Source: APO
On Sepetember 9, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania H.E. Chen Mingjian met with Hon.Jackson Kiswaga, Chairperson of Tanzanian Parliamentary Standing Committee of Water and Environment, and Hon. Mecktridis Mdaku, Tanzanian Member of Parliament. They exchanged views on expanding cooperation in the fields of water resources and environmental protection.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Republic of Tanzania.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – French
Le Système Panafricain de Paiement et de Règlement (PAPSS) s’apprête à accélérer l’adoption de ses services et à stimuler la croissance des transactions à travers l’Afrique alors qu’il entre dans la prochaine phase de sa stratégie, à la faveur d’une expansion significative de son réseau et d’une forte progression des volumes et des montants des paiements.
Lors d’une conférence de presse à Lagos, M. Mike Ogbalu III, Directeur Général de PAPSS, a déclaré que la plateforme opérait désormais dans plus de 30 pays africains, répartis dans les cinq régions du continent. Elle connecte 24 banques centrales nationales et régionales, plus de 200 banques commerciales et prestataires de services de paiement, ainsi que 16 commutateurs. Grâce à des partenariats stratégiques, le PAPSS dispose également d’un réseau permettant d’assurer la réception des paiements auprès de plus de 300 établissements financiers. Rien qu’en 2026, une dizaine de pays supplémentaires ont rejoint l’écosystème PAPSS, et une nouvelle expansion est prévue d’ici la fin de l’année.
M. Ogbalu a déclaré: « La première phase du PAPSS a consisté à construire, à créer des liens et à instaurer la confiance. Nous avons mis en place l’infrastructure, étendu notre réseau à travers l’Afrique et démontré que le PAPSS peut apporter des avantages concrets. À mesure que nous aborderons la phase suivante à partir de 2027, nous nous concentrerons de plus en plus sur la mise en œuvre de ce réseau, le renforcement de son adoption et l’accélération de la croissance des transactions ».
L’utilisation du PAPSS s’est considérablement accélérée. Entre les périodes comparables de 2025 et 2026, le volume des transactions sur l’ensemble du réseau a augmenté d’environ 1 000 %, tandis que leur valeur a progressé d’environ 120 %.
Le Nigeria continue de contribuer de manière significative à cette croissance, avec une hausse d’environ 1 100 % du volume des transactions et de 125 % de leur valeur sur la même période.
Les transactions via le PAPSS ont également permis de réaliser des économies comprises entre 92 et 95 % par transaction, de réduire de 99,99 % le temps de traitement et de diminuer jusqu’à 80 % les besoins en devises étrangères.
M. Ogbalu a ajouté : « La croissance que nous constatons démontre que l’infrastructure fonctionne et que la demande augmente à mesure que de plus en plus d’institutions et de marchés y participent. La prochaine étape consiste à rendre ces avantages accessibles à une échelle beaucoup plus large en collaborant plus étroitement avec les banques, les fintechs, les plateformes d’échange et d’autres partenaires afin d’intégrer le PAPSS aux canaux utilisés quotidiennement par les entreprises et les particuliers ».
Le PAPSS permet d’effectuer des paiements transfrontaliers par le biais des institutions financières participantes, y compris des transactions en devises africaines, contribuant ainsi à relier des écosystèmes de paiement qui, historiquement, fonctionnaient à l’intérieur des frontières nationales et régionales.
Dans le cadre de sa prochaine phase, le PAPSS s’attachera à dynamiser davantage le marché, à mieux sensibiliser la clientèle, à développer les couloirs de paiement prioritaires et à élargir l’accès à ses services par l’intermédiaire des établissements financiers participants.
Le PAPSS propose actuellement trois solutions majeures : le système de paiement instantané PAPSS, la plateforme PAPSS African Currency Marketplace et la PAPSSCARD. De nouvelles solutions sont également en phase pilote et devraient être annoncées dans le courant de l’année 2026.
La prochaine phase de la croissance du PAPSS sera approfondie lors de PAPSS COWRY 2026, sa conférence annuelle sur les paiements, qui se tiendra les 26 et 27 novembre à Addis-Abeba (Éthiopie) et sera co-organisée avec la Banque Nationale d’Éthiopie.
M. Ogbalu a conclu : « Nous avons mis en place le réseau, nous avons démontré son impact et nous constatons une accélération de son utilisation. Notre prochaine étape consistera à développer ces trois axes à grande échelle et à veiller à ce que les paiements favorisent de plus en plus, plutôt qu’ils ne limitent, la capacité des entreprises et des particuliers africains à saisir les opportunités qui se présentent sur tout le continent ».
Distribué par APO Group pour Afreximbank.
Contact presse :
Papa Thiongane
Directeur Marketing & Communications
Courriel : communications@papss.com
Vincent Musumba
Responsable de la communication et des événements (relations avec les médias)
E-mail : press@afreximbank.com
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À propos de PAPSS :
Le Système panafricain de paiement et de règlement (PAPSS) est une infrastructure centralisée des marchés financiers qui permet la circulation efficace de l’argent en toute sécurité à travers les frontières africaines, en minimisant les risques et en contribuant à l’intégration financière dans les régions. Le PAPSS collabore avec les banques centrales africaines afin de proposer des solutions de paiement et de règlement auxquelles les banques commerciales et les prestataires de services de paiement agréés (commutateurs, fintechs, agrégateurs, etc.) à travers le continent peuvent se connecter, rendant ainsi ces services accessibles au grand public. À ce jour, PAPSS a mis au point et lancé 3 solutions de paiement : PAPSS instant Payment System (IPS), PAPSS African Currency Marketplace (PACM) et PAPSSCARD. Afreximbank et l’Union africaine (UA) ont annoncé pour la première fois le PAPSS lors du douzième sommet extraordinaire de l’Union africaine qui s’est tenu le 7 juillet 2019 à Niamey, en République du Niger, adoptant ainsi le PAPSS comme un instrument clé de la mise en œuvre de l’Accord sur la Zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECAf). Le PAPSS a été officiellement lancé à Accra, au Ghana, le 13 janvier 2022, permettant ainsi au public de l’utiliser.
À propos d’Afreximbank :
La Banque Africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank) est une institution financière multilatérale panafricaine dédiée au financement et à la promotion du commerce intra et extra-africain. Depuis 30 ans, Afreximbank déploie des structures innovantes pour fournir des solutions de financement qui facilitent la transformation de la structure du commerce africain et accélèrent l’industrialisation et le commerce intrarégional, soutenant ainsi l’expansion économique en Afrique. Fervente défenseur de l’Accord sur la Zone de Libre-Échange Continentale Africaine (ZLECAf), Afreximbank a lancé les le Système panafricain de paiement et de règlement (PAPSS) qui a été adopté par l’Union africaine (UA) comme la plateforme de paiement et de règlement devant appuyer la mise en œuvre de la ZLECAf. En collaboration avec le Secrétariat de la ZLECAf et l’UA, la Banque a mis en place un Fonds d’ajustement de 10 milliards de dollars US pour aider les pays à participer de manière effective à la ZLECAf. À la fin de décembre 2025, le total des actifs et des garanties de la Banque s’élevait à environ 48,5 milliards de dollars US et les fonds de ses actionnaires s’établissaient à 8,4 milliards de dollars US. Afreximbank est notée AAA par China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI), A par GCR, A- par Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) et Baa2 par Moody’s. Moody’s (Baa2) et S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). La Banque a son siège social au Caire, en Égypte.
Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez visiter www.Afreximbank.com
Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –
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O Sistema Pan-Africano de Pagamentos e Liquidação (PAPSS) prepara-se para acelerar a adopção e o crescimento das transacções em toda África, à medida que entra na próxima fase da sua estratégia, na sequência de uma expansão significativa da sua rede e de um forte crescimento nos volumes e valores dos pagamentos.
Numa comunicação à imprensa em Lagos, o Sr. Mike Ogbalu III, Director Executivo do PAPSS, afirmou que a plataforma opera agora em mais de 30 países africanos, abrangendo as cinco regiões do continente. Liga 24 bancos centrais nacionais e regionais, mais de 200 bancos comerciais e prestadores de serviços de pagamentos e 16 centrais de comutação. Através de parcerias estratégicas, o PAPSS oferece igualmente uma cobertura de terminação que abrange mais de 300 instituições financeiras.
Só em 2026, cerca de 10 países adicionais aderiram ao ecossistema do PAPSS, prevendo-se uma expansão adicional antes do final do ano.
O Sr. Ogbalu afirmou que: “A primeira fase do PAPSS centrou-se na construção, na ligação e no estabelecimento de confiança. Construímos a infra-estrutura, expandimos a nossa rede por toda África e demonstrámos que o PAPSS pode proporcionar benefícios tangíveis. À medida que avançamos para a nossa próxima fase a partir de 2027, o nosso foco irá deslocar-se cada vez mais para a activação dessa rede, o aprofundamento da adopção e a ampliação do crescimento das transacções.”
A utilização do PAPSS acelerou significativamente. Entre períodos comparáveis em 2025 e 2026, os volumes de transacções em toda a rede aumentaram cerca de 1000 por cento, enquanto os valores das transacções aumentaram cerca de 120 por cento.
A Nigéria continua a ser um contribuinte significativo para esse crescimento, registando um aumento de cerca de 1100 por cento nos volumes de transacções e um aumento de 125 por cento nos valores das transacções durante o mesmo período.
As transacções do PAPSS demonstraram ainda uma poupança de custos entre 92 e 95 por cento por transacção, uma redução de 99,99 por cento no tempo de processamento e uma redução de até 80 por cento nas necessidades cambiais.
O Sr. Ogbalu acrescentou que: “O crescimento que estamos a observar demonstra que a infra-estrutura está a funcionar e que a procura está a aumentar à medida que mais instituições e mercados participam. A próxima oportunidade consiste em disponibilizar estes benefícios numa escala muito maior, trabalhando em estreita colaboração com bancos, empresas de tecnologia financeira, operadoras de pagamentos e outros parceiros, para integrar o PAPSS nos canais que as empresas e os particulares utilizam diariamente.”
O PAPSS permite pagamentos transfronteiriços através das instituições financeiras participantes, incluindo transacções em moedas africanas, ajudando a ligar ecossistemas de pagamentos que, historicamente, têm operado dentro de fronteiras nacionais e regionais.
Como parte da sua próxima fase, o PAPSS irá concentrar-se numa maior activação do mercado, numa maior sensibilização dos clientes, no desenvolvimento de corredores de pagamento prioritários e numa maior disponibilidade dos seus serviços através das instituições financeiras participantes.
O PAPSS disponibiliza actualmente três soluções principais: o Sistema de Pagamentos Instantâneos PAPSS, o Mercado de Moedas Africanas PAPSS e o PAPSSCARD. Estão igualmente em fase de teste novas soluções, cujo anúncio está previsto para o final de 2026.
A próxima fase de crescimento do PAPSS será discutida em pormenor no PAPSS COWRY 2026, a sua conferência anual sobre pagamentos, que terá lugar nos dias 26 e 27 de Novembro em Adis Abeba, Etiópia, e será co-organizada com o Banco Nacional da Etiópia.
Ao concluir, o Sr. Ogbalu afirmou que: “Construímos a rede, demonstrámos o impacto e estamos a assistir a uma aceleração da sua utilização. A nossa próxima fase consiste em expandir estes três aspectos e garantir que os pagamentos facilitem cada vez mais, em vez de limitarem, a capacidade das empresas e dos particulares africanos de participarem nas oportunidades em todo o continente.”
Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Afreximbank.
Contacto para a Imprensa:
Papa Thiongane
Chefe de Marketing e Comunicações
Correio Electrónico: communications@papss.com
Vincent Musumba
Gestor de Comunicações e Eventos (Relações com a Imprensa)
Correio Electrónico: press@afreximbank.com
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Sobre o PAPSS:
O Sistema Pan-Africano de Pagamentos e Liquidação (PAPSS) é uma infra-estrutura centralizada do mercado financeiro que permite o fluxo eficiente e seguro de dinheiro através das fronteiras africanas, minimizando o risco e contribuindo para a integração financeira entre as regiões. O PAPSS colabora com os bancos centrais africanos para oferecer soluções de pagamento e liquidação às quais os bancos comerciais e os prestadores de serviços de pagamento licenciados (centrais de comutação, empresas de tecnologia financeira, agregadores, etc.) de todo o continente se podem ligar, tornando estes serviços acessíveis ao público. Até à data, o PAPSS desenvolveu e lançou três soluções de pagamento: O Sistema de Pagamentos Instantâneos do PAPSS (IPS), o Mercado de Moedas Africanas do PAPSS (PACM) e o PAPSSCARD. O Afreximbank e a União Africana (“UA”) anunciaram pela primeira vez o PAPSS na Décima Segunda Cimeira Extraordinária da União Africana, realizada a 7 de Julho de 2019, em Niamey, República do Níger, adoptando assim o PAPSS como um instrumento fundamental para a implementação do Acordo de Comércio Livre Continental Africano (ZCLCA). O PAPSS foi lançado oficialmente em Acra, Gana, a 13 de jJaneiro de 2022, ficando assim disponível para utilização pelo público.
Para mais informações, visite: https://PAPSS.com/
Sobre o Afreximbank:
O Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank) é uma instituição financeira multilateral pan-africana com mandato para financiar e promover o comércio intra e extra-africano. Há mais de 30 anos que o Banco utiliza estruturas inovadoras para oferecer soluções de financiamento que apoiam a transformação da estrutura do comércio africano, acelerando a industrialização e o comércio intra-regional, impulsionando assim a expansão económica em África. Apoiante firme do Acordo de Comércio Livre Continental Africano (ACLCA), o Afreximbank lançou um Sistema Pan-Africano de Pagamento e Liquidação (PAPSS) que foi adoptado pela União Africana (UA) como plataforma de pagamento e liquidação para sustentar a implementação da ZCLCA. Em colaboração com o Secretariado da ZCLCA e a UA, o Banco criou um Fundo de Ajustamento de 10 mil milhões de dólares para apoiar os países que participam de forma efectiva na ZCLCA. No final de Dezembro de 2025, o total de activos e passivos contingentes do Afreximbank atingiu mais de 48,5 mil milhões de USD, e os seus fundos próprios totalizaram 8,4 mil milhões de USD. O Afreximbank tem notações de grau de investimento atribuídas pela China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), pela GCR (A), pela Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) e pela Moody’s (Baa2) e pela S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). O Banco tem a sua sede em Cairo, Egipto.
Para mais informações, visite: www.Afreximbank.com.
Source: APO
The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) is preparing to accelerate adoption and transaction growth across Africa as it enters the next phase of its strategy, following significant expansion of its network and strong growth in payment volumes and values.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, Mr Mike Ogbalu III, Chief Executive Officer of PAPSS, said the platform now operates in more than 30 African countries across all five regions of the continent. It connects 24 national and regional central banks, more than 200 commercial banks and payments service providers, and 16 switches. Through strategic partnerships, PAPSS also provides a termination footprint covering more than 300 financial institutions.
During 2026 alone, around 10 additional countries have joined the PAPSS ecosystem, with further expansion expected before the end of the year.
Mr Ogbalu said: “The first phase of PAPSS has been about building, connecting and establishing trust. We have built the infrastructure, expanded our network across Africa and demonstrated that PAPSS can deliver tangible benefits. As we move into our next phase from 2027, our focus will increasingly shift towards activating that network, deepening adoption and taking transaction growth to scale.”
Usage of PAPSS has accelerated significantly. Between comparable periods in 2025 and 2026, transaction volumes across the network increased by approximately 1,000 per cent, while transaction values increased by approximately 120 per cent.
Nigeria remains a significant contributor to that growth, recording an approximately 1,100 per cent increase in transaction volumes and a 125 per cent increase in transaction values over the same period.
PAPSS transactions have also demonstrated cost savings of between 92 and 95 per cent per transaction, a 99.99 per cent reduction in processing time and up to 80 per cent reduction in foreign exchange requirements.
Mr Ogbalu added: “The growth we are seeing demonstrates that the infrastructure is working and that demand is increasing as more institutions and markets participate. The next opportunity is to make these benefits available at much greater scale by working more closely with banks, fintechs, switches and other partners to bring PAPSS into the channels businesses and individuals use every day.”
PAPSS enables cross-border payments through participating financial institutions, including transactions using African currencies, helping connect payment ecosystems that have historically operated within national and regional boundaries.
As part of its next phase, PAPSS will focus on deeper market activation, greater customer awareness, development of priority payment corridors and wider availability of its services through participating financial institutions.
PAPSS currently provides three major solutions: the PAPSS Instant Payment System, the PAPSS African Currency Marketplace and PAPSSCARD. New solutions are also being piloted and are expected to be announced later in 2026.
The next phase of PAPSS’s growth will be discussed further at PAPSS COWRY 2026, its annual payments conference, taking place on 26 and 27 November in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and co-hosted with the National Bank of Ethiopia.
Mr Ogbalu concluded: “We have built the network, we have demonstrated the impact, and we are seeing usage accelerate. Our next phase is about taking all three to scale and ensuring that payments increasingly enable, rather than limit, the ability of African businesses and individuals to participate in opportunities across the continent.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
Media Contact:
Papa Thiongane
Head Marketing & Communications
Email: communications@papss.com
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com
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About PAPSS:
The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System – PAPSS is a centralised Financial Market Infrastructure that enables the efficient flow of money securely across African borders, minimising risk and contributing to financial integration across the regions. PAPSS collaborates with African central banks to offer payment and settlement solutions that commercial banks and licensed payment service providers (switches, fintechs, aggregators, etc.) across the continent can connect to, making these services accessible to the public. To date, PAPSS has developed and launched 3 payment solutions: PAPSS Instant Payment System (IPS), PAPSS African Currency Marketplace (PACM), and the PAPSSCARD. Afreximbank and the African Union (“AU”) first announced PAPSS at the Twelfth Extraordinary Summit of the African Union held on July 7, 2019, in Niamey, Niger Republic, therefore adopting PAPSS as a key instrument for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). PAPSS was officially launched in Accra, Ghana, on January 13, 2022, thus making it available for use by the public.
For more information, visit: https://PAPSS.com/
About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A strong supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2025, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$48.5 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$8.4 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), Moody’s (Baa2) and S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com
Source: APO
Criminal gangs in Kenya have carried out a spate of violent attacks targeting civil society and opposition gatherings ahead of the 2027 elections, Human Rights Watch said today. The Kenyan authorities should ensure prompt and transparent investigations into the attacks and that people can exercise their political rights without fear of violence.
Over the last few months, groups of unidentified armed people have attacked a civil society event and several opposition political gatherings across the country, reportedly killing at least six people and injuring dozens more. The authorities do not appear to have taken meaningful steps to ensure accountability for these abuses.
“The spate of violence, as the pre-election period begins, threatens a return to the human rights abuses that have marred Kenya’s previous elections,” said Carine Kaneza Nantulya, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities need to break this cycle of violence by ensuring that those responsible cannot act with impunity.”
The elections, in which President William Ruto is expected to seek a new term, are scheduled for August 10, 2027. Both President Ruto and opposition candidates have already held rallies across the country, with more planned in the coming weeks.
Between August 30 and September 9, Human Rights Watch interviewed 22 Kenyans, including nongovernmental organization workers, journalists, a Kenya National Human Rights Commission commissioner, and political opposition members, who said that the recent violence had created a climate of fear around the elections.
On June 12, a group of men violently disrupted a civil society meeting at All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi that had been organized to discuss the national budget. Diana Gichengo, the executive director of the Institute for Social Accountability, one of the organizers, said that staff saw about 100 men enter the church, beat participants, and steal their phones and bags.
The police said on June 16 that they had arrested five men in connection with the attack, charging them with “participating in an organized criminal group.”
The Kenya Human Rights Commission, a nongovernmental organization, reported that on June 16, armed, masked men in at least 10 unmarked vehicles lobbed tear gas at crowds and beat and robbed people, including journalists, during by-elections in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua county. Local media outlets reported that the men beat two residents to death.
On July 12, media reported that a group of men armed with machetes and arrows injured several people and killed one person at a church service attended by opposition politicians belonging to Linda Mwananchi (protect the citizen), an opposition movement, at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Kisumu, western Kenya.
Then, on August 16, hundreds of people armed with machetes, guns, and sticks attacked a convoy of vehicles transporting Linda Mwananchi supporters and politicians as they traveled to a planned political rally in Homa Bay town, in western Kenya, killing at least three people. The group beat journalists covering the events and robbed them of personal belongings, including equipment needed to do their work.
Agneta Mwangale, a Linda Mwananchi candidate for parliament in the 2027 elections, said that a group of men stopped the vehicle she was traveling in as part of the convoy, broke its windows, and pulled her, along with two passengers and the driver, out of the vehicle. She said the assailants slashed at them with machetes, killing the male passenger. The men took money and phones from her and the other passengers, then set their vehicle on fire, she said.
Two witnesses said that although police officers were on the roads on the day, they were not able to contain the violence.
Media reported that unidentified people burned a vehicle belonging to another Linda Mwananchi politician, James Orengo, the Siaya county governor, during a rally in Awendo in Migori county on August 30. Orengo posted on X that the unknown people had also “sprayed live bullets” into the car. Media also reported that unidentified people threw a tear gas cannister into the crowd during the same rally.
The next day, an unidentified person threw a tear gas cannister into the crowd during a Linda Mwananchi event in Meru town, injuring one man, a witness said.
Amakove Wala, also running for parliament representing Linda Mwananchi, said the violence could inhibit women, in particular, from participating in the campaigns: “It [the violence] is fashioned to scare people from going for the rallies and speaking up about what happened to them.”
On August 18, the police said they had arrested 27 people in Kisumu and Homa Bay “following the violence witnessed in Homa Bay” and ordered two others to report to the police. They said they would conduct “further investigations” within four days.
However, the police have provided no further information on these cases or other arrests connected to gang attacks, raising concerns about whether the authorities are seriously pursuing accountability. Instead, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, during a speech the week after the violence in Homa Bay, accused opposition politicians of “gathering the goons” the police had arrested.
Human Rights Watch contacted the police spokesperson, Muchiri Nyaga, by phone and messaging application to request an update on these cases but did not receive a response.
Past elections in Kenya have been marred by widespread violence and rights abuses, with the authorities doing little to ensure accountability. Human Rights Watch documented similar gang attacks in Busia and Bungoma counties during and after the March 2013 elections and found that the authorities had failed to adequately investigate or prosecute those responsible.
Kenyan law, including the 2010 Prevention of Organised Crimes Act, places responsibility on the police and the director of public prosecutions to investigate and prosecute those responsible for recruiting, training, and funding gangs. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority is mandated to provide civilian oversight of the police, including holding the police accountable for the performance of their functions.
“The escalating violence so early in the campaign season raises serious concerns about the safety and credibility of the elections,” Kaneza Nantulya said. “Kenya’s international partners should urge President Ruto’s government to act now to prevent further abuses and ensure that the 2027 elections are conducted in an environment where everyone can exercise their political rights freely and safely.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Source: Africa Press Organisation – French
Les populations de Sahibly, localité située dans le département de Toulepleu, ont célébré le 4 septembre 2026, dans l’allégresse, l’ouverture du nouveau pont sur le fleuve Cavally à Sahibly, symbole d’une avancée significative pour le développement de l’Ouest ivoirien.
Ce pont à deux voies, avec passages piétons, remplaçant un pont à une voie datant de 1962, enjambe le fleuve Cavally dans le village de Sahibly. Sa réalisation s’inscrivant dans le cadre du projet de bitumage de l’axe Bloléquin-Toulépleu, frontière du Liberia.
« En remplacement d’une infrastructure presque obsolète, cette infrastructure est une réponse concrète aux besoins de mobilité et de connectivité, tout en assurant la sécurité des usagers », analyse Ekissi Yavo Jacques, transporteur.
« En facilitant le transport des produits agricoles, le pont contribue indirectement à la sécurité alimentaire et à l’amélioration des revenus des agriculteurs locaux », souligne Prosper Pierre Aka, technicien agricole.
Inscrit dans un ambitieux programme de bitumage routier, il participe au désenclavement, stimulant ainsi l’économie locale et les échanges culturels. « Cette réalisation illustre parfaitement l’impact positif des investissements publics bien ciblés sur la qualité de vie des populations et le développement durable des territoires », indique Pacôme Mahan, fils de la région.
Cet investissement dans la région du Cavally est en cohérence avec une démarche globale de réduction de la pauvreté et d’amélioration du quotidien des populations.
Distribué par APO Group pour Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.
Source: APO
The Ministry of Health, through its Directorate of Environmental Health, has embarked on a pest and disease control exercise targeting all government hospitals nationwide. About 124 trained fumigation officers and supervisors will be distributed to different facilities across the country to work with hospital leadership to make identified areas accessible for disinfection and ensure appropriate safety measures are observed before, during and after the exercise. Addressing the excited team this morning, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Mustapha Kabba, encouraged all newly trained vector and pest control workers to demonstrate good sense of professionalism by prioritizing patient safety, and working hard in the interest of patients.
“Fumigation is far more than a routine practice,” the CMO said. He went on; “together with proper healthcare waste management and environmental sanitation, it is one of the everyday protocols that keep hospitals free from infections that put mothers, newborns and health workers at risk.” So far, data from the country’s flagship healthcare campaign-the 300 Days of Activism-show that sepsis, a medical emergency caused by infection, is one of the leading causes of maternal and child deaths. The national fumigation, which entails vector, pest and disease control, in addition to national hospital cleaning exercises and improved infection prevention and control measures, are delibrately aimed at addressing the life-threatening condition of sepsis.
The work of these 124 fumigation officers is critically vital at a time like this because a clean, disease-free hospital is a precondition for zero preventable maternal and child deaths. Every fumigation cycle, every properly managed waste bin and every disinfected ward is a direct step towards achieving the triple zero targets.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health – Government of Sierra Leone.
Source: APO
A public celebration in connection with Kudus Yohannes Holiday was held in the Gerenfit administrative area in the Gash Barka Region.
The celebratory event, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and the Commission of Culture and Sports, was attended by Ambassador Mahmud Ali Hirui, Governor of the Gash Barka Region, senior government officials in the region, Army Commanders, religious leaders, and public representatives from the Gerenfit administrative area.
Extending his best wishes for a happy Kudus Yohannes Holiday, Mr. Idris Saleh, Director General of Culture and Sports in the Gash Barka Region, said that Kudus Yohannes is one of the religious holidays that reflect the noble culture and values of the Eritrean people. He added that the holiday was particularly special as it coincided with the Golden Jubilee of the beginning of the armed struggle for independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Revolution School.
The celebratory event featured cultural and artistic presentations by the Aser cultural troupe and a traditional cultural troupe from the Brar administrative area.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Source: APO
Haruna Darboe stood beside the weighing scale, watching closely as a health worker recorded his three-month-old daughter’s weight before administering her routine vaccinations at Serekunda Health Centre. As a first-time father, the moment carried more meaning than a routine clinic visit. It was reassurance that he was doing everything he could to protect his child.
“As a first-time father, I want to do everything possible to protect my child,” he said. “Seeing my baby receive vaccines gives me confidence that she is growing up with the protection she needs.”
Haruna’s experience reflects a broader effort underway across The Gambia to ensure children receive the life-saving vaccines they need to survive and thrive. During a recent Gavi mission to the country, members of the delegation visited Serekunda Health Centre alongside officials from the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and other partners. They met families, spoke with frontline health workers and observed how immunization services are helping protect communities against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The impact of vaccination begins even before a child is born.
During a routine antenatal care visit, expectant mother Oumou Trawally received vaccines designed to protect both her and her unborn baby. “Getting vaccinated during pregnancy gives me confidence that I am protecting myself and my baby,” she said. “It is one of the first things I can do to ensure my child has a healthy start in life.”
From pregnancy through childhood and adolescence, vaccination provides a continuum of protection, helping families safeguard their health at every stage of life. Yet like many countries, The Gambia experienced disruptions to routine immunization during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving some children with missed doses. In response, the Ministry of Health, through the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), with support from Gavi and partners, intensified efforts to identify and vaccinate those children.
Between January 2025 and March 2026, six nationwide rounds of Periodic Intensified Routine Immunization reached thousands of children, delivering more than 103,000 pentavalent, 76,000 measles-rubella and 108,000 oral polio vaccine doses to children across the country. “The numbers tell an important story, but they do not tell the whole story,” said Dr Oumie Jagne, WHO’s Global Polio Eradication and Immunization Officer in The Gambia. “Behind every child vaccinated is a family protected from the devastating consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases.”
At Serekunda Health Centre, health worker Ebrima Jawara sees the difference in how health workers engage families. “We are seeing improvements in how we identify children who miss appointments and how we engage communities,” he said. “Parents are becoming more aware of the importance of vaccination, and health workers have received support to improve planning, monitoring and follow-up.”
For Sain Sillah, those improvements have made it easier to keep her six-month-old baby on schedule with routine vaccinations. Holding her child during a clinic visit, she described the reassurance that comes from knowing what vaccines her baby needs and when to return. “Knowing when to come back and what vaccines my baby needs gives me peace of mind that I am doing the right thing for my child’s health,” she said.
But protecting children also means knowing who may have been missed. WHO’s nationwide monitoring visited 4,311 households and assessed 3,913 children, helping health teams better understand where gaps remain.
The benefits of immunization extend beyond childhood. In 2026, the same commitment extended to adolescent girls, with 47,208 HPV vaccine doses delivered nationwide, achieving 108.7% coverage and helping protect them from cervical cancer later in life. The country has also conducted a comprehensive review of its Expanded Programme on Immunization, assessed its Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination status, updated its National Immunization Policy and implemented the Big Catch Up to strengthen efforts to reach zero-dose and chronically missed children.
These achievements demonstrate what sustained investment in immunization can mean for families: children protected from preventable diseases, parents empowered to make informed decisions, and health workers better equipped to reach those who need vaccination.
Sustaining this progress will require continued investment in community engagement, follow-up systems, health-worker capacity and data quality as The Gambia and its partners prepare for the next phase of Gavi 6.0 (2026–2030) support.
For families like Haruna’s, Oumou’s and Sain’s, immunization is about more than doses delivered. It is the confidence of a first-time father protecting his baby, an expectant mother taking an early step towards a healthy start, and a mother knowing when to return to keep her baby protected.
Through its partnership with The Gambia, Gavi is helping strengthen the health workers, systems and services that make this protection possible — one child, one family and one vaccination at a time.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
Source: APO
The Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Myriam Montrat, has paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, to discuss areas of mutual interest and explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation in peace and security.
The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on emerging security challenges and the importance of strengthening international collaboration in addressing threats that increasingly transcend national borders.
The Minister noted that security challenges can no longer be effectively dealt with by individual countries in isolation, stressing the need for countries to work together to protect their citizens and maintain peace and stability.
Hon. Muntaka expressed Ghana’s readiness to deepen collaboration with Canada in areas of mutual interest, noting that the Ministry is happy to engage with its Canadian counterparts on initiatives that would strengthen Ghana’s security architecture.
The discussions also focused on Canada’s experience in peace and security, particularly the role of the Canada Border Services Agency in border management and intelligence.
The meeting further highlighted existing collaboration between Canadian counterparts and Ghanaian security institutions, including the Ghana Police Service, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the Ghana Immigration Service and other security agencies in the country.
Both sides expressed their commitment to building on existing engagements and identifying practical areas through which Ghana-Canada security cooperation could be further strengthened.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of the Interior – Republic of Ghana.
