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A New Chapter for Ubongo’s Award-Winning Children’s Program Akili and Me

Source: APO – Report:

Ubongo (www.Ubongo.org), Africa’s leading edutainment organization, is thrilled to announce the launch of Season 5 of its early childhood development program, Akili and Me, featuring a vibrant new look and a deeper commitment to helping young children understand their emotions, build resilience, and develop empathy.

Through music, storytelling, and interactive segments, this new season elevates early learning to new heights, with a strong focus on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), providing children with the tools to recognize their emotions and express them in healthy ways.

“With Season 5, we wanted to go beyond ABCs and 123s and focus on something even more fundamental—helping kids understand and express their emotions,” said Tamala Maerere-Kateka, Senior Strategic Communications Manager at Ubongo.

“We believe that when children learn how to navigate their feelings, they build the confidence and resilience they need to thrive in school and life.”

The new season features a redesigned cast of characters, enhanced with modern animation techniques that bring Akili and her friends to screens with greater vibrancy and expressiveness, making the viewing experience more immersive and engaging for young learners and their caregivers.

Ubongo has expanded its learning ecosystem with the launch of Akili and Me Games on the Ubongo Playroom app—a dynamic, interactive feature designed to deepen engagement through play. The app combines a carefully curated selection of educational videos, audio stories, eBooks, and games, providing children with a rich and seamless learning experience.

“We know that children learn best through play,” said Maerere-Kateka. “By adding more interactive elements, we’re empowering kids to take an active role in their learning journey.”

Akili and Me is more than just a show—it’s a child’s first classroom, a trusted friend, and a gateway to lifelong learning. With Season 5, Ubongo continues its mission to make early learning more engaging, inclusive, and impactful for children across Africa and beyond.

“Big emotions can feel overwhelming for little ones, but when children have the words and tools to express themselves, they develop the confidence to face life’s challenges,” said Maerere-Kateka.

To learn more about the new season of Akili and Me, visit www.AkiliAndMe.com

– on behalf of Ubongo.

For media inquiries, interviews, or more information, please contact:
tamala@ubongo.org

About Ubongo:
Ubongo is Africa’s leading creator of fun, localized, and multi-platform educational cartoons that helps kids learn and love learning. With a reach of over 48 million children across the continent, Ubongo’s innovative approach to learning blends entertainment with essential skills development, ensuring that children across Africa have access to high-quality educational resources.

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Call for transport sector to drive transformation

Source: Government of South Africa

Call for transport sector to drive transformation

Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa has called on the transport and logistics sector to drive real change in society by transforming the industry and uplifting communities through various sectors of the economy.

According to the reports of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Commission, in 2022, only 38.8% of transport and logistics businesses were black-owned, which was a decrease from the 48.6% recorded in 2019. 

“The transport sector is instrumental in the functioning of our society, yet as with the rest of our economy, it has excluded those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, women and youth,” Hlengwa said on Monday in Gqeberha.

Addressing delegates in the cross-border industry during the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Conference, he called for a solid partnership between government and the private sector to grow the economy and create the necessary decent jobs that would uplift the poor and marginalised from poverty.

“As government, we have a responsibility to create a fertile ground through policy interventions, with the aim to allow businesses, in general, to flourish. This administration has identified the logistics and transport sector as one of the key enablers for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth in our country.

“We are committed to a reform process that seeks to revitalise the sector, while also contributing to the social imperative of the transformation of our society,” the Deputy Minister said.

He said the MSME Conference serves as a platform that sets the country on a course to understand the environment and the needs of the industry better in order to enable and drive real change in society and uplift communities.

“In this context, the transformation and development of small businesses becomes a key component and contributor to government’s economic development agenda.

“In May 2023, the Integrated Transport Sector B-BBEE Charter Council was appointed to spearhead the transformation within the industry. Since then, the Council has worked tirelessly to conclude Transport Sector Codes, building on past efforts to modernise the sector’s empowerment framework.

“Partnerships towards such progress continue to evolve alongside the different reforms being instituted to enable industry development as well improving the policy and the regulatory framework for easier entry by previously disadvantaged people especially women, persons with disabilities, and youth in the designated persons category,” Hlengwa said.

The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency has been successful in reaching and exceeding the target of a 5% increase in the participation of the Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDIs) by 4.4%.

“The challenge going forward is to sustain and grow the participation of PDIs in the next 5 years, and this will be done through the Incubation Programme. The aim is to create a structured Incubation Programme that will bring the industry stakeholders together to have a coordinated approach in supporting the MSMEs.

“The Department of Transport rallies behind the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA) as it encourages the industry to support this programme,” he said.

The programme targets the following categories:

  • Existing cross-border freight operators,
  • Domestic freight operators looking to expand into cross-border operations & existing cross-border passenger operators, and
  • Start-ups in the transport industry. – SAnews.gov.za

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Soudan du Sud : quatrième incident grave en sept mois, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) demande la protection immédiate du personnel médical

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) condamne fermement l’enlèvement d’un membre du personnel du ministère de la Santé dans le comté de Morobo, dans l’État d’Equatoria Central, au Soudan du Sud, le 25 juillet 2025. Ce dernier se trouvait à bord d’une ambulance de MSF et accompagnait des patients en cours de transfert pour recevoir des soins médicaux. Sa libération rapide, le 26 juillet, n’élude en aucun cas la violence de son enlèvement ni celle, grandissante, à l’encontre des travailleurs de santé dans le pays.

L’ambulance a été interceptée par des individus armés qui ont obligé l’un de ses passagers à descendre et l’ont enlevé. Le chauffeur MSF, les autres membres du personnel et les patients ont été autorisés à poursuivre leur route. C’est le quatrième incident grave dans lequel les équipes MSF sont impliquées en seulement sept mois.

« Cet incident n’est pas seulement une attaque contre un individu, c’est une attaque directe contre le système de santé destiné à servir les plus vulnérables qui en dépendent » a déclaré le Dr Ferdinand Atte, chef de mission de MSF au Soudan du Sud.

Au cours des derniers mois, les attaques contre le système de santé ont considérablement augmenté au Soudan du Sud. 

En janvier, deux bateaux clairement identifiés comme appartenant à MSF, qui se rendaient de Nasir à Ulang, dans l’État du Haut-Nil, ont été attaqués par des hommes armés non identifiés qui ont ouvert le feu, forçant le personnel de MSF à bord à sauter dans le fleuve et à nager jusqu’à un village voisin pour se mettre en sécurité. Un membre du personnel a été blessé lors de l’attaque et a dû recevoir des soins médicaux.

Le 14 avril 2025, l’hôpital de MSF à Ulang a été pillé par des hommes armés en plein jour, qui ont également menacé les patients et le personnel. Cette attaque a entraîné la fermeture complète de l’hôpital et de toutes les activités de santé dans les communautés. L’hôpital d’Ulang était le seul hôpital en activité dans le comté, et ces événements ont eu des conséquences dévastatrices pour la population, laissant plus de 150 000 personnes sans accès à des soins médicaux vitaux.

Le 3 mai, l’hôpital de MSF à Old Fangak, dans l’État de Jonglei, a été bombardé par deux hélicoptères de combat, détruisant la pharmacie et des fournitures médicales et entravant le fonctionnement de l’hôpital. Les hélicoptères ont également tiré sur la communauté, tuant au moins sept personnes et en blessant 27 autres. Au total, quatre membres du personnel de MSF figuraient parmi les blessés.

En mai, MSF a été obligée de réduire ses services de proximité dans les comtés de Yei et Morobo à cause d’une insécurité grandissante. Les équipes MSF n’ont pu assurer dans cette localité que 3 427 consultations en mai et juin 2025, soit la moitié du nombre enregistré au cours de la même période en 2024. 

Les attaques contre le personnel et les structures de santé mettent en danger les travailleurs médicaux et perturbent l’accès aux soins de communautés vulnérables et isolées qui dépendent de ces services.

« MSF continue d’appeler toutes les parties impliquées dans le conflit en cours au Soudan du Sud à respecter leurs obligations de protéger les civils et les infrastructures civiles, y compris le personnel de santé, les patients et les installations médicales, et à garantir un accès sûr à celles et ceux qui ont besoin d’aide », a rappelé le Dr Ferdinand Atte.

Distribué par APO Group pour Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

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Call for transport sector drive transformation

Source: Government of South Africa

Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa has called on the transport and logistics sector to drive real change in society by transforming the industry and uplifting communities through various sectors of the economy.

According to the reports of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Commission, in 2022, only 38.8% of transport and logistics businesses were black-owned, which was a decrease from the 48.6% recorded in 2019. 

“The transport sector is instrumental in the functioning of our society, yet as with the rest of our economy, it has excluded those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, women and youth,” Hlengwa said on Monday in Gqeberha.

Addressing delegates in the cross-border industry during the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Conference, he called for a solid partnership between government and the private sector to grow the economy and create the necessary decent jobs that would uplift the poor and marginalised from poverty.

“As government, we have a responsibility to create a fertile ground through policy interventions, with the aim to allow businesses, in general, to flourish. This administration has identified the logistics and transport sector as one of the key enablers for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth in our country.

“We are committed to a reform process that seeks to revitalise the sector, while also contributing to the social imperative of the transformation of our society,” the Deputy Minister said.

He said the MSME Conference serves as a platform that sets the country on a course to understand the environment and the needs of the industry better in order to enable and drive real change in society and uplift communities.

“In this context, the transformation and development of small businesses becomes a key component and contributor to government’s economic development agenda.

“In May 2023, the Integrated Transport Sector B-BBEE Charter Council was appointed to spearhead the transformation within the industry. Since then, the Council has worked tirelessly to conclude Transport Sector Codes, building on past efforts to modernise the sector’s empowerment framework.

“Partnerships towards such progress continue to evolve alongside the different reforms being instituted to enable industry development as well improving the policy and the regulatory framework for easier entry by previously disadvantaged people especially women, persons with disabilities, and youth in the designated persons category,” Hlengwa said.

The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency has been successful in reaching and exceeding the target of a 5% increase in the participation of the Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDIs) by 4.4%.

“The challenge going forward is to sustain and grow the participation of PDIs in the next 5 years, and this will be done through the Incubation Programme. The aim is to create a structured Incubation Programme that will bring the industry stakeholders together to have a coordinated approach in supporting the MSMEs.

“The Department of Transport rallies behind the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA) as it encourages the industry to support this programme,” he said.

The programme targets the following categories:

  • Existing cross-border freight operators,
  • Domestic freight operators looking to expand into cross-border operations & existing cross-border passenger operators, and
  • Start-ups in the transport industry. – SAnews.gov.za

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Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Meets Somali Foreign Minister

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, July 28, 2025

HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met Monday with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Abdisalam Abdi Ali. The meeting was held on the margin of the Ministerial Meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Somalia.

Discussion during the meeting dealt with the two countries’ cooperation relations and means to bolster them, in addition to a host of topics of mutual interest.

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South Africa: National Assembly Speaker Participates in the 15th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament and the 6th Conference of Speakers in Geneva, Switzerland

Source: APO – Report:

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The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, will, from 28 July 2025 to 31 July 2025, attend the 15th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament and the 6th Conference of Speakers in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Summit is intended to bring together women in the highest parliamentary decision-making positions to shape the parliamentary agenda based on emerging political, economic, environmental, and social changes that require united and gender-responsive global governance solutions. It offers a platform for women leaders to network and exchange views and experiences.

The summit is taking place during a year of many milestones for the women and girls of the world. The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as the ten-year milestone of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The women, peace and security agenda is marking 25 years of existence and is needed even more today than when it was established.

The Summit will focus on the role of women Speakers in leading for inclusive and lasting peace.

Meanwhile, the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in close collaboration with the United Nations, will take place from 29 to 31 July 2025 at the Palais des Nations (United Nations Office at Geneva).

The Conference aims to provide a unique forum for high-level engagement and dialogue among parliamentary leaders from around the world. Previous conferences, held every five years, have served as catalysts for shaping and strengthening the parliamentary dimension of global governance, thereby helping to bridge the democracy gap in international affairs.

This occasion will mark the culmination of two years of work by a Preparatory Committee of approximately 20 Speakers of Parliament from all regions of the world, and it promises to be the largest-ever gathering of its kind.

In keeping with the IPU’s inclusive approach, it will also feature prominent leaders from other international organizations, academia, civil society organizations, and the media.

– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson received His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia

Source: APO – Report:

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, this afternoon received H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, at the AU Headquarters.

They deliberated on the peace & security situation in Somalia & the region. The Chairperson commended the President for the progress made in Somalia’s stabilisation & development.

The Chairperson reaffirmed the Union’s unwavering commitment to supporting Somalia’s path to peace. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, in turn, expressed appreciation for the warm welcome & the AU’s continued support.

– on behalf of African Union (AU).

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South Africa: Thabo Mofutsane District Residents Suggest Vetting of Marriages to Foreign Nationals in Line with Global Best Practices

Source: APO – Report:

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The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs was urged by Thabo Mofutsanyana District residents yesterday at Bethlehem where it conducted public hearings on Marriage Bill, to ensure that the Bill has strong vetting procedures to protect the population register against fraudulent marriages, enabling access to foreign nationals through marriage.

The committee successfully hosted three public hearings in the Free State where the Bill enjoyed support of the majority of the people who participated in the public hearings. Although the majority supported the Bill, they also raised an alarm at the increasing rate of marriages of convenience. They argued that the trend exposes the population register to fraudulent entry, and also places participants in difficulty, especially in cases where they want to dissolve the marriage.

The committee acknowledged the persistence of the challenge and committed to engaging the department to do a full-scale analysis of these marriages to ensure that officials who participate in this fraudulent process are investigated.

Also, some participants urged the committee to ensure that provisions regulating marriages to foreign nations are in line with international standards by adopting effective practices elsewhere in the world. They told the committee that the application of international best practices and constant monitoring of these marriages will be an effective deterrent to the rise of convenience marriages.

Some participants argued for the insertion of a section in the Bill that codifies sanctions and penalties to explicitly include harsher penalties for any South African who participates in such marriages.

Meanwhile, there was broad agreement on the intention of the Bill to increase the age of consent for parties who intend to get married from the current 16 to 18, but many argued that the provision does not go far enough. Participants argued that 18 years remains too young, and that the committee consider increasing it to 21 years to ensure that participants are mature enough before entering into marriage.

Marriage officers welcomed the expansion of those who can be designated as marriage officers, but cautioned the department to ensure that they are trained. They highlighted their concern that while the Bill protects them from solemnising marriages that go against their belief system, they also expressed a fear of reprisal if they refused to solemnise those marriages. Also, they called for the Bill to be explicit on the process to be followed when there is an objection to a marriage.

On the same sex marriage, like in other public hearings that took place at other parts of the country, participants at Bethlehem differed on the issue of same sex marriages. Representatives from faith-based organisations underscored that same sex marriages go against their religious beliefs and teachings.

Those who support same sex marriages, including representatives from traditional leadership organisations, argued that the South African Constitution was clear on the prohibition of discrimination against sexual orientation and that people’s rights ought to be protected.

At the end of the hearings, the Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mosa Chabane, thanked the participants and commended them for their inputs, which he described as invaluable. He said all their inputs will be taken into consideration when the committee deliberates on the Bill at Parliament.

The committee will, from Monday, 4 August, conduct public hearings on the Bill in the Northern Cape.

– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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Orange Money Group and fintech JUMO join forces to expand credit services in Africa

Source: APO – Report:

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  •  Orange Money Group and JUMO have partnered to grow financial inclusion in Africa, focusing on microcredit for the unbanked.
  • The collaboration leverages JUMO’s data analytics and AI expertise for secure mobile credit requests and low risk repayments.

Orange Money Group (www.Orange.com) and banking as a service financial technology provider JUMO, have partnered to enhance digital financial services across Africa. This collaboration aims to extend Orange Money Group’s services to include additional microcredit solutions for unbanked populations.

The partnership

With over 100 million customers in sixteen countries across Africa and the Middle East, Orange Money Group facilitated more than EUR 160 billion in transactions in 2024. JUMO has disbursed over $8 billion to more than 31 million African customers, matching expertise and a desire to scale with Orange Money Group.

This partnership will enable Orange Money Group to advance its financial inclusion strategy by introducing new microcredit services to their customer value proposition. The collaboration with JUMO leverages their data analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities refined over 10 years to optimize credit allocation, reduce the cost of risk for lending to

This strategic alliance will enable the rollout of various credit products across multiple markets from a multitude of funders, creating a new microfinance marketplace for the unbanked in emerging markets, with an initial focus on Francophone Africa. JUMO’s leading expertise in asset allocation and credit risk management makes them a key partner for Orange Money Group in Africa. Orange Money Group customers will be eligible to securely request credit through their mobile devices, without needing a bank account or collateral.

JUMO has developed a range of short-term and installment loan products for consumers, merchants and distributors with limited access to these services. They use trained AI algorithms to assess credit risk and facilitate the immediate flow of capital through their partnerships with pan-African banks and development finance institutions.

JUMO’s AI-driven technology for banks and payments ecosystems will provide Orange Money Group the opportunity to introduce real-time app-based and USSD lending to their African customers. The offering is multi-country, multi-product, and multi-funding with plans to launch in Burkina Faso imminent, to be followed by Mali and Botswana.

The customer experience

This partnership delivers a streamlined user experience that combines financial inclusion with cutting-edge technology. The process is as follows:

  • Users access the service via their Orange Money Group wallet
  • They request an amount of credit
  • JUMO’s AI technology evaluates eligibility based on transactional data
  • If validated, the amount is immediately credited to the user’s wallet.
  • Repayment is made automatically according to agreed terms.
     

Aminata Kane, CEO of Orange Money Group comments: “After developing transfer and payment services used thousands of times every second, we now aim to support our customers in their personal projects, as well as help them manage everyday emergencies. In recent years, Orange Money has expanded its portfolio with highly accessible small loan offers. By partnering with JUMO, we aim to accelerate this momentum, roll out these services across a wide range of countries, and combine our expertise with their technology to deliver support that is even faster, more transparent, and better tailored to the needs of all our customers”.

Andrew Watkins-Ball, JUMO CEO and founder: “We are proud to have been chosen to partner with Orange and we are excited to connect Orange customers with products from the market leading banks that run on our platform. This collaboration, built on top of Orange Money Group’s mobile payments and money transfer platforms, will provide customers with great financial choices and allows our bank partners to grow in new markets”.

– on behalf of Orange Middle East and Africa.

Press contacts:
Stella Fumey; OMEA; stella.fumey@orange.com
Guste Rekstyte; Orange; guste.rekstyte@orange.com
comms@jumo.world

About Orange Money Group:
Orange Money, a pioneering solution for financial inclusion, is used every month by more than 43 million people across 16 countries in Africa and the Middle East. Orange Money Group, in coordination with local Orange Money entities and Orange Bank Africa, is responsible for defining the mobile financial services strategy for the Middle East and Africa region. It provides local entities with operational support to help them accelerate their growth, establish new partnerships, support their compliance plans, and develop new value-added activities that meet market expectations.

About Orange Middle-East and Africa (OMEA):
Orange is present in 18 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has 161 million customers at 31 December 2024. With 7.7 billion euros of revenues in 2024, Orange MEA is the first growth area in the Orange group. Orange Money, its flagship mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has more than 100 million customers. Orange, multi-services operator, key partner of the digital transformation provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.

About JUMO:
JUMO has built AI-led financial technology that powers banks to deliver a new generation of digital credit and savings products to millions of entrepreneurs in Africa. We work with partners, such as banks, e-money operators and payments providers, to facilitate high-tech information and money management systems.

Since founding in 2015, JUMO has disbursed over $8 billion dollars to more than 31 million people in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Benin and Cameroon. Our administration of over 250 million individual loans has proven that microcredit in Africa is imperative, impactful and sustainable.

With unmatched speed to market and low infrastructure costs, JUMO aims to bring banking to everyone, everywhere, anytime.
www.JUMO.world

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“A Autoridade Aeronáutica Militar que hoje celebramos é o resultado de anos de reflexão estratégica, de estudos especializados, consultas técnicas e diálogo interinstitucional, conduzidos com rigor, visão e sentido de Estado” – Janine Lélis

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

Baixar .tipo

Ao intervir no Seminário sobre a “Aeronáutica Integrada: Sinergias entre a Aviação Militar e Aviação Civil para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável e a Segurança Nacional“, a Ministra da Defesa Nacional, Janine Lélis defendeu que “a criação desta Autoridade (AAM) representa “mais do que um novo órgão na estrutura nacional de defesa”, mas que “ela simboliza um salto qualitativo na forma como concebemos, organizamos e gerimos o espaço aéreo de interesse militar e estratégico da nossa Nação”.

Ao falar da Autoridade Aeronáutica Militar, a Ministra disse que “a aquisição do King Air para o cumprimento de missões militares, constituiu uma medida operacional” e “para dar resposta às necessidades específicas de defesa e segurança”, representou “o início da Atividade Aeronáutica Militar, tendo ressaltado o apoio da Agência da Aviação Civil neste processo”.

Falou da necessidade da criação de uma “Autoridade Aeronáutica Militar, voltada para a organização, regulação e supervisão permanentes da atividade aeronáutica no âmbito militar, com o objetivo de garantir segurança, eficácia e alinhamento com as normas e objetivos do Estado”.

Igualmente mencionou o papel integrador e coordenador da AAM, “respeitando as especificidades operacionais dos dois Ramos das Forças Armadas, impondo normas, padrões e boas práticas, que fortalecem a interoperabilidade e a eficiência do sistema nacional de defesa aérea”.

O Seminário sobre a “Aeronáutica Integrada: Sinergias entre a Aviação Militar e Aviação Civil para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável e a Segurança Nacional “é o primeiro realizado no quadro da criação da Autoridade Aeronáutica Militar, tendo como oradores, o Coronel Carlos Paulos, Subchefe do Gabinete da Autoridade Aeronáutica Nacional de Portugal, o Major Brigadeiro Luiz Ricardo Nascimento,  Diretor da Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil do Brasil (ANAC) e o Professor Doutor João do Monte Duarte, Reitor da Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA).

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Governo de Cabo Verde.