Africa – Page 184 – MIL Africa Engine

March 3, 2026

Warships as diplomats: how the South African Navy is tasked with building ties with other nations

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By André Wessels, Senior Professor (Emeritus) and Research Fellow, Department of History, University of the Free State

A naval exercise off the South African coast in January 2026, dubbed Will for Peace and involving the warships of South Africa, China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran, elicited international and domestic controversy. It also contributed to a further souring of relations between South Africa and the US.

Under pressure at home, South Africa’s defence ministry appointed a board of inquiry to investigate whether an instruction by President Cyril Ramaphosa not to involve Iran had been defied.

The exercise and its controversies have placed the spotlight on the South African Navy’s diplomatic role. André Wessels, who has extensively studied the history of the navy, unpacks this role.

What is the Will for Peace 2026 exercise and what is the controversy around it?

Navies traditionally take part in training exercises with other navies. This enhances interoperability and builds mutual trust.

Over time, many foreign warships have visited South African ports, including 23 in 1961, 50 in 1968 and 41 in 1973.

However, in reaction to South Africa’s domestic policy of apartheid, foreign warship visits almost dried up between 1977 and 1989. Once South Africa became a democracy in 1994, foreign warships poured back into the country’s ports, for example 35 from 15 countries in 1997.

New alliances allowed the country’s navy to take part in exercises with the navies of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, Germany, India and Brazil, and Russia and China.

The January 2026 exercise was branded as one of navies belonging to the expanded Brics intergovernmental organisation. But, strictly speaking, Brics+ is not a military alliance. It is significant that India, Brazil, Indonesia and Egypt, which are members, did not send ships to participate, probably so as not to offend the US. But it was the first-ever visit by a UAE warship to South Africa.

Iranian “grey diplomats” (a term used to describe navy warships) had previously visited South African ports in 1970, 1972, 1974, 1975, and in 2016-2017.

The current geopolitical situation is challenging. There are tensions between the US and Iran (for, among other reasons, the latter’s nuclear arms ambitions); the Russia-Ukraine war continues; and diplomatic relations between the US and South Africa are strained (partly because of the Trump administration’s unproven allegations of a white genocide in South Africa). Given this situation, the naval exercise should not have taken place.

South Africa should as far as possible stay neutral in international affairs to, among other things, safeguard its economic interests. Furthermore, its navy had very little to gain and can ill afford negative publicity, especially when it transpired that the government had apparently asked that Iran not participate. The facts in this regard, however, must still be determined by a government-appointed board of inquiry.

What role can and should a navy play in a country’s foreign policy?

The traditional exchange of diplomats between friendly countries, reciprocal visits by heads of states and cabinet ministers, and the holding of summit meetings are not the only means of strengthening relations between countries.

It has been, for example, the practice of seafaring countries to send warships to one another from time to time. The South African Navy is no exception.

Since 1922, South African warships have undertaken numerous flag-showing cruises (meaning diplomatic visits) to many countries. These visits have nothing to do with “gun-boat diplomacy”, which is diplomacy backed by the threat of military force.

Warships play a very important role in diplomacy. The presence of a warship can be the most tangible and visible sign of bilateral and multilateral friendships. When ships of a navy take part in combined exercises or international humanitarian and peacekeeping missions, those ships can generate mutual trust. The warships become diplomatic tools of the highest national value.

It is indeed one of the stated aims of the South African Navy: to conduct, among other things, assistance operations, including diplomatic support.

What phases can be identified in the navy’s diplomatic role?

In 1946, the South African Naval Forces were reconstituted as a permanent part of the Union Defence Force. In 1951, it became the South African Navy.

The period 1946 to 1973 was a phase of normal relations with most countries in the west. There were 37 flag-showing cruises. This included 16 visits to European colonial possessions in Africa, six transoceanic deployments (to South America, Europe and Australia), and visits to many ports during the delivery voyages of 26 new vessels for the navy.

Then followed a phase of growing isolation (1974-1979) because of the internal political situation in South Africa over apartheid. In these years the SA Navy only undertook four flag-showing cruises.

The 1980-1987 period was a phase of total isolation as far as foreign visits by South African warships were concerned. The navy was from time to time (since 1975) deployed in a supporting role for the other arms of the South African Defence Force during the Namibian War of Independence (1966-1989), a conflict that spilled over into Angola.

Then followed a transitional phase (1988-1993), with political negotiations taking place from 1990 onwards. Gradually, ports opened up and no fewer than 19 flag-showing cruises took place.

With the birth of a democratic South Africa in April 1994, the country was officially welcomed back as a respected member of the international community. Over a period of three years (1994-1996), South African warships visited at least 29 ports in at least 23 countries during eight flag-showing cruises.

So, after years of isolation, the navy played a major role in establishing ties of friendship. It also established several new ties with African, Asian and South American countries.

Unfortunately, in the years 2018 to 2025, not a single tailor-made South African Navy flag-showing cruise took place, mainly because of budgetary constraints.

However, in February 2026, the warship SAS Amatola sailed to India for an international fleet review and to participate in Exercise Milan, involving the Indian and other visiting navies.

What does the future hold for the navy’s ‘grey diplomats’?

The primary role of the navy must always be to conduct operations in defence of South Africa. But in times of peace, it has an equally important role to play. This includes search and rescue, relief operations, assistance to state authorities, regional assistance operations and flag-showing cruises.

A warship is both a reflection and projection of the state it represents. It is, therefore, important that the ships are not undersized or under-equipped. A South African warship is South African territory afloat, and its presence in foreign waters sends a signal of support to the country’s allies.

Hopefully the navy will in future have at its disposal the necessary funds – and ships – to meet all the demands of its mission statement.

– Warships as diplomats: how the South African Navy is tasked with building ties with other nations
– https://theconversation.com/warships-as-diplomats-how-the-south-african-navy-is-tasked-with-building-ties-with-other-nations-275830

March 3, 2026

Aliança das Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais Africanas (AAMFI) nomeia o Dr. Corneille Karekezi como Presidente enquanto a Aliança acolhe novos membros; Banco de Desenvolvimento da África Ocidental e Banco Regional de Desenvolvimento Marítimo

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

A Aliança das Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais Africanas (AAMFI) nomeou o Dr. Corneille Karekezi como Presidente do seu Conselho de Administração, sucedendo ao Sr. Samaila Zubairu, Presidente e Director Executivo da Sociedade Financeira Africana (AFC), que foi o segundo Presidente da Aliança desde a sua criação em 2024.

A nomeação foi confirmada durante a Nona Reunião do Conselho de Administração da AAMFI, realizada no dia 14 de Fevereiro de 2026, à margem da 39.ª Sessão Ordinária da Conferência dos Chefes de Estado e de Governo da União Africana (Cimeira da UA) em Adis Abeba, Etiópia.

O Dr. Karekezi desempenha actualmente as funções de Director-Geral do Grupo e Director Executivo da Sociedade Africana de Resseguros [African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re)]. Assume a liderança da AAMFI num momento crucial, em que as instituições financeiras multilaterais africanas aprofundam a colaboração para mobilizar capital a longo prazo, reforçar a arquitectura financeira do continente e promover soluções lideradas por África para os desafios do financiamento do desenvolvimento. Sob a sua liderança, a Aliança continuará a promover uma coordenação institucional mais forte, dando resposta às lacunas de financiamento e reforçando a voz de África nos debates sobre a reforma financeira global, em conformidade com a Agenda 2063.

Além disso, o Conselho de Administração confirmou os principais cargos de liderança, nomeando o Sr. Manuel Moses, Director Executivo da Companhia Africana de Seguros para o Desenvolvimento do Comércio e do Investimento [African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI)], como Primeiro Vice-Presidente, e o Sr. Thierno-Habib Hann, Director-Geral e Director Executivo do Banco de Desenvolvimento Shelter Afrique, como Segundo Vice-Presidente.

A reunião foi igualmente um marco no crescimento da AAMFI, com a admissão formal de dois novos membros: o Banco Regional de Desenvolvimento Marítimo (RMDB) e o Banco Oeste Africano de Desenvolvimento (BOAD). A sua admissão reforça o alcance regional da Aliança e expande a sua capacidade nas áreas marítima, de infra-estruturas, comércio e financiamento do desenvolvimento.

Reflectindo sobre o seu mandato, o Sr. Samaila Zubairu afirmou: “Foi uma honra ter exercido as funções do cargo de Presidente. Ao longo do último ano, concentramo-nos na criação de empregos, na transformação das indústrias e no reforço da colaboração entre as nossas instituições. Estou confiante que, sob a liderança do Dr. Corneille Karekezi, a AAMFI continuará a aprofundar o seu impacto e a promover as prioridades de desenvolvimento de África.”

Sobre a sua nomeação, o Dr. Corneille Karekezi afirmou: “É um privilégio liderar a AAMFI neste momento decisivo. O nosso foco será a mobilização de capital africano, o reforço da colaboração entre as nossas instituições e a garantia de que as prioridades de desenvolvimento de África sejam financiadas de forma a promover a Agenda 2063.”

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI).

Sobre a Aliança das Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais Africanas (AAMFI) ou Clube Africano:
A Aliança das Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais Africanas (AAMFI), conhecida igualmente como o Clube Africano, é uma aliança de Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais Africanas (AMFIs) detidas e controladas por africanos. Foi criada para promover a colaboração, cooperação e coordenação entre os seus membros, em apoio aos objectivos de desenvolvimento económico sustentável e integração de África, em conformidade com os seus respectivos mandatos.

A Aliança foi lançada em colaboração com a Comissão da União Africana pelos Chefes de Estado africanos à margem da 37.ª Sessão Ordinária da Conferência dos Chefes de Estado e de Governo da União Africana, a 17 de Fevereiro de 2024, em Adis Abeba, Etiópia.

Os membros da AAMFI incluem a Sociedade Financeira Africana (AFC); o Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank); o Grupo Banco de Comércio e Desenvolvimento (TDB Group); a Sociedade Africana de Resseguros (Africa Re); a Companhia Africana de Seguros para o Desenvolvimento do Comércio e do Investimento (ATIDI); o Banco de Desenvolvimento Shelter Afrique (SHAFDB); a ZEP-RE (Companhia de Resseguros PTA); o Banco de Desenvolvimento da África Oriental (EADB); o Fundo Africano de Solidariedade (ASF); e o Fundo para o Desenvolvimento das Exportações em África (FEDA). Os novos membros incluem o Banco Regional de Desenvolvimento Marítimo (RMDB) e o Banco de Desenvolvimento da África Ocidental (BOAD).

Os membros da AAMFI têm vindo a amadurecer ao longo de várias décadas e, em conjunto, controlam um saldo superior a 70 mil milhões de dólares americanos, utilizado para responder às lacunas críticas de África em matéria de comércio, investimento, seguros e financiamento do desenvolvimento. A formação da Aliança sublinha o compromisso comum dos seus membros em apoiar a auto-suficiência e o desenvolvimento económico sustentável de África, tirando partido das instituições africanas, das soluções locais e da acção coordenada.

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March 3, 2026

What is happiness? A philosopher looks for answers

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anné H. Verhoef, Professor in Philosophy, North-West University

When we seek happiness, what exactly are we searching for? And when we wish happiness on someone else, what is it that we truly desire for them?

Can happiness even be defined or is it an illusion, an impossible desire to fulfil? So then why are there so many happiness self-help books? What do they promise and can they be attained? Is it possible to measure happiness? If so, how do ordinary people and scientists do that?

To answer these questions, I explored different definitions of happiness in my book Happiness, Unhappiness, and Chance. The book is based on my PhD study in philosophy.

Bloomsbury

Happiness today is narrowly defined by some positive psychologists as a joyous state of mind or well-being.

The happiness sciences see it as something you can calculate and quantify. They developed a Happiness Index and the World Happiness Report. These basically measure happiness as satisfaction, with criteria like gross domestic product per capita (money) and life expectancy (health) as some of the factors considered.

But happiness is also defined by our capitalist, consumer-driven society as certain aspirational products, brands and lifestyles. These consumerist definitions are often exaggerated by influencers on social media, but also through the manipulation of consumers by the online algorithms behind the digital tools we use. Increasingly, this also happens through artificial intelligence.

All these different definitions of happiness create their own problem for happiness. In fact they can lead to more unhappiness than happiness.

Joy and pleasure are often short-lived and unsustainable; well-being can quickly be ruined by illness and fate; owning certain brands, products and lifestyles exposes us to the trap of the “hedonistic treadmill,” which causes one “to rapidly and inevitably adapt to good things by taking them for granted”.

Happiness that’s reduced to a single and simple definition does not consider the complexity of being human, of the societies we live in, and the fragile relationship we have with the environment.

My book searches for a more inclusive and encompassing definition of happiness. A happiness that is more than just joy or well-being, more than an ethical or good life. More than just good and meaningful human relationships. More than just luck, the absence of pain or a by-product of consumption. More than just a meaningful, fulfilled and content life.

I wanted to find out if a better understanding of happiness can be formed and actually achieved. One that considers all cultures and also factors like justice and caring for each other and the environment.

Can this kind of understanding of happiness, I wondered, not be a powerful motivation to live and work for a better future for all?

Consumerism

To explore the potential of such a philosophical understanding of happiness, we first need to understand why the current dominant definitions of happiness don’t work anymore.

Today, consumerism and capitalism are the forces behind the digital technologies that manipulate our understanding of happiness. Consumerism, with its “you-must-have-this-or-that-to-be-happy” approach, became so powerfully enforced through today’s digital platforms that it became a question of whether we can still envision, hope, and live for something more than what the algorithmic ecologies we live in present to us.

Happiness sciences

Happiness sciences, as the power behind happiness within our contemporary global happiness culture, proclaim that happiness is something one must work for and must achieve. Happiness itself is becoming so all-consuming that it is like a new religion. US historian Darrin McMahon describes the situation thus:

At the dawn of the modern age, God was happiness; happiness has since become our God.

Consequently, happiness becomes and remains an exhausting and impossible task which paradoxically makes one more unhappy. In this process people give up on happiness and may even become cynical due to this impossible pressure to be happy in a certain way.

Religion

Globally, the strongest power behind certain forms of happiness, especially as “true and eternal” happiness, is religion.

The type of happiness some religions offer is one where the ideal is that unhappiness should be overcome or will be in an afterlife. Some religions teach that true happiness can only be achieved in the afterlife, in heaven or nirvana, for example. They proclaim it is impossible to find true happiness in this world, or in the here and now.

It is a happiness where this life is not fully affirmed because happiness can’t be attained. It is still to come. In effect it is not only giving up on the possibility of happiness, but on “true” goodness and beauty in daily life.

Philosophy

As alternative to these problematic understandings of happiness, and the different driving forces behind them, I used well-known French philosopher Paul Ricoeur’s thinking to guide me. He argued that happiness should and could not be defined as the overcoming of unhappiness. Such an attempt will always be futile. It denies unhappiness as part of the fundamental reality and fullness of life, and leaves us with an impossible and unhappy task. Happiness and unhappiness are always in relation to each other, and the one does not mean the annihilation of the other.

Secondly, the relationship between happiness and unhappiness is situated within our fragile ability to work for happiness. Yet, at the same time, to be aware that receiving happiness is not just hard work but can be a result of chance. Unhappiness can be in the form of unexpected tragedy.

The tension between striving for happiness and receiving happiness unexpectedly should remain. We should continue to work at contributing to our own and others’ happiness. But if we try to always be in control we will become exhausted. So we should also keep on allowing space for chance – as luck and tragedy – in our lives.

Why this matters

The ability to think and dream again about a different kind of happiness, one that is connected to our lives (not the technological world of the present), our desires (not those manipulated by consumerism), and the needs of the world – which includes unhappiness and injustice – has become increasingly important today.

We need better definitions of happiness in a world where the term is constantly corrupted and used by consumerism, politicians, prosperity evangelicals, the self-help industry, and in algorithmic technologies.

Such happiness should be able to affirm our lives, here and now. Such affirmation will become more important as our lives are more manipulated and controlled by technology and consumerism.

I argue in my study that this affirmation of life allows for a happiness that can include and respond to unhappiness and chance. Life itself is one thing we should not give up on; otherwise, happiness will also become irrelevant.

– What is happiness? A philosopher looks for answers
– https://theconversation.com/what-is-happiness-a-philosopher-looks-for-answers-276091

March 3, 2026

Seychelles: Ambassador Cillia Mangroo presents credentials to the President of the Swiss Confederation

Source: APO – Report:

On 26 February 2026, Ambassador Cillia Ardyna Mangroo presented her Credentials to President of the Swiss Confederation, H.E. Mr. Guy Parmelin at the Federal Palace in Bern, Switzerland.

On this occasion, Ambassador Mangroo conveyed the best wishes of President Dr. Patrick Herminie to President Parmelin and highlighted that the establishment of a resident permanent representative to Switzerland is a significant step towards deepening the engagement between the two countries, as well as extending current and future opportunities.

She further noted the alignment of the two countries’ priorities regarding the environment and its importance to tourism, and extended her Government’s thanks the Swiss Confederation for the assistance provided to the Seychelles over the years, including funding the expansion of the Commonwealth Small States Offices in Geneva which will house the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Seychelles to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva upon its completion.

In his remarks, President Parmelin acknowledged Seychelles’ significant efforts as pioneers in the Blue Economy and shared Switzerland’s readiness to collaborate in this area. He shared the importance Switzerland places on education, echoing Ambassador Mangroo’s ambitions for cooperation between the two countries, especially in areas where the Swiss education systems can be used as a model to draw from.

Ambassador Mangroo reaffirmed Seychelles’ commitment to constructive dialogue and meaningful collaboration with the Swiss Confederation.

– on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Republic of Seychelles.

March 3, 2026

The Department of Human Development and Social Affairs Organises a High-Level Dialogue on the Future of Women and Youth in the Region

Source: APO – Report:

The Department of Human Development and Social Affairs Organises a High-Level Dialogue on the Future of Women and Youth in the Region in Governance, Peace, Security and Regional Integration.

The Department of Human Development and Social Affairs (DHAS), through the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG), is organising a high-level consultative dialogue on the theme “Women and young people in governance, peace, security and regional integration”, from 2 to 4 March 2026 in Saly-Portudal, Republic of Senegal. The objective of this meeting is to generate discussions on the best strategies for mobilising and promoting the role of women and young people in peace, security and the economic and social integration of ECOWAS.

This dialogue is part of the overall celebration of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary through the initiative known as the ‘Summit on the Future of West Africa’ and is supported by several ECOWAS departments and institutions.

This initiative has the support and participation of several technical partners, experts and regional civil society organisations working in the field of gender and youth promotion, including the Ford Foundation, the World Bank, GIZ, the UN, the EU, the ILO, IC-MPD, AFBD, the Spanish Government, KAIPTC, FBA and bilateral donors.

This consultative dialogue stems from the observation that women and young people make a low contribution to the development dynamics of the ECOWAS region despite their significant demographic weight (66% young people and 52% women). Based on the evidence that there is a correlation between a country’s human capital development (HCD) performance and its development, this dialogue aims to examine the key issues that influence the achievement of the objectives of Pillar 5 of VISION 2050, which aims to make ECOWAS a community of peoples that is fully inclusive of women, young people and children.

The challenge of organising this consultative dialogue is to rethink governance around the emergence of a new citizenship that values community life, the repositioning of the role of women and young people in responding to identity crises, and a policy of economic and social inclusion and protection that takes into account the needs of women, children, families, displaced persons, refugees and persons with disabilities.

The opening ceremony of the meeting featured two speeches. In her welcome address, the ECOWAS Resident Representative in the Republic of Senegal, Her Excellency Ms Zelma Yollande NOBRE FASSINOU, emphasised that this consultation marks a turning point in the Community’s journey as part of the celebrations of ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary, providing an opportunity to take a critical and constructive look at the future of the region.

She reiterated ECOWAS’ commitment to promoting the contribution and crucial role played by women and young people in West Africa. ‘Your contributions will be presented to ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to support our ambition to build a fully integrated West African region where women and young people are promoted to a peaceful, integrated, inclusive and discrimination-free environment and benefit from the rights and opportunities offered by this great Community of destiny,’ she told the assembled experts.

In officially opening the proceedings, the Honourable Commissioner Prof. Fatou SOW SARR emphasised that the challenge of this consultative dialogue is to move beyond preconceived ideas and outdated certainties and confront them with the cutting-edge knowledge possessed by the experts present. She stated that today’s meeting aims to project current trends into the future in order to identify opportunities and, above all, future risks. ‘Together, during these proceedings, let us aspire to make this summit the starting point for a new dynamic,’ concluded Prof. Fatou SOW SARR.

As a reminder, this consultative dialogue is part of the preparations for the Summit on the Future of West Africa, which aims to take gender issues into account in policies and translate them into concrete programmes in our member states of the Community.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

March 3, 2026

Sierra Leone surpasses Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign targets, closes gap on cervical cancer elimination

Source: APO – Report:

Sierra Leone has scored a major public health milestone by exceeding national targets in a recent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, helping to accelerate progress towards eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030.

The campaign, using a multi-age cohort strategy, targeted adolescent girls across a wider age range rather than a single age, aiming to rapidly increase population immunity, reduce cervical cancer cases and bridge immunity gaps.

Led by the government, with technical support from World Health Organization (WHO) and in collaboration with UNICEF, UNFPA, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and other partners, the national campaign vaccinated more than 1 million girls, achieving 116% coverage against an initial target of around 868 300 girls. For the first time, age eligibility was expanded to girls aged 11 to 18 years.

For the girls, the impact is deeply personal. “Taking the HPV vaccine makes me feel protected and hopeful. I want to grow up healthy, finish my education, and become someone who helps my family and my country,” says Grace Lamin*, a student from St. Joseph’s Convent Secondary School in Freetown.

The week-long campaign, officially launched at Lamin’s school in November 2025, built on the introduction of HPV vaccination into routine immunization in 2022 and was implemented as part of an integrated national strategy that combines vaccination, expanded screening and timely treatment services. The launch coincided with the first-ever global commemoration of World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day, designated during the 78th World Health Assembly earlier that year.

At the launch, the Minister of Health, Dr Austin Demby, called on families and communities to act collectively, stating, “we all have a responsibility to protect the women and girls in our homes and communities.”

Cervical cancer is preventable by vaccine yet remains the deadliest cancer affecting women in Sierra Leone. It is the second most common cancer among women aged 15‒49 in the country, with more than 500 new cases and nearly 370 deaths recorded annually.

Results from the concluded campaign demonstrate both scale and equity. Of the more than 1 million girls vaccinated across the country, 66% attend school and 34% were out of school, reflecting deliberate efforts to reach the most vulnerable. Of those vaccinated, 64% of schoolgirls and 53% of out-of-school girls received the HPV vaccine for the first time.

Safety monitoring remained robust throughout implementation. A total of 514 adverse events following immunization were reported, with only two classified as serious, all of which were promptly investigated and managed. Vaccine utilization reached 107%, underscoring efficient deployment and strong demand.

WHO provided key technical expertise to the campaign, supporting microplanning, training health workers, strengthening safety surveillance and ensuring quality and equity across all districts.

The Ministry of Health first piloted the HPV vaccine in 2013 in Bo District, with plans for nationwide rollout. However, the effort was disrupted by the 2014 Ebola outbreak and later by the COVID 19 pandemic, delaying expansion for several years. A limited national rollout was eventually conducted in 2022, targeting only 10 year old girls.

In 2023, the government, supported by WHO, Gavi, UNICEF and other partners, introduced the National Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy to intensify prevention efforts.

With vaccination coverage now exceeding 70%, Sierra Leone is advancing steadily toward the global cervical cancer elimination targets, which are: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15; 70% of women screened for cervical cancer using high-performance tests by 35 and again by 45 years of age; and 90% of women identified with cervical disease receiving treatment by 2030.

“The successful conclusion of the HPV campaign demonstrates what coordinated leadership, community trust and strong partnerships can achieve,” says Dr George Ameh, WHO Representative in Sierra Leone. “With sustained investment and continued integration, Sierra Leone is making tangible progress toward achieving the goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030.”

– on behalf of World Health Organization – Sierra Leone.

March 3, 2026

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Strengthens Regional Statistical Systems Through Five Technical Workshops in Abidjan

Source: APO – Report:

From 2 to 6 March 2026, Côte d’Ivoire is hosting a high-level regional consultation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), providing a strategic and inclusive platform for reflection on the future of the Community. This important dialogue will inform the upcoming Special Summit of Heads of State and Government dedicated to shaping the future direction of ECOWAS.

On the sidelines of this major regional event, the Research and Statistics Directorate of the Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission is organizing five regional technical workshops in Abidjan from 2 to 13 March 2026. These workshops are being held within the framework of ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the Harmonization and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa Project (PHASAOC), funded by the World Bank. Their objective is to strengthen the harmonization, modernization, and overall performance of national statistical systems across Member States.

The official launch ceremony took place on Monday, 2 March 2026, and set the tone for two weeks of technical engagement focused on innovation, regional cooperation, and statistical excellence. The ceremony was presided over by H.E. Adama Dosso, Deputy Minister to the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in charge of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad. He was joined by Dr. Kalilou Sylla, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission; Prof. KOUAKOU Kouadio Clément, Deputy Chief of Staff, representing H.E. Souleymane Diarrassouba, Minister of Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire; H.E. Fathmah Diarre-Diop, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire (ad interim); Prof. Félix N’Zué, ECOWAS Director of Research and Statistics (ad interim); as well as experts from Member States and regional institutions.

In his opening address, Minister Adama Dosso emphasized the strategic importance of reliable, up-to-date, and harmonized statistics for effective national planning and evidence-based public policy implementation. He highlighted the central role of high-quality data in driving the structural transformation of African economies and achieving sustainable development objectives.

For his part, Commissioner Dr. Kalilou Sylla reaffirmed ECOWAS’ strong commitment to modernizing national statistical systems in alignment with Vision 2050. He underscored the importance of regional methodological harmonization, greater use of innovative data sources, and strengthened cooperation among Member States to build an integrated, resilient, and results-oriented statistical ecosystem. He commended the continued professionalism and collaboration of National Statistical Institutes, noting that their engagement in implementing harmonization programmes forms the foundation of the region’s ambition for deeper statistical integration.

The first workshop focuses on strengthening national capacities in demographic projections. Participants are reviewing recent methodological developments, sharing country experiences, and engaging in practical exercises on developing assumptions and producing population projections. The session also reinforces mechanisms for regional collaboration and coordination in demographic analysis.

The second workshop is dedicated to the implementation of the methodological guide for the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), with particular emphasis on sampling techniques. The objective is to ensure that consumer price indices produced by Member States are reliable, comparable, and fully aligned with regionally agreed standards.

The third workshop centers on experience-sharing related to the Open Data Platform version 2 (ODP2) and the Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) standard. It provides an opportunity to present lessons from the most advanced countries, strengthen capacities in SDMX data modeling, identify a regional model for data ingestion, management, and dissemination, and address key issues related to interoperability, security, and confidentiality. This session also consolidates collaboration with the African Development Bank as part of ongoing efforts to support the digital transformation of statistical systems and promote open access to public data.

The fourth workshop brings together the Technical Working Group responsible for reviewing and finalizing the harmonized methodology for calculating the Construction Materials Index (CMI). Experts are conducting a detailed technical review of the methodology, finalizing the nomenclature of materials, validating calculation formulas, and defining practical modalities for implementation across Member States.

The fifth workshop explores the use of mobile phone data, specifically Detailed Call Records (DCR), for statistical purposes. Discussions focus on developing methodologies for producing key indicators, strengthening legal and ethical frameworks governing data use, and establishing a regional technical framework to enhance collaboration between National Statistical Institutes, telecommunications operators, and regional institutions. This initiative aims to modernize data production, dissemination, and interoperability across the region.

Through the organization of these five technical workshops, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the technical capacities of Member States, harmonizing statistical methodologies, modernizing information systems, improving access to and dissemination of data, and building an integrated and efficient regional data ecosystem.

These technical engagements represent a significant step toward consolidating a robust regional statistical system capable of effectively supporting public decision-making, development planning, and the monitoring of regional and international commitments, including National Development Plans, ECOWAS Vision 2050, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

March 3, 2026

President Ramaphosa lauds eThekwini for early recovery

Source: Government of South Africa

President Ramaphosa lauds eThekwini for early recovery

President Cyril Ramaphosa says eThekwini has moved from the brink of decline to early recovery but warned that stabilisation must now give way to structural economic reform if the metro is to achieve catalytic growth.

Addressing stakeholders at the Presidential eThekwini Working Group meeting at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on Tuesday, the President said tangible progress had been made over the past two years.

“When we first met in early 2024, we were navigating uncertainty. Confidence was fragile. Service delivery challenges were acute. Today, there are tangible signs that the decline has been arrested, that stability has taken root and that recovery is underway,” the President said.

Business confidence at record high

Central to the President’s address was the sharp improvement in business sentiment, with the latest Durban Business Confidence Index recording its highest level since inception.

President Ramaphosa attributed the turnaround to stronger political leadership, improved administrative stability and coordination across all three spheres of government, supported by business and labour.

Tourism figures underscore the recovery. During the recent festive season, nearly 1.2 million visitors travelled to eThekwini. Occupancy rates climbed to 77%, while tourism spend reached R2.7 billion.

“Durban is once again a destination of choice,” the President said.

Manufacturing confidence also rose by nearly 16% quarter-on-quarter in a metro that hosts the country’s second-largest manufacturing sector and is intrinsically linked to the Port of Durban.

Infrastructure and water reforms underway

President Ramaphosa welcomed the municipality’s approval of a Partnerships Framework in September 2025, which creates a transparent system for public-private collaboration on infrastructure and catalytic projects.

He stressed that water security remains foundational to economic growth. Projects such as the Southern Aqueduct Upgrade are under construction, while bulk dam levels remain stable.

However, he acknowledged that challenges persist. Non-revenue water stands at 55% far above acceptable benchmarks, representing lost revenue and capacity.

“While we applaud this progress, stabilisation is not the same as transformation,” he cautioned.

Environmental management, roads and water services remain areas of concern, with two-thirds of surveyed business leaders still doubtful that service delivery complaints may not be resolved timeously.

Second phase to focus on economic growth

The President announced that the second phase of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group will pivot towards economic development and reform.

Through the Partnerships Framework, government aims to unlock infrastructure investment at scale, reduce red tape in development planning and reform cost structures that deter investors.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is expected to play a greater role in tackling illicit trade, dumping and industrial vulnerability.

Addressing derelict and hijacked buildings in the city centre will also be prioritised, with the President framing the issue as one of redevelopment and restoring dignity rather than enforcement alone.

To strengthen capacity, the National Business Initiative will support the establishment of an Independent Public-Private Partnership Office within the City Manager’s office.

From precipice to threshold

President Ramaphosa described the extension of the Working Group requested by social partners as both a vote of confidence and recognition that the recovery journey is not complete.

“Two years ago, eThekwini stood at a precipice. Today, it stands at a threshold,” he said.

While green shoots are visible in tourism numbers, revenue performance and infrastructure upgrades, the President warned against complacency.

“We must not confuse early recovery with guaranteed success. The work ahead requires discipline. It requires courage. It requires partnership,” he said.

He concluded by reiterating the goal of restoring eThekwini as a gateway to the continent and a beacon of resilience, partnership and shared prosperity. – SAnews.gov.za

DikelediM
Tue, 03/03/2026 – 15:40

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March 3, 2026

Africa positioned at centre of global energy transition

Source: Government of South Africa

Africa positioned at centre of global energy transition

Africa stands at the centre of the global energy transition at a time when the global order faces evolution and recalibration.

This is according to Electricity and Energy Minister, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who addressed the Africa Energy Indaba, which kicked off at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Tuesday.

The Minister highlighted that the gathering comes at a “moment of profound historical consequence” with rising geopolitical tensions, intensifying conflicts around the world, and a global energy transition underway.

“The global order, as we have known it for decades, is not merely evolving; it is being recalibrated in real time.

“The energy system that fuelled successive industrial revolutions is undergoing structural transformation. Supply chains are being reorganised under the pressure of strategic rivalry.

“Industrial policy has returned as a central instrument of statecraft, with major economies deploying unprecedented subsidy regimes to secure supply chains, protect domestic manufacturing and reposition themselves within emerging clean technology value chains,” Ramokgopa said.

Africa, with its critical minerals, stands as a key actor in the global transition.

“Energy now sits at the epicentre of this global reordering. Energy has become the silent architecture of global power. In this reconfigured world, Africa is not a peripheral actor. Africa is a structural anchor in the global transition.

“Without African platinum group metals, the hydrogen economy cannot achieve scale. Without African cobalt, manganese and copper, the battery revolution falters. Without African vanadium, long-duration storage remains constrained. Without African uranium, the renewed global interest in nuclear energy cannot advance at pace.

“The transition to net zero is materially dependent on Africa,” the minister stated.

Ramokgopa warned that “history urges vigilance” even as the new structural reality places the continent at the centre of “one of the most consequential economic transformations of our time”.

“Structural centrality does not automatically yield structural prosperity. For generations, Africa supplied the raw materials of industrial revolutions elsewhere, while value addition remained beyond our shores. We exported resources and imported finished goods. We bore environmental costs and absorbed volatility while others consolidated industrial advantage.

“Today, as industrial policy once again shapes global competition, Africa must define its own trajectory within this reconfiguration. We must ensure that the global transition does not replicate historical asymmetries under a new technological banner,” he emphasised.

The minister noted that while Africa’s mineral wealth “places us at the centre of the global transition”, minerals will not guarantee transformation.

“Beneficiation is not rhetoric; it is system design. A battery precursor facility cannot operate on an intermittent supply. Green steel production depends on stable hydrogen and firm baseload capacity. Electrolysers require grid resilience and advanced manufacturing demands quality, predictability and scale.

“Industrial transformation rests on the reliability, affordability and depth of our electricity systems. Minerals without energy do not become industry; industry without transmission does not become exports; exports without infrastructure do not become prosperity.

“If we are to move from quarry to factory, from pit to product, electricity becomes the decisive variable. Industrialising the minerals value chain requires industrialising the energy value chain itself. We must develop manufacturing capacity in transformers, conductors, cables, renewable components and storage systems,” he said.

He also called for investment in local engineering capabilities, technical training institutions and research partnerships that embed technological competence within Africa’s economies.

Energy infrastructure development is also key and must be seen as “industrial policy in action”.

“Each transmission line built, each substation expanded and each renewable facility commissioned should reinforce domestic capacity, skills transfer and enterprise development.

“Africa possesses unparalleled renewable potential, critical mineral wealth and a demographic dividend that positions it uniquely within the global energy transition. If aligned with integration, disciplined planning and fair financing, our continent can emerge not only as a supplier of materials, but as a producer of clean technologies, a centre of green industrialisation and a continent that defines its own developmental trajectory,” Ramokgopa added.

Bringing his address to a close, the minister issued a rallying call for Africa to move from rhetoric to reality.

“Let this Indaba serve as a platform where ambition is translated into execution, where continental priorities are structured into bankable pipelines and where Africa’s energy future is shaped with clarity and confidence.

“The African century will not be proclaimed; it will be constructed through planning, financed through discipline, wired through transmission, industrialised through policy and secured through unity.

“And it will be powered by us,” Ramokgopa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Tue, 03/03/2026 – 14:51

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March 3, 2026

Nkuna to restore governance at College of Cape Town

Source: Government of South Africa

Nkuna to restore governance at College of Cape Town

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has appointed Dr Robert Nkuna as Administrator of the College of Cape Town,following what government described as disturbing evidence of governance failures at the institution.

The intervention follows the findings of a Stabilisation and Governance Support Team (SGST), which confirmed a widespread governance breakdown, procurement irregularities and a deteriorating institutional climate that was affecting teaching and learning.

Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, the Minister said the appointment forms part of decisive steps to restore stability, accountability, and proper governance at the college.

“In October 2025, following a parliamentary hearing at which the Portfolio Committee heard disturbing evidence of governance breakdown at the College, I exercised my powers as Minister, under section 46(1) of the Continuing Education and Training Act by establishing a Stabilisation and Governance Support Team (SGST),” Manamela said.

The SGST team was chaired by Advocate JB Skhosana SC and included Professor Busani Ngcaweni and Ms MJ Nkopane. The team was tasked with investigating allegations of maladministration, mediating internal conflicts and recommending measures to restore governance at the institution.

The team conducted extensive interviews and gathered evidence during October and November 2025. Its final report was submitted to the Minister on 5 February 2026 and was immediately shared with the College Council and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education.

According to the Minister, the report painted a concerning picture of institutional dysfunction.

“The report’s findings were sobering. It documented a collapse of governance oversight structures, irregular appointments and nepotism, and the Council’s decision to extend a security contract after a court had already declared it invalid,” Manamela said.

The report also highlighted financial challenges linked to procurement irregularities and found that the institutional environment had deteriorated to the extent that both staff and students were operating in a climate of fear.

It further concluded that teaching and learning activities were being compromised.

Following these developments, the College Principal, Dr Mhangarai Muswaba, was dismissed after an independent disciplinary process conducted through the General Public Service Sector Bargaining Council.

The SGST recommended that the Minister dissolve the College Council and appoint an administrator in terms of section 46(4) of the Continuing Education and Training Act.

Manamela said the appointment of Nkuna is aimed at stabilising the institution and restoring governance systems.

Nkuna is a senior public servant who previously served as Director-General, most recently in the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. He brings extensive experience in governance, strategic management, and public administration.

Under the terms of the appointment, Nkuna will assume all governance and management functions of the College Council, which is deemed to have resigned upon the appointment of an administrator.

“His priorities will be to stabilise operations immediately, commission a forensic audit, implement consequence management, rebuild governance structures and ensure that students can continue their studies without disruption,” Manamela explained.

Nkuna’s appointment will be for a period not exceeding two years. During this time, he will oversee the stabilisation of the institution and work towards the reconstitution of a new College Council capable of providing effective oversight.

The Minister thanked Advocate Skhosana and members of the SGST for their work, describing their investigation as diligent and professional.

Governance reform cannot be held hostage to litigation

Manamela acknowledged that some of the department’s governance interventions in the post-school education and training sector have attracted legal challenges.

However, he stressed that litigation would not derail reform efforts.

“Governance reform cannot be held hostage to litigation. We are confident of the legal basis of each intervention. The courts will decide, however administration continues.

“Where legal challenges have been brought against these decisions, we will defend them vigorously,” Manamela said. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Tue, 03/03/2026 – 15:10

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