Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa, President of The Republic of South Africa and African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, to the High-Level Meeting of African Ministers of Health on the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak

Source: President of South Africa –

Your Excellency Dr John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana and Champion of the Accra Reset
Your Excellency Chair of the African Union Commission, Mr Mahmoud Ali Youssouf 
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC,
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO
Excellencies the co-chairs of the African High Level Ministerial Council and all Ministers present,
Distinguished Partners,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank Africa CDC for convening this important High-Level Ministerial Meeting at a critical moment for our continent.

Africa is once again being tested by a dangerous Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with a serious risk of wider regional spread. 

The outbreak is unfolding in areas marked by intense population movement, insecurity, porous borders, humanitarian pressures and active trade corridors. These realities make rapid containment more difficult and increase the urgency of our collective response.

I pay tribute to the frontline health workers who have shouldered a succession of epidemics and outbreaks. 

Yet, they continue to demonstrate unwavering commitment and stamina in the face of a highly dangerous and demanding public health threat. 

It is of utmost importance that we ensure their lives and livelihoods are protected: by securing ample supplies of high quality personal protective equipment, ensuring there are enough health workers deployed to allow for rest and recouperation and equipping them with all the tools of trade they require to deliver high quality health and care.

I commend Africa CDC, under the leadership of Dr Jean Kaseya, for acting swiftly and decisively in accordance with the mandate entrusted to the institution by African Heads of State and Government. 

Africa CDC has led a unified strategy for the continent by immediately mobilising affected countries, coordinating regional preparedness, convening a ministerial platform and galvanising the joint incident management team in collaboration with the World Health Organization. 

I commend the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan for the courage and solidarity they demonstrated during the Kampala High-Level Ministerial Meeting. 

At a moment of uncertainty, these countries chose cooperation over isolation and unity over fragmentation. This is the Africa we must continue to build.

The latest situation remains deeply concerning. We are witnessing continued transmission in the DRC, confirmed cases in Uganda and heightened risk for several neighbouring countries. 

We have already lost more than 200 people. Africa CDC has said that this is the second largest Ebola outbreak after the one in West Africa in 2014.

Although, at the onset of this outbreak, there are no therapeutics and vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain, we have reason to be hopeful. Working together with Africa CDC and the World Health Organization through the interim medical countermeasures network, organisations such as GAVI, CEPI and UNITAID are working at speed on promising vaccine and therapeutic candidates towards clinical trials. 

We strongly support these efforts, as Africa cannot continue to face deadly epidemics without equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines and treatments. We call on all relevant partners and manufacturers to accelerate research and development, strengthen genomic surveillance, expand laboratory systems, and fast-track the equitable delivery of safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics.

The Kampala meeting aligned behind a continental preparedness and response plan of approximately $319 million for the period June to November 2026. This plan will support outbreak control in affected countries while strengthening preparedness in at least ten high-risk Member States.

Importantly, African countries themselves have already committed initial domestic contributions representing approximately ten percent of the required financing. This demonstrates ownership and responsibility. Africa is no longer waiting passively for others to act.

In this spirit of African solidarity and African solutions to African challenges, the Government and people of South Africa are pleased to announce an initial contribution of U$5 million to Africa CDC in support of the ongoing continental Ebola response.

This contribution is a demonstration of our confidence in Africa CDC as the Public Health Agency of Africa and in the importance of collective continental action. 

We encourage other Member States, African financial institutions, philanthropy and the African private sector to join this effort urgently.

I particularly welcome the mobilisation of African business leaders, including Mr Aliko Dangote, Professor Benedict Oramah, Dr George Elombi and Mr Simon Tiemtoré, who are stepping forward to support this response. Their engagement reflects a growing understanding that health security is also economic security, development security and continental security.

At the same time, we call on the international community to stand with Africa in a spirit of partnership, solidarity and respect. The world is safer when Africa is safer. Delayed support today will result in much higher human, social and economic costs tomorrow.

This outbreak reminds us that preparedness cannot begin when a crisis is already expanding. 

We must continue investing in resilient health systems, strong national public health institutes, emergency operations centres, local manufacturing of medical countermeasures, community health workers, genomic surveillance and sustainable domestic financing.

Africa has the institutions, expertise and leadership to respond effectively. 

What is required now is speed, unity, solidarity and trust in our collective capacity.

The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and all countries at risk must know that they are not alone. Africa stands with them.

I thank you.
 

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The Sahel region is less secure than ever: foreign forces just add to the cycle of violence

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Nina Wilén, Associate Professor, Lund University

Several of Mali’s major cities experienced coordinated attacks in April by a new coalition of jihadists and separatist groups.

As the coalition took over the town of Kidal in the north of Mali, images of Russian troops being escorted out of the town after negotiations were cabled out across global media.

Russia, now in the shape of Africa Corps and previously the Wagner Group, has been the Malian military’s external security partner since the beginning of 2022. It replaced French and European troops from the counter-terrorism operation Barkhane and Taskforce Takuba. France had deployed a force of 5,000 troops from 2014 to 2022. European special forces numbered 1,000 between 2020 and 2022. Both missions were forced to leave as relations between France and the Malian junta grew tense.

The strategic realignment, from western and multilateral forces to Russian troops, expanded in the region. In Burkina Faso, which experienced two coups in 2022, the French troops were expelled at the start of 2023, as 200 Russian troops moved in.

In the summer of 2023, the Malian authorities also kicked out the decade-old 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission. Niger’s junta, which took power the same year, followed suit and expelled the EU’s operations in the country six months later, before accepting a few hundred Russian troops.

During the past decade I have researched external security interventions in the Sahel and analysed their justifications, development on the ground, and consequences for political and security environments.

I conclude from my research that the external interventions have not stabilised the region. More than a decade after the first major interventions, the Sahel is more fragmented, militarised and violent than before.

Yet the persistence of insecurity also serves political purposes.

For military juntas, the jihadist threat justifies continued rule and repression. For Russia, the region has become a showcase for anti-western influence and security partnerships in Africa. For western actors, jihadist expansion, migration concerns and fears of regional instability are used as reasons for security engagement despite repeated failures.

The complex interactions between these actors have resulted in a continuous, strategic circle of violence, where civilians are the first victims.

On the ground

On the ground, interventions have often evolved in unpredictable ways through ad hoc decisions and informal interactions between local and external actors.

For example, they have shared logistical and medical assistance and intelligence.

More broadly, the external interventions strengthened militaries as political actors, reinforcing an already biased civil-military balance across the region.

“Security in the Sahel” became the moniker that framed the western and multilateral interventions in the region from 2013 onwards. Improving the capacities, capabilities and professionalism of the national security forces became the official objectives of these interventions, closely linked to the broader aim of defeating the jihadist insurgencies.

Framing the intersecting crises in the Sahel as a security issue also meant that security actors had the task of resolving it. The importance, status and budgets of the national militaries thus increased as the security situation deteriorated. A heavily tilted civil-military imbalance was the result.

As military officers took over power through coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, a strategic realignment towards Russia began, to maintain military rule.

The Russian Wagner group allowed the newly installed juntas to entrench their power, while “deprofessionalising” the forces through harassment, attacks and massacres of civilians.

Research shows for example that civilian targeting accounted for 71% of the Wagner Group’s involvement in political violence in Mali between December 2021 and July 2022. This strategy of attacking civilians has made recruitment easier for jihadist groups. They could increase their ranks by exploiting grievances.

The latest attacks in Mali in April 2026 demonstrate the military junta’s failure, together with its Russian security partners, to contain the jihadist groups’ expansion.

They also reveal that Russia is in the country mainly to keep the military junta in power. Assimi Goïta, Mali’s military leader, reconfirmed the partnership with Russia after the attacks in spite of their failure on the battlefield.

The military leader needs regime maintenance more than ever, and the Russians need to be in the country for continued geopolitical influence on the African continent.

Conclusion

The result is that while all external actors claim to fight instability, the current regional order depends on continuing insecurity.

Stabilisation risks becoming less about resolving conflict than about managing insecurity in ways that sustain regimes, partnerships and geopolitical influence.

Foreign interventions, in combination with national actors’ ambitions, have helped to transform the region into a space of militarised regime survival, jihadist expansion and geopolitical competition between Russia and western democracies.

As military approaches have repeatedly proven insufficient to solve the intersecting crises in the Sahel, pressured military juntas may now be forced to negotiate with jihadist groups. That is likely to result in new, hybrid spaces of power and governance.

– The Sahel region is less secure than ever: foreign forces just add to the cycle of violence
– https://theconversation.com/the-sahel-region-is-less-secure-than-ever-foreign-forces-just-add-to-the-cycle-of-violence-282917

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Western Cape holds public consultations on eviction law amendments

Source: Government of South Africa

Western Cape holds public consultations on eviction law amendments

Communities in the Western Cape will have a chance to make their voices heard on the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land (PIE) Amendment Bill.

The Department of Human Settlements will this week host public information sessions in the Garden Route and the City of Cape Town.

The sessions are scheduled to take place at Pacaltsdorp Community Hall in George, Garden Route, on Monday, 25 May and Johnson Ngwevela Community Hall in Langa, Cape Town, on Tuesday, 26 May.

The Bill seeks to amend the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act of 1998. Published in the Government Gazette on 16 April 2026, the public has until 16 June 2026 to submit their comments to PIE.AmendmentBill@dhs.gov.za. 

The PIE Act of 1998 was enacted to prevent arbitrary evictions and address historical injustices where people were removed from land without due process.

According to the Department of Human Settlements, the proposed amendment to the Act aims to deal with matters related to land invasions and informal settlements, provision of adequate housing to mitigate against illegal occupation of private properties, court processes and enforcement of court orders, and protection of vulnerable groups.

The provinces that have already held information sessions on the PIE Amendment Bill are Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu Natal.

The department has welcomed the interest and level of participation by the public to date. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK

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Western Cape Premier leads oversight visits to storm-hit areas

Source: Government of South Africa

Western Cape Premier leads oversight visits to storm-hit areas

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, together with Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs), has embarked on oversight visits to several areas hardest hit by the severe weather system that struck the province earlier this month.

The two-day visit, taking place from 25-28 May 2026, forms part of the provincial government’s ongoing response and recovery efforts following widespread storm damage across parts of the Western Cape.

During the visits, Winde is expected to assess progress in rebuilding and repairing damaged infrastructure and restoring essential services.

He will also engage with disaster management officials, law enforcement agencies, volunteers, and municipal leadership, who played a key role in the province’s emergency response response.

Speaking at the Kransburg bridge and pipeline site near Klawer on the West Coast, Winde said several parts of the province were still without electricity as recovery operations continue.

“We are busy with the rebuild to get bridges and roads reopened, and to complete the necessary assessments,” Winde said.

The Premier expressed appreciation to teams working on the ground to restore normality in affected communities, while acknowledging that significant work still lies ahead.

“Our teams are on the ground this week, moving from town to town to… look at what is necessary, and possibly speed things up a little bit,” he said.

The oversight programme began in Malmesbury on the West Coast and is expected to conclude in the Swellendam area. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK

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Le Venezuela sous Rodriguez : un retour vers la stabilité et les opportunités (Par NJ Ayuk)

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Par NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de la Chambre africaine de l’énergie (https://EnergyChamber.org).

Il y a à peine dix ans, nombreux étaient ceux qui avaient déjà fait une croix sur l’industrie pétrolière vénézuélienne et, par extension, sur le Venezuela lui-même, estimant que le pays était au bord d’un effondrement irréversible. Les plus pessimistes affirmaient même que le pays était déjà devenu un État défaillant et qu’il ne faudrait qu’un peu de temps pour que le reste du monde s’en rende compte par lui-même.

Le 3 janvier 2026, lorsque les forces spéciales américaines ont mené des frappes contre des cibles militaires dans le nord du Venezuela et un raid contre le complexe présidentiel à Caracas, aboutissant à la capture et à l’extradition vers les États-Unis du président Nicolás Maduro et de son épouse, de nombreux analystes ont prédit que ce bouleversement soudain et choquant entraînerait inévitablement un conflit civil violent et un désastre économique encore plus grave pour un pays déjà mis à mal par des années d’embargos économiques et de chaos.

Rétrospectivement, les répercussions de l’arrestation et de la destitution de Maduro se sont avérées bien moins graves que ne l’avaient prédit les experts, et la transition de Delcy Rodríguez du poste de vice-présidente exécutive à celui de présidente par intérim en l’absence de Maduro s’est déroulée sans trop de turbulences.

Un peu moins de deux mois plus tard, accompagné de mon équipe de la Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC), j’ai pu rencontrer la présidente Rodríguez à Caracas. C’est avec grand plaisir que je peux affirmer que nous n’avons pas trouvé un gouvernement en proie à l’incertitude et à l’instabilité, mais au contraire un gouvernement faisant preuve d’optimisme et d’une volonté claire de renouveau.

Le Venezuela est entre de très bonnes mains sous la présidence de Mme Rodríguez, qui nous a personnellement fait part de son engagement ferme en faveur de la reprise grâce à des réformes et à de nouveaux partenariats.

La renaissance d’une puissance

Le Venezuela possède les plus grandes réserves prouvées de pétrole au monde, estimées à environ 303 milliards de barils, soit environ 17 % du total mondial, pour une valeur équivalant à des dizaines de milliers de milliards de dollars. Après avoir atteint un pic d’environ 3,5 millions de barils par jour (bpj) à la fin des années 1990, la production pétrolière vénézuélienne a connu une forte baisse pour s’établir à 2,6 millions de bpj au cours des années suivantes, lorsqu’une grève en 2002 au sein de la compagnie pétrolière nationale Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) a poussé le président de l’époque, Hugo Chávez, à remplacer près de la moitié des effectifs de l’entreprise. Si, dans un premier temps, la production s’est maintenue à ce niveau réduit sous la présidence de Maduro, élu après la mort de Chavez en 2013, l’effondrement subséquent des cours mondiaux du pétrole a marqué le début d’une nouvelle baisse qui a vu les taux de production atteindre finalement de nouveaux plus bas, entre 300 000 et 400 000 b/j en 2020.

La production a depuis rebondi pour atteindre environ 1 million de b/j début 2026.

Si la stabilité observée sous l’administration Rodríguez se maintient, et si la réglementation est simplifiée, le Venezuela pourra attirer les investissements nécessaires pour renforcer encore davantage ses taux de production. Bien qu’il s’agisse d’un scénario optimiste, les experts prévoient que, si ces conditions sont réunies, le Venezuela pourrait, d’ici une décennie, retrouver une production de 2,5 millions de barils par jour, voire atteindre les pics historiques de 3,5 millions de barils par jour enregistrés dans les années 1990. Mais tous les signes indiquent que le président Rodríguez est sincèrement déterminé à atteindre cet objectif.

En janvier, le président Rodríguez (qui a également occupé le poste de ministre du Pétrole du Venezuela jusqu’en mars) a réformé la loi organique sur les hydrocarbures du pays, déréglementant le secteur de l’énergie dans le cadre d’une initiative qui devrait attirer 1,4 milliard de dollars d’investissements pour cette seule année.

Ce projet de loi de réforme, tout en maintenant la propriété de l’État sur les gisements, assouplit les conditions qui imposaient autrefois une participation majoritaire et le contrôle opérationnel de PDVSA dans les coentreprises. Grâce à ce que les réformes qualifient de « contrats de participation à la production » — en réalité un modèle de partage de la production —, le projet de loi accorde également aux entreprises privées davantage d’autonomie en matière d’exploration, de production et de commercialisation. D’autres changements intéressants concernent les plafonds de redevances, la fiscalité et le règlement des litiges par des instances indépendantes ou étrangères.

En résumé, les réformes de la présidente Rodríguez s’attaquent à la bureaucratie qui a empêché le Venezuela de réaliser son véritable potentiel énergétique. Elle a réduit les formalités administratives et déroulé le tapis rouge aux investisseurs du secteur de l’énergie, et le Venezuela a tout à y gagner.

La présidente Rodríguez s’est également révélée être une collaboratrice fiable.

En maintenant les engagements du Venezuela envers l’OPEP, en particulier au cours des bouleversements politiques des cinq derniers mois, la présidente Rodríguez a contribué à soutenir la stabilité du marché mondial du pétrole tout en préservant les relations fructueuses de son pays avec les autres pays de l’OPEP. De plus, la vision de l’administration Rodríguez pour la reprise du Venezuela va au-delà du pétrole.

Les réserves de gaz naturel du Venezuela, estimées à environ 200 000 milliards de pieds cubes (Tcf), classent le pays parmi les plus grands détenteurs mondiaux, et la présidente Rodríguez prévoit d’exploiter ces ressources au maximum.

Alors que la loi vénézuélienne sur les hydrocarbures organiques réglemente le gaz associé à la production de pétrole brut, la loi distincte sur les hydrocarbures gazeux régit le gaz non associé et offre encore plus de flexibilité en matière de participation privée et d’activités commerciales que les réglementations applicables au pétrole.

L’administration Rodríguez entend tirer parti de ces conditions pour monétiser les gisements de gaz offshore non associés tels que Dragon, Loran-Manatee et Perla grâce à des partenariats avec des majors internationales comme Shell, BP, Eni et Repsol. Des plans sont également en place pour augmenter les exportations par gazoduc vers Trinité-et-Tobago et pour capter le gaz sur les sites où il est actuellement brûlé à la torche, afin à la fois de réduire le gaspillage et d’alimenter la production d’électricité nationale.

Avec l’essor des centres de données d’IA qui accroît la demande en électricité dans le monde entier, ces stratégies devraient attirer d’importants investissements étrangers au Venezuela et générer des revenus à un rythme plus rapide que de nombreux projets pétroliers à grande échelle, tout en améliorant la fiabilité du réseau national et en positionnant le pays comme un contributeur majeur à l’approvisionnement mondial.

Ce que cela signifie pour l’Afrique

Depuis des décennies, le Venezuela a démontré sa volonté de s’allier aux nations africaines productrices de pétrole. Avec l’une des proportions les plus élevées d’ascendance africaine parmi les pays hispanophones d’Amérique latine, le Venezuela nourrit une profonde admiration pour l’Afrique, et le pays a toujours soutenu le droit des producteurs africains à forer sur leurs propres territoires dans la lutte contre la pauvreté énergétique. Même des années avant la fondation de l’OPEP, ce sont les représentants vénézuéliens qui ont exprimé le souhait de coordonner leurs efforts avec les producteurs de pétrole africains souverains et en développement afin de collaborer sur les politiques pétrolières mondiales. Lorsque l’organisation a été officiellement créée en 1960, la Libye a été le premier pays africain invité à la rejoindre, deux ans plus tard seulement. Les administrations Chávez et Maduro sont même allées jusqu’à mettre en place de nombreuses initiatives soutenues par l’État pour promouvoir l’identité afro-vénézuélienne, notamment la création d’un vice-ministère des Relations africaines et l’ouverture de nouvelles ambassades vénézuéliennes à travers l’Afrique. Le Venezuela a également été parmi les premiers pays à manifester son intérêt pour le soutien ou l’accueil de projets liés à la Banque africaine de l’énergie, soulignant ainsi son engagement en faveur de la souveraineté énergétique africaine.

Cette même attitude accueillante est toujours bien vivante au Venezuela aujourd’hui, comme l’a confirmé notre récent voyage de l’AEC dans la capitale du pays.

Au cours de la visite de notre délégation, nous avons eu des échanges directs avec les dirigeants de PDVSA, les ministres de l’Énergie et la présidente Rodríguez elle-même. La chaleur de leur accueil et la clarté de leur vision nous ont laissé une impression durable.

Les responsables vénézuéliens que nous avons rencontrés ont souligné leur ouverture à la participation africaine dans tous les aspects de la production, et la présidente Rodríguez s’est montrée tout à fait ouverte aux investissements africains dans le secteur pétrolier et au-delà. Elle était désireuse de formaliser une coopération, qui inclurait des programmes dédiés à la formation de professionnels africains au sein de la célèbre Universidad Venezolana de los Hidrocarburos (UVH), qui s’est désormais ouverte spécifiquement à de telles initiatives.

Au final, nous avons signé un protocole d’accord historique, engageant à la fois le Venezuela et l’AEC à œuvrer en faveur d’une augmentation des investissements, des échanges commerciaux, des transferts de technologie et du développement du capital humain, parmi de nombreux autres points.

Ce partenariat commercial potentiel, notamment en matière de gaz naturel, revêt une importance capitale pour l’Afrique, où environ 600 millions de personnes n’ont pas accès à l’électricité et où près d’un milliard dépendent encore de la biomasse traditionnelle, dangereuse pour la cuisine.

Ces inégalités ont des conséquences désastreuses sur la santé humaine et freinent le développement. L’énergie fiable issue des combustibles fossiles s’est maintes fois révélée être le pont le plus sûr vers l’accès à l’énergie moderne et l’épanouissement humain, et j’ai été ravi d’apprendre que le président Rodríguez partageait ma passion pour l’éradication de ce déficit.

Fort de plus d’un siècle d’expérience dans l’industrie pétrolière et gazière, le Venezuela complète l’Afrique dans son ensemble. Notre vaste réseau de producteurs, d’entrepreneurs et de partenaires internationaux peut travailler en parfaite synergie avec ses homologues vénézuéliens pour augmenter la production et réduire la pauvreté énergétique sur les deux continents. Il était rafraîchissant de dialoguer avec des dirigeants qui partagent cette vision, et l’AEC se réjouit de faire du Venezuela un axe prioritaire de ses initiatives pour 2026 et 2027.

Les producteurs africains devraient sérieusement envisager le Venezuela comme une destination d’investissement stratégique. Le pays offre une expertise technique de classe mondiale, une main-d’œuvre qualifiée et de vastes réserves prouvées. Avec l’amélioration des conditions dans le secteur de l’énergie et un gouvernement ouvert aux partenariats, le Venezuela représente un potentiel significatif à long terme pour une coopération mutuellement bénéfique. Des investissements stratégiques réalisés dès maintenant pourraient positionner les acteurs africains comme des partenaires clés dans l’avenir énergétique du pays tout en offrant des rendements attractifs.

Le chemin du retour

L’approche adoptée par la présidente Rodríguez depuis son entrée en fonction pour faire du Venezuela le meilleur pays pour les investissements énergétiques porte déjà ses fruits. En reconnaissance de ses réformes de la loi sur les hydrocarbures, les États-Unis ont levé les sanctions fiscales et les restrictions de voyage qui pesaient sur elle et sur PDVSA, permettant ainsi la reprise des transactions entre les entreprises américaines et les banques vénézuéliennes.

D’autres acteurs de la communauté internationale ont également manifesté leur confiance dans la reprise du Venezuela. Le retour de grandes compagnies aériennes telles que Qatar Airways, American Airlines, TAP Air Portugal et Turkish Airlines a coïncidé avec les rencontres de la présidente Rodríguez avec, selon certaines sources, plus de 120 autres multinationales.

Ce regain de confiance est peut-être le plus visible dans le secteur de l’énergie, où les grandes compagnies pétrolières internationales se sont empressées de revenir sur le marché vénézuélien. Depuis l’entrée en fonction du président Rodríguez, Eni a signé un accord majeur pour relancer le gigantesque projet de pétrole lourd Junín-5 dans la ceinture de l’Orénoque, Shell a conclu des accords pour développer le gisement de gaz offshore Dragon et est en négociation pour développer les gisements terrestres de Carito et Pirital, et Hunt Oil a finalisé des accords de plusieurs milliards de dollars pour explorer et produire du pétrole lourd dans les régions de Monagas, Anzoátegui et Barinas. Ces développements s’inscrivent directement dans le prolongement des réformes de la loi sur les hydrocarbures et de la levée des sanctions, signalant un retour d’une forte confiance internationale dans l’avenir énergétique du Venezuela.

En dehors du gouvernement, les Vénézuéliens ordinaires avec lesquels nous avons échangé pendant notre séjour dans leur pays partageaient tous une résilience, une ambition et un engagement à reconstruire leur économie. La présidente Rodríguez est le parfait reflet de ces personnes, et nous sommes convaincus qu’elle saura bien les servir.

S’il y a une leçon que nous avons tirée depuis la création de l’AEC, c’est que la stabilité politique et une réglementation claire et favorable créent un environnement propice permettant au secteur énergétique de fonctionner à son plein potentiel. Avec la présidente Rodríguez à la barre, le Venezuela s’est repositionné conformément à ce principe. Nous sommes impatients de travailler avec cette administration alors qu’elle éloigne le pays du statut d’exemple à ne pas suivre pour le diriger vers un avenir où il sera un modèle de progrès.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.

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Venezuela Under Rodriguez: Turning Back Toward Stability and Opportunity (By NJ Ayuk)

Source: APO

By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber (https://EnergyChamber.org).

Just a decade ago, many had written off the Venezuelan oil industry and, by extension, Venezuela itself, determining that it was on the brink of an irreversible collapse. A more pessimistic view asserted that the country had already become a failed state, and it would just take some time for the rest of the world to see it for themselves.

On January 3, 2026, when U.S. Special Forces carried out strikes against military targets in northern Venezuela and a raid of the presidential compound in Caracas, culminating in the capture and extradition of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to the US.  Numerous analysts predicted the shocking and sudden upheaval would inevitably result in violent civil conflict and an even greater economic disaster for a country already battered by years of economic embargoes and chaos.

In retrospect, the fallout from Maduro’s arrest and removal proved much less severe than experts predicted, and Delcy Rodríguez’s transition from executive vice president to acting president in Maduro’s absence moved forward without much turbulence.

A little less than two months later, together with my team from the African Energy Chamber (AEC), I was able to meet with President Rodríguez in Caracas. It is my great pleasure to report that we did not encounter an administration mired in uncertainty and instability but rather one demonstrating optimism and a clear sense of renewal.

Venezuela is in very good hands under President Rodríguez, who personally expressed to us her firm commitment to recovery through reforms and new partnerships.

Resurrecting a Powerhouse

Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at approximately 303 billion barrels or roughly 17% of global totals, with a value equating to tens of trillions of dollars. From its most recent peak of roughly 3.5 billion barrels per day (bpd) in the late 1990s, Venezuelan oil production suffered a steep decline to 2.6 million bpd over the next few years when a 2002 strike at the national oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) motivated then-President Hugo Chavez to replace nearly half the company’s workforce. While initially production remained steady at that lower rate under President Maduro, elected after Chavez’s death in 2013, the subsequent crash in global oil prices marked the start of further declines that saw production rates eventually hit new lows of only 300,000-400,000 bpd in 2020.

Production has since rebounded to about 1 million bpd as of early 2026.

With a continuation of the stability found under the Rodríguez administration, along with simplified regulations, Venezuela can attract the level of investment required to bolster production rates even further. Though it would be a best-case scenario, with these elements in place, experts project that, within a decade, Venezuela could see the return of a 2.5 million bpd output and even the historical peaks of 3.5 million bpd achieved in the 1990s. But all signals indicate that President Rodríguez is earnestly committed to that very outcome.

In January, President Rodríguez (who held the additional role of Venezuela’s oil minister until March) overhauled the country’s Organic Hydrocarbons Law, deregulating the energy sector in a move that is expected to draw in USD1.4 billion in investments this year alone.

This reform bill, while it maintains state ownership of reservoirs, eases up on the terms that once mandated a majority stake and operational control for PDVSA in joint ventures. Through what the reforms describe as “production participation contracts” — effectively a production-sharing model — the bill also grants private firms more autonomy in exploration, production, and commercialization. Other attractive changes address royalty caps, taxation, and independent/foreign dispute resolution.

In a nutshell, President Rodríguez’s reforms slash at the bureaucracy that has been keeping Venezuela from realizing its true energy potential. She has cut red tape and rollout the red carpet to energy investors and Venezuela stands to win.

President Rodríguez has also proven herself as a reliable collaborator.

By maintaining Venezuela’s commitments to OPEC, especially through the political upheaval of the past five months, President Rodríguez has done her part in supporting the stability of the global oil market while preserving her country’s beneficial ties to the other OPEC countries. Furthermore, the Rodríguez administration’s vision for Venezuela’s rebound extends beyond oil.

Venezuela’s natural gas reserves, estimated at roughly 200 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), rank the country’s holdings among the world’s largest, and President Rodríguez plans to develop these resources to their fullest.

While Venezuela’s Organic Hydrocarbons Law regulates gas associated with crude oil production, the separate Gaseous Hydrocarbons Law governs non-associated gas and offers even more flexibility on private ownership stakes and trading activities than regulations that apply to oil.

The Rodríguez administration intends to leverage these conditions to monetize offshore non-associated gas fields such as Dragon, Loran-Manatee, and Perla through partnerships with international majors like Shell, BP, Eni, and Repsol. Plans are also in place to ramp up pipeline exports to Trinidad and Tobago and to capture gas at sites where it is currently being flared to both reduce waste and supply domestic power generation.

With the rise of AI data centers increasing the demand for electricity production the world over, these strategies should attract a great deal of foreign investment to Venezuela and generate revenue at a quicker pace than many large-scale oil projects, all while improving the reliability of the national grid and positioning the country as a significant contributor to global supply.

What This Means for Africa

For decades, Venezuela has demonstrated a willingness to ally with African oil-producing nations. With one of the highest proportions of African ancestry among the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America, there is a deep admiration for Africa in Venezuela, and the nation has been consistent in its support for the rights of African producers to drill in their own territories in the battle against energy poverty. Even years before the foundation of OPEC, it was Venezuelan representatives who expressed a desire to coordinate with Africa’s sovereign, developing oil producers to collaborate on global petroleum policies. When the organization officially formed in 1960, Libya was the first African nation invited into the fold only two years later. Both the Chávez and Maduro administrations even went so far as to establish numerous state-sponsored promotions of the Afro-Venezuelan identity including the creation of a Vice Ministry for African Relations and additional Venezuelan embassies throughout Africa. Venezuela was also among the first countries to indicate interest in supporting or hosting concepts related to the Africa Energy Bank, underscoring its commitment to African energy sovereignty.

This same welcoming disposition is alive and well in Venezuela today, as our recent AEC trip to the nation’s capital confirmed.

During our delegation’s visit, we engaged directly with PDVSA leadership, energy ministers, and President Rodríguez herself. The warmth of their reception and the clarity of their vision left a lasting impression.

The Venezuelan officials we met with emphasized an openness to African participation across all facets of production, and President Rodríguez has been fully open to African investments in and beyond oil. She was eager to formalize cooperation, which would include dedicated programs to train African professionals at Venezuela’s renowned Universidad Venezolana de los Hidrocarburos (UVH), which has now opened itself specifically to such initiatives.

In the end, we signed a landmark memorandum of understanding, committing both Venezuela and the AEC to working towards increased investment, trade, technology exchange, and human capital development among numerous other items.

This potential trading partnership, especially regarding natural gas, holds profound significance for Africa, where approximately 600 million people lack access to electricity, and nearly 1 billion still rely on dangerous traditional biomass for cooking.

These inequities wreak havoc on human health and hold back development. Reliable energy from fossil fuels has proven time and again to be the most reliable bridge to modern energy access and human flourishing, and I was pleased to learn that President Rodríguez shares my passion for eradicating this deficit.

With over a century of experience in the oil and gas industry, Venezuela complements Africa as a whole. Our deep bench of producers, entrepreneurs, and international partners can work seamlessly with Venezuelan counterparts to scale up output and reduce energy poverty on both continents. It was refreshing to engage with leadership that shares this vision, and the AEC is excited to make Venezuela a key focus of our 2026 and 2027 initiatives.

African producers should seriously consider Venezuela as a strategic investment destination. The country offers world-class technical expertise, a skilled workforce, and vast proven reserves. With improving conditions in the energy sector and a government open to partnerships, Venezuela represents significant long-term potential for mutually beneficial cooperation. Strategic investments now could position African players as key partners in the country’s energy future while delivering attractive returns.

The Way Back

The approach to making Venezuela the best country for energy investments that President Rodríguez has taken since stepping into her current role is already working. In recognition of her hydrocarbons law reforms, the U.S. lifted fiscal and travel sanctions that were in place on both her and PDVSA, allowing transactions between U.S. companies and Venezuelan banks to recommence.

Other players in the global community have demonstrated confidence in Venezuela’s recovery as well. The return of major airlines like Qatar Airways, American Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, and Turkish Airlines coincided with President Rodríguez’s meetings with reportedly over 120 other multinational corporations.

This renewed confidence is perhaps most clearly visible in the energy sector, where major international oil companies have moved quickly to re-enter the Venezuelan market. Since President Rodríguez took office, Eni has signed a major agreement to relaunch the giant Junín-5 heavy oil project in the Orinoco Belt, Shell has secured deals to develop the Dragon offshore gas field and is in negotiations to develop the Carito and Pirital onshore fields, and Hunt Oil has finalized multi-billion dollar agreements to explore and produce heavy crude in the Monagas, Anzoátegui, and Barinas regions. These developments build directly on the hydrocarbons law reforms and the lifting of sanctions, signaling a return of strong international trust in Venezuela’s energy future.

Outside the administration, the everyday Venezuelans we engaged with during our stay in their country all shared a resilience, an ambition, and a commitment to rebuilding their economy. President Rodríguez is a perfect reflection of these people, and we are confident she will serve them well.

If there is one lesson we have learned since founding the AEC, it is that political stability and clear and favorable regulations create an enabling environment for the energy sector to operate at its maximum potential. With President Rodríguez at the helm, Venezuela has repositioned itself in accordance with this principle. We look forward to working with this administration as it steers the country away from becoming a cautionary tale and towards its future as an example of progress.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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DHET, Takealot partnership to create income opportunities for students

Source: Government of South Africa

DHET, Takealot partnership to create income opportunities for students

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in partnership with leading e-commerce business, Takealot Group, is working to provide 500 students with income-earning opportunities while they continue with their studies.

The initiative forms part of the expansion of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DHET and Takealot, led by Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe.

Takealot Group recently met with the South African Union of Students and the Deputy Minister to introduce the Takealot Township Economy Initiative (TTEI).

The programme offers students three flexible income-generating opportunities, while also creating a pathway towards entrepreneurship. 

The programmes are designed to accommodate student schedules, with peak earning opportunities expected on Fridays, month-end weekends and Saturdays.

The initiative builds on the four focus areas outlined in the original DHET-Takealot MOU and aims to create practical pathways from higher education into the economy. 

It will also include SETA-accredited training to provide structured workplace learning.

“Through this newly added focus area and collaboration, we are turning our already impactful MOU into real economic participation for students, providing them with tangible work experience, income, and entrepreneurship skills,” the Deputy Minister said.

Details of the programme and information on student participation are expected to be communicated ahead of the pilot period, which is scheduled to roll out at three identified institutions over the next three months.

Gondwe said strengthening public-private partnerships remains critical in addressing youth unemployment and expanding economic inclusion opportunities for students across the country. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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Dubai Chamber of Commerce concludes trade mission in Addis Ababa with series of bilateral business meetings between companies from Dubai and Ethiopia

Source: APO – Report:

  • H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah: “We remain committed to strengthening economic ties between Dubai and Ethiopia and creating new channels for cooperation that unlock partnership opportunities for private sector companies in both markets.”
  • Ethiopia’s non-oil trade with Dubai increased to AED 22.3 billion in 2025, recording significant year-on-year growth of 236.6%.
  • 1,676 Ethiopian companies were registered as active members of Dubai Chamber of Commerce by the end of Q1 2026.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce (www.DubaiChamberCommerce.com), one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has successfully concluded a trade mission to Ethiopia with a series of bilateral business meetings in Addis Ababa between companies from Dubai and Ethiopia. The meetings created a platform to explore opportunities for cooperation and develop new partnerships across a range of priority sectors.

As part of the mission, the chamber hosted the ‘Dubai–Ethiopia Business Connect’ forum in cooperation with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; and the Ethiopian Investment Commission.

The forum featured the participation of  H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, H.E. Amha Hailegiorgis, Deputy Director General for Middle East, Asia, and Pacific Affairs of Ethiopia; H.E. Dr. Jemal Beker, Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the UAE; Dr. Aynalem Abayneh, Vice President, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce & Sectoral Associations; Eng. Abebe Gurmesa, Vice President, Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, and Rashed Abdulla Alshehhi, Head of Economic, Political and Media Section, UAE Embassy to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, stated: “We remain committed to strengthening economic ties between Dubai and Ethiopia and creating new channels for cooperation that unlock partnership opportunities for private sector companies in both markets. This trade mission provides an important platform to advance direct dialogue between businesses and explore the potential of the Ethiopian market. It also supports the global expansion of Dubai-based companies, encourages high-impact partnerships, and contributes to the continued growth of the emirate’s non-oil foreign trade.”

The forum attracted senior officials, business leaders, and representatives of local companies, providing a platform to explore prospects for cooperation and new partnership opportunities between members of the Dubai delegation and Ethiopia’s business community.

During the forum, Dubai Chamber of Commerce delivered a comprehensive presentation on Dubai’s dynamic business environment, highlighting the competitive advantages available to Ethiopian companies across diverse sectors and the opportunities to use the emirate as a launchpad for expansion into regional and global markets. Lalise Getachew, Investment Promotion Advisor to the Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, also delivered a presentation on Ethiopia’s growing trade and investment landscape, outlining market entry pathways and opportunities for foreign companies and investors.

The value of non-oil trade between Ethiopia and Dubai reached AED 22.3 billion in 2025, recording strong year-on-year growth of 236.6%. A total of 91 new Ethiopian companies joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce during Q1 2026, bringing the total number of Ethiopian companies registered as active members of the chamber to 1,676 by the end of March 2026.

The trade mission featured representatives from 21 Dubai-based companies operating across diverse sectors including the automotive industry; building materials and construction; electronics; engineering; fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG); food and beverages; interior design; mining and metals; oil and gas; pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; printing and packaging; and textiles and ready-made garments.

– on behalf of Dubai Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, please contact:
Mohamad Mouzehem
PR & Corporate Communications
Tel: +971 4 2028537
Email: mohamad.mouzehem@dubaichamber.com

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About Dubai Chamber of Commerce:
Established in 1965, Dubai Chamber of Commerce continues to represent, support, and protect the interests of the business community in Dubai, create a stimulating business environment, and promote the emirate as a global business hub. The chamber is one of three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, which was restructured under a decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

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Gauteng unveils real-time monitoring dashboard for municipalities

Source: Government of South Africa

Gauteng unveils real-time monitoring dashboard for municipalities

The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has unveiled a real-time dashboard aimed at tracking key performance indicators of all 11 of the province’s municipalities.

The tool, known as the Gauteng Smart City Performance Monitor, will monitor crucial areas, including governance, financial management, infrastructure delivery, climate resilience and disaster preparedness.

“The dashboard will further provide residents with access to municipal performance data, enabling communities to monitor progress and strengthen accountability in service delivery.

“Integrated technology platforms, including CCTV networks, the LIMIT land invasion monitoring system and smart water management dashboards, form part of Gauteng’s broader digital transformation journey aimed at building responsive and data-driven municipalities,” the provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department said.

Turning it around

The dashboard is a part of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy (LGTS), which was adopted in October 2024 to address persistent service delivery bottlenecks.

“The LGTS… continues to serve as a coordinated framework to address longstanding challenges facing municipalities, while advancing the vision of building smart and resilient municipalities.

“Through Intergovernmental Relations [IGR] platforms, facilitated by Gauteng COGTA, provincial government, municipalities and strategic stakeholders have strengthened collaboration to tackle persistent service delivery constraints. Early gains from this approach are becoming increasingly evident,” the department said.

These early gains include:

  • Audit turnaround: Resolved audit findings increased from 35% in the third quarter of 2023/24 to 55% during the same period in 2024/25. Non-compliance findings also dropped from 35% to 27%, while two municipalities maintained clean audits.
  • Staffing and capacity: The filling of senior management positions improved from 70% in March 2025 to 86% in March 2026. All Municipal and City Manager posts are currently occupied, alongside 88% of critical technical roles filled.
  • Municipal financial performance: Provincial government debt payments amounting to R209.24 million received by March 2026. Debt settlement arrangements have been secured with most municipalities regarding Rand Water obligations, while several municipalities have improved current account payments to key service providers.

“Despite this progress, significant challenges remain. Municipal debtors reached R173.3 billion by March 2026, while Eskom debt increased to R31.27 billion. Gauteng continues to work with municipalities to strengthen revenue collection, improve financial controls and accelerate infrastructure investment.

“Infrastructure and service delivery interventions remain central to the turnaround programme. Municipalities continue implementing measures to reduce non-revenue water losses, improve maintenance expenditure and strengthen water management systems.

“New interventions aimed at reducing water losses, protecting infrastructure and improving service delivery outcomes continue to be prioritised under the Local Government Turnaround Strategy.

“The Gauteng Provincial Government maintains that the [LGTS] is not a once-off intervention, but an ongoing programme aimed at rebuilding municipal capability, strengthening accountability and improving service delivery outcomes.

“Through the… strategy, Gauteng continues to fix the basics while building smart cities of the future, anchored in integration, innovation, digital transformation and cooperative governance,” the department affirmed.

Speaking at a progress report briefing on municipal performance, Gauteng COGTA MEC Jacob Mamabolo reiterated the importance of working together to resolve challenges.

“What we are doing through our Intergovernmental Relations structures is precisely to ensure greater integration and coordination so that when we commit to resolving the 13 priority challenges identified by Premier Panyaza Lesufi during the State of the Province Address, we do so with clear programmes and interventions that deliver long-term solutions.

“I am encouraged that national, provincial and local government are increasingly recognising that we are stronger when we work together, and that blame-shifting or reacting to problems in isolation will not assist us in addressing the complex challenges that continue to hamper service delivery,” Mamabolo said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Como os campos offshore tradicionais do Congo estão a impulsionar uma nova recuperação da produção

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

A suposição de longa data de que as bacias offshore africanas estão a entrar num declínio irreversível está a ser ativamente contestada nas águas pouco profundas da República do Congo. À medida que as grandes empresas internacionais continuam a reequilibrar as suas carteiras no sentido da exploração em águas profundas e de alto impacto, uma nova classe de operadores independentes está a preencher a lacuna – captando valor não através da aquisição de novas áreas, mas sim através da otimização dos ativos existentes.

No centro desta mudança está a produtora independente Ammat Global Resources, cuja recuperação operacional dos campos offshore de Loango e Zatchi oferece um caso de estudo convincente em otimização de ativos maduros. Na sequência de recentes visitas técnicas ao terreno e aos locais offshore das principais licenças da empresa, a escala da intervenção em curso sinaliza uma clara ruptura com as abordagens convencionais de gestão da produção que historicamente têm sustentado os ativos offshore maduros.

Em vez de prosseguir com campanhas de exploração intensivas em capital, a Ammat centrou-se numa reabilitação de campo disciplinada e orientada para a tecnologia. A operadora implementou programas de workover direcionados, técnicas melhoradas de gestão de reservatórios e atualizações de infraestruturas concebidas para abrandar o declínio natural da produção. No centro deste esforço esteve a substituição de sistemas de bombagem obsoletos por modernas Bombas Elétricas Submersíveis, melhorando significativamente a eficiência de elevação e estabilizando a produção nos poços envelhecidos.

Igualmente importante tem sido a modernização da infraestrutura submarina que liga as plataformas periféricas ao centro de tratamento principal. Estas melhorias reduziram os estrangulamentos, melhoraram a garantia de fluxo e permitiram um rendimento mais consistente em todo o sistema. Em conjunto, estas intervenções proporcionaram um aumento de 75% na capacidade de produção, elevando a produção combinada de aproximadamente 4.000 barris por dia (bpd) para 7.000 bpd.

Esta reviravolta está estrategicamente alinhada com as prioridades nacionais. A República do Congo estabeleceu metas de produção ambiciosas, procurando reforçar a sua posição como produtor regional chave, e a produção otimizada dos campos existentes desempenhará um papel crítico na concretização desses objetivos.

Para além dos ganhos de produção, a abordagem da Ammat reflete uma evolução mais ampla no pensamento a montante: a integração da eficiência e da sustentabilidade no desenvolvimento de campos já explorados. No centro de Loango, o gás associado está a ser cada vez mais capturado e redirecionado para alimentar turbogeradores no local, reduzindo a dependência do gasóleo e mitigando a queima rotineira. Esta mudança para a utilização do gás não só reduz a intensidade das emissões, como também melhora a eficiência de custos em toda a base de ativos.

«O futuro energético de África não será construído exclusivamente com base em novas descobertas em bacias de fronteira», afirma NJ Ayuk, Presidente Executivo da Câmara Africana de Energia. «Será construído através do desbloqueio de todo o potencial dos ativos existentes — por meio da inovação, da eficiência e da participação ousada de empresas independentes africanas que compreendem que os campos maduros não são passivos, mas sim oportunidades à espera de serem otimizadas.»

Em todo o continente, os ativos offshore legados estão a ser cada vez mais alienados pelas grandes empresas internacionais, criando um inventário crescente de campos subotimizados. Para as empresas independentes africanas ágeis, isto representa uma oportunidade estrutural para adquirir ativos em produção a custos de entrada mais baixos e aumentar rapidamente o valor através de intervenções técnicas direcionadas.

A experiência da Ammat mostra que dar prioridade às operações de recuperação em detrimento da perfuração de exploração, e à eficiência das infraestruturas em detrimento dos gastos de expansão, pode melhorar significativamente a produção dos campos maduros. Na República do Congo, onde a produção de energia continua intimamente ligada à estabilidade fiscal e ao desempenho industrial, isto tem implicações claras. O crescimento do setor de exploração e produção de petróleo e gás em África não será impulsionado apenas pela exploração de fronteiras, mas cada vez mais pela eficácia com que os ativos produtores existentes são geridos e otimizados.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.

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