Category: Africa

Source: APO

Network International (Network) (https://www.Network.ae), a leading fintech company in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), has signed a processing agreement with Al Seraj Islamic Bank (SIB) to accelerate the bank’s digital transformation and support Libya’s transition toward secure, modern and inclusive financial services.

This partnership forms part of a central pillar of SIB’s strategy to expand its footprint, grow market share, and reinforce its position as a leading institution in the Libyan banking sector.

Under the agreement, Network International will deliver comprehensive end-to-end digital payment processing solutions to Al Seraj Islamic Bank, including Visa sponsorship, prepaid issuing capabilities, and a suite of innovative value-added services. These offerings will empower SIB to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and expand access to secure digital payment options nationwide in Libya.

Through this strategic collaboration, SIB is well-positioned to modernise its payment infrastructure and introduce secure, flexible, and next-generation financial products. Customers will benefit from a seamless, efficient, and user-centric banking experience, driving stronger engagement across digital channels.

In addition, the collaboration supports Libya’s national financial inclusion agenda by expanding access to safe, reliable payment services for underserved communities and promoting broader economic participation across the country.

Mohamed Abu Gebba, Regional Managing Director – Processing, North Africa, at Network International said, “This partnership marks a significant milestone for Libya’s financial sector. Al Seraj Islamic Bank’s decision to partner with us reflects our leadership in the MEA region and our ability to deliver innovative, dependable solutions that transform payment ecosystems., Together we aim to advance financial inclusion, support the bank’s growth ambitions, and empower communities with secure, modern payment services.”

Foze Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of Al Seraj Islamic Bank, added, “Partnering with Network International was a strategic decision driven by their proven service excellence, strong market reputation, and deep understanding of Libya’s banking landscape. Their end-to-end processing capabilities will enable us to launch advanced digital products, enhance customer experience, and accelerate our growth trajectory. This partnership reinforces our commitment to delivering world-class, Shariah-compliant digital banking solutions across Libya.”

The services for Al Seraj Islamic Bank are scheduled to go live in Q1 2026. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Network International.

Media Contacts:
Corporate Communications – Network International Dubai, UAE 
Tel: +971 4 303 2431
Email: lambert.espedido@network.global 

Corporate Communications – Al Seraj Islamic Bank Benghazi, Libya
Bank Location: Alandulus Street – Alfwuyhat – Benghazi, Libya
Phone Number: 0912368888
Email: info@sib.com.ly

About Network International:
Network International is the Middle East and Africa’s leading fintech company. Our purpose is to help businesses and economies grow by simplifying payments and commerce. We serve a diverse ecosystem of banks, fintechs, telcos, merchants, governments, and public sector entities spanning 50+ countries – empowering our partners with innovative technology, value-added services, and deep expertise in payment systems and infrastructure. Our 3,000+ team strength on the ground works closely with 250+ financial institutions and 240,000+ merchants to deliver reliable, scalable, and future-ready payment and fintech solutions across the region. 

About Al Seraj Islamic Bank (SIB):
Al-Seraj Islamic Bank (SIB) is a pioneering Islamic financial institution founded to transform the banking landscape in Libya through ethical, Shariah-compliant banking. SIB is committed to fostering financial inclusion, supporting Libya’s economic development, and delivering a new standard of customer-centric digital banking.

Our establishment is grounded in the values of Islamic finance, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and risk-sharing. SIB is being structured to deliver comprehensive financial solutions that meet the diverse needs of individuals, businesses, and government entities while upholding the principles of Shariah law.

With a strong emphasis on digital optimization and ethical practices, SIB aspires to redefine banking for a modern, connected, and inclusive Libya.

Vision:

To lead the way in providing optimized and Sharia-compliant financial solutions, setting new standards of trust, service excellence, and sustainable growth in Libya.

Mission:

Our mission is to lead the Libyan banking market by providing high-quality, Sharia-compliant financial solutions. We focus on meeting the evolving needs of our customers with customer-centric, digital-first banking products, backed by transparency, automation, and operational efficiency. We aim to cultivate a dynamic, motivated team driving the future of Islamic banking. 

Website: www.SIB.com.ly

Source: APO

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A renewed push to restore impactful community programmes and strengthen partnerships for national development took centre stage today as the Vice President of Seychelles, Sebastien Pillay, received a delegation from the Lions Clubs International during a courtesy call at State House.

Led by District Governor Mr Simon Njoroge, the delegation briefed the Vice President on plans to reinstate hallmark initiatives previously undertaken in Seychelles, notably the free eye screening and eyeglasses programme, which delivered vision testing and corrective eyewear to those in need. Discussions also touched on the revival of the Teachers’ Quest programme, an initiative aimed at enhancing professional development and strengthening educational standards.

In this context, the delegation proposed facilitating visits by teachers to Seychelles as part of an educational capacity-building initiative to promote skills exchange and contribute to the advancement of the education sector.

The Lions Club representatives underscored their commitment to aligning their service projects with the government’s broader vision and development priorities, ensuring that their activities complement national objectives and respond effectively to community needs.

The meeting also addressed the evolving landscape of corporate social responsibility (CSR), with the delegation outlining the constraints faced by non-governmental organisations following the repeal of legislation that had previously structured business contributions to NGOs. They noted the challenges this has created in sustaining humanitarian programmes.

Vice President Pillay welcomed the continued engagement of the Lions Club and affirmed that his Office remains available as an interface to support the coordination and implementation of humanitarian initiatives. He further proposed establishing closer collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, which is currently working towards the creation of a domestic centre, suggesting that joint efforts could enhance outreach and impact.

Emphasising the importance of strategic focus, the Vice President encouraged the organisation to identify one flagship project that could receive concentrated attention and broad support, particularly initiatives capable of inspiring and engaging young people.

Also present during the meeting were Mrs. Swapna Akinapelly, Dr Rangan Viveganandan, Mrs Dhana Sasikumar, Mrs Premilaben Bhrasadiya, Mr Rajesh Pandya, Mrs Irene Mwangi, Mr Amos Ndung’u, and Mrs Margaret Stower.

The meeting wrapped up with a shared understanding that effective partnership must be anchored in practical action and sustained engagement. The Vice President and the delegation reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining open lines of communication and translating the proposals discussed into tangible programmes that directly benefit vulnerable communities and strengthen national development efforts across Seychelles.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO

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The Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition has noted the decision by the National Consumer Commission (NCC) to formally investigate findings by the University of the Free State’s Microbiology Department regarding certain sanitary products sold in South Africa.

The matter came under the spotlight this week when the NCC briefed the committee on its financial and non-financial performance for the first three quarters of the 2025/26 financial year.

During the engagement, Members of the committee sought clarity on reports that some sanitary pads and panty liners, marketed and sold as free from harmful substances, were found in a university study to contain hormone-disrupting chemicals.

The committee views the allegations in a serious light, given that these products are used daily by millions of women and young girls across the country. Any risk to their health, particularly from products marketed as safe, demands urgent and decisive action.

The NCC informed the committee that it met with the University on Monday to scrutinise the report and its findings. Following that engagement, the Commission resolved to initiate a full investigation rather than immediately proceed with a product recall.

The NCC indicated that further probing is required to validate the findings and that it is working with other regulators with specialised testing capabilities to independently review the report and conduct additional testing. This broader testing process will extend across menstrual products to ensure consumer safety.

Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mzwandile Masina, said the committee supports a thorough and scientifically sound process that puts the health and safety of South Africans first.

“The NCC represents the issues of the people on the ground at any given time. When concerns are raised about products that affect the dignity, health and wellbeing of women and girls, we cannot look the other way. We welcome the investigation and we expect it to be thorough, transparent and guided by credible science. The outcome must be in the best interests of South Africans and must restore public confidence,” said Mr Masina.

The committee emphasised that while a recall has not yet been effected, the investigation must be handled with urgency. Consumers deserve clear answers on whether these products are safe, whether any standards have been violated, and what corrective steps will follow if wrongdoing is confirmed.

The Chairperson further noted that the process must not only determine whether affected products should be removed from retail shelves, but also strengthen oversight mechanisms to prevent similar incidents in the future. This includes reviewing compliance systems, strengthening testing protocols, and ensuring manufacturers adhere strictly to product safety standards.

The committee will continue to exercise its oversight role and expects regular updates from the NCC as the investigation unfolds.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO – Report:

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The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration this week noted and welcomed the updates in the 2026 Budget Review on the ghost worker audit underway. The committee has welcomed this, as well as several broader reforms announced by National Treasury this week aimed at strengthening the public service.

The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Jan de Villiers, said that the committee notes the preliminary results of verification processes, which identified 4 323 high-risk cases of possible payroll system fraud in national and provincial departments. “The committee has consistently called for accountability and investigations into ghost employees, as we consider this a critical step towards restoring public confidence in financial management in the public service,” he said.

“We have also been clear about the need for evidence of results, including the number of ghost employees identified and removed, the monies recovered and the number of prosecutions. While the committee is encouraged by the number of ghost workers identified, we call for consequences where wrongdoing has been confirmed, which must include prosecutions and successful convictions.”

The committee also called on the relevant departments, National Treasury and the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), to heed the urgency of this verification process. “The integrity of the public service is foundational to constitutional governance, and verification and decisive action in this regard cannot be delayed.”

The budget documents show that compensation of employees accounts for nearly one-third of consolidated expenditure. “So, any weaknesses in payroll controls have significant fiscal implications,” said Mr de Villiers. “The committee therefore calls for detailed breakdowns of the 4 323 high-risk cases, including departmental and provincial distribution and the financial exposure associated with each category. “Employees who cannot be verified must be dealt with swiftly and in accordance with due process.”

The committee is encouraged by the allocations aimed at supporting the modernisation of the government payroll system and the national e-government procurement platform. The committee noted that ghost workers identified will be verified using facial matching against the National Population Register and physical verification, including cross-checking results with the DPSA and the Department of Basic Education ghost worker projects. It also noted that the next phase of the verification project will integrate with improvements to payroll systems and the rollout of a single sign-on for public servants, enabling automated oversight and reducing irregularities.

“We believe all this will support efforts to build a professional, capable and ethical state,” said the Chairperson. “These allocations for payroll modernisation and the national e-government procurement platform represent important progress towards a more digitised and transparent public administration.”

The committee further noted that R3.7 billion has been allocated for the Early Retirement Programme. The Budget Review document projected a net savings of R5.5 billion over the medium term through this programme. “While the programme presents an opportunity to manage the wage bill, the committee will request clarity on how departments will mitigate skills gaps that may result and maintain service delivery capacity, particularly in critical technical posts,” said Mr de Villiers.

The committee was also encouraged by the additional funds allocated over the medium term to support the work of key institutions such as the Public Service Commission (PSC). It has consistently called for adequate resourcing of the PSC to strengthen the Commission’s oversight and investigative capacity. “This is important for the PSC to fulfil its mandate and to build a capable, professional and ethical public service.”

The committee will closely monitor the implementation of these announcements. “We will prepare requests for further written information and meetings with the DPSA and National Treasury to ensure sustained oversight and measurable progress in the processes underway,” said Mr de Villiers.

– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO – Report:

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South Sudan’s political and military leaders are systematically dismantling the 2018 Revitalized Peace agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, undermining governance and security safeguards and exposing civilians to grave risks of renewed armed conflict, mass atrocity crimes, and serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned today, presenting its latest investigative report to the Human Rights Council.

The Commission calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities, restoration and full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement, and compliance with South Sudan’s obligations under international law.

“Last March, the President declared South Sudan would not return to war. To the contrary, we have seen an alarming regression. Government forces have since carried out widespread and systematic attacks against civilians, including unlawful killings, indiscriminate, disproportionate aerial bombardment of civilian homes and medical facilities in violation of the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution under international humanitarian law. The Commission also documented incidents of conflict-related sexual violence and the abduction and forcible recruitment of boys; conduct prohibited under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, its Optional Protocol and customary law. Taken together, these acts may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law,” said Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission.

The new report draws on independent investigations conducted in South Sudan, focused on events and cases in 2025, while noting distressing new developments. The Commissioners presented the report today at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, which established the Commission ten years ago, in March 2016.

“The Commission found that armed forces under ruling party command are now most responsible for attacks against civilians, including patterns of targeting linked to ethnicity and perceived political affiliation,” added Sooka. “As attacks on Nuer civilians by government forces continue escalating, particularly in Jonglei, we see that the ethnic dimensions to renewed violence are inseparable from the politicized detentions and prosecutions of opposition leaders, which are also ethnically charged.”

In March 2025, the ruling SPLM-IG party detained opposition members across the country, including eight opposition leaders, among them the First Vice President, charging them with serious crimes in September 2025. These detentions and prosecutions raise serious concerns of arbitrary detention in violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, denial of fair trial guarantees under Article 14, and unlawful executive interference with judicial independence. The ruling party says it plans to conduct the first national election in December 2026.

“Credible electoral processes are unrealistic in a context where civic space is repressed, conflict rages, more than three million people are internally displaced, and key opposition leaders are arbitrarily detained during a politicized trial,” added Sooka.

The report identifies airstrikes on levels unprecedented since pre-independence wars. Conducted by South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), with documented support by Ugandan forces, most bombings hit areas the ruling party declared “hostile”. Civilian homes, hospitals and opposition sites are targeted in attacks. Many of the improvised bombs inflicted severe burns on mostly civilian victims, often fatal.

“Reflecting profound abdication of core duties and obligations, the systematic bombings and forced recruitments targeting civilians have been conducted by the very armed forces which are responsible for citizens’ protection,” said Commissioner Barney Afako. “These are gross violations of the State’s international human rights law obligations and implicate leaders in serious crimes.”

The Commission documented forced recruitment in Juba led by SSPDF, in which boys and young men were abducted and transported north to fight. The airstrikes and forced recruitments were widely known, and well planned, with high-level authorization. Political-military leaders responsible for related crimes enjoy impunity.

“Air and ground attacks on civilians by government forces, mostly targeting civilians in opposition-affiliated areas – predominantly Nuer communities – are part and parcel of the ruling party’s systematic dismantling of the peace agreement. When leaders treat negotiated peace commitments as expendable, they create conditions in which violence flourishes. South Sudan is at a dangerous crossroads,” added Afako.

Evidence gathered by the Commission indicates these violations are authorized, condoned, or tolerated by senior political and military officials. This engages individual criminal responsibility, including under the doctrine of command responsibility.

The 2018 Revitalized Agreement offers a comprehensive framework for peace, justice and development. The Commission has consistently emphasized the Revitalized Agreement as central to fulfilling South Sudan’s international human rights law obligations. Yet the new report documents its systematic dismantling throughout 2025, following years of deliberate obstructions.

“In our close examination of the detention and prosecution of opposition leaders, we identified serious and extensive violations of due process,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández. “A fundamental issue is their detention without charge or lawyers for over five months. Another is the prejudicial statements by senior officials, and unexplained dismissals of chief justices and indeed justice ministers in the process – which indicates executive interference and may in part explain why judges never addressed the unlawful detentions. The unlawful deprivation of liberty warrants their immediate release; this should be done promptly, in accordance with applicable law.”

The report also reiterates findings in the Commission’s paper of September 2025, detailing grand corruption diverting revenues to elites, rendering government institutions unable to address basic needs and fulfill human rights. Since its publication, corruption mechanisms have further entrenched, with the corrupt and politically-connected Crawford Capital Ltd. intensifying its infiltration of government.

“Systemic impunity, economic predation, and deliberate subversion of peace agreements: over the ten years, our Commission has repeatedly identified these as central drivers of recurrent armed conflict and ongoing human rights violations,” said Sooka. “South Sudan’s neighbouring countries must urgently step up their engagement and press the ruling party to restore the Revitalized Agreement, starting with ending military offensives, recommitting to the cessation of hostilities and releasing opposition leaders from unlawful detention. Without urgent course correction, South Sudan risks state failure, further undermining regional security, and trampling the rights and dignity of South Sudanese.”

The Commission’s key recommendations in the report are:

• To the Government: immediately cease bombings, forced recruitments, and all violations of international law; withdraw politicized charges against SPLM/A-IO leaders; cease actions dismantling power-sharing arrangements and undermining judicial independence; ensure any electoral process complies with safeguards consistent with the Revitalized Agreement and international law.
• To all armed forces and non-State armed groups: cease attacks on civilians; guarantee humanitarian access; enforce accountability for rights violations.
• To the African Union and United Nations organizations and Member States: demand compliance with the Revitalized Agreement and establish a credible mechanism to restore the transition; immediately operationalize the Hybrid Court for South Sudan; fully fund humanitarian and civilian protection; and condition political support on respect for human rights obligations.

– on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).