Category: Africa

Source: APO – Report:

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Nearly 1,000 people have been killed so far this year in Sudan while seeking health care or visiting loved ones in hospital, with attacks on hospitals nearly tripling after two years of conflict [1] and exacerbating a cholera outbreak, Save the Children said.

Save the Children analysis of attacks on healthcare as reported by the World Health Organization found that at least 933 people, including children, were killed in over 38 incidents in the first six months of 2025. This is nearly 60 times the number of deaths reported over the same period a year ago [2].

Over 148 people were injured in healthcare attacks in the first half of 2025, which is nearly triple the number of people injured over the same period last year.

The deadly attacks targeted clinics, health facilities, major hospitals, ambulances, and medical convoys while looting of warehouses housing drugs and medical supplies has put more people at risk in a country where half the population – 30.4 million people – are in need of humanitarian aid.

Save the Children said the number of attacks on healthcare has been high since conflict broke out in April 2023 but the spike in casualty numbers this year was alarming, with nearly four times more people killed than in 2023 and 2024 combined.

The latest attack on healthcare took place last week at Al-Mujlad Hospital in West Kordofan state and left over 40 people dead, including six children and five health workers, the WHO’s office in Sudan said. Dozens were also injured in the attack.

In January this year, at least one girl and three boys were reportedly killed and three boys injured in an attack on the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, in Sudan’s North Darfur. The children were among patients receiving care in the hospital’s emergency ward, being treated for injuries resulting from previous bombings in the area.

The attacks on healthcare facilities and workers have increased as the country is reeling from a spiralling cholera outbreak, with 80,000 confirmed cases including more than 1,000 children under five and more than 2,000 deaths nationwide since the outbreak was declared two months ago [3].

On top of direct attacks on hospitals, looting of medical supplies is further compounding the suffering for millions in Sudan. This has included the theft of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) – a crucial treatment for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition – from UNICEF’s supplies at Al Bashair Hospital in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, in March and Save the Children facilities.

Save the Children is urgently working to increase life-saving supplies, especially ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), a micronutrient-rich paste used to treat severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children—especially into Darfur. But RUTF stocks are already dangerously low, and Sudan is among the countries projected to face critical global supply chain gaps in the coming months due to aid cuts.

Francesco Lanino, Deputy Country Director of Programmes and Operations for Save the Children in Sudan, said:

“Healthcare workers should never have to worry about their safety while providing health services and patients should never have to look over their shoulders while seeking care in hospitals.

“The number of people killed and injured in direct attacks on healthcare this year is alarmingly too high and yet the biggest danger posed by these attacks is families and children opting not to seek services from hospitals when in need and turning to unsafe traditional means.

“We are concerned that in most cases, the hospitals that have come under fire also happen to be the only remaining hospitals in those areas, putting healthcare out of reach for millions including displaced people. With at least 80% of hospitals in Sudan decimated by the conflict, all efforts need to be taken to protect the few standing health facilities still providing services.”

Save the Children is urgently calling on the international community to redouble efforts to demand a ceasefire to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access and a drastic scale-up of humanitarian assistance. This includes securing safe passage for food, medical aid, commercial supplies, and critical nutrition interventions for children suffering from wasting especially in the Darfur region.

Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across Sudan providing health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods support. Save the Children is also supporting refugees from Sudan in Egypt and South Sudan.

– on behalf of Save the Children.

Source: APO – Report:

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President Wavel Ramkalawan presided over the swearing-in ceremony of His Lordship Mr. Andy Asba as Master of the Supreme Court of Seychelles at State House on Thursday morning. The appointment was made following recommendations by the Constitutional Appointments Authority, as provided for under Article 127 of the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles.

In the presence of family members and distinguished officials, His Lordship Asba took two solemn oaths: the Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution and the Judicial Oath.

During his address, President Ramkalawan congratulated Mr. Asba on his appointment and expressed great confidence in his ability to execute his duties with fairness and according to the rule of law. “It is a great honour and pride seeing another young Seychellois take on a professional position in our nation’s judicial system,” the President remarked. “The oath comes with responsibility. We are confident that with your experience and pure sense of justice, you will execute your duties with fairness.”

Mr. Andy brings 18 years of distinguished experience in law enforcement, legal practice, and judicial administration to his new role. Currently serving as Chief Magistrate of the Seychelles Judiciary since 2023, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to justice throughout his career.

Speaking to the national media, His Lordship Asba expressed profound joy, honour, and privilege at his appointment as Master of the Supreme Court. He described the appointment as a reflection of years of hard work, integrity, and commitment to justice. “The oath is a renewal of my commitment to defend the Constitution and serve the country by providing the public with the standard of service they rightfully expect,” he stated.

Present for the swearing-in ceremony was First Lady, Mrs. Linda Ramkalawan, Vice-President Ahmed Afif, Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Roger Mancienne, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Gervais Henrie, the Chief Justice, Justice Rony Govinden, President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Anthony Fernando, Judges of the the Supreme court of Seychelles, the Attorney General, Mr. Vinsent Perera and Members of Constitutional Appointments Authority.

– on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO – Report:

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To improve access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, including family planning and safe abortions, Zambia is training health workers in values clarification and attitude transformation (VCAT).  

Adolescents and young people often face barriers when seeking family planning services or safe abortions at health facilities. These barriers can be rooted in stigma and discrimination, which foster disapproval and negative perceptions against people seeking or providing these services.

VCAT is a process that helps health workers understand their core values and how those influence their decisions and behaviours. It involves examining one’s own beliefs, attitudes and assumptions and using that understanding to make more informed choices and take meaningful action. This process can lead to personal growth, improved decision-making and positive change.  

“In Zambia, deeply rooted cultural, religious and societal beliefs influence people’s views on SRHR, particularly on topics like abortion, contraception, adolescent sexuality and access to services,” says Dr Samson Chisele, Obstetrician-Gynaecologist at Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital and sexual and reproductive health and rights advocate.  

These values, attitudes and perceptions can also be held by community health assistants, who provide vital health information and deliver primary health services to communities.  

To better equip these frontline health providers, the Ministry of Health, with technical and financial support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, organized a four-day VCAT training in March 2025. This initiative brought together 30 participants, including community health assistants and provincial community health focal people from the 10 provinces in Zambia.

The primary goal of the training was to address personal biases that act as barriers to essential SRHR services, particularly safe abortion and family planning, including contraception.  

“During one session, we found that while most community health assistants were comfortable providing contraceptives to married people, they were reluctant to do so for adolescents,” says Dr Chisele, who led the facilitation of the workshop. “VCAT helped them separate personal beliefs from their professional duties, aligning their work with government policy.”

The comprehensive training programme provided accurate legal and medical information, addressed stigma and showcased personal stories that humanize young people’s experiences. It emphasized the principles of providing non-judgmental and empathetic care to adolescent girls and young women.  

Around 760 women in Zambia died during pregnancy or childbirth in 2024, according to the Ministry of Health’s Maternal and Perinatal Data Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) system. An estimated 5.1% of these deaths are attributed to unsafe abortion. This is despite provisions in Zambia’s 1972 Termination of Pregnancy Act: if the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman is at risk, or the health of the foetus is at risk, or under certain socio-economic conditions, abortion is permitted by law.  

Participants learned how to deliver safe, effective and client-centred abortion care, including comprehensive counselling and appropriate referrals, ultimately encouraging health clients to seek care without fear of misconceptions or stigma.

The basic elements of abortion-related counselling encompass pregnancy options, procedure options and ensuring the client’s ability to make voluntary, informed choice and provide consent after receiving this information.  

“My facility has two functioning youth-friendly corners which have helped the community and adolescents to access information, such as family planning methods available, who to get if from and where to find it,” says Hamatanga Gwangai, a health worker from Mululu rural health post in Chibombo, a town in the Central Province of Zambia. “We faced some resistance from parents but after sharing some experiences they agreed to allow their children to access these services.”  

A key component of the training involved encouraging health workers to reflect on their personal values and societal norms, fostering a deeper understanding of how these can impact care for health clients.

“VCAT has helped,” says Helen Mwape, a community health assistant from James Milambo Memorial Health Post in Lufwanyama District, in the country’s central Copperbelt Province.  “I received one adolescent for family planning and after asking where she got the information, she pointed one of the community-based volunteers… so it’s working.”

Following the training, participants’ primary role is to act as change agents within their communities, orient fellow health workers at their respective facilities and lead open discussions on family planning and abortion. Community health focal people from the Ministry of Health are expected to orient community health assistants in VCAT during their supervisory visits in their assigned provinces.

“Following my action plan, I have taken several steps,” says Danny Kasongo from Misenga rural health post in Mansa district of Luapula province, located in the northern part of the country. “I have oriented fellow staff on VCAT, conducted meetings with stakeholders, including the community, engaged community-based volunteers and created an adolescent safe space where sexual and reproductive health issues are discussed and services available.”

VCAT represents a cultural shift within Zambia’s health system. “WHO is proud to support this initiative,” says Dr Clement Peter Lasuba, WHO Representative in Zambia. “By targeting the root of stigma and empowering health providers, this programme is helping to ensure that no one is turned away or shamed when they seek care.”

According to Dr Chisele, VCAT needs to be integrated into health and education systems: nursing and medical schools, teacher training colleges and public service induction programmes. “We also need localized, co-created modules with local leaders and marginalized groups to ensure relevance. Digitizing and modernizing VCAT delivery could attract younger audiences and tech-savvy healthcare workers. In this way we ensure sustainability and longevity to truly transform service delivery,” he says.

– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Zambia.

Source: APO – Report:

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For many African nations, the challenge of energy access remains a significant barrier to development. However, a crucial conversation is gaining momentum: the pursuit of sustainable and reliable energy through nuclear power. Specifically, the focus is on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Micro Reactors (MRs), which are increasingly viewed as a viable and transformative solution for the continent’s energy needs..

However, transforming this potential into reality requires substantial capital investment and innovative financial approaches. This critical need was the main focus of the “Mobilizing Capital Investment” session at the recent Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa in Kigali, moderated by Andrew Mold, Director of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Eastern Africa.

Tesi Rusagara, Minister of State for Public Investments and Resource Mobilization, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rwanda, set the tone by emphasizing the evolving landscape of development finance. She highlighted Africa’s historical reliance on external, concessional financing, which is now reducing. This necessitates a strategic pivot towards leveraging domestic and regional financial resources.

Critically, the Minister advocated for “looking inwards.” She cited Rwanda’s rapidly growing financial sector, which accounts for 67% of its GDP. This sector, traditionally focused on government securities, must now innovate to finance long-term private infrastructure projects. By collaborating closely with domestic financial institutions and de-risking projects through public and development finance, Africa can tap into a vast pool of capital currently not flowing into essential projects.

The continent grapples with an estimated annual infrastructure financing gap of $100 billion (out of a total need of $170 billion, according to the African Development Bank). This challenge is amplified by a global climate of development finance pessimism, with significant declines projected in official development assistance.

Despite these hurdles, a shift is underway. Nations like Kenya and Rwanda are actively pursuing their first SMRs.The pressing question remains: how can Africa secure the long-term, affordable capital necessary for these capital-intensive and long-duration projects?

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting African countries in developing peaceful nuclear energy programmes, stressing that the continent must be fully integrated into the global shift toward low-emission energy sources.

Speaking at the Summit, Grossi said there is “nothing preventing Africa from claiming its place” in the evolving global energy landscape. He underscored that clean and reliable energy is no longer a luxury but a pressing necessity for the continent.

Mr. Stéphane Ouedraogo, Managing Partner, Stallion Capital Africa, addressed the task of financing projects with 60- to 80-year lifespans in the African context. He stressed the growing willingness of the World Bank to finance components of nuclear energy. This involvement, he noted, brings not only “new money” but, more importantly, “confidence,” given this institution’s rigorous due diligence on feasibility and security, coupled with its long-term, concessional rates.

The panel also included Mr. Ibrahim Diouf, Special Advisor to the President, West African Development Bank; Mr. Chris Opperman, Operating Partner for Africa & Middle East, C5 Capital; and Mr. Mansour Avaya, Co-founder and Chairman of Exxon, and CEO of Epox, who painted a clear picture: while significant financial challenges persist, a viable path forward for nuclear energy in Africa exists. It requires a multi-pronged approach encompassing the leveraging of international development finance for de-risking, reorienting domestic financial sectors towards long-term infrastructure, structuring innovative blended finance and PPPs, and strategically aligning nuclear projects with global climate goals.

Bridging the Skills Gap

Beyond capital, the session touched upon the vital role of human capital. The continent needs to cultivate the necessary skills to support a nuclear energy sector. The AfCFTA’s protocol on the free movement of people, which enables young Africans to study and work across member states, was highlighted as a valuable mechanism for addressing these skills gaps and fostering regional expertise.

The two-day summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and energy experts to explore the role of nuclear power in accelerating Africa’s energy transition and supporting sustainable development.

– on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).