Category: Africa

Source: APO

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Burundi is facing a growing humanitarian emergency as thousands of people fleeing violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to cross the border, placing increasing strain on health services and infrastructure in refugee-hosting communities.

Since late 2025, more than 100 000 people have arrived in Burundi, most of them women and children, escaping armed violence in South Kivu. Settled in camps, they require urgent assistance including health, food, shelter, safe water and sanitation as well as protection.

The situation is unfolding alongside other challenges affecting the country. Burundi continues to face food insecurity, climate-related displacement caused by floods and landslides, and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and mpox. Health facilities in affected districts are reporting rising consultations as they work to provide care for both displaced families and local communities.

“Burundi’s solidarity in hosting people fleeing crisis across the border is remarkable,” said Dr Marie Roseline Darnycka Belizaire, Emergencies Director at the World Health Organization (WHO)Regional Office for Africa. “WHO is supporting national authorities to expand health services and strengthen preparedness efforts.”

During a recent visit to Burundi, WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Mohamed Janabi met with the national authorities and partners to review the situation and reinforce support for the country’s health response.

At the Busuma refugee site, which hosts more than 75 000 refugees living in extremely difficult conditions, Dr Janabi witnessed firsthand the scale of humanitarian needs and the efforts underway to provide displaced families with essential health services.

“No family should be left without access to health care simply because they have been forced to flee their homes,” said Dr Janabi. “WHO remains committed to supporting Burundi to deliver lifesaving health services to refugees and host communities while strengthening preparedness for future health threats.”

To support the refugees and host communities, WHO has established a health post at the site and deployed mobile clinic services. Since its establishment, the facility has provided more than 16 000curative consultations, supported 78 safe deliveries, and vaccinated over 28 000 children against measles. Health teams have also provided mental health and psychosocial care and identified several cases of malnutrition, ensuring patients are referred for appropriate treatment.

These services are helping ensure that families who have fled violence receive timely care, including treatment for common illnesses, maternal health services, vaccination and mental health support.

WHO is also working closely with the Government of Burundi and partners to strengthen disease surveillance, vaccination and community engagement in areas affected by displacement and overcrowding.

During the visit, Dr Janabi met with His Excellency President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the President and expressed gratitude for the country’s generosity in hosting refugees and pledged solidarity with the government to address the health and humanitarian challenges.

Dr Janabi also met with the First Lady of Burundi, Her Excellency Angeline Ndayishimiye, to discuss collaboration between the Office of the First Lady and WHO on advancing national health priorities, particularly maternal and child health.

In discussion with the Minister of Public Health, Dr Lydwine Baradahana, Dr Janabi and his team committed to supporting the government to strengthen health services and responding to emergencies. WHO handed over 24 tonnes of essential medicines to support the cholera response, as well as three vehicles to reinforce emergency health response and improve service delivery in the affected areas.

As Burundi works to address the growing humanitarian and health needs, WHO and its partners remain committed to supporting the efforts to expand access to essential health services, prevent disease outbreaks and strengthen the resilience of the national health system.

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

Source: APO

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Five months on from opposition protests banned by the authorities that saw hundreds of people arrested, including pregnant women, some are still being held even though they had no involvement in the protests, while others have been convicted in unfair trials, Amnesty International said today.

In October 2025, a few days before the presidential election, hundreds of people, including protesters and passersby, were arrested during the crackdown on protests. Several of them have been convicted in unfair trials in which they were denied a lawyer. Dozens of others, including a pregnant woman, remain in pretrial detention, according to lawyers. 

“Today, five months after their arrest, people are still being held solely because they happened to be in the vicinity of the protests. The Ivorian authorities must order their release,” said Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

“According to our information, several of the prisoners detained since October 2025 have not been allowed to see family members or lawyers, and are not receiving adequate medical care. We are very concerned about the situation of three women who, despite being in the advanced stages of pregnancy, are being held at the Abidjan prison complex.”

Pregnant and held without cause for five months

Two of the pregnant women were convicted a few days after their arrest in October 2025 for ‘disturbing public order’, ‘participating in an unauthorized demonstration’, and ‘gathering on public roads’.

One of the women, a street seller and mother of four who is currently in the late stages of pregnancy, was arrested on 11 October while selling fruit juice near the site of a protest. She was sentenced on 16 October to three years in prison. Her family has been denied visitation rights. The second, a mother of five currently six months pregnant, was arrested on 11 October while in possession of a t-shirt bearing the colors of an opposition party, and sentenced on 22 October to the same punishment.

“These women were caught up in raids while going about their daily business. They are in an environment that is not conducive to a healthy pregnancy. They are severely affected both mentally and physically,” said their lawyer Sylvain Tapi. 

Both women have appealed their sentences and are awaiting the date of their appeal hearing.

A third woman, who is currently seven months pregnant, is being held in pretrial detention. She went out on 20 October to buy cookies and witnessed protesters fleeing from members of security forces. She took refuge in her home, where she was beaten and taken away by policemen, according to her relatives.

Right to a fair trial must be guaranteed

Amnesty International has documented the cases of two men arrested near the protests who were tried and sentenced to three years in prison a few days after their arrest without legal representation. Both men were arrested on their way to work.  One of them was searched and found to be carrying a membership card for an opposition party, according to his relatives who visit him in prison.

“In cases where offences have not been formally established, charges against prisoners must be dropped and they must be released immediately. Trials in the first instance and on appeal must be held as quickly as possible and with due regard for the rights of the defence. The Ivorian authorities also have the duty to ensure appropriate medical care for those detained, including prenatal care and facilitate family visits,” said Marceau Sivieude.

“The use of blanket bans on protests in October 2025 was a stark failure of the Ivorian authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, as stated by Amnesty International. We urge the Ivorian authorities to release all prisoners detained only for participating in peaceful protests.”

“Authorities must guarantee and ensure the human rights of everyone including the rights to liberty, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and uphold the country’s international human rights obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. They must also respect the Nelson Mandela Rules for the treatment of prisoners.”

Background

On 2 October 2025, a few weeks before the presidential election, the National Security Council banned gatherings and deployed 44,000 members of the security forces across the country. On the same day, the prefect of Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d’Ivoire, banned a peaceful gathering planned for 4 October by opposition parties to denounce the exclusion of two candidates from the presidential election.

On 11 October, groups of young people attempting to gather peacefully were dispersed with tear gas. Authorities reported 237 arrests in Abidjan and 18 in Dabou, about 50km from Abidjan, on that day.

On 12 October, two opposition parties called for daily demonstrations. On 16 October, the public prosecutor reported  the arrest of approximately 700 people. On the same day, around 50 people were sentenced to three years in prison for disturbing public order, among other charges.

Following the presidential election on 25 October, Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner in the first round.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

Source: APO

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ECOWAS Resident and Permanent Representatives, together with members of the Cabinet of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, are meeting in Lomé, Togo, from 9 to 13 March 2026 for a strategic retreat to review achievements and discuss future perspectives regarding their contributions to the implementation of the Commission’s 2022–2026 mandate.The retreat, which also brings together several outgoing representatives, provides an opportunity for dialogue and the exchange of experience between former and newly appointed ECOWAS Resident and Permanent Representatives serving across Member States.

As the primary interface between the ECOWAS Commission and Member States, ECOWAS Resident and Permanent Representations serve as key diplomatic, political and coordination mechanisms tasked with advancing the regional integration agenda. Recent political and institutional crises in some countries have nevertheless highlighted a number of constraints affecting the effectiveness of these representations. Key challenges include coordination difficulties, institutional ambiguities, limited communication and decision-making channels, and insufficient participation in early warning and crisis management mechanisms.

With the current mandate of the ECOWAS Commission set to conclude in July 2026, the retreat offers a strategic opportunity to review the achievements of the Resident and Permanent Representations since 2022, particularly in relation to the “4×4” strategic objectives covering peace, security, integration, governance and sustainable development, in line with the Community’s Vision 2050.

The retreat therefore serves as a platform for assessment, learning and strategic repositioning. Participants will conduct a comprehensive review of achievements, challenges and lessons learned from recent crises, while formulating recommendations aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and positioning of ECOWAS representations under the forthcoming mandate of the Commission. The discussions will also contribute to shaping inputs towards the Summit of the Future.

In her welcome remarks, H.E. Ms Dewey Emily Gray, ECOWAS Resident Representative in the Republic of Togo, emphasised the significance of convening the retreat at this particular moment for the Community. “Just a few months before the completion of the mandate of the current leadership of the Commission, this meeting provides a valuable opportunity to pause, collectively assess the progress made since 2022, and reflect on the perspectives that will further strengthen the effectiveness of our representations,” she stated.

Officially opening the retreat on behalf of H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, the Chief of Staff, Mr Abdou Kolley, underscored the central role played by the Resident and Permanent Representations since the beginning of the Commission’s current mandate. “You are the voice, the presence and the operational instrument through which ECOWAS engages on the ground to sustain partnerships, promote its regional priorities and strengthen the essential dialogue between the Commission and its Member States,” he noted. “This retreat therefore holds particular importance. It is not merely an evaluation exercise, but a strategic moment for recalibration,” Mr Abdou KOLLEY reminded the participants.

Operating under ECOWAS mandates (A/DEC.9/03/14, A/DEC.12/01/03 and C/REG.25/12/13), the representations support the Commission through coordination, advocacy, monitoring, awareness-raising and diplomatic engagement. In 2025, their efforts intensified through dialogue and visibility initiatives that supported the Golden Jubilee celebrations of ECOWAS, thereby reinforcing the Community’s institutional presence across Member States.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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When the rains arrive across much of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), farmers have only a short window to prepare their land. Miss that window, and yields fall. Harvest too late, and crops are lost. Across the region, these delays are common; not for lack of labour, but for lack of access to affordable and scale-appropriate machinery. At the same time, millions of young Africans are searching for decent work. 

This is the paradox shaping Africa’s agrifood system: the world’s youngest population farming with some of the least mechanized systems. Africa holds around half of the world’s arable land and also presents the largest yield gap. Approximately 65 percent of farm power in sub-Saharan Africa still comes from human labour, while engine power accounts for only about 10 percent. 

What if a key solution to youth unemployment can simultaneously tackle the farm productivity challenge? 

A triple-win solution 

At the first Africa Regional Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (ACSAM), held in Dar es Salaam in February 2026, policymakers, private sector actors and youth representatives converged around a growing consensus: Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM) must move beyond large equipment schemes and instead promote scale-appropriate machinery delivered through viable service businesses. 

SAM is applicable across all segments of value chains – from production to consumption – and covers technologies ranging from simple and basic hand tools to more sophisticated and motorized equipment. Scale-appropriate machinery includes two-wheel tractors, planters, threshers, small harvesters, irrigation pumps and post-harvest processing equipment adapted to smallholder systems. These technologies are more affordable, easier to maintain and better suited to fragmented landholdings. 

However, the opportunity lies not only in the machines themselves but also in who operates them. Under the hire services approach, young entrepreneurs invest in machinery and provide services – land preparation, planting, harvesting, shelling/threshing, drying or processing – to farmers on a fee-for-service basis.  

Farmers gain timely access to machinery without the burden of ownership. Youth gain a business model that does not depend on owning land. Governments advance food security goals without expanding costly and often underperforming tractor subsidy schemes. 

Why youth? 

SSA has the world’s youngest and fastest growing population which is projected to double by 2050. Millions of young people enter the labour market every year, with limited formal employment opportunities available. Agriculture remains the primary livelihood opportunity for the youth and is capable of absorbing labour at scale, but only if it becomes more productive and profitable. 

Mechanization services lower some of the barriers faced by youth seeking to enter the sector. These services do not require land ownership. They can be structured through leasing arrangements to lower upfront costs. They can integrate digital booking platforms to connect farmers and service providers. And they respond to a clear market demand: farmers need timely operations. 

Young people, often more comfortable with digital tools and innovation, are well positioned to lead this transformation. 

Gains for women and children 

Women play a central role in African agriculture, comprising 45 percent of farmers and 54 percent of those employed in off-farm agrifood systems. In some countries, women provide up to 80 percent of the total farm labour. For women farmers in particular, access to mechanized services can significantly reduce the time and physical effort required for activities such as land preparation, planting, harvesting and processing. This reduction in labour burden not only improves productivity but also frees time for other income-generating activities, education and household responsibilities. By reducing the need for labour-intensive farm tasks, mechanization services can also contribute to lowering the reliance on child labour in agriculture while supporting more productive and resilient rural livelihoods. 

Identifying the opportunities 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sees clear, practical entry points to accelerate youth engagement in sustainable agricultural mechanization.  

First, capacity-building that combines technical training with business development and mentorship. There is a need to support incubation, creation and acceleration of enterprises, based on robust appraisals of local opportunities.  

Second, affordable finance must be unlocked through innovative leasing models and risk-sharing partnerships which make scale-appropriate machinery accessible to young entrepreneurs. At the same time, digital tools that are creating jobs while transforming how mechanization services reach farmers must be replicated or scaled across rural Africa. Platforms such as Hello Tractor and Trotro Tractor demonstrate how such tools can increase equipment utilization, improve transparency and strengthen business viability. 

Expanding maintenance networks, spare parts supply chains, and local manufacturing and assembly capacity can boost sustainability, reduce downtime and create additional technical jobs. 

Finally, national mechanization policies must be aligned with continental frameworks advanced by the African Union Commission such as the Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa (F-SAMA). Policies must address systemic issues and create structured pathways to turn machinery into profitable, resilient businesses. 

A moment of opportunity 

Scale-appropriate mechanization is about more than higher yields. It reduces drudgery, cuts post-harvest losses, strengthens rural enterprises and builds resilience across agrifood systems. At a time when Africa’s youth population is rapidly expanding, this transition offers a powerful alignment of opportunity and necessity. With the right financing, skills development and enabling policies, young entrepreneurs can power a more productive, inclusive and food-secure future for the continent. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.