Category: Africa

Source: APO

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The Ecowas Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea Bissau (ESSMGB) Ghana Company 4 (GHANCOY 4) organised an inter-community football tournament at the Estadio Lino Correia on Saturday 4 July 2026 as part of its Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) activities.

The aim of the tournament was to build cordial relationships with the communities within which the GHANCOY operates. The tournament comprised four teams: Gā-biafada FC, Galatasaray FC de Hafia, Velhas Guarda FC de Kasseque and Ledger FC. Galatasaray FC de Hafia emerged champions after they defeated  Ledger FC by 5 – 0 in the finals.

The champions received a trophy, gold medals and packs of assorted drinks. Ledger FC, the second placed team received silver medals and assorted drinks. Gā-biafada FC and Guarda FC de Kasseque was awarded packs of assorted drinks each as semifinalists.

In his opening remarks, the Combat Team Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Keelson Ekow Amoah stated that the tournament wasn’t just a football competition but a celebration of friendship.  He added that peace and cooperation could be built through meaningful engagement with communities.

Speaking on behalf of the Force Commander, the Chief of Staff, Colonel Jean-Claude Veh commended the Combat Team Commander, officers and soldiers of GHANCOY 4 for the initiative. He reiterated that, while ESSMGB remained committed to supporting and protecting state institutions and civilians, the mission equally recognised that lasting peace could not be secured by military efforts alone. He stated that, the tournament was crucial in enhancing cordial relationship between the mission and locals as sports has consistently proven to be an effective instrument for promoting peace and cooperation. Present at the occasion were Combat Team Commanders and representatives of the various contingents.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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More than 5,500 children are among the 11,000 people newly displaced in the wake of escalating violence in and around the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan, Sudan, with thousands more at risk, Save the Children said [1].   

The latest displacement in over three years of war comes amid intensified hostilities around the city, with the UN warning that up to 500,000 civilians are at risk of being targeted in large-scale atrocities and could be displaced if the situation escalates.  

This warning follows increased drone strikes that have killed civilians and destroyed civilian infrastructure, resulting in severe fuel and water shortages, while siege-like conditions in the city have left thousands of people trapped and cut off from basic services.  

Humanitarian access to El Obeid, a critical commercial and humanitarian hub for the region, is becoming increasingly constrained, with several major access routes into the city disrupted or closed, Save the Children said. 

At the same time, the onset of the rainy season and an ongoing cholera outbreak in Kordofan with over 300 cases, confirmed by the State Ministry of Health, is creating further risks for children who are unable to access healthcare. New displacement into already overcrowded camps is increasing the likelihood of the outbreak worsening.   

As families arrive in displacement sites and into local communities, they face increasingly difficult living conditions. Many are struggling to access adequate shelter, clean water, healthcare and education services, while overcrowding is placing additional pressure on already limited resources.   

Emad*, who lives with his children, wife and members of his extended family in El Obeid, witnessed the latest drone attacks. He told Save the Children: “Throughout June, the situation in El Obeid was extremely challenging, drones rained heavily in and around the city. About 11 fuel stations were hit, along with fuel tankers coming to El Obeid. Additionally, tankers sitting idle inside the city were also hit including water tankers. There seems to be a systemized targeting that directly affected the economic situation, causing price hikes and water shortages, where two jerrycans now go for almost 6,000 Sudanese pounds ($10).”   

Save the Children is particularly concerned about the growing psychological toll on children, many of whom have witnessed violence, lost loved ones, or been forced to flee multiple times in the past three years.  

Sudan is home to the world’s largest displacement crisis with about 14 million people or a quarter of the population, forced to flee their homes.  

Francesco Lanino, Deputy Country Director for Save the Children in Sudan, said:  

“For children, displacement is far more than the loss of a home. It often means losing access to school, healthcare, clean water and the support networks that help them feel safe and protected. Many have already been displaced multiple times, and without urgent action to protect civilians, maintain humanitarian access and prevent further violence, thousands of children could be forced to flee while facing increasing risks to their safety, health and wellbeing.”  

Across Sudan, children continue to bear the brunt of the conflict. Children under 18 make up about 55% of the country’s displaced population, highlighting the disproportionate impact of violence and displacement on children’s safety, wellbeing and future.   

Save the Children continues to operate in and around El Obeid, providing health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education and child protection services despite growing access challenges.   

Save the Children is calling for the protection of civilians, safe and sustained humanitarian access, and increased support for displaced children and families in North Kordofan and across Sudan. Without urgent action, needs are expected to increase significantly in the coming weeks, placing thousands more at risk.

Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and provides programming for children and families affected by conflict, displacement, extreme poverty and hunger.    

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Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.

Source: APO

Along the lagoon shores of southern Benin, a scene that was once commonplace has become exceptional. “Recently, a resident entered a mangrove ecosystem to cut down mangrove trees, as people used to do in the past. But the site had already been declared sacred…,” recalls Luc Mouvi, President of the Ahémé Community Biodiversity Conservation Area (ACCB, from the French Aire Communautaire de Conservation de la Biodiversité), which is managed by local communities.

The man was stopped and required to replant the trees he had cut down, becoming a symbol of a profound shift in attitudes toward mangrove conservation.

The change is also evident in everyday practices. “We used to use mangrove wood to smoke fish without understanding the consequences,” recalls Catherine Sianté, a member and Treasurer of ACCB Ahémé. “We now understand the importance of mangroves, and our practices have changed. No one dares to destroy them anymore.”

In the coastal areas of southern Benin, mangroves are undergoing a remarkable transformation. Once heavily exploited, they are now increasingly recognized as an ecological, cultural, and spiritual heritage worth protecting. At the entrance to some sites, the presence of the Zangbeto, an iconic figure in Beninese Vodun tradition and a guardian of social order, symbolizes this renewed relationship between communities and their environment.

This momentum is being driven by the project “Strengthening the Resilience of Human and Natural Systems to Climate Change through the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Mangrove Ecosystems in Southern Benin.” The initiative is implemented with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Living Environment and Transport in charge of Sustainable Development (MCVT), and financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Operating across nine municipalities in southern Benin (Grand-Popo, Abomey-Calavi, Ouidah, Kpomassè, Bopa, Comè, Sèmè-Podji, Sô-Ava, and Aguégués) the project focuses in particular on Ramsar wetlands 1017 and 1018, two of the country’s most important ecosystems from both ecological and socio-economic perspectives.

On the ground, the results are visible. Degraded mangrove forests are being restored, reforested areas are coming back to life, and waterways that had long been clogged are regaining their functionality. Communities are already experiencing tangible benefits from these interventions.

According to Fiacre Codjo Ahononga, National Project Coordinator, the ambition extends far beyond environmental restoration alone. “Six value chains (aquaculture, salt production, fisheries, market gardening, composting, and ecotourism) have been structured to help communities generate more sustainable incomes through training and the implementation of business plans developed by beneficiaries themselves.” He notes that reopening waterways has improved mobility and trade, while mangrove restoration and the planting of fast-growing tree species have reduced pressure on forest resources. “Restoration efforts across municipalities and reforestation using fast-growing species have transformed community attitudes,” he emphasizes.

The project is already delivering measurable results. Séverin Nsia, Chair of the National Project Steering Committee, highlights significant achievements: “One hundred and ten hectares of mangroves have been placed under protection, forty-seven hectares have already been restored, twenty-nine hectares reforested, and fourteen kilometers of waterways reopened.”

Beyond the figures, he stresses the growing ownership of the initiative by local populations. “The momentum created by the Government, with the support of partners such as FAO and the GEF, has gradually mobilized communities, which are now taking ownership of restoration activities.”

The initiative is also investing in the future through the establishment of nine environmental clubs dedicated to training “Junior Mangrove Ambassadors.” These efforts are supported by school nurseries, school plantations, and forest seedling production facilities. At the same time, conservation measures have been strengthened through the sacralization of eighteen sites covering one hundred and forty-four hectares, the adoption of local natural resource management agreements, support to thirty-three cooperatives and associations, and the promotion of innovations such as solar-powered salt production, which helps reduce pressure on forest resources.

For Zoéwindé Henri Noël Bouda, FAO Representative in Benin, this approach demonstrates the close link between environmental protection and sustainable development. “Restoring mangroves means acting for the environment. But it also helps revive fisheries and aquaculture production, improve nutrition, and increase people’s incomes.”

Nature itself appears to be responding to these efforts. In the Coastal Cluster, Gérard Djikpessé, President of the local ACCB, has observed the return of several species that had become rare or disappeared altogether, including fish, crocodiles, vipers, monkeys, and birds. This recovery is creating new opportunities for ecotourism.

In Comè, around Lake Ahémé, Mayor Edgar Tohouegnon also notes a revival in economic activity. “Fishing activities are more dynamic, and incomes are improving.” Ecotourism has now been integrated into the municipality’s development planning.

Driven by local communities, this initiative demonstrates how mangrove conservation can successfully combine environmental protection, improved livelihoods, and greater resilience to climate change.

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

Source: APO

Backbase (www.Backbase.com) announced the acquisition of Kasisto, a pioneer in agentic AI for banking and financial services. Kasisto’s agentic platform, financial services intelligence, and New York-based team are now part of Backbase and the AI-native Banking OS.

The transaction integrates Kasisto’s financial intelligence models into the Backbase platform, building an architecture that helps financial institutions overcome legacy IT constraints that have stymied digital transformation across Africa.

This announcement follows a recent survey of 277 bank executives across Africa, conducted by Backbase with African Banker magazine (https://apo-opa.co/4f7b9KZ), which revealed legacy system integration as the primary obstacle to AI adoption. This bottleneck prevents established institutions from scaling digital offerings fast enough to compete with agile, cloud-native fintechs and mobile money operators.

Legacy maintenance costs billions globally, but the impact is especially acute in Africa, where banks face high operational costs and a growing mobile-first unbanked population.

“This acquisition addresses a structural constraint specific to how African banking has grown,” said Ayman Daoud, Vice-President of Africa regions at Backbase. “We see too many banks build AI in isolated pockets, like a chatbot in digital self-service or automation in the contact centre, without resolving the disconnect between those teams and back-office operations. By embedding Kasisto’s reasoning AI into the core operating model, we’re giving African banks one system that can answer a question and complete the work behind it within the governance and compliance regulators require.“

Banking-grade agentic AI, embedded in the Banking OS.

Kasisto’s platform, KAI, is purpose-built for regulated financial environments, unlike general-purpose AI models. It uses specialised financial LLMs that understand context, apply institutional judgment, and operate strictly within banking governance and compliance frameworks. In the continent, the platform has already been successfully deployed by Absa and Nedbank, where, in the latter, it cut the number of live agent conversations by half within just a year of launch.

Combined with Backbase’s flagship Banking OS, Kasisto’s conversational and agentic AI turns customer intent into governed execution: verifying eligibility, applying policy, and triggering workflows to resolve requests without manual handoffs. The result is AI that not only fields queries but finishes them, with proactive, compliant outbound engagement before a customer need becomes an inbound service request.

“Agentic AI will define how banks compete over the next decade. Africa is a particularly well placed to leapfrog western banks with decades-old core systems. Backbase and Kasisto give those institutions purpose-built agentic intelligence from day one, rather than retrofitting it onto legacy infrastructure later.” said Lance Berks, CEO of Kasisto.

Backbase’s engagement layer and Kasisto’s transactional AI give African financial institutions a way to bypass traditional IT modernisation cycles that often take years and have high failure rates.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Backbase.

Media Contact:
press-relations@backbase.com​

About Backbase:
Backbase built the AI-native Banking OS – the operating system that turns fragmented banking operations into a Unified Frontline. Customers, employees, and AI agents work as one across digital channels, front office, and operations. 120+ leading banks run on Backbase across Retail, SMB & Commercial, Private Banking, and Wealth Management. Recognised by Forrester, Gartner, and Datos as a category leader, Backbase was founded in 2003 by Jouk Pleiter and is headquartered in Amsterdam, with teams across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

The State of AI in African Banking report will be launched on 15 July in collaboration with African Banker. Click here to find out more (https://apo-opa.co/4f7b9KZ).

Source: APO

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Tunisian courts sentenced eight human rights defenders to prison terms and fines in recent days for charges connected to their human rights work, including two prominent women who were handed harsh sentences, Human Rights Watch said today. 

On June 26, 2026, a Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Sihem Bensedrine, the former president of the Truth and Dignity Commission, to 25 years in prison and a joint fine with several other defendants of approximately 1.8 billion Tunisian dinars (about US$600 million). Three days earlier, a Tunis appeals court sentenced Saadia Mosbah, president of the antiracism association Mnemty (“My Dream” in Tunisian Arabic), to eight years in prison and a fine of 122,000 dinars (about $41,400). It sentenced five other Mnemty members to prison terms ranging from one to three years, some of which were suspended.

“The harsh prison sentences and astronomical fines are another devastating blow to human rights defenders and all those fighting to preserve what remains of Tunisia’s civic space,” said Bassam Khawaja, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “By targeting leading human rights figures, the authorities are crushing their demands and quashing the quest for social justice in Tunisia.”

These latest convictions come amid a drastic closure of civic space and increasing attacks on civil society groups and members in Tunisia. Tunisian authorities should immediately vacate their convictions, free those detained, and drop abusive prosecutions against rights defenders.

Bensedrine, 75, appeared before the court on June 25 in two separate cases. Her conviction appears to be in retaliation for her role from 2014 to 2018 as head of the Truth and Dignity Commission, which worked to uncover accountability for decades of human rights abuses. Tunisia’s Transitional Justice law grants immunity to the commission members and states that members and officials who have performed a duty at the commission’s request “shall not be held liable for the content of reports, conclusions, opinions, or recommendations made within the scope of this law.”

In one case, the authorities charged Bensedrine with “using her position to gain unfair advantage for herself or a third party,” “fraud,” and “forgery,” in connection with the commission’s official report. The charges followed a former commission member’s complaint in 2020 that Bensedrine had falsified its final report with regard to alleged corruption in the banking system. Bensedrine was placed in pretrial detention in this case in August 2024, and provisionally released in February 2025 after going on a hunger strike.

In another case, authorities charged Bensedrine with “using her position to gain unfair advantage for herself or a third party,” in connection with an arbitral reconciliation agreement by the commission’s council regarding Slim Chiboub, a businessman and son-in-law of former President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. One of her lawyers told the media that this agreement was never implemented. 

Bensedrine was sentenced to twenty years in prison in the first case and an additional five in the second. She remains free and has appealed the verdict. 

Bensedrine worked for nearly 40 years to expose human rights violations in Tunisia and has faced repeated retaliation from the authorities. She was  imprisoned for two weeks in 1987 under President Habib Bourguiba, and again for nearly two months in 2001 under the autocratic rule of President Ben Ali. Bensedrine went into exile from 2010 until Tunisia’s 2011 revolution. She has strongly criticized President Kais Saied and denounced his “incessant assaults on democracy.” 

Bensedrine’s prosecution and conviction in connection with her work on the Truth and Dignity Commission deal another blow to transitional justice in Tunisia, Human Rights Watch said. 

On June 26, 2026, a Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced other defendants in the same cases, including Khaled Krichi, a lawyer and former commission member arrested on June 3, to 10 years in prison, in connection with his work at the commission.

The authorities are similarly targeting Mosbah for her human rights work and her efforts to combat racial discrimination. She contributed to the adoption of a landmark 2018 law for the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. Tunisian authorities first brought the case against Mnemty in May 2024, amid a wider crackdown on refugee aid groups and a racist online smear campaign against Mosbah, who is Black, from pro-government social media accounts. 

Authorities arrested Mosbah on May 6, 2024. On May 16, a prosecutor brought charges against her, seven other members of Mnemty, and their landlord for illicit enrichment, money laundering by an organized group, and failure to maintain adequate accounting records. An investigative judge ordered Mosbah detained without a hearing. She has remained arbitrarily detained ever since, though Tunisian law limits pretrial detention to 14 months.

She has faced racist remarks and assaults by inmates and prison guards, her family told Human Rights Watch. A Tunis Court of First Instance convicted her of these charges and sentenced her to eight years in prison on March 19, 2026, which the court of appeal upheld on June 23.

The appeals court also sentenced five other members of Mnemty on similar charges on June 23, based on the minute of the verdict, which Human Right Watch reviewed. Ghofrane Binous was sentenced in absentia to three years. The sentences of Zied Rouin and Fares Gueblaoui, who appeared before the court, were reduced to two-year suspended terms, and they were fined 34,113.50 dinars (about $11,560) and 23,665 dinars (about $8,020), respectively. The court sentenced two other members to suspended terms, one for two years and the other for one, and acquitted three others. Five were stripped of their right to vote and to run for office for five years, a Mnemty member told Human Rights Watch. 

Tunisia is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly, to not be subject to arbitrary arrest or detention, and to a fair trial.

In a 2025 report, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended that Tunisia review its legislative framework to ensure space for civil society organizations, including those working with ethnic minority groups, asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants.

“The Tunisian authorities should strive to implement the laws and measures that Bensedrine and Mosbah fought for over decades, rather than dismantling their struggle for accountability and against discrimination,” Khawaja said. “Tunisia’s international partners, including the European Union, should urgently condemn the ongoing persecution of human rights defenders and press the government to protect civic space.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Source: APO

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The President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr Patrick Herminie, today received the Letters of Credence of His Excellency Mr Renso Antonio Herrera Franco, Ambassador-Designate of the Dominican Republic to the Republic of Seychelles, during an accreditation ceremony held at the Salon des Gouverneur at State House this morning.

President Herminie welcomed Ambassador Herrera Franco to Seychelles and congratulated him on becoming the first Ambassador of the Dominican Republic accredited to the Republic of Seychelles, describing the appointment as an important milestone in strengthening bilateral relations. The President reaffirmed Seychelles’ commitment to deepening cooperation with the Dominican Republic in areas of mutual interest.

During their discussions, both leaders identified opportunities to strengthen cooperation in trade, sustainable fisheries, tourism, marine conservation, agriculture, sport and health. Recognising the common opportunities and challenges faced by Small Island Developing States, they emphasised the value of sharing expertise and advancing practical cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations.

President Herminie noted that tourism remains one of the main pillars of Seychelles’ economy and expressed the Government’s interest in concluding a visa waiver agreement between the two countries. Such an agreement, he said, would facilitate greater people-to-people exchanges and further strengthen bilateral ties.

His Excellency Ambassador Herrera Franco reaffirmed his commitment to fostering a transformative relationship and mutually beneficial partnership between the Dominican Republic and Seychelles. He emphasised that, as fellow island nations facing similar challenges, both countries could support one another through enhanced South–South partnerships and the exchange of knowledge and expertise.

Both leaders also expressed their aspiration to sign three memoranda of understanding by February next year to lay the foundation for closer bilateral cooperation. These would cover a visa waiver agreement, cooperation in sport, and the medical training of students.

His excellency will be based in Abu Dhabi.

Also in attendance were officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO

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Ghana has strengthened its readiness to respond to future public health emergencies through its participation in Exercise Polaris II, a global pandemic simulation exercise involving 26 countries across all six World Health Organization (WHO) regions.

The exercise, the second in a series of international pandemic response simulations, was designed to test how effectively countries and global health systems can detect, assess and respond to rapidly evolving health threats. Conducted under the framework of the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) and national alert and response systems, the exercise provided a realistic environment for evaluating emergency preparedness and coordination mechanisms.

Exercise Polaris II challenged participants to respond to a complex pandemic scenario, requiring health emergency teams and coordination structures to make critical decisions under pressure. The simulation assessed key areas including event detection and risk assessment, incident management, workforce readiness, information sharing, international coordination, leadership, and risk communication.

In Ghana, approximately 30 public health professionals drawn from government institutions and partner organizations participated in the two-day exercise. Working under the guidance of an Incident Manager, participants responded to evolving scenarios and emergency injects designed to test national response systems and interagency coordination.

The exercise provided an opportunity to evaluate existing preparedness measures, identify strengths, and highlight areas requiring further improvement. A post-exercise review, known as a hotwash session, enabled participants to reflect on their experiences and discuss lessons learned.

Speaking after the exercise, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Asiedu Bekoe, expressed confidence in Ghana’s preparedness efforts.

“With this enthusiasm and the outcome of the exercise, I am convinced that Ghana is ready to respond should any outbreak occur,” he said.

Participants also described the exercise as insightful and valuable, noting that it offered practical experience in managing complex public health emergencies and reinforced the importance of collaboration across sectors.

Across participating countries, feedback highlighted the importance of rapid information sharing, strong leadership, and effective surge capacity planning in responding to health emergencies. For the African Region, the exercise underscored the need for robust coordination mechanisms and timely decision-making during crisis situations.

Ghana’s participation in Exercise Polaris II reflects the country’s continued commitment to strengthening health emergency preparedness and response capabilities. By testing coordination systems, workforce readiness, and emergency response structures in a simulated environment, the country gained important insights that will help enhance resilience and protect communities during future outbreaks and pandemics.

The exercise also reinforced the value of realistic simulations as a tool for preparedness, enabling countries to identify gaps and strengthen systems before emergencies occur. As global health threats continue to evolve, initiatives such as Exercise Polaris II play a critical role in ensuring countries remain ready to respond effectively and safeguard public health.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO), Ghana.