FMD vaccine signals a turning point for SA agriculture
The Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen has described the arrival of the first batch of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines as a victory for the country’s agricultural sector and a major step towards reopening global red meat markets.
Steenhuisen officially received the first shipment of one million high-potency FMD vaccine doses at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday.
“This is a victory for everybody in South Africa who wants to see agriculture playing an even more important role than it currently does in terms of the economy,” the Minister said.
He noted that agricultural exports were up 7% quarter-on-quarter and 10% year-on-year, underscoring the sector’s growing contribution to economic growth and job creation.
“Agriculture provides an opportunity for us to employ more people, but also to grow our economy. And as we’ve seen with our fruit exports, the real value in that lies in being able to get our excellent products around the world.
“This small vial will be the beginning of us getting our red meat into markets around the world, and I’m very excited about that,” he said.
The vaccines, sourced from Argentine pharmaceutical company Biogénesis Bagó, are seen as a critical tool in South Africa’s fight against recurring FMD outbreaks, which have severely affected the red meat industry and led to the closure of key export markets.
For years, South Africa has grappled with FMD outbreaks that have restricted exports and placed strain on farmers. The Minister said the new vaccines will allow the country to move from reacting to outbreaks to proactively managing and ultimately eradicating the disease.
“These vaccines will give us an opportunity to get ahead of it. For far too long, far too many important markets have been closed to us because of our FMD status. This begins the pathway towards prosperity, opportunity and expansion and inclusion for many, many more people in the red meat sector in South Africa,” he said.
The shipment forms part of the Department of Agriculture’s new 10-Year Eradication Strategy aimed at securing “FMD-free status with vaccination” a critical requirement for regaining access to lucrative global markets.
The one million doses received mark the first phase of a broader rollout, with an additional five million doses expected to arrive in March.
South Africa has a national herd of over 14 million cattle, and government aims to vaccinate at least 80% by December.
“This is the first million batch. Now this is nowhere near as much as we need to be able to vaccinate 80% of the national herd by December, but there’s more on the way from Argentina and, of course, from other suppliers around the world,” Steenhuisen said.
He thanked the Argentinian government and industry partners for their support in reaching what he described as a milestone moment, highlighting collaboration between the state and private sector.
“At every sector and every step of the way, we have brought the private sector industry players and organisations along with us,” he said.
Steenhuisen also acknowledged the work of Department of Agriculture officials, including Director-General Mooketsa Ramasodi and senior veterinary and biosecurity experts including Dr Emily Mogajane and Dr Botlhe Modisane for their scientific and technical contributions.
Addressing farmers directly, the Minister said government understands the hardship many have endured due to recent outbreaks.
“To the farmers of South Africa, I want to say very clearly that help is on the way. We know that many of you have suffered tremendously over the last weeks and months, but we now have the tools that we need.”
The Minister expressed confidence that the vaccination programme will not only help curb the current outbreak but firmly place the country on a new trajectory for the red meat sector. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sarah Venter, Baobab Ecologist, University of the Witwatersrand
Baobabs aren’t supposed to fall. They can live for up to 2,500 years. Famous for their resilience, these huge trees have stood tall across Africa, weathering droughts and winds that flatten everything else.
A small population of 102 baobabs is also found in Oman on the south-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, where baobabs were introduced over 1,500 years ago by traders from Africa.
However, several baobabs have recently collapsed and died in Oman, not from disease, drought or old age, but from infestation by a beetle that has suddenly proven deadly to baobab trees – the mango stem-borer (Batocera rufomaculata).
One of the Oman baobabs killed by the beetle.Courtesy Sarah Venter
I’m a baobab ecologist who worked with two environmental scientists from Oman, Ali Salem Musallm Akaak and Mohammed Mubarak Suhail Akaak, to investigate how many trees had been infected by the beetle, how the infestation had affected the trees and how many had died as a result.
We surveyed 91 baobab trees in Oman and found that six had been killed by the beetle. A further 12 baobab trees were infested by the beetle’s larvae.
This is the first time that an insect has been found to kill adult baobab trees. The same beetle is known to damage and kill other species of trees.
The beetle could arrive on mainland Africa via shipping routes.TCA
Our findings have important implications for the conservation and management of baobabs throughout Africa. The mango-borer beetle has not been found in mainland Africa yet but it may become a new threat to baobabs if it disperses.
Our findings allow for early detection as well as research into effective ways to control the beetle before it spreads to Africa.
If the mango stem-borer were to reach mainland Africa, where the baobab is considered a keystone species, it could devastate both ecosystems and livelihoods. Baobabs have over 300 uses for people, including fibre made from the bark, food from the leaves and the fruit, which is harvested for its nutritious pulp and sold in local and global markets.
Meet the killer
Mango stem-borer beetle.Courtesy Sarah Venter.
The mango stem-borer is native to south-east Asia. Adults live for only two to three months, feeding on shoots and bark. During that time females can lay up to 200 eggs, cutting small slits in tree bark and sealing each egg inside.
The grubs or larvae spend almost a year hidden within the wood, tunnelling through the living tissue that carries water and nutrients. As they feed, they weaken the tree and eventually kill it.
This beetle has long been one of Asia’s most damaging fruit-tree pests. It attacks mango, jackfruit, mulberry and fig trees, often killing mature hosts. It spread to the Middle East, where it was first recorded in 1950 and has damaged fig plantations.
How the beetle infests and killed the Oman baobabs.Courtesy Sarah Venter.
In 2021, an adult baobab in Wadi Hinna, a semi-arid valley in Oman’s Dhofar Mountains, collapsed and died. When researchers examined the fallen trunk, they discovered it was infested by mango stem-borer larvae.
By 2025, seven baobabs had died, and many more were infected, confirming that a seemingly innocuous fruit-tree pest had found a new host.
The very qualities that make baobabs extraordinary survivors in dry climates also make them ideal nurseries for borer beetle larvae. Their stored water, soft trunks and nutrient rich tissue feed and protect larvae for nearly a year until they mature.
As the larvae feed, they hollow out the interior of the baobab, leaving the outer bark intact and the infestation hidden, until the stem suddenly collapses.
Battling the beetle
One of the six Omani baobabs killed by the beetle.Courtesy Sarah Venter.
When the first deaths were recorded, Oman’s Environment Authority launched an emergency control programme with help from local communities and researchers.
Infested trees were treated with systemic insecticides, larvae were manually removed from trunks, and light traps were set to attract and kill adult beetles at night. Tree stems were also coated with agricultural lime and fungicide to deter further egg-laying.
These actions seem to have slowed the outbreak, but they are labour-intensive and feasible only for a small area. Across a continent, such methods would be impossible to maintain.
In Asia, scientists have identified natural enemies of the mango stem-borer, including parasitic mites and nematodes. These could be used as the base of a long-term biological control strategy.
My research argues that using biological control to stop the beetle reproducing must be developed as a priority before infestations cross into Africa.
Preventing a spread to Africa
Adult beetles can fly up to 14 kilometres in a single night, and global trade makes it easy for insects to cross borders unnoticed, hidden in plants and ornamentals destined for the agriculture and garden sector.
The beetle already occurs on islands such as Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius. Baobab researchers do not know if the mango stem-borer has attacked the local baobab populations of Madagascar, where the trees are an indigenous plant.
How the beetle’s larvae attack the trees.Courtesy Sarah Venter.
Early detection and prevention are far cheaper, and far more effective, than trying to stop an outbreak once it begins. Stronger biosecurity inspections and other measures are needed at African ports and borders to stop the beetle crossing borders, particularly in shipments of wood and live plants.
Collaboration between research institutions, agricultural departments and the baobab industry will also help: sharing data, testing biological controls and setting up monitoring systems before further outbreaks occur.
A warning – and an opportunity
The death of baobabs in Oman is more than a localised problem. It’s a warning of what could happen elsewhere if the beetle spreads unchecked.
But it also offers a chance to prepare. If African countries act now, tightening biosecurity, supporting research and raising awareness, they can protect one of the continent’s most iconic and life-sustaining trees before this threat ever reaches African shores.
– Killer beetles in the baobabs: researcher warns of risk to African trees – https://theconversation.com/killer-beetles-in-the-baobabs-researcher-warns-of-risk-to-african-trees-275715
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Siviwe Malongweni, Research Scientist, Sol Plaatje University
Mesquite (Neltuma juliflora), a woody plant native to parts of South America, was introduced into South Africa’s drylands in the 1880s with good intentions.
Mesquite plant (leaves, thorns and seed pods)Author provided (no reuse)
Bringing it to South Africa was meant to stabilise soils, provide shade, and offer a source of fuelwood in some of the country’s most water-limited landscapes. But today, particularly in the Northern Cape province, it’s a clear example of how an introduced species can quietly transform ecosystems, livelihoods and local climates in ways that are difficult and costly to reverse.
Across the Northern Cape’s arid and semi-arid rangelands, mesquite has spread extensively along riverbanks, floodplains and grazing areas. Unlike many indigenous plants that lie dormant during dry periods, mesquite remains active year-round. Its deep root system allows it to extract water from far below the surface, steadily depleting soil moisture and groundwater reserves.
Municipal representatives inspecting an invaded site, where dense mesquite thickets dominate dry, barren soils.Author provided (no reuse)
I am an environmental and climate scientist in the Northern Cape, where agriculture contributes about 8% of the provincial GDP and employs roughly 16% of the workforce. My work focuses on addressing invasive species, land degradation and climate impacts to protect ecosystems, support rural livelihoods and strengthen the regional economy.
My team and I conducted research into the effect that invasive mesquite has had on the soils in this dry area of South Africa.
We found that mesquite drains moisture and nutrients from the soil, making it hard for other plants to grow. The dense roots and thick canopy also reduce water availability for livestock and people, while the soil becomes compacted and less fertile. All of this together makes farming much more difficult and threatens local livelihoods.
What the science shows
Our study compared soils from mesquite-invaded areas with those from nearby uninvaded rangelands. Our findings show striking differences.
In mesquite-dominated landscapes, soils tended to hold less moisture, had altered nutrient balances and displayed changes in physical structure compared with soils under native vegetation.
This may not sound dramatic at first, but soil moisture and nutrient balance are foundational to how ecosystems function. Soil that stays moist supports grass growth. Grass protects soil from erosion, feeds livestock, and keeps water in the landscape. When mesquite replaces grass with dense thickets, that entire cascade of benefits begins to unravel.
Mesquite roots dig deep and draw water year-round. Where native plants go dormant in dry seasons, mesquite continues to transpire (release water from its leaves), reducing soil moisture. Over time, this leads to drier soils that struggle to support the plants crucial for grazing and wildlife.
The outcome is a quieter, slower form of ecosystem change; one that doesn’t always show up in dramatic headlines but that steadily degrades land and undermines livelihoods dependent on healthy soil.
Soil and climate are intimately connected. Dryland systems like the Northern Cape are already vulnerable to climate change due to hotter temperatures, more erratic rainfall and longer droughts. In this context, invasive species with high drought tolerance gain an edge. Mesquite, which is native to Central and South America, thrives where native vegetation falters. But that advantage comes at a cost of reduced water availability for human consumption, agricultural use and wildlife, altered carbon cycles and increased land degradation.
Our team inspecting groundwater levels in Kalahari boreholes, where excessive mesquite water use (up to 7 litres a day per plant) has left most wells dried and water tables critically low.Author provided (no reuse)
For pastoralist communities and smallholder farmers, the effects are tangible. Our team carried out a skills assessment and facilitated workshops in collaboration with the Northern Cape provincial government and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and documented evidence of these impacts (it is not yet online).
Livestock grazing depends on grass cover. Our direct observations and assessments in the Northern Cape show that as mesquite thickets grow, grazing land shrinks. Farmers find themselves forced to reduce herd sizes or travel longer distances for forage. Over time, income declines, pressure on household food security increases, and people become more vulnerable to climatic and economic shocks.
The human dimension
The invasion of mesquite isn’t just an ecological problem; it’s a social one. Reduced grazing and degraded land translate into fewer resources for families that depend on livestock. In regions where economic opportunities are already limited, this can exacerbate inequality, increase rural poverty and push people towards unsustainable coping strategies.
In our ongoing research, communities across the Northern Cape have told us similar stories: land that used to support healthy herds now supports thorny thickets that livestock avoid; water points dry faster; and the rhythm of life shifts as people adapt to a changed landscape. These are not abstract scientific outcomes; they are lived experiences.
Yet, amid these challenges, there are also opportunities.
Repurposing pathways for mesquite
The same biological traits that make mesquite a problem can also be harnessed for benefit, if approached thoughtfully. Mesquite pods are rich in sugars and have been used as supplementary livestock feed in dry seasons. They could also potentially be used for flour and baking, natural sweeteners, coffee substitutes, snacks, and traditional medicine for regulating blood sugar. The wood is dense and burns hot, making it valuable for charcoal and energy. Craft industries can use mesquite timber for artisanal products, creating potential income streams for rural communities. Mesquite biomass can be processed into low-carbon, climate-adaptive building materials with a net negative carbon footprint, and into biochar that can be used to restore degraded soils after invasive species removal.
The key is to repurpose eradicated mesquite in support of ecological restoration. Overharvesting without a plan can worsen the situation if it encourages regrowth or fails to address underlying ecosystem changes. But when combined with targeted clearing and rehabilitation, utilisation can be part of a broader, sustainable strategy.
Clearing mesquite is possible, but expensive. Mechanical removal requires labour, machinery and follow-up work to prevent regrowth. If land is cleared but not rehabilitated, grasses and native vegetation may struggle to return because the soil has already changed. That means investment must be long-term, not just a one-off effort.
Our team delivered training to Kalahari (Northern Cape) communities, where locals highlighted the urgent problems of invasive mesquite, degraded land, water scarcity, and the need for government intervention.Author provided (no reuse)
South Africa needs an integrated approach that includes:
early detection and mapping
community-led clearing and rehabilitation, so that efforts are sustained and rooted in local knowledge
soil restoration efforts, reintroducing native grasses and shrubs
economic integration, developing value chains for mesquite products
climate-responsive planning and land management that improves water retention and soil health.
Mesquite invasion in the Northern Cape is more than a botanical curiosity. It is a transformation of land that affects soil, water, climate resilience and human wellbeing. The research on soil properties makes it clear that the impacts are real and measurable, but it also points to pathways for action.
– Invasive mesquite plants do more than deplete water reserves – new research in South Africa shows they damage soil too – https://theconversation.com/invasive-mesquite-plants-do-more-than-deplete-water-reserves-new-research-in-south-africa-shows-they-damage-soil-too-274126
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lyla Latif, Co-Founder & Research Lead, Committee on Fiscal Studies, University of Nairobi
Public finance, or how governments at all levels raise and allocate money, is in evidence everywhere you look. That pothole destroying your car. The health clinic without medicine. The dilapidated school. Public money is not government money. It is yours, writes Kenyan finance scholar Lyla Latif in her new book Governing Public Money. Drawing on a decade of experience across 32 countries, the author sets out what ails Africa’s public finances and what could change. The Conversation Africa asked her about the book’s main themes.
What prompted you to write this book?
Most books on public finance are written by men, from institutions in the global north, about systems designed in the global north. There is not a single comprehensive treatment of public finance law focused on Kenya or, for that matter, on any African country. I wanted to change that.
But the deeper motivation was a question that had been forming across more than a decade of working inside fiscal systems. As an international tax expert and scholar, I have spent years watching how public money actually moves: through revenue authorities and treasury departments, through regional customs unions and international treaty negotiations, through county governments and sovereign debt markets.
What struck me is that everyone assumes they know what public finance is. Fewer people understand how it is governed, and fewer still appreciate how profoundly interconnected its parts are. That interconnectedness is what the book’s 11 chapters try to capture. Revenue policy shapes debt sustainability. Debt sustainability constrains budgeting. Budgeting determines what devolution can deliver. Regional integration reshapes revenue options. International treaty regimes limit domestic policy space. Technology transforms administration. Corruption corrodes everything.
No single chapter can be understood in isolation, just as no fiscal challenge can be solved in isolation.
The final chapter examines Islamic public finance. Here, I discuss:
zakat, a mandatory wealth based contribution used to support social welfare
waqf, an endowment dedicated to public benefit such as education or health
sukuk, asset backed Islamic financial certificates often compared to bonds but structured without interest.
I argue that these are fiscal institutions within a legal tradition that colonial administration suppressed but never displaced. Writing that chapter felt like an act of intellectual justice.
What are the key messages on public finance?
The book opens with a memory. During the frequent power cuts of my childhood in Nairobi, my father would gather us around candles and draw. One evening he sketched a woman carrying water on her head and a child on her back, walking toward a distant horizon.
I did not then understand that the darkness itself was fiscal: the consequence of under-investment, deferred maintenance, and policy choices that left entire communities without reliable electricity. That image captures the book’s central argument. Public finance is not a technical subject confined to treasury officials and economists. It is the means through which societies either raise living standards or entrench dependence.
Every unbuilt school, every underfunded clinic, every collapsed road is a fiscal failure before it is anything else. And every act of governance, from defending a nation’s borders to delivering clean water, ultimately resolves into a fiscal question.
https://www.amazon.com/
The book argues that law does not merely regulate public finance; it constitutes it. The authority to tax, to borrow, to spend, and to hold officials accountable derives from legal instruments. Kenya’s 2010 constitution devotes an entire chapter to public finance, establishing principles of equity, transparency and public participation. These are not decorative provisions. They are the architecture through which fiscal power is authorised, constrained and contested.
Yet the book is equally insistent that legal frameworks do not determine outcomes. The gap between what constitutions promise and what citizens experience is shaped by political economy: by who holds power, whose interests prevail, and what international forces constrain domestic choices.
How is Africa disadvantaged in the international fiscal system?
Africa’s disadvantage is not accidental or temporary. It reflects a continuing structure shaped by history and reproduced through modern international rules. Colonial fiscal systems were designed for extraction, not development.
In Kenya, the Native Hut and Poll Tax Ordinance of 1910 compelled African populations into wage labour to meet obligations denominated in colonial currency. Revenue was directed towards the Uganda Railway and export corridors serving London rather than towards African education or health.
As Kenyan scholars George Ndege, Ahmed Mohiddin and I have documented, colonial administrations relied on indirect taxes that fell hardest on African populations. They directed expenditure towards export infrastructure serving metropolitan markets and concentrated authority in executive hands with minimal accountability.
Independence brought formal sovereignty but did not dismantle the international architecture within which African fiscal governance operates. Tax treaties, negotiated primarily among developed countries, allocate taxing rights in ways that systematically favour capital exporters. The status quo allows multinational enterprises to derive substantial income from African markets without triggering source country taxation.
Investment treaties expose African governments to billion dollar arbitration claims when they adjust fiscal policy. Trade agreements constrain tariff choices that might support industrial development. African countries have been positioned as passive recipients of rules rather than their authors. The frameworks that govern cross border taxation, sovereign debt restructuring and investment protection were designed in forums where African states had little or no voice.
For over 60 years, the rules governing cross border taxation have been written principally within the OECD, a body of wealthy capital-exporting states where African countries had no seat.
Thanks to African advocacy, a new UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation adopted in 2023 is changing that. The convention creates space for binding obligations on cross border services, digital economy taxation and illicit financial flows. These are areas where voluntary frameworks have consistently failed the continent.
This represents the most significant shift in international tax governance in decades.
African states are beginning to write rules rather than merely absorb them.
What could countries and citizens change?
The most consequential shift would be for African countries to look inward. That means confronting the revenue gap that defines African fiscal governance. The continent’s average tax-to-GDP ratio remains below 16%, well beneath what is needed to fund basic public goods without chronic dependence on external financing.
This requires building professionally independent revenue authorities, transparent public financial management, and the political will to tax wealth and rents that elite capture has long shielded. It also means developing indigenous fiscal scholarship rather than importing policy knowledge from Washington, Paris and Geneva.
Looking inward is not autarky, meaning a withdrawal into economic self sufficiency and disengagement from global exchange. Rather, it is about consolidating internal clarity and capacity so that engagement outward happens on African terms. My colleague Daniel Nuer, a senior official at the Ghana Revenue Authority, once said to me:
If Africa starts looking inward, every non-African state will be forced to comply with African approaches.
There is a quiet but powerful logic in that observation. When African countries strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, they reduce dependence on aid and on borrowing from international markets on terms set by creditors. When they build effective tax administrations, they create the institutional capacity that underpins state legitimacy.
When they coordinate regionally, such as through the East African Community or the African Continental Free Trade Area, they create the scale that individual economies cannot achieve alone. As African revenue systems become more effective, the current international architecture, built on the assumption that developing countries will remain rule takers, becomes unsustainable.
A continent that mobilises its own resources, governs its own debt, and taxes its own digital economy does not need to accept frameworks designed elsewhere for the benefit of others. That is not merely a hope. In 2024, African states voted for a multilateral tax convention over the opposition of the world’s wealthiest countries. The African Continental Free Trade Area is building the coordinated market that no single African economy can sustain alone.
But fiscal sovereignty does not emerge in ideal conditions. It must contend with structural pressures that continue to narrow policy space. Sovereign debt repayments are absorbing resources that should be financing development, while illicit financial flows drain more from the continent each year than it receives in aid. What is shaping Africa’s fiscal future, then, is not the abstract market logics often associated with Adam Smith, but deliberate political choices about how public money is governed and how power over it is exercised.
Consequently, citizens have a role that extends beyond compliance. The fiscal contract between state and citizen depends on both sides. Governments must mobilise resources equitably and deploy them transparently. Citizens must demand accountability and participate in the budget processes that constitutions – such as Kenya’s – now require.
Civil society organisations and investigative journalists have proven essential in exposing fiscal failures that formal institutions missed. The work ahead is neither simple nor quick. But the direction is clear. African fiscal governance must be built from African foundations, informed by African needs, and accountable to African citizens. That is what governing public money should mean.
– Africa’s public finances are in a mess: a new book explains why and what to do – https://theconversation.com/africas-public-finances-are-in-a-mess-a-new-book-explains-why-and-what-to-do-275761
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Lebanese Republic, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the State of Palestine, and the secretariats of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) express their strong condemnation and profound concern regarding the statements made by the United States Ambassador to Israel, in which he indicated that it would be acceptable for Israel to exercise control over territories belonging to Arab states, including the occupied West Bank.
They affirm their countries’ categorical rejection of such dangerous and inflammatory remarks, which constitute a flagrant violation of the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and pose a grave threat to the security and stability of the region.
The Ministries stress that these statements directly contradict the vision put forward by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, as well as the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, which are based on containing escalation and creating a political horizon for a comprehensive settlement that ensures the Palestinian people have their own independent state. They underscored that the plan is grounded in promoting tolerance and peaceful coexistence, and that remarks seeking to legitimize control over the lands of others undermine these objectives, fuel tensions, and constitute incitement rather than advancing peace.
The Ministries reaffirm that Israel has no sovereignty whatsoever over the Occupied Palestinian Territory or any other occupied Arab lands. They reiterated their firm rejection of any attempts to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip, their strong opposition to the expansion of settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and their categorical rejection of any threat to the sovereignty of Arab states.
They further warn that the continuation of Israel’s expansionist policies and unlawful measures will only inflame violence and conflict in the region and undermine the prospects for peace and called for an end to these incendiary statements. The Ministries underscored their countries’ steadfast commitment to the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent state along the lines of 4 June 1967, and the end of the occupation of all Arab lands.
The State of Qatar has announced a $1 billion contribution to support the work of the Middle East Peace Council, aimed at achieving a final resolution that meets Palestinian aspirations for an internationally recognized state while ensuring Israel’s security and regional integration.
The announcement was made by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani during the council’s inaugural meeting in Washington, chaired by HE President of the United States of America Donald Trump.
Addressing the council, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed Qatar’s appreciation for ongoing peace efforts and reiterated the country’s full commitment to the council. He noted that Qatar’s support dates back to the launch of mediation efforts and continued steadily through historic moments such as the signing of the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement with partners.
The duration of this conflict has cast a long shadow over the region and the world for decades, His Excellency said. “Our collective responsibility requires us to intensify efforts to reach a fair, comprehensive, and lasting settlement that ends suffering and ushers in a new era of stability and coexistence.”
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that under President Trump’s leadership, the council would continue implementing the 20-point plan on a clear timetable, ensuring justice and fairness for both Palestinians and Israelis and fostering mutual trust.
He also pledged that Qatar would continue coordinating humanitarian and development efforts with UN partners and the Peace Council to meet urgent needs, support recovery and reconstruction, and promote sustainable peace.
La Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) conduira une délégation de haut niveau en République bolivarienne du Venezuela du 22 au 26 février 2026 afin d’approfondir les relations bilatérales entre le Venezuela et l’Afrique dans le domaine du pétrole et du gaz.
En tant que membre honoraire de l’Organisation des producteurs africains de pétrole, le Venezuela a toujours soutenu l’Afrique dans ses efforts dans le domaine du pétrole et du gaz.
« Je suis honoré de me rendre au Venezuela pour promouvoir notre intérêt commun à faire de la pauvreté énergétique en Afrique une chose du passé. Les investisseurs africains dans le domaine de l’énergie joueront un rôle en collaborant avec leurs homologues vénézuéliens pour relancer l’industrie pétrolière au Venezuela », déclare NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de la Chambre africaine de l’énergie, ajoutant : « Je me réjouis de mener des discussions constructives avec nos amis et alliés au Venezuela afin de faire progresser notre intérêt mutuel à garantir la sécurité énergétique mondiale, les ajouts énergétiques et, surtout, l’amélioration de la qualité de vie grâce à la sécurité énergétique. »
La délégation rencontrera des représentants du gouvernement, des chefs d’entreprise et des acteurs du secteur de l’énergie afin de favoriser les relations commerciales bilatérales dans le domaine de l’énergie et les opportunités d’investissements énergétiques futurs.
Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) will lead a high-level delegation to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on 22 to 26 February, 2026 to deepen bilateral oil and gas ties between Venezuela and Africa.
As an honorary member of the African Petroleum Producers Association, Venezuela has consistently supported Africa in its oil and gas endeavors.
“I am honored to travel to Venezuela to promote our joint interest in making African energy poverty history. African energy investors will play a role working with their Venezuelan counterparts to rekindle the oil industry in Venezuela,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, adding “I look forward to working discussions with our friends and allies in Venezuela to advance our mutually beneficial interest in ensuring global energy security, energy additions and most importantly improving quality of life through energy security.”
The delegation will meet with government officials, business leaders and energy stakeholders to foster bilateral energy trade relations and opportunities for future energy investments.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
O EBITDA aumentou uns impressionantes 184% para 458,5 milhões de AED em 2025, acima dos 161,4 milhões de AED em 2024 – marcando o maior desempenho de EBITDA da empresa desde a listagem da ADX em 2022
As receitas aumentaram para um máximo histórico de 13,3 mil milhões de AED em 2025, contra 8,9 mil milhões de AED em 2024
O lucro líquido atingiu 227,6 milhões de AED em 2025, um aumento de 37% em relação ao ano anterior
Os volumes de transações de produtos de base aumentaram 73% em termos anuais para 14,2 milhões de toneladas métricas
O capital próprio total atingiu 1,4 mil milhões de AED em 2025, em comparação com 1,2 mil milhões de AED no ano anterior
O Conselho de Administração recomendou um dividendo em dinheiro de 40 milhões de AED para 2025
Invictus Investment Company PLC (ADX: INVICTUS) (http://InvictusInvestment.ae/), uma empresa agroalimentar líder no Médio Oriente e em África, publicou hoje os seus resultados financeiros auditados para os 12 meses findos em 31 de dezembro de 2025. A empresa apresentou o seu melhor desempenho em termos de EBITDA desde a sua listagem no ADX, registando um aumento recorde de 184% em termos anuais, para 458,5 milhões de AED – um aumento impulsionado pela integração de aquisições recentes, capacidades melhoradas da cadeia de fornecimento e eficiências operacionais melhoradas em toda a empresa.
Entretanto, as receitas aumentaram 49% para 13,3 mil milhões de AED em 2025, em comparação com 8,9 mil milhões de AED no ano anterior. Este forte desempenho das receitas ajudou a sustentar um aumento de 37% no lucro líquido para 227,6 milhões de AED, contra 166,3 milhões de AED em 2024, enquanto que a rendibilidade do capital próprio atingiu 18%, sublinhando o sucesso da empresa no aumento da rendibilidade, ao mesmo tempo que continua a expandir as suas operações nos principais mercados. Por sua vez, o Conselho de Administração recomendou um dividendo em dinheiro de 40 milhões de AED.
Os volumes de transações de produtos de base também atingiram níveis recorde, aumentando 73% para 14,2 milhões de toneladas métricas em 2025, contra 8,2 milhões de toneladas métricas em 2024. Ao mesmo tempo, o capital próprio total aumentou 17% em termos anuais para 1,4 mil milhões de AED em 2025 – um reflexo da melhoria da posição financeira da empresa à medida que continua a crescer.
O ano também foi marcado por um marco significativo no aumento da participação da IHC na Invictus Investment para 40% – evidenciando a confiança contínua na direção estratégica e na trajetória de crescimento da empresa. A transação envolveu a compra de 196 milhões de ações numa grande transação em bloco avaliada em 419,83 milhões. Paralelamente, a Invictus Investment tem vindo a desenvolver estruturas de financiamento de capitais próprios e de dívida, no âmbito de uma estratégia financeira diversificada e disciplinada. Recentemente, obteve um pacote de financiamento do Mauritius Commercial Bank Limited (MCB), estruturado como um financiamento de aquisição e uma facilidade de crédito rotativo para financiar o crescimento em novos mercados africanos.
A empresa continuou a concretizar a sua estratégia de crescimento em 2025 através de uma série de investimentos estratégicos. Entre estes, conta-se a aquisição da Merec Industries, a maior empresa de moagem de farinha de Moçambique, e a integração das suas operações, bem como um acordo para a aquisição de uma participação de 65,25% na Angata Limitada, uma empresa de mistura de adubos sediada em Angola, tendo a transação sido concluída em janeiro de 2026. Estes desenvolvimentos, juntamente com a consolidação operacional do líder marroquino do agronegócio Graderco, no qual a Invictus Investment adquiriu uma participação de 60% em 2024, reforçaram ainda mais as capacidades de abastecimento e transformação da empresa em toda a África. O Conselho de Administração aprovou igualmente a emissão de uma oferta vinculativa para a aquisição de uma participação maioritária numa empresa de produção agroalimentar com atividade principal no Norte de África.
Além disso, a Invictus Investment entrou em 10 novos mercados durante o ano, incluindo o Iraque, a Lituânia, os Camarões, o Gana, Madagáscar, a Libéria, a Mauritânia, a Nigéria, a África do Sul e o Zimbabué, elevando a sua presença global para 65 países. Esta evolução foi apoiada por um forte crescimento orgânico nos principais mercados, particularmente em África, onde a procura de produtos agroalimentares de base continua a ser forte. A carteira de produtos da empresa foi também alargada para mais de 30 categorias para satisfazer as necessidades em evolução da sua base de clientes global.
Comentando os resultados, Amir Daoud Abdellatif, Diretor Executivo da Invictus Investment, afirmou: “2025 foi um ano decisivo para a Invictus Investment, uma vez que registámos um crescimento significativo nos nossos principais indicadores, ao mesmo tempo que realizámos aquisições estratégicas que reforçaram bastante o nosso negócio. O maior voto de confiança para nós durante o ano veio com o aumento da participação da IHC na empresa para 40% – um desenvolvimento importante que valida a nossa jornada de crescimento até à data e dá o tom para a trajetória estratégica que temos pela frente. As nossas prioridades são claras e temos uma forte cadeia de atividades relacionada com oportunidades de investimento em ativos midstream e downstream nos nossos principais mercados. Tudo isto coloca-nos numa posição forte para continuarmos a expandir o negócio e a proporcionar valor acrescentado aos nossos acionistas, à medida que trabalhamos para o nosso objetivo de nos tornarmos uma empresa agroalimentar totalmente integrada e atingirmos 25 mil milhões de AED em receitas até 2028.”
Em termos dos seus compromissos de sustentabilidade, a Invictus Investment continua a desenvolver os progressos definidos no relatório ESG 2024, publicado em maio de 2025, em três pilares fundamentais: Gestão Ambiental, Capacitação Social e Governação Ética e Parcerias – prioridades que estão no bom caminho para se tornarem mais integradas em toda a empresa, incluindo nas entidades recentemente adquiridas pela empresa.
Olhando para o futuro, a Invictus Investment continua concentrada em promover a sua estratégia de crescimento a longo prazo através de investimentos direcionados para os principais mercados africanos, com ênfase no Norte de África e nos centros costeiros, ao mesmo tempo que avança com o seu objetivo de se tornar uma empresa agroalimentar totalmente integrada que contribui para a segurança alimentar na região.
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Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Invictus Investment Company PLC.
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Sobre a Invictus Investment:
Invictus Investment Company PLC (ADX: INVICTUS), criada em março de 2022 e com sede no Dubai, é uma holding líder especializada em produtos agroalimentares. Através da sua principal subsidiária, a Invictus Trading – fundada em 2014 – a empresa começou por oferecer serviços de aprovisionamento que forneciam matérias-primas e produtos acabados em toda a região MENA. Desde então, expandiu o seu modelo de negócio para incluir o comércio de cereais e a exportação de produtos de base, com uma carteira que abrange atualmente mais de 30 categorias de produtos, entre os quais cevada, milho, sésamo, soja, açúcar e trigo. Atualmente, a Invictus Investment opera em 65 países, com uma vasta rede de abastecimento e um foco nas aquisições midstream e downstream da cadeia de valor, com o objetivo de se tornar uma empresa agroalimentar totalmente integrada no Médio Oriente e em África.
L’EBE a augmenté de 184% pour s’établir à 458,5 millions AED en 2025, contre 161,4 millions AED en 2024, marquant la meilleure performance de BAIIA de l’entreprise depuis son entrée à l’ADX en 2022
Le chiffre d’affaires atteint un record historique pour s’établir à 13,3 milliards AED en 2025, contre 8,9 milliards AED en 2024
Le résultat net atteint 227,6 millions en 2025, soit une hausse de 37% en glissement annuel
Les volumes de transactions de matières premières ont augmenté de 73% en glissement annuel pour s’établir à 14,2 millions de tonnes métriques
Le total des fonds propres atteint 1,4 milliard AED en 2025, contre 1,2 milliard AED l’année précédente
Le conseil d’administration recommande un dividende en espèces de 40 millions AED pour 2025
Invictus Investment Company PLC (ADX : INVICTUS) (http://InvictusInvestment.ae/), entreprise agroalimentaire de premier plan au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique, publie aujourd’hui ses résultats financiers audités pour la période de 12 mois terminée le 31 décembre 2025. La société a réalisé sa meilleure performance d’excédent brut d’exploitation (EBE) depuis sa cotation sur l’ADX, enregistrant une hausse record de 184% en glissement annuel pour s’établir à 458,5 millions AED, augmentation tirée par l’intégration d’acquisitions récentes, le développement la présence le long de la chaîne de valeur et le renforcement de l’efficacité opérationnelle dans l’ensemble de l’activité.
Le chiffre d’affaires a quant à lui augmenté de 49% pour atteindre 13,3 milliards AED en 2025, contre 8,9 milliards AED l’année précédente. Cette solide performance a contribué à soutenir une augmentation de 37% du résultat net à 227,6 millions AED, contre 166,3 millions AED en 2024, tandis que le rendement des fonds propres a atteint 18%, démontrant l’amélioration de la rentabilité de l’entreprise ainsi que l’extension de ses activités sur les marchés clés. Le conseil d’administration recommande un dividende en espèces de 40 millions AED.
Les volumes de transactions de matières premières ont également atteint des niveaux sans précédent, passant de 8,2 millions de tonnes métriques en 2024 à 14,2 millions de tonnes métriques en 2025, soit une hausse de 73%. En parallèle, le total des fonds propres a augmenté de 17% en glissement annuel pour atteindre 1,4 milliard AED en 2025, ce qui reflète l’amélioration de la situation financière de l’entreprise au fur et à mesure de son expansion.
L’année a également été marquée par une évolution notable en voyant la participation d’IHC dans Invictus Investment passer à 40%, ce qui témoigne de la confiance renouvelée dans l’orientation stratégique et la trajectoire de croissance de l’entreprise. L’opération impliquait l’achat de 196 millions d’actions dans le cadre d’une importante opération de bloc évaluée à 419,83 millions. Parallèlement, Invictus Investment a fait progresser sa structure financière à la fois au niveau des fonds propres et de la dette dans le cadre d’une stratégie financière diversifiée et disciplinée. L’entreprise a récemment obtenu un financement de Mauritius Commercial Bank Limited (MCB), structuré comme un financement d’acquisition et une facilité de crédit renouvelable pour financer la croissance sur de nouveaux marchés africains.
La société a poursuivi sa stratégie de croissance en 2025 grâce à divers investissements stratégiques, notamment l’acquisition de Merec Industries, la plus grande minoterie mozambicaine , et l’intégration de ses activités, ainsi qu’un accord visant à acquérir une participation de 65,25% dans Angata Limitada, une société de mélange d’engrais basée en Angola, l’opération ayant été achevée en janvier 2026. Ces développements, ainsi que la consolidation opérationnelle du leader marocain du commerce agroalimentaire Graderco, dans lequel Invictus Investment a acquis une participation de 60% en 2024, ont encore renforcé les capacités de l’entreprise en Afrique. Le conseil a également approuvé l’émission d’une offre ferme d’acquisition d’une participation majoritaire dans une entreprise agroalimentaire dont l’activité principale est en Afrique du Nord.
En outre, Invictus Investment est entré dans dix nouveaux marchés au cours de l’année, à savoir l’Irak, la Lituanie, le Cameroun, le Ghana, Madagascar, le Libéria, la Mauritanie, le Nigeria, l’Afrique du Sud et le Zimbabwe, portant sa présence mondiale à 65 pays. Cette expansion a été soutenue par une forte croissance organique sur ses principaux marchés, en particulier en Afrique, où la demande de produits agroalimentaires de base continue à être forte. Le portefeuille de produits de l’entreprise a également été étendu à plus de 30 catégories afin de répondre à l’évolution des besoins de sa clientèle mondiale.
Amir Daoud Abdellatif, CEO d’Invictus Investment, déclare : « L’année 2025 a été une année déterminante pour Invictus Investment. Nous avons enregistré une croissance significative sur l’ensemble des indicateurs clés, tout en finalisant des acquisitions stratégiques qui ont fondamentalement renforcé nos activités. Le plus grand vote de confiance a été l’augmentation de la participation d’IHC dans l’entreprise à 40%, une évolution majeure qui valide notre parcours de croissance et donne le ton à notre future trajectoire stratégique. Nos priorités sont claires et nous disposons d’un solide portefeuille d’opportunités d’investissement dans les actifs intermédiaires et en aval sur nos principaux marchés. Nous avons toutes les cartes en main pour continuer à développer nos activités et à apporter une valeur ajoutée à nos actionnaires, alors que nous nous efforçons d’atteindre notre objectif de devenir une entreprise agroalimentaire pleinement intégrée et d’atteindre un chiffre d’affaires de 25 milliards AED à l’horizon 2028 ».
En ce qui concerne ses engagements en faveur de la durabilité, Invictus Investment continue de consolider les progrès réalisés (rapport ESG 2024, publié en mai 2025) en s’appuyant sur trois piliers : axe environnemental ; politique sociale ; et gouvernance éthique et partenariats. Ces priorités sont en voie d’intégration dans l’ensemble de l’activité, y compris au sein des entités nouvellement acquises de l’entreprise.
Pour l’avenir, Invictus Investment reste concentré sur la poursuite de sa stratégie de croissance à long terme grâce à des investissements ciblés sur les principaux marchés africains, en mettant l’accent sur l’Afrique du Nord et les nœuds côtiers, tout en poursuivant son objectif de devenir une entreprise agroalimentaire pleinement intégrée qui contribue à la sécurité alimentaire de la région.
À propos d’Invictus Investment :
Créé en mars 2022 et basé à Dubaï, Invictus Investment Company PLC (ADX : INVICTUS) est une holding de premier plan spécialisée dans les produits agroalimentaires. Par l’intermédiaire de sa principale filiale, Invictus Trading, créé en 2014, la société proposait initialement des services d’achat de matières premières et de produits finis dans toute la région MENA. L’entreprise a depuis élargi son modèle pour inclure le commerce des céréales et les exportations de produits de base avec un portefeuille qui couvre maintenant plus de 30 catégories de produits, dont l’orge, le maïs, le sésame, le soja, le sucre et le blé. Aujourd’hui, Invictus Investment opère dans 65 pays avec un vaste réseau d’approvisionnement et se concentre sur les acquisitions intermédiaires et en aval dans la chaîne de valeur, avec l’ambition de devenir une entreprise agroalimentaire entièrement intégrée au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique.
