Category: Africa

Source: APO – Report:

.

The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has cautioned the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) about its projected R749 million over-expenditure, reported to the committee on August 25, 2026.

Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the committee understands that food costs, driven largely by overcrowding, remain the main contributor to the projected over-expenditure. “The more inmates are admitted into correctional facilities, the more the department will need to spend on food. We therefore want a proper financial recovery plan outlining how the department intends to mitigate this over-expenditure,” emphasised the Chairperson.

The committee on August 25, 2026 considered the DCS performance report for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. “While acknowledging that the department achieved an overall performance target rate of 83%, the committee remains deeply concerned about severe structural challenges, escalating overcrowding, operational budget overruns and an alarming increase in unnatural inmate deaths,” highlighted the Chairperson.

The committee also noted with grave concern the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) report presented last week, which recorded 44 unnatural inmate deaths in the first quarter of 2026/27, an 83% increase compared with the 24 recorded during the same period last year. “We urge the department and JICS to work together to eliminate inconsistencies in the reporting of deaths. We hear the department when it says JICS reports on unnatural deaths before investigations have been finalised.

“Furthermore, we are concerned about delays in informing families about the cause of death of inmates who die while incarcerated. Families have a right to know, and they have a right to be informed of the cause of death as speedily as possible,” said Ms Ramolobeng.

The committee also raised concern about persistent overcrowding, particularly in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape, where inmate admissions continue to outpace releases.
The committee further noted that Correctional Supervision and Parole Board decision-making targets were missed in nearly all regions due to pervasive vacancies and a lack of quorums.

The department also experienced quarterly budget overruns across key programmes, including Incarceration (9%), Rehabilitation (9%), Care (18%) and Social Reintegration (12%), while failing to meet critical modernisation targets, including the drafting of the Correctional Services Amendment Bill and the deployment of smart technologies.

The committee highlighted that the Correctional Services Amendment Bill would be particularly important in addressing overcrowding, as it would provide for the interstate transfer of sentenced offenders to serve their sentences in their countries of origin.

“We note the inconsistencies in vacancy rates between the two reporting systems. While an 83% overall target achievement rate appears positive on paper, the severe operational gaps underneath cannot be ignored. Safe incarceration, human dignity and effective rehabilitation are constitutional imperatives, not optional goals.

“The committee cannot overlook the fact that critical rehabilitation and mental health services are constrained by severe staffing shortages. Rigorous accountability will be demanded from the executive regarding parole board vacancies, budget overruns, facility security and concrete interventions to prevent further loss of life in correctional centres,” said Ms Ramolobeng.

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

Source: APO – Report:

Eid Mewlid Al-Nebi, marking the 1448 Hijri year, was celebrated colorfully across the country today, 25 August.

The ceremony at Al-Khulafa Al-Rashidin Mosque was attended by ministers, senior Government and PFDJ officials, members of the diplomatic community, leaders of various Churches, and a large number of the faithful.

Haj Mohammed-Seid Bashir, Chairman of the Islamic Awkaf of Asmara, gave an extensive briefing on the historical significance of the holiday. He also commended those who participated in and contributed to the colorful event.

Speaking at the event, Sheik Salem Ibrahim Almuktar, Mufti of Eritrea and Chairman of the Higher Assembly of Eritrean Iftae and Islamic Affairs, congratulated the Eritrean people at home and abroad.

Sheik Salem Ibrahim Almuktar also underlined the importance of continued adherence to Eritrea’s foundational ethical principles and standards in this age of globalization. He also called for the preservation and further consolidation of the country’s strong national unity and cohesion, which were secured through the precious sacrifices of its martyrs.

The Eid Mewlid celebration was highlighted by spiritual performances.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

At the Al-Jazeera II Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mogadishu, the air carries a heavy stillness – a hard-won quiet maintained by 159 personnel of the Nigerian Formed Police Unit (NFPU) under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), in tandem with Ugandan troops serving. At the centre of this operational shield stands Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Abraham Laban, the NFPU-13 commander who views Somalia’s security as a testament to African self-reliance.

Established to house AUSSOM personnel following their relocation from the Mogadishu International Stadium, a move designed to facilitate the stadium’s rehabilitation and return to the Somali public, the base has become a cornerstone of stability in the capital.

CSP Abraham’s contribution to Somalia rests on the core pillars of the AUSSOM police mandate: public order management, joint operational patrols with the Somali Police Force (SPF), and providing vital escorts for AUSSOM and United Nations (UN) personnel.

“The hallmark of this mission is teamwork,” he says. “We work within a multi-dimensional environment alongside military and civilian components. Our goal is a common one: the stability of Somalia.”

CSP Laban, a master’s holder in peace studies and conflict resolution from Taraba State University in Nigeria, has a credential that transforms his command from policing into a sophisticated exercise in peacebuilding.

According to him, commanding a unit of 159 officers in a high-threat zone requires more than just tactical expertise; it requires a deep understanding of human endurance. For CSP Laban, the operational readiness of his personnel is inextricably linked to their mental health.

“I check regularly on the personnel who are down as a result of stress,” he explains. “We manage that through sporting activities and constant debriefs to ensure our professionalism never wavers.”

His typical day begins at the crack of dawn. Before the heat of the Somali sun takes hold, CSP Laban is already deep into operational briefings, feedback loops, and facility inspections. However, his most vital inspections are not of hardware but of morale.

Under CSP Laban’s tenure, the NFPU-13 has evolved into a versatile force. In response to a shortage of AUSSOM Individual Police Officers (IPOs), his team has stepped in to bridge the gap, providing the requisite training and professional development of SPF.

“I have personally led patrol teams into the heart of Mogadishu—navigating nooks and crannies that have been difficult for many to access,” CSP Laban says.

Perhaps one of the most significant achievements under his command is the sustained security at the Al-Jazeera base. While the surrounding environment remains volatile, Laban’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) has seen a marked period of calm.

This proactive stance has yielded tangible results at the Al-Jazeera base. In a region where mortar fire was once a rhythmic disruption of life, the silence now speaks volumes.

“This is a record we have set through vigilance and God’s grace, and we intend to maintain it.”

CSP Laban’s motivation in serving for AUSSOM is rooted in the legacy of Pan-Africanists like Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere. He views the Nigerian presence in Somalia as a fulfilment of a continental duty, an acknowledgement that the security of Lagos is inextricably tied to the peace of Mogadishu.

“As Nigerians, we know we will never have true peace in our own country if Somalia does not have peace,” CSP Laban says.

– on behalf of African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

Source: APO

Ms. Abeba Habtom, head of preschool services at the Ministry of Education, reported that, as a result of the substantial investment made during the 2024/2025 academic year, the number of preschools nationwide increased by more than 240%.

Ms. Abeba went on to say that the number of preschools increased from 828 to 2,004 during the 2025/2026 academic year. She also said that preschool enrolment increased from about 65,000 to 128,500; capacity-building training programs are being organized for preschool teachers in all regions of the country; and teaching materials are being prepared in all the country’s languages.

Noting that preschool services are very important for nurturing children in all aspects of their lives, Ms. Abeba said that attending preschool helps children develop self-confidence, creativity and communication skills, as well as an understanding of their society’s social, cultural and moral values.

According to documents, there are currently 444 preschools in the Gash Barka Region, 337 in the Northern Red Sea Region, 667 in the Southern Region, 304 in the Anseba Region, 175 in the Central Region, and 77 in the Southern Red Sea Region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

.

A meeting aimed at strengthening youth organization was conducted in the Abo-Kiloma administrative area, Southern Denkalia sub-zone, Southern Red Sea Region, on 22 August.

Mr. Mohammed Idris, head of the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students in the sub-zone, said that the objective of the meeting was to enhance the overall awareness of the youth and enable them to participate actively in national affairs and in the implementation of the Union’s programs.

Noting the significance of the active participation of young people in ensuring the desired transformation of society, Mr. Osman Abdelkadir, head of the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students in the Southern Red Sea Region, called for a stronger role by the youth in promoting the use of educational opportunities, particularly among young women in the Abo-Kiloma administrative area.

Commending the efforts being exerted to organize the youth and raise their awareness, Mr. Ali Burhan, administrator of the area, expressed the administration’s readiness to play its part in supporting the efforts of the Union branch.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

.

Rising debt payments are crowding out health spending in Africa’s poorest countries, and out-of-pocket medical costs push 150 million people into poverty every year, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) warned today at the opening of the 76th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, held at the Adwa Museum under the theme “Roots and Wings – Heritage Meets Digital Health.”

Speaking on behalf of Executive Secretary Mr Claver Gatete, ECA Chief of Staff Mr Aboubakri Diaw told health ministers that Africa’s health sector “does not only suffer from a financing gap. It also suffers from a confidence gap; and confidence, unlike capital, cannot be borrowed. It must be built.” The session was opened by President Taye Atske Selassie of Ethiopia, joined by AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa,

To make the stakes tangible, Mr Diaw described “Amina,” a composite small-business owner who delays care for fear of its cost, then faces bills that force her to sell equipment and cut jobs. “What began as one person’s illness has become a household financial crisis… and, when repeated across millions of families, a macroeconomic problem,” he said, citing three converging pressures: external health assistance down almost 30 per cent while debt servicing now outpaces health spending in the median low-income country; out-of-pocket payments averaging 35 per cent of health expenditure regionally, above the WHO benchmark of 20 per cent; and national strategies that remain uncosted and unsequenced, making financing harder to attract.

To close that gap, ECA is asking ministers to make three shifts. First, health ministries should bring finance ministries a quantified investment case, not just a request, tied to productivity and growth. Second, countries should replace fragmented plans with one politically endorsed national health-financing compact spanning health, finance, planning, revenue, debt, insurance and private-sector actors, “putting more money into a fragmented system can finance more fragmentation,” Mr Diaw said, whereas “putting money behind a credible national compact can finance transformation.” Third, governments should match financing instruments to their own fiscal starting point; early data from ECA’s adopter countries shows health receiving just 5 to 9 per cent of budgets while out-of-pocket costs can reach 64 per cent of health spending. This work sits under ECA’s African Initiative on Transforming Health Financing, launched in Tangier in April 2026.

Mr Diaw also urged governments to treat digital health as financing infrastructure, noting that fewer than a third of health systems in low-income settings can track spending digitally in real time, a gap he called “among the fastest efficiency gains  that should be met and made available to any treasury.” He cited Ethiopia’s digital health drive under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the AU’s AI and Digital Health Champion, as a model for tracing every Birr or Franc from budget to patient, turning digital health, he said, from “a project” into “a financing revolution.”

Mr Diaw said success would be measured not by declarations but by whether people like Amina can seek care early without losing their livelihoods. “Health is not what we spend when Africa grows. Health is how Africa grows.” ECA said it stands ready to help turn this ambition into financed, measurable action.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Source: APO – Report:

Kenya has expanded health coverage to more than 32.3 million people as the Government advances reforms aimed at protecting households from high medical costs and ensuring access to healthcare is based on need rather than ability to pay.

Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale highlighted the progress during a high-level ministerial dialogue at the 76th session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for Africa.

The dialogue brought together African health ministers to examine sustainable approaches to financing healthcare and accelerating Universal Health Coverage across the continent.

Hon. Duale said Kenya’s transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund to the Social Health Authority is replacing a fragmented and employment-based system with a more inclusive and sustainable model.

Previously, health insurance covered only about a quarter of the population, leaving many farmers, traders, casual workers and vulnerable households to pay for treatment directly. Out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure reached approximately USD 1.2 billion annually, exposing families to financial hardship whenever serious illness occurred.

The reforms have registered more than 32.3 million people, equivalent to approximately 55 per cent of Kenya’s population. Primary healthcare is now funded by the National Government, with more than USD 210 million committed to support services at community and primary-care levels.

The financing framework has supported more than 20 million outpatient visits by 15 million people, over 1.2 million safe deliveries and approximately 500,000 surgical procedures.

Through the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund, more than 50,000 cancer patients and nearly 21,000 people requiring dialysis have also received support.

Digitisation is strengthening transparency and efficiency across the health system. More than 95 per cent of health facilities—6,424 out of 6,727—have been digitised, while SHA has automated registration, pre-authorisation and claims processing.

Hon. Duale called for sustained domestic health financing across Africa, backed by responsive technology, strong political leadership and mutually beneficial international partnerships.

– on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Source: APO – Report:

President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr Patrick Herminie, welcomed Pastor Mrs Foluke Adenike Adeboye, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye and members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) during a courtesy call at State House this morning.

President Herminie welcomed Pastor Adeboye and the RCCG delegation to Seychelles and expressed his appreciation for the work the church is undertaking, particularly in supporting young people. He noted that Seychelles continues to face several challenges affecting the youth and said that spiritual guidance and support can make a positive contribution to society.

Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye highlighted the RCCG’s extensive work with young people, noting that the church currently has more than 1,000 members in Seychelles and a presence in more than 190 countries worldwide. He also spoke about his work as a Christian leader and the recognition he has received for his influence within the Christian community.

During the meeting, Pastor Adeboye outlined several initiatives the RCCG would like to undertake in Seychelles to support communities and contribute to the well-being and development of the country. These include helping single mothers, organising a weekly breakfast initiative for people struggling with drug addiction, and supporting capacity-building programmes for primary and secondary school students.

The discussions focused on opportunities for collaboration between the Government and the RCCG, with both sides expressing a shared commitment to working together to support the people of Seychelles and contribute to a stronger future for the country through spiritual guidance, community engagement and youth development.

Also in attendance was Minister Amanda Birnstein, alongside representatives of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

– on behalf of State House Seychelles.