Category: Africa

Source: APO

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The 2026 Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) aims to deliver lifesaving assistance this year to 5.9 million people across seven neighbouring countries: the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan and Uganda. 

The plan will continue to prioritize aid for roughly 470,000 new refugees who are expected to cross into these countries, as well as thousands more who remain in border areas and have received only the most basic assistance. 

World’s largest displacement crisis 

The Sudan war erupted in mid-April 2023, with the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) locked in a brutal power struggle.  

Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, said the need for a fourth annual appeal underscores the relentless impact of the war and a humanitarian response struggling to keep up. 

“Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement and worst humanitarian crisis, unfolding in the wake of the most severe global funding crunch in decades,” he told journalists in Geneva. 

As fighting continues in several parts of the country, essential services have collapsed while humanitarian access remains restricted in many areas. 

“Thousands of people continue to flee across borders each week, often arriving in already vulnerable yet generous regions, where public services and economic opportunities were limited even before the crisis,” he said.

Host communities ‘pushed to the brink’ 

Some 4.3 million Sudanese refugees remain displaced within the region, most of whom are in Egypt and eastern Chad. 

Mr. Balde noted that “while host governments and local communities continue to demonstrate remarkable solidarity, their capacity is being pushed to the brink.”  

Egypt currently hosts 1.4 million Sudanese who have fled the war and registered refugee figures have nearly quadrupled since 2023. 

“Yet severe funding cuts have forced UNHCR to close two of its three registration centres, affecting people’s access to critical protection services,” he said.  Moreover, available funding per refugee per month has dropped from $11 to $4. 

In eastern Chad, more than 71,000 refugee families have not received housing assistance, meaning they do not have safe and adequate shelter. “Nearly 234,000 people are awaiting relocation, living in precarious conditions at the border,” he added. 

Meanwhile in Uganda, clinic closures and the suspension of critical nutrition programmes in Kiryandongo settlement put thousands of Sudanese refugees at heightened risk of diseases. 

Rising needs, shrinking resources 

Mr. Balde stressed that despite these constraints, the 2026 plan “will continue to support host countries in providing critical basic services, including food, shelter, healthcare and protection services for new arrivals and the most vulnerable refugees.” 

He warned, however, that “the widening gap between rising needs and shrinking resources threatens to undermine both emergency response efforts and medium-term solutions.” 

In the interim, UNHCR continues to call for stronger international support to address the persistent underfunding of humanitarian operations in the countries hosting people fleeing Sudan.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

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The Committee on Education and Sports has directed the Ministry of Education and Sports to address the plight of more than 60 former staff of the Management Training and Advisory Centre (MTAC).

MTAC was repealed under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act, 2025 and its functions transferred to Nakawa Vocational Training College. Under the law, MTAC’s assets, liabilities, students and staff were to be moved to Nakawa Vocational Training College as part of the transition.

While meeting officials from the ministry  led by the Minister of State for Sports , Hon. Peter Ogwang, , the Chairperson of the committee, Hon. James Kubeketerya, said more than 60 former staff of MTAC were left out during the transition.

“MTAC had staff and when the merger occurred, either these people were not absorbed. Why not just get a definite position on that?” he said.
Legislators tasked the ministry to urgently handle the grievances of the affected workers, following complaints that some employees were not absorbed into Nakawa Vocational Training College.

The Commissioner for Technical and Vocational Education and Training at the ministry, Loy Muhwezi said that following approval of the merger, MTAC ceased to exist and that within the ministry’s structure only Nakawa Vocational Training College is recognised. She added that the process of finalising the takeover is still ongoing.

Her disclosure that some staff may have been recruited illegally shortly before the merger drew sharp criticism from Members of Parliament.

Jonam County Member of Parliament, Hon. Emmanuel Ongiertho  faulted the ministry for weak supervision of the education sector, questioning how an institution could allegedly recruit staff irregularly without the ministry’s knowledge.

Hon. Silas Aogon (Independent, Kumi Municipality) called for investigations into both the allegedly irregular recruits and any ministry officials who may have failed to act.

Muhwezi requested for additional time to present a comprehensive report on the transition from MTAC to Nakawa Vocational Training College, prompting Nathan Itungo (Kashari South) to seek clarity on how far the process has progressed.

Ogwang urged the affected staff to formally submit details of their complaints to enable government to examine their claims.

“I also want to really ask you to help me with the information regarding that person because I have just been asking the Permanent Secretary whether she has received any of these complaints from their grid and it seems the answer is negative,” Ogwang said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

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Fifteen years after Libyans revolted against the repressive rule of Muammar al-Gaddafi, systemic impunity fuels crimes under international law and serious human rights violations by militias and armed groups while justice and reparations for survivors and relatives of victims remain elusive, Amnesty International said today.

Instead of being brought to justice in fair proceedings, those suspected of involvement in murder, torture, enforced disappearances and other crimes under international law and human rights violations have been killed or remain at large. They include fugitives from the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite the welcome step taken by the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) in May 2025 to accept the jurisdiction of the Court with respect to alleged crimes committed in Libya from 2011 to 2027.

“For 15 years, successive Libyan authorities have failed to dismantle the networks of abuse that fuel ongoing violations and have instead provided funding and legitimacy to notorious militias and integrated their members into state institutions without proper vetting. By allowing those suspected of responsibility for crimes under international law to evade accountability the authorities have betrayed survivors and reinforced a cycle of violence and lawlessness that shows no sign of ending,” said Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt and Libya Researcher at Amnesty International.

“The Government of National Unity’s acceptance of the ICC’s jurisdiction rings hollow as long as it is not matched by concrete action. The killing of Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi earlier this month underscores the inability and unwillingness of the Libyan justice system to ensure accountability and irreversibly robs survivors and relatives of victims of their right to truth and justice. Libyan authorities must meaningfully cooperate with the ICC, surrender individuals wanted for crimes under international law, and ensure that all those suspected of criminal responsibility are brought to justice in fair trials.”

Since the referral of the situation in Libya to the ICC by the UN Security Council in February 2011, only one suspect out of 14 was handed to the Court. On 1 December 2025, the German authorities surrendered Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri (also known as “Al-Buti”), senior and long-term member of the notorious Tripoli-based militia Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Terrorism and Organized Crime (DACTO), also known as al-Radaa, to the ICC. The ICC issued a warrant for his arrest for crimes against humanity and war crimes, in connection with incidents at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli under the control of DACTO.

The GNU, as well as the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), the de facto authorities in control of eastern and southern Libya, persist in their refusal to arrest and/or surrender Libyan nationals against whom arrest warrants have been issued by the ICC on charges of committing crimes against humanity and/or war crimes. Eight Libyan nationals under ICC arrest warrants remain at large.

Amnesty International wrote to the Libyan Public Prosecutor on 2 February 2026 to inquire about the whereabouts and legal proceedings against two individuals who had been arrested in Libya, but whose current status remains unclear amid concerns that they are shielded from accountability. They are Osama AlMasri Njeem, the former head of the Department of Operations and Judicial Security (DOJS) and long-term senior member of DACTO, and Abdelbari Ayyad Ramadan al-Shaqaqi, a senior member of al-Kaniat armed group. No response had been received at the time of writing.

Killings instead of justice

Libya has seen a pattern of killings of individuals suspected of involvement in human rights violations, denying victims the truth and justice they deserve.

Most recently, on 3 February, Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi was murdered in unknown circumstances by unidentified attackers. In 2011, the ICC Prosecutor charged him with committing crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution. In 2017, a Libyan court sentenced al-Gaddafi to death in absentia in a trial that did not meet international standards. In July 2017, an armed group in the western city of Zintan, which had held him since 2011, had announced his release in an amnesty.

Another ICC suspect who was murdered in unknown circumstances is Mahmoud al-Werfalli, former Field Commander of the Special Forces Brigade (Al-Saiqa) affiliated to the LAAF. In 2017, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him for war crimes. In 2021, Mahmoud al-Werfalli was shot dead in Benghazi, the second biggest city in Libya and under the de facto authority of LAAF.

Another notorious militia commander, Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, known as “Gheniwa” was killed in unclear circumstances in Tripoli on 12 May 2025, triggering armed clashes between rival militias in Tripoli. Amnesty International documented crimes under international law and serious human rights violations against Libyans, as well as refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, committed by militias under his command including the Central Security Force/ Abu Salim militia and the Stability Support Authority (SSA). Documented crimes include arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, sexual violence and unlawful killings. Amnesty International also documented how SSA militia members carried out interceptions of refugees and migrants at sea that have been marred by reports of violence, leading to loss of life at sea. 

Failure to surrender ICC suspects

Libya’s justice system remains unwilling and unable to effectively investigate crimes committed by powerful militias and armed groups. Proceedings in Libya are also marred by severe violations of fair trial rights including the right to adequate defence, to not self-incriminate and to be protected from torture, amid continuing trials of civilians by military courts. The Public Prosecutor himself publicly described in April 2025 the bodies responsible for pursuing cases, gathering and preserving evidence as “almost ineffective” due to the involvement of influential parties affiliated with security bodies or armed groups.

Despite this, the Libyan authorities refuse to surrender those under ICC arrest warrants to the Court.  In November 2025, the Public Prosecutor ordered the detention of Osama AlMasri Njeem in connection with incidents of torture and other cruel and degrading treatment of detainees at Mitiga Prison, and a death in custody. No further information is publicly available on his place of detention or status of legal proceedings, amid serious concerns about whether he would face justice, given the continued power wielded in Tripoli by DACTO militia, of which he was a long-term senior member. Italian authorities had arrested him in January 2025 pursuant to the ICC warrant of arrest, but flew him back to Libya the same month.

On 13 July 2025, the GNU’s ministry of justice published a statement on its Facebook page, before quickly removing it, announcing its refusal to surrender Osama AlMasri Njeem to the ICC. The statement added that “Libya has neither signed nor ratified the Rome Statute. Therefore, no Libyan citizen will be surrendered outside the jurisdiction of Libyan territory, and the national judiciary is fully competent to consider such cases.”

In October 2024, the ICC announced arrest warrants against six leaders, senior members, and affiliates of al-Kaniat, an armed group that committed crimes under international law during its reign of terror over the Libyan city of Tarhouna, including mass unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearances and forced displacement. The six remain at large and/or have yet to be surrendered to the Court.

One of the six is Abdelbari Ayyad Ramadan al-Shaqaqi who has been since 2024 in custody of DACTO. In August 2025, the Office of the Public Prosecution announced that it had ordered the pretrial detention of a member of al-Kaniat, without disclosing his name but providing credentials matching those of Abdelbari Ayyad Ramadan al-Shaqaqi. The prosecution did not clarify the charges against him and only stated that he was being investigated for a suspected abduction and killing before 2020. No information has been made public on whether he was referred to trial.

Failure to investigate or prosecute militia leaders

Successive Libyan governments continued to integrate members of militias and armed groups into state institutions without vetting them to exclude those suspected of crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations. Even in rare cases when the government disestablished some militias or removed their leaders, they failed to initiate criminal investigations against them or vet their members.

Most recently, in May 2025 the GNU dissolved the DOJS, which was headed by Osama AlMasri Njeem, and integrated its members into the Ministry of the Interior without conducting individual vetting to exclude and hold accountable those reasonably suspected of involvement in crimes under international.

In the same month, the government dismissed Lotfi al-Harari, former head of the Internal Security Agency (ISA) in Tripoli. Amnesty International had documented how ISA members subjected dozens of men and women to arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment and  enforced disappearances. No criminal investigations into claims that crimes under international law were committed at ISA under his command have taken place.

Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, a military commander or a person effectively acting as a military commander may be responsible for the crimes committed by subordinates under his or her effective command and control, if the commander is aware of the crimes, or should have been aware of them, and fails to prevent or punish them.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

Source: APO

The Government of Zimbabwe commissioned a tranche of small-scale agricultural equipment to support climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management and rural livelihoods in the country’s dryland areas, under the Drylands Sustainable Landscapes Impact Programme (DSL-IP) funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF-7) and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The commissioning ceremony, held at the Community Technology Development Organisation (CTDO) in Harare, was officiated by the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Hon. Evelyn Ndhlovu, with senior officials from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, FAO, project implementing partners and members of the development sector.

Speaking at the event, Hon. Ndhlovu said the provision of mechanised equipment marks a critical milestone in the Government’s efforts to transform agriculture in Zimbabwe’s most climate-vulnerable dryland regions, while safeguarding ecosystems and natural resources.

“Today’s commissioning represents a strategic shift from environmentally destructive coping practices towards productive, climate-smart and land-positive livelihoods. Mechanisation is not merely about increasing output. It is a powerful enabler of sustainable land management, reducing labour drudgery for women and youth while improving productivity and resilience,” said Hon. Dr. Ndhlovu.

Part of a global drylands programme

The DSL-IP project is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, through the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), with FAO as the GEF-accredited entity, in partnership with CTDO, World Vision, the Forestry Commission and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

The Zimbabwe child project forms part of a global FAO-led Drylands Sustainable Landscapes Impact Programme being implemented in eleven countries in Southern Africa, West Africa and Asia, supporting countries to meet their Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

“The equipment commissioned today builds on earlier distributions in 2025 that have significantly reduced labour requirements, improved timeliness of farm operations and encouraged wider adoption of sustainable practices, even beyond project-supported Farmer Field Schools,” noted Rene Czudek, FAO Forestry Officer Rene Czudek and Lead Technical Officer for the DSL-IP.

Scaling up farmer-centred mechanisation

A total of 1 050 additional pieces of small-scale agricultural equipment were commissioned, bringing the cumulative total to 1 960 units procured under the project. The equipment includes two-wheel tractors, double-furrow ploughs, planters, trailers, multi-crop threshers, earth augers and post-harvest processing machinery, and is supporting 600 Farmer Field Schools across the Save and Runde catchments.

The labour-saving technologies are benefiting 15 000 direct beneficiaries, of whom at least 52 percent are women, by improving land preparation, planting precision and post-harvest handling, while reducing pressure on forests, rangelands and riverbanks.

According to the Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Obert Jiri, in a speech read on his behalf, smallholder mechanisation is a key driver of agricultural modernisation and rural transformation.

“Research has shown that mechanisation enhances productivity through timeliness and precision of operations. By increasing output on existing arable land, it limits the expansion of agriculture into forests and fragile ecosystems, directly contributing to Zimbabwe’s land degradation neutrality commitments,” said Obert Jiri.

Delivering national and global commitments

The DSLIP contributes directly to National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) priorities on food security, climate resilience and rural development, while aligning with the Government’s Pfumvudza/Intwasa climate-smart agriculture programme and broader national mechanisation initiatives.

Across the Save and Runde landscapes, the project is expected to restore 2 150 hectares of degraded land, bring 172 540 hectares under improved sustainable land and forest management practices, mitigate 1.26 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen resilience across 44 wards in eight districts.

As the project approaches completion, stakeholders emphasised the importance of strong governance, maintenance systems and equitable access to ensure that the equipment continues to deliver benefits beyond the life of the project.

“Every piece of equipment commissioned today must translate into improved productivity, restored landscapes and dignified livelihoods for our rural citizens,” said Andrew Mushita, CTDO Director, in his remarks.

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

Source: APO

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, concluded a week‑long series of capacity‑building workshops aimed at empowering traditional leaders in spearheading sustainable management and restoration of Miombo woodlands in Mudzi and Rushinga districts in Zimbabwe.

The workshops, held from 9 – 13 February 2026, equipped more than 200 traditional leaders and Community Resource Monitors with technical, legal, and governance skills to strengthen local natural resource management systems. This capacity‑building initiative forms part of the USD 5 million Zimbabwe–Mozambique Transboundary Integrated Sustainable Management of Miombo Woodlands Project, funded by the Italian Government through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

“Traditional leaders including Chiefs, Headmen, and Village Heads are the cultural and administrative custodians of Zimbabwe’s rural livelihoods and landscapes. As such, they hold an essential role in shaping community behaviour, enforcing local laws, and driving environmental stewardship. Their involvement is therefore strategic to the success of the national Miombo restoration agenda in Southern Africa,” said Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative to Zimbabwe.  

The training sessions brought forward several important insights that will shape the ongoing restoration of Miombo woodlands. Participants underscored the critical role of indigenous knowledge systems, such as customary land‑use practices, seasonal indicators, and cultural norms, in guiding effective Miombo woodland conservation. Conservation methods rooted in this local wisdom were widely acknowledged as more sustainable and more readily embraced by communities.

The workshops also reinforced the legal authority of traditional leaders under the Traditional Leaders Act, encouraging them to fully exercise their mandate as local law enforcers responsible for ensuring compliance with both community rules and national forestry legislation. A recurring message throughout the sessions was that “a wise leader rides on local expertise,” emphasizing the importance of informed and culturally grounded decision‑making.

“Through these workshops, we were able to clarify the scientific principles behind Miombo woodlands management while also outlining the legal provisions that guide responsible natural resources use in Zimbabwe. Our mandate as the Forestry Commission is not only to provide technical expertise, but also to ensure that communities and traditional leaders fully understand the regulatory frameworks that protect our forests,” said Lucious Mujuru, Provincial Forestry Extension Manager at the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe.

Traditional leaders further highlighted the need for participatory law‑making, stressing that communities must be involved in developing and enforcing natural resource regulations to build legitimacy and trust. The workshops also sought to strengthen collaboration among multiple institutions, including Rural District Councils, the Forestry Commission, Environmental Management Agency, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, and community monitors.

A firm stance was taken against corruption in land allocation, with leaders committing to uphold transparency and enforce punitive measures when necessary. Village Heads were ceremonially positioned as frontline custodians of natural resources, symbolically “given the bow and arrow” to reinforce their role as the eyes and ears of Chiefs.

“We are particularly grateful for the opportunity provided by Italy and FAO to bring our traditional leaders together and sensitise them on their vital roles in the protection and sustainable management of Miombo woodlands,” said Ropafadzo Mukonde from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.

“The Italian Cooperation places communities at the heart of sustainable natural resource management. We were therefore pleased to support this FAO-led training under the Miombo woodlands project, enabling traditional leaders and communities to strengthen their capacity to protect these ecosystems. Often described as the ecological ‘lungs’ of Southern Africa, the Miombo can only be preserved through the active engagement and leadership of local communities,” said Paolo Enrico Sertoli, Head of AICS Maputo Office (also covering Zimbabwe).

Throughout the capacity building sessions, stakeholders emphasized that protecting Miombo woodlands is a matter of national importance, vital for climate resilience, water security, biodiversity preservation, and rural livelihoods. The discourse also explored the economic benefits of well‑managed woodlands, noting that ecosystems rich in non‑timber forest products such as baobab and marula, along with improved soil health and carbon storage potential, generate significant long‑term value for local communities.

The sessions unanimously resolved to establish effective Resource Management Committees in each ward. These committees will be responsible for overseeing/monitoring natural resource use and reporting on compliance, developing locally appropriate rules and regulations in consultation with traditional and local leadership, and supporting enforcement efforts.

“We need to anchor our efforts at the grassroots level to foster a strong sense of ownership and ensure effective and sustainable natural resource management,” said Maxwell Phiri, Miombo National Project Coordinator at FAO.

Going forward, the project envisages strengthening of the existing Resource Management Committees, as well as facilitating their establishment in wards where they are not yet in place. These committees will be capacitated with practical skills to enhance effective natural resource governance and sustainable land management. Capacity-building support will include training in forest resource inventory and monitoring, value addition to Non-Timber Forest Products, fire prevention and management, seedling production, tree planting, and sustainable management of natural forests.

Embedding Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) in ecosystems restoration

A dedicated session on PSEA was included in all the capacity‑building workshops, recognising the crucial role traditional leaders play in safeguarding their communities. Integrating PSEA into these workshops was essential because traditional leaders are often the first point of contact for community grievances and therefore must be equipped with the knowledge to uphold accountability, protect vulnerable groups, and promote ethical conduct in development initiatives.

“For traditional leaders whose influence shapes social norms, the trainings provided a critical platform to strengthen accountability systems at grassroots level. By equipping Chiefs, Headmen, and Village Heads with this knowledge, FAO helped reinforce community trust and safeguard the integrity of the Miombo restoration initiative,” said Leticia Njowola, FAO PSEA Country Focal Point.

Voices of the Traditional Leaders 

“This project is going to benefit my community in protecting Miombo woodlands and in turn, the Miombo woodlands improving our livelihoods, a mutual and symbiotic relationship between humans and the ecosystem. With these trainings, I am going to intensify my leadership in supporting the resource monitoring committees established in my wards. I rely on the coordination of my village heads to ensure the objectives of the Miombo restoration are met,” Chief Mukota, Mudzi district. 

“As a woman leading my community, this training has empowered me to confidently confront the challenges we face in protecting our Miombo woodlands. For many of us, this thematic area has long been seen as the domain of men, but today I feel equipped to break new ground and show that women, too, have a critical role to play in restoring our environment,” Chioniso Chichovhe, Village Headwoman, Ward 17, Mudzi District.

“As a cultural custodian, I carry a responsibility to my community and to the wider Miombo landscape shared by Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This training has strengthened my commitment to honour our shared history by leading restoration efforts and passing this knowledge throughout my district with the support of my village heads,” said Chief Makuni of Rushinga District.

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