team to adapt their practice and better support those seeking help.

One year after its launch, the first results clearly illustrate the initiative’s impact on communities. The service has provided 10 individual consultations, offering targeted support to people in distress. It has also facilitated four family mediations, helping ease tensions within households.

In parallel, four awareness sessions were organized, each bringing together about 15 participants, while two more complex cases were referred to specialized structures. These activities show that the initiative is gradually becoming part of the health centre’s daily operations and meeting community needs.

Among the trained staff, Fatimetou, a midwife responsible for mental health and psychosocial activities at the centre, testifies to the changes observed since the service was introduced: “Thanks to the training we received, we are better prepared to listen, understand and support the people who come here. Before, we didn’t have the necessary tools. Today, we can truly help,” she explains, highlighting the concrete impact of training.

The chief physician of Timbedra’s Moughataa, Dr Mohamed Lemine, also shares his perspective on the importance of this initiative, with an informed view of local needs: “WHO’s support has helped fill a real gap at the Timbedra health centre. The establishment of this listening space and the strengthening of staff skills represent a major step forward in better addressing the mental health needs of both refugee and host populations.”

The activities carried out within this framework have proven their usefulness. One family mediation even helped prevent a divorce, illustrating how structured support can ease delicate situations and strengthen harmony within households.

WHO’s Representative in Mauritania, Dr Charlotte Faty Ndiaye, places this initiative within a broader effort to strengthen the health system: “The initiatives implemented in Hodh El Chargui show that mental health can be effectively integrated into primary health care, even in fragile contexts. They provide a solid foundation for the future national strategy on mental health and addiction in Mauritania,” she emphasizes.

At the end of her journey in this listening space, Mariem appreciates the changes she feels since finally finding a place to put her feelings into words: “Here, I understood that I wasn’t alone. Little by little, I’m learning to breathe, to speak, to live without fear controlling me. I believe things can really change,” she adds, buoyed by renewed confidence. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Mauritania.

Source: APO

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• Around 30,000 people are seeking safety in Nyatim, South Sudan, following recent violence in Lankien and Pieri.
• In Nyatim, people are exposed to the elements and living without basic essentials, such as adequate food and clean water.
• Humanitarian access is urgently needed to prevent more deaths and suffering.

A humanitarian disaster is unfolding in Nyatim, in Nyirol County, Jonglei state, South Sudan. Some 30,000 people have fled to Nyatim in search of safety after recent violence in Lankien and Pieri, finding shelter under trees next to a swamp. According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff members who are in the area, at least 58 people have died over the past four weeks, where authorities are blocking humanitarian access to aid organisations.

Most of the people who have been displaced to Nyatim are women, children, elderly people, people who are ill, and others who are unable to endure moving to safer locations. As well as being subjected to abductions by armed gangs, people are without adequate food and shelter, clean water, medicines, or means to leave the area. Humanitarian access and a scale up of assistance are urgently needed in Nyatim.

The information comes from our colleagues who were displaced from Lankien and Pieri, and arrived at Nyatim, subsequently describing the situation there.  

“One of our colleagues, who is currently in Nyatim, has reported that people are dying of suspected hunger, as their only food is boiled tree leaves,” says Gul Badshah, MSF operations manager. “They also said that around a dozen children died of acute watery diarrhoea and suspected malaria.”

“Based on the ground reports, at least 10 people were abducted by armed gangs in the Nyatim area, including one breastfeeding mother who was shot dead,” says Badshah.  

MSF teams also managed to hear from women who were able to leave Nyatim with their children and arrived at Chuil, where we are responding to people who have been displaced there. Distance between the two villages is some 50 kilometres, which means the people have to walk for days while being exposed to potential violence.  

“We adults try to be strong, but the children die in front of our eyes. Sometimes children watch their mothers or fathers die,” says Nyaluat, who arrived in Chuil. “This was happening every day in Nyatim. If you survive, you survive. If you die, you die. That is how we live now.”  

“The truth is that people are dying there,” says Nyapini, who is displaced in Chuil. “Some die from sickness, some from hunger, and some are killed in the bush when they go to collect wild fruits, leaves, or water lilies. If something can be done to help them, it would be very important.”  

“When we fled Lankien, the men and women became separated,” says Nyaruop, also displaced. “We ran in different directions, and I went with the children toward Nyatim. We suffered a lot there. We were hungry, we were sick, and there was no help coming from anywhere. Life there was very hard.”  

“People in Nyatim are being trapped. Even if they want to leave this area, the vast majority of them do not have the strength or means, including transportation and money, to do so,” says Badshah. “MSF calls upon the relevant authorities to urgently secure humanitarian access to Nyatim and prevent even more deaths and suffering. Our teams have been requesting access to Nyatim for the past month, but without any success so far.”  

MSF also calls upon the international community, United Nations agencies, relevant embassies and other influential organisations to help urgently secure humanitarian access to Nyatim. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).